AAAR 33rd Annual Conference
October 20 - October 24, 2014
Rosen Shingle Creek
Orlando, Florida, USA
Abstract View
Chemical Characterization of Time Resolved Haboob Samples from Phoenix, AZ
AURELIE MARCOTTE, Jershon Eagar, Denise Napolitano, Pierre Herckes, Arizona State University
Abstract Number: 291 Working Group: Urban Aerosols
Abstract During the summer months in Arizona, very intense dust storms, or haboobs, can occur. These dust storms can last from minutes to hours and can alter the aerosol content greatly on short time scales. Monsoon-like storms sometimes follow haboobs, which can scavenge the aerosol particles that were brought in by the dust storm. Understanding haboobs is of great importance in the Phoenix area as they can increase particulate matter (PM) and bring an influx of PM material from other locations. Deposition of PM may alter soil and water chemistry in the affected areas. In this work, we chemically characterize haboobs and their effect on the air quality in the Phoenix area. During the summer of 2013, background urban PM samples and the PM of haboob events (PM2.5 and PM>2.5) were collected on the Arizona State University Tempe Campus. Samples were collected before, during, and after haboobs to determine the time resolved effect of haboobs on PM in the Phoenix area. Samples were analyzed for trace metals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), soluble iron content by a ferrozine/UV-Vis method, and major inorganic species by ion chromatography (IC). Additional analyses included thermal optical transmittance to determine organic and elemental carbon concentrations and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to identify organic tracer compounds such as alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). Changes in composition with a focus on differences and communalities between haboob and non-haboob aerosols will be discussed. The duration of a haboob’s effect on ambient PM concentrations will also be examined. A more complete understanding of the effect of haboobs on the Phoenix area could be helpful in making health recommendations for residents during the summer months.