Mass and isotopic concentrations of water-insoluble refractory carbon in total suspended particulates at Mt. Waliguan Observatory （China）

• Published in: 中国颗粒学报：英文版 2015 (3), p.24-31
• Main Author: Xiangdong Zheng Chengde Shen Guojiang Wan Jie Tang Kexin Liu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 中国; 同位素; 天文台; 总悬浮颗粒物; 水不溶性; 耐火材料; 质量浓度; 黑碳
• ISSN: 1674-2001; 2210-4291

Mass concentration and isotopic values δ13C and 14C are presented for the water-insoluble refractory carbon （WIRC） component of total suspended particulates （TSP）, collected weekly during 2003, as well as from October 2005 to May 2006 at the WMO-GAW Mt. Waliguan （WLG） site. The overall average WlRC mass concentration was （1183 ± 120）ng/m3 （n = 79）, while seasonal averages were 2081 ± 1707 （spring）, 454±205 （summer）, 650 ±411 （autumn）, and 1019 ± 703 （winter） ng/m3. Seasonal variations in WIRC mass concentrations were consistent with black carbon measurements from an aethalometer, although WIRC concentrations were typically higher, especially in winter and spring. The δ13C PDB value （-25.3 ± 0.8）%0 determined for WIRC suggests that its sources are C3 biomass or fossil fuel combustion. No seasonal change in δ13C PDB was evident. The average percent Modern Carbon （pMC） for 14C in WIRC for winter and spring was （67.2 ± 7.7）% （n = 29）. Lower pMC values were associated with air masses trans- ported from the area east of WLG, while higher pMC values were associated with air masses from the Tibetan Plateau, southwest of WLG. Elevated pMC values with abnormally high mass concentrations of TSP and WIRC were measured during a dust storm event.