Emission patterns and source composition profiles of Canadian copper smelters as observed in the northeastern United States
Gulen H. Gullu, Jack Beal, Richard D. Fink, Francis X. Pink, Ilhan Olmez

Provenance studies of pottery fragments from medieval Cairo, Egypt
J.W. Beal, I. Olmez

Chemometric receptor modeling techniques in groundwater contamination studies
Gulen H. Gullu, X. Huang, J. Che, A. Wakefield, J. Beal, J. Villaume, I. Olmez

Receptor modeling for elemental source contributions to fine aerosols in New York state
M. Ames, Gulen Gullu, Jack Beal, Ilhan Olmez

Mercury collection from gas phase for XRF Analysis
S. Kurunczi, Sz. Torok, Jack W. Beal
 
 

Emission patterns and source composition profiles of Canadian copper smelters as observed in the northeastern United States

Gulen H. Gullu, Jack Beal, Richard D. Fink, Francis X. Pink, Ilhan Olmez
Abstract to 35th IUPAC Congress, Istanbul 14-19 August 1995

    Over the past several decades, researchers have realized that smelting operations produce significant quantities of trace elements and have a severe environmental impact on both local and regional scales.  Copper, for example, is bound in sulfide ores and is produced by two distinct processes:  thermal smelting and electrolytic extraction.  During these processes, large amounts of sulfur dioxide and significant amounts of dust and fumes are released containing high levels of especially volatile heavy metals.
    Ambient aerosol samples were collected at five rural sites in Upstate New York to investigate probable source types and source groups affecting that geographical region.  Sampling was performed with automatic dichotomous samplers which separates the aerosols into two size fractions: fine (< 2.5 mm) and coarse (> 2.5 mm to 10 mm).  The fine-fraction aerosol samples collected between October 1, 1991, and September 17, 1993, have been analyzed for 38 elements by neutron activation analysis (INAA).
    Mixed-layer, 72 hour back-trajectories were calculated at each of the sites for every sample.  To understand potential source regions, back trajectory information was combined with the measured elemental concentrations.  The highest concentrations of many elements observed in the northeastern United States originated in two large source regions, the west (NW, W, and SW) and north (NE, N, and NW).
    Smelter contributions were clearly identified by the high As/Se concentration ratios.  The days with high ratios ( > 3) were associated with air masses reaching the sites from the northern smelter regions.
    To identify possible sources contributing to the measured aerosol mass, Principal Component Factor Analysis was applied to the data set.  The As/Se ratio was used as a marker for the copper smelters.  In all sites, a separate factor representing copper smelters was found, containing high factor loadings of As, In, Cd, Sb and the As/Se ratio.  The contribution of copper smelters to the total atmospheric burden of metals is calculated for the northeastern United States.

Provenance studies of pottery fragments from medieval Cairo, Egypt

J.W. Beal, I. Olmez
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 221, Nos 1-2 (1997) 9-17

    In the analysis of archeological pottery fragments, instrumental neutron activation analysis has been utilized to establish the elemental concentrations of up to 37 chemical elements for each of 53 archeological pottery samples from medieval Cairo, Egypt, and one additional sample of Chinese porcelain.  These elemental concentrations have been utilized in a statistical analysis procedure in order to determine similarities and correlations between the various samples.  Multivariate analyses have been used to quantitatively determine these interrelationships.  This methodology successfully separated the Egyptian samples into two broad categories:  (1) polychrome decorated ceramic ware and (2) monochrome celadon ware.  In addition the methodology successfully identified the one unique sample of Chinese porcelain.  Several samples appeared to be either a mixture of categories or outliers in the data set and were not attributable to any distinct category.

Chemometric receptor modeling techniques in groundwater contamination studies

Gulen H. Gullu, X. Huang, J. Che, A. Wakefield, J. Beal, J.Villaume, I. Olmez
accepted by Water Research  (1999)

    Composite receptor modeling techniques such as principal component factor analysis and multiple regression with chemical mass balance (CMB), coupled with instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and other chemical analyses were used to identify possible natural and anthropogenic sources of groundwater contamination near a coal-fired electric generating power plant.  From the varimax rotated principal component factor analysis, four sources affecting the quality of the groundwater have been identified:  bedrock, waste-water filled basin, soil-related and coal-related.  According to the CMB analysis results, for most of the water samples, the majority of the contamination is due to natural sources, namely bedrock and soil.  The waste-water filled basin is also implicated to a lesser degree in the contamination of nearby wells.

Receptor modeling for elemental source contributions to fine aerosols in New York state

M. Ames, Gulen Gullu, Jack Beal, Ilhan Olmez
accepted by Journal of Air Pollution Control Association  (1999)

    Size-fractionated airborne particulate material collected daily at five separate sites in Upstate New York has been analyzed to determine their trace element concentrations.  The analysis was performed using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis, which allowed the determination of the concentrations of about forty elements.  Approximately 1400 samples, collected over a two-year period, were analyzed providing a large and detailed data set.  Factor Analysis was used extensively to identify potential pollution sources or source regions and to construct inorganic source profiles for each.  Following Factor Analysis, the method of Absolute Factor Scores - Multiple Linear Regression was used to estimate the absolute elemental contribution of all identified sources.  Factor Analysis identified nine sources affecting the sampling region.  Seven of these were found to be present, to varying degrees, in most of the five sampling sites.  The other two sources which had more localized impact were observed at only one of the sites each.  Regional sources (such as Midwestern U.S. and eastern Canada) and crustal/soil material accounted for the majority of the fine airborne particulate material collected at the sampling sites.

Mercury collection from gas phase for XRF analysis

S. Kurunczi, Sz. Torok, Jack W. Beal
X-RAY SPECTROMETRY.  X-Ray Spectrom.  28, 352-356 (1999)

    Mercury content of flue gases cannot be measured easily because of the low concentrations and the high vapour pressure of the mercury.  In this paper we describe tests for specially coated filters developed for mercury collection.  In this first step, silvered quartz fibre filters were used for this task, under laboratory conditions.  The mercury collection efficiency of the Ag-coated filters was tested in a sampling system connected to a special mercury generator.  The filters were analyzed using an ED-XRF spectrometer.  Results for mercury collection efficiency ranges from 50 to 90 %.