Soot particles at an elevated site in eastern China during the passage of a strong cyclone.
Atmospheric particles larger than 0.2 μm were collected at the top of Mt. Tai (36.25°N, 117.10°E, 1534 m a.s.l.) in eastern China in May 2008 during the passage of a strong cyclone. The particles were analyzed with electron microscopes and characterized by morphology, equivalent diameter and elemental composition. Soot particles with coating (coated soot particles) and those without apparent coating (naked soot particles) were predominant in the diameter range smaller than 0.6 μm in all samples. The number-size distribution of the relative abundance of naked soot particles in the prefrontal air was similar to that in the postfrontal air and their size modes were around 0.2-0.3 μm. However, the distribution of inclusions of coated soot particles showed a mode in the range of 0.1-0.3 μm. The coating degree of coated soot particles, which was defined by the ratio of the diameter of inclusion to the diameter of particle body, showed a mode around 0.5 with the range of 0.3-0.6. These results indicate that the status of soot particles in the prefrontal and postfrontal air was similar although air pollution levels were dramatically different. In addition, the relative abundance of accumulation mode particles increased with the decrease of soot particles after the front passage.
State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, School of Geoscience and Surveying Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, China.
Hongya
H
Niu
Longyi
L
Shao
Daizhou
D
Zhang
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D053260:Soot / Q000032:analysis*; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission
D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D053260:Soot