Characterization of the Physical and Chemical Properties of Water Insoluble Atmospheric Aerosol

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This project focuses on characterizing the water-insoluble component of size-segregated atmospheric aerosols. This can be a significant fraction of the aerosol and consists primarily of carbonaceous material or minerals (dust). The insoluble fraction could affect human health, can influence the hygroscopic/cloud nucleating properties of the aerosol, and can deposit on leaves and thus decrease the amount of radiation available to the plants for photosynthesis and thus crop production. A novel technique will be developed to measure the number concentration of the insoluble aerosol in real time. In addition, aerosol samples will be collected on micro-orifice impactors, the filters rinsed, and the mass of the insoluble component determined for each size fraction. The trace metal composition of the insoluble fraction will be measured, and the elemental and organic carbon fractions (EC/OC) quantified. Field measurement data will be used to study the impact of insoluble aerosol on plant photosynthesis due to the scattering and absorption of solar radiation by insoluble aerosols deposited onto leaves.