Bio-tracking sources of atmospheric pollution using a multi-isotope approach

使用多同位素方法生物追踪大气污染源

• 批准号: RGPIN-2015-03921
• 负责人: Widory, David
• 金额: $ 1.6万
• 依托单位: Université du Québec à Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=612658
• 关键词: Bio; tracking; sources; atmospheric; pollution

Air pollution is today a major societal issue for most countries. Environmental management of air quality is almost exclusively based on monitoring pollutant levels in a selection of sites and samples through time. However, there is now ample evidence that this does not allow to unambiguously establish the different pollution sources and their respective contributions. Recent research showed that these limitations can be overcome by using isotopes. Although the application of the isotope tracing approach is fairly recent, it has proven to be effective at precisely discriminating and identifying the different vectors of pollution, and quantifying their respective contributions. The objective of this research program is to demonstrate that integrating isotope data in air quality monitoring networks is technologically feasible and leads to more effective planning of environmental management measures. This program will specifically address key atmospheric pollution issues (identification of sources of air pollution, semi-quantification of their respective contributions, characterisation of secondary processes); in particular, inorganic pollutants, including toxic metals of high environmental impact, such as osmium (Os), cadmium (Cd) or mercury (Hg), will be investigated. The overall research program will be organised into two complementary research axes. First, we will test the possibility of using bioindicators (mosses/lichens) as passive samplers for isotopically (S, Pb, Sr, Os isotopes) tracing sources/processes controlling their budget in the air. The second part of the program will be in continuation with this work, extending this study to other metal isotopes (Hg, Cr, Cd, Zn, Cu). This research program will support research conducted by four graduate students at UQAM. The first part of the program on bioindicators will help train two PhD students. The second part of the program on metal isotopes will support two more PhDs. The candidates will have the opportunity to work within an active research group in Earth Sciences at the GEOTOP center. They will also benefit from my 17-year experience studying air pollution as well as from another study that I am currently supervising: S isotope characterisation of emissions from urban sources of air pollution and aerosols. The originality of this program resides in the multi-isotope characterisation of bioindicators that are here used as air passive samplers. This will also constitute one of the very first studies coupling a mass-dependent and mass-independent isotope fractionations approach. The methodology proposed here will provide a better understanding of the sources of air pollution to be controlled and acted against, as well as of the atmospheric processes involved. The integration of isotope measurements to the study of air-contaminated areas will thus constitute a high degree of innovation with respect to current practices.

空气污染如今是大多数国家的一个主要社会问题。空气质量的环境管理几乎完全基于长期监测选定地点和样本中的污染物水平。然而，现在有充分的证据表明，这并不能明确确定不同的污染源及其各自的贡献。最近的研究表明，使用同位素可以克服这些限制。尽管同位素示踪方法的应用相当新，但事实证明，它可以有效地精确区分和识别不同的污染媒介，并量化它们各自的贡献。 该研究计划的目的是证明将同位素数据整合到空气质量监测网络中在技术上是可行的，并且可以更有效地规划环境管理措施。该计划将专门解决关键的大气污染问题（确定空气污染源、半量化其各自的贡献、二次过程的特征）；特别是无机污染物，包括对环境影响较大的有毒金属，如锇（Os）、镉（Cd）或汞（Hg），将受到调查。总体研究计划将分为两个互补的研究轴。首先，我们将测试使用生物指示剂（苔藓/地衣）作为同位素（S、Pb、Sr、Os 同位素）追踪源/过程控制其在空气中的预算的被动采样器的可能性。该计划的第二部分将继续这项工作，将这项研究扩展到其他金属同位素（汞、铬、镉、锌、铜）。 该研究项目将支持昆士兰大学蒙特利尔分校的四名研究生进行的研究。生物指示剂项目的第一部分将帮助培训两名博士生。金属同位素计划的第二部分将支持另外两名博士生。候选人将有机会在 GEOTOP 中心的地球科学活跃研究小组中工作。他们还将受益于我 17 年研究空气污染的经验以及我目前正在监督的另一项研究：城市空气污染和气溶胶来源排放的 S 同位素特征。 该程序的独创性在于生物指示剂的多同位素表征，此处用作空气被动采样器。这也将构成耦合质量依赖和质量无关同位素分馏方法的最早研究之一。这里提出的方法将有助于更好地了解要控制和应对的空气污染源以及所涉及的大气过程。因此，将同位素测量与空气污染地区的研究相结合将构成对当前实践的高度创新。