Fuel-type characterization of carbonaceous fly-ash particles using EDS-derived surface chemistries and its application to particles extracted from lake sediments

Abstract

Carbonaceous particles produced from the high temperature combustion of fossil fuels are found in high concentrations (e.g. more than 50 000 per gram dry mass, gDM-1) in the upper levels of lake sediment cores taken from regions of high acid deposition. The sediment record of these particles correlates well with the record of acidification as indicated by diatom analysis. The temporal distribution of particle concentrations in sediments follows consistent trends in lakes throughout Europe and has been used for indirect dating purposes. However, more information is available from particles extracted from lake sediments when their fuel-type is known. For example, potential sources of associated airborne pollutants can be determined and additional dates for sediment cores may possibly be obtained.This paper describes the development of a carbonaceous particle characterization for oil and coal fuel-types, using surface chemistries determined by energy dispersive spectroscopy (e d s ). A reference dataset was produced using ashes obtained from power stations in the UK and Ireland. Linear discriminant function analysis of the eds generated data produced a discrimination rule which allocated over 95% of the particles to the correct fuel-type under cross-validation.The technique was applied to carbonaceous particles extracted from a 210Pb-dated sediment core taken from a lake in North London. The results showed good agree ment with known combustion history of coal and oil. The spatial distribution of characterized particles was also studied using surface sediments from lakes in Scot land, northern England and Northern Ireland. Above average concentrations of oil particles occurred around Glasgow, the east coast near Aberdeen, and Galloway in the southwest. This suggests that the acidification of lochs in the Galloway area may partly relate to pollutants originating from oil-fired power stations in Northern Ire land. Attempts to use the characterization to identify power station sources was only partially successful. The range of chemistries in the present dataset do not include the full range produced from each individual power station as the fuels burnt at each station vary through time.Particles from peat combustion were included in a principal components analysis and show that the technique could be extended to include other fuel-types. This

Evidence for Fossil Fuel PM1 Accumulation in Marine Biota

“…Similarly, S and Fe were commonly detected in our PM 1 . Based on an SEM-EDS approach, Rose et al 41 investigated carbonaceous particles extracted from a lake sediment core in North London, England. They reported that oil-and coal-derived particles were different in terms of element characterization.…”

The record of sedimentary spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs) in Beppu Bay, southern Japan, compared to historical trends of industrial activity and atmospheric pollution: Further evidence for SCPs as a marker for Anthropocene industrialization

“…Variations in particle chemical composition suggests that the particles were likely derived from different fuel combustion processes. Previous studies have shown that oil-fired power plants are prone to emitting S-rich SCPs (Alliksaar et al, 1998; Murakami-Kitase et al, 2010; Rose et al, 1996, 1999). In contrast, Inoue et al (2014) showed that in China, SCPs in surface sediments around 2010 were enriched in silicon and titanium, which are considered to have been emitted from coal-fired sources.…”