Size distribution and sources of aerosol in Launceston, Australia, during winter 1997.

As part of a pilot study into the chemical and physical properties of Australian fine particles, a suite of aerosol samples was collected at Ti Tree Bend in Launceston, Tasmania, during June and July 1997. This period represents midwinter in the Southern Hemisphere, a period when aerosol sources in Launceston are dominated by smoke from domestic wood burning. This paper describes the results from this measurement campaign, with the aim of assessing the effect of wood smoke on the chemical and physical characteristics of ambient aerosol. A micro orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) was used to measure the size distributions of the aerosol from 0.05 to 20 microns aerodynamic diameter. Continuous measurements of fine particle mass were made using a PM2.5 tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) and light scattering coefficients at 530 nm were measured with nephelometers. Mass size distributions tended to be bimodal, with the diameter of the dominant mode tending to smaller sizes with increases in total mass. Non-sea salt potassium and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were used as chemical tracers for wood smoke. Wood smoke was found to increase absolute particle mass (enough to regularly exceed air quality standards), and to concentrate mass in a single mode below 1 micron aerodynamic diameter. The acid-base equilibrium of the aerosol was altered by the wood smoke source, with free acidity hydrogen ion, non-sea salt sulfate, and ammonium concentrations being higher and the concentration of all species, including nitrate (to differing extents), focused in the fine particle size ranges. The wood smoke source also heavily influenced the aerosol scattering efficiency, adding to a strong diurnal cycle in both mass concentration and light scattering.

Determination of nicotine in water by gradient ion chromatography.

A sensitive gradient ion chromatographic method has been demonstrated for determination of nicotine in aqueous solution. The method provides an improvement in detection limit, plus a reduction in analysis time, compared with a previously published ion chromatographic method.

Atmospheric acidification in the Asian region.

Atmospheric acidification in the Asian region is discussed from the perspectives of currently available regional measurements, and the knowledge now available from several decades of acidic deposition research in the northern mid-latitudes. The main conclusions emerge: (1) that there is insufficient information currently available to enable a quantitative assessment of the present state or future potential for atmospheric acidification across the whole region; and (2) that within the limitations imposed by (1) the possibility of future acidification in certain areas cannot be ruled out if economic development and energy use on a per capita basis evolve to the levels of the major industrial countries. These two conclusions point to the need for systematic, multidisciplinary studies covering the whole region. The studies should assess quantitatively the current levels of acidic and alkaline emissions (both natural and anthropogenic) to the atmosphere, identify the relevant chemical transformations and transport/deposition pathways in the regional atmosphere, and assess the susceptibility of regional plants, soils and groundwaters to acidification.