Nuclear analytical techniques applied to large-scale measurement of atmospheric aerosols in the Amazon region

Author(s)

Fabio Gerab

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Física (IF/SBI)
• Defense date: 1996-03-15

Examining board members

Paulo Eduardo Artaxo Netto; Reynaldo Calixto; Iuda Dawid Goldman Vel Lejbman; Alberto Waingort Setzer; Marina Beatriz Agostini Vasconcellos

• Advisor: Paulo Eduardo Artaxo Netto

Abstract

This work presents the characterization of the atmospheric aerosol collected in different places of the Amazon Basin. We studied both the biogenic emission from the forest and the particulate material which is emitted to the atmosphere due to the large scale man-made burnings during the dry season. The samples were collected during a three year period at two different locations in the Amazon, namely the Alta Floresta (MT) and Serra do Navio (AP) regions, using stacked unit filters. These regions represent two different atmospheric compositions : the aerosol is dominated by the forest natural biogenic emission at Serra do Navio, while at Alta Floresta it presents an important contribution from the man-made burnings during the dry season. At Alta Floresta we took samples in gold shops in order to characterize mercury emission to the atmosphere related to the gold prospection activity in Amazon. Airplanes were used for aerosol sampling during the 1992 and 1993 dry seasons to characterize the atmospheric aerosol contents from man-made burnings in large amazonian areas. The samples were analyzed using several nuclear analytic techniques: Particle Induced X-ray Emission for the quantitative analysis of trace elements with atomic number above 11; Particle Induced Gamma-ray Emission for the quantitative analysis of Na; and Proton Microprobe was used for the characterization of individual particles of the aerosol. Reflectancy technique was used in the black carbon quantification, gravimetric analysis to determine the total atmospheric aerosol concentration and Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy for quantitative analysis of mercury in the particulate from the Alta Floresta gold shops. Ionic cromatography was used to quantify ionic contents of aerosols from the fine mode particulate samples from Serra do Navio. Multivariated statistical analysis was used in order to identify and characterize the sources of the atmospheric aerosol present in the sampled regions. High atmospheric aerosol concentrations were observed in large amazonian areas due to emission from man-made burnings in the June-September period. The emission from burnings dominate the fine mode of the atmospheric aerosol with characteristic high contents of black carbon, S and K. Aerosols from biomass burnings are correlated to the increase in the Aerosol Optical Thickness of the atmosphere during the Amazonian dry season. The Serra do Navio aerosol is characterized by biogenic emissions with strong marine influence. The presence of trace elements characteristic of soil particulate associated with this mar\'ine contribution indicates the existence of aerosol transport from Africa to South America. We observed common composition characteristics in the biogenic emission aerosols from Serra do Navio and Alta Floresta. High mercury concentrations associated to the atmospheric aerosol inside the Alta Floresta gold shops were observed. About 3% of the total mercury concentration inside the gold shops is associated to the atmospheric particulate. A substantial part of this mercury is associated to the fine mode, easing its transportation with the biomass burnings aerosol. A large fraction of the mercury associated to the aerosol is non-volatile, being strongly tied to the particulate in suspension in the atmosphere. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 92/02281-9 - The development of nuclear analytical techniques applied to the study of ground fires in the Amazon Forest
• Grantee: Fabio Gerab
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate