Microchemical characterization of aerosols

This paper outlines a methodology to quantitatively differentiate classes of ambient particulate carbon. The analysis of results provides an assessment of the amounts of primary and secondary carbonaceous material, as well as the amounts of total carbon, organic carbon, and black or graphitic carbon. Two experimental approaches have been used in this study. The first involves a systematic comparison of average ambient black carbon and total carbon ratios with those of sources. The second approach relies on the evolved gas (CO2) thermal analysis method as a means for “fingerprinting” the organic and black carbon components of source and ambient particles.