A NAA collaborative study in white rice performed in seven Asian countries

Since 2000, collaborative studies for applying NAA have been performed through the Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia (FNCA) sponsored by the Japanese Government. White rice is a main food for Asians and thus was selected as a common target sample for a collaborative study in 2008. Seven Asian countries including China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, are greatly concerned about the composition of arsenic, heavy metals, and essential trace elements and took part in this study. Rice samples were purchased and prepared by following a protocol that had been proposed for this study. Samples were analyzed by their own NAA systems. In each country, more than 10 elements were examined and the results were compared. These data will be very useful in the monitoring of the levels of food contamination and to evaluate the nutritional status for people living in Asia.     

Trace element analysis of airborne particulate matters in relation to air pollution in Benin City, Nigeria

The methods of neutron activation analysis (NAA) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) have been employed to determine the concentration levels of 18 trace elements in filter-collected airborne aerosols over an urban area in Nigeria. The highest concentrations measured in the samples were for Cl, Na, Al, Pb, Ca and Zn. The aerosol particles were found to contain higher concentrations of soil-derived trace elements, such as Al, Ti, K and Na than those derived from combustion and industrial activities such as As, Cd, Mn, Zn, Pb, Ni and Sb. The average precision of measurements varied between +/- 5.2% and 13% for most elements. Possible sources of the elements are also discussed.     

Application of NAA to air particulate matter collected at thirteen sampling sites in eight Asian countries: A collaborative study

Air particulate matter (APM) samples (PM_2.5 and PM_10–2.5) were collected at 13 sampling points in 8 Asian countries and their chemical compositions were determined by using neutron activation analysis (NAA) with the k ₀-standardization method in addition to conventional comparative method of NAA. Analytical data showed that mass concentration and elemental composition of the APM collected are variable in terms of time and space, and are related to the characteristics of the sampling sites concerned. NAA was proved to be highly effective for the regional characterization of APM in chemical composition.     

复合聚并协同脱除燃煤颗粒物及颗粒态重金属的中试研究

燃煤颗粒物和其上富集的As、Se、Pb等重金属排入大气后危害环境和人体健康。本研究开发以湍流聚并、壁面回流吸附为原理的复合聚并器，研究了聚并前后对颗粒物和颗粒态重金属的聚并效果。首先采用数值模拟方法综合考虑压力损失、速度均匀性和颗粒物聚并效果，优选了折叶片作为复合聚并器的叶片类型。随后进行了不同流量的颗粒物聚并中试研究，发现复合聚并器对PM₁的聚并率可达32.84%，随着流量从11.1 m/s增加到17.6 m/s，PM_2.5聚并率呈现一定下降趋势，说明了流量增加导致颗粒停留时间缩短和颗粒物聚并率的下降。通过对比聚并前后颗粒物中As、Se、Pb的浓度变化，发现聚并过程增强了对气态重金属的吸附，也会聚集富含重金属的纳米级颗粒物，从而造成PM₁中重金属浓度的增加。聚并后PM₁内的As、Se、Pb绝对浓度的降低，显示了复合聚并器对颗粒物和颗粒态重金属的协同脱除效果。     

Solid-phase extraction with C30 bonded silica for analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in airborne particulate matters by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method using triacontyl bonded silica (C30) as sorbent was developed for the determination of 16 US Environmental Protection Agency polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in airborne particulate matters quantitatively by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Optimization experiments were conducted using spiked standard aqueous solution of PAHs and real airborne particulates samples aiming to obtain highest SPE recoveries and extraction efficiency. Factors were studied in SPE procedures including the concentration of organic modifier, flow rate of sample loading and elution solvents. The ultrasonication time and solvents were also investigated. Recoveries were in the range of 68-107% for standard PAHs aqueous solution and 61-116% for real spiked sample. Limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) with standard solution were in the range of 0.0070-0.21 microgL(-1) and 0.022-0.67 microgL(-1), respectively. The optimized method was successfully applied to the determination of 16 PAHs in real airborne particulate matters.     

Elemental determination of airborne particulate matter by XRF

Multielement determination of airbone particulates collected on PTFE-membrane filters by XRF, and possibility of using this technique in Receptor Model analysis were investigated. In order to keep the background interference as low as possible, special emphasis was therefore laid on the setup of optimized analytical procedures for XRF measurement. An intercomparison between INAA and XRF methods was performed by analyzing the same filter samples.     

Application of receptor models to airborne particulate matter

The human activities in their various aspects cause a change in the natural air quality. This change results more marked in very populated and in high industrialized areas. Some pollutants emitted are typical of a particular activity. Each source of pollution is identified by its profile in the composition of the emissions in the environment. Multivariate receptor models can be used in order to apportion pollutants to the different sources assessing the contribution of each source to the total pollution.This paper deals with the application of Absolute Principal Component Scores (APCS) receptor model to data obtained from the automatic network of air quality monitoring in the city of Bari (South Italy). The parameters monitored by automatic networks, as bihourly values, are PM₁₀, NO_x, CO, Benzene, Toluene, Xilene. The data shown in this paper concerning 1 month almost of sampling in different monitoring stations of Bari Municipality during the period of time from January 2005 to April 2006. Moreover preliminary results obtained applying the APCS model to daily PM_2.5 samples collected during SITECOS PRIN project are shown. The results concerning data collected in corso Cavour (Bari) during the month of October 2005.The results obtained by APCS receptor model seem to suggest a poor contribution of the “vehicular traffic source” and a relevant contribution of the “secondary particulate source” to particulate matter concentrations.     

Intercomparison of IAEA airborne particulate matter reference material

Fifty air filters with fine and coarse fractions were prepared from NIST 2710 contaminated soil. Eighteen pairs were made and sent to laboratories of the Coordinated Research Program (CRP) on Applied Research on Air Pollution Using Nuclear-Related Analytical Techniques for elemental determination. The results of this intercomparison are discussed in this paper.     

Microanalytical concept for multicomponent analysis of airborne particulate matter

Summary A microanalytical concept is presented that permits the determination of four ionic species (NH ₄ ⁺ , Cl^–, NO ₃ ^– , SO ₄ ^2– and 16 elements (Al, As, Cd, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Si, V, Zn) in minute samples of filter collected atmospheric particulate matter. The multistage procedure is based on consecutive aqueous extraction and acid digestion of the entire sample. Ion analysis of the extract is made by flow injection analysis (FIA) and single column ion chromatography (SCIC) with total consumption of only 50 l sample volume. Flame and furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) is employed for element analysis after acid decomposition in a closed microwave digestion system. Using flow injection sample introduction for flame-AAS a liquid volume of 2 ml is sufficient for determination of 10 elements. Determination of the remaining 6 elements by graphite furnace AAS requires 1 ml. The quality assurance programme is briefly described. It includes the analysis of standard reference materials, intercomparison with other laboratories and the use of alternative methods for accuracy control.     

Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis of airborne particulate matter

Positron annihilation lifetime technique was applied to study the electric field dependence of size, intensity and size distribution of free volumes in various liquid crystals negative nematic MBBA(N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4-n-butylaniline), positive nematic 5CB (4-cyano-4-n-pentylbiphenyl) and cholesteric mixture of MBBA and cholesteryl oleate. Positron annihilation decay curves were obtained in the direct and alternate electric field range from 0 to 120 V/mm, and annihilation curves were resolved into four lifetime components. The relation between the free volume parameters and the variation of molecular alignment is discussed for nematic and cholesteric liquid crystals.     

Neutron activation analysis of platinum metals in airborne particulate matter

A method is described for the determination of Au, Pt, Pd, Ag and Ir in two atmospheric aerosol samples, namely in Ghent and in the Milanese intercomparison sample. After neutron irradiation the samples are fused with Na₂O₂. Gold is extracted with ethylacetate, Pt precipitated as (NH₄)₂PtCl₆ Pd as dimethylglyoximate, Ag as chloride and Ir separated by anion-exchange adsorption and batch extraction. Ge(Li) gamma-spectrometry is applied for all determinations. The concentrations in ng·g⁻¹ in the samples are respectively: Au: 49 and 3000; Pt: below 100 for both samples; Pd: 7 and 28; Ag: 6000 and 14 000; Ir: 2.5 and 1.3.     

Measurement of semi-volatile azaarenes in airborne particulate and vapor phase

In the atmosphere, exchanges between the gas and particle phases has a profound influence on the removal processes and residence times of semi-volatile compounds. This study describes analytical procedures for the reliable quantitation of both gas and particle phase azaarenes (two-, three- and four-rings). Samples of particulate material were collected on the glass fiber filters and gas phase material on polyurethane foam plugs. Azaarene compounds were isolated utilizing an acid/base partition method. Isolated azaarenes compounds were then characterized and quantified using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The analytical method described in this paper is the first procedure for the simultaneous determination of gas and particle phase azaarenes and allows 47 azaarene compounds to be reliably quantified despite the complexity of urban aerosols.     

Local and non-local sources of airborne particulate pollution at Beijing

A new element tracer technique has firstly been established to estimate the contributions of mineral aerosols from both inside and outside Beijing. The ratio of Mg/Al in aerosol is a feasible element tracer to distinguish between the sources of inside and outside Beijing. Mineral aerosol, inorganic pollution aerosol mainly as sulfate and nitrate, and organic aerosol are the major components of airborne particulates in Beijing, of which mineral aerosol accounted for 32%–-67% of total suspended particles (TSP), 10% –70% of fine particles (PM2.5), and as high as 74% and 90% of TSP and PM_2.5, respectively, in dust storm. The sources from outside Beijing contributed 62% (38%–-86%) of the total mineral aerosols in TSP, 69% (52%–-90%) in PM₁₀, and 76% (59%–-93%) in PM_2.5 in spring, and 69% (52%–-83%), 79% (52%–-93%), and 45% (7% – 79%) in TSP, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5, respectively, in winter, while only ≈20% in summer and autumn. The sources from outside Beijing contributed as high as 97% during dust storm and were the dominant source of airborne particulates in Beijing. The contributions from outside Beijing in spring and winter are higher than those in summer, indicating clearly that it was related to the various meteorological factors.     

Remarks on the detection of phenols in airborne particulate matter

Summary Samples of suspended particulate matter collected in Duisburg were investigated for phenolic compounds. The loaded filters were extracted with dichloromethane for 10 hours in a soxhlet apparatus. The concentrated extract was resolved in cyclohexane and separated into a non polar and a polar fraction on alumina. The polar fraction was taken up in dichloromethane and steam-distilled. The distillate was extracted with ether. After the evaporation of the ether, the residue was resolved in dichloromethane and allowed to react with benzoyl chloride. After adding toluene the solution was reduced in volume and analyzed in a GC-MS system. For the separation of phenols by means of HPLC the enrichment of the phenols was performed without benzoylization. Six phenols were detected: hydroxibenzene, methylhydroxibenzene, hydroxibiphenyl, hydroxifluorene, benzylhydroxibenzene and dihydroxibiphenyl.     

Elemental analysis of airborne particulate matter collected on PTFE-membrane filters by SRXRF: A feasibility study

Summary Direct analysis of airborne particulate matter collected on PTFE-membrane filters was performed using synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence (SRXRF). Standard filter samples prepared in the laboratory were utilized to evaluate the setup performance as well as the capability of the proposed method. The influence of experimental parameters including the beam size and sample-to-detector distance were thoroughly examined. A total of 10 elements on the filter can be determined. It was found that the optimum detection efficiency for the system can be achieved if using a 3 mm′3 mm beam size as well as a 7 cm sample-to-detector distance with a two-step measurement procedure with photon energy less than 7 keV and 14 keV, respectively.     

Quality assessment on airborne particulate matter of k0-INAA

The analysis of airborne particulate matter (APM) by k ₀-NAA was assessed using: (1) BCR reference material (RM) simulated air-filters, (2) synthetic air-filters prepared by spiking blank filters with standard solutions, and (3) real APM filters. k ₀-INAA is a suitable technique for the analysis of APM, delivering accurate and precise results. However, the quality assessment of APM analysis appears to be a difficult task.     

Comparison of extracting solutions for elemental fractionation in airborne particulate matter

It is here described the comparison of extraction efficiency of some solutions (acetate buffer, deionized water, diluted HNO₃ and EDTA) frequently adopted in literature for evaluating the elemental solubility in airborne particulate matter. This comparison was performed considering the distribution of As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, S, Si, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, Zn between the extractable and mineralized residual fractions on the NIST 1648 certified material, PM₁₀ real samples and size-segregated samples, collected by a 13-stage impactor.The extracting solutions were evaluated by comparing extractive efficiencies and robustness towards some factors, such as acidity and concentration of complexing species, that have great environmental variability and that could be able to modify the extractive efficiency.Furthermore, extraction methods application to size-segregated samples allowed estimating the selectivity of extracting solutions towards dimensionally characterized emission sources, as dusts originated from abrasion and road dust re-suspension.On the basis of the obtained results, it was possible to define the main advantages and disadvantages resulting from the use of different extracting solutions, necessary to make possible the comparison of environmental studies carried out in different extractive conditions and to start up a proper study for harmonizing extracting procedures.