Method to measure tree-ring width,density,elemental composition,and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes using one sample

Tree-ring width(RW),density,elemental com-position,and stable carbon and oxygen isotope(δ^(13)C,δ^(18)O)are widely used as proxies to assess climate change,ecology,and environmental pollution;however,a specific pretreat-ment has been needed for each proxy.Here,we developed a method by which each proxy can be measured in the same sample.First,the sample is polished for ring width meas-urement.After obtaining the ring width data,the sample is cut to form a 1-mm-thick wood plate.The sample is then mounted in a vertical sample holder,and gradually scanned by an X-ray beam.Simultaneously,the count rates of the fluorescent photons of elements(for chemical characteriza-tion)and a radiographic grayscale image(for wood density)are obtained,i.e.the density and the element content are obtained.Then,cellulose is isolated from the 1-mm wood plate by removal of lignin,and hemicellulose.After producing this cellulose plate,cellulose subsamples are separated by knife under the microscope for inter-annual and intra-annual stable carbon and oxygen isotope(δ^(13)C,δ^(18)O)analysis.Based on this method,RW,density,elemental composition,δ^(13)C,and δ^(18)O can be measured from the same sample,which reduces sample amount and treatment time,and is helpful for multi-proxy comparison and combination research.

Multi-Elemental Analysis and 2D Image Mapping within Roots, Leaves and Seeds from O. glaberrima Rice Plants Using Micro-PIXE Technique

Understanding metal accumulation at organ level in roots, leaves and seeds in O. glaberrima (OG) is crucial for improving physiological and metabolic aspects in growing Asian and African rice in salted areas. The micro-analytical imaging techniques are required to reveal its accumulation and distribution within plant tissues. PIXE studies have been performed to determine different elements in rice plants. The existing microbeam analytical technique at the iThemba LABS will be applied for the 2D image mapping of fresh rice tissues to perform a concentration of low atomic mass elements (such as Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Br, Zn and K) with detection limits of typically 1-10 μg/g. Comparison of the distribution of the elements between leaves, root and seed samples using uptake and distribution of elements in particular environmental conditions with potential amount of salt in water have been performed. We are also expecting to indicate metal exclusion as salt tolerance strategies from leaves, root, and seed compartments using matrix correlation between samples and between elements on rice species.

Elemental Compositions of Clinopyroxenes from Southern Okinawa Trough Basalt:Implications for Magmatism and Structural Environment in an Initial Back-Arc Basin

The major and trace elemental compositions of clinopyroxene from basalt were used to characterize the nature of the primitive magma and structural environment beneath the southern Okinawa Trough(SOT),which is an initial back-arc basin at a continental margin.The clinopyroxenes in the basalt were augite with variable Mg^(#)contents(73.37-78.22).The regular variations in major oxide contents(i.e.,CaO,FeO,TiO_(2),and Cr)with decreasing Mg#implied that the clinopyroxenes evolved from being enriched in Mg,Ca,and Cr to being enriched in Fe and Ti.The clinopyroxenes had relatively low rare earth element concentrations(7.51×10^(-6) to 12.68×10^(-6))and negative Eu anomalies(δEu=0.67-0.95).The Kd_(cpx) values of clinopyroxenes(0.2-0.26),which were used to examine whether the clinopyroxene was equilibrated with its host basalt,demonstrate that these clinopyroxene phenocrysts were not captured crystals but were instead produced by crystallization differentiation of the magma.The calculated clinopyroxene crystallization temperatures showed a narrow range of 990-1061℃,and their crystallization pressures ranged from 2.0 to 3.2 kbar.The geochemistry features of these clinopyroxenes indicated that the parent magma belonged to the subalkaline tholeiitic magma series and suggested that the magma experienced crystallization differentiation of olivine,plagioclase,and clinopyroxene,where the crystallization of plagioclase occurred earlier than that of clinopyroxene.Combined with geophysical data,this research on primitive magma and its crystallization differentiation from clinopyroxene indicates that the SOT is in the stage of‘seafloor spreading’and that basaltic rocks produced from tholeiitic magma represent the generation of oceanic crust.

Depositional Environment and Lithofacies Analyses of Eocene Lacustrine Shale in the Bohai Bay Basin:Insights from Mineralogy and Elemental Geochemistry

The effect of various depositional parameters including paleoclimate,paleosalinity and provenance,on the depositional mechanism of lacustrine shale is very important in reconstructing the depositional environment.The classification of shale lithofacies and the interpretation of shale depositional environment are key features used in shale oil and gas exploration and development activity.The lower 3rd member of the Eocene Shahejie Formation(Es_(3)^(x)shale)was selected for this study,as one of the main prospective intervals for shale oil exploration and development in the intracratonic Bohai Bay Basin.Mineralogically,it is composed of quartz(avg.9.6%),calcite(avg.58.5%),dolomite(avg.7%),pyrite(avg.3.3%)and clay minerals(avg.20%).An advanced methodology(thin-section petrography,total organic carbon and total organic sulfur contents analysis,X-ray diffraction(XRD),X-ray fluorescence(XRF),field-emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM))was adopted to establish shale lithofacies and to interpret the depositional environment in the lacustrine basin.Six different types of lithofacies were recognized,based on mineral composition,total organic carbon(TOC)content and sedimentary structures.Various inorganic geochemical proxies(Rb/Sr,Ca/(Ca+Fe),Ti/Al,Al/Ca,Al/Ti,Zr/Rb)have been used to interpret and screen variations in depositional environmental parameters during the deposition of the Es_(3)^(x)shale.The experimental results indicate that the environment during the deposition of the Es_(3)^(x)shale was warm and humid with heightened salinities,moderate to limited detrital input,higher paleohydrodynamic settings and strong oxygen deficient(reducing)conditions.A comprehensive depositional model of the lacustrine shale was developed.The interpretations deduced from this research work are expected to not only expand the knowledge of shale lithofacies classification for lacustrine fine-grained rocks,but can also offer a theoretical foundation for lacustrine shale oil exploration and development.

Simultaneous nitrification and autotrophic denitrification in fluidized bed reactors using pyrite and elemental sulfur as electron donors

In this study, simultaneous nitrification and autotrophic denitrification (SNAD) with either elemental sulfur or pyrite were investigated in fluidized bed reactors in mesophilic conditions. The reactor performance was evaluated at different ammonium (12-40 mg/L of NH4+-N), nitrate (35-45 mg/L of NO3--N), and dissolved oxygen (DO) (0.1-1.5 mg/L) concentrations, with a hydraulic retention time of 12 h. The pyrite reactor supported the SNAD process with a maximum nitrogen removal efficiency of 139.5 mg/(L·d) when the DO concentration was in the range of 0.8-1.5 mg/L. This range, however, limited the denitrification efficiency of the reactor, which decreased from 90.0% ± 5.3% in phases II-V to 67.9% ± 7.2% in phases VI and VII. Sulfate precipitated as iron sulfate (FeSO4/Fe2(SO4)3) and sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) minerals during the experiment. The sulfur reactor did not respond well to nitrification with a low and unstable ammonium removal efficiency, while denitrification occurred with a nitrate removal efficiency of 97.8%. In the pyrite system, the nitrifying bacterium Nitrosomonas sp. was present, and its relative abundance increased from 0.1% to 1.1%, while the autotrophic denitrifying genera Terrimonas, Ferruginibacter, and Denitratimonas dominated the community. Thiobacillus, Sulfurovum, and Trichlorobacter were the most abundant genera in the sulfur reactor during the entire experiment.

One‑Step Gas-Solid‑Phase Diffusion‑Induced Elemental Reaction for Bandgap‑Tunable Cu_(a)Agm_(1)Bim_(2)I_(n)/CuI Thin Film Solar Cells

Lead-free inorganic copper-silver-bismuth-halide materials have attracted more and more attention due to their environmental friendliness,high element abundance,and low cost.Here,we developed a strategy of one-step gas-solid-phase diffusioninduced reaction to fabricate a series of bandgap-tunable Cu_(a)Agm_(1)Bim_(2)I_(n)/CuI bilayer films due to the atomic diffusion effect for the first time.By designing and regulating the sputtered Cu/Ag/Bi metal film thickness,the bandgap of Cu_(a)Agm_(1)Bim_(2)I_(n)/CuI could be reduced from 2.06 to 1.78 eV.Solar cells with the structure of FTO/TiO_(2)/Cu_(a)Agm_(1)Bim_(2)I_(n)/CuI/carbon were constructed,yielding a champion power conversion efficiency of 2.76%,which is the highest reported for this class of materials owing to the bandgap reduction and the peculiar bilayer structure.The current work provides a practical path for developing the next generation of efficient,stable,and environmentally friendly photovoltaic materials.

Rare earth elemental and Sr isotopic evidence for seawater intrusion event of the Songliao Basin 91 million years ago

Petrogenesis of lacustrine dolostone is closely related with paleo-lake water conditions.Here we report the high spatial-resolution petrographic and geochemical results of a lacustrine dolomite nodule from the Qingshankou Formation,the Songliao Basin.Sedimentary and elemental signatures confirm the protogenetic origin of this nodule and its effectiveness in recording geochemical characteristics of paleo-lake water during dolomitization.The low Y/Ho ratios,middle rare earth element(MREE)enrichment and subtle positive Eu anomalies within the nodule indicate a fresh water source.However,the Sr isotope values in the core of the nodule(0.7076-0.7080)are close to contemporaneous seawater(0.7074),yet different from the modern river(0.7120)and the host black shale(0.7100).On the premise of excluding the influence of hydrothermal fluids,the significantly low strontium isotope values of the lacustrine dolomite might be caused by seawater interference during dolomitization.Our findings demonstrate that lacustrine dolomite within black shales is not only a faithful tracer of diagenetic water environment,but also a novel and easily identified mineralogical evidence for episodic seawater intrusion event(91 Ma)in the Songliao Basin,which supplements other paleontological and geochemical evidence.

Clay minerals and elemental composition of sediments on different sedimentary units in the northern East China Sea shelf:provenance tracing and genetic mechanism analysis

The composition,provenance,and genetic mechanism of sediment on different sedimentary units of the East China Sea(ECS)shelf are essential for understanding the depositional dynamics environment in the ECS.The sediments in the northern ECS shelf are distributed in a ring-shaped distribution centered on the southwestern Cheju Island Mud.From the inside to the outside,the grain size goes from fine to coarse.Aside from the“grain size effect”,hydrodynamic sorting and mineral composition are important restrictions on the content of rare earth elements(REEs).Based on the grain size,REEs,and clay mineral composition of 300 surface sediments,as well as the sedimentary genesis,the northern ECS shelf is divided into three geochemical zones:southwestern Cheju Island Mud Area(ZoneⅠ),Changjiang Shoal Sand Ridges(ZoneⅡ-1),Sand Ridges of the East China Sea shelf(ZoneⅡ-2).The northern ECS shelf is mostly impacted by Chinese mainland rivers(the Changjiang River and Huanghe River),and the provenance and transport mechanism of sediments of different grain sizes is diverse.The bulk sediments come primarily from the Changjiang River,with some material from the Huanghe River carried by the Yellow Sea Coastal Current and the North Jiangsu Coastal Current,and less from Korean rivers.Among them,surface sediments in the southwestern Cheju Island Mud Area(ZoneⅠ)come mostly from the Changjiang River and partly from the Huanghe River.It was formed by the counterclockwise rotating cold eddies in the northern ECS shelf,which caused the sedimentation and accumulation of the fine-grained sediments of the Changjiang River and the Huanghe River.The Changjiang Shoal Sand Ridges(ZoneⅡ-1)were developed during the early-middle Holocene sea-level highstand.It is the modern tidal sand ridge sediment formed by intense hydrodynamic action under the influence of the Yellow Sea Coastal Current,North Jiangsu Coastal Current,and Changjiang Diluted Water.The surface sediments mainly originate from the Changjiang River and Huanghe River,with the Changjiang River dominating,and the Korean River(Hanjiang River)influencing just a few stations.Sand Ridges of the East China Sea shelf(ZoneⅡ-2)are the relict sediments of the paleo-Changjiang River created by sea invasion at the end of the Last Deglaciation in the Epipleistocene.The clay mineral composition of the surface sediments in the study area is just dominated by the Changjiang River,with the North Jiangsu Coastal Current and the Changjiang Diluted Water as the main transporting currents.

Carbonization mechanism of bamboo (phyllostachys) by means of Fourier Transform Infrared and elemental analysis

通过测定在200-600℃炭化竹材得到的固体产物的碳、氢、氧元素的含量及它们的红外光谱,研究了在炭化过程中竹材中半纤维素、纤维素及木素的变化规律。结果表明,结合元素分析,红外光谱分析方法是研究竹材炭化机理的有效手段。在200℃以前,竹材中的半纤维素和纤维素的大量羟基断裂,并结合成水而失去。在200-250℃之间,竹材中的纤维素被降解,其中的吡喃型环也遭到破坏。并且木素中的甲氧基也被脱去。竹材中的木素网状结构在250-400℃之间遭到完全的破坏。竹炭中的碳原子在600℃已基本上完成了芳环化。图3表2参15。

Elemental composition x-ray fluorescence analysis with a TES-based high-resolution x-ray spectrometer

The accurate analysis of the elemental composition plays a crucial role in the research of functional materials.The emitting characteristic x-ray fluorescence(XRF)photons can be used for precisely discriminating the specified element.The detection accuracy of conventional XRF methodology using semiconductor detector is limited by the energy resolution,thus posing a challenge in accurately scaling the actual energy of each XRF photon.We adopt a novel high-resolution x-ray spectrometer based on the superconducting transition-edge sensor(TES)for the XRF spectroscopy measurement of different elements.Properties including high energy resolution,high detection efficiency and precise linearity of the new spectrometer will bring significant benefits in analyzing elemental composition via XRF.In this paper,we study the Ledge emission line profiles of three adjacent rare earth elements with the evenly mixed sample of their oxide components:terbium,dysprosium and holmium.Two orders of magnitude better energy resolution are obtained compared to a commercial silicon drift detector.With this TES-based spectrometer,the spectral lines overlapped or interfered by background can be clearly distinguished,thus making the chemical component analysis more accurate and quantitative.A database of coefficient values for the line strength of the spectrum can then be constructed thereafter.Equipped with the novel XRF spectrometer and an established coefficient database,a direct analysis of the composition proportion of a certain element in an unknown sample can be achieved with high accuracy.

Standard spectrum measurement and simulation of elemental capture spectroscopy log

We have established a set of laboratory measurements which is used for capturing element gammma spectrum. Standard captured gamma ray spectra for ten elements, including Si, Ca, Fe, are obtained using the measurements for the first time in China. We also simulated the capture gamma ray spectra of the ten elements using Monte Carlo methodology with the same parameters of our experimental measurements. Comparing the experiment and simulation results with the data from the International Atomic Energy Agency＇s Nuclear Data Center, we obtained the standard captured gamma ray spectra of the ten elements, which, as calibration spectra, are used to calibrate the raw spectrum in data processing. This method solved the key problem during the conversion from the original measuring spectrum to the yield of each element in the data processing. The method can effectively improve the accuracy of the element yield calculation.

Elemental Composition of the Shell of the Testate Amoeba Difflugia tuberspinifera (Sarcodina:Rhizopoda)

X-ray microanalysis was used to study the elemental composition of the shell of the freshwater testate amoeba Difflugia tuberspinifera Hu et al.,1997 collected from Mulan Lake,Hubei province,China in July 2003.The results show that the shell is composed of ten elements:Si in greater quantity;then Ca and Al;and traces of K,Na,Cl,Fe,Mg,S and P.The analysis of results suggests that D.tuberspinifera in elemental composition appears to occupy a middle position between marine and soil testate amoebae.

Separation and enrichment of elemental sulfur and mercury from hydrometallurgical zinc residue using sodium sulfide

The separation and enrichment of mercury and the recovery of elemental sulfur from flotation sulfur concentrate in zinc pressure leaching process were carried out by sodium sulfide leaching and carbon dioxide precipitating. The results show that the leaching rate of elemental sulfur is more than 98%, and 98.13% of mercury is enriched in the residue, under the optimized conditions of sodium sulfide concentration 1.5 mol/L, liquid/solid ratio 6：1 and leaching time 30 min at room temperature. In addition, the content of mercury is enriched 5.23 times that in the leaching residue. The elemental sulfur is precipitated from leaching solution under conditions of carbon dioxide flow rate 200 mL/min and blowing time 150 min, while solution is stirred adequately. The recovery efficiency of elemental sulfur reaches 97.67%, and the purity of elemental sulfur is 99.75%, meeting the requirements of industrial first-rate product standard according to the national standard of GB/T 2449-2006 （PRC）.

Comparative Studies on the Fine Structure and Elemental Composition of Envelopes of Trachelomonas and Strombomonas (Euglenophyta)

Fine structure and elemental composition of envelopes of 10 taxa of Trachelomonas and Strombomonas from natural freshwater bodies in China were studied and phylogeny of both genera were discussed. The results indicate that iron (Fe) and silicon (Si) are the primary mineral elements of the envelopes. Composition of mineral elements was uncorrelated with envelope color, however, it was highly correlated with the microarchitecture of the envelopes. Content of Si was higher than that of Fe in all species of Strombomonas and some species of Trachelomonas with rough surface. In most species of Trachelomonas, especially those with dense and smoothy surface, content of Fe was higher than that of Si. Based on the above results, we propose to assign those species of Strombomonas into Trachelomonas and consider them as a group of the latter. These species were the most primitive among the group with envelopes in Euglenaceae.

Gaseous elemental mercury concentration in atmosphere at urban and remote sites in China

An investigation of gaseous elemental mercury concentration in atmosphere was conducted at Beijing and Guangzhou urban, Yangtze Delta regional sites and China Global Atmosphere Watch Baseline Observatory （CGAWBO） in Mt. Waliguan of remote continental area of China. High temporal resolved data were obtained using automated mercury analyzer RA-915^＋. Results showed that the overall hourly mean Hg^0 concentrations in Mt. Waliguan were 1.7±1.1 ng/m3 in summer and 0.6±0.08 ng/m^3 in winter. The concentration in Yangtze Delta regional site was 5.4±4.1 ng/m^3, which was much higher than those in Waliguan continental background area and also higher than that found in North America and Europe rural areas. In Beijing urban area the overall hourly mean Hg^0 concentrations were 8.3±3.6 ng/m^3 in winter, 6.5±5.2 ng/m^3 in spring, 4.9±3.3 ng/m^3 in summer, and 6.7±3.5 ng/m^3 in autumn, respectively, and the concentration was 13.5±7.1 ng/m^3 in Guangzhou site. The mean concentration reached the lowest value at 14：00 and the highest at 02：00 or 20：00 in all monitoring campaigns in Beijing and Guangzhou urban areas, which contrasted with the results measured in Yangtze Delta regional site and Mr. Waliguan. The features of concentration and diurnal variation of Hg^0 in Beijing and Guangzhou implied the importance of local anthropogenic sources in contributing to the high Hg^0 concentration in urban areas of China. Contrary seasonal variation patterns of Hg^0 concentration were found between urban and remote sites. In Beijing the highest Hg^0 concentration was in winter and the lowest in summer, while in Mt. Waliguan the Hg^0 concentration in summer was higher than that in winter. These indicated that different processes and factors controlled Hg^0 concentration in urban, regional and remote areas.

Continuous Measurement of Number Concentrations and Elemental Composition of Aerosol Particles for a Dust Storm Event in Beijing

A continuous measurement of number size distributions and chemical composition of aerosol particles was conducted in Beijing in a dust storm event during 21-26 March 2001. The number concentration of coarse particles （ 〉2μm） increased more significantly than fine particles （ 〈2μm） during the dust storm due to dust weather, while the anthropogenic aerosols collected during the non-dust-storm period tended to be associated with fine particles. Elemental compositions were analyzed by using proton-induced X-ray emission （PIXE）. The results show that 20 elements in the dust storm were much higher than in the non-dust-storm period. The calculated soil dust concentration during the dust storm was, on average, 251.8μg m^-3, while it was only 52.1μg m^-3 on non-dust-storm days. The enrichment factors for Mg, A1, P, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, C1, Cu, Pb, and Zn show small variations between the dust storm and the non-dust-storm period, while those for Ca, Ni and Cr in the dust storm were much lower than those in the non-dust-storm period due to significant local emission sources. A high concentration and enrichment factor for S were observed during the dust storm, which implies that the dust particles were contaminated by aerosol particles from anthropogenic emissions during the long-range transport. A statistical analysis shows that the elemental composition of particles collected during the dust storm in Beijing were better correlated with those of desert soil colleted from desert regions in Inner Mongolia. Air mass back-trajectory analysis further confirmed that this dust storm event could be identified as streaks of dust plumes originating from Inner Mongolia.

Elemental Composition and Geochemical Characteristics of Iron-Manganese Nodules in Main Soils of China

Elemental composition and geochemical characteristics of iron-manganese nodules from nine main soils in China were studied by chemical and multivariate statistical analyses to better understand the reactions and functions of iron-manganese nodules in soils and sediment. Compared to the corresponding soils, Mn, Ba, Cd, Co and Pb had strong accumulation, Ni had moderate accumulation, while Ca, Cu, Fe, Na, P, Sr and Zn accumulated to a minor degree in the iron-manganese nodules. In contrast, Si, Al, K, Mg and Ti were reduced in the iron-manganese nodules. The contents of Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were positively and significantly correlated with that of MnO2 in the iron-manganese nodules, while the contents of Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn were positively and significantly correlated with that of Fe2O3 in soils. Based on a principle component analysis, the elements of iron-manganese nodules were divided into four groups: 1) Mn, Ba, Cd, Co, Cu, Li, Ni, Pb and Zn that were associated with Mn oxides, 2) Fe, Cr and P that were associated with Fe oxides, 3) Si, K, and Mg that were included in the elemental composition of phyllosilicate, and 4) Ca, Na, Al and Ti that existed in todorokite, birnessite, lithiophorite and phyllosilicate. It was suggested that accumulation, mineralization and specific adsorption were involved in the formation processes of soil iron-manganese nodules.

Impacting Factors of Elemental Mercury Re-emission across a Lab-scale Simulated Scrubber

Elemental mercury（Hg^0）re-emissions from slurries and solutions were evaluated in a lab-scale simulated scrubber.Oxidized mercury（Hg^2 ＋）standard solution was injected into the simulated scrubber at a desired rate to simulate absorbing and dissolving of Hg^2 ＋in the flue gas across wet flue gas desulfurization（WFGD）systems. PS analytical mercury analyzer was used to continuously determine Hg0re-emission concentrations in the carrier gas from the scrubber.Sulfite ion in the slurry of CaSO3 was validated to reduce Hg ^2＋to Hg^ 0,while no Hg ^0 re-emission occurred from slurries of CaSO4 and CaO.Transitional metal ions with low chemical valence such as Fe^2 ＋,Pb ^2＋,Ni ^2＋, AsO2^-and Cu ^＋were used to prepare solutions with concentration levels of mmol·L^-1.Reduction reaction of Hg^2 ＋to Hg 0was observed from these solutions.Reduction capabilities for the different transitional metal ions in the solutions were：Pb^2 ＋〉Cu ^＋〉Fe^ 2＋〉 AsO2^-〉Ni ^2＋.

Characteristics of indoor/outdoor PM_(2.5) and elemental components in generic urban, roadside and industrial plant areas of Guangzhou City, China

Quantitative information on mass concentrations and other characteristics, such as spatial distribution, seasonal variation, indoor/outdoor （I/O） ratio, correlations and sources, of indoor and outdoor PM2.5 and elemental components in Guangzhou City were provided. Mass concentration of PM2.5 and elemental components were determined by standard weight method and proton-induced X-ray emission （PIXE） method. 18 elements were detected, the results showed positive results. Average indoor and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations in nine sites were in the range of 67.7-74.5μg/m^3 for summer period, and 109.9-123.7 μg/m^3 for winter period, respectively. The sum of 18 elements average concentrations were 5362.6-5533.4 ng/m^3 for summer period, and 8416.8-8900.6 ng/m^3 for winter period, respectively. Average concentrations of PM2.5 and element components showed obvious spatial characteristic, that the concentrations in roadside area and in industrial plant area were higher than those in generic urban area. An obvious seasonal variation characteristic was found for PM2.5 and elemental components, that the concentrations in winter were higher than that in summer. The I/O ratio of PM2.5 and some elemental components presented larger than 1 sometimes. According to indoor/outdoor correlation of PM2.5 and element concentrations, it was found that there were often good relationships between indoor and outdoor concentrations. Enrichment factors were calculated to evaluate anthropogenic versus natural elements sources.

Characteristics of Elemental Composition of PM_(2.5) in the Spring Period at Tongyu in the Semi-arid Region of Northeast China

Continuous observations of mass concentration and elemental composition of aerosol particles （PM2.5） were conducted at Tongyu, a semi-arid site in Northeast China in the spring of 2006. The average mass concentration of PM2.5 at Tongyu station was 260.9±274.4 μg m^-3 during the observation period. Nine dust events were monitored with a mean concentration of 528.0±302.7 μgm^-3. The PM2.5 level during non- dust storm （NDS） period was 111.65±63.37 μg m^-3. High mass concentration shows that fine-size particles pollution was very serious in the semi-arid area in Northeast China. The enrichment factor values for crust elements during the dust storm （DS） period are close to those in the NDS period, while the enrichment factor values for pollution elements during the NDS period are much higher than those in the DS period, showing these elements were from anthropogenic sources. The ratios of dust elements to Fe were relative constant during the DS period. The Ca/Fe ratio in dust aerosols at Tongyu is remarkably different from that observed in other source regions and downwind regions. Meteorological analysis shows that dust events at Tongyu are usually associated with dry, low pressure and high wind speed weather conditions. Air mass back-trajectory analysis identified three kinds of general pathways were associated with the aerosol particle transport to Tongyu, and the northwest direction pathway was the main transport route.