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Publications in Scientific Journals:

V. Groma, J. Osan, S. Török, F. Meirer, C. Streli, P. Wobrauschek, G. Falkenberg:
"Trace element analysis of airport related aerosols using SR-TXRF";
IDOJARAS, 112 (2008), 2; 83 - 97.



English abstract:
Air quality issues of international airports are becoming more and more important due to the dynamic growth of air traffic. Fine particulate matter (PM2,5 originating from emissions of aircrafts, ground handling vehicles, passenger related cars, and point sources is the mot critical pollutant in airport areas. The sources have large temporal and spatial variation. In order to correlate the elemental composition of fine particulate matter in different size fractions to airport related sources, special instrumentation and analytical technique need to be used. A novel combination of cascade impactor sampling and total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis employing synchrotron radiation is presented in this paper. The method allows quantitative determination of ultra-trace amounts (pg m-3) of most elements from samples collected for less than 20 min, while retaining the full size resolution of the impactor. Sizefractioned aerosol samples were collected on silicon wafers using a 7-stage May cascade impactor, close to the runway and next to the aircraft stands at Budapest Ferihegy Airport. The comparison of the size distribution of the elemental concentrations for different locations could allow us to differentiate between end-of-pipe and other emission sources. Typical elements coming from combustion processes (Zn, Pb), aircraft related emissions (Cu), as well as road salting processes (Cl) could be determined. Elements connected to crustal erosion and resuspension (Fe, Ti, Ca) had maximum concentration in the micrometer size fractions (1-4 μm). The combination of May impactor sampling and TXRF analysis described in this paper has a potential to be used in industrial/traffic processes where the time scale of the event is similar to the typical sampling durations, even using laboratory scale equipments.

Keywords:
airport; air quality; fine particulate matter; trace elements; TXRF; synchrotron radiation


Electronic version of the publication:
http://publik.tuwien.ac.at/files/PubDat_166393.pdf


Created from the Publication Database of the Vienna University of Technology.