An exploratory characterisation of the carbon and stable isotope composition of atmospheric particulate matter from opencast coal mining activities and adjacent communities
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Date
Authors
Khumalo, Lerato
Kornelius, Gerrit
Van Zyl, Pieter G.
Hall, Grant
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Edizioni Minerva Medica
Abstract
Standard source apportionment techniques for atmospheric particulate (PM) collected near opencast coal mines using inorganic
markers only are limited by the similarity in the mineral components in the overburden and at adjacent residential locations. This
study explores the use of the stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotope ratios (13C/12C and 15N/14N) and thermal optical methods
to differentiate sources of carbonaceous material in the atmospheric PM samples from the opencast coal mines and adjacent
communities. Results show isotopic and OC/EC ratio differences between atmospheric PM samples from the opencast coal mines and
communities, although distinguishing between the contributions of coal combustion, liquid fuel combustion and the domestic use of
biomass requires further analysis.
Description
Keywords
Opencast, Elemental carbon, Organic carbon, Thermal optical, Atmospheric particulate, Opencast coal mines, Isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS)
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Khumalo, L., Kornelius, G., Van Zyl, P. & Hall, G. 2020, 'An exploratory characterisation of the carbon and stable isotope composition of atmospheric particulate matter from opencast coal mining activities and adjacent communities', Clean Air Journal, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 1-8.