Abstract
Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is now recognized as a critical health
issue associated with numerous health impacts; in particular, the hazards associated with the organic PM is growing. This issue has attracted the attention of media and communities in the important agricultural, mining, and tourist region of the Hunter Valley, NSW, where the source of PM has been attributed to industrial and mining sectors. Most of the finer particulate material is believed to arise from combustion processes from a variety of sources, including transport, electricity generation, domestic wood combustion and from atmospheric processes which convert gases (such as SO2, NOx and some organics) to fine particles. Recent work, however, has shown that
contrary to community perceptions the fine particles constitute a smaller proportion of overall dust emissions for open cut mines than for urban environments. Here molecular level characterization (using high resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) of the organic fractions of PM is used to constrain the importance of industrial PM versus natural and biological sources. The organic fractions, sampled over a period of several months, are dominated by breakdown products of cellulose (particularly levoglucosan) attributable to wood burning with a small fraction of aliphatic hydrocarbons possibly linked to fossil fuel usage.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | CASANZ 2013 |
Subtitle of host publication | proceedings of the 21st International Clean Air and Environment Conference, 7-11 September 2013, Sydney |
Place of Publication | Olinda, Vic |
Publisher | Clean Air Society of Australia & New Zealand |
Pages | 107-1-107-4 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Publication status | Published - 2013 |
Event | International Clean Air and Environment Conference (21st : 2013) - Sydney Duration: 7 Sept 2013 → 11 Sept 2013 |
Conference
Conference | International Clean Air and Environment Conference (21st : 2013) |
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City | Sydney |
Period | 7/09/13 → 11/09/13 |
Keywords
- aerosol
- biomarker
- biomass burning