Accelerator Mass Spectrometric Determination of Carbon-14 in the Low-Polarity Organic Fraction of Atmospheric Particles

Ann E. Sheffield, Lloyd A. Currie, George A. Klouda, Douglas J. Donahue, Timothy W. Linick, A. J. Timothy Jull

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other low-polarity organic compounds (LPCs) were Isolated from fine atmospheric particles collected In Albuquerque, NM, during December 1985. A procedure for removing solvent and oxidizing the LPC samples to C02 was developed. Recovery for the most volatile compound studied (phenanthrene) was90%, and the procedural blank was 0.98 ± 0.06 µg of C (standard error, SE, for n = 5 replicates). Sixteen samples, each containing the LPC fraction from a different aerosol sample, were prepared by this method and converted to targets for accelerator mass spectrometry. The 14C/13C ratio was measured for each target. Samples contained 38-470 µg of C. High beam currents (0.4-3.7 µA) and good Poisson statistics (>900 counts) were obtained. The 14C data were used to calculate the contribution of residential wood combustion (RWC) to LPC levels in the Albuquerque atmosphere. At a residential site, RWC contributed 81 ± 1 % (SE, n = 6) to the nighttime LPCs and 60 ± 8% (SE, n = 3) to daytime LPCs. At a roadway intersection, the RWC contribution was 74 ± 3% (SE, n = 5) at night and 47 ± 7% (SE, n = 2) during the day.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2098-2102
Number of pages5
JournalAnalytical Chemistry
Volume62
Issue number19
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 1990

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Analytical Chemistry

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