Particle size distribution of inorganic and organic ions in coastal and inland Antarctic aerosol.
The concentration and particle-size distribution of ionic species in Antarctic aerosol samples were determined to investigate their potential sources, chemical evolution, and transport. We analyzed aerosol samples collected at two different Antarctic sites: a coastal site near Victoria Land close to the Italian Research Base "Mario Zucchelli", and another site located on the Antarctic plateau, close to Italian-French Concordia Research Station. We investigated anionic compounds using ion-chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, and cationic species through capillary ion chromatography with conductometry. Aerosol collected close to the coast was mainly characterized by sea salt species such as Na+, Mg2+, and SO42-. These species represented a percentage of 88% of the total sum of all detected ionic species in the aerosol samples from the coastal site. These species were mainly distributed in the coarse fraction, confirming the presence of primary aerosol near the ocean source. Aerosol collected over the Antarctic plateau was characterized by high acidity, with nss-SO42-, NO3-, and methanesulfonic acid as the most abundant species. These species were mainly distributed in the <0.49 μm fraction, and they had a behavior of a typical secondary aerosol, where several chemical and physical processes occurred.
Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy. barbaro@unive.it.|Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes CNR, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy. barbaro@unive.it.
Elena
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2639-7475
E
Barbaro
Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy.
Sara
S
Padoan
Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy.
Torben
T
Kirchgeorg
Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes CNR, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy.
Roberta
R
Zangrando
Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy.|Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes CNR, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy.
Giuseppa
G
Toscano
Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy.|Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes CNR, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy.
Carlo
C
Barbante
Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy.|Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes CNR, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venice-Mestre, Italy.
Andrea
A
Gambaro
D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D000838:Anions; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007477:Ions; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010316:Particle Size
D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D000838:Anions; D007477:Ions
Aerosol; Antarctica; Carboxylic acids; Ions; Particle size distribution; Sea spray