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Arid Land Geography ›› 2020, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (5): 1231-1241.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2020.05.08

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Chemical elemental characteristics of atmospheric inhalable particulates in Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes

XU Rui-hong1, 2, WU Fa-si1, 5, WANG Wan-fu1, 3, 5, HE Dong-peng1, 2, YANG Xiao-ju 1, ZHANG Guo-bin1, KANG Shi-chang3, LI Chao-liu4   

  1. 1 National Research Center for Conservation of Ancient Wall Paintings and Earthen Sites of the Dunhuang Academy, Dunhuang 736200, Gansu, China; 2 Centre for Cultural Heritage Conservation Technology Services of the Dunhuang Academy, Dunhuang 736200, Gansu, China; 3 Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China; 4 Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China; 5 MOE Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
  • Received:2019-09-20 Revised:2020-06-10 Online:2020-09-25 Published:2020-09-25

Abstract: This study investigates characteristics of atmospheric inhalable particulates in the Dunhuang Mogao Grot? toes, a world cultural heritage site located at the western end of Hexi Corridor that is extremely dry. In this study, an atmospheric particulate sampler (Dichotomous Partisol - Plus Model 2025, Thermo Scientific, USA) was used to col? lect atmospheric particulate matter inside and outside the caves of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, and inductively cou? pled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, X-7, Thermo Elemental, USA) was used to measure the mass concentra? tions of 27 elements. The results showed that the typical crustal elements (Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, and Fe) accounted for more than 96% of the total mass concentration of the measured elements. The Ca content was the highest at approxi? mately 60%. In sand dust weather conditions, the mass concentrations of Li, Be, Zn, and various other elements in? creased by a factor of fourcompared to sunny weather conditions, whereas the mass concentrations of Co, Ga, As, Cs, and Ba decreased.This indicates that sand dust weather has a greater impact on the concentrations of these ele? ments. Additionally, the concentrations of B, Sc, Ga, As, Cs, Tl, Pb, and various other elements are low in spring but high in winter, which is possibly related to fossil fuel burning in winter in rural areas around the Mogao Grottoes. En? richment factor (EF) analysis showed that the EF concentrations of B, Na, Ca, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Tl, Pb, Bi, and U in inhalable particles were all greater than 10. This suggests that pollutants from human activity play a key role in the variation of these elements. The Pb element EF value exceeded 250, and mainsource of Pb and Zn isfossil fuel burning. This is the first study monitoring and analyzing thecontent of various elements in atmospheric inhalable particulate matter in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, and these results provide scientific basis for the future treat? ment and control of inhalable particulate matter pollution at this site and the surrounding environment.

Key words: Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, inhalable particulates, chemical elements, enrichment factor