Atmospheric Dust and Aerosol Transporting Contaminants at an Active Smelter Site
July 13, 2021
Recently graduated University of Arizona Superfund Research Center (UA SRC) trainee, Dr. Tania B. Rodriguez-Chavez, just published a journal article, “Outdoor/Indoor Contaminant Transport by Atmospheric Dust and Aerosol at an Active Smelter Site.” This paper discusses how the activities associated with mining operations have been identified as sources of dust and aerosol that may contain metal and metalloid contaminants.
The purpose of this study was:
- to quantify the effect of dust and aerosol particle size on contaminant transport from outdoor-to-indoor environments.
- to document the changes in particle chemical composition during transport through the outdoor/indoor barrier.
Outdoor and indoor particulate samples were collected from 2016 to 2019 at a high school equipped with mechanical air filtration systems. The school is located near a set of mine tailings and an active copper smelter in Hayden, Arizona. Particle size segregated samples were collected using a ten-stage micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI). Results from the study show that mechanical filtration reduces the amount of airborne fine particles less than 1 micron in size in indoor spaces, though the particles can still penetrate to the indoor environment. However, course particles larger than 1 micron comprised only 20% of the levels found in outdoor course particles. Aerosol in the fine fraction particulate air concentrations was around 50% of the corresponding outdoor values, though their mass concentrations were similar to outdoor values.
These results highlight the need to consider the impact of particle diameter when assessing indoor exposure and potential health effects in communities living under the direct influence of mining and smelter activities.
Rodriguez-Chavez defended her PhD Dissertation in August 2020, and in March 2021 she started working as an Environmental Engineer at GBMc & Associates in Bryant, Arkansas.
We wish Dr. Tania Rodriguez-Chavez much success in her journey in Environmental Science. Congratulations and well done!
Publication:
Rodríguez-Chávez TB, Rine KP, Almusawi RM, O’Brien-Metzger R, Ramírez-Andreotta M, Eric A. Betterton EA, Sáez AE. Outdoor/Indoor Contaminant Transport by Atmospheric Dust and Aerosol at an Active Smelter Site. Water Air Soil Pollut 232, 226 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05168-2