Jj. Schauer et al., SOURCE APPORTIONMENT OF AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER USING ORGANIC-COMPOUNDS AS TRACERS, Atmospheric environment, 30(22), 1996, pp. 3837-3855
A chemical mass balance receptor model based on organic compounds has
been developed that relates source contributions to airborne fine part
icle mass concentrations. Source contributions to the concentrations o
f specific organic compounds are revealed as well. The model is applie
d to four air quality monitoring sites in southern California using at
mospheric organic compound concentration data and source test data col
lected specifically for the purpose of testing this model. The contrib
utions of up to nine primary particle source types can be separately i
dentified in ambient samples based on this method, and approximately 8
5% of the organic fine aerosol is assigned to primary sources on an an
nual average basis. The model provides information on source contribut
ions to fine mass concentrations, fine organic aerosol concentrations
and individual organic compound concentrations. The largest primary so
urce contributors to fine particle mass concentrations in Los Angeles
are found to include diesel engine exhaust, paved road dust, gasoline-
powered vehicle exhaust, plus emissions from food cooking and wood smo
ke, with smaller contributions from tire dust, plant fragments, natura
l gas combustion aerosol, and cigarette smoke. Once these primary aero
sol source contributions are added to the secondary sulfates, nitrates
and organics present, virtually all of the annual average fine partic
le mass at Los Angeles area monitoring sites can be assigned to its so
urce. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.