Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mankind’s Perturbations of Particulate Carbon

  • Conference paper
Radiocarbon After Four Decades

  • 661 Accesses

Abstract

A central challenge for contemporary environmental research is the assessment of human impacts on the natural chemical cycles. The balance between natural and anthropogenic sources of carbonaceous particles represents a critical part of perhaps the most influential of these cycles, the carbon cycle. In this chapter, I examine the contributions of radiocarbon to our understanding of this system, especially in light of major advances in isotopic measurement (notably accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS)), environmental sampling, trace and microanalysis, and computation and modeling. Following a brief review of the history of atmospheric particulate carbon and 14C measurements, I consider: the particulate carbon life cycle (formation, transport and reaction, sinks and natural archives); chemical information content of the particles (isotopic, elemental, molecular and structural); and case studies of local and global particle source apportionment based on univariate and multivariate compositional patterns.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Badger, GM 1962 Mode of formation of carcinogens in human environment. National Cancer Institute 9: 1–6.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Berger, R, McJunkin, D and Johnson, R 1986 Radiocarbon concentrations of California aerosols. In Stuiver, M and Kra RS, eds, Proceedings of the 12th International 14C Conference. Radiocarbon 28(2A): 661667.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Blumer, M 1976 Polycyclic aromatic compounds in nature. Scientific American 234: 34–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Brimblecombe, P 1981 Environmental impact of fuel changes in early London. In Cooper, JA and Malek, D, eds, Residential Solid Fuels. Beaverton, Oregon Graduate Center: 1–11.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cachier, H 1989 Isotopic characterization of carbonaceous aerosols. Aerosol Science and Technology 10: 379–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Carbonaceous Particles in the Atmosphere 1978, 1983, 1987, 1991 Conference Proceedings (1978) Novakov, T, ed, Berkeley/ Los Angeles, University of California Press; (1984) Malissa, H, Puxbaum, H and Novakov, T, eds, Science of the Total Environment 36; (1989) Novakov, T, Malissa, H and Hansen, ADA, eds, Aerosol Science and Technology 10(2); the next in the series is scheduled for April 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cass, GR, Boone, PM and Macias, ES 1982 Emissions and air quality relationships for atmospheric carbon particles in Los Angeles. In Wolff, GT and Klimisch, RL, eds, Particulate Carbon. Atmospheric Life Cycle. New York, Plenum Press: 207–244.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  8. Chameides, WL, Lindsay, RW, Richardson, J and Kiang, CS 1988 The role of biogenic hydrocarbons in urban photochemical smog. Atlanta as a case study. Science 241: 1473— 1475.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Charlson, RJ and Ogren, JA 1982 The atmospheric cycle of elemental carbon. In Wolff, GT and Klimisch, RL, eds, Particulate Carbon. Atmospheric Life Cycle. New York, Plenum Press: 3–18.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  10. Clayton, GD, Arnold, JR and Patty, FA 1955 Determination of sources of particulate atmospheric carbon. Science 122: 751753.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cooper, JA, Currie, LA and Klouda, GA 1981 Assessment of contemporary carbon combustion source contributions to urban air particulate levels using C-14 measurement. Environmental Science and Technology 15: 1045–1050.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Cooper, JA and Malek, D, eds 1981 Residential Solid Fuels. Beaverton, Oregon Graduate Center: 1271 p.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Court, JD, Goldsack, RJ, Ferrari, LM and Polach, HA 1981 The use of carbon isotopes in identifying urban air particulate sources. Clean Air, February: 6–11. (This was the first of a series of Sydney and Canberra air pollution studies by Polach and coworkers.)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Currie, LA 1984 14Cas a tracer for carbonaceous aerosols: Measurement techniques, standards, and applications. In Liu, BYH, Pui, DYH and Fissan, HJ, eds, Aerosols. New York, Elsevier: 375–378.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Currie, LA, Beebe, KR and Klouda, GA 1988 What should we measure? Aerosol data: Past and future. In Proceedings of the 1988 EPA/APCA International Symposium on Measurement of Toxic and Related Air Pollutants. Air Pollution Control Association: 853–863.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Currie, LA, Klouda, GA, Continetti, RE, Kaplan, IR, Wong, WW, Dzubay, TG and Stevens, RK 1983 On the origin of carbonaceous particles in American cities: Results of radiocarbon “dating” and chemical characterization. In Stuiver, M and Kra, RS, eds, Proceedings of the 11th International 14C Conference. Radiocarbon 25(2): 603–614.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Currie, LA, Klouda, GA and Gerlach, RW 1981 Radiocarbon: Nature’s tracer for carbonaceous pollutants. In Cooper, JA and Malek, D, eds, Residential Solid Fuels. Beaverton, Oregon Graduate Center: 365385.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Currie, LA, Klouda, GA, Schjoldager, J and Ramdahl, T 1986 The power of 14Cmeasurements combined with chemical characterization for tracing urban aerosol in Norway. In Stuiver, M and Kra, RS, eds, Proceedings of the 12th International r4C Conference. Radiocarbon 28(2A): 673–680.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Currie, LA, Klouda, GA and Voorhees, KJ 1984 Atmospheric carbon: The importance of accelerator mass spectrometry. Nuclear Instruments and Methods 233: 371–379.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Currie, LA and Murphy, RB 1977 Application of isotope ratios to the determination of the origin and residence times of atmospheric pollutants In Proceedings of the Eighth Materials Research Symposium, National Bureau of Standards. NBS Special Publication 464: 439–447.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Currie, LA, Stafford, TW, Sheffield, AE, Klouda, GA, Wise, SA, Fletcher, RA, Donahue, DJ, Juli, AJT and Linick, TW 1989 Microchemical and molecular dating. In Long, A and Kra, RS, eds, Proceedings of the 13th International 14C Conference. Radiocarbon 31(3): 448–463.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Daisey, JM, Lioy, PJ and Cheney, JL 1986 Profiles of organic particulate emissions from air pollution sources: Status and needs for receptor source apportionment modeling. Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association 36: 17–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Denoyer, E, Van Grieken, R, Adams, F and Natusch, DFS 1982 Laser microprobe mass spectrometry 1: Basic principles and performance characteristics. Analytical Chemistry 54: 26A - 41A.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Facchetti, S and Geiss F 1984 Isotopic lead experiment. EEC, Brussels, Report EUR 8352 EN. CEC Joint Research Centre, Ispra.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Fields, DE, Cole, LL, Summers, S, Yalcintas, MG and Vaughn, GL 1989 Generation of aerosols by an urban fire storm. Aerosol Science and Technology 10: 28–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Flam, F, ed 1991 Briefings — A brighter forecast from Kuwait. Science 253: 28–29.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Friedlander, SK 1981 New developments in receptor model theory, Chapter 1. In Macias, ES and Hopke, PK, eds, Atmospheric Aerosol: Source/Air Quality Relationships. Washington, DC, American Chemical Society, Symposium Series 167.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Fritts, P and Fontes, J Ch 1980 Handbook of Environmental Isotopic Geochemistry 1. Amsterdam, Elsevier: 545 p.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Gaffney, JS, Tanner, RL and Phillips, M 1984 Separating carbonaceous aerosol source terms using thermal evolution, carbon isotopic measurements, and C/N/S determinations. Science of the Total Environment 36: 53–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Galbally, IE, ed 1989 The International Global Atmospheric Chemistry (IGAC) Programme. Commission on Atmospheric

    Google Scholar 

  31. Chemistry and Global Pollution of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics: 55 p.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Goldberg, ED 1985 Black Carbon in the Environment. New York, Wiley-Interscience.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Gordon, GE 1988 Receptor models. Environmental Science and Technology 22: 11321142.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Griffin, JJ and Goldberg, ED 1979 Morphologies and origin of elemental carbon in the environment. Science 206: 563–565.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Sphericity as a characteristic of solids from fossil fuel burning in Lake Michigan sediment. Geochimica et Cosmo-chimica Acta 45: 763–769.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Hansen, JE, Lacis, AA, Lee, P and Wang, W-C 1980 Climatic effects of atmospheric aerosols. In Kneip, TJ and Lioy, PJ, eds, Aerosols — Anthropogenic and Natural, Sources and Transport. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 338: 575–587.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Hawthorne, SB, Miller, DJ, Barkley, RM and Krieger, MS 1988 Identification of methoxylated phenols as candidate tracers for atmospheric wood smoke pollution. Environmental Science and Technology 22: 1191–1196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Hites, RA 1981 Sources and fates of atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, Chapter 10. In Macias, ES and Hopke, PK, eds, Atmospheric Aerosol: Source/Air Quality Relationships. Washington, DC, American Chemical Society, Symposium Series 167: 187–196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Hopke, P 1985 Receptor Modeling in Environmental Chemistry. New York, John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Jaenicke, R 1980 Natural aerosols. In Kneip, TJ and Lioy, PJ, eds, Aerosols — Anthropogenic and Natura4 Sources and Transport. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 338: 317–329.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Johnson, DL and McIntyre, BL 1983 A particle class balance receptor model for aerosol apportionment in Syracuse, NY: Receptor models applied to contemporary pollution problems. In Dattner, SL and Hopke, PK, eds, Receptor Models Applied to Contemporary Pollution Problems. Pittsburgh, Air Pollution Control Association: 238–248.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Kamens, RM 1982 An outdoor exposure chamber to study wood combustion emissions under natural conditions. In Frederick, ER, ed, Proceedings of the Residential Wood and Coal Combustion. The Air Pollution Control Association. Mars, Pennsylvania, Choice Book Manufacturing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Kaplan, IR and Gordon, RJ 1989 Contemporary Carbon in Atmospheric Fine Particles Collected in Los Angeles During the 1987 SCAQS. Anaheim, California, Air and Waste Management Association.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Kelly, WR and Ondov, JM 1990 A theoretical comparison between intentional elemental and isotopic atmospheric tracers. Atmospheric Environment 24 (A): 467–474.

    Google Scholar 

  45. Kerr, RA 1991 Huge eruption may cool the globe. Science 252: 1780.

    Google Scholar 

  46. LaFlamme, RE and Hites, RA 1978 The global distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in recent sediments. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 42: 289303.

    Google Scholar 

  47. Larson, SM, Cass, GR and Gray, HA 1989 Atmospheric carbon particles and the Los Angeles visibility problem. Aerosol and Science and Technology 10: 118–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Levine, J, ed 1991 Chapman Conference on Global Biomass Burning. Cambridge, Massachusetts, MIT Press, in press.

    Google Scholar 

  49. Lewis, CW, Baumgardner, RE, Stevens, RK, Claxton, LD and Lewtas, J 1988 Contribution of woodsmoke and motor vehicle emissions to ambient aerosol mutagenicity. Environmental Science and Technology 22 (8): 968–971.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Lewis, CW and Einfeld, W 1985 Origins of carbonaceous aerosol in Denver and Albuquerque during winter. Environment International 11: 243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Lodge, JP, Bien, GS and Suess, HE 1960 The carbon-14 content of urban airborne particulate matter. International Journal of Air Pollution 2: 309–312.

    Google Scholar 

  52. Lowenthal, DH, Hanumara, RC, Rahn, KA and Currie, LA 1987 Effects of systematic error, estimates and uncertainties in chemical mass balance apportionments. Quail Roost II Revisited. Atmospheric Environment 21: 501–510.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Malinowski, ER and Flowery, DG 1980 Factor Analysis in Chemistry. New York, John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  54. Mauney, T, Adams, F and Sine, MII 1984 Laser microprobe mass spectrometry of environmental soot particles. Science of the Total Environment 36: 215–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. McElroy, MW, Carr, RC, Enson, DS and Markowski, GR 1982 Size distribution of fine particles from coal combustion. Science 215: 13–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Muller, RA 1977 Radioisotope dating with a cyclotron. Science 196: 489–494.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. National Research Council 1984 Global Tropospheric Chemistry. Washington, DC, National Academy of Sciences Press.

    Google Scholar 

  58. Oeschger, H, Stauffer, B, Bucher, P, Frommer, H, Moll, M, Langway, CC, Hansen, BL and Clausen, II 1972 14C and other isotope studies on natural ice. In Rafter, TA and Grant-Taylor, T, eds, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Radiocarbon Dating. Wellington, Royal Society of New Zealand: D70 — D90.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Olsen, CR, Larsen, IL, Lowery, PD, Cutshall, HN, Todd, JF, Wong, GTF and Casey, WH 1985 Atmospheric fluxes and marsh-soil inventories of 10Be and ’Pb. Journal of Geophysical Research 90: 1048710495.

    Google Scholar 

  60. Pratsinis, S, Novakov, T, Ellis, EC and Friedlander, SK 1984 The carbon containing component of the Los Angeles aerosol: Source apportionment and contributions to the visibility budget. Journal of the Air Pollution Control Association 34: 643–650.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Prospero, JM 1984 Aerosol particles. In Global Tropospheric Chemistry. Washington, DC, National Academy of Sciences Press: 136–140.

    Google Scholar 

  62. Purser, KH, Liebert, RB, Litherland, AE, Buekens, RP, Gove, HE, Bennett, CL, Clover, MR and Sondheim, WE 1977 An attempt to detect stable atomic nitrogen (—) ions from a sputter ion source and some implications of the results for the design of tandems for ultra-sensitive carbon analysis. Revue de Physique Appliquée 12 (10): 1487–1492.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Rahn, KA and McCaffrey, RI 1980 On the origin and transport of the winter Arctic aerosol. In Kneip, Ti and Lioy, PJ, eds, Aerosols — Anthropogenic and Natural, Sources and Transport. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 338: 486–503.

    Google Scholar 

  64. Ramdahl, T 1983 Retene — a molecular marker of wood combustion in ambient air. Nature 306: 580–582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  65. Ramdahl, T, Schjoldager, J, Currie, LA, Hanssen, JE, Müller, M, Klouda, GA and Alfheim, I 1984 Ambient impact of residential wood combustion in Elverum, Norway. Science of the Total Environment 36: 81–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  66. Rosen, H, Hansen, ADA, Dod, RL, Gundel, LA and Novakov, T 1982 Graphitic carbon in urban environments and the Arctic. In Wolff, GT and Klimisch, RL, eds, Particulate Carbon. Atmospheric Life Cycle. New York, Plenum Press: 273–294.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  67. Rowland, FS and Isaksen, ISA 1988 The Changing Atmosphere. Proceedings of the Dahlem Workshop. Chichester, England, Wiley-Interscience.

    Google Scholar 

  68. Schrader, B 1986 Micro raman, fluorescence, and scattering spectroscopy of single particles, Chapter 19. In Spumy, KS, ed, Physical and Chemical Characterization of Individual Airborne Particles. New York, John Wiley & Sons: 358–379.

    Google Scholar 

  69. Shaw, GE 1982 Perturbation to the atmospheric radiation field from carbonaceous aerosols. In Wolff, GT and Klimisch, RL, eds, Particulate Carbon. Atmospheric Life Cycle. New York, Plenum Press: 53–73.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  70. Shaw, RW 1987 Air pollution by particles. Scientific American 257: 96–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  71. Simoneit, BHT 1984 Application of molecular marker analysis to reconcile sources of carbonaceous particulates in tropospheric aerosols. Science of the Total Environnent 36: 61–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Steinmetzer, H-C, Baumeister, W and Vierle, 0 1984 Analytical investigation on the contents of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in airborne particulate matter from two Bavarian cities. Science of the Total Environmental 36: 91–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. Stevens, RK, Lewis, CW, Dzubay, TG, Baumgardner, RE, Zweidinger, RB, Highsmith, VR, Cupitt, LT, Lewtas, J, Claxton, LD, Currie, LA, Klouda, GA and Zak, B 1990 Mutagenic atmospheric aerosol sources apportioned by receptor modeling. In Zielinski, WL, Jr and Dorko, WD, eds, Monitoring Methods for Toxics in the Atmosphere. Philadelphia, American Society for Testing and Materials: 187196.

    Google Scholar 

  74. Stevens, RK and Meyers, E, eds 1989 Proceedings of the Quail Roost III Volatile Organic Receptor Modeling Workshop. Raleigh, North Carolina, USEPA.

    Google Scholar 

  75. Sturges, WT and Barrie, LA 1987 Lead 206/207 ratios in the atmosphere of North America as tracers of US and Canadian emissions. Nature 329: 144–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  76. Tanner, RL and Miguel, AH 1989 Carbonaceous aerosol sources in Rio de Janeiro.

    Google Scholar 

  77. Aerosol Science and Technology 10: 213223.

    Google Scholar 

  78. Tuominen, J, Salomaa, S, Pyysalo, H, Skyttä, E, Tikkanen, L, Nurmela, T, Sorsa, M, Pohjola, V, Saurl, M and Himberg, K 1988 Polynuclear aromatic compounds and genotoxicity in particulate and vapor phases of ambient air: Effect of traffic, season, and meteorological conditions. Environmental Science and Technology 22: 1228–1234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  79. Verkouteren, RM, Currie, LA, Klouda, GA, Donahue, DJ, Jull, AJT and Linick, TW 1987 Preparation of microgram samples on iron wool for radiocarbon analysis via accelerator mass spectrometry: A closed-system approach. Nuclear Instruments and Methods 29: 41–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  80. White, WH and Macias, ES 1989 Carbonaceous particles and regional haze in the western United States. Aerosol Science and Technology 10: 111–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  81. Wolff, GT and Klimisch, RL, eds 1982 Particulate Carbon. Atmospheric Life Cycle. New York, Plenum Press: 411 p.

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Lloyd A. Currie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Riverside, 92521-0418, Riverside, CA, USA

    R. E. Taylor

  2. Department of Geosciences, The University of Arizona, 85721, Tuscon, AZ, USA

    Austin Long  & Renee S. Kra  & 

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1992 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this paper

Cite this paper

Currie, L.A. (1992). Mankind’s Perturbations of Particulate Carbon. In: Taylor, R.E., Long, A., Kra, R.S. (eds) Radiocarbon After Four Decades. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4249-7_33

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-4249-7_33

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-4251-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-4249-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation