A Novel Method Using Polyurethane Foam (PUF) Substrates to Determine Trace Element Concentrations in Size-Segregated Atmospheric Particulate Matter on Short Time Scales

Figures & data

TABLE 1 Concentrations (μg⁻¹) of target analytes in PUF substrates after full cleaning and solvent-only cleaning. Mean ± 1 standard deviation, n = 6.

Element	Full cleaning	Solvent cleaning	Element	Full cleaning	Solvent cleaning
Ca	2.9 ± 0.7	6.7 ± 0.9	Rb	0.0060 ± 0.0099	0.0001 ± 0.0065
Al	1.2 ± 0.7	6.5 ± 6.3	Ce	0.0010 ± 0.0009	0.0010 ± 0.0040
Fe	1.8 ± 0.4	5.5 ± 2.2	Mo	0.0038 ± 0.0017	0.014 ± 0.031
K	45.4 ± 2.3	147 ± 7.4	V	0.013 ± 0.007	0.019 ± 0.016
Mg	0.88 ± 0.26	2.5 ± 0.4	W	0.0012 ± 0.0029	0.0093 ± 0.012
Na	50.2 ± 6.1	15.1 ± 7.6	Y	0.012 ± 0.008	0.0001 ± 0.0002
Ti	0.25 ± 0.13	0.45 ± 0.28	Cs	< LOD ^a	< LOD
Ba	0.068 ± 0.11	0.031 ± 0.037	Rh	0.0009 ± 0.0012	0.0012 ± 0.0003
Zn	0.48 ± 0.54	0.47 ± 0.28	Pd	< LOD	< LOD
Cu	0.22 ± 0.15	0.029 ± 0.045	Ag	< LOD	< LOD
Mn	0.0081 ± 0.0098	0.022 ± 0.009	U	0.0008 ± 0.0010	0.0010 ± 0.0005
Sr	0.011 ± 0.005	0.013 ± 0.007	Cd	0.0011 ± 0.0006	0.0005 ± 0.0006
Pb	0.026 ± 0.011	0.025 ± 0.007	Pt	0.035 ± 0.001	0.034 ± 0.003
Sb	0.0036 ± 0.0010	0.012 ± 0.0047	Hg ^b	0.010 ± 0.0046	0.0025 ± 0.0003
Cr	0.047 ± 0.11	0.020 ± 0.070

FIG. 1 PUF blank equivalent concentrations based on a 180 m³ air sample (4-hour collection at nominal 760 L min⁻¹ sampling rate). The values shown are the average of blanks from two size cuts and the uncertainty represents ± 1 standard deviation.

TABLE 2 Comparison of method detection limits

	Method Detection Limit (MDL, ng m^−3) ^a
Element	4-hour PUF ^b	4-hour MOUDI ^c	24-hour ICP-MS ^d	XRF ^e
Ca	8.1	2.5	1.4	4
Al	7.8	33	17	10
Fe	4.6	0.8	0.4	2
K	28	1.6	0.8	6
Mg	3.0	0.6	0.3	NA ^f
Na	70	2.5	1.3	NA
Ti	1.7	0.8	0.4	4
Ba	0.29	1.2	0.6	50
Zn	0.71	2.1	1.1	1
Cu	0.79	1.2	0.6	1
Mn	0.25	1.8	0.9	2
Sr	0.18	1.0	0.5	1
Pb	0.14	0.2	0.1	2
Sb	0.051	0.8	0.4	18
Cr	1.2	1.0	0.5	2
Rb	0.12	0.8	0.4	1
Ce	0.018	0.1	0.06	NA
Mo	0.17	1.0	0.5	2
V	0.15	1.6	0.8	2
W	0.060	0.2	0.1	NA
Y	0.065	0.4	0.2	2
Cs	0.035	0.1	0.05	NA
Rh	0.032	0.04	0.02	NA
Pd	0.025	0.2	0.1	10
Ag	0.050	0.04	0.02	12
U	0.014	0.04	0.02	2
Cd	0.034	0.2	0.08	12
Pt	0.035	0.08	0.04	NA
Hg ^g	0.054/0.0055	NA	NA	2

Table 3 Fine and Coarse concentrations of 28 elements measured in the morning and at midday in Phoenix, AZ on March 25, 2003

Elements	Morning Fine Fractionngm ^−3	Uncertainty ng m^−3	Morning Coarse Fractionngm ^−3	Uncertainty ng m^−3	Midday Fine Fraction ng m^−3	Midday Coarse uncertainty ng m^−3	Fraction ng m^−3	Uncertainty ng m^−3
Major
Ca	187	15	2119	165	187	37	1316.	167
Al	94	9	1907	137	111	30	1140	99
Fe	249	11	1501	82	166.	8	933	67
K	263	16	583	85	bd ^a	bd	354	116
Mg	55	3	485	25	41	4	323	26
Na	bd	bd	427	27	bd	bd	246	28
Ti	9	1	107	5	6	0.3	65	3
Trace
Ba	16.8	0.7	61.0	3.1	5.7	0.2	26.3	1.4
Zn	15.1	0.5	59.0	3.0	22.8	0.8	36.5	1.9
Cu	7.9	0.3	29.0	1.5	4.5	0.6	9.2	0.5
Mn	5.5	0.2	29.3	1.5	5.8	0.2	18.7	1.0
Sr	1.9	0.1	17.4	0.9	1.3	0.1	8.9	0.5
Pb	5.4	0.8	5.8	0.3	5.8	1.2	4.3	0.2
Sb	2.03	0.07	3.38	0.17	0.38	0.01	0.66	0.03
Cr	bd	bd	4.7	0.3	2.8	0.1	3.6	0.2
Ultra-trace
Rb	0.25	0.01	3.21	0.17	0.19	0.01	1.81	0.10
Ce	0.34	0.01	2.45	0.12	bd	bd	1.41	0.07
Mo	1.18	0.05	1.06	0.05	0.34	0.02	0.58	0.03
V	bd	bd	2.02	0.11	bd	bd	0.95	0.06
W	0.58	0.02	0.37	0.02	bd	bd	0.43	0.02
Y	bd	bd	0.92	0.05	bd	bd	0.31	0.02
Cs	bd	bd	0.26	0.01	bd	bd	0.16	0.01
Rh	0.16	0.02	bd	bd	0.19	0.05	bd	bd
Pd	bd	bd	0.15	0.01	bd	bd	0.06	0.004
Ag	0.11	0.01	bd	bd	bd	bd	0.06	0.004
U	bd	bd	0.08	0.004	bd	bd	0.05	0.003
Cd	bd	bd	0.07	0.004	0.13	0.004	0.11	0.01
Pt	bd	bd	0.04	0.01	bd	bd	bd	bd

FIG. 2 Mean recoveries of target elements from NIST Standard Reference Materials (Recycled Auto Catalyst (#2556), Urban Dust (#1649a), and San Joaquin Soil (#2709).

FIG. 3 Size distributions (ng m⁻³) of selected major (aluminum and iron), trace (zinc, copper and lead), and ultra-trace (tungsten) elements for morning (white) and midday (black) in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 25, 2003.

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