Assessment of elemental composition and properties of copper smelter-affected dust and its nano- and micron size fractions.
A comprehensive approach has been developed to the assessment of composition and properties of atmospherically deposited dust in the area affected by a copper smelter. The approach is based on the analysis of initial dust samples, dynamic leaching of water soluble fractions in a rotating coiled column (RCC) followed by the determination of recovered elements and characterization of size, morphology and elemental composition of nano-, submicron, and micron particles of dust separated using field-flow fractionation in a RCC. Three separated size fractions of dust (<0.2, 0.2-2, and >2 μm) were characterized by static light scattering and scanning electron microscopy, whereupon the fractions were analyzed by ICP-AES and ICP-MS (after digestion). It has been evaluated that toxic elements, which are characteristics for copper smelter emissions (As, Cu, Zn), are accumulated in fraction >2 μm. At the same time, up to 2.4, 3.1, 8.2, 6.7 g/kg of As, Cu, Zn, Pb, correspondently, were found in nanoparticles (<0.2 μm). It has been also shown that some trace elements (Sn, Sb, Ag, Bi, and Tl) are accumulated in fraction <0.2, and their content in this fraction may be one order of magnitude higher than that in the fraction >2 μm, or the bulk sample. It may be assumed that Sn, Sb, Ag, Bi, Tl compounds are adsorbed onto the finest dust particles as compared to As, Cu, Zn compounds, which are directly emitted from the copper smelter as microparticles.
National University of Science and Technology "MISiS", 4 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow, 119991, Russia. ermolin@geokhi.ru.|Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 19 Kosygin Street, Moscow, 119991, Russia. ermolin@geokhi.ru.
Mikhail S
MS
Ermolin
National University of Science and Technology "MISiS", 4 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow, 119991, Russia.|Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 19 Kosygin Street, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
Petr S
PS
Fedotov
National University of Science and Technology "MISiS", 4 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
Alexandr I
AI
Ivaneev
National University of Science and Technology "MISiS", 4 Leninsky Prospect, Moscow, 119991, Russia.|The Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High-Purity Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences, 6 Institution Street, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russia.
Vasily K
VK
Karandashev
Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 19 Kosygin Street, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
Andrey A
AA
Burmistrov
Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 19 Kosygin Street, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
Yury G
YG
Tatsy
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008906:Mining; D010316:Particle Size; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012426:Russia
D000393:Air Pollutants; D004391:Dust; C106208:copper smelter dust; D003300:Copper
Atmospherically deposited dust; Copper smelter emissions; Field-flow fractionation; Microparticles; Nanoparticles; Submicron particles