The Power of 14C Measurements Combined with Chemical Characterization for Tracing Urban Aerosol in Norway

Abstract

Changing fuel patterns and increased awareness of health effects from combustion aerosols have generated considerable interest in the use of 14C as a biogenic-fossil aerosol source discriminator. Prior studies in the US demonstrated the importance of 14C measurement for estimating the wood-burning contribution to urban aerosols. The present work treats a specific air-pollution problem in the town of Elverum, Norway where large wintertime concentrations of aerosol carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were suspected to come from residential woodl combustion (RWC). The problem was significant in that up to 50 micrograms/m3[C] and 490 micrograms/m3[PAH] were found during pollution episodes. Samples collected during two winters were analyzed for C, C, PAH, and several elements in the fine fraction (<3 micrometers) aerosol. Source apportionment based on these species indicated an average of ca 65% RWC-carbon (14C), ca 5% fine particle mass from motor vehicles (Pb), but negligible contributions from heavy fuel oil (Ni, V). Patterns of 14C and total C, examined as a function of temperature and PAH, indicated large increases in RWC aerosol on the coldest days, and a major RWC contribution to the PAH fraction. Patterns with inorganic species implied multiple tracer sources, and one important case of long-range transport.