Source identification of atmospheric particle-bound metals at Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica

• Published in: Environmental Chemistry
• Main Authors: Bazzano, Andrea, Soggia, Francesco, Grotti, Marco
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Earth and Environmental Sciences; EAST ANTARCTICA; ISOTOPIC SOURCE SIGNATURES; DOME-C; SOUTHERN-HEMISPHERE; TRACE-ELEMENTS; LEAD ISOTOPES; COATS LAND; AEROSOL; SNOW; WIND; Antarctic; East Antarctica; Austral; Victoria Land; Terra Nova Bay; Coats Land; Antarc*; Antarctica; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/6861403; http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-6861403; https://doi.org/10.1071/EN14185

During the 2010-2011 austral summer, size-segregated aerosol samples were collected at a coastal Antarctic site (Terra Nova Bay, Victoria Land) and analysed for major and trace elements and lead isotopic composition, in order to provide a better understanding of the sources of metals and their transportation pathways towards Antarctica. Aerosol size fractionation was performed by a cascade impactor, able to collect aerosol particles of aerodynamic diameter 10-7.2, 7.2-3.0, 3.0-1.5, 1.5-0.95 and 0.95-0.49 mu m. It was found that Al, Co, Fe, Li, Mn, Rb, Y and V were mainly related to crustal inputs, whereas the marine contribution was significant for Li, Mg, Na and Rb. An additional anthropogenic source influencing the concentration of Cr, Cu, Mo and Pb was clearly demonstrated. The concentration of the elements associated to the crustal and marine inputs showed high values in the coarse mode (7.2-3.0 mu m), whereas the anthropogenic elements were also characterised by a high concentration in the finer (1.5-0.95 mu m) particles. The study of the temporal trends of the measured chemical markers along with the meteorological variables revealed that both the crustal and anthropogenic elements were related to the air masses carried by the katabatic wind from the inland, whereas the marine input appeared to be higher in January when the sea-ice extent was reduced. Finally, lead isotope ratios pointed out that the anthropogenic input was likely related to the polluted aerosols from South America and Australia, representing the predominant fraction (50-70%) of the lead measured in the samples.