Thermal/optical methods for elemental carbon quantification in soils and urban dusts: equivalence of different analysis protocols

PloS One
Yongming HanZhisheng An

Abstract

Quantifying elemental carbon (EC) content in geological samples is challenging due to interferences of crustal, salt, and organic material. Thermal/optical analysis, combined with acid pretreatment, represents a feasible approach. However, the consistency of various thermal/optical analysis protocols for this type of samples has never been examined. In this study, urban street dust and soil samples from Baoji, China were pretreated with acids and analyzed with four thermal/optical protocols to investigate how analytical conditions and optical correction affect EC measurement. The EC values measured with reflectance correction (ECR) were found always higher and less sensitive to temperature program than the EC values measured with transmittance correction (ECT). A high-temperature method with extended heating times (STN120) showed the highest ECT/ECR ratio (0.86) while a low-temperature protocol (IMPROVE-550), with heating time adjusted for sample loading, showed the lowest (0.53). STN ECT was higher than IMPROVE ECT, in contrast to results from aerosol samples. A higher peak inert-mode temperature and extended heating times can elevate ECT/ECR ratios for pretreated geological samples by promoting pyrolyzed organic carbon (PyOC)...Continue Reading

References

Jan 29, 2002·Environmental Science & Technology·Accardi-Dey Amymarie, Philip M Gschwend
Dec 5, 2002·Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry·Seok S ParkMarcos A Cheney
Oct 5, 2007·Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association·Judith C ChowSteven Kohl

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Citations

Jun 2, 2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Beizhan YanDorothy Pak

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Software Mentioned

PyOC
Matlab®
STN60
STN
EUSAAR
IMPROVE

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