Abstract |
- The atmospheric trace element abundances associated with "indoor"
and '"outdoor" air particulate have been measured for university chemistry
laboratories, typical homes, modern office buildings, hospital and
automobile repair garages in a rural setting (Corvallis, Oregon) and
modern office buildings in an urban setting (Portland, Oregon). Samples
of atmospheric particulate matter were collected using a high volume
sampler, a cascade impactor and a specially designed, quiet sampler.
Analysis of the trace elements Al , Fe, Ti , Na, K, Sm, Eu, La, Sc, Cl,
Mn, Br, V, Sb, Co, Cr, As, and Zn was done using instrumental neutron
activation analysis. I found that " upswept soil " and the " wood
products industry contribution" are the main components of Corvallis
Oregon rural air.The rural results show the mean indoor concentrations
to be -v75% of the outdoor concentrations with preferential loss of
larger particles as one moves from outdoors to indoors. The urban
results show typical indoor-outdoor ratios of ,N,18%. By examining any
enhancement or chemical fractionation in elemental abundance patterns
between indoor and outdoor particulate matter, one can identify
indoor sources. Sources of this type identified in this work include
acid vapors in the chemistry laboratory, auto exhaust in the automobile
repair garage and unidentified source(s) of atmospheric chromium in
the typical homes, potassium in one modern office, antimony and zinc
in the other modern office.
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