TY - JOUR
T1 - Heterogeneity of platinum group metals in airborne particles
AU - Rauch, S.
AU - Lu, M.
AU - Morrison, G. M.
PY - 2001/2/1
Y1 - 2001/2/1
N2 - The emission of three of the platinum group metals (PGMs), Pd, Pt, and Rh, from automobile catalysts and into the urban environment is a potential concern for human health. The analysis of low concentrations of PGMs in air particles is an analytical challenge, and it is demonstrated that interferences in inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) can be corrected mathematically for Pt and Rh and, at higher concentrations, for Pd. The PM10 concentrations of PGMs in urban air collected in Göteborg are 0.1-10 pg m-3 (Pd), 0.9-19 pg -3 (Pt), and 0.3-4 pg m-3 (Rh), with higher values for greater traffic intensity. These concentrations provide a general background for the urban atmospheric environment, and the Pt:Rh ratio (4.2: 1) agrees with known automobile catalyst composition. The analysis of filters from 10 parallel samplers indicated the significant heterogeneity of PGMs in samples of urban air particles. Scanning laser ablation ICP-MS provided the μm spatial resolution required to identify individual particles. Ablation across the filter surface demonstrated the presence of relatively few particles with a high concentration of PGMs. These occasional high concentration particles, which might be overlooked in conventional air sampling with total analysis, have a high Pt:Rh ratio (12.3: 1), which can be attributed to catalyst aging during vehicle operation.
AB - The emission of three of the platinum group metals (PGMs), Pd, Pt, and Rh, from automobile catalysts and into the urban environment is a potential concern for human health. The analysis of low concentrations of PGMs in air particles is an analytical challenge, and it is demonstrated that interferences in inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) can be corrected mathematically for Pt and Rh and, at higher concentrations, for Pd. The PM10 concentrations of PGMs in urban air collected in Göteborg are 0.1-10 pg m-3 (Pd), 0.9-19 pg -3 (Pt), and 0.3-4 pg m-3 (Rh), with higher values for greater traffic intensity. These concentrations provide a general background for the urban atmospheric environment, and the Pt:Rh ratio (4.2: 1) agrees with known automobile catalyst composition. The analysis of filters from 10 parallel samplers indicated the significant heterogeneity of PGMs in samples of urban air particles. Scanning laser ablation ICP-MS provided the μm spatial resolution required to identify individual particles. Ablation across the filter surface demonstrated the presence of relatively few particles with a high concentration of PGMs. These occasional high concentration particles, which might be overlooked in conventional air sampling with total analysis, have a high Pt:Rh ratio (12.3: 1), which can be attributed to catalyst aging during vehicle operation.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035253424&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/es000048c
DO - 10.1021/es000048c
M3 - Article
C2 - 11351734
AN - SCOPUS:0035253424
SN - 0013-936X
VL - 35
SP - 595
EP - 599
JO - Environmental Science and Technology
JF - Environmental Science and Technology
IS - 3
ER -
