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STABLE ISOTOPE RATIO ANALYSIS FOR ASSESSING OF ANTHROPOGENIC AIR POLLUTION IN TOMSK

Galina Simonova, Yuriy Volkov, Anna Markelova, Daria Kalashnikova

Abstract

The problem of atmospheric air pollution attracts great attention of ecologists and physicians because the protection of the environment and population health has a socio-economic significance. Oxides of nitrogen and carbon, methanol, phenol, formaldehyde, ammonia, chlorine hydride and suspended particulate matters (dust, soot) are the main anthropogenic air pollutants in Tomsk city. The main task of the air pollution monitoring is to identify sources of pollutant emissions. Stable isotope ratio analysis of the light elements (C, N, H, O, S) can be useful in this issue. The initial stage of the research was focused on the isotope composition of black carbon extracted from the snow cover which accumulates soot particles from the atmosphere. The main anthropogenic source of black carbon in Tomsk suburb is automobile vehicles as well as soot from the private sector with individual heating systems. This conclusion was obtained based on the stable isotope ratio analysis by the mass spectrometer DELTA V Advantage (Thermo Fisher Scientific/USA-Germany). The isotope composition of black carbon in the snow cover along the roads corresponds to the isotope composition of the soot formed from the combustion of oil products (?13? ? -28пїЅ). The isotope compositions of the samples taken in the private sector and in the cottage village corresponds to the isotope composition of the soot obtained from the burning of wood (?13? ? -26пїЅ) and coal (?13? ? -24.7пїЅ), respectively. The dependence of isotope composition of the pollutants on the source of their origin was also determined for nitrogen isotopes. The value of the nitrogen isotope ratio ?15N varied from 0.2пїЅ for the background areas located outside the city to 6.86пїЅ for the city center. Our preliminary studies have confirmed the utility of the isotope ratio mass spectrometry of light elements for the solution to problems in studying the environment.

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