Can Volcanic Dust Suspended From Surface Soil and Deserts of Iceland Be Transferred to Central Balkan Similarly to African Dust (Sahara)?

In this work we use chemical fingerprints as characteristics ratios of specific crustal elements Ca/Al, Fe/Al, K/Al, Mg/Al, Mn/Al, Ca/Fe, and Mg/Fe to investigate the long-range transport of volcanic aerosols from Iceland. Volcanic dust enters the atmosphere during suspension processes from Icelandic deserts, but mainly from the dust hot spots in remote areas in Iceland, and it is transmitted to the central Balkan area (Belgrade). For this purpose, backward trajectories from Belgrade (φ = 44°48′; λ = 20°28′) in 2012 and 2013, simultaneous with atmospheric aerosols measurements, were calculated by using the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. We found that about 17% of air masses passed over Icelandic territory and arrived to Balkan area. In almost all of these episodes ratios of some investigated elements in suburban aerosols of Balkan area corresponded to the ratios of elements investigated in surface soil of the Rangárvellir area – South Iceland in the vicinity of volcanoes. We identified several episodes, such as August 6–8, 2012; June 2–6, 2013; June 26–28, 2013; and September 18–20, 2013; with the characteristic ratios of the highest number of investigated elements in atmospheric aerosol of central Balkan corresponding to ratios from Icelandic soil material. This study provides evidence that Icelandic dust can travel long distances showing the importance of High Latitude Dust sources.This study was funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia (Projects: ON172001, ON176013, and III43007). The preparation of this manuscript was in part funded by the Icelandic Research Fund (Rannis) Grant No. 152248-051 and COST STSM Reference Number: COST-STSM-ES1306-34336 (Grant holder DĐ).Peer Reviewe

Monitoramento de material particulado usando sensor ótico SDS011 e o bioindicador Tradescantia sp. clone 4430 em Curitiba

Orientador: Prof. Emílio Graciliano Ferreira Mercuri, D.Sc.Coorientadora: Profa. Dra. Viviane Fernandes de SouzaDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Tecnologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Ambiental. Defesa : Curitiba, 17/09/2021Inclui referências: p. 91-105Resumo: A concentração de gases e partículas presentes na atmosfera terrestre estão em constante mudança e podemos observar isso através de vários estudos feitos ao longo dos anos. A crescente industrialização nos centros urbanos e o aumento da frota veicular são um dos muitos fatores que impactam nessa mudança, através das emissões de gases e particulados da queima de seus combustíveis. Percebendo a importância de mensurar estes poluentes é que foram elaboradas legislações para determinar limites máximos de concentrações de determinados poluentes. Portanto, realizar o monitoramento e a quantificação destes se faz tão importante, principalmente para o meio ambiente e a saúde pública. Redes de monitoramento são essenciais para o cumprimento da legislação, porém, seu alto custo impossibilita a instalação em vários locais, por isso deve-se buscar alternativas mais acessíveis para monitorar a qualidade do ar. Sensores óticos e de baixo custo têm se mostrado como uma boa alternativa para este fim, devido a sua fácil operacionalização. Outra alternativa é biomonitoramento ambiental com o uso de bioindicadores, que apresentam sensibilidade às alterações do ambiente, fácil instalação e interpretação dos resultados. Aliar o monitoramento físico com o biológico, torna-se uma importante ferramenta para o acompanhamento da qualidade do ar, pois verifica-se se a legislação está sendo atendida e se a presença dos poluentes pode trazer algum malefício para o ecossistema. Desta forma, este trabalho usou o sensor ótico SDS011 para medir as concentrações de material particulado em Curitiba e Araucária e o bioindicador Tradescantia sp. clone 4430 através do bioensaio Trad-SHM, para verificar a mutagenicidade ambiental deste poluente. Os sensores e os vasos com as plantas foram distribuídos em oito pontos (sete em Curitiba e um em Araucária), e as análises ocorreram no período de janeiro de 2020 a fevereiro de 2021. O controle negativo foi realizado em um bairro de Curitiba, onde as plantas e o sensor ficaram em local isolado do ambiente externo com o uso de papel filtro. Os resultados de medições de material particulado para os pontos de monitoramento, atenderam em grande parte os limites especificados no CONAMA 491/2018, sendo que por 19 dias ficaram acima do limite para o material particulado MP100µg/m3 e 47 dias para o MP2.50µg/m3. O bioensaio Trad-SHM mostrou sensibilidade durante a exposição em campo, com frequências de mutação em pelo estaminal em todos os pontos de monitoramento. A média das correlações de Spearman (r) entre material particulado e frequência de mutação ficou em 0,45 ± 0,21 (correlação moderada). A continuidade de biomonitoramento se torna importante para o acompanhamento da presença de poluentes no ar, pois estes ainda são capazes de causar efeitos mutagênicos nos bioindicadores e o uso do sensor SDS011 se mostrou como uma boa alternativa para o monitoramento de material particulado.Abstract: The concentration of gases and particles present in the Earth's atmosphere is constantly changing and we can observe this through several studies carried out over the years. The growing industrialization in urban centers and the increase in the vehicle fleet are one of the many factors that impact this change, through the emissions of gases and particulates from the burning of their fuels. Realizing the importance of measuring these pollutants is that legislation was drawn up to determine maximum limits of concentrations of certain pollutants. Therefore, monitoring and quantifying these is so important, especially for the environment and public health. Monitoring networks are essential for complying with legislation, however, their high cost makes it impossible to install them in several places, so more accessible alternatives for monitoring air quality should be sought. Optical and low-cost sensors have proved to be a good alternative for this purpose, due to their easy operation. Another alternative is environmental biomonitoring with the use of bioindicators, which show sensitivity to changes in the environment, easy installation and interpretation of results. Combining physical and biological monitoring becomes an important tool for monitoring air quality, as it is verified whether the legislation is being complied with and whether the presence of pollutants can harm the ecosystem. Thus, this work used the optical sensor SDS011 to measure the concentrations of particulate matter in Curitiba and Araucária and the bioindicator Tradescantia sp. clone 4430 through the Trad-SHM bioassay to verify the environmental mutagenicity of this pollutant. The sensors and pots with the plants were distributed at eight points (seven in Curitiba and one in Araucaria), and the analyzes took place from January 2020 to February 2021. The negative control was carried out in a district of Curitiba, where the plants and the sensor were kept in a place isolated from the external environment using filter paper. The results of particulate material measurements for the monitoring points largely complied with the limits specified in CONAMA 491/2018, and for 19 days they were above the limit for particulate matter PM100µg/m3 and 47 days for PM2.50µg/m3. The Trad-SHM bioassay showed sensitivity during field exposure, with mutation frequencies in stem hair at all monitoring points. The mean of Spearman correlations (r) between particulate matter and mutation frequency was 0,45 ± 0,21 (moderate correlation). The continuity of biomonitoring becomes important for monitoring the presence of pollutants in the air, as they are still capable of causing mutagenic effects on bioindicators and the use of the SDS011 sensor proved to be a good alternative for monitoring particulate matter

Tree Rings and Oxygen Isotopes as Climatic Indicators in the U.S. Pacific Northwest

The U.S. Pacific Northwest (PNW) relies on precipitation, much of which falls during the winter and is stored as snowpack until spring, for hydropower that provides over half the region’s electricity. Recently, record-breaking heat waves have increased demand for air conditioning while winter snowpack and summer precipitation have decreased, causing a mismatch between hydropower supply and demand. As this mismatch is projected to worsen under climate change, a more complex understanding of seasonal precipitation patterns in the region becomes crucial. Climate proxies provide a means of revealing the nuances of these patterns across space and time. This dissertation examines three climate proxies and their ability to capture seasonal climate to better understand climate-proxy relationships, identify each proxy’s advantages and limitations, and investigate how they may be combined to improve seasonal climate reconstructions in the PNW. I first examine the relationship between oxygen isotope ratios in precipitation at five sites in the U.S. PNW and air mass trajectories to characterize the ways in which these trajectories influence precipitation isotope ratios. I then establish the extent to which annual and subannual (earlywood, latewood, and adjusted latewood) ring-width measurements of trees located near three of the five sites capture seasonal variations in precipitation and temperature. Lastly, I determine the precipitation, temperature, and source water signals captured by the oxygen isotope ratios stored in the earlywood and latewood of those same trees, which theoretically reflect the precipitation examined as the first proxy. In this research, I show that oxygen isotope ratios in precipitation in the PNW largely reflect air mass trajectories, but this relationship is complicated by other factors. I demonstrate that subannual tree-ring widths capture temperature and precipitation during the current and prior growing seasons, and I also show that subannual tree-ring isotope ratios strengthen summer climate capture while providing promise for reconstructions of growing-season and winter source water, which are linked with atmospheric circulation. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that subannual tree-ring widths and oxygen isotope ratios capture unique and complementary climate signals, and the combination of these two proxies stands to provide nuanced seasonal climate histories in the U.S. PNW.Doctor of Philosoph

Assessment of air quality in Northern China by using the COSMO-ART model in conjunction with satellite and ground-based data

Luftverschmutzung durch Aerosole ist eines der größten Umweltprobleme in der chinesischen Hauptstadt Peking. Insbesondere Mineralstaub, welcher oft aus den weitläufigen asiatischen Trockengebieten in das Stadtgebiet eingetragen wird, führt zu einer drastischen Verschlechterung der Luftqualität. Diese Arbeit ist eine detaillierte Studie über die raumzeitliche Dynamik dieses eingetragenen Mineralstaubs sowie dessen physikalische Interaktion mit lokal produzierten anthropogenen Partikeln

Sistema de evaluación de la dispersión episódica de contaminantes atmosféricos

Frente a la contaminación de otros medios (aguas, suelos), en la era preindustrial se había considerado a la atmósfera como un medio de depuración de contaminantes suficientemente eficaz como para que, salvo en contadas excepciones, las emisiones de contaminantes a la atmósfera resultasen inocuas para el medio y las personas; reduciéndose a un problema de molestias (olores, visibilidad), sin mayores consecuencias. Esta consideración errónea agudizó el problema de la contaminación atmosférica con la introducción de la máquina de vapor, origen de la revolución industrial, para cuyo funcionamiento comenzaron a quemarse grandes cantidades de carbón; a lo que hay que sumar el uso de otros combustibles fósiles en la industria y transporte, el manejo y emisión de sustancias procedentes de la industria química, y de otras actividades humanas. A partir de ese momento, la preocupación por la calidad del aire que respiramos ha ido pareja al reconocimiento de las incertidumbres en los procesos atmosféricos que afectan a los contaminantes, de carácter altamente no lineal y que experimentan grandes variaciones en función de la dinámica meteorológica, ya de por sí compleja. Estos procesos complejos, sin embargo, son los que permiten la depuración de los contaminantes en la atmósfera y, en consecuencia, la minoración de su impacto; por lo que se ha reconocido la necesidad de conocerlos y, cuando era posible, cuantificarlos. Así que, el conocimiento de los procesos atmosféricos relacionados con la contaminación atmosférica partió inicialmente del análisis de datos experimentales de campo, de una parte, y de modelos teóricos de los procesos atmosféricos y su posible relación con la dispersión física de los contaminantes. La simplicidad de las soluciones analíticas de dichos modelos teóricos, sin embargo, dificultaba su aplicación a problemas reales