COMPOSITION OF INDOOR AEROSOLS AT EMPEROR QIN'S TERRA-COTTA MUSEUM,XI'AN,CHINA,DURING SUMMER,2004

Particle samples were collected in August 2004 both inside and outsideEmperor Qin's Terra-Cotta Museum in Xi'an, China. Mass and chemical composition of total suspendedparticles (TSP, particles with aerodynamic diameter less than ～30 μm), PM_(2.5) (particles withaerodynamic diameter 【 2.5 μm) were determined. The average levels of indoor PM_(2.5) and TSP were108.4 and 172.4 μg·m^(-3), respectively, with PM_(2.5) constituting 62.9% of the TSP mass. Sulfate((32.4 ± 6.2)%), organics ((27.7 ± 8.0)%), and geological material ((12.5 ± 3.4)%) dominatedindoor PM_(2.5), followed by ammonium ((8.9 ± 2.8)%), nitrate ((7.0 ± 2.9)%), and elemental carbon(EC, (3.9 ± 1.5)%). Particle size distribution varied with the number of tourists in the museum.The size of sulfate, organics, EC, nitrate, and ammonium was found to vary in the range of 0.43 to3.3 μm in fraction. Ion balance indicated that the aerosol was acidic, with insufficient ammoniumions to neutralize the sulfuric and nitric acids. High concentrations of acidic aerosols will erodethe Terra-cotta warriors and horses especially in the summer season with high temperature (30℃) andrelative humidity (70%) and undesirable solar radiation inside the museum. More attention should bepaid to protecting these precious antiques made 2000 years ago.

Particle samples were collected in August 2004 both inside and outsideEmperor Qin's Terra-Cotta Museum in Xi'an, China. Mass and chemical composition of total suspendedparticles (TSP, particles with aerodynamic diameter less than ～30 μm), PM_(2.5) (particles withaerodynamic diameter < 2.5 μm) were determined. The average levels of indoor PM_(2.5) and TSP were108.4 and 172.4 μg·m^(-3), respectively, with PM_(2.5) constituting 62.9% of the TSP mass. Sulfate((32.4 ± 6.2)%), organics ((27.7 ± 8.0)%), and geological material ((12.5 ± 3.4)%) dominatedindoor PM_(2.5), followed by ammonium ((8.9 ± 2.8)%), nitrate ((7.0 ± 2.9)%), and elemental carbon(EC, (3.9 ± 1.5)%). Particle size distribution varied with the number of tourists in the museum.The size of sulfate, organics, EC, nitrate, and ammonium was found to vary in the range of 0.43 to3.3 μm in fraction. Ion balance indicated that the aerosol was acidic, with insufficient ammoniumions to neutralize the sulfuric and nitric acids. High concentrations of acidic aerosols will erodethe Terra-cotta warriors and horses especially in the summer season with high temperature (30℃) andrelative humidity (70%) and undesirable solar radiation inside the museum. More attention should bepaid to protecting these precious antiques made 2000 years ago.