Observations made during stretching, tearing and failure of NR (natural rubber) and SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber) loaded with various amounts of carbon black

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldberg, A.; Lesuer, D.R.; Patt, J.

In order to effectively utilize fractography as an aid in identifying the influence of material and service (or test) parameters on material properties, one must first understand the origin of the morphological features developed during the tearing and fracturing of these elastomers. At our laboratory, we have made extensive fractographic studies while evaluating the effects of material formulations, temperature, and loading rates on the loading response, tearing energy, induced damage, and tearing phenomena in SBR (Styrene Butadiene Rubber) containing different amounts of CB (Carbon Black) filler. We have also examined failures in tank track pads, as well as laboratory-tested samplesmore » cut from new track pads. In this paper we report on observations made during the actual stretching, tearing and failure of elastomeric samples pulled in tension at a constraint stroke-diplacement rate. 15 refs., 12 figs.« less

Influence of notch depth on tearing morphology and tearing energy in carbon-black-loaded SBR (styrene butadiene rubber)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldberg, A.; LeMay, J.D.; Sanchez, R.J.

Tearing energies (T) have been evaluated for carbon-black-reinforced SBR tested in uniaxial tension. The influence of notch depth on T and fracture morphology have also been determined. The influence of notch depth on the stress-strain behavior and on the failure stress and failure strain is also illustrated. The ratio of recovered-to-input energy as a function of both stress and strain was determined for notched and notch-free samples.

Effects of Carbon Black and the Presence of Static Mechanical Strain on the Swelling of Elastomers in Solvent

PubMed Central

Ch’ng, Shiau Ying; Andriyana, Andri; Tee, Yun Lu; Verron, Erwan

2015-01-01

The effect of carbon black on the mechanical properties of elastomers is of great interest, because the filler is one of principal ingredients for the manufacturing of rubber products. While fillers can be used to enhance the properties of elastomers, including stress-free swelling resistance in solvent, it is widely known that the introduction of fillers yields significant inelastic responses of elastomers under cyclic mechanical loading, such as stress-softening, hysteresis and permanent set. When a filled elastomer is under mechanical deformation, the filler acts as a strain amplifier in the rubber matrix. Since the matrix local strain has a profound effect on the material’s ability to absorb solvent, the study of the effect of carbon black content on the swelling characteristics of elastomeric components exposed to solvent in the presence of mechanical deformation is a prerequisite for durability analysis. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of carbon black content on the swelling of elastomers in solvent in the presence of static mechanical strains: simple extension and simple torsion. Three different types of elastomers are considered: unfilled, filled with 33 phr (parts per hundred) and 66 phr of carbon black. The peculiar role of carbon black on the swelling characteristics of elastomers in solvent in the presence of mechanical strain is explored. PMID:28787977

Strength and stability analysis of a single-walled black phosphorus tube under axial compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Kun; Wan, Jing; Wei, Ning; Qin, Qing H.

2016-07-01

Few-layered black phosphorus materials currently attract much attention due to their special electronic properties. As a consequence, a single-layer black phosphorus (SLBP) nanotube has been theoretically built. The corresponding electronic properties of such a black phosphorus nanotube (BPNT) were also evaluated numerically. However, unlike graphene formed with 2sp2 covalent carbon atoms, SLBP is formed with 3sp3 bonded atoms. It means that the structure from SLBP will possess lower Young’s modulus and mechanical strength than those of carbon nanotubes. In this study, molecular dynamics simulation is performed to investigate the strength and stability of BPNTs affected by the factors of diameter, length, loading speed and temperature. Results are fundamental for investigating the other physical properties of a BPNT acting as a component in a nanodevice. For example, buckling of the BPNT happens earlier than fracture, before which the nanostructure has very small axial strain. For the same BPNT, a higher load speed results in lower critical axial strain and a nanotube with lower axial strain can still be stable at a higher temperature.

The effects of emission control strategies on light-absorbing carbon emissions from a modern heavy-duty diesel engine.

PubMed

Robinson, Michael A; Olson, Michael R; Liu, Z Gerald; Schauer, James J

2015-06-01

Control of atmospheric black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) has been proposed as an important pathway to climate change mitigation, but sources of BC and BrC are still not well understood. In order to better identify the role of modern heavy-duty diesel engines on the production of BC and BrC, emissions from a heavy-duty diesel engine operating with different emission control strategies were examined using a source dilution sampling system. The effect of a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and diesel particulate filter (DPF) on light-absorbing carbon (LAC) was evaluated at three steady-state engine operation modes: idle, 50% speed and load, and 100% speed and load. LAC was measured with four different engine configurations: engine out, DOC out, DPF out, and engine out with an altered combustion calibration. BC and BrC emission rates were measured with the Aethalometer (AE-31). EC and BC emission rates normalized to the mass of CO₂emitted increased with increasing engine speed and load. Emission rates normalized to brake-specific work did not exhibit similar trends with speed and load, but rather the highest emission rate was measured at idle. EC and OC emissions were reduced by 99% when the DOC and DPF architecture was applied. The application of a DPF was equally effective at removing 99% of the BC fraction of PM, proving to be an important control strategy for both LAC and PM. BC emissions were unexpectedly increased across the DOC, seemingly due to a change aerosol optical properties. Removal of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) flow due to simulated EGR cooler failure caused a large increase in OC and BrC emission rates at idle, but had limited influence during high load operation. LAC emissions proved to be sensitive to the same control strategies effective at controlling the total mass of diesel PM. In the context of black carbon emissions, very small emission rates of brown carbon were measured over a range of control technologies and engine operating conditions. During specific idle engine operation without EGR and adjusted fueling conditions, brown carbon can be formed in significant amounts, requiring careful management tactics. Control technologies for particulate matter are very effective for light-absorbing carbon, reducing black carbon emissions to near zero for modern engines equipped with a DPF. Efforts to control atmospheric brown carbon need to focus on other sources other than modern diesel engines, such as biomass burning.

Black Carbon Measurements From Ireland's Transboundary Network (TXB)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spohn, T. K.; Martin, D.; O'Dowd, C. D. D.

2017-12-01

Black Carbon (BC) is carbonaceous aerosol formed by incomplete fossil fuel combustion. Named for its light absorbing properties, it acts to trap heat in the atmosphere, thus behaving like a greenhouse gas, and is considered a strong, short-lived climate forcer by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Carbonaceous aerosols from biomass burning (BB) such as forest fires and residential wood burning, also known as brown carbon, affect the ultra violet (UV) light absorption in the atmosphere as well. In 2016 a three node black carbon monitoring network was established in Ireland as part of a Transboundary Monitoring Network (TXB). The three sites (Mace Head, Malin Head, and Carnsore Point) are coastal locations on opposing sides of the country, and offer the opportunity to assess typical northern hemispheric background concentrations as well national and European pollution events. The instruments deployed in this network (Magee Scientific AE33) facilitate elimination of the changes in response due to `aerosol loading' effects; and a real-time calculation of the `loading compensation' parameter which offers insights into aerosol optical properties. Additionally, these instruments have an inbuilt algorithm, which estimates the difference in absorption in the ultraviolet wavelengths (mostly by brown carbon) and the near infrared wavelengths (only by black carbon).Presented here are the first results of the BC measurements from the three Irish stations, including instrument validation, seasonal variation as well as local, regional, and transboundary influences based on air mass trajectories as well as concurrent in-situ observations (meteorological parameters, particle number, and aerosol composition). A comparison of the instrumental algorithm to off-line sensitivity calculations will also be made to assess the contribution of biomass burning to BC pollution events.

An electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells electrocatalyst single wall carbon nanohorns-supported.

PubMed

Brandão, Lúcia; Boaventura, Marta; Passeira, Carolina; Gattia, Daniele Mirabile; Marazzi, Renzo; Antisari, Marco Vittori; Mendes, Adélio

2011-10-01

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to study the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) performance when using single wall carbon nanohorns (SWNH) to support Pt nanoparticles. Additionally, as-prepared and oxidized SWNH Pt-supports were compared with conventional carbon black. Two different oxidizing treatments were considered: oxygen flow at 500 degrees C and reflux in an acid solution at 85 degrees C. Both oxidizing treatments increased SWNH surface area; oxygen treatment increased surface area 4 times while acid treatment increased 2.6 times. The increase in surface area should be related to the opening access to the inner tube of SWNH. Acid treatment of SWNH increased chemical fragility and decreased electrocatalyst load in comparison with as-prepared SWNH. On the other hand, the oxygen treated SWNH sample allowed to obtain the highest electrocatalyst load. The use of as-prepared and oxygen treated SWNH showed in both cases catalytic activities 60% higher than using conventional carbon black as electrocatalyst support in PEMFC. Moreover, EIS analysis indicated that the major improvement in performance is related to the cathode kinetics in the as-prepared SWNH sample, while concerning the oxidized SWNH sample, the improvements are related to the electrokinetics in both anode and cathode electrodes. These improvements should be related with differences in the hydrophobic character between SWNH and carbon black.

Black carbon in aerosol during BIBLE B

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liley, J. Ben; Baumgardner, D.; Kondo, Y.; Kita, K.; Blake, D. R.; Koike, M.; Machida, T.; Takegawa, N.; Kawakami, S.; Shirai, T.; Ogawa, T.

2003-02-01

The Biomass Burning and Lightning Experiment (BIBLE) A and B campaigns over the tropical western Pacific during springtime deployed a Gulfstream-II aircraft with systems to measure ozone and numerous precursor species. Aerosol measuring systems included a MASP optical particle counter, a condensation nucleus (CN) counter, and an absorption spectrometer for black carbon. Aerosol volume was very low in the middle and upper troposphere during both campaigns, and during BIBLE A, there was little aerosol enhancement in the boundary layer away from urban areas. In BIBLE B, there was marked aerosol enhancement in the lowest 3 km of the atmosphere. Mixing ratios of CN in cloud-free conditions in the upper troposphere were in general higher than in the boundary layer, indicating new particle formation from gaseous precursors. High concentrations of black carbon were observed during BIBLE B, with mass loadings up to 40 μg m-3 representing as much as one quarter of total aerosol mass. Strong correlations with hydrocarbon enhancement allow the determination of a black carbon emission ratio for the fires at that time. Expressed as elemental carbon, it is about 0.5% of carbon dioxide and 6% of carbon monoxide emissions from the same fires, comparable to methane production, and greater than that of other hydrocarbons.

Black carbon in aerosol during BIBLE B

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liley, J. Ben; Baumgardner, D.; Kondo, Y.; Kita, K.; Blake, D. R.; Koike, M.; Machida, T.; Takegawa, N.; Kawakami, S.; Shirai, T.; Ogawa, T.

2002-02-01

The Biomass Burning and Lightning Experiment (BIBLE) A and B campaigns over the tropical western Pacific during springtime deployed a Gulfstream-II aircraft with systems to measure ozone and numerous precursor species. Aerosol measuring systems included a MASP optical particle counter, a condensation nucleus (CN) counter, and an absorption spectrometer for black carbon. Aerosol volume was very low in the middle and upper troposphere during both campaigns, and during BIBLE A, there was little aerosol enhancement in the boundary layer away from urban areas. In BIBLE B, there was marked aerosol enhancement in the lowest 3 km of the atmosphere. Mixing ratios of CN in cloud-free conditions in the upper troposphere were in general higher than in the boundary layer, indicating new particle formation from gaseous precursors. High concentrations of black carbon were observed during BIBLE B, with mass loadings up to 40 μg m-3 representing as much as one quarter of total aerosol mass. Strong correlations with hydrocarbon enhancement allow the determination of a black carbon emission ratio for the fires at that time. Expressed as elemental carbon, it is about 0.5% of carbon dioxide and 6% of carbon monoxide emissions from the same fires, comparable to methane production, and greater than that of other hydrocarbons.

Study of tribological properties of natural rubber containing carbon nanotubes and carbon black as hybrid fillers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harea, Evghenii; Stoček, Radek; Storozhuk, Liudmyla; Sementsov, Yurii; Kartel, Nikolai

2018-04-01

Dry friction and wear properties of natural rubber (NR), containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and carbon black (CB), were investigated. Natural rubber (NR)-based composites containing all common additives and curatives, and a fixed amount (30 phr—parts per 100 rubber by weight) of hybrid fillers (MWCNT x + CB30-x ) were prepared by simple mixing procedure and tested. The main goal was to study the behaviours of composites at different tribological testing conditions, such as friction speed and normal load. It was found that with an increase of concentration of MWCNT from x = 0 phr to x = 5 phr in studied composites, there was a decrease in the coefficient of friction (COF) with no significant change in wear in the framework of each used combination of testing parameters. Generally, higher friction speed at certain normal force led to the increase of COF of all the samples and wear reflected deliberate value fluctuation. Also, it was established that considerable growth of wear and unexpected reducing of friction coefficient ensued from increasing of applied load for every fixed sliding speed.

Stream Water, Carbon and Total Nitrogen Load Responses to a Simulated Emerald Ash Borer Infestation in Black Ash Dominated Headwater Wetlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Grinsven, M. J.; Shannon, J.; Noh, N. J.; Kane, E. S.; Bolton, N. W.; Davis, J.; Wagenbrenner, J.; Sebestyen, S. D.; Kolka, R.; Pypker, T. G.

2017-12-01

The rapid and extensive expansion of emerald ash borer (EAB) is considered an important ecological and economic disturbance, and will likely affect critical ecosystem services associated with black ash wetlands. It is unknown how EAB-induced disturbance in wetlands dominated with black ash will impact stream water, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) export dynamics. We hypothesized that loads of water, DOC and TDN exported from black ash wetlands would be elevated following an EAB-induced disturbance. Stream water, DOC and TDN loads exiting two black ash wetlands in headwater watersheds in Michigan were quantified over a four-year period, and were combined with wetland soil temperature and soil decomposition rate monitoring to better understand the biogeochemical implications of an EAB-induced disturbance. After a two-year baseline monitoring period, an EAB disturbance was simulated by felling (ash-cut) all black ash trees with diameters greater than 2.5-cm in one wetland. When compared to the unaltered control, stream water DOC and TDN concentrations exiting the ash-cut wetland were significantly larger by 39% and 38%, respectively during the post-treatment study period. The significantly elevated DOC and TDN concentrations were likely associated with the higher soil temperatures and increased rates of soil decomposition detected in the ash-cut site during the post-treatment period. No significant mean daily stream discharge differences were detected between treatments during the pre-treatment period, however the 0.46 mm d-1 mean daily stream discharge exiting the ash-cut wetland was significantly smaller than the 1.07 mm d-1 exiting the unaltered control during the post-treatment study period. The significantly smaller daily stream discharge in the ash-cut site likely contributed to the fact no significant differences between treatments for either mean daily DOC loads or TDN loads were detected during the post-treatment period, despite the detection of significantly higher DOC and TDN concentrations. Examination of seasonal stream water, DOC and TDN export dynamics revealed the relative magnitudes of EAB-induced impacts were not evenly distributed throughout the year, and these differences have distinct seasonal implications for downstream waterbodies.

Effects of potential models on the adsorption of ethane and ethylene on graphitized thermal carbon black. Study of two-dimensional critical temperature and isosteric heat versus loading.

PubMed

Do, D D; Do, H D

2004-12-07

Adsorption of ethylene and ethane on graphitized thermal carbon black and in slit pores whose walls are composed of graphene layers is studied in detail to investigate the packing efficiency, the two-dimensional critical temperature, and the variation of the isosteric heat of adsorption with loading and temperature. Here we used a Monte Carlo simulation method with a grand canonical Monte Carlo ensemble. A number of two-center Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential models are investigated to study the impact of the choice of potential models in the description of adsorption behavior. We chose two 2C-LJ potential models in our investigation of the (i) UA-TraPPE-LJ model of Martin and Siepmann for ethane and Wick et al. for ethylene and (ii) AUA4-LJ model of Ungerer et al. for ethane and Bourasseau et al. for ethylene. These models are used to study the adsorption of ethane and ethylene on graphitized thermal carbon black. It is found that the solid-fluid binary interaction parameter is a function of adsorbate and temperature, and the adsorption isotherms and heat of adsorption are well described by both the UA-TraPPE and AUA models, although the UA-TraPPE model performs slightly better. However, the local distributions predicted by these two models are slightly different. These two models are used to explore the two-dimensional condensation for the graphitized thermal carbon black, and these values are 110 K for ethylene and 120 K for ethane.

Effect of dust and anthropogenic aerosols on columnar aerosol optical properties over Darjeeling (2200 m asl), eastern Himalayas, India.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Abhijit; Ghosh, Sanjay K; Adak, Anandamay; Singh, Ajay K; Devara, Panuganti C S; Raha, Sibaji

2012-01-01

The loading of atmospheric particulate matter (aerosol) in the eastern Himalaya is mainly regulated by the locally generated anthropogenic aerosols from the biomass burning and by the aerosols transported from the distance sources. These different types of aerosol loading not only affect the aerosol chemistry but also produce consequent signature on the radiative properties of aerosol. An extensive study has been made to study the seasonal variations in aerosol components of fine and coarse mode aerosols and black carbon along with the simultaneous measurements of aerosol optical depth on clear sky days over Darjeeling, a high altitude station (2200 masl) at eastern Himalayas during the year 2008. We observed a heavy loading of fine mode dust component (Ca(2+)) during pre-monsoon (Apr-May) which was higher by 162% than its annual mean whereas during winter (Dec-Feb), the loading of anthropogenic aerosol components mainly from biomass burning (fine mode SO(4)(2-) and black carbon) were higher (76% for black carbon and 96% for fine mode SO(4)(2-)) from their annual means. These high increases in dust aerosols during pre-monsoon and anthropogenic aerosols during winter enhanced the aerosol optical depth by 25 and 40%, respectively. We observed that for every 1% increase in anthropogenic aerosols, AOD increased by 0.55% during winter whereas for every 1% increase in dust aerosols, AOD increased by 0.46% during pre-monsoon. The natural dust transport process (during pre-monsoon) plays as important a role in the radiation effects as the anthropogenic biomass burning (during winter) and their differential effects (rate of increase of the AOD with that of the aerosol concentration) are also very similar. This should be taken into account in proper modeling of the atmospheric environment over eastern Himalayas.

Facilities, testing, and continuing studies on carbon-black loaded styrene-butadiene rubber

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goldberg, A.; Sanchez, R.J.; LeMay, J.D.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has been involved with investigations dealing with the response of the rubber in tank track pads to various loading scenarios, both in the field and in the laboratory. In the laboratory, numerous studies were also performed on a number of other rubber formulations primarily involving a range of carbon-black loadings in SBR and NR. Reference is made to reports and papers addressing each of the studies involved in this program. Work performed during the final stages of this program is described. These studies were directed primarily at developing an understanding of the effects ofmore » cycling and notching histories, notch radius, notch depth, and specimen thickness on the deformation behavior, strain distributions, hysteresis, and residual strength of SBR containing various amounts of carbon black. Significant improvements were realized in our testing methodology, computer-controlled facilities, and data-acquisition system, and in our ability to obtain continuous photomicrographic documentation in ''real time'' of the tearing improvements, as they relate to the various studies, are detailed in this document. Results obtained in these studied involve (1) the fabrication and testing of thick tensile specimens, (2) the effect of notching under load on the residual strength, (3) the effect of cycling on residual strength of notched and notch-free specimens, (4) the effect of cycling on hysteresis, (5) the effect of notch radius for various notch depths on loss of strength, and (6) evaluation of strain at a notch tip and remote from the notch tip at various specimen extensions by analyzing the specimen grid markings, which were obtained with the microscope-video-Polaroid system. 15 refs., 27 figs.« less

Atmospheric Teleconnection over Eurasia Induced by Aerosol Radiative Forcing During Boreal Spring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Maeng-Ki; Lau, K. M.; Chin, Mian; Kim, Kyu-Myong; Sud, Y. C.; Walker, Greg K.

2005-01-01

The direct effects of aerosols on global and regional climate during boreal spring are investigated based on simulations using the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) finite-volume general circulation model (fvGCM) with Microphyics of clouds in Relaxed Arakawa Schubert Scheme (McRAS). The aerosol loading are prescribed from three-dimensional monthly distribution of tropospheric aerosols viz., sulfate, black carbon, organic carbon, soil dust, and sea salt from output of the Goddard Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport model (GOCART). The aerosol extinction coefficient, single scattering albedo, and asymmetric factor are computed as wavelength-dependent radiative forcing in the radiative transfer scheme of the fvGCM, and as a function of the aerosol loading and ambient relative humidity. We find that anomalous atmospheric heat sources induced by absorbing aerosols (dust and black carbon) excites a planetary scale teleconnection pattern in sea level pressure, temperature and geopotential height spanning North Africa through Eurasia to the North Pacific. Surface cooling due to direct effects of aerosols is found in the vicinity and downstream of the aerosol source regions, i.e., South Asia, East Asia, and northern and western Africa. Additionally, atmospheric heating is found in regions with large loading of dust (over Northern Africa, and Middle East), and black carbon (over South-East Asia). Paradoxically, the most pronounced feature in aerosol-induced surface temperature is an east-west dipole anomaly with strong cooling over the Caspian Sea, and warming over central and northeastern Asia, where aerosol concentration are low. Analyses of circulation anomalies show that the dipole anomaly is a part of an atmospheric teleconnection driven by atmospheric heating anomalies induced by absorbing aerosols in the source regions, but the influence was conveyed globally through barotropic energy dispersion and sustained by feedback processes associated with the regional circulations.

Effect of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) in carbon-based composite electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Chunhong; Wilson, Peter; Lekakou, Constantina

Electrochemical double layer supercapacitor cells were fabricated and tested using composite electrodes of activated carbon with carbon black and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and an organic electrolyte 1 M TEABF 4/PC solution. The effect of PEDOT on the performance of the EDLC cells was explored and the cells were characterised by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge. A generalised equivalent circuit model was developed for which numerical simulations were performed to determine the properties and parameters of its components from the EIS data. It was found that the proposed model fitted successfully the data of all tested cells. PEDOT enhanced the electrode and cell capacitance via its pseudo-capacitance effect up to a maximum value for an optimum PEDOT loading and greatly increased the energy density of the cell while the maximum power density has been still maintained at supercapacitor levels. Furthermore, PEDOT replaced PVDF as a binder and harmful solvent release was reduced during electrode processing. Activated carbon-carbon black composite electrodes with PEDOT as binder were found to have specific capacitance superior to that of activated carbon-carbon black electrodes with PVDF binder.

Multifunctional (Nano)Composite Materials for Energy Storage: Towards Flexible Load-Bearing Batteries and Supercapacitors

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

e.g. large volume changes during insertion/extraction of ions and/or low electrical and ionic conductivity)  Rational design of carbon -containing...to ~ 200 mAh/g, particularly for high power cells • If graphite is replaced with Carbon fibers or CNTs, the mechanical properties of the CNT will...rigid spherical granules Annealed carbon black (CB) 100 nm Si Magasinski, A. et. al, Nature Materials, 2010, 9, 353 • Uniformity of the

Modified thermal-optical analysis using spectral absorption selectivity to distinguish black carbon from pyrolized organic carbon.

PubMed

Hadley, Odelle L; Corrigan, Craig E; Kirchstetter, Thomas W

2008-11-15

This study presents a method for analyzing the black carbon (BC) mass loading on a quartz fiber filter using a modified thermal-optical analysis method, wherein light transmitted through the sample is measured over a spectral region instead of at a single wavelength. Evolution of the spectral light transmission signal depends on the relative amounts of light-absorbing BC and char, the latter of which forms when organic carbon in the sample pyrolyzes during heating. Absorption selectivities of BC and char are found to be distinct and are used to apportion the amount of light attenuated by each component in the sample. Light attenuation is converted to mass concentration on the basis of derived mass attenuation efficiencies (MAEs) of BC and char. The fractions of attenuation due to each component are scaled by their individual MAE values and added together as the total mass of light absorbing carbon (LAC). An iterative algorithm is used to find the MAE values for both BC and char that provide the best fit to the carbon mass remaining on the filter (derived from direct measurements of thermally evolved CO2) at temperatures higher than 480 degrees C. This method was applied to measure the BC concentration in precipitation samples collected in northern California. The uncertainty in the measured BC concentration of samples that contained a high concentration of organics susceptible to char ranged from 12% to 100%, depending on the mass loading of BC on the filter. The lower detection limit for this method was approximately 0.35 microg of BC, and the uncertainty approached 20% for BC mass loading greater than 1.0 microg of BC.

Double blanket effect caused by two layers of black carbon aerosols escalates warming in the Brahmaputra River Valley.

PubMed

Rahul, P R C; Bhawar, R L; Ayantika, D C; Panicker, A S; Safai, P D; Tharaprabhakaran, V; Padmakumari, B; Raju, M P

2014-01-14

First ever 3-day aircraft observations of vertical profiles of Black Carbon (BC) were obtained during the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) conducted on 30(th) August, 4(th) and 6(th) September 2009 over Guwahati (26° 11'N, 91° 44'E), the largest metropolitan city in the Brahmaputra River Valley (BRV) region. The results revealed that apart from the surface/near surface loading of BC due to anthropogenic processes causing a heating of 2 K/day, the large-scale Walker and Hadley atmospheric circulations associated with the Indian summer monsoon help in the formation of a second layer of black carbon in the upper atmosphere, which generates an upper atmospheric heating of ~2 K/day. Lofting of BC aerosols by these large-scale circulating atmospheric cells to the upper atmosphere (4-6 Km) could also be the reason for extreme climate change scenarios that are being witnessed in the BRV region.

The effect of carbon black loading and structure on tensile property of natural rubber composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savetlana, S.; Zulhendri; Sukmana, I.; Saputra, F. A.

2017-07-01

Natural rubber composite has been continuously developed due to its advantages such as a good combination of strength and damping property. Most of carbon black (CB)/Natural Rubber (NR) composite were used as material in tyre industry. The addition of CB in natural rubber is very important to enhance the strength of natural rubber. The particle loading and different structure of CB can affect the composite strength. The effects of CB particle loading of 20, 25 and 30 wt% and the effects of CB structures of N220, N330, N550 and N660 series on tensile property of composite were investigated. The result shows that the tensile strength and elastic modulus of natural rubber/CB composite was higher than pure natural rubber. From SEM observation the agglomeration of CB aggregate increases with particle loading. It leads to decrease of tensile strength of composite as more particle was added. High structure of CB particle i.e. N220 resulted in highest tensile stress. In fact, composite reinforced by N660 CB particle shown a comparable tensile strength and elastic modulus with N220 CB particle. SEM observation shows that agglomeration of CB aggregates of N330 and N550 results in lower stress of associate NR/CB composite.

Effect of Dust and Anthropogenic Aerosols on Columnar Aerosol Optical Properties over Darjeeling (2200 m asl), Eastern Himalayas, India

PubMed Central

Chatterjee, Abhijit; Ghosh, Sanjay K.; Adak, Anandamay; Singh, Ajay K.; Devara, Panuganti C. S.; Raha, Sibaji

2012-01-01

Background The loading of atmospheric particulate matter (aerosol) in the eastern Himalaya is mainly regulated by the locally generated anthropogenic aerosols from the biomass burning and by the aerosols transported from the distance sources. These different types of aerosol loading not only affect the aerosol chemistry but also produce consequent signature on the radiative properties of aerosol. Methodology/Principal Findings An extensive study has been made to study the seasonal variations in aerosol components of fine and coarse mode aerosols and black carbon along with the simultaneous measurements of aerosol optical depth on clear sky days over Darjeeling, a high altitude station (2200 masl) at eastern Himalayas during the year 2008. We observed a heavy loading of fine mode dust component (Ca2+) during pre-monsoon (Apr – May) which was higher by 162% than its annual mean whereas during winter (Dec – Feb), the loading of anthropogenic aerosol components mainly from biomass burning (fine mode SO4 2− and black carbon) were higher (76% for black carbon and 96% for fine mode SO4 2−) from their annual means. These high increases in dust aerosols during pre-monsoon and anthropogenic aerosols during winter enhanced the aerosol optical depth by 25 and 40%, respectively. We observed that for every 1% increase in anthropogenic aerosols, AOD increased by 0.55% during winter whereas for every 1% increase in dust aerosols, AOD increased by 0.46% during pre-monsoon. Conclusion/Significance The natural dust transport process (during pre-monsoon) plays as important a role in the radiation effects as the anthropogenic biomass burning (during winter) and their differential effects (rate of increase of the AOD with that of the aerosol concentration) are also very similar. This should be taken into account in proper modeling of the atmospheric environment over eastern Himalayas. PMID:22792264

Microfluidic Synthesis Enables Dense and Uniform Loading of Surfactant-Free PtSn Nanocrystals on Carbon Supports for Enhanced Ethanol Oxidation.

PubMed

Wu, Fuxiang; Zhang, Dongtang; Peng, Manhua; Yu, Zhihui; Wang, Xiayan; Guo, Guangsheng; Sun, Yugang

2016-04-11

Developing new synthetic methods for carbon supported catalysts with improved performance is of fundamental importance in advancing proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology. Continuous-flow, microfluidic reactions in capillary tube reactors are described, which are capable of synthesizing surfactant-free, ultrafine PtSn alloyed nanoparticles (NPs) on various carbon supports (for example, commercial carbon black particles, carbon nanotubes, and graphene sheets). The PtSn NPs are highly crystalline with sizes smaller than 2 nm, and they are highly dispersed on the carbon supports with high loadings up to 33 wt%. These characteristics make the as-synthesized carbon-supported PtSn NPs more efficient than state of the art commercial Pt/C catalysts applied to the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Significantly enhanced mass catalytic activity (two-times that of Pt/C) and improved stability are obtained. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synergistic effect of nano calcium carbonate (NCC)/carbon black (CB) on the cure characteristics and physico-mechanical properties of NR/SBR blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mamauod, Siti Nur Liyana; Romli, Ahmad Zafir; Rizuan, Mohd Ismail Rifdi

2017-09-01

This research was carried out as to develop hybrid filler reinforced into the blend of natural rubber (NR) and styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). The NR/SBR blend was reinforced using carbon black (CB) and nano calcium carbonate (NCC). The NCC content varied from 2-10 phr which was incorporated into the NR/SBR blend filled with fixed 50 phr of CB. The main aim of this project was to study the synergistic effect of NCC and CB reinforced NR/SBR blends towards the curing characteristics using cure rheometer, the viscosity of uncured NR/SBR compounds, physical and mechanical property blends. From the results obtained, the optimum ratio of blending was identified at 4 phr of NCC loading. Tensile strength, elongation at break, modulus and hardness increased progressively with increasing the NCC loading from 0 phr up to a maximum value at 4 phr. This increment occurs due to consolidation of the network structure of the polymer chains with the increasing NCC content. Up to the optimum amount of NCC, the tendency for NCC particles to form aggregate was very high and hence reduces the properties of rubber blends. It proved that NCC acts as a co-reinforcing agent for CB to improve the performance in the NR/SBR blends.

The mechanical behaviour of NBR/FEF under compressive cyclic stress strain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmoud, W. E.; El-Eraki, M. H. I.; El-Lawindy, A. M. Y.; Hassan, H. H.

2006-06-01

Acrylonitrile butadiene rubber compounds filled with different concentrations of fast extrusion furnace (FEF) carbon black were experimentally investigated. The stress-strain curves of the composites were studied, which suggest good filler-matrix adhesion. The large reinforcement effect of the filler followed the Guth model for non-spherical particles. The effect of FEF carbon black on the cyclic fatigue and hysteresis was also examined. The loading and unloading stress-strain relationships for any cycle were described by applying Ogden's model for rubber samples. The dissipation energy that indicates the vibration damping capacity for all samples was determined. A simple model was proposed, to investigate the relation between maximum stress and the number of cyclic fatigue.

Observational evidence of EHP effects on the melting of snowpack over the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, M.; Lau, W. K.; Kim, K.; Lee, W.

2012-12-01

Observational evidences are presented showing that the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) regions, bounded by the high altitude Himalayan mountains, are subject to heavy loading of absorbing aerosols, i.e., black carbon and dust, which can lead to widespread enhancement warming over the Tibetan Plateau and accelerated snowmelt in the western Tibetan Plateau (WTP) and Himalayas. The two pre-monsoon seasons of 2004 and 2005 were strikingly contrasting in terms of the aerosol loading over IGP. The warming of the TP in 2004 relative to 2005 was widespread, covering most of the WTP and Himalayas. This warming is closely linked to patterns of the snow melt. Consistent with the Elevated Heat Pump hypothesis, we find that increased loading of absorbing aerosols over IGP in the pre-monsoon season is associated with increased heating of the upper troposphere by dynamical feedback induced by aerosol heating, and enhances the rate of snowmelt over Himalayas and the WTP in April-May. Composite analysis with more contrasting years also shows that the heating of the troposphere by elevated dust and black carbon aerosols in the boreal sping can lead to widespread enhanced land-atmosphere warming, and accelated snow melt in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau.

Observational Evidence of EHP Effects on the Melting of Snowpack over the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Maeng-Ki; Lau, William K. M.; Kim, Kyu-Myong; Lee, Woo-Seop

2012-01-01

Observational evidences are presented showing that the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) regions, bounded by the high altitude Himalayan mountains, are subject to heavy loading of absorbing aerosols, i.e., black carbon and dust, which can lead to widespread enhancement warming over the Tibetan Plateau and accelerated snowmelt in the western Tibetan Plateau (WTP) and Himalayas. The two pre-monsoon seasons of 2004 and 2005 were strikingly contrasting in terms of the aerosol loading over IGP. The warming of the TP in 2004 relative to 2005 was widespread, covering most of the WTP and Himalayas. This warming is closely linked to patterns of the snow melt. Consistent with the Elevated Heat Pump hypothesis, we find that increased loading of absorbing aerosols over IGP in the pre-monsoon season is associated with increased heating of the upper troposphere by dynamical feedback induced by aerosol heating, and enhances the rate of snowmelt over Himalayas and the WTP in April-May. Composite analysis with more contrasting years also shows that the heating of the troposphere by elevated dust and black carbon aerosols in the boreal spring can lead to widespread enhanced land-atmosphere warming, and accelerated snow melt in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau.

The Ascension Island Boundary Layer in the Remote Southeast Atlantic is Often Smoky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuidema, Paquita; Sedlacek, Arthur J.; Flynn, Connor; Springston, Stephen; Delgadillo, Rodrigo; Zhang, Jianhao; Aiken, Allison C.; Koontz, Annette; Muradyan, Paytsar

2018-05-01

Observations from June to October 2016, from a surface-based ARM Mobile Facility deployment on Ascension Island (8°S, 14.5°W) indicate that refractory black carbon (rBC) is almost always present within the boundary layer. The rBC mass concentrations, light absorption coefficients, and cloud condensation nuclei concentrations vary in concert and synoptically, peaking in August. Light absorption coefficients at three visible wavelengths as a function of rBC mass are approximately double that calculated from black carbon in lab studies. A spectrally-flat absorption angstrom exponent suggests most of the light absorption is from lens-coated black carbon. The single-scattering-albedo increases systematically from August to October in both 2016 and 2017, with monthly means of 0.78 ± 0.02 (August), 0.81 ± 0.03 (September), and 0.83 ± 0.03 (October) at the green wavelength. Boundary layer aerosol loadings are only loosely correlated with total aerosol optical depth, with smoke more likely to be present in the boundary layer earlier in the biomass burning season, evolving to smoke predominantly present above the cloud layers in September-October, typically resting upon the cloud top inversion. The time period with the campaign-maximum near-surface light absorption and column aerosol optical depth, on 13-16 August 2016, is investigated further. Backtrajectories that indicate more direct boundary layer transport westward from the African continent is central to explaining the elevated surface aerosol loadings.

Photocatalytic degradation of the diazo dye naphthol blue black in water using MWCNT/Gd,N,S-TiO2 nanocomposites under simulated solar light.

PubMed

Mamba, Gcina; Mbianda, Xavier Yangkou; Mishra, Ajay Kumar

2015-07-01

A simple sol-gel method was employed to prepare gadolinium, nitrogen and sulphur tridoped titania decorated on oxidised multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT/Gd,N,S-TiO2), using titanium (IV) butoxide and thiourea as titanium and nitrogen and sulphur source, respectively. Samples of varying gadolinium loadings (0.2%, 0.6%, 1.0% and 3.0% Gd3+) relative to titania were prepared to investigate the effect of gadolinium loading and the amounts of carbon nanotubes, nitrogen and sulphur were kept constant for all the samples. Furthermore, the prepared nanocomposites were evaluated for the degradation of naphthol blue black (NBB) in water under simulated solar light irradiation. Higher degradation efficiency (95.7%) was recorded for the MWCNT/Gd,N,S-TiO2 (0.6% Gd) nanocomposites. The higher photocatalytic activity is attributed to the combined effect of improved visible light absorption and charge separation due to the synergistic effect of Gd, MWCNTs, N, S and TiO2. Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis revealed a higher degree of complete mineralisation of naphthol blue black (78.0% TOC removal) which minimises the possible formation of toxic degradation by-products such as the aromatic amines. The MWCNT/Gd,N,S-TiO2 (0.6% Gd) was fairly stable and could be re-used for five times, reaching a maximum degradation efficiency of 91.8% after the five cycles. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effect of weight fraction of carbon black and number of plies of E-glass fiber to reflection loss of E-glass/ripoxy composite for radar absorbing structure (RAS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widyastuti, Ramadhan, Rizal; Ardhyananta, Hosta; Zainuri, Mochamad

2013-09-01

Nowadays, studies on investigating radar absorbing structure (RAS) using fiber reinforced polymeric (FRP) composite materials are becoming popular research field because the electromagnetic properties of FRP composites can be tailored effectively by just adding some electromagnetic powders, such as carbon black, ferrite, carbonyl iron, and etc., to the matrix of composites. The RAS works not only as a load bearing structure to hold the antenna system, but also has the important function of absorbing the in-band electromagnetic wave coming from the electromagnetic energy of tracking systems. In this study, E-glass fiber reinforced ripoxy resin composite was fabricated by blending the conductive carbon black (Ketjenblack EC300J) with the binder matrix of the composite material and maximizing the coefficient of absorption more than 90% (more than -10 dB) within the X-band frequency (8 - 12 GHz). It was measured by electrical conductivity (LCR meter) and vector network analyzer (VNA). Finally, the composite RAS with 0.02 weight fraction of carbon black and 4 plies of E-glass fiber showed thickness of 2.1 mm, electrical conductivity of 8.33 × 10-6 S/m, and maximum reflection loss of -27.123 dB, which can absorb more than 90% of incident EM wave throughout the entire X-band frequency range, has been developed.

Fair performance comparison of different carbon blacks in lithium-sulfur batteries with practical mass loadings - Simple design competes with complex cathode architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jozwiuk, Anna; Sommer, Heino; Janek, Jürgen; Brezesinski, Torsten

2015-11-01

The lithium-sulfur system is one of the most promising next generation battery systems, as elemental sulfur is cheap, abundant and has a high theoretical specific capacity. Although much research is conducted on complex sulfur/carbon composites and architectures, it is difficult to compare the performance of the cathodes to one another. Factors, such as different electrolyte composition and cell components strongly affect the cyclability of the battery. Here, we show the importance of optimizing ;standard; conditions to allow for fair performance comparison of different carbon blacks. Our optimal electrolyte-to-sulfur ratio is 11 μL mgsulfur-1 and high concentrations of LiNO3 (>0.6 M) are needed because nitrate is consumed continuously during cycling. Utilizing these standard conditions, we tested the cycling behavior of four types of cathodes with individual carbon blacks having different specific surface areas, namely Printex-A, Super C65, Printex XE-2 and Ketjenblack EC-600JD. Both the specific capacity and polysulfide adsorption capability clearly correlate with the surface area of the carbon being used. High specific capacities (>1000 mAh gsulfur-1 at C/5) are achieved with high surface area carbons. We also demonstrate that a simple cathode using Ketjenblack EC-600JD as the conductive matrix material can well compete with those having complex architectures or additives.

Influence of fire frequency on carbon consumption in Alaskan blackspruce forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoy, E.; Kasischke, E. S.

2014-12-01

Increasing temperatures and drier conditions within the boreal forests of Alaska have resulted in increases in burned area and fire frequency, which alter carbon storage and emissions. In particular, analyses of satellite remote sensing data showed that >20% of the area impacted by fires in interior Alaska occurred in areas that had previously burned since 1950 (e.g., short to intermediate interval fires). Field studies showed that in immature black spruce forests ~ 35 to 55 years old organic layers experienced deep burning regardless of topographic position or seasonality of burning, factors that control depth of burning in mature black spruce forests. Here, refinements were made to a carbon consumption model to account for variations in fuel loads and fraction of carbon consumed associated with fire frequency based on quantifying burned area in recently burned sites using satellite imagery. An immature black spruce (Picea mariana) fuel type (including stands of ~0-50 years) was developed which contains new ground-layer carbon consumption values in order to more accurately account for differences between various age classes of black spruce forest. Both versions of the model were used to assess carbon consumption during 100 fire events (over 4.4 x 10^6 ha of burned area) from two recent ultra-large fire years (2004 and 2005). Using the improved model to better attribute fuel type and consumption resulted in higher ground-layer carbon consumption (4.9% in 2004 and 6.8% in 2005) than previously estimated. These adjustments in ground-layer burning resulted in total carbon consumption within 2004 and 2005 of 63.5 and 42.0 Tg of carbon, respectively. Results from this research could be incorporated into larger scale modeling efforts to better assess changes in the climate-fire-vegetation dynamics in interior Alaskan boreal forests, and to understand the impacts of these changes on carbon consumption and emissions.

Online Structural-Health Monitoring of Glass Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastics Using Different Carbon Allotropes in the Interphase.

PubMed

Müller, Michael Thomas; Pötzsch, Hendrik Florian; Gohs, Uwe; Heinrich, Gert

2018-06-25

An electromechanical response behavior is realized by nanostructuring the glass fiber interphase with different highly electrically conductive carbon allotropes like carbon nanotubes (CNT), graphene nanoplatelets (GNP), or conductive carbon black (CB). The operational capability of these multifunctional glass fibers for an online structural-health monitoring is demonstrated in endless glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene. The electromechanical response behavior, during a static or dynamic three-point bending test of various carbon modifications, shows qualitative differences in the signal quality and sensitivity due to the different aspect ratios of the nanoparticles and the associated electrically conductive network densities in the interphase. Depending on the embedding position within the glass fiber-reinforced composite compression, shear and tension loadings of the fibers can be distinguished by different characteristics of the corresponding electrical signal. The occurrence of irreversible signal changes during the dynamic loading can be attributed to filler reorientation processes caused by polymer creeping or by destruction of electrically conductive paths by cracks in the glass fiber interphase.

Observational evidence of EHP effects on the early melting of snowpack over the Tibetan Plateau and Indian summer monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sang, Jeong; Kim, Maeng-Ki; Lau, William K. M.; Kim, Kyu-Myong; Lee, Woo-Seop

2013-04-01

In this study, observational evidences are presented showing that the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) regions, bounded by the high altitude Himalayan mountains, are subject to heavy loading of absorbing aerosols, i.e., black carbon and dust, which can lead to widespread enhancement warming over the Tibetan Plateau and accelerated snowmelt in the western Tibetan Plateau (WTP) and Himalayas. The two pre-monsoon seasons of high aerosol and low aerosol cases were strikingly contrasting in terms of the aerosol loading over IGP. The warming of the TP in high aerosol cases relative to low aerosol cases was widespread, covering most of the WTP and Himalayas. This warming is closely linked to patterns of the snow melt. Consistent with the Elevated Heat Pump hypothesis, we find that increased loading of absorbing aerosols over IGP in the pre-monsoon season is associated with increased heating of the upper troposphere by dynamical feedback induced by aerosol heating, and enhances the rate of snowmelt over Himalayas and the WTP in April-May, indicating that the heating of the troposphere by elevated dust and black carbon aerosols in the boreal spring can lead to widespread enhanced land-atmosphere warming, accelerated snow melt in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau, and enhanced precipitation in May-June over the northern India.

Determination of kinetic data for soot oxidation: Modeling of competition between oxygen diffusion and reaction during thermogravimetric analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gilot, P.; Bonnefoy, F.; Marcuccilli, F.

1993-10-01

Kinetic data concerning carbon black oxidation in the temperature range between 600 and 900 C have been obtained using thermogravimetric analysis. Modeling of diffusion in a boundary layer above the pan and inside the porous medium coupled to oxygen reaction with carbon black is necessary to obtain kinetic constants as a function of temperature. These calculations require the knowledge of the oxidation rate at a given constant temperature as a function of the initial mass loading m[sub o]. This oxidation rate, expressed in milligrams of soot consumed per second and per milligram of initial soot loading, decreases when m[sub o]more » increases, in agreement with a reaction in an intermediary regime where the kinetics and the oxygen diffusion operate. The equivalent diffusivity of oxygen inside the porous medium is evaluated assuming two degrees of porosity: between soot aggregates and inside each aggregate. Below 700 C an activation energy of about 103 kJ/mol can be related to a combustion reaction probably kinetically controlled. Beyond 700 C the activation energy of about 20 kJ/ mol corresponds to a reaction essentially controlled by oxygen diffusion leading to a constant density oxidation with oxygen consumption at or near the particle surface. To validate these data, they are used in the modeling of a Diesel particulate trap regeneration. In this particular case, the oxidizing flux is forced across the carbon black deposit, oxygen diffusion being insignificant. A good agreement between experimental results and model predictions is obtained, proving the rate constants validity.« less

Hierarchical nanostructured hollow spherical carbon with mesoporous shell as a unique cathode catalyst support in proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

PubMed

Fang, Baizeng; Kim, Jung Ho; Kim, Minsik; Kim, Minwoo; Yu, Jong-Sung

2009-03-07

Hierarchical nanostructured spherical carbon with hollow macroporous core in combination with mesoporous shell has been explored to support Pt cathode catalyst with high metal loading in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The hollow core-mesoporous shell carbon (HCMSC) has unique structural characteristics such as large specific surface area and mesoporous volume, ensuring uniform dispersion of the supported high loading (60 wt%) Pt nanoparticles with small particle size, and well-developed three-dimensionally interconnected hierarchical porosity network, facilitating fast mass transport. The HCMSC-supported Pt(60 wt%) cathode catalyst has demonstrated markedly enhanced catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction and greatly improved PEMFC polarization performance compared with carbon black Vulcan XC-72 (VC)-supported ones. Furthermore, the HCMSC-supported Pt(40 wt%) or Pt(60 wt%) outperforms the HCMSC-supported Pt(20 wt%) even at a low catalyst loading of 0.2 mg Pt cm(-2) in the cathode, which is completely different from the VC-supported Pt catalysts. The capability of supporting high loading Pt is supposed to accelerate the commercialization of PEMFC due to the anticipated significant reduction in the amount of catalyst support required, diffusion layer thickness and fabricating cost of the supported Pt catalyst electrode.

Exposure to fine particulate, black carbon, and particle number concentration in transportation microenvironments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales Betancourt, R.; Galvis, B.; Balachandran, S.; Ramos-Bonilla, J. P.; Sarmiento, O. L.; Gallo-Murcia, S. M.; Contreras, Y.

2017-05-01

This research determined intake dose of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), equivalent black carbon (eBC), and number of sub-micron particles (Np) for commuters in Bogotá, Colombia. Doses were estimated through measurements of exposure concentration, a surrogate of physical activity, as well as travel times and speeds. Impacts of travel mode, traffic load, and street configuration on dose and exposure were explored. Three road segments were selected because of their different traffic loads and composition, and dissimilar street configuration. The transport modes considered include active modes (walking and cycling) and motorized modes (bus, car, taxi, and motorcycle). Measurements were performed simultaneously in the available modes at each road segment. High average eBC concentrations were observed throughout the campaign, ranging from 20 to 120 μgm-3 . Commuters in motorized modes experienced significantly higher exposure concentrations than pedestrians and bicyclists. The highest average concentrations of PM2.5, eBC , and Np were measured inside the city's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system vehicles. Pedestrians and bicycle users in an open street configuration were exposed to the lowest average concentrations of PM2.5 and eBC , six times lower than those experienced by commuters using the BRT in the same street segment. Pedestrians experienced the highest particulate matter intake dose in the road segments studied, despite being exposed to lower concentrations than commuters in motorized modes. Average potential dose of PM2.5 and eBC per unit length traveled were nearly three times higher for pedestrians in a street canyon configuration compared to commuters in public transport. Slower travel speed and elevated inhalation rates dominate PM dose for pedestrians. The presence of dedicated bike lanes on sidewalks has a significant impact on reducing the exposure concentration for bicyclists compared to those riding in mixed traffic lanes. This study proposes a simple method to perform loading effect correction for measurements of black carbon using multiple portable aethalometers.

Comparison the performance of carbon plate and Pt-loaded carbon in photocatalytic fuel cell (PFC) process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khalik, Wan Fadhilah; Ong, Soon-An; Ho, Li-Ngee; Voon, Chun-Hong; Wong, Yee-Shian; Yusoff, Nik Athirah; Lee, Sin-Li

2017-04-01

The objective of this study is to compare the performance of cathode electrode in photocatalytic fuel cell (PFC) system under UV light irradiation. The initial concentration 10 mg/L of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) with carbon plate (CP) and Pt-loaded carbon (Pt/C) as cathode reduced to 2.052 and 0.549 mg/L, respectively, after 24 h irradiated by UV light. The value for open circuit voltage, Voc, short-circuit current density, Jsc and maximum power density, Pmax for CP was 0.825 V, 0.00035 mA/cm2 and 0.000063 mW/cm2, respectively, meanwhile Voc, Jsc and Pmax for Pt/C was 1.15 V, 0.0015 mA/cm2 and 0.000286 mW/cm2, respectively, by varying external resistor value from 300 kΩ to 10 Ω. The degradation of RB5 and generation of electricity with Pt/C as cathode showed greater performance than CP.

Short-range contacts govern the performance of industry-relevant battery cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morelly, Samantha L.; Alvarez, Nicolas J.; Tang, Maureen H.

2018-05-01

Fundamental understanding of how processing affects composite battery electrode structure and performance is still lacking, especially for industry-relevant electrodes with low fractions of inactive material. This work combines rheology, electronic conductivity measurements, and battery rate capability tests to prove that short-range electronic contacts are more important to cathode rate capability than either ion transport or long-range electronic conductivity. LiNi0.33Mn0.33Co0.33O2, carbon black, and polyvinylidene difluoride in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone represent a typical commercial electrode with <5.5 wt% inactive material. Dry-mixing carbon black with active material decreases the relative fraction of bulk (free) carbon, as shown by small angle oscillatory shear and microscopy. More free carbon leads to a stronger gel network (more long-range particle contacts) and higher electronic conductivity of the dried films. Improvements in battery rate capability at constant electrode porosity do not correlate to electronic conductivity, but rather show an optimum fraction of free carbon. Simple comparison of rate capability in electrodes with increased total carbon loading (3 wt%) shows improvement for all fractions of free carbon. These results clearly indicate that ion transport cannot be limiting and highlight the critical importance of short-range electronic contacts for controlling battery performance.

REPORT TO CONGRESS ON BLACK CARBON

EPA Science Inventory

The Report to Congress on Black Carbon describes domestic and international sources of black carbon emissions, and summarizes available scientific information on the climate effects of black carbon. Further, the Report evaluates available black carbon mitigation options and thei...

Piezoresistivity, mechanisms and model of cement-based materials with CNT/NCB composite fillers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Liqing; Ding, Siqi; Dong, Sufen; Li, Zhen; Ouyang, Jian; Yu, Xun; Han, Baoguo

2017-12-01

The use of conductive cement-based materials as sensors has attracted intense interest over past decades. In this paper, carbon nanotube (CNT)/nano carbon black (NCB) composite fillers made by electrostatic self-assembly are used to fabricate conductive cement-based materials. Electrical and piezoresistive properties of the fabricated cement-based materials are investigated. Effect of filler content, load amplitudes and rate on piezoresistive property within elastic regime and piezoresistive behaviors during compressive loading to destruction are explored. Finally, a model describing piezoresistive property of cement-based materials with CNT/NCB composite fillers is established based on the effective conductive path and tunneling effect theory. The research results demonstrate that filler content and load amplitudes have obvious effect on piezoresistive property of the composites materials, while load rate has little influence on piezoresistive property. During compressive loading to destruction, the composites also show sensitive piezoresistive property. Therefore, the cement-based composites can be used to monitor the health state of structures during their whole life. The built model can well describe the piezoresistive property of the composites during compressive loading to destruction. The good match between the model and experiment data indicates that tunneling effect actually contributes to piezoresistive phenomenon.

Black carbon from ships: a review of the effects of ship speed, fuel quality and exhaust gas scrubbing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lack, D. A.; Corbett, J. J.

2012-01-01

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has moved to address the health and climate impact of the emissions from the combustion of low-quality residual fuels within the commercial shipping industry. Fuel sulfur content (FS) limits and an efficiency design index for future ships are examples of such IMO actions. The impacts of black carbon (BC) emissions from shipping are now under review by the IMO, with a particular focus on the potential impacts of future Arctic shipping. Recognizing that associating impacts with BC emissions requires both ambient and onboard observations, we provide recommendations for the measurement of BC. We also evaluate current insights regarding the effect of ship speed (engine load), fuel quality and exhaust gas scrubbing on BC emissions from ships. Observations demonstrate that BC emission factors (EFBC) increases 3 to 6 times at very low engine loads (<25% compared to EFBC at 85-100% load); absolute BC emissions (per nautical mile of travel) also increase up to 100% depending on engine load, even with reduced load fuel savings. If fleets were required to operate at lower maximum engine loads, presumably associated with reduced speeds, then engines could be re-tuned, which would reduce BC emissions. Ships operating in the Arctic are likely running at highly variable engine loads (25-100%) depending on ice conditions and ice breaking requirements. The ships operating at low load may be emitting up to 50% more BC than they would at their rated load. Such variable load conditions make it difficult to assess the likely emissions rate of BC. Current fuel sulfur regulations have the effect of reducing EFBC by an average of 30% and potentially up to 80% regardless of engine load; a removal rate similar to that of scrubbers. Uncertainties among current observations demonstrate there is a need for more information on (a) the impact of fuel quality on EFBC using robust measurement methods and (b) the efficacy of scrubbers for the removal of particulate matter by size and composition.

Black carbon from ships: a review of the effects of ship speed, fuel quality and exhaust gas scrubbing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lack, D. A.; Corbett, J. J.

2012-05-01

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has moved to address the health and climate impact of the emissions from the combustion of low-quality residual fuels within the commercial shipping industry. Fuel sulfur content (FS) limits and an efficiency design index for future ships are examples of such IMO actions. The impacts of black carbon (BC) emissions from shipping are now under review by the IMO, with a particular focus on the potential impacts of future Arctic shipping. Recognizing that associating impacts with BC emissions requires both ambient and onboard observations, we provide recommendations for the measurement of BC. We also evaluate current insights regarding the effect of ship speed (engine load), fuel quality and exhaust gas scrubbing on BC emissions from ships. Observations demonstrate that BC emission factors (EFBC) increases 3 to 6 times at very low engine loads (<25% compared to EFBC at 85-100% load); absolute BC emissions (per nautical mile of travel) also increase up to 100% depending on engine load, even with reduced load fuel savings. If fleets were required to operate at lower maximum engine loads, presumably associated with reduced speeds, then engines could be re-tuned, which would reduce BC emissions. Ships operating in the Arctic are likely running at highly variable engine loads (25-100%) depending on ice conditions and ice breaking requirements. The ships operating at low load may be emitting up to 50% more BC than they would at their rated load. Such variable load conditions make it difficult to assess the likely emissions rate of BC. Current fuel sulfur regulations have the effect of reducing EFBC by an average of 30% and potentially up to 80% regardless of engine load; a removal rate similar to that of scrubbers. Uncertainties among current observations demonstrate there is a need for more information on a) the impact of fuel quality on EFBC using robust measurement methods and b) the efficacy of scrubbers for the removal of particulate matter by size and composition.

40 CFR 458.40 - Applicability; description of the carbon black lamp process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... carbon black lamp process subcategory. 458.40 Section 458.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.40 Applicability; description of the carbon black lamp... production of carbon black by the lamp process. ...

40 CFR 458.10 - Applicability; description of the carbon black furnace process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... carbon black furnace process subcategory. 458.10 Section 458.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Furnace Process Subcategory § 458.10 Applicability; description of the carbon black...

40 CFR 458.20 - Applicability: description of the carbon black thermal process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... carbon black thermal process subcategory. 458.20 Section 458.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Thermal Process Subcategory § 458.20 Applicability: description of the carbon black...

40 CFR 458.30 - Applicability; description of the carbon black channel process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... carbon black channel process subcategory. 458.30 Section 458.30 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Channel Process Subcategory § 458.30 Applicability; description of the carbon black...

EVALUATION OF CARBON BLACK SLURRIES AS CLEAN BURNING FUELS

EPA Science Inventory

Experiments were performed to examine the pumpability, atomization and combustion characteristics of slurries made of mixtures of carbon black with No. 2 fuel oil and methanol. Carbon black-No. 2 fuel oil and carbon black-methanol slurries, with carbon black contents of up to 50 ...

Aerosol absorption coefficient and Equivalent Black Carbon by parallel operation of AE31 and AE33 aethalometers at the Zeppelin station, Ny Ålesund, Svalbard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eleftheriadis, Konstantinos; Kalogridis, Athina-Cerise; Vratolis, Sterios; Fiebig, Markus

2016-04-01

Light absorbing carbon in atmospheric aerosol plays a critical role in radiative forcing and climate change. Despite the long term measurements across the Arctic, comparing data obtained by a variety of methods across stations requires caution. A method for extracting the aerosol absorption coefficient from data obtained over the decades by filter based instrument is still under development. An IASOA Aerosol working group has been initiated to address this and other cross-site aerosol comparison opportunities. Continuous ambient measurements of EBC/light attenuation by means of a Magee Sci. AE-31 aethalometer operating at the Zeppelinfjellet station (474 m asl; 78°54'N, 11°53'E), Ny Ålesund, Svalbard, have been available since 2001 (Eleftheriadis et al, 2009), while a new aethalometer model (AE33, Drinovec et al, 2014) has been installed to operate in parallel from the same inlet since June 2015. Measurements are recorded by a Labview routine collecting all available parameters reported by the two instrument via RS232 protocol. Data are reported at 1 and 10 minute intervals as averages for EBC (μg m-3) and aerosol absorption coefficients (Mm-1) by means of routine designed to report Near Real Time NRT data at the EBAS WDCA database (ebas.nilu.no) Results for the first 6 month period are reported here in an attempt to evaluate comparative performance of the two instruments in terms of their response with respect to the variable aerosol load of light absorbing carbon during the warm and cold seasons found in the high arctic. The application of available conversion schemes for obtaining the absorption coefficient by the two instruments is found to demonstrate a marked difference in their output. During clean periods of low aerosol load (EBC < 30 ng m-3), the two instruments display a better agreement with regression slope for the 880 nm signal between the two at ~ 0.9 compared to a slope at ~ 0.6 during the period of higher absorbing carbon loads (400< EBC<30 ng m-3) A detailed analysis of the variability observed in the wavelength dependence and possible association with air mass origin was also conducted. Drinovec, L., Močnik, G., Zotter, P., Prévôt, A. S. H., Ruckstuhl, C., Coz, E., Rupakheti, M., Sciare, J., Müller, T., Wiedensohler, A., and Hansen, A. D. A. The "dual-spot" Aethalometer: an improved measurement of aerosol black carbon with real-time loading compensation, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 1965-1979, doi:10.5194/amt-8-1965-2015, 2015. Eleftheriadis, K., Vratolis, S., and Nyeki, S.: Aerosol black carbon in the European Arctic: Measurements at Zeppelin station, Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard from 1998-2007, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L02809, doi:10.1029/2008GL035741, 2009

Bird specimens track 135 years of atmospheric black carbon and environmental policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DuBay, Shane G.; Fuldner, Carl C.

2017-10-01

Atmospheric black carbon has long been recognized as a public health and environmental concern. More recently, black carbon has been identified as a major, ongoing contributor to anthropogenic climate change, thus making historical emission inventories of black carbon an essential tool for assessing past climate sensitivity and modeling future climate scenarios. Current estimates of black carbon emissions for the early industrial era have high uncertainty, however, because direct environmental sampling is sparse before the mid-1950s. Using photometric reflectance data of >1,300 bird specimens drawn from natural history collections, we track relative ambient concentrations of atmospheric black carbon between 1880 and 2015 within the US Manufacturing Belt, a region historically reliant on coal and dense with industry. Our data show that black carbon levels within the region peaked during the first decade of the 20th century. Following this peak, black carbon levels were positively correlated with coal consumption through midcentury, after which they decoupled, with black carbon concentrations declining as consumption continued to rise. The precipitous drop in atmospheric black carbon at midcentury reflects policies promoting burning efficiency and fuel transitions rather than regulating emissions alone. Our findings suggest that current emission inventories based on predictive modeling underestimate levels of atmospheric black carbon for the early industrial era, suggesting that the contribution of black carbon to past climate forcing may also be underestimated. These findings build toward a spatially dynamic emission inventory of black carbon based on direct environmental sampling.

Bird specimens track 135 years of atmospheric black carbon and environmental policy

PubMed Central

DuBay, Shane G.; Fuldner, Carl C.

2017-01-01

Atmospheric black carbon has long been recognized as a public health and environmental concern. More recently, black carbon has been identified as a major, ongoing contributor to anthropogenic climate change, thus making historical emission inventories of black carbon an essential tool for assessing past climate sensitivity and modeling future climate scenarios. Current estimates of black carbon emissions for the early industrial era have high uncertainty, however, because direct environmental sampling is sparse before the mid-1950s. Using photometric reflectance data of >1,300 bird specimens drawn from natural history collections, we track relative ambient concentrations of atmospheric black carbon between 1880 and 2015 within the US Manufacturing Belt, a region historically reliant on coal and dense with industry. Our data show that black carbon levels within the region peaked during the first decade of the 20th century. Following this peak, black carbon levels were positively correlated with coal consumption through midcentury, after which they decoupled, with black carbon concentrations declining as consumption continued to rise. The precipitous drop in atmospheric black carbon at midcentury reflects policies promoting burning efficiency and fuel transitions rather than regulating emissions alone. Our findings suggest that current emission inventories based on predictive modeling underestimate levels of atmospheric black carbon for the early industrial era, suggesting that the contribution of black carbon to past climate forcing may also be underestimated. These findings build toward a spatially dynamic emission inventory of black carbon based on direct environmental sampling. PMID:29073051

Towards a quasi-complete reconstruction of past atmospheric aerosol load and composition (organic and inorganic) over Europe since 1920 inferred from Alpine ice cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preunkert, S.; Legrand, M.

2013-02-01

Seasonally resolved chemical ice core records available from the Col du Dôme glacier (4250 m elevation, French Alps) are here revisited in view to reconstruct past aerosol load of the free European troposphere from prior World War II to present. The extended array of inorganic (Na+, Ca2+, NH4+, Cl-, NO3-, and SO42-) and organic (carboxylates, HCHO, HUmic LIke Substances, dissolved organic carbon, water insoluble organic carbon, and black carbon) compounds and fractions already investigated permit to examine the overall aerosol composition and its change over the past. It is shown that the atmospheric load of submicron aerosol has been increased by a factor of 3 from the 1921-1951 to 1971-1988 years, mainly as a result of a large increase of sulfate (a factor of 5), ammonium and water-soluble organic aerosol (a factor of 3). It is shown that not only growing anthropogenic emissions of sulfur dioxide and ammonia have caused the enhancement of the atmospheric aerosol load but also biogenic emissions producing water soluble organic aerosol. This unexpected change of biospheric source of organic aerosol after 1950 needs to be considered and further investigated in scenarii dealing with climate forcing by atmospheric aerosol.

Towards a quasi-complete reconstruction of past atmospheric aerosol load and composition (organic and inorganic) over Europe since 1920 inferred from Alpine ice cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preunkert, S.; Legrand, M.

2013-07-01

Seasonally resolved chemical ice core records available from the Col du Dôme glacier (4250 m elevation, French Alps), are here used to reconstruct past aerosol load and composition of the free European troposphere from before World War II to present. Available ice core records include inorganic (Na+, Ca2+, NH4+, Cl-, NO3-, and SO42-) and organic (carboxylates, HCHO, humic-like substances, dissolved organic carbon, water-insoluble organic carbon, and black carbon) compounds and fractions that permit reconstructing the key aerosol components and their changes over the past. It is shown that the atmospheric load of submicron aerosol has been increased by a factor of 3 from the 1921-1951 to 1971-1988 years, mainly as a result of a large increase of sulfate (a factor of 5), ammonium and water-soluble organic aerosol (a factor of 3). Thus, not only growing anthropogenic emissions of sulfur dioxide and ammonia have caused the enhancement of the atmospheric aerosol load but also biogenic emissions producing water-soluble organic aerosol. This unexpected change of biospheric source of organic aerosol after 1950 needs to be considered and further investigated in scenarios dealing with climate forcing by atmospheric aerosol.

Accumulation of lipids and oxidatively damaged DNA in hepatocytes exposed to particles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vesterdal, Lise K.; Danielsen, Pernille H.; Folkmann, Janne K.

Exposure to particles has been suggested to generate hepatosteatosis by oxidative stress mechanisms. We investigated lipid accumulation in cultured human hepatocytes (HepG2) and rat liver after exposure to four different carbon-based particles. HepG2 cells were exposed to particles for 3 h and subsequently incubated for another 18 h to manifest lipid accumulation. In an animal model of metabolic syndrome we investigated the association between intake of carbon black (CB, 14 nm) particles and hepatic lipid accumulation, inflammation and gene expression of Srebp-1, Fasn and Scd-1 involved in lipid synthesis. There was a concentration-dependent increase in intracellular lipid content after exposuremore » to CB in HepG2 cells, which was only observed after co-exposure to oleic/palmitic acid. Similar results were observed in HepG2 cells after exposure to diesel exhaust particles, fullerenes C{sub 60} or pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes. All four types of particles also generated oxidatively damaged DNA, assessed as formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (FPG) sensitive sites, in HepG2 cells after 3 h exposure. The animal model of metabolic syndrome showed increased lipid load in the liver after one oral exposure to 6.4 mg/kg of CB in lean Zucker rats. This was not associated with increased iNOS staining in the liver, indicating that the oral CB exposure was associated with hepatic steatosis rather than steatohepatitis. The lipid accumulation did not seem to be related to increased lipogenesis because there were unaltered gene expression levels in both the HepG2 cells and rat livers. Collectively, exposure to particles is associated with oxidative stress and steatosis in hepatocytes. - Highlights: • Oral exposure to nanosized carbon black was associated with hepatosteatosis in rats. • In vitro studies included carbon black, C{sub 60}, diesel exhaust particles and SWCNTs. • Exposure to particles and free fatty acids increased lipid load in HepG2 cells. • Unaltered expression of lipogenesis genes despite oxidative stress in hepatocytes • Particles evoke hepatosteatosis by increased uptake rather than synthesis of lipids.« less

Novel synthesis of core-shell Au-Pt dendritic nanoparticles supported on carbon black for enhanced methanol electro-oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Ribing; Xia, Tiantian; Zhu, Ruizhi; Liu, Zhihua; Guo, Jinming; Chang, Gang; Zhang, Zaoli; Liu, Xiong; He, Yunbin

2018-03-01

Core-shell Au-Pt dendritic nanoparticles (Au-Pt NPs) has been synthesized via a facile seed-mediated growth method, in which dendritic Pt nanoparticles as shell grow on the surface of gold nanocores by using ascorbic acid (AA) as "green" reducing reagents. The morphologies and compositions of the as-prepared nanocomposites with core-shell structure are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Electrochemical experiments, including cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) are performed to investigate the electrocatalytic properties of the Au-Pt NPs loaded carbon black composites (Au-Pt NPs/V) towards methanol oxidation in an alkaline solution. It is found that the reduction time of AA could regulate the thickness and amount of Pt on the Au nanocores, which significantly affect catalytic activity of the Au-Pt NPs/V toward methanol oxidation. Au-Pt NPs/V with optimum reduction time 4 h exhibit 2.3-times higher electrocatalytic activity than that of a commercial catalyst (Pt/carbon black) and an excellent CO tolerance toward methanol oxidation. This behavior is attributed to large active electrochemical area of the bimetallic nanocomposites and the change in the electronic structure of Pt when Au surface modified with fewer Pt nanoparticles.

Electrical properties of thin epoxy-based polymer layers filled with n-carbon black particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klanjšek Gunde, Marta; Hauptman, Nina; Maček, Marijan

2008-02-01

The change of resistivity of the epoxy-based nanocomposite was studied in dependence on concentration of dispersed nanoparticles. The SU8 negative-tone photoresist was applied for the polymer matrix and the conductive carbon black powder for the fillings. The largest decrease of resistivity was obtained at 2-3 wt% of fillings whereas at loadings higher that 8 wt% it does not decreases further appreciably. The resistivity of the prepared nanocomposites becomes smaller after the UV-exposure. The applied nanofillings change the viscosity of the material but the spin-coating application still remains reliable and was approved to work well for concentrations of at least up to 3 wt%. The addition of nanofillings up to 2 wt% does not destroy the resolution of photolithography as seen on the standard test pattern with line widths from 2 to 10 μm.

Activity of Highly Dispersed Co/SBA-15 Catalysts (Low Content) in Carbon Black Oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, Nissrine El; Casale, Sandra; Aouad, Samer; Hanein, Theodor; Jabbour, Karam; Chidiac, Elvis; Khoury, Bilal el; Zakhem, Henri El; Nakat, Hanna El

Cobalt supported on mesoporous silica SBA-15 (0.75, 1.5 and 3 wt% Co) were used as catalysts for the oxidation of carbon black. Catalysts were characterized by N2 sorption, XRD, TEM and TPR. The catalytic activity in CB oxidation was measured. It has been shown that only small cobalt domains (less than 5 nm) are present on all samples. A homogeneous dispersion was obtained for all catalysts. With increasing cobalt loading, crystalline species start to appear. Using an intermediate contact between the CB and the catalyst, the best activity is that of 0.75Co/SBA-15 catalyst where the oxidation reaches the maximum (Tmax) 68 K before the non-catalyzed reaction. On the same catalyst used in tight contact mode with CB, even if Tmax didn't decrease for more than additional 12 K but the Ti decreases by 38K and thus starts 83 K before.

Black Carbon Measurement and Modeling in the Arabian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zawad, Faisal Al; Khoder, Mamdouh; Almazroui, Mansour; Alghamdi, Mansour; Lihavainen, Heikki; Hyvarinen, Antti; Henriksson, Svante

2017-04-01

Black carbon is an important atmospheric aerosol as an effective factor in public health, changing the global and regional climate, and reducing visibility. Black carbon absorbs light, warms the atmosphere, and modifies cloud droplets and the amount of precipitation. In spite of this significance, knowledge of black carbon over the Arabian Peninsula is hard to find in literature until recently. The total mass of black carbon and wind direction and speeds were measured continuously at Hada Al-Sham, Saudi Arabia for the year 2013. In addition, a state of the art global aerosol - climate model (ECHAM5-HAM) was used to determine black carbon climatology over the Arabian Peninsula. Simulation of the model was carried out for the years eight years (2004 - 2011). The daily mean values of the concentrations of black carbon had a minimum of 15.0 ng/m3 and a maximum of 6372 ng/m3 with a mean of at 1899 ng/m3. The diurnal pattern of black carbon showed higher values overnight, and steady low values during daytimes caused by sea and land breezes. Seasons of black carbon vary over the Arabian Peninsula, and the longest is in the Northern Region where it lasts from July to October. High concentrations of black carbon at Hada Al-Sham was observed with a mean of 1.9 µm/m3, and seasons of black carbon vary widely across the Arabian Peninsula. Assessment of the effects of black carbon over the Arabian Peninsula on the global radiation balance. Initiating a black carbon monitoring network is highly recommended to assess its impacts on health, environment, and climate.

Pyrolytic carbon coated black silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Ali; Stenberg, Petri; Karvonen, Lasse; Ali, Rizwan; Honkanen, Seppo; Lipsanen, Harri; Peyghambarian, N.; Kuittinen, Markku; Svirko, Yuri; Kaplas, Tommi

2016-05-01

Carbon is the most well-known black material in the history of man. Throughout the centuries, carbon has been used as a black material for paintings, camouflage, and optics. Although, the techniques to make other black surfaces have evolved and become more sophisticated with time, carbon still remains one of the best black materials. Another well-known black surface is black silicon, reflecting less than 0.5% of incident light in visible spectral range but becomes a highly reflecting surface in wavelengths above 1000 nm. On the other hand, carbon absorbs at those and longer wavelengths. Thus, it is possible to combine black silicon with carbon to create an artificial material with very low reflectivity over a wide spectral range. Here we report our results on coating conformally black silicon substrate with amorphous pyrolytic carbon. We present a superior black surface with reflectance of light less than 0.5% in the spectral range of 350 nm to 2000 nm.

Potential benefits of solar reflective car shells: cooler cabins, fuel savings and emission reductions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levinson, Ronnen; Pan, Heng; Ban-Weiss, George

Abstract: Vehicle thermal loads and air conditioning ancillary loads are strongly influenced by the absorption of solar energy. The adoption of solar reflective coatings for opaque surfaces of the vehicle shell can decrease the ?soak? temperature of the air in the cabin of a vehicle parked in the sun, potentially reducing the vehicle?s ancillary load and improving its fuel economy by permitting the use of a smaller air conditioner. An experimental comparison of otherwise identical black and silver compact sedans indicated that increasing the solar reflectance (?) of the car?s shell by about 0.5 lowered the soak temperature of breath-levelmore » air by about 5?6?C. Thermal analysis predicts that the air conditioning capacity required to cool the cabin air in the silver car to 25?C within 30min is 13percent less than that required in the black car. Assuming that potential reductions in AC capacity and engine ancillary load scale linearly with increase in shell solar reflectance, ADVISOR simulations of the SC03 driving cycle indicate that substituting a typical cool-colored shell (?=0.35) for a black shell (?=0.05) would reduce fuel consumption by 0.12L per 100km (1.1percent), increasing fuel economy by 0.10kmL?1 [0.24mpg] (1.1percent). It would also decrease carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2.7gkm?1 (1.1percent), nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 5.4mgkm?1 (0.44percent), carbon monoxide (CO) emissions by 17mgkm?1 (0.43percent), and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions by 4.1mgkm?1 (0.37percent). Selecting a typical white or silver shell (?=0.60) instead of a black shell would lower fuel consumption by 0.21L per 100km (1.9percent), raising fuel economy by 0.19kmL?1 [0.44mpg] (2.0percent). It would also decrease CO2 emissions by 4.9gkm?1 (1.9percent), NOx emissions by 9.9mgkm?1 (0.80percent), CO emissions by 31mgkm?1 (0.79percent), and HC emissions by 7.4mgkm?1 (0.67percent). Our simulations may underestimate emission reductions because emissions in standardized driving cycles are typically lower than those in real-world driving.« less

Sources of variance in BC mass measurements from a small marine engine: Influence of the instruments, fuels and loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yu; Yang, Jiacheng; Gagné, Stéphanie; Chan, Tak W.; Thomson, Kevin; Fofie, Emmanuel; Cary, Robert A.; Rutherford, Dan; Comer, Bryan; Swanson, Jacob; Lin, Yue; Van Rooy, Paul; Asa-Awuku, Akua; Jung, Heejung; Barsanti, Kelley; Karavalakis, Georgios; Cocker, David; Durbin, Thomas D.; Miller, J. Wayne; Johnson, Kent C.

2018-06-01

Knowledge of black carbon (BC) emission factors from ships is important from human health and environmental perspectives. A study of instruments measuring BC and fuels typically used in marine operation was carried out on a small marine engine. Six analytical methods measured the BC emissions in the exhaust of the marine engine operated at two load points (25% and 75%) while burning one of three fuels: a distillate marine (DMA), a low sulfur, residual marine (RMB-30) and a high-sulfur residual marine (RMG-380). The average emission factors with all instruments increased from 0.08 to 1.88 gBC/kg fuel in going from 25 to 75% load. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) tested BC emissions against instrument, load, and combined fuel properties and showed that both engine load and fuels had a statistically significant impact on BC emission factors. While BC emissions were impacted by the fuels used, none of the fuel properties investigated (sulfur content, viscosity, carbon residue and CCAI) was a primary driver for BC emissions. Of the two residual fuels, RMB-30 with the lower sulfur content, lower viscosity and lower residual carbon, had the highest BC emission factors. BC emission factors determined with the different instruments showed a good correlation with the PAS values with correlation coefficients R2 >0.95. A key finding of this research is the relative BC measured values were mostly independent of load and fuel, except for some instruments in certain fuel and load combinations.

Pyrolytic carbon black composite and method of making the same

DOEpatents

Naskar, Amit K.; Paranthaman, Mariappan Parans; Bi, Zhonghe

2016-09-13

A method of recovering carbon black includes the step of providing a carbonaceous source material containing carbon black. The carbonaceous source material is contacted with a sulfonation bath to produce a sulfonated material. The sulfonated material is pyrolyzed to produce a carbon black containing product comprising a glassy carbon matrix phase having carbon black dispersed therein. A method of making a battery electrode is also disclosed.

Effective degradation of rhodamine B by electro-Fenton process, using ferromagnetic nanoparticles loaded on modified graphite felt electrode as reusable catalyst: in neutral pH condition and without external aeration.

PubMed

Tian, Jiangnan; Zhao, Jixiang; Olajuyin, Ayobami Matthew; Sharshar, Moustafa Mohamed; Mu, Tingzhen; Yang, Maohua; Xing, Jianmin

2016-08-01

Polytetrafluoroethylene/ferromagnetic nanoparticle/carbon black (PTFE/MNP/CB)-modified graphite felt (GF) was successfully applied as cathode for the mineralization of rhodamine B (RhB) in electro-Fenton (EF) process. The modified cathode showed high decolorization efficiency for RhB solution even in neutral pH condition and without external aeration, achieving nearly complete decolorization and 89.52 % total organic carbon (TOC) removal after 270-min oxidation with the MNP load 1.2 g at 50 A/m(2). Moreover, the operational parameters (current density, MNP load, initial pH, and airflow rate) were optimized. After that, adsorption isotherm was also conducted to compare the absorption quantity of CB and carbon nanotube (CNT). Then, the surface morphologies of MNPs were characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray detector (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR); and the modified cathode was characterized by SEM and contact angle. Finally, the stability and reusability of modified cathode were tested. Result uncovered that the PTFE/MNP/CB-modified cathode has the potential for industrial application and the solution after treatment was easily biodegradable.

Recent Increase in Black Carbon Concentrations from a Mt. Everest Ice Core Spanning 1860-2000 AD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaspari, S.; Schwikowski, M.; Gysel, M.; Mayewski, P. A.; Kang, S.; Hou, S.

2009-12-01

Black carbon produced by the incomplete combustion of biomass, coal and diesel fuels can significantly contribute to climate change by altering the Earth’s radiative balance. Black carbon in the atmosphere absorbs light and causes atmospheric heating, whereas black carbon deposited on snow and ice can significantly reduce the surface albedo, resulting in rapid melting of snow and ice. Historical records of black carbon concentration and distribution in the atmosphere are needed to determine the role of black carbon in climate change, however most studies have relied on estimated inventories based on wood and/or fossil fuel consumption data. Reconstructing black carbon concentrations in Asia is particularly important because this region has some of the largest black carbon sources globally, which negatively impact climate, water resources, agriculture and human health. We analyzed a Mt. Everest ice core for black carbon using a single particle soot photometer (SP2). The high-resolution black carbon data demonstrates strong seasonality, with peak concentrations during the winter-spring, and low concentrations during the summer monsoon season. Black carbon concentrations from 1975-2000 relative to 1860-1975 have increased approximately threefold, and the timing of this increase is consistent with black carbon emission inventory data from South Asia. It is notable that there is no increasing trend in iron (used as a proxy for dust) since 1860. This is significant because it suggests that if the recent retreat of glaciers in the region is due, at least in part, to the effect of impurities on snow albedo, the reduced albedo is due to changes in black carbon emissions, not dust.

Effects of Temperature on Polymer/Carbon Chemical Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manfireda, Allison; Lara, Liana; Homer, Margie; Yen, Shiao-Pin; Kisor, Adam; Ryan, Margaret; Zhou, Hanying; Shevade, Abhijit; James, Lim; Manatt, Kenneth

2009-01-01

Experiments were conducted on the effects of temperature, polymer molecular weight, and carbon loading on the electrical resistances of polymer/carbon-black composite films. The experiment were performed in a continuing effort to develop such films as part of the JPL Electronic Nose (ENose), that would be used to detect, identify, and quantify parts-per-million (ppm) concentration levels of airborne chemicals in the space shuttle/space station environments. The polymers used in this study were three formulations of poly(ethylene oxide) [PEO] that had molecular weights of 20 kilodaltons, 600 kilodaltons, and 1 megadalton, respectively. The results of one set of experiments showed a correlation between the polymer molecular weight and the percolation threshold. In a second set of experiments, differences among the temperature dependences of resistance were observed for different carbon loadings; these differences could be explained by a change in the conduction mechanism. In a third set of experiments, the responses of six different polymer/carbon composite sensors to three analytes (water vapor, methanol, methane) were measured as a function of temperature (28 to 36 C). For a given concentration of each analyte, the response of each sensor decreased with increasing temperature, in a manner different from those of the other sensors.

Temporally delineated sources of major chemical species in high Arctic snow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macdonald, Katrina M.; Sharma, Sangeeta; Toom, Desiree; Chivulescu, Alina; Platt, Andrew; Elsasser, Mike; Huang, Lin; Leaitch, Richard; Chellman, Nathan; McConnell, Joseph R.; Bozem, Heiko; Kunkel, Daniel; Duan Lei, Ying; Jeong, Cheol-Heon; Abbatt, Jonathan P. D.; Evans, Greg J.

2018-03-01

Long-range transport of aerosol from lower latitudes to the high Arctic may be a significant contributor to climate forcing in the Arctic. To identify the sources of key contaminants entering the Canadian High Arctic an intensive campaign of snow sampling was completed at Alert, Nunavut, from September 2014 to June 2015. Fresh snow samples collected every few days were analyzed for black carbon, major ions, and metals, and this rich data set provided an opportunity for a temporally refined source apportionment of snow composition via positive matrix factorization (PMF) in conjunction with FLEXPART (FLEXible PARTicle dispersion model) potential emission sensitivity analysis. Seven source factors were identified: sea salt, crustal metals, black carbon, carboxylic acids, nitrate, non-crustal metals, and sulfate. The sea salt and crustal factors showed good agreement with expected composition and primarily northern sources. High loadings of V and Se onto Factor 2, crustal metals, was consistent with expected elemental ratios, implying these metals were not primarily anthropogenic in origin. Factor 3, black carbon, was an acidic factor dominated by black carbon but with some sulfate contribution over the winter-haze season. The lack of K+ associated with this factor, a Eurasian source, and limited known forest fire events coincident with this factor's peak suggested a predominantly anthropogenic combustion source. Factor 4, carboxylic acids, was dominated by formate and acetate with a moderate correlation to available sunlight and an oceanic and North American source. A robust identification of this factor was not possible; however, atmospheric photochemical reactions, ocean microlayer reaction, and biomass burning were explored as potential contributors. Factor 5, nitrate, was an acidic factor dominated by NO3-, with a likely Eurasian source and mid-winter peak. The isolation of NO3- on a separate factor may reflect its complex atmospheric processing, though the associated source region suggests possibly anthropogenic precursors. Factor 6, non-crustal metals, showed heightened loadings of Sb, Pb, and As, and correlation with other metals traditionally associated with industrial activities. Similar to Factor 3 and 5, this factor appeared to be largely Eurasian in origin. Factor 7, sulfate, was dominated by SO42- and MS with a fall peak and high acidity. Coincident volcanic activity and northern source regions may suggest a processed SO2 source of this factor.

Temporal and seasonal variations of black carbon in a highly polluted European city: Apportionment of potential sources and the effect of meteorological conditions.

PubMed

Kucbel, Marek; Corsaro, Agnieszka; Švédová, Barbora; Raclavská, Helena; Raclavský, Konstantin; Juchelková, Dagmar

2017-12-01

Black carbon - a primary component of particulate matter emitted from an incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biomass, and biofuels - has been found to have a detrimental effect on human health and the environment. Since black carbon emissions data are not readily available, no measures are implemented to reduce black carbon emissions. The temporal and seasonal variations of black carbon concentrations were evaluated during 2012-2014. The data were collected in the highly polluted European city - Ostrava, Czech Republic, surrounded by major highways and large industries. Significantly higher black carbon concentrations were obtained in Ostrava, relative to other European cities and the magnitude was equivalent to the magnitude of black carbon concentrations measured in Poland and China. The data were categorized to heating and non-heating seasons based on the periodic pattern of daily and monthly average concentrations of black carbon. A higher black carbon concentration was obtained during heating season than non-heating season and was primarily associated with an increase in residential coal burning and meteorological parameters. The concentration of black carbon was found to be negatively correlated with temperature and wind speed, and positively correlated with the relative humidity. Other black carbon sources potentially included emissions from vehicle exhaust and the local steel-producing industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Black Carbon Diesel Initiative in the Russian Arctic

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Mobile and stationary diesel engines are among the largest sources of black carbon emissions in the Arctic. To address this challenge, EPA is leading the Black Carbon Diesel Initiative under the Arctic Black Carbon Initiative (ABCI).

Allostatic load in foreign-born and US-born blacks: evidence from the 2001-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

PubMed

Doamekpor, Lauren A; Dinwiddie, Gniesha Y

2015-03-01

We tested whether the immigrant health advantage applies to non-Hispanic Black immigrants and examined whether nativity-based differences in allostatic load exist among non-Hispanic Blacks. We used pooled data from the 2001-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to compare allostatic load scores for US-born (n = 2745) and foreign-born (n = 152) Black adults. We used multivariate logistic regression techniques to assess the association between nativity and high allostatic load scores, controlling for gender, age, health behaviors, and socioeconomic status. For foreign-born Blacks, length of stay and age were powerful predictors of allostatic load scores. For older US-born Blacks and those who were widowed, divorced, or separated, the risk of high allostatic load was greater. Foreign-born Blacks have a health advantage in allostatic load. Further research is needed that underscores a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving this health differential to create programs that target these populations differently.

Pyrolytic carbon coated black silicon

PubMed Central

Shah, Ali; Stenberg, Petri; Karvonen, Lasse; Ali, Rizwan; Honkanen, Seppo; Lipsanen, Harri; Peyghambarian, N.; Kuittinen, Markku; Svirko, Yuri; Kaplas, Tommi

2016-01-01

Carbon is the most well-known black material in the history of man. Throughout the centuries, carbon has been used as a black material for paintings, camouflage, and optics. Although, the techniques to make other black surfaces have evolved and become more sophisticated with time, carbon still remains one of the best black materials. Another well-known black surface is black silicon, reflecting less than 0.5% of incident light in visible spectral range but becomes a highly reflecting surface in wavelengths above 1000 nm. On the other hand, carbon absorbs at those and longer wavelengths. Thus, it is possible to combine black silicon with carbon to create an artificial material with very low reflectivity over a wide spectral range. Here we report our results on coating conformally black silicon substrate with amorphous pyrolytic carbon. We present a superior black surface with reflectance of light less than 0.5% in the spectral range of 350 nm to 2000 nm. PMID:27174890

Plastic-bonded electrodes for nickel-cadmium accumulators. IV - Some specific problems of the positive active layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Micka, K.; Mrha, J.; Klapste, B.

1980-06-01

The active layer of plastic-bonded nickel oxide electrodes undergoes expansion during discharging and contraction during charging; the latter however does not fully compensate for the expansion. These volume changes can be made reversible by the action of an external pressure. The electro-chemical behavior of the conductive components, carbon black and graphite, shows more or less severe corrosion during anodic current loading.

Study of different nanostructured carbon supports for fuel cell catalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirabile Gattia, Daniele; Antisari, Marco Vittori; Giorgi, Leonardo; Marazzi, Renzo; Piscopiello, Emanuela; Montone, Amelia; Bellitto, Serafina; Licoccia, Silvia; Traversa, Enrico

Pt clusters were deposited by an impregnation process on three carbon supports: multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNT), single-wall carbon nanohorns (SWNH), and Vulcan XC-72 carbon black to investigate the effect of the carbon support structure on the possibility of reducing Pt loading on electrodes for direct methanol (DMFC) fuel cells without impairing performance. MWNT and SWNH were in-house synthesised by a DC and an AC arc discharge process between pure graphite electrodes, respectively. UV-vis spectrophotometry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and cyclic voltammetry measurements were used to characterize the Pt particles deposited on the three carbon supports. A differential yield for Pt deposition, not strictly related to the surface area of the carbon support, was observed. SWNH showed the highest surface chemical activity toward Pt deposition. Pt deposited in different forms depending on the carbon support. Electrochemical characterizations showed that the Pt nanostructures deposited on MWNT are particularly efficient in the methanol oxidation reaction.

Modified carbon black materials for lithium-ion batteries

DOEpatents

Kostecki, Robert; Richardson, Thomas; Boesenberg, Ulrike; Pollak, Elad; Lux, Simon

2016-06-14

A lithium (Li) ion battery comprising a cathode, a separator, an organic electrolyte, an anode, and a carbon black conductive additive, wherein the carbon black has been heated treated in a CO.sub.2 gas environment at a temperature range of between 875-925 degrees Celsius for a time range of between 50 to 70 minutes to oxidize the carbon black and reduce an electrochemical reactivity of the carbon black towards the organic electrolyte.

Agenda and Meeting Summary from Final Workshop on Arctic Black Carbon: Reduction of Black Carbon from Diesel Sources

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Battelle Memorial Institute and WWF-Russia organized the final workshop on Arctic Black Carbon: Reduction of Black Carbon from Diesel Sources on November 5, 2014 in Murmansk, Russia.

Agenda and Meeting Summary from Best Practices Training on Arctic Black Carbon: Reduction of Black Carbon from Diesel Sources

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

From April 15-19, 2013, EPA's partners hosted the Best Practices Training on Arctic Black Carbon: Reduction of Black Carbon from Diesel Sources in Murmansk, Russia. Over the course of this event, participants:

The origin of black carbon on speleothems in tourist caves in South Korea: Chemical characterization and source discrimination by radiocarbon measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Sae Jung; Jeong, Gi Young; Kim, Soo Jin

Since the Gosu, Ondal, and Sungryu karst caves in South Korea became open to the public several decades ago, the surface of their speleothems has been turning black due to pollutants. The black pollutant is concentrated at the surface of speleothems, and the surface black layer is 0.1 to several millimeters thick. Elemental measurements of three bulk, acid-dissolved and oxidized fractions of the surface black layer show that the black pigment is a black carbon. The black carbon correlates positively with sulfates, nitrates, manganese, and lead, which are typical tracers of industrial and urban emissions. The 14C-measurement of the black carbon, using accelerator mass spectrometry, shows that the black carbon was derived from both fossil-fuel combustion and biomass burning in roughly equal amounts, evidenced by fC value ranging from 0.340 to 0.592 (<±0.004, 1 σ). Therefore, protection of speleothems from black coloration requires control of anthropogenic black carbons carried by visitors. Suitable measures might include closure of caves, air cleaning of visitors and regulation of visitor numbers. The application of radiocarbon measurement of black carbon suggests that the fC is a valuable proxy for tracing the blackening phenomenon of natural and cultural heritage sites such as caves.

Continuous flux of dissolved black carbon from a vanished tropical forest biome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dittmar, T.; Rezende, C. E.; Manecki, M.; Niggemann, J.; Coelho Ovalle, A. R.; Bernardes, M. C.

2012-04-01

Humans have extensively used fire as a tool to shape Earth's vegetation. One of the biggest events in this context was the destruction of Brazilian's Atlantic forest, once among the largest tropical forest biomes on Earth. We estimate that the slash-and-burn practice produced 200 to 500 million tons of black carbon from the 1850' to 1973. The fate of this charred organic matter is unknown. Here we show continuous runoff of dissolved black carbon from the cleared forest biome, more than 35 years after the widespread burning of the forest ended. During the 11-year observation period (1997-2008) of this study, on average 0.04 to 0.08 tons of dissolved black carbon were annually exported per square kilometer land. We estimate an annual runoff of 48,000 to 97,000 tons dissolved black carbon from the former Atlantic forest biome. Dissolved black carbon was mobilized by water percolating through the soil during the rainy season. During base flow conditions, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) did not contain black carbon, whereas at peak flow up to 6% of DOC was combustion-derived. If runoff was the only removal mechanism of black carbon from soils, even the highly condensed and presumably refractory component of black carbon would have a half-life of only 440 to 2300 years in the soil. In areas with higher precipitation, stronger runoff and consequently a shorter half-life can be expected. In the deep ocean, dissolved black carbon is virtually inert on this time scale. The disappearance of the Atlantic forest provides a worst-case scenario for tropical forests worldwide, most of which are cleared at increasing rate. Because of the comparably fast mobilization of dissolved black carbon from soils and its resistivity in the deep ocean, an increase of black carbon production on land may alter the size of the global pool of >12 Pg carbon of thermally altered DOC in the ocean on the long term.

REPORT TO CONGRESS ON BLACK CARBON | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Report to Congress on Black Carbon describes domestic and international sources of black carbon emissions, and summarizes available scientific information on the climate effects of black carbon. Further, the Report evaluates available black carbon mitigation options and their potential for protecting climate, public health, and the environment. The EPA Advisory Council on Clean Air Compliance Analysis has peer-reviewed the report. In the October 2009 Interior Appropriations bill, Congress requested that EPA, in consultation with other Federal agencies, study the emissions and impacts of black carbon in the US and internationally. To fulfill this charge, EPA has conducted an intensive effort to compile, assess, and summarize available scientific information on the current and future impacts of black carbon, and to evaluate the effectiveness of available mitigation approaches and technologies for protecting climate, public health, and the environment.

Soil Black Carbon Loss and Sediment Black Carbon Accumulation in a Central Texas Woodland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schieve, E. A.; Hockaday, W. C.; White, J. D.

2016-12-01

The Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge is located along the eastern edge of the Edwards Plateau in Texas, and was established in 1992 for the purpose of conserving habitat for two endangered bird species. The landscape is composed of hilly, mesa-valley terrain, which is mostly covered by grasslands and woodlands dominated by juniper with intermingling of various oak species. Based on historical photo analysis and tree fire scar dendrochronology, the area has experienced major land use changes over the last century due to wildfire, logging, and drought affecting soil stability and woodland species composition. A previous study on soil black carbon showed that site-specific soil erosion potential and time since last fire may act as controls on soil black carbon concentrations. However, the black carbon transport flux, depositional fate, or the magnitude of soil erosion effects upon the black carbon budget are unconstrained at the watershed scale. To address this, we sampled the sediments accumulating in small ponds constructed during the 1950's for livestock watering. We are quantifying black carbon in sediments using solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Preliminary data suggest that the pond sediments are a black carbon sink. Black carbon comprises 15 % - 25 %, of the sedimentary organic carbon, as substantial enrichment relative to soils within the watershed. We will present an early assessment of the black carbon erosion and sediment accumulation rates in first- and second-order watersheds.

40 CFR 721.10149 - Carbon black, (3-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Carbon black, (3-methylphenyl... Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10149 Carbon black, (3-methylphenyl)-modified... substance identified generically as carbon black, (3-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (PMN P-07-522) is...

40 CFR 721.10150 - Carbon black, (4-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Carbon black, (4-methylphenyl... Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10150 Carbon black, (4-methylphenyl)-modified... substance identified generically as carbon black, (4-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (PMN P-07-523) is...

40 CFR 458.40 - Applicability; description of the carbon black lamp process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... carbon black lamp process subcategory. 458.40 Section 458.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.40 Applicability; description of the carbon black lamp process subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges resulting...

Aqueous carbon black dispersions prepared with steam jet-cooked corn starch

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The utilization of jet-cooked waxy and normal corn starch to prepare aqueous dispersions of hydrophobic carbon black (Vulcan XC-72R) is reported. Blending carbon black (CB) into aqueous jet-cooked dispersions of starch followed by high pressure homogenization produced stable aqueous carbon black di...

40 CFR 458.40 - Applicability; description of the carbon black lamp process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... carbon black lamp process subcategory. 458.40 Section 458.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.40 Applicability; description of the carbon black lamp process subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are applicable to discharges resulting from the...

Co-milled silica and coppiced wood biochars improve elongation and toughness in styrene-butadiene elastomeric composites while replacing carbon black

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Carbon black is a petroleum byproduct with a million-ton market in the US tire industry. Finding renewable substitutes for carbon black reduces dependence on oil and alleviates global warming. Biochar is a renewable source of carbon that has been studied previously as a replacement for carbon black ...

Application of spectrometric analysis to the identification of pollution sources causing cultural heritage damage.

PubMed

Belfiore, C M; Barca, D; Bonazza, A; Comite, V; La Russa, M F; Pezzino, A; Ruffolo, S A; Sabbioni, C

2013-12-01

Black crusts are recognized to have been, up to now, one of the major deterioration forms affecting the built heritage in urban areas. Their formation is demonstrated to occur mainly on carbonate building materials, whose interaction with an SO2-loaded atmosphere leads to the transformation of calcium carbonate (calcite) into calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) which, together with embedded carbonaceous particles, consequently forms the black crusts on the stone surface. An analytical study was carried out on black crust samples collected from limestone monumental buildings and churches belonging to the European built Heritage, i.e., the Corner Palace in Venice (Italy), the Cathedral of St. Rombouts in Mechelen (Belgium), and the Church of St. Eustache in Paris (France). For a complete characterization of the black crusts, an approach integrating different and complementary techniques was used, including laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, optical and scanning electron microscopy. In particular, the application of LA-ICP-MS permitted to obtain a complete geochemical characterization in terms of trace elements of the black crusts from the inner parts to the external layers contributing to the identification of the major combustion sources responsible for the deterioration over time of the monuments under study. In addition, the obtained results revealed a relation between the height of sampling and the concentration of heavy metals and proved that the crust composition can be a marker to evaluate the variation of the fuels used over time.

Aerosol loading impact on Asian monsoon precipitation patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biondi, Riccardo; Cagnazzo, Chiara; Costabile, Francesca; Cairo, Francesco

2017-04-01

Solar light absorption by aerosols such as black carbon and dust assume a key role in driving the precipitation patterns in the Indian subcontinent. The aerosols stack up against the foothills of the Himalayas in the pre-monsoon season and several studies have already demonstrated that this can cause precipitation anomalies during summer. Despite its great significance in climate change studies, the link between absorbing aerosols loading and precipitation patterns remains highly uncertain. The main challenge for this kind of studies is to find consistent and reliable datasets. Several aerosol time series are available from satellite and ground based instruments and some precipitation datasets from satellite sensors, but they all have different time/spatial resolution and they use different assumptions for estimating the parameter of interest. We have used the aerosol estimations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), the Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) and the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and validated them against the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) measurements in the Indian area. The precipitation has been analyzed by using the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) estimations and the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications version 2 (MERRA-2). From our results it is evident the discrepancy between the aerosol loading on the area of interest from the OMI, AATSR, and MODIS, but even between 3 different algorithms applied to the MODIS data. This uncertainty does not allow to clearly distinguishing high aerosol loading years from low aerosol loading years except in a couple of cases where all the estimations agree. Similar issues are also present in the precipitation estimations from TRMM and MERRA-2. However, all the aerosol datasets agree in defining couples of consecutive years with a large gradient of aerosol loading. Based on this assumption we have compared the precipitation anomalies and found typical patterns characterizing different Indian regions in late summer. Analyzing the AERONET data we have also separated the black carbon and dust contribution to the total aerosol loading based on aerosol spectral optical properties for investigating the link between different aerosol types and precipitation patterns.

Toxicity assessment of carbon black waste: A by-product from oil refineries.

PubMed

Zhen, Xu; Ng, Wei Cheng; Fendy; Tong, Yen Wah; Dai, Yanjun; Neoh, Koon Gee; Wang, Chi-Hwa

2017-01-05

In Singapore, approximately 30t/day of carbon-based solid waste are produced from petrochemical processes. This carbon black waste has been shown to possess physical properties that are characteristic of a good adsorbent such as high external surface area. Therefore, there is a growing interest to reutilize and process this carbon black waste into secondary materials such as adsorbents. However, the carbon black waste obtained from petrochemical industries may contain heavy metals that are hazardous to human health and the environment, hence restricting its full potential for re-utilization. Therefore, it is important to examine the possible toxicity effects and toxicity mechanism of carbon black waste on human health. In this study, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis showed that the heavy metals, vanadium (V), molybdenum (Mo) and nickel (Ni), were present in the carbon black waste in high concentrations. Three human cell lines (HepG2 cells, MRC-5 cells and MDA-MB-231 cells) were used to investigate the toxicity of carbon black waste extract in a variety of in vitro assays. Results from MTS assays indicated that carbon black waste extract decreased the viability of all three cell lines in a dose and time-dependent manner. Observations from confocal microscopy further confirmed this phenomenon. Flow cytometry assay also showed that carbon black waste extract induced apoptosis of human cell lines, and the level of apoptosis increased with increasing waste concentration. Results from reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay indicated that carbon black waste extract induced oxidative stress by increasing intracellular ROS generation in these three human cell lines. Moreover, induction of oxidative damage in these cells was also observed through the alteration of glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. Last but not least, by treating the cells with V-spiked solution of concentration equivalent to that found in the carbon black waste extract, V was identified as the main culprit for the high toxicity of carbon black waste extract. These findings could potentially provide insight into the hazards of carbon black waste extract and its toxicity mechanism on human cell lines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Platinum particle size and support effects in NO(x) mediated carbon oxidation over platinum catalysts.

PubMed

Villani, Kenneth; Vermandel, Walter; Smets, Koen; Liang, Duoduo; van Tendeloo, Gustaaf; Martens, Johan A

2006-04-15

Platinum metal was dispersed on microporous, mesoporous, and nonporous support materials including the zeolites Na-Y, Ba-Y, Ferrierite, ZSM-22, ETS-10, and AIPO-11, alumina, and titania. The oxidation of carbon black loosely mixed with catalyst powder was monitored gravimetrically in a gas stream containing nitric oxide, oxygen, and water. The carbon oxidation activity of the catalysts was found to be uniquely related to the Pt dispersion and little influenced by support type. The optimum dispersion is around 3-4% corresponding to relatively large Pt particle sizes of 20-40 nm. The carbon oxidation activity reflects the NO oxidation activity of the platinum catalyst, which reaches an optimum in the 20-40 nm Pt particle size range. The lowest carbon oxidation temperatures were achieved with platinum loaded ZSM-22 and AIPO-11 zeolite crystallites bearing platinum of optimum dispersion on their external surfaces.

Comparison Between Elemental Carbon Measured Using Thermal-Optical Analysis and Black Carbon Measurements Using A Novel Cellphone-Based System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramanathan, N.; Khan, B.; Leong, I.; Lukac, M.

2011-12-01

Black carbon (BC) is produced through the incomplete combustion of fossil and solid fuels. Current BC emissions inventories have large uncertainties of factors of 2 or more due to sparse measurements and because BC is often emitted by local sources that vary over time and space (Bond et al, 2004). Those uncertainties are major sources of error in air pollution models. Emissions from a variety of improved cookstove/fuel/combustion conditions were collected on pre-conditioned 47 mm quartz-fiber filters and analyzed for organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) using thermal-optical analysis (TOA). The samples were then analyzed for BC concentration by using cellphone-based instrumentation developed by Ramanathan et al., 2011. The cellphone-based monitoring system (CBMS) is a wireless, low-cost, low-power system that monitors BC emissions. The CBMS is comprised of an aerosol filter sampler containing a battery-powered air pump and a 25mm filter holder that draws air in through a quartz-fiber filter. As black carbon deposits increase, the filter darkens--the darkest color representing the highest loading. A cellphone photograph of the filter with the black carbon deposit is taken and relayed to an analytics unit for comparison to a reference scale to estimate airborne BC concentration. The BC concentration can then be compared to the thermally derived EC concentration. TOA was conducted on a Sunset Laboratory Dual Optics Carbon Analyzer using a modified version of the Birch and Cary (1996) NIOSH 5040 protocol. The dual-optical instrument permitted simultaneous monitoring of the transmission (TOT) and reflectance (TOR). 619 samples were collected; EC was obtained using NIOSH TOT and NIOSH TOR methods, and BC was obtained using the CBMS analytics unit. The mean BC value reported by the CBMS agrees within 20% of the reference values for EC, confirming the findings in Ramanathan et al. (2011) based on samples from India. Given this accuracy, we conclude that the CBMS provides an affordable real-time method for gathering BC data on a mass scale. The CBMS' scalability should enable dense deployments near emissions sources and reduce uncertainty in emissions inventories due to undersampling. Bond, T. C., E. Bhardwaj, R. Dong, R. Jogani, S. Jung, C. Roden, D. G. Streets, and N. M. Trautmann (2007), Historical emissions of black and organic carbon aerosol from energy-related combustion, 1850-2000, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 21, GB2018, doi:10.1029/2006GB002840. Birch, M. E. and R.A. Cary (1996), Elemental Carbon-Based Method for Monitoring Occupational Exposures to Particulate Diesel Exhaust. Aerosol Sci. Technol., 25, 221-241. NIOSH (1996). Elemental carbon (diesel particulate) method 5040. NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods, 4th ed. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, Ohio (1st Suppl.). Ramanathan, N., M. Lukac, T. Ahmed, A. Kar, P.S. Praveen, T. Honles, I. Leong, I.H. Rehman, J.J. Schauer, V. Ramanathan (2011), A cellphone based system for large-scale monitoring of black carbon, Atmos. Environ., 45 (26), 4481-4487.

40 CFR 458.20 - Applicability: description of the carbon black thermal process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Applicability: description of the carbon black thermal process subcategory. 458.20 Section 458.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Thermal...

40 CFR 458.10 - Applicability; description of the carbon black furnace process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Applicability; description of the carbon black furnace process subcategory. 458.10 Section 458.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Furnace...

40 CFR 458.30 - Applicability; description of the carbon black channel process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Applicability; description of the carbon black channel process subcategory. 458.30 Section 458.30 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Channel...

40 CFR 458.10 - Applicability; description of the carbon black furnace process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Applicability; description of the carbon black furnace process subcategory. 458.10 Section 458.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Furnace...

40 CFR 458.20 - Applicability: description of the carbon black thermal process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Applicability: description of the carbon black thermal process subcategory. 458.20 Section 458.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Thermal...

40 CFR 458.40 - Applicability; description of the carbon black lamp process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Applicability; description of the carbon black lamp process subcategory. 458.40 Section 458.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process...

40 CFR 458.30 - Applicability; description of the carbon black channel process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Applicability; description of the carbon black channel process subcategory. 458.30 Section 458.30 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Channel...

40 CFR 458.40 - Applicability; description of the carbon black lamp process subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Applicability; description of the carbon black lamp process subcategory. 458.40 Section 458.40 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process...

Effect of Carbon Black on Elastomer Blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Si, Mayu; Koga, Tadanori; Ji, Yuan; Seo, Young-Soo; Rafailovich, Miriam; Sokolov, Jonathan; Gerspacher, M.; Dias, A. J.; Karp, Kriss R.; Satija, Sushil; Lin, Min Y.

2003-03-01

The effects of untreated and heat-treated carbon black N299 on the interfacial properties of PB (Polybutadiene) and terpolymer BIMS [brominated Poly(isobutylene-co-methyl styrene)] were investigated by neutron reflectivity (NR) and lateral force microscopy (LFM). The NR results show that the addition of carbon black significantly slows down the interfacial broadening while heat-treated carbon black has less effect on slowing down the diffusion compared with untreated carbon black. These results were confirmed by the LFM data, which shows the magnitude of lateral force loop of heat-treated carbon black is bigger than that of untreated one. Ultra small and small angle neutron scattering (USANS and SANS) were used to probe the morphology and surface lateral force. Increasing volume concentration of carbon black to 5glass transition temperature of BIMS is also decreased, which was measured by Differential scanning Calorimeter (DSC). XRD analysis indicates that the heat treatment crystallizes the carbon black and strong graphitic peaks are observed. The large degree of crystallization decreases the interaction with the polymer matrix and hence minimizes the effect on the internal dynamics

Strong radiative heating due to the mixing state of black carbon in atmospheric aerosols.

PubMed

Jacobson, M Z

2001-02-08

Aerosols affect the Earth's temperature and climate by altering the radiative properties of the atmosphere. A large positive component of this radiative forcing from aerosols is due to black carbon--soot--that is released from the burning of fossil fuel and biomass, and, to a lesser extent, natural fires, but the exact forcing is affected by how black carbon is mixed with other aerosol constituents. From studies of aerosol radiative forcing, it is known that black carbon can exist in one of several possible mixing states; distinct from other aerosol particles (externally mixed) or incorporated within them (internally mixed), or a black-carbon core could be surrounded by a well mixed shell. But so far it has been assumed that aerosols exist predominantly as an external mixture. Here I simulate the evolution of the chemical composition of aerosols, finding that the mixing state and direct forcing of the black-carbon component approach those of an internal mixture, largely due to coagulation and growth of aerosol particles. This finding implies a higher positive forcing from black carbon than previously thought, suggesting that the warming effect from black carbon may nearly balance the net cooling effect of other anthropogenic aerosol constituents. The magnitude of the direct radiative forcing from black carbon itself exceeds that due to CH4, suggesting that black carbon may be the second most important component of global warming after CO2 in terms of direct forcing.

Multi-wavelength optical measurement to enhance thermal/optical analysis for carbonaceous aerosol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, L.-W. A.; Chow, J. C.; Wang, X. L.; Robles, J. A.; Sumlin, B. J.; Lowenthal, D. H.; Zimmermann, R.; Watson, J. G.

2015-01-01

A thermal/optical carbon analyzer equipped with seven-wavelength light source/detector (405-980 nm) for monitoring spectral reflectance (R) and transmittance (T) of filter samples allowed "thermal spectral analysis (TSA)" and wavelength (λ)-dependent organic-carbon (OC)-elemental-carbon (EC) measurements. Optical sensing was calibrated with transfer standards traceable to absolute R and T measurements, adjusted for loading effects to report spectral light absorption (as absorption optical depth (τa, λ)), and verified using diesel exhaust samples. Tests on ambient and source samples show OC and EC concentrations equivalent to those from conventional carbon analysis when based on the same wavelength (~ 635 nm) for pyrolysis adjustment. TSA provides additional information that evaluates black-carbon (BC) and brown-carbon (BrC) contributions and their optical properties in the near infrared to the near ultraviolet parts of the solar spectrum. The enhanced carbon analyzer can add value to current aerosol monitoring programs and provide insight into more accurate OC and EC measurements for climate, visibility, or health studies.

Multi-wavelength optical measurement to enhance thermal/optical analysis for carbonaceous aerosol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, L.-W. A.; Chow, J. C.; Wang, X. L.; Robles, J. A.; Sumlin, B.; Lowenthal, D. H.; Zimmermann, R.; Watson, J. G.

2014-09-01

A thermal/optical carbon analyzer equipped with seven-wavelength light source/detector (405-980 nm) for monitoring spectral reflectance (R) and transmittance (T) of filter samples allows "thermal spectral analysis (TSA)" and wavelength (λ)-dependent organic carbon (OC)-elemental carbon (EC) measurements. Optical sensing is calibrated with transfer standards traceable to absolute R and T measurements and adjusted for loading effects to determine spectral light absorption (as absorption optical depth [τa, λ]) using diesel exhaust samples as a reference. Tests on ambient and source samples show OC and EC concentrations equivalent to those from conventional carbon analysis when based on the same wavelength (~635 nm) for pyrolysis adjustment. TSA provides additional information that evaluates black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) contributions and their optical properties in the near-IR to the near-UV parts of the solar spectrum. The enhanced carbon analyzer can add value to current aerosol monitoring programs and provide insight into more accurate OC and EC measurements for climate, visibility, or health studies.

Co3O4-Carbon Cloth free standing cathode for lithium sulfur battery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jing; Su, Dawei; Wang, Guoxiu

2017-07-01

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery has been considered to be one of the most promising next-generation electrochemical energy-storage systems due to its high theoretical energy of 2600 Wh kg-1 with low cost. The insulating nature of both sulfur and the dissolution of polysulfides are the two primary challenges for the application of lithium sulfur batteries. Here, we developed a binder-free cathode by chemisorption of Co3O4 to carbon cloth (CC), which was used as a 3D current collector to accommodate a large amount of sulfur, multiwall carbon nanofiber (MWCNF) and carbon black (CB) hybrids within the conductive scaffold, enabling the fabrication of ultrahigh sulfur loaded electrodes. The interconnected carbon fibers established a long-range conductive matrix for an efficient electron transport, the multiple conductive pathways guarantee high sulfur utilization. More importantly, the high electrolyte absorbability of the Co3O4-CC-S current collector facilitates well-localized polysulfides within the Co3O4-CC-S, meanwhile, the polar Co3O4 could also effectively entrapped the intermediated polysulfides preventing their free diffusion to the lithium anode, guaranteeing good cycling stability. Consequently, the Co3O4-CC-S electrodes exhibit excellent electrochemical performance with sulfur loading of 4.3 mg cm-2.

Latitudinal distribution of aerosol black carbon and its mass fraction to composite aerosols over peninsular India during winter season

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moorthy, K. Krishna; Babu, S. Suresh; Badarinath, K. V. S.; Sunilkumar, S. V.; Kiranchand, T. R.; Ahmed, Y. Nazeer

2007-04-01

During a land campaign to characterise the spatial distribution of aerosols over peninsular India during the winter season, extensive, collocated, and spatially resolved measurements of mass concentration of the composite aerosols (MT) as well as that (MB) of aerosol Black Carbon (BC) were made over different environments (coastal, industrial, urban, village, remote, semiarid) of the western peninsular India. High concentrations of BC, >2.5 μg m-3, were observed along the west coast, from ~8°N up to 14.5°N, and moderate values (1.0 to 2.5 μg m-3) over inland regions from 15 to 18°N. Latitudinally, BC concentration decreased from south to north, @~160 ng m-3 for every degree increase in latitude. The spatial pattern of BC mass fraction differed from that of MB, with regions of high (8 to 16%) ratios spreading more interior, implying higher fractional load of BC at locations where the BC concentrations remain lower.

Combustion-derived substances in deep basins of Puget Sound: historical inputs from fossil fuel and biomass combustion.

PubMed

Kuo, Li-Jung; Louchouarn, Patrick; Herbert, Bruce E; Brandenberger, Jill M; Wade, Terry L; Crecelius, Eric

2011-04-01

Reconstructions of 250 years historical inputs of two distinct types of black carbon (soot/graphitic black carbon (GBC) and char-BC) were conducted on sediment cores from two basins of the Puget Sound, WA. Signatures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were also used to support the historical reconstructions of BC to this system. Down-core maxima in GBC and combustion-derived PAHs occurred in the 1940s in the cores from the Puget Sound Main Basin, whereas in Hood Canal such peak was observed in the 1970s, showing basin-specific differences in inputs of combustion byproducts. This system showed relatively higher inputs from softwood combustion than the northeastern U.S. The historical variations in char-BC concentrations were consistent with shifts in climate indices, suggesting an influence of climate oscillations on wildfire events. Environmental loading of combustion byproducts thus appears as a complex function of urbanization, fuel usage, combustion technology, environmental policies, and climate conditions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 721.10075 - Carbon black, 4-[[2-(Sulfooxy) ethyl]substituted] phenyl- modified, sodium salts (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10075 Carbon black, 4-[[2-(Sulfooxy... uses subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified generically as carbon black, 4-[[2... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Carbon black, 4-[[2-(Sulfooxy) ethyl...

Differentiating the associations of black carbon and fine particle with daily mortality in a Chinese city.

PubMed

Geng, Fuhai; Hua, Jing; Mu, Zhe; Peng, Li; Xu, Xiaohui; Chen, Renjie; Kan, Haidong

2013-01-01

There is only limited monitoring data of black carbon for epidemiologic analyses. In the current study, we used the distributed lag models to evaluate the association between mortality outcomes (both total and cause-specific) and exposure to black carbon and fine particle (PM(2.5)) in Shanghai, China. During our research period, the mean daily concentrations of black carbon and PM(2.5) were 3.9 μg/m3 and 53.9 μg/m3, respectively. The regression results showed that black carbon was significantly associated with total and cardiovascular mortality, but not with respiratory mortality. An inter-quartile range increase (2.7 μg/m3) of black carbon corresponded to a 2.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.6-4.1), 3.2% (95% CI: 0.6-5.7), and 0.6% (95% CI: -4.5 to 5.7) increase in total, cardiovascular and respiratory mortality, respectively. When adjusted for PM(2.5), the effects of black carbon increased and remained statistically significant; in contrast, the associations of PM(2.5) with daily mortality decreased and became statistically insignificant after adjustment for black carbon. To our knowledge, this is the first study in China, or even in Asian developing countries, to report the acute effect of black carbon and PM(2.5) on daily mortality simultaneously. Our findings suggest that black carbon is a valuable additional air quality indicator to evaluate the health risks of ambient particles. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the variability of potential black carbon transport from cropland burning in Russia driven by atmospheric blocking events.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, J.; Loboda, T. V.

2017-12-01

Short lived aerosols and pollutants transported from northern mid-latitudes have amplified the short term warming in the Arctic region. Specifically, black carbon is recognized as the second most important human emission in regards to climate forcing, behind carbon dioxide with a total climate forcing of +1.1Wm-2. Studies have suggested that cropland burning may be a large contributor to the black carbon emissions which are directly deposited on the snow in the Arctic region. However, accurate monitoring of cropland burning from existing active fire and burned area products is limited, thereby leading to an underestimation in black carbon emissions from cropland burning. This research focuses on 1) assessing the potential for the deposition of hypothetical black carbon emissions from known cropland burning in Russia through low-level transport, and 2) identifying a possible atmospheric pattern that may enhance the transport of black carbon emissions to the Arctic. Specifically, atmospheric blocking events present a potential mechanism that could act to enhance the likelihood of transport or accelerate the transport of pollutants to the snow-covered Arctic from Russian cropland burning based on their persistent wind patterns. This research study confirmed the importance of Russian cropland burning as a potential source of black carbon deposition on the Arctic snow in the spring despite the low injection heights associated with cropland burning. Based on the successful transport pathways, this study identified the potential transport of black carbon from Russian cropland burning beyond 80°N which has important implications for permanent sea ice cover. Further, based on the persistent wind patterns of blocking events, this study identified that blocking events are able to accelerate potential transport and increase the success of transport of black carbon emissions to the snow-covered Arctic during spring when the impact on the snow/ice albedo is at its highest. The enhanced transport of black carbon has important implications for the efficacy of deposited black carbon. Therefore, understanding these relationships could lead to possible mitigation strategies for reducing the impact of deposition of black carbon from crop residue burning in the Arctic.

A new mechanism for selective adsorption of rubber on carbon black surface caused by nano-confinement in SBR/NBR solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawazoe, Masayuki

A novel mechanism of selective adsorption of rubber molecules onto carbon black surface in a binary immiscible rubber blend solution has been proposed in this dissertation. The phenomenon leads to uneven distribution of carbon black to the specific polymer in the blend and the obtained electrically conductive composite showed drastic reduction of percolation threshold concentration (PTC). The mechanism and the feature of conductive network formation have much potential concerning both fundamental understanding and industrial application to improve conductive polymer composites. In chapter I, carbon black filled conductive polymer composites are briefly reviewed. Then, in chapter II, a mechanism of rubber molecular confinement into carbon black aggregate structure is introduced to explain the selective adsorption of a specific rubber onto carbon black surface in an immiscible rubber solution blend (styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) with toluene or chloroform). Next, in chapters III and IV, polymers with various radius of gyration (Rg) and carbon blacks with various aggregate structure are examined to verify the selective adsorption mechanism. Finally, in chapter V, the novel mechanism was applied to create unique meso-/micro-unit conductive network in carbon black dispersed SBR/NBR composites.

Source apportionment of organic pollutants of a highway-traffic-influenced urban area in Bayreuth (Germany) using biomarker and stable carbon isotope signatures.

PubMed

Glaser, Bruno; Dreyer, Annekatrin; Bock, Michael; Fiedler, Stefan; Mehring, Marion; Heitmann, Tobias

2005-06-01

Traffic- and urban-influenced areas are prone to enhanced pollution with products of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass such as black carbon or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Black carbon is composed of aromatic and graphitic structures and may act as a carrier for pollutants such as PAHs and heavy metals. However, little is known about possible contributions of traffic-derived black carbon to the black carbon inventory in soils. Similar uncertainties exist regarding the contribution of different pollutant sources to total PAH and black carbon contents. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the importance of traffic pollution to black carbon and PAH inventories in soils. PAH contamination of soils adjacent to a major German highway in the urban area of Bayreuth with about 50,000 vehicles per day was in the same order of magnitude compared to highway-close soils reported in other studies. Using molecular (black carbon and PAHs) and compound-specific stable carbon isotope evidence (PAHs) it was demonstrated that this contamination originated not only from automobile exhausts, here primarily diesel, but also from tire abrasion and tailpipe soot which significantly contributed to the traffic-caused black carbon and PAH contamination. Low molecular weight PAHs were more widely transported than their heavy molecular counterparts (local distillation), whereas highway-traffic-caused black carbon contamination was distributed to at least 30 m from the highway. On the other hand, urban fire exhausts were distributed more homogeneously among the urban area.

40 CFR 458.41 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory... apply to this subpart. (b) The term “product” shall mean carbon black manufactured by the lamp process. ...

40 CFR 458.41 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process... shall apply to this subpart. (b) The term “product” shall mean carbon black manufactured by the lamp...

40 CFR 458.41 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process... shall apply to this subpart. (b) The term “product” shall mean carbon black manufactured by the lamp...

40 CFR 458.41 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process... shall apply to this subpart. (b) The term “product” shall mean carbon black manufactured by the lamp...

40 CFR 458.41 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory... apply to this subpart. (b) The term “product” shall mean carbon black manufactured by the lamp process. ...

78 FR 22513 - Certain New Pneumatic Off-the-Road Tires From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-16

...''); see also Issues and Decision Memorandum at Comment 6. Carbon Black: We have used the Thai import data for ``Rubber Grade Carbon Black'' to value all carbon black inputs.\\7\\ \\7\\ See Surrogate Value... Certain Material Inputs A. Carbon Black B. Bead Wire C. Nylon Tire Cord D. Natural Rubber E. Gap-filling...

Template directed assembly of nanoelements in viscous polymer environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Modi, Satyamkumar

Polymer melt-based manufacturing methods, such as injection molding, offer the potential of directly fabricating three-dimensional parts with nanostructured surfaces in a one-step, high-rate, and solventless process. Electrophoretic deposition has the potential to produce in-mold assembly of nanoparticles during injection molding. The process is fast, is cost effective and can be automated. This electrophoretic deposition, however, has been performed from low-viscosity media and polymer melts are far more viscous. This research provided a fundamental understanding of the electrophoretic deposition process in viscous media. Electrophoresis was performed using a model system of carbon black and polystyrene in tetrahydrofuran (THF). Examined were the effects of processing parameters, polystyrene molecular weight, and carbon black charge. The presence of polystyrene did not prevent deposition of carbon black, but deposition rates decreased at shorter deposition times; deposition was not linear with increasing applied voltage; and greater solution concentrations reduced the critical voltages. A comparison of experimental data with Hamaker's model showed that about 1.6% of the available polystyrene was initially deposited with the carbon black. At voltages above the critical voltage, the deposited mass indicated formation of electrically insulating layers on the electrodes. Increases in polystyrene molecular weight reduced the electrophoretic deposition of the carbon black particles due to increases in suspension viscosity and preferential adsorption of the longer polystyrene chains on the carbon black particles. At low deposition times (≤ 5 seconds), only carbon black deposited onto the electrodes. For longer deposition times, polystyrene co-deposited with the carbon black, with the amount of polystyrene increasing with molecular weight and decreasing with greater charge on the polystyrene molecules. The additional of function groups to the carbon black surface decoupled the carbon black and polystyrene, however, the deposition of the carbon black particles, followed by deposition of a thick layer of polystyrene was observed. This polystyrene deposition was present regardless of the applied voltage, the deposition time, the polystyrene molecular weight, polystyrene material (i.e., charge), and solvent polarity. This deposition behavior suggests that use of lower molecular polymers and unmodified carbon blacks, and control of electrical properties will permit electrophoretic deposition of nanoparticles from polymer melts.

Global mountain snow and ice loss driven by dust and black carbon radiative forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Painter, T. H.

2014-12-01

Changes in mountain snow and glaciers have been our strongest indicators of the effects of changing climate. Earlier melt of snow and losses of glacier mass have perturbed regional water cycling, regional climate, and ecosystem dynamics, and contributed strongly to sea level rise. Recent studies however have revealed that in some regions, the reduction of albedo by light absorbing impurities in snow and ice such as dust and black carbon can be distinctly more powerful than regional warming at melting snow and ice. In the Rocky Mountains, dust deposition has increased 5 to 7 fold in the last 150 years, leading to ~3 weeks earlier loss of snow cover from forced melt. In absolute terms, in some years dust radiative forcing there can shorten snow cover duration by nearly two months. Remote sensing retrievals are beginning to reveal powerful dust and black carbon radiative forcing in the Hindu Kush through Himalaya. In light of recent ice cores that show pronounced increases in loading of dust and BC during the Anthropocene, these forcings may have contributed far more to glacier retreat than previously thought. For example, we have shown that the paradoxical end of the Little Ice Age in the European Alps beginning around 1850 (when glaciers began to retreat but temperatures continued to decline and precipitation was unchanged) very likely was driven by the massive increases in deposition to snow and ice of black carbon from industrialization in surrounding nations. A more robust understanding of changes in mountain snow and ice during the Anthropocene requires that we move past simplistic treatments (e.g. temperature-index modeling) to energy balance approaches that assess changes in the individual forcings such as the most powerful component for melt - net solar radiation. Remote sensing retrievals from imaging spectrometers and multispectral sensors are giving us more powerful insights into the time-space variation of snow and ice albedo.

Finding consistency between different views of the absorption enhancement of black carbon: An observationally constrained hybrid model to support a transition in optical properties with mass fraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coe, H.; Allan, J. D.; Whitehead, J.; Alfarra, M. R. R.; Villegas, E.; Kong, S.; Williams, P. I.; Ting, Y. C.; Haslett, S.; Taylor, J.; Morgan, W.; McFiggans, G.; Spracklen, D. V.; Reddington, C.

2015-12-01

The mixing state of black carbon is uncertain yet has a significant influence on the efficiency with which a particle absorbs light. In turn, this may make a significant contribution to the uncertainty in global model predictions of the black carbon radiative budget. Previous modelling studies that have represented this mixing state using a core-shell approach have shown that aged black carbon particles may be considerably enhanced compared to freshly emitted black carbon due to the addition of co-emitted, weakly absorbing species. However, recent field results have demonstrated that any enhancement of absorption is minor in the ambient atmosphere. Resolving these differences in absorption efficiency is important as they will have a major impact on the extent to which black carbon heats the atmospheric column. We have made morphology-independent measurements of refractory black carbon mass and associated weakly absorbing material in single particles from laboratory-generated diesel soot and black carbon particles in ambient air influenced by traffic and wood burning sources and related these to the optical properties of the particles. We compared our calculated optical properties with optical models that use varying mixing state assumptions and by characterising the behaviour in terms of the relative amounts of weakly absorbing material and black carbon in a particle we show a sharp transition in mixing occurs. We show that the majority of black carbon particles from traffic-dominated sources can be treated as externally mixed and show no absorption enhancement, whereas models assuming internal mixing tend to give the best estimate of the absorption enhancement of thickly coated black carbon particles from biofuel or biomass burning. This approach reconciles the differences in absorption enhancement previously observed and offers a systematic way of treating the differences in behaviour observed.

Inference of Spatiotemporal Distribution of Black Carbon Aerosols over Northern Pacific from Satellite Observations (2005-2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Li, Z.; Mauzerall, D. L.; Fan, S.; Horowitz, L. W.; He, C.; Yi, K.; Tao, S.

2015-12-01

Knowledge on the spatiotemporal distribution of black carbon aerosol over the Northern Pacific is limited by a deficiency of observations. The HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observation (HIPPO) program from 2009 to 2011 is the most comprehensive data source available and it reveals a 2 to 10 times overestimates of BC by current global models. Incorporation and assimilation of more data sources is needed to increase our understanding of the spatiotemporal distribution of black carbon aerosol and its corresponding climate effects. Based on measurements from aircraft campaigns and satellites, a robust association is observed between BC concentrations and satellite retrieved CO, tropospheric NO2, and aerosol optical depth (AOD) (R2 > 0.7). Such robust relationships indicate that BC aerosols share a similar emission sources, evolution processes and transport characteristics with other pollutants measured by satellite observations. It also establishes a basis to derive a satellite-based proxy (BC*) over remote oceans. The inferred satellite-based BC* shows that Asian export events in spring bring much more BC aerosols to the mid-Pacific than occurs in other seasons. In addition, inter-annual variability of BC* is seen over the Northern Pacific, with abundances correlated to the springtime Pacific/North American (PNA) index. The inferred BC* dataset also indicates a widespread overestimation of BC loadings by models over most remote oceans beyond the Pacific. Our method presents a novel approach to infer BC concentrations by combining satellite and aircraft observations.

40 CFR 458.45 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp... paragraph, which may be discharged from the carbon black lamp process by a new source subject to the...

Soft X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy of High-Abrasion-Furnace Carbon Black

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muramatsu, Yasuji; Harada, Ryusuke; Gullikson, Eric M.

2007-02-02

The soft x-ray absorption spectra of high-abrasion-furnace carbon black were measured to obtain local-structure/chemical-states information of the primary particles and/or crystallites. The soft x-ray absorption spectral features of carbon black represent broader {pi}* and {sigma}* peak structures compared to highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The subtracted spectra between the carbon black and HOPG, (carbon black) - (HOPG), show double-peak structures on both sides of the {pi}* peak. The lower-energy peak, denoted as the 'pre-peak', in the subtracted spectra and the {pi}*/{sigma}* peak intensity ratio in the absorption spectra clearly depend on the specific surface area by nitrogen adsorption (NSA). Therefore,more » it is concluded that the pre-peak intensity and the {pi}*/{sigma}* ratio reflect the local graphitic structure of carbon black.« less

Reducing black carbon emissions from diesel vehicles in Russia: An assessment and policy recommendations

DOE PAGES

Kholod, Nazar; Evans, Meredydd

2015-11-13

This article assesses options and challenges of reducing black carbon emissions from diesel vehicles in Russia. Black carbon is a product of incomplete diesel combustion and is a component of fine particulate matter. Particulate matter emissions have adverse health impacts, causing cardiopulmonary disease and lung cancer; black carbon is also a large climate forcer. Black carbon emissions from Russian diesel sources affect not only the Russian territory but also contribute to overall pollution. Here, this paper analyzes current ecological standards for vehicles and fuel, evaluates policies for emission reductions from existing diesel vehicle fleet, and assesses Russia’s attempts to encouragemore » the use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel. Based on best practices of black carbon emission reductions, this paper provides a number of policy recommendations for Russia.« less

Reducing black carbon emissions from diesel vehicles in Russia: An assessment and policy recommendations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kholod, Nazar; Evans, Meredydd

This article assesses options and challenges of reducing black carbon emissions from diesel vehicles in Russia. Black carbon is a product of incomplete diesel combustion and is a component of fine particulate matter. Particulate matter emissions have adverse health impacts, causing cardiopulmonary disease and lung cancer; black carbon is also a large climate forcer. Black carbon emissions from Russian diesel sources affect not only the Russian territory but also contribute to overall pollution. Here, this paper analyzes current ecological standards for vehicles and fuel, evaluates policies for emission reductions from existing diesel vehicle fleet, and assesses Russia’s attempts to encouragemore » the use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel. Based on best practices of black carbon emission reductions, this paper provides a number of policy recommendations for Russia.« less

Black Carbon And Co-Pollutants Emissions And Energy Efficiency From Bricks Production In Guanajuato, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molina, L. T.; Zavala, M.; Maiz, P.; Monsivais, I.; Chow, J.; Munguia, J.

2013-12-01

In many parts of the world, small-scale traditional brick kilns are a notorious informal sector source of urban air pollution. Many are both inefficient and burn highly polluting fuels that emit significant levels of black carbon and other pollutants into local communities and to the atmosphere, resulting in severe health and environmental impacts. It is estimated that there are nearly 20,000 traditional brick kilns in Mexico, in which bricks are still produced as they have been for centuries. They are made by hand, dried in the sun, and generally fired in small, one chamber kilns that use various types of fuels, including plastic refuse, used tires, manure, wood scrap, and used motor oil. Three brick kilns, two traditional kilns and an improved kiln (MK2), were sampled as part of the SLCFs-Mexico campaign in Guanajuato, Mexico during March of 2013. The concept of the MK-2 involves covering the kiln with a dome and channeling the output of an active kiln through a second, identical loaded kiln for its additional filtration of the effluents. The results of energy efficiency and carbon mass balance calculations are presented for comparing the production efficiency and carbon emissions from the sampled kilns. Measurements included PM2.5 mass with quartz filters and temporally-resolved elemental carbon and organic carbon composition obtained using thermo-optical methods. The carbon emissions obtained with the mass balance method are compared with concurrent, high- time resolution, emissions measurements obtained using the Aerodyne mobile laboratory employing the tracer method (see abstract by Fortner et al.)

On the genesis of molybdenum carbide phases during reduction-carburization reactions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guil-Lopez, R., E-mail: rut.guil@icp.csic.es; Nieto, E.; Departamento de Tecnologia Quimica y Energetica, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/Tulipan s/n, 28933-Mostoles

2012-06-15

Molybdenum carbide has been prepared according to the carbothermal reduction method. Carbon black substrate was used as C-source whereas a H{sub 2}-flow was the reducing agent. Two different H{sub 2} consumption steps were identified during the carburization treatment. The low temperature step is related to the reduction of Mo{sup 6+}-to-Mo{sup 4+}, the higher temperature process accounts for the deep reduction of Mo{sup 4+}-to-metal Mo{sup 0} and its subsequent reaction with C to form the Mo-carbide. The influences of the maximum carburization temperature, carburization time, gas hourly space velocity regarding Mo-loading, heating rate and temperature of Ar pre-treatment were analyzed. Allmore » these conditions are interrelated to each other. Thus, the carburization process ends at 700 Degree-Sign C when Mo-loading is 10 wt%, however Mo-loading higher than 10 wt% requires higher temperatures. Carburization temperatures up to 800 Degree-Sign C are needed to fulfill Mo-carbide formation with samples containing 50 wt% Mo. Nevertheless, Ar pre-treatment at 550 Degree-Sign C and slow heating rates favor the carburization, thus requiring lower carburization temperatures to reach the same carburization level. - Graphical Abstract: H{sub 2}-consumption profile (TPR) during the molybdenum carburization process, XRD patterns of the reduced Mo-samples after carburization and TEM-micrographs with two different enlargement of the samples with 5, 20 and 50 wt% Mo. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Control of carburization variables: tailor the reduced/carbide Mo-phases (single/mixture). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mo carburization in two stages: (1) Mo{sup 6+}-Mo{sup 4+}; (2) Mo{sup 4+}-Mo{sup 0} and, at once, MoC. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The carburization process is faster than Mo{sup 4+} reduction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer XPS probed: reduced Mo particles show core-shell structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Core: reduced Mo (Mo{sub 2}C, MoO{sub 2} and/or Mo{sup 0}); Shell: 2-3 nm of MoO{sub 3}.« less

PM2.5 and aerosol black carbon in Suva, Fiji

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isley, C. F.; Nelson, P. F.; Taylor, M. P.; Mani, F. S.; Maata, M.; Atanacio, A.; Stelcer, E.; Cohen, D. D.

2017-02-01

Concentrations of particulate air pollution in Suva, Fiji, have been largely unknown and consequently, current strategies to reduce health risk from air pollution in Suva are not targeted effectively. This lack of air quality data is common across the Pacific Island Countries. A monitoring study, during 2014 and 2015, has characterised the fine particulate air quality in Suva, representing the most detailed study to date of fine aerosol air pollutants for the Pacific Islands; with sampling at City, Residential (Kinoya) and Background (Suva Point) sites. Meteorology for Suva, as it relates to pollutant dispersion for this period of time, has also been analysed. The study design enables the contribution of maritime air and the anthropogenic emissions to be carefully distinguished from each other and separately characterised. Back trajectory calculations show that a packet of air sampled at the Suva City site has typically travelled 724 km in the 24-h prior to sampling, mainly over open ocean waters; inferring that pollutants would also be rapidly transported away from Suva. For fine particulates, Suva City reported a mid-week PM2.5 of 8.6 ± 0.4 μg/m3, averaged over 13-months of gravimetric sampling. Continuous monitoring (Osiris laser photometer) suggests that some areas of Suva may experience levels exceeding the WHO PM2.5 guideline of 10 μg/m3, however, compared to other countries, Fiji's PM2.5 is low. Peak aerosol particulate levels, at all sites, were experienced at night-time, when atmospheric conditions were least favourable to dispersion of air pollutants. Suva's average ambient concentrations of black carbon in PM2.5, 2.2 ± 0.1 μg/m3, are, however, similar to those measured in much larger cities. With any given parcel of air spending only seven minutes, on average, over the land area of Suva Peninsula, these black carbon concentrations are indicative that significant combustion emissions occur within Suva. Many other communities in the Pacific Islands, as well as in Africa, Asia and South America share similar climate and similar burning practices and as such are likely to experience similar aerosol black carbon loadings. These black carbon levels indicate the need for combustion emissions, particularly those from open burning and diesel usage, to be addressed in air policy.

Black carbon and mineral dust in snow cover on the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yulan; Kang, Shichang; Sprenger, Michael; Cong, Zhiyuan; Gao, Tanguang; Li, Chaoliu; Tao, Shu; Li, Xiaofei; Zhong, Xinyue; Xu, Min; Meng, Wenjun; Neupane, Bigyan; Qin, Xiang; Sillanpää, Mika

2018-02-01

Snow cover plays a key role for sustaining ecology and society in mountainous regions. Light-absorbing particulates (including black carbon, organic carbon, and mineral dust) deposited on snow can reduce surface albedo and contribute to the near-worldwide melting of snow and ice. This study focused on understanding the role of black carbon and other water-insoluble light-absorbing particulates in the snow cover of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The results found that the black carbon, organic carbon, and dust concentrations in snow cover generally ranged from 202 to 17 468 ng g-1, 491 to 13 880 ng g-1, and 22 to 846 µg g-1, respectively, with higher concentrations in the central to northern areas of the TP. Back trajectory analysis suggested that the northern TP was influenced mainly by air masses from Central Asia with some Eurasian influence, and air masses in the central and Himalayan region originated mainly from Central and South Asia. The relative biomass-burning-sourced black carbon contributions decreased from ˜ 50 % in the southern TP to ˜ 30 % in the northern TP. The relative contribution of black carbon and dust to snow albedo reduction reached approximately 37 and 15 %, respectively. The effect of black carbon and dust reduced the snow cover duration by 3.1 ± 0.1 to 4.4 ± 0.2 days. Meanwhile, the black carbon and dust had important implications for snowmelt water loss over the TP. The findings indicate that the impacts of black carbon and mineral dust need to be properly accounted for in future regional climate projections, particularly in the high-altitude cryosphere.

Continuous flux of dissolved black carbon from a vanished tropical forest biome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dittmar, Thorsten; de Rezende, Carlos Eduardo; Manecki, Marcus; Niggemann, Jutta; Coelho Ovalle, Alvaro Ramon; Stubbins, Aron; Bernardes, Marcelo Correa

2012-09-01

Humans have used fire extensively as a tool to shape Earth's vegetation. The slash-and-burn destruction of Brazil's Atlantic forest, which once covered over 1.3millionkm2 of present-day Brazil and was one of the largest tropical forest biomes on Earth, is a prime example. Here, we estimate the amount of black carbon generated by the burning of the Atlantic forest, using historical records of land cover, satellite data and black carbon conversion ratios. We estimate that before 1973, destruction of the Atlantic forest generated 200-500 million tons of black carbon. We then estimate the amount of black carbon exported from this relict forest between 1997 and 2008, using measurements of polycyclic aromatic black carbon collected from a large river draining the region, and a continuous record of river discharge. We show that dissolved black carbon (DBC) continues to be mobilized from the watershed each year in the rainy season, despite the fact that widespread forest burning ceased in 1973. We estimate that the river exports 2,700 tons of DBC to the ocean each year. Scaling our findings up, we estimate that 50,000-70,000 tons of DBC are exported from the former forest each year. We suggest that an increase in black carbon production on land could increase the size of the refractory pool of dissolved organic carbon in the deep ocean.

Characterization of black carbon in the ambient air of Agra, India: Seasonal variation and meteorological influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Pratima; Singh, Shalendra Pratap; Jangid, Ashok; Kumar, Ranjit

2017-09-01

This study characterizes the black carbon in Agra, India home to the Taj Mahal—and situated in the Indo-Gangetic basin. The mean black carbon concentration is 9.5 μg m-3 and, owing to excessive biomass/fossil fuel combustion and automobile emissions, the concentration varies considerably. Seasonally, the black carbon mass concentration is highest in winter, probably due to the increased fossil fuel consumption for heating and cooking, apart from a low boundary layer. The nocturnal peak rises prominently in winter, when the use of domestic heating is excessive. Meanwhile, the concentration is lowest during the monsoon season because of the turbulent atmospheric conditions and the process of washout by precipitation. The ratio of black carbon to brown carbon is less than unity during the entire study period, except in winter (December). This may be because that biomass combustion and diesel exhaust are major black carbon contributors in this region, while a higher ratio in winter may be due to the increased consumption of fossil fuel and wood for heating purposes. ANOVA reveals significant monthly variation in the concentration of black carbon; plus, it is negatively correlated with wind speed and temperature. A high black carbon mass concentration is observed at moderate (1-2 m s-1) wind speed, as compared to calm or turbulent atmospheric conditions.

Study of aerosol behavior on the basis of morphological characteristics during festival events in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agrawal, Anubha; Upadhyay, Vinay K.; Sachdeva, Kamna

2011-07-01

Two important festival events were selected to assess their impacts on atmospheric chemistry by understanding settling velocity and emission time of aerosols. Using high volume sampler, aerosols were collected in a sequential manner to understand settling velocity and emission time of aerosols on a particular day. Composition and total suspended particulate load of the aerosols collected during the festivals were used as markers for strengthening the assessment. Terminal settling velocity of the aerosols were calculated using morphological and elemental compositional data, obtained from scanning electron microcopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) study. Aerosol load, black carbon, aromatic carbon and terminal velocity calculations were correlated to obtain conclusion that aerosols collected on the festival day might have been emitted prior to the festival. Settling time of aerosols collected on 17th and 19th October'09 during Diwali were found to be 36.5 (1.5 days) and 12.8 h, respectively. Carbon concentration estimated using EDX was found to be almost double in the sample collected after 2 days of the festival event. This strengthens our inference of time calculation where carbon with high concentration of load must have settled approximately after two days of the event. Settling time of aerosols collected on Holi morning and afternoon was found to be 1.7 and 24.8 h, respectively. Further, because of the small distance of 5.4 km between the meteorological station and sampling site, observed TSP values were compared with theoretical load values, calculated by using visibility values taken from the meteorological data. And it was found that both experimental and calculated values are close to each other about 50% of the times, which proves the assumption that experimental and meteorological data are comparable.

Bounding the Role of Black Carbon in the Climate System: A Scientific Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bond, Tami C.; Doherty, Sarah J.; Fahey, D. W.

2013-06-06

Black carbon aerosol plays a unique and important role in Earth’s climate system. Black carbon is a type of carbonaceous material with a unique combination of physical properties. Predominant sources are combustion related; namely, fossil fuels for transportation, solid fuels for industrial and residential uses, and open burning of biomass. Total global emissions of black carbon using bottom-up inventory methods are 7500 Gg yr-1 in the year 2000 with an uncertainty range of 2000 to 29000. This assessment provides an evaluation of black-carbon climate forcing that is comprehensive in its inclusion of all known and relevant processes and that ismore » quantitative in providing best estimates and uncertainties of the main forcing terms: direct solar absorption, influence on liquid, mixed-phase, and ice clouds, and deposition on snow and ice. These effects are calculated with models, but when possible, they are evaluated with both microphysical measurements and field observations. Global atmospheric absorption attributable to black carbon is too low in many models, and should be increased by about about 60%. After this scaling, the best estimate for the industrial-era (1750 to 2005) direct radiative forcing of black carbon is +0.43 W m-2 with 90% uncertainty bounds of (+0.17, +0.68) W m-2. Total direct forcing by all black carbon sources in the present day is estimated as +0.49 (+0.20, +0.76) W m-2. Direct radiative forcing alone does not capture important rapid adjustment mechanisms. A framework is described and used for quantifying climate forcings and their rapid responses and feedbacks. The best estimate of industrial-era (1750 to 2005) climate forcing of black carbon through all forcing mechanisms is +0.77 W m-2 with 90% uncertainty bounds of +-0.06 to +1.53 W m-2. Thus, there is a 96% probability that black carbon emissions, independent of co-emitted species, have a positive forcing and warm the climate. With a value of +0.77 W m-2, black carbon is likely the second most important individual climate-forcing agent in the industrial era, following carbon dioxide. Sources that emit black carbon also emit other short- lived species that may either cool or warm climate. Climate forcings from co-emitted species are estimated and used in the framework described herein. When the principal effects of co- emissions, including cooling agents such as sulfur dioxide, are included in net forcing, energy-related sources (fossil-fuel and biofuel) have a net climate forcing of +0.004 (-0.62 to +0.57) W m-2 during the first year after emission. For a few of these sources, such as diesel engines and possibly residential biofuels, warming is strong enough that eliminating all emissions from these sources would reduce net climate forcing (i.e., produce cooling). When open burning emissions, which emit high levels of organic matter, are included in the total, the best estimate of net industrial-era climate forcing by all black- carbon-rich sources becomes slightly negative (-0.08 W m-2 with 90% uncertainty bounds of -1.23 to +0.81 W m-2). The uncertainties in net climate forcing from black-carbon-rich sources are substantial, largely due to lack of knowledge about cloud interactions with both black carbon and co-emitted organic carbon. In prioritizing potential black-carbon mitigation actions, non-science factors, such as technical feasibility, costs, policy design, and implementation feasibility play important roles. The major sources of black carbon are presently in different stages with regard to the feasibility for near-term mitigation. This assessment, by evaluating the large number and complexity of the associated physical and radiative processes in black-carbon climate forcing, sets a baseline from which to improve future climate forcing estimates.« less

Synthesis of multiwalled carbon nanotube from different grades of carbon black using arc discharge method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arora, Neha, E-mail: n4neha31@gmail.com; Sharma, N. N.; Director, School of Automobile, Mechanical & Mechatronics, Manipal University,Jaipur,India

2016-04-13

This paper describes the synthesis of nanotube from different grades (Tread * A(non-ASTM), N134,N121,N660 and N330)of carbon black using DC arc discharge method at 40A current for 60sec. Carbon black samples of different grades were procured from industry (Aditya Birla Science and Technology Limited, India). Scanning Electron Micrographs (SEM) of the deposited carbon nanostructures suggests that MWCNTs are formed at 40A and for a minimal exposure time of 60sec.The result formed indicates the N330 grade of carbon black gets converted to MWCNTs (Multiwall Carbon nanotube) as compared to other grades.

Distribution, Transport, and Accumulation of Pyrogenic Black Carbon in Post-Wildfire Watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galanter, A.; Cadol, D. D.; Frey, B.; Lohse, K. A.

2014-12-01

Large, high severity wildfires greatly alter forest structure, water quality, and soil development/erosion. With increased frequency of such wildfires also follows heavy post-wildfire debris flows and flooding which deliver high loads of sediment and pyrogenic black carbon (PyC) to downstream waterways. The accumulation of PyC is a multi-faceted and dynamic issue in the critical zone. Generated by incomplete combustion of organic matter, PyC (in the form of soot and char) impacts turbidity, biological and chemical oxygen demand, and pH. In addition, PyC has the potential to sequester contaminants and can store carbon over short and long timescales. The impacts of two recent wildfires in Northern New Mexico are studied with the goal of understanding the fluxes and residence times of PyC in post-wildfire, mountainous watersheds. Employing burn severity maps and geospatial data, we selected three sites to collect soil and water samples to characterize PyC: a control, an area impacted by a large, severe burn (2011), and an area impacted by a smaller, less severe burn (2013). By collaborating with researchers at the Jemez Critical Zone Observatory, soil samples are being analyzed and will provide pre-wildfire PyC concentrations for the 2013 burn area. In this study, PyC is treated as both a particulate and a solute that is transported throughout the watershed as well as degraded in soils, surface water and groundwater. We used two black carbon quantification methods: the chemo-thermal oxidation (CTO-375) method to distinguish between soil soot and char, and the benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCA) method to quantify the total concentrations of PyC in soil and water samples. Preliminary soil data from the CTO-375 method show comparable soot concentrations in the control, 2011, and 2013 burn indicating that the soot is more recalcitrant than char and remains in the watershed long after a wildfire. This data also suggests that the fluxes of black carbon over short time scales are composed mainly of char.

A 700 year sediment record of black carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons near the EMEP air monitoring station in Aspvreten, Sweden

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marie Elmquist; Zdenek Zencak; Oerjan Gustafsson

2007-10-15

In view of poor constraints on historical combustion emissions, past environmental loadings of black carbon (BC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) were reconstructed from dated lake sediment cores collected 70 km south of Stockholm, Sweden. Compared to several dramatic variations over the recent 150 years, the preindustrial loadings were steady within {+-}50% through the entire medieval with BC fluxes of 0.071 g m{sup -2} yr{sup -1} and PAH fluxes of 6 g m{sup -2} yr{sup -1}. In the wood-burning dominated century leading up to the industrial revolution around 1850, increasing BC fluxes were leading PAH fluxes. BC fluxes reached theirmore » millennial-scale maximum around 1920, whereas PAH fluxes increased exponentially to its record maximum around 1960, 50-fold above preindustrial values. For 1920-1950, BC fluxes consistently decreased as PAH fluxes kept increasing. Coal and coke represented >50% of the Swedish energy market in the 1930s. Combined with sharply decreasing (1,7-)/(1,7{+-}2,6-dimethylphenanthrene), indicative of diminishing wood combustion, and decreasing methylphenanthrenes/phenanthrene, indicative of higher-temperature combustion (coal instead of wood), the sediment archive suggests that the relative BC/PAH emission factors thus are lower for coal than for wood combustion. For the first time, both BC and PAH fluxes decreased after 1960. This trend break is a testament to the positive effects of decreasing reliance on petroleum fuels and a number of legislative actions aimed at curbing emissions and by 1990, the loading of BC was back at preindustrial levels, whereas that of PAH were the lowest since the 1910s. However, for the most recent period (1990-2004) the BC and PAH fluxes are no longer decreasing. 55 refs., 3 figs.« less

Abiotic degradation of hexahydro-l,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine in the presence of hydrogen sulfide and black carbon.

PubMed

Kemper, Jerome M; Ammar, Emaan; Mitch, William A

2008-03-15

We report that hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) was rapidly destroyed by sulfides in the presence of black carbon, forming nitrite and formaldehyde, rather than toxic nitrosated reduction products. Although traditionally viewed as inactive sorbents, black carbons have been noted to participate in the destruction of certain contaminants, such as azo dyes, via quinonoid groups. However, in our experiments sulfide modification of quinones did not seem to be involved. Although at least 1.2 mM sulfides were needed for the reaction to proceed, abiotic natural attenuation of RDX in marine sediments may occur, because these concentrations are found in certain marine sediments, together with black carbon. In the absence of natural black carbons, synthetic black carbons, such as activated carbon, may be added to sediments. As compared with other in situ techniques, such as bioremediation and zero-valent iron cutoff trenches, which often generate nitrosated byproducts, this in situ, abiotic technique may be an attractive alternative.

Webinar Presentation: Particle-Resolved Simulations for Quantifying Black Carbon Climate Impact and Model Uncertainty

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This presentation, Particle-Resolved Simulations for Quantifying Black Carbon Climate Impact and Model Uncertainty, was given at the STAR Black Carbon 2016 Webinar Series: Changing Chemistry over Time held on Oct. 31, 2016.

Roles of black carbon on the fate of heavy metals and agrochemicals in soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Char(coal) and other black carbon materials can comprise up to 35% of total organic carbon in US agricultural soils, and are known to strongly and often irreversibly bind contaminants including heavy metals. Black carbon has received renewed interests in recent years as a solid co-product formed du...

Birchwood biochar as partial carbon black replacement in styrene-butadiene rubber composites

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Birchwood feedstock was used to make slow pyrolysis biochar that contained 89% carbon and < 2% ash. This biochar was blended with carbon black as filler for styrene-butadiene rubber. Composites made from blended fillers of 25/75 biochar/carbon black were equivalent to or superior to their 100% carbo...

Source attribution of black carbon in Arctic snow.

PubMed

Hegg, Dean A; Warren, Stephen G; Grenfell, Thomas C; Doherty, Sarah J; Larson, Timothy V; Clarke, Antony D

2009-06-01

Snow samples obtained at 36 sites in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Russia, and the Arctic Ocean in early 2007 were analyzed for light-absorbing aerosol concentration together with a suite of associated chemical species. The light absorption data, interpreted as black carbon concentrations, and other chemical data were input into the EPA PMF 1.1 receptor model to explore the sources for black carbon in the snow. The analysis found four factors or sources: two distinct biomass burning sources, a pollution source, and a marine source. The first three of these were responsible for essentially all of the black carbon, with the two biomass sources (encompassing both open and closed combustion) together accounting for >90% of the black carbon.

Characterization of Black and Brown Carbon Concentrations and Sources during winter in Beijing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Caiqing; Liu, Yue; Hansen, Anthony D. A.; Močnik, Griša; Zheng, Mei

2017-04-01

Carbonaceous aerosols, including black carbon (BC) and organic carbon (OC), play important roles in air quality, human health, and climate change. A better understanding of sources of light-absorbing carbonaceous aerosol (including black carbon and brown carbon) is particular critical for formulating emission-based control strategies and reducing uncertainties in current aerosol radiative forcing estimates. Beijing, the capital of China, has experienced serious air pollution problems and high concentrations of carbonaceous aerosols in recent years, especially during heating seasons. During November and December of 2016, several severe haze episodes occurred in Beijing, with hourly average PM2.5 mass concentration up to 400 μg/m3. In this study, concentration levels and sources of black carbon and brown carbon were investigated based on 7-wavelength Aethalometer (AE-33) with combination of other PM2.5 chemical composition information. Contributions of traffic and non-traffic emissions (e.g., coal combustion, biomass burning) were apportioned, and brown carbon was separated from black carbon. Our preliminary results showed that (1) Concentrations of BC were around 5.3±4.2 μg/m3 during the study period, with distinct diurnal variations during haze and non-haze days. (2) Traffic emissions contributed to about 37±17% of total BC, and exhibited higher contributions during non-haze days compared to haze days. (3) Coal combustion was a major source of black carbon and brown carbon in Beijing, which was more significant compared to biomass burning. Sources and the relative contributions to black carbon and brown carbon during haze and non-haze days will be further discussed.

Black Carbon in the Arctic: Assessment of and efforts to reduce black carbon emissions from wildfires and agricultural burning in Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinder, B.; Hao, W. M.; Larkin, N. K.; McCarty, G.; O'neal, K. J.; Gonzalez, O.; Luxenberg, J.; Rosenblum, M.; Petkov, A.

2011-12-01

Black carbon and other short-lived climate forcers exert a warming effect on the climate but remain in the atmosphere for short time periods when compared to carbon dioxide. Black carbon is a significant contributor to increasing temperatures in the Arctic region, which has warmed at twice the global rate over the past 100 years. Black carbon warms the Arctic by absorbing incoming solar radiation while in the atmosphere and, when deposited onto Arctic ice, leading to increased atmospheric temperatures and snow and ice melt. Black carbon remains in the atmosphere for a short time period ranging from days to weeks; therefore, local atmospheric conditions at the time of burning determine the amount of black carbon transport to the Arctic. Most black carbon transport and deposition in the Arctic results from the occurrence of wildfires, prescribed forest fires, and agricultural burning at latitudes greater than 40 degrees north latitude. Wildfire affects some 10-15 million hectares of forest, forest steppe, and grasslands in Russia each year. In addition to wildfire, there is widespread cropland burning in Russia occurring in the fall following harvest and in the spring prior to tilling. Agricultural burning is common practice for crop residue removal as well as suppression of weeds, insects and residue-borne diseases. The goal of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Black Carbon Initiative is to assess black carbon emissions from agricultural burning and wildfires in Russia and explore practical options and opportunities for reducing emissions from these two sources. The emissions assessment combines satellite-derived burned area measurements of forest and agricultural fires, burn severity information, ancillary geospatial data, vegetation and land cover maps, fuels data, fire emissions data, fire/weather relationship information, and smoke transport models to estimate black carbon transport and deposition in the Arctic. The assessment addresses necessary improvements to fire and burned area detection algorithms to improve agricultural burned area mapping accuracy. Efforts to explore practical options for reducing black carbon emissions from wildfires and agricultural burning in Russia have been focused on designing community-based fire prevention and education programs in Siberia and the Russia Far East, two regions prone to frequent human-caused fires. The initiative also seeks to identify practical alternatives to reduce black carbon emissions from agricultural burning and to help promote these alternatives through outreach to farmers and other agricultural organizations. This submission will explore the initial findings and results of the emissions assessment and discuss the progress and challenges associated with implementation of local-level fire prevention and mitigation efforts in Russia. The results of this initiative will help inform future policy and management tools to address black carbon emissions from wildfires and agricultural burning in Russia and perhaps additional interested countries.

Fine Aerosol Associated Non-Polar Organics in Jammu, AN Urban Location in the Foothill Region of North Western Himalayas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, S.; Bamotra, S.

2017-12-01

A comprehensive study was done on the mass, composition and sources of fine aerosol associated non-polar organics in Jammu, an urban location in the foothill region of North - Western Himalayas. Systematic multi-scale sampling was done from October, 2015 to February, 2017 to collect fine aerosol (PM2.5) samples every week using a Fine Particulate Sampler (Envirotech, APM 550 MFC) which operates at a constant flow rate of 16.7 L/minute. The Non- polar organic compounds comprising of n-alkanes, PAHs, isoprenoid hydrocarbons and nicotine were analyzed using Thermal desorption Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) method. The n-alkane associated diagnostic parameters include—mass weighted Averaged Chain Length (ACL); Carbon number with maximum concentration (Cmax); Petroleum derived n-alkanes (PNA%), Carbon Preference Index (CPI) and the percentage contribution of Wax n-alkanes from plants (WNA%). These diagnostic parameters along with PAH based molecular ratios were used to understand the diurnal and seasonal variations in different biogenic and petrogenic source contributions in this part of Himalayas. The presence of source specific tracers like Levoglucosan, Retene, Isoquinoline and nicotine also corroborated our findings. Further Fine aerosols associated Black Carbon, an important marker for burning was determined using Optical Transmissometer. Significant multiscale variations were found in the Fine aerosol load, associated Non-polar organics, source tracers/contributions and Black Carbon.

Black water sludge reuse in agriculture: are heavy metals a problem?

PubMed

Tervahauta, Taina; Rani, Sonia; Hernández Leal, Lucía; Buisman, Cees J N; Zeeman, Grietje

2014-06-15

Heavy metal content of sewage sludge is currently the most significant factor limiting its reuse in agriculture within the European Union. In the Netherlands most of the produced sewage sludge is incinerated, mineralizing the organic carbon into the atmosphere rather than returning it back to the soil. Source-separation of black water (toilet water) excludes external heavy metal inputs, such as industrial effluents and surface run-offs, producing sludge with reduced heavy metal content that is a more favorable source for resource recovery. The results presented in this paper show that feces is the main contributor to the heavy metal loading of vacuum collected black water (52-84%), while in sewage the contribution of feces is less than 10%. To distinguish black water from sewage in the sludge reuse regulation, a control parameter should be implemented, such as the Hg and Pb content that is significantly higher in sewage sludge compared to black water sludge (from 50- to 200-fold). The heavy metals in feces and urine are primarily from dietary sources, and promotion of the soil application of black water sludge over livestock manure and artificial fertilizers could further reduce the heavy metal content in the soil/food cycle. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microwave-assisted synthesis of Pt/CNT nanocomposite electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Weimin; Chen, Jun; Swiegers, Gerhard F; Ma, Zi-Feng; Wallace, Gordon G

2010-02-01

Microwave-assisted heating of functionalized, single-wall carbon nanotubes (FCNTs) in ethylene glycol solution containing H(2)PtCl(6), led to the reductive deposition of Pt nanoparticles (2.5-4 nm) over the FCNTs, yielding an active catalyst for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In single-cell testing, the Pt/FCNT composites displayed a catalytic performance that was superior to Pt nanoparticles supported by raw (unfunctionalized) CNTs (RCNTs) or by carbon black (C), prepared under identical conditions. The supporting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), functionalized with carboxyl groups, were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and Raman spectroscopy. The loading level, morphology, and crystallinity of the Pt/SWNT catalysts were determined using TGA, SEM, and XRD. The electrochemically active catalytic surface area of the Pt/FCNT catalysts was 72.9 m(2)/g-Pt.

Time-resolved analysis of particle emissions from residential biomass combustion - Emissions of refractory black carbon, PAHs and organic tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielsen, Ingeborg E.; Eriksson, Axel C.; Lindgren, Robert; Martinsson, Johan; Nyström, Robin; Nordin, Erik Z.; Sadiktsis, Ioannis; Boman, Christoffer; Nøjgaard, Jacob K.; Pagels, Joakim

2017-09-01

Time-resolved particle emissions from a conventional wood stove were investigated with aerosol mass spectrometry to provide links between combustion conditions, emission factors, mixing state of refractory black carbon and implications for organic tracer methods. The addition of a new batch of fuel results in low temperature pyrolysis as the fuel heats up, resulting in strong, short-lived, variable emission peaks of organic aerosol-containing markers of anhydrous sugars, such as levoglucosan (fragment at m/z 60). Flaming combustion results in emissions dominated by refractory black carbon co-emitted with minor fractions of organic aerosol and markers of anhydrous sugars. Full cycle emissions are an external mixture of larger organic aerosol-dominated and smaller thinly coated refractory black carbon particles. A very high burn rate results in increased full cycle mass emission factors of 66, 2.7, 2.8 and 1.3 for particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, refractory black carbon, total organic aerosol and m/z 60, respectively, compared to nominal burn rate. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are primarily associated with refractory black carbon-containing particles. We hypothesize that at very high burn rates, the central parts of the combustion zone become air starved, leading to a locally reduced combustion temperature that reduces the conversion rates from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to refractory black carbon. This facilitates a strong increase of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emissions. At nominal burn rates, full cycle emissions based on m/z 60 correlate well with organic aerosol, refractory black carbon and particulate matter. However, at higher burn rates, m/z 60 does not correlate with increased emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, refractory black carbon and organic aerosol in the flaming phase. The new knowledge can be used to advance source apportionment studies, reduce emissions of genotoxic compounds and model the climate impacts of refractory black carbon, such as absorption enhancement by lensing.

Black carbon radiative forcing at TOA decreased during aging.

PubMed

Wu, Yu; Cheng, Tianhai; Zheng, Lijuan; Chen, Hao

2016-12-05

During aging processing, black carbon (also called soot) particles may tend to be mixed with other aerosols, and highly influence their radiative forcing. In this study, freshly emitted soot particles were simulated as fractal aggregates composed of small spherical primary monomers. After aging in the atmosphere, soot monomers were coated by a thinly layer of sulfate as thinly coated soot particles. These soot particles were entirely embedded into large sulfate particle by further aging, and becoming heavily coated soot particles. In clear-sky conditions, black carbon radiative forcing with different aging states were investigated for the bottom and top of atmosphere (BOA and TOA). The simulations showed that black carbon radiative forcing increased at BOA and decreased at TOA after their aging processes. Thinly and heavily coated states increased up to ~12% and ~35% black carbon radiative forcing at BOA, and black carbon radiative forcing at TOA can reach to ~20% and ~100% smaller for thinly and heavily coated states than those of freshly emitted states, respectively. The effect of aging states of black carbon radiative forcing was varied with surface albedo, aerosol optical depth and solar zenith angles. These findings would be helpful for the assessments of climate change.

Structure and properties of carbon black particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Wei

Structure and properties of carbon black particles were investigated using atomic force microscopy, gas adsorption, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Supplementary information was obtained using TEM and neutron scattering. The AFM imaging of carbon black aggregates provided qualitative visual information on their morphology, complementary to that obtained by 3-D modeling based on TEM images. Our studies showed that carbon black aggregates were relatively flat. The surface of all untreated carbon black particles was found to be rough and its fractal dimension was 2.2. Heating reduced the roughness and fractal dimension for all samples heat treated at above 1300 K to 2.0. Once the samples were heat treated rapid cooling did not affect the surface roughness. However, rapid cooling reduced crystallite sizes, and different Raman spectra were obtained for carbon blacks of various history of heat treatment. By analyzing the Raman spectra we determined the crystallite sizes and identified amorphous carbon. The concentration of amorphous carbon depends on hydrogen content. Once hydrogen was liberated at increased temperature, the concentration of amorphous carbon was reduced and crystallites started to grow. Properties of carbon blacks at high pressure were also studied. Hydrostatic pressure did not affect the size of the crystallites in carbon black particles. The pressure induced shift in Raman frequency of the graphitic component was a result of increased intermolecular forces and not smaller crystallites. Two methods of determining the fractal dimension, the FHH model and the yardstick technique based on the BET theory were used in the literature. Our study proved that the FHH model is sensitive to numerous assumptions and leads to wrong conclusions. On the other hand the yardstick method gave correct results, which agreed with the AFM results.

Determination of the emissions from an aircraft auxiliary power unit (APU) during the Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment (AAFEX).

PubMed

Kinsey, John S; Timko, Michael T; Herndon, Scott C; Wood, Ezra C; Yu, Zhenhong; Miake-Lye, Richard C; Lobo, Prem; Whitefield, Philip; Hagen, Donald; Wey, Changlie; Anderson, Bruce E; Beyersdorf, Andreas J; Hudgins, Charles H; Thornhill, K Lee; Winstead, Edward; Howard, Robert; Bulzan, Dan I; Tacina, Kathleen B; Knighton, W Berk

2012-04-01

The emissions from a Garrett-AiResearch (now Honeywell) Model GTCP85-98CK auxiliary power unit (APU) were determined as part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment (AAFEX) using both JP-8 and a coal-derived Fischer Tropsch fuel (FT-2). Measurements were conducted by multiple research organizations for sulfur dioxide (SO2, total hydrocarbons (THC), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), speciated gas-phase emissions, particulate matter (PM) mass and number, black carbon, and speciated PM. In addition, particle size distribution (PSD), number-based geometric mean particle diameter (GMD), and smoke number were also determined from the data collected. The results of the research showed PM mass emission indices (EIs) in the range of 20 to 700 mg/kg fuel and PM number EIs ranging from 0.5 x 10(15) to 5 x 10(15) particles/kg fuel depending on engine load and fuel type. In addition, significant reductions in both the SO2 and PM EIs were observed for the use of the FT fuel. These reductions were on the order of approximately 90% for SO2 and particle mass EIs and approximately 60% for the particle number EI, with similar decreases observed for black carbon. Also, the size of the particles generated by JP-8 combustion are noticeably larger than those emitted by the APU burning the FT fuel with the geometric mean diameters ranging from 20 to 50 nm depending on engine load and fuel type. Finally, both particle-bound sulfate and organics were reduced during FT-2 combustion. The PM sulfate was reduced by nearly 100% due to lack of sulfur in the fuel, with the PM organics reduced by a factor of approximately 5 as compared with JP-8.

Micropore clogging by leachable pyrogenic organic carbon: A new perspective on sorption irreversibility and kinetics of hydrophobic organic contaminants to black carbon.

PubMed

Wang, Bingyu; Zhang, Wei; Li, Hui; Fu, Heyun; Qu, Xiaolei; Zhu, Dongqiang

2017-01-01

Black carbon (BC) plays a crucial role in sequestering hydrophobic organic contaminants in the environment. This study investigated key factors and mechanisms controlling nonideal sorption (e.g., sorption irreversibility and slow kinetics) of model hydrophobic organic contaminants (nitrobenzene, naphthalene, and atrazine) by rice-straw-derived BC. After removing the fraction of leachable pyrogenic organic carbon (LPyOC) (referring to composites of dissoluble non-condensed organic carbon and associated mineral components) with deionized water or 0.5 M NaOH, sorption of these sorbates to BC was enhanced. The sorption enhancement was positively correlated with sorbate molecular size in the order of atrazine > naphthalene > nitrobenzene. The removal of LPyOC also accelerated sorption kinetics and reduced sorption irreversibility. These observations were attributed to increased accessibility of BC micropores initially clogged by the LPyOC. Comparison of BC pore size distributions before and after atrazine sorption further suggested that the sorbate molecules preferred to access the micropores that were more open, and the micropore accessibility was enhanced by the removal of LPyOC. Consistently, the sorption of nitrobenzene and atrazine to template-synthesized mesoporous carbon (CMK3), a model sorbent with homogeneous pore structures, showed decreased kinetics, but increased irreversibility by impregnating sorbent pores with surface-grafted alkylamino groups and by subsequent loading of humic acid. These findings indicated an important and previously unrecognized role of LPyOC (i.e., micropore clogging) in the nonideal sorption of organic contaminants to BC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the variability of potential black carbon transport from cropland burning in Russia driven by atmospheric blocking events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Joanne; Loboda, Tatiana

2018-05-01

The deposition of short-lived aerosols and pollutants on snow above the Arctic Circle transported from northern mid-latitudes have amplified the short term warming in the Arctic region. Specifically, black carbon has received a great deal of attention due to its absorptive efficiency and its fairly complex influence on the climate. Cropland burning in Russia is a large contributor to the black carbon emissions deposited directly onto the snow in the Arctic region during the spring when the impact on the snow/ice albedo is at its highest. In this study, our focus is on identifying a possible atmospheric pattern that may enhance the transport of black carbon emissions from cropland burning in Russia to the snow-covered Arctic. Specifically, atmospheric blocking events are large-scale patterns in the atmospheric pressure field that are nearly stationary and act to block migratory cyclones. The persistent low-level wind patterns associated with these mid-latitude weather patterns are likely to accelerate potential transport and increase the success of transport of black carbon emissions to the snow-covered Arctic during the spring. Our results revealed that overall, in March, the transport time of hypothetical black carbon emissions from Russian cropland burning to the Arctic snow is shorter (in some areas over 50 hours less at higher injection heights) and the success rate is also much higher (in some areas up to 100% more successful) during atmospheric blocking conditions as compared to conditions without an atmospheric blocking event. The enhanced transport of black carbon has important implications for the efficacy of deposited black carbon. Therefore, understanding these relationships could lead to possible mitigation strategies for reducing the impact of deposition of black carbon from crop residue burning in the Arctic.

HD-SP2 Measurements of Black Carbon Containing Aerosols in South Korea during KORUS-AQ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamb, K. D.; Perring, A. E.; Ahn, J.; Schwarz, J. P.

2016-12-01

Black carbon (BC) is a light-absorbing aerosol with strong anthropogenic sources that has important climatic and health impacts, both regionally and globally. Materials internally mixed with BC, including water, affect its optical properties and lifetime in the atmosphere, and thus are critical to determining BC's ultimate impacts. The NASA KORUS-AQ campaign during the spring/summer of 2016 was a multi-platform research campaign focused on air quality over South Korea, in a region with particularly high BC emissions and loadings. The NOAA Humidified-Dual Single Particle Soot Photometer (HD-SP2) was deployed on the NASA DC-8 aircraft to measure the optical size and refractory BC content of individual particles under dry and humidified conditions as well as the BC mass mixing ratio. We focus on evaluating BC MMR in the free troposphere up to 400 hPa in the context of previous measurements; assessing the optical impacts of observed internal mixtures with BC at different times of day; and evaluating the contribution of water uptake on BC absorption and atmospheric lifetime over Korea in ambient conditions.

Laboratory Evaluation of Selected Ways for Determining Black Carbon Source Emissions

EPA Science Inventory

A number of studies have been conducted which compare various methods for the determination of black carbon in the atmosphere. Relatively little attention has been paid, however, to similar measurements of black carbon from different types of emission sources. Of particular int...

Bounding the Role of Black Carbon in the Climate System: a Scientific Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bond, T. C.; Doherty, S. J.; Fahey, D. W.; Forster, P. M.; Bernsten, T.; DeAngelo, B. J.; Flanner, M. G.; Ghan, S.; Karcher, B.; Koch, D.;

Enviro-HIRLAM Applicability for Black Carbon Studies in Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nuterman, Roman; Mahura, Alexander; Baklanov, Alexander; Kurganskiy, Alexander; Amstrup, Bjarne; Kaas, Eigil

2015-04-01

One of the main aims of the Nordic CarboNord project ("Impact of black carbon on air quality and climate in Northern Europe and Arctic") is focused on providing new information on distribution and effects of black carbon in Northern Europe and Arctic. It can be done through assessing robustness of model predictions of long-range black carbon distribution and its relation to climate change and forcing. In our study, the online integrated meteorology-chemistry/aerosols model - Enviro-HIRLAM (Environment - HIgh Resolution Limited Area Model) - is used. This study, at first, is focused on adaptation (model setup, domain for the Northern Hemisphere and Arctic region, emissions, boundary conditions, refining aerosols microphysics and chemistry, cloud-aerosol interaction processes) of Enviro-HIRLAM model and selection of most unfavorable weather and air pollution episodes for the Arctic region. Simulations of interactions between black carbon and meteorological processes in northern conditions for selected episodes will be performed (at DMI's supercomputer HPC CRAY-XT5), and then long-term simulations at regional scale for selected winter vs. summer months. Modelling results will be compared on a diurnal cycle and monthly basis against observations for key meteorological parameters (such as air temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, and precipitation) as well as aerosol concentration. Finally, evaluation of black carbon atmospheric transport, dispersion, and deposition patterns at different spatio-temporal scales; physical-chemical processes and transformations of black carbon containing aerosols; and interactions and effects between black carbon and meteorological processes in Arctic weather conditions will be done.

Impacts of black carbon and co-pollutant emissions from transportation sector in Mexico City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavala, Miguel; Almanza, Victor; Garcia, Agustin; Jazcilevich, Aron; Lei, Wenfang; Molina, Luisa

2016-04-01

Black carbon is one of the most important short-lived climate-forcing agents, which is harmful to human health and also contributes significantly to climate change. Transportation is one of the largest sources of black carbon emissions in many megacities and urban complexes, with diesel vehicles leading the way. Both on-road and off-road vehicles can emit substantial amounts of harmful BC-containing particulate matter (PM) and are also responsible for large emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and many other co-emitted volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Regionally, black carbon emissions contributions from mobile sources may vary widely depending on the technical characteristics of the vehicle fleet, the quality and chemical properties of the fuels consumed, and the degree of local development and economic activities that foster wider and more frequent or intensive use of vehicles. This presentation will review and assess the emissions of black carbon from the on-road and off-road transportation sector in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area. Viable mitigation strategies, including innovative technological alternatives to reduce black carbon and co-pollutants in diesel vehicles and their impacts on climate, human health and ecosystems will be described.

Carbon black dispersion pre-plating technology for printed wire board manufacturing. Final technology evaluation report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Folsom, D.W.; Gavaskar, A.R.; Jones, J.A.

1993-10-01

The project compared chemical use, waste generation, cost, and product quality between electroless copper and carbon-black-based preplating technologies at the printed wire board (PWB) manufacturing facility of McCurdy Circuits in Orange, CA. The carbon-black based preplating technology evaluated is used as an alternative process for electroless copper (EC) plating of through-holes before electrolytic copper plating. The specific process used at McCurdy is the BlackHole (BH) technology process, which uses a dispersion of carbon black in an aqueous solution to provide a conductive surface for subsequent electrolytic copper plating. The carbon-black dispersion technology provided effective waste reduction and long-term cost savings.more » The economic analysis determined that the new process was cost efficient because chemical use was reduced and the process proved more efficient; the payback period was less than 4 yrs.« less

Evaluation of various carbon blacks and dispersing agents for use in the preparation of uranium microspheres with carbon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hunt, Rodney Dale; Johnson, Jared A.; Collins, Jack Lee

A comparison study on carbon blacks and dispersing agents was performed to determine their impacts on the final properties of uranium fuel kernels with carbon. The main target compositions in this internal gelation study were 10 and 20 mol % uranium dicarbide (UC 2), which is UC 1.86, with the balance uranium dioxide. After heat treatment at 1900 K in flowing carbon monoxide in argon for 12 h, the density of the kernels produced using a X-energy proprietary carbon suspension, which is commercially available, ranged from 96% to 100% of theoretical density (TD), with full conversion of UC to UCmore » 2 at both carbon concentrations. However, higher carbon concentrations such as a 2.5 mol ratio of carbon to uranium in the feed solutions failed to produce gel spheres with the proprietary carbon suspension. The kernels using our former baseline of Mogul L carbon black and Tamol SN were 90–92% of TD with full conversion of UC to UC 2 at a variety of carbon levels. Raven 5000 carbon black and Tamol SN were used to produce 10 mol % UC2 kernels with 95% of TD. However, an increase in the Raven 5000 concentration led to a kernel density below 90% of TD. Raven 3500 carbon black and Tamol SN were used to make very dense kernels without complete conversion to UC 2. Lastly, the selection of the carbon black and dispersing agent is highly dependent on the desired final properties of the target kernels.« less

Evaluation of various carbon blacks and dispersing agents for use in the preparation of uranium microspheres with carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, R. D.; Johnson, J. A.; Collins, J. L.; McMurray, J. W.; Reif, T. J.; Brown, D. R.

2018-01-01

A comparison study on carbon blacks and dispersing agents was performed to determine their impacts on the final properties of uranium fuel kernels with carbon. The main target compositions in this internal gelation study were 10 and 20 mol % uranium dicarbide (UC2), which is UC1.86, with the balance uranium dioxide. After heat treatment at 1900 K in flowing carbon monoxide in argon for 12 h, the density of the kernels produced using a X-energy proprietary carbon suspension, which is commercially available, ranged from 96% to 100% of theoretical density (TD), with full conversion of UC to UC2 at both carbon concentrations. However, higher carbon concentrations such as a 2.5 mol ratio of carbon to uranium in the feed solutions failed to produce gel spheres with the proprietary carbon suspension. The kernels using our former baseline of Mogul L carbon black and Tamol SN were 90-92% of TD with full conversion of UC to UC2 at a variety of carbon levels. Raven 5000 carbon black and Tamol SN were used to produce 10 mol % UC2 kernels with 95% of TD. However, an increase in the Raven 5000 concentration led to a kernel density below 90% of TD. Raven 3500 carbon black and Tamol SN were used to make very dense kernels without complete conversion to UC2. The selection of the carbon black and dispersing agent is highly dependent on the desired final properties of the target kernels.

Evaluation of various carbon blacks and dispersing agents for use in the preparation of uranium microspheres with carbon

DOE PAGES

Hunt, Rodney Dale; Johnson, Jared A.; Collins, Jack Lee; ...

2017-10-12

A comparison study on carbon blacks and dispersing agents was performed to determine their impacts on the final properties of uranium fuel kernels with carbon. The main target compositions in this internal gelation study were 10 and 20 mol % uranium dicarbide (UC 2), which is UC 1.86, with the balance uranium dioxide. After heat treatment at 1900 K in flowing carbon monoxide in argon for 12 h, the density of the kernels produced using a X-energy proprietary carbon suspension, which is commercially available, ranged from 96% to 100% of theoretical density (TD), with full conversion of UC to UCmore » 2 at both carbon concentrations. However, higher carbon concentrations such as a 2.5 mol ratio of carbon to uranium in the feed solutions failed to produce gel spheres with the proprietary carbon suspension. The kernels using our former baseline of Mogul L carbon black and Tamol SN were 90–92% of TD with full conversion of UC to UC 2 at a variety of carbon levels. Raven 5000 carbon black and Tamol SN were used to produce 10 mol % UC2 kernels with 95% of TD. However, an increase in the Raven 5000 concentration led to a kernel density below 90% of TD. Raven 3500 carbon black and Tamol SN were used to make very dense kernels without complete conversion to UC 2. Lastly, the selection of the carbon black and dispersing agent is highly dependent on the desired final properties of the target kernels.« less

Retrieval of Black Carbon Absorption from Proposed Satellite Measurements Over the Ocean Glint

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Y. J.; Matins, J. V.; Remer, L. A.; Schoeberl, M. R.; Yamasoe, M. A.; Lau, William K. M. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Haze and air pollution includes many chemicals that together form small particles suspended in the air called aerosols. One of the main ingredients found to affect climate and human health is Black Carbon. Black particles emitted from engines that do not burn the fuel completely, e.g. old trucks. Black carbon absorption of sunlight emerges as one of the key components of man-made forcing of climate. However, global characterization of black carbon emissions, distribution and pathways in which it can affect the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the atmosphere is very uncertain. A new method is proposed to measure sunlight absorption by fine aerosol particles containing black carbon over the ocean glint from a satellite mission designed for this purpose. The satellite will scan the same spot over the ocean in the glint plane and a plane 40 degrees off-glint a minute apart, collecting measurements of the reflected light across the solar spectrum. First the dark ocean off the glint is used to derive aerosol properties. Then the black carbon absorption is derived prop the attenuation of the bright glint by the aerosol layer. Such measurements if realized in a proposed future mission - COBRA are expected to produce global monthly climatology of black carbon absorption with high accuracy (110 to 15%) that can show their effect on climate.

40 CFR 721.10150 - Carbon black, (4-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10150 Carbon black, (4-methylphenyl)-modified... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Carbon black, (4-methylphenyl...

40 CFR 721.10149 - Carbon black, (3-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10149 Carbon black, (3-methylphenyl)-modified... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Carbon black, (3-methylphenyl...

Evolution of black carbon properties in soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Black carbon deposited in soil from natural or deliberate wildfires and engineered black carbon products (biochar) intentionally added to soil are known to have significant effects on soil biogeochemical processes and in many cases to influence the yield and quality of crops and to enhance the abili...

77 FR 12050 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-28

... Maximum Achievable Control Technology Standards for Carbon Black, Ethylene, Cyanide and Spandex (Renewal... Control Technology Standards for Carbon Black, Ethylene, Cyanide and Spandex (Renewal). ICR Numbers: EPA... control technology standards for carbon black, ethylene, cyanide and spandex facilities. Estimated Number...

Spectral solar attenuation due to aerosol loading over an urban area in India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latha, K. Madhavi; Badarinath, K. V. S.

2005-06-01

Anthropogenic activities in urban areas are sources for atmospheric aerosols and are increasing due to population explosion and migration. Many large cities in the developing world are presently plagued by high levels of atmospheric pollution and long-term effect of urban aerosol on climate is an important topic. In the present study, ground-based measurements of solar irradiance, aerosol loading and black carbon (BC) aerosol concentration have been analyzed during different aerosol loading conditions during 2003 over an urban environment. BC aerosols concentration has been observed to be enhanced during high aerosol optical depth day suggesting influence of local anthropogenic activities. The analysis of wind fields over the study area during the measurement period is from north with continental air mass prevailing over the region. Spectral measurements of solar irradiance exhibited variations based on aerosol loading in urban atmosphere. Relative attenuations caused by aerosols have been found to be of the order of 21% and 17% on the irradiance on visible and near infrared respectively.

Single-Particle Measurements of Midlatitude Black Carbon and Light-Scattering Aerosols from the Boundary Layer to the Lower Stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwartz, J. P.; Gao, R. S.; Fahey, D. W.; Thomson, D. S.; Watts, L. A.; Wilson, J. C.; Reeves, J. M.; Darbeheshti, M.; Baumgardner, D. G.; Kok, G. L.;

Optical characteristics of butyl rubber loaded with general purpose furnace (GPF) carbon black

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alfaramawi, K.

2018-06-01

Optical characteristics of butyl rubber/GPF carbon black (BR/GPFCB) composites with carbon black (CB) concentrations 40, 60, 80 and 100 phr (part per hundred part of rubber) were investigated. The structure of the BR/GPFCB composites was analyzed by x-ray diffraction (XRD). All samples with various CB showed diffraction peaks around 2θ = 14°, 25° and 44° which correspond to interlayer spacing of 6.23 Å, 3.62 Å and 2.10 Å respectively. The peaks were shifted toward larger 2θ angles with increasing CB concentration, indicating a decrease in layer spacing. Ultraviolet and visible (UV–vis) absorbance spectra in the range from 200 nm to 800 nm of the BR/GPFCB composites were studied. In the UV range of the spectra, an absorption edge was recorded. Direct and indirect optical band gaps for the composites were evaluated. The direct band gap values were found-as shown to be slightly greater than that of the indirect ones. The reflectance spectra in the UV optical range were demonstrated. Most of the incident UV light was absorbed inside the composites while a very small fraction was reflected and transmitted. This was attributed to the high UV absorption property of the CB filler. The refractive index of the composite was calculated from the reflectance data. The dependence of the real and imaginary parts of the complex dielectric constant on the incident light energy was characterized. The dielectric loss factor was found to decrease with increasing incident photon energy until approximately 5.5 eV (around the absorption edge) and then it increased rapidly.

Physical properties, chemical composition, and cloud forming potential of particulate emissions from a marine diesel engine at various load conditions.

PubMed

Petzold, A; Weingartner, E; Hasselbach, J; Lauer, P; Kurok, C; Fleischer, F

2010-05-15

Particulate matter (PM) emissions from one serial 4-stroke medium-speed marine diesel engine were measured for load conditions from 10% to 110% in test rig studies using heavy fuel oil (HFO). Testing the engine across its entire load range permitted the scaling of exhaust PM properties with load. Emission factors for particle number, particle mass, and chemical compounds were determined. The potential of particles to form cloud droplets (cloud condensation nuclei, CCN) was calculated from chemical composition and particle size. Number emission factors are (3.43 +/- 1.26) x 10(16) (kg fuel)(-1) at 85-110% load and (1.06 +/- 0.10) x 10(16) (kg fuel)(-1) at 10% load. CCN emission factors of 1-6 x 10(14) (kg fuel)(-1) are at the lower bound of data reported in the literature. From combined thermal and optical methods, black carbon (BC) emission factors of 40-60 mg/(kg fuel) were determined for 85-100% load and 370 mg/(kg fuel) for 10% load. The engine load dependence of the conversion efficiency for fuel sulfur into sulfate of (1.08 +/- 0.15)% at engine idle to (3.85 +/- 0.41)% at cruise may serve as input to global emission calculations for various load conditions.

Bounding the role of black carbon in the climate system: A scientific assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond, T. C.; Doherty, S. J.; Fahey, D. W.; Forster, P. M.; Berntsen, T.; DeAngelo, B. J.; Flanner, M. G.; Ghan, S.; Kärcher, B.; Koch, D.; Kinne, S.; Kondo, Y.; Quinn, P. K.; Sarofim, M. C.; Schultz, M. G.; Schulz, M.; Venkataraman, C.; Zhang, H.; Zhang, S.; Bellouin, N.; Guttikunda, S. K.; Hopke, P. K.; Jacobson, M. Z.; Kaiser, J. W.; Klimont, Z.; Lohmann, U.; Schwarz, J. P.; Shindell, D.; Storelvmo, T.; Warren, S. G.; Zender, C. S.

2013-06-01

carbon aerosol plays a unique and important role in Earth's climate system. Black carbon is a type of carbonaceous material with a unique combination of physical properties. This assessment provides an evaluation of black-carbon climate forcing that is comprehensive in its inclusion of all known and relevant processes and that is quantitative in providing best estimates and uncertainties of the main forcing terms: direct solar absorption; influence on liquid, mixed phase, and ice clouds; and deposition on snow and ice. These effects are calculated with climate models, but when possible, they are evaluated with both microphysical measurements and field observations. Predominant sources are combustion related, namely, fossil fuels for transportation, solid fuels for industrial and residential uses, and open burning of biomass. Total global emissions of black carbon using bottom-up inventory methods are 7500 Gg yr-1 in the year 2000 with an uncertainty range of 2000 to 29000. However, global atmospheric absorption attributable to black carbon is too low in many models and should be increased by a factor of almost 3. After this scaling, the best estimate for the industrial-era (1750 to 2005) direct radiative forcing of atmospheric black carbon is +0.71 W m-2 with 90% uncertainty bounds of (+0.08, +1.27) W m-2. Total direct forcing by all black carbon sources, without subtracting the preindustrial background, is estimated as +0.88 (+0.17, +1.48) W m-2. Direct radiative forcing alone does not capture important rapid adjustment mechanisms. A framework is described and used for quantifying climate forcings, including rapid adjustments. The best estimate of industrial-era climate forcing of black carbon through all forcing mechanisms, including clouds and cryosphere forcing, is +1.1 W m-2 with 90% uncertainty bounds of +0.17 to +2.1 W m-2. Thus, there is a very high probability that black carbon emissions, independent of co-emitted species, have a positive forcing and warm the climate. We estimate that black carbon, with a total climate forcing of +1.1 W m-2, is the second most important human emission in terms of its climate forcing in the present-day atmosphere; only carbon dioxide is estimated to have a greater forcing. Sources that emit black carbon also emit other short-lived species that may either cool or warm climate. Climate forcings from co-emitted species are estimated and used in the framework described herein. When the principal effects of short-lived co-emissions, including cooling agents such as sulfur dioxide, are included in net forcing, energy-related sources (fossil fuel and biofuel) have an industrial-era climate forcing of +0.22 (-0.50 to +1.08) W m-2 during the first year after emission. For a few of these sources, such as diesel engines and possibly residential biofuels, warming is strong enough that eliminating all short-lived emissions from these sources would reduce net climate forcing (i.e., produce cooling). When open burning emissions, which emit high levels of organic matter, are included in the total, the best estimate of net industrial-era climate forcing by all short-lived species from black-carbon-rich sources becomes slightly negative (-0.06 W m-2 with 90% uncertainty bounds of -1.45 to +1.29 W m-2). The uncertainties in net climate forcing from black-carbon-rich sources are substantial, largely due to lack of knowledge about cloud interactions with both black carbon and co-emitted organic carbon. In prioritizing potential black-carbon mitigation actions, non-science factors, such as technical feasibility, costs, policy design, and implementation feasibility play important roles. The major sources of black carbon are presently in different stages with regard to the feasibility for near-term mitigation. This assessment, by evaluating the large number and complexity of the associated physical and radiative processes in black-carbon climate forcing, sets a baseline from which to improve future climate forcing estimates.

Topographic controls on black carbon accumulation in Alaskan black spruce forest soils: implications for organic matter dynamics

Treesearch

E.S. Kane; W.C. Hockaday; M.R. Turetsky; C.A. Masiello; D.W. Valentine; B.P. Finney; J.A. Badlock

2010-01-01

There is still much uncertainty as to how wildfire affects the accumulation of burn residues (such as black carbon [BC]) in the soil, and the corresponding changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) composition in boreal forests. We investigated SOC and BC composition in black spruce forests on different landscape positions in Alaska, USA. Mean BC stocks in surface mineral...

CONTINUOUS BLACK CARBON MEASUREMENTS INDOORS AND OUTDOORS AT AN OCCUPIED HOUSE FOR ONE YEAR

EPA Science Inventory

Black carbon is one of the components of particulate matter, and is of importance because the only known source of aerosol black carbon in the atmosphere is the combustion of carbonaceous fuels (Hansen, 1997). Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) formed in the combustion process ar...

INDOOR-OUTDOOR RELATIONSHIPS OF PARTICLES, PAH, AND BLACK CARBON IN AN OCCUPIED TOWNHOUSE

EPA Science Inventory

Real-time instrumentation for measuring particles, PAH, and black carbon (soot) has been operated since May of 1998 in an occupied 3-story town house in Reston, VA. Indoor and outdoor concentrations have been measured every five minutes for the particles and black carbon and ev...

Webinar Presentation: Black Carbon and Other Light-absorbing Particles in Snow in Central North America and North China

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This presentation, Black Carbon and Other Light-absorbing Particles in Snow in Central North America and North China, was given at the STAR Black Carbon 2016 Webinar Series: Accounting for Impact, Emissions, and Uncertainty held on Nov. 7, 2016.

40 CFR 458.45 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... paragraph, which may be discharged from the carbon black lamp process by a new source subject to the provisions of this subpart: There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants to navigable waters. ...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp...

Causticizing for Black Liquor Gasifiers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scott Sinquefeld; James Cantrell; Xiaoyan Zeng

2009-01-07

The cost-benefit outlook of black liquor gasification (BLG) could be greatly improved if the smelt causticization step could be achieved in situ during the gasification step. Or, at a minimum, the increase in causticizing load associated with BLG could be mitigated. A number of chemistries have been proven successful during black liquor combustion. In this project, three in situ causticizing processes (titanate, manganate, and borate) were evaluated under conditions suitable for high temperature entrained flow BLG, and low temperature steam reforming of black liquor. The evaluation included both thermodynamic modeling and lab experimentation. Titanate and manganate were tested for completemore » direct causticizing (to thus eliminate the lime cycle), and borates were evaluated for partial causticizing (to mitigate the load increase associated with BLG). Criteria included high carbonate conversion, corresponding hydroxide recovery upon hydrolysis, non process element (NPE) removal, and economics. Of the six cases (three chemistries at two BLG conditions), only two were found to be industrially viable: titanates for complete causticizing during high temperature BLG, and borates for partial causticizing during high temperature BLG. These two cases were evaluated for integration into a gasification-based recovery island. The Larsen [28] BLG cost-benefit study was used as a reference case for economic forecasting (i.e. a 1500 tpd pulp mill using BLG and upgrading the lime cycle). By comparison, using the titanate direct causticizing process yielded a net present value (NPV) of $25M over the NPV of BLG with conventional lime cycle. Using the existing lime cycle plus borate autocausticizing for extra capacity yielded a NPV of $16M.« less

Comparison of carbon onions and carbon blacks as conductive additives for carbon supercapacitors in organic electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jäckel, N.; Weingarth, D.; Zeiger, M.; Aslan, M.; Grobelsek, I.; Presser, V.

2014-12-01

This study investigates carbon onions (∼400 m2 g-1) as a conductive additive for supercapacitor electrodes of activated carbon and compares their performance with carbon black with high or low internal surface area. We provide a study of the electrical conductivity and electrochemical behavior between 2.5 and 20 mass% addition of each of these three additives to activated carbon. Structural characterization shows that the density of the resulting film electrodes depends on the degree of agglomeration and the amount of additive. Addition of low surface area carbon black (∼80 m2 g-1) enhances the power handling of carbon electrodes but significantly lowers the specific capacitance even when adding small amounts of carbon black. A much lower decrease in specific capacitance is observed for carbon onions and the best values are seen for carbon black with a high surface area (∼1390 m2 g-1). The overall performance benefits from the addition of any of the studied additives only at either high scan rates and/or electrolytes with high ion mobility. Normalization to the volume shows a severe decrease in volumetric capacitance and only at high current densities nearing 10 A g-1 we can see an improvement of the electrode capacitance.

A global modeling study on carbonaceous aerosol microphysical characteristics and radiative forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, S. E.; Menon, S.; Koch, D.; Bond, T. C.; Tsigaridis, K.

2010-02-01

Recently, attention has been drawn towards black carbon aerosols as a short-term climate warming mitigation candidate. However the global and regional impacts of the direct, cloud-indirect and semi-direct forcing effects are highly uncertain, due to the complex nature of aerosol evolution and the way that mixed, aged aerosols interact with clouds and radiation. A detailed aerosol microphysical scheme, MATRIX, embedded within the GISS climate model is used in this study to present a quantitative assessment of the impact of microphysical processes involving black carbon, such as emission size distributions and optical properties on aerosol cloud activation and radiative forcing. Our best estimate for net direct and indirect aerosol radiative forcing between 1750 and 2000 is -0.56 W/m2. However, the direct and indirect aerosol effects are quite sensitive to the black and organic carbon size distribution and consequential mixing state. The net radiative forcing can vary between -0.32 to -0.75 W/m2 depending on these carbonaceous particle properties at emission. Assuming that sulfates, nitrates and secondary organics form a coating around a black carbon core, rather than forming a uniformly mixed particle, changes the overall net aerosol radiative forcing from negative to positive. Taking into account internally mixed black carbon particles let us simulate correct aerosol absorption. Black carbon absorption is amplified by sulfate and nitrate coatings, but even more strongly by organic coatings. Black carbon mitigation scenarios generally showed reduced radiative forcing when sources with a large proportion of black carbon, such as diesel, are reduced; however reducing sources with a larger organic carbon component as well, such as bio-fuels, does not necessarily lead to climate benefits.

Quantifying the potential for low-level transport of black carbon emissions from cropland burning in Russia to the snow-covered Arctic.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Joanne V.; Loboda, Tatiana V.

2017-12-01

Short-lived aerosols and pollutants transported from northern mid-latitudes have amplified the short term warming in the Arctic region. Among those black carbon is recognized as the second most important human emission in regards to climate forcing, behind carbon dioxide, with a total climate forcing of +1.1Wm-2. Studies have suggested that cropland burning may be a large contributor to the black carbon emissions which are directly deposited on the snow in the Arctic. However, commonly applied atmospheric transport models rely on estimates of black carbon emissions from cropland burning which are known to be highly inaccurate in both the amount and the timing of release. Instead, this study quantifies the potential for the deposition of hypothetical black carbon emissions from known cropland burning in Russia, identified by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) active fire detections, through low-level transport to the snow in the Arctic using wind vectors from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts’ ERA-Interim Reanalysis product. Our results confirm that Russian cropland burning is a potentially significant source of black carbon deposition on the Arctic snow in the spring despite the low injection heights associated with cropland burning. Approximately 10% of the observed spring (March - May) cropland active fires (7% annual) likely contribute to black carbon deposition on the Arctic snow from as far south as at least 40°N. Furthermore, our results show that potential spring black carbon emissions from cropland burning in Russia can be deposited beyond 80°N, however, the majority ( 90% - depending on injection height) of all potential spring deposition occurs below 75°N.

Trade and the Future of China's Black Carbon Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persad, G.; Oppenheimer, M.; Naik, V.

2016-12-01

Emissions of black carbon aerosols in China have increased by over 200% during the last 50 years, with negative implications both for human health and for regional and global climate. The Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) emissions scenarios all assume that China's future black carbon emissions will decrease. However, this decline partially depends on the assumption that the evolution of future pollutant emissions in developing nations will match the observed historical relationship between air quality and income in developed nations. Recent research has demonstrated that a substantial portion of China's current black carbon emissions are driven by the production of goods exported for consumption elsewhere. This constitutes an external demand for black carbon-emitting activity in China that is much smaller in the developed nations on which the historical air quality/income relationship is based. We here show using integrated assessment model output, general circulation modeling, and emissions and economic data that (1) China must achieve a faster technological and regulatory evolution than did developed countries in order achieve the same air quality/income trajectory; (2) China's uniquely large share of export-related black carbon-emitting activities and their potential growth are a plausible explanation for this disparity; and (3) the climate and health implications of these export-related black carbon emissions, if unmitigated, are of interest from a policy perspective. Together these results indicate that the production of goods for export will steepen the mitigation curve for China relative to developed nations, if China is to achieve the future black carbon emissions reductions assumed in the RCPs.

Inkjet printing of carbon black electrodes for dielectric elastomer actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlatter, Samuel; Rosset, Samuel; Shea, Herbert

2017-04-01

Inkjet printing is an appealing technique to print electrodes for Dielectric Elastomer Actuators (DEAs). Here we present the preparation and ink-jet printing of a carbon black electrode mixture and characterise its properties. Carbon black has been used extensively in the past because it is very compliant; however, it has a high resistance and can be very dirty to work with. In this paper we show that carbon black remains an appropriate electrode material, and when inkjet printed can be used to fabricate devices meeting today's demanding requirements. DEAs are becoming thinner to decrease actuation voltages and are shrinking in size to match the scale of the devices in the biomedical field, tuneable optics, and microfluidics. Inkjet printing addresses both of these problems. Firstly, Inkjet printing is a non-contact technique and can print on very thin freestanding membranes. Secondly, the high precision of inkjet printers makes it possible to print complex electrode geometries in the millimetre scale. We demonstrate the advantages of inkjet printing and carbon black electrodes by conducting a full characterisation of the printed electrodes. The printed carbon black electrodes have resistances as low as 13kΩ/□, an elastic modulus of approximately 1MPa, and a cyclic resistance swing which increases by 7% over 1500 cycles at 50% stretch. We also demonstrate a DEA with printed carbon black electrodes with a diametral stretch of 8.8% at an electric field of approximately 94V/μm. Finally a qualitative test is conducted to show that the printed carbon black electrode is extremely hardwearing.

A Community Network of 100 Black Carbon Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preble, C.; Kirchstetter, T.; Caubel, J.; Cados, T.; Keeling, C.; Chang, S.

2017-12-01

We developed a low-cost black carbon sensor, field tested its performance, and then built and deployed a network of 100 sensors in West Oakland, California. We operated the network for 100 days beginning mid-May 2017 to measure spatially resolved black carbon concentrations throughout the community. West Oakland is a San Francisco Bay Area mixed residential and industrial community that is adjacent to regional port and rail yard facilities and surrounded by major freeways. As such, the community is affected by diesel particulate matter emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks, locomotives, and ships associated with freight movement. In partnership with Environmental Defense Fund, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, we deployed the black carbon monitoring network outside of residences and business, along truck routes and arterial streets, and at upwind locations. The sensor employs the filter-based light transmission method to measure black carbon and has good precision and correspondence with current commercial black carbon instruments. Throughout the 100-day period, each of the 100 sensors transmitted data via a cellular network. A MySQL database was built to receive and manage the data in real-time. The database included diagnostic features to monitor each sensor's operational status and facilitate the maintenance of the network. Spatial and temporal patterns in black carbon concentrations will be presented, including patterns around industrial facilities, freeways, and truck routes, as well as the relationship between neighborhood concentrations and the BAAQMD's monitoring site. Lessons learned during this first of its kind black carbon monitoring network will also be shared.

An improved method for quantitatively measuring the sequences of total organic carbon and black carbon in marine sediment cores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xiaoming; Zhu, Qing; Zhou, Qianzhi; Liu, Jinzhong; Yuan, Jianping; Wang, Jianghai

2018-01-01

Understanding global carbon cycle is critical to uncover the mechanisms of global warming and remediate its adverse effects on human activities. Organic carbon in marine sediments is an indispensable part of the global carbon reservoir in global carbon cycling. Evaluating such a reservoir calls for quantitative studies of marine carbon burial, which closely depend on quantifying total organic carbon and black carbon in marine sediment cores and subsequently on obtaining their high-resolution temporal sequences. However, the conventional methods for detecting the contents of total organic carbon or black carbon cannot resolve the following specific difficulties, i.e., (1) a very limited amount of each subsample versus the diverse analytical items, (2) a low and fluctuating recovery rate of total organic carbon or black carbon versus the reproducibility of carbon data, and (3) a large number of subsamples versus the rapid batch measurements. In this work, (i) adopting the customized disposable ceramic crucibles with the microporecontrolled ability, (ii) developing self-made or customized facilities for the procedures of acidification and chemothermal oxidization, and (iii) optimizing procedures and carbon-sulfur analyzer, we have built a novel Wang-Xu-Yuan method (the WXY method) for measuring the contents of total organic carbon or black carbon in marine sediment cores, which includes the procedures of pretreatment, weighing, acidification, chemothermal oxidation and quantification; and can fully meet the requirements of establishing their highresolution temporal sequences, whatever in the recovery, experimental efficiency, accuracy and reliability of the measurements, and homogeneity of samples. In particular, the usage of disposable ceramic crucibles leads to evidently simplify the experimental scenario, which further results in the very high recovery rates for total organic carbon and black carbon. This new technique may provide a significant support for revealing the mechanism of carbon burial and evaluating the capacity of marine carbon accumulation and sequestration.

Electrical percolation threshold of cementitious composites possessing self-sensing functionality incorporating different carbon-based materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Dahawi, Ali; Haroon Sarwary, Mohammad; Öztürk, Oğuzhan; Yıldırım, Gürkan; Akın, Arife; Şahmaran, Mustafa; Lachemi, Mohamed

2016-10-01

An experimental study was carried out to understand the electrical percolation thresholds of different carbon-based nano- and micro-scale materials in cementitious composites. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and carbon black (CB) were selected as the nano-scale materials, while 6 and 12 mm long carbon fibers (CF6 and CF12) were used as the micro-scale carbon-based materials. After determining the percolation thresholds of different electrical conductive materials, mechanical properties and piezoresistive properties of specimens produced with the abovementioned conductive materials at percolation threshold were investigated under uniaxial compressive loading. Results demonstrate that regardless of initial curing age, the percolation thresholds of CNT, GNP, CB and CFs in ECC mortar specimens were around 0.55%, 2.00%, 2.00% and 1.00%, respectively. Including different carbon-based conductive materials did not harm compressive strength results; on the contrary, it improved overall values. All cementitious composites produced with carbon-based materials, with the exception of the control mixtures, exhibited piezoresistive behavior under compression, which is crucial for sensing capability. It is believed that incorporating the sensing attribute into cementitious composites will enhance benefits for sustainable civil infrastructures.

Coal as a Substitute for Carbon Black

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kushida, R. O.

1982-01-01

New proposal shows sprayed coal powder formed by extrusion of coal heated to plastic state may be inexpensive substitute for carbon black. Carbon black is used extensively in rubber industry as reinforcing agent in such articles as tires and hoses. It is made from natural gas and petroleum, both of which are in short supply.

Hydrogeologic framework of fractured sedimentary rock, Newark Basin, New Jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lacombe, Pierre J.; Burton, William C.

2010-01-01

The hydrogeologic framework of fractured sedimentary bedrock at the former Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), Trenton, New Jersey, a trichloroethylene (TCE)-contaminated site in the Newark Basin, is developed using an understanding of the geologic history of the strata, gamma-ray logs, and rock cores. NAWC is the newest field research site established as part of the U.S. Geological Survey Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, and DoD Environmental Security Technology Certification Program to investigate contaminant remediation in fractured rock. Sedimentary bedrock at the NAWC research site comprises the Skunk Hollow, Byram, and Ewing Creek Members of the Lockatong Formation and Raven Rock Member of the Stockton Formation. Muds of the Lockatong Formation that were deposited in Van Houten cycles during the Triassic have lithified to form the bedrock that is typical of much of the Newark Basin. Four lithotypes formed from the sediments include black, carbon-rich laminated mudstone, dark-gray laminated mudstone, light-gray massive mudstone, and red massive mudstone. Diagenesis, tectonic compression, off-loading, and weathering have altered the rocks to give some strata greater hydraulic conductivity than other strata. Each stratum in the Lockatong Formation is 0.3 to 8 m thick, strikes N65 degrees E, and dips 25 degrees to 70 degrees NW. The black, carbon-rich laminated mudstone tends to fracture easily, has a relatively high hydraulic conductivity and is associated with high natural gamma-ray count rates. The dark-gray laminated mudstone is less fractured and has a lower hydraulic conductivity than the black carbon-rich laminated mudstone. The light-gray and the red massive mudstones are highly indurated and tend to have the least fractures and a low hydraulic conductivity. The differences in gamma-ray count rates for different mudstones allow gamma-ray logs to be used to correlate and delineate the lithostratigraphy from multiple wells. Gamma-ray logs and rock cores were correlated to develop a 13-layer gamma-ray stratigraphy and 41-layer lithostratigraphy throughout the fractured sedimentary rock research site. Detailed hydrogeologic framework shows that black carbon-rich laminated mudstones are the most hydraulically conductive. Water-quality and aquifer-test data indicate that groundwater flow is greatest and TCE contamination is highest in the black, carbon- and clay-rich laminated mudstones. Large-scale groundwater flow at the NAWC research site can be modeled as highly anisotropic with the highest component of permeability occurring along bedding planes.

Below the Disappearing Marshes of an Urban Estuary ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Marshes in the urban Jamaica Bay Estuary, New York, USA are disappearing at an average rate of 13 ha/yr, and multiple stressors (e.g., wastewater inputs, dredging activities, groundwater removal, and global warming) may be contributing to marsh losses. Among these stressors, wastewater nutrients are suspected to be an important contributing cause of marsh deterioration. We used census data, radiometric dating, stable nitrogen isotopes, and soil surveys to examine the temporal relationships between human population growth and soil nitrogen; and we evaluated soil structure with computer-aided tomography, surface elevation and sediment accretion trends, carbon dioxide emissions, and soil shear strength to examine differences among disappearing (Black Bank and Big Egg) and stable marshes (JoCo). Radiometric dating and nitrogen isotope analyses suggested a rapid increase in human wastewater nutrients beginning in the late 1840s, and a tapering off beginning in the 1930s when wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) were first installed. Current WWTPs nutrient loads to Jamaica Bay are approximately 13 995 kg N/d and 2767 kg P/d. At Black Bank, the biomass and abundance of roots and rhizomes and percentage of organic matter on soil were significantly lower, rhizomes larger in diameter, carbon dioxide emission rates and peat particle density significantly greater, and soil strength significantly lower compared to the stable JoCo Marsh, suggesting Black Bank has elevated d

Microwavable thermal energy storage material

DOEpatents

Salyer, I.O.

1998-09-08

A microwavable thermal energy storage material is provided which includes a mixture of a phase change material and silica, and a carbon black additive in the form of a conformable dry powder of phase change material/silica/carbon black, or solid pellets, films, fibers, moldings or strands of phase change material/high density polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate/silica/carbon black which allows the phase change material to be rapidly heated in a microwave oven. The carbon black additive, which is preferably an electrically conductive carbon black, may be added in low concentrations of from 0.5 to 15% by weight, and may be used to tailor the heating times of the phase change material as desired. The microwavable thermal energy storage material can be used in food serving applications such as tableware items or pizza warmers, and in medical wraps and garments. 3 figs.

Microwavable thermal energy storage material

DOEpatents

Salyer, Ival O.

1998-09-08

A microwavable thermal energy storage material is provided which includes a mixture of a phase change material and silica, and a carbon black additive in the form of a conformable dry powder of phase change material/silica/carbon black, or solid pellets, films, fibers, moldings or strands of phase change material/high density polyethylene/ethylene-vinyl acetate/silica/carbon black which allows the phase change material to be rapidly heated in a microwave oven. The carbon black additive, which is preferably an electrically conductive carbon black, may be added in low concentrations of from 0.5 to 15% by weight, and may be used to tailor the heating times of the phase change material as desired. The microwavable thermal energy storage material can be used in food serving applications such as tableware items or pizza warmers, and in medical wraps and garments.

A Global Modeling Study on Carbonaceous Aerosol Microphysical Characteristics and Radiative Effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, S. E.; Menon, S.; Koch, D.; Bond, T. C.; Tsigaridis, K.

2010-01-01

Recently, attention has been drawn towards black carbon aerosols as a short-term climate warming mitigation candidate. However the global and regional impacts of the direct, indirect and semi-direct aerosol effects are highly uncertain, due to the complex nature of aerosol evolution and the way that mixed, aged aerosols interact with clouds and radiation. A detailed aerosol microphysical scheme, MATRIX, embedded within the GISS climate model is used in this study to present a quantitative assessment of the impact of microphysical processes involving black carbon, such as emission size distributions and optical properties on aerosol cloud activation and radiative effects. Our best estimate for net direct and indirect aerosol radiative flux change between 1750 and 2000 is -0.56 W/m2. However, the direct and indirect aerosol effects are quite sensitive to the black and organic carbon size distribution and consequential mixing state. The net radiative flux change can vary between -0.32 to -0.75 W/m2 depending on these carbonaceous particle properties at emission. Taking into account internally mixed black carbon particles let us simulate correct aerosol absorption. Absorption of black carbon aerosols is amplified by sulfate and nitrate coatings and, even more strongly, by organic coatings. Black carbon mitigation scenarios generally showed reduced radiative fluxeswhen sources with a large proportion of black carbon, such as diesel, are reduced; however reducing sources with a larger organic carbon component as well, such as bio-fuels, does not necessarily lead to a reduction in positive radiative flux.

A global modeling study on carbonaceous aerosol microphysical characteristics and radiative effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, S. E.; Menon, S.; Koch, D.; Bond, T. C.; Tsigaridis, K.

2010-08-01

Recently, attention has been drawn towards black carbon aerosols as a short-term climate warming mitigation candidate. However the global and regional impacts of the direct, indirect and semi-direct aerosol effects are highly uncertain, due to the complex nature of aerosol evolution and the way that mixed, aged aerosols interact with clouds and radiation. A detailed aerosol microphysical scheme, MATRIX, embedded within the GISS climate model is used in this study to present a quantitative assessment of the impact of microphysical processes involving black carbon, such as emission size distributions and optical properties on aerosol cloud activation and radiative effects. Our best estimate for net direct and indirect aerosol radiative flux change between 1750 and 2000 is -0.56 W/m2. However, the direct and indirect aerosol effects are quite sensitive to the black and organic carbon size distribution and consequential mixing state. The net radiative flux change can vary between -0.32 to -0.75 W/m2 depending on these carbonaceous particle properties at emission. Taking into account internally mixed black carbon particles let us simulate correct aerosol absorption. Absorption of black carbon aerosols is amplified by sulfate and nitrate coatings and, even more strongly, by organic coatings. Black carbon mitigation scenarios generally showed reduced radiative fluxeswhen sources with a large proportion of black carbon, such as diesel, are reduced; however reducing sources with a larger organic carbon component as well, such as bio-fuels, does not necessarily lead to a reduction in positive radiative flux.

Utilizing Colored Dissolved Organic Matter to Derive Dissolved Black Carbon Export by Arctic Rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stubbins, Aron; Spencer, Robert; Mann, Paul; Holmes, R.; McClelland, James; Niggemann, Jutta; Dittmar, Thorsten

2015-10-01

Wildfires have produced black carbon (BC) since land plants emerged. Condensed aromatic compounds, a form of BC, have accumulated to become a major component of the soil carbon pool. Condensed aromatics leach from soils into rivers, where they are termed dissolved black carbon (DBC). The transport of DBC by rivers to the sea is a major term in the global carbon and BC cycles. To estimate Arctic river DBC export, 25 samples collected from the six largest Arctic rivers (Kolyma, Lena, Mackenzie, Ob’, Yenisey and Yukon) were analyzed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and DBC. A simple, linear regression between DOC and DBC indicated that DBC accounted for 8.9 ± 0.3% DOC exported by Arctic rivers. To improve upon this estimate, an optical proxy for DBC was developed based upon the linear correlation between DBC concentrations and CDOM light absorption coefficients at 254 nm (a254). Relatively easy to measure a254 values were determined for 410 Arctic river samples between 2004 and 2010. Each of these a254 values was converted to a DBC concentration based upon the linear correlation, providing an extended record of DBC concentration. The extended DBC record was coupled with daily discharge data from the six rivers to estimate riverine DBC loads using the LOADEST modeling program. The six rivers studied cover 53% of the pan-Arctic watershed and exported 1.5 ± 0.1 million tons of DBC per year. Scaling up to the full area of the pan-Arctic watershed, we estimate that Arctic rivers carry 2.8 ± 0.3 million tons of DBC from land to the Arctic Ocean each year. This equates to ~8% of Arctic river DOC export, slightly less than indicated by the simpler DBC vs DOC correlation-based estimate. Riverine discharge is predicted to increase in a warmer Arctic. DBC export was positively correlated with river runoff, suggesting that the export of soil BC to the Arctic Ocean is likely to increase as the Arctic warms.

Low-Wind and Other Microclimatic Factors in Near-road Black Carbon Variability: A Case Study and Assessment Implications

EPA Science Inventory

Airborne black carbon from urban traffic is a climate forcing agent and has been associated with health risk to near-road populations. In this paper, we describe a case study of black carbon concentration and compositional variability at and near a traffic-laden multi-lane highw...

75 FR 48328 - Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Request for Nominations of Experts to Augment the Advisory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-10

... Compliance Analysis (Council) to review EPA's draft report to Congress on the climate effects of black carbon... with other Federal agencies, to prepare a comprehensive report to Congress on the climate effects of black carbon. Black carbon, or soot, results from incomplete combustion of organic matter such as fossil...

Effect of the secondary organic aerosol coatings on black carbon water uptake, cloud condensation nuclei activity, and particle collapse

EPA Science Inventory

The ability of black carbon aerosols to absorb water and act as a cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) directly controls their lifetime in the atmosphere as well as their impact on cloud formation, thus impacting the earth’s climate. Black carbon emitted from most combustion pro...

Invited article summarizing the Science To Achieve Results research portfolio on Black Carbon for the journal EM of the Air and Waste Management Association.

EPA Science Inventory

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire – and black carbon. Black carbon is the sooty material emitted from combustion processes, including diesel engines and other sources that burn fossil fuels, biofuels, or biomass. This soot contributes to fine particulate matter,...

Characterizing the long-range transport of black carbon aerosols during Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) experiment.

PubMed

Verma, Sunita; Worden, John; Payra, Swagata; Jourdain, Line; Shim, Changsub

2009-07-01

A major aircraft experiment Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) mission over the NW Pacific in March-April 2001 was conducted to better understand how outflow from the Asian continent affects the composition of the global atmosphere. In this paper, a global climate model, GEOS-Chem is used to investigate possible black carbon aerosol contributions from TRACE-P region. Our result depicts that absorbing black carbon ("soot") significantly outflow during lifting to the free troposphere through warm conveyor belt and convection associated with this lifting. The GEOS-Chem simulation results show significant transport of black carbon aerosols from Asian regions to the Western Pacific region during the spring season. As estimated by GEOS-Chem simulations, approximately 25% of the black carbon concentrations over the western pacific originate from SE Asia in the spring.

Bacterial carbon utilization in vertical subsurface flow constructed wetlands.

PubMed

Tietz, Alexandra; Langergraber, Günter; Watzinger, Andrea; Haberl, Raimund; Kirschner, Alexander K T

2008-03-01

Subsurface vertical flow constructed wetlands with intermittent loading are considered as state of the art and can comply with stringent effluent requirements. It is usually assumed that microbial activity in the filter body of constructed wetlands, responsible for the removal of carbon and nitrogen, relies mainly on bacterially mediated transformations. However, little quantitative information is available on the distribution of bacterial biomass and production in the "black-box" constructed wetland. The spatial distribution of bacterial carbon utilization, based on bacterial (14)C-leucine incorporation measurements, was investigated for the filter body of planted and unplanted indoor pilot-scale constructed wetlands, as well as for a planted outdoor constructed wetland. A simple mass-balance approach was applied to explain the bacterially catalysed organic matter degradation in this system by comparing estimated bacterial carbon utilization rates with simultaneously measured carbon reduction values. The pilot-scale constructed wetlands proved to be a suitable model system for investigating microbial carbon utilization in constructed wetlands. Under an ideal operating mode, the bulk of bacterial productivity occurred within the first 10cm of the filter body. Plants seemed to have no significant influence on productivity and biomass of bacteria, as well as on wastewater total organic carbon removal.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the bovine MHC region of Japanese Black cattle are associated with bovine leukemia virus proviral load.

PubMed

Takeshima, Shin-Nosuke; Sasaki, Shinji; Meripet, Polat; Sugimoto, Yoshikazu; Aida, Yoko

2017-04-04

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is the causative agent of enzootic bovine leukosis, a malignant B cell lymphoma that has spread worldwide and causes serious problems for the cattle industry. The BLV proviral load, which represents the BLV genome integrated into host genome, is a useful index for estimating disease progression and transmission risk. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with BLV proviral load in Japanese Black cattle. The study examined 93 cattle with a high proviral load and 266 with a low proviral load. Three SNPs showed a significant association with proviral load. One SNP was detected in the CNTN3 gene on chromosome 22, and two (which were not in linkage disequilibrium) were detected in the bovine major histocompatibility complex region on chromosome 23. These results suggest that polymorphisms in the major histocompatibility complex region affect proviral load. This is the first report to detect SNPs associated with BLV proviral load in Japanese Black cattle using whole genome association study, and understanding host factors may provide important clues for controlling the spread of BLV in Japanese Black cattle.

Associations between Prenatal Exposure to Black Carbon and Memory Domains in Urban Children: Modification by Sex and Prenatal Stress.

PubMed

Cowell, Whitney J; Bellinger, David C; Coull, Brent A; Gennings, Chris; Wright, Robert O; Wright, Rosalind J

2015-01-01

Whether fetal neurodevelopment is disrupted by traffic-related air pollution is uncertain. Animal studies suggest that chemical and non-chemical stressors interact to impact neurodevelopment, and that this association is further modified by sex. To examine associations between prenatal traffic-related black carbon exposure, prenatal stress, and sex with children's memory and learning. Analyses included N = 258 mother-child dyads enrolled in a Boston, Massachusetts pregnancy cohort. Black carbon exposure was estimated using a validated spatiotemporal land-use regression model. Prenatal stress was measured using the Crisis in Family Systems-Revised survey of negative life events. The Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML2) was administered at age 6 years; outcomes included the General Memory Index and its component indices [Verbal, Visual, and Attention Concentration]. Relationships between black carbon and WRAML2 index scores were examined using multivariable-adjusted linear regression including effect modification by stress and sex. Mothers were primarily minorities (60% Hispanic, 26% Black); 67% had ≤12 years of education. The main effect for black carbon was not significant for any WRAML2 index; however, in stratified analyses, among boys with high exposure to prenatal stress, Attention Concentration Index scores were on average 9.5 points lower for those with high compared to low prenatal black carbon exposure (P3-way interaction = 0.04). The associations between prenatal exposure to black carbon and stress with children's memory scores were stronger in boys than in girls. Studies assessing complex interactions may more fully characterize health risks and, in particular, identify vulnerable subgroups.

Simply scan--optical methods for elemental carbon measurement in diesel exhaust particulate.

PubMed

Forder, James A

2014-08-01

This article describes a performance assessment of three optical methods, a Magee Scientific OT21 Transmissometer, a Hach-Lange Microcolor II difference gloss meter, and a combination of an office scanner with Adobe Photoshop software. The optical methods measure filter staining as a proxy for elemental carbon in diesel exhaust particulate (DEP) exposure assessment and the suitability of each as a replacement for the existing Bosch meter optical method. Filters loaded with DEP were produced from air in a non-coal mine and the exhaust gases from a mobile crane. These were measured with each apparatus and then by combustion to obtain a reference elemental carbon value. The results from each apparatus were then plotted against both the Bosch number and reference elemental carbon values. The equations of the best fit lines for these plots were derived, and these gave functions for elemental carbon and Bosch number from the output of each new optical method. For each optical method, the range of DEP loadings which can be measured has been determined, and conversion equations for elemental carbon and Bosch number have been obtained. All three optical methods studied will effectively quantify blackness as a measure of elemental carbon. Of these the Magee Scientific OT21 transmissometer has the best performance. The Microcolor II and scanner/photoshop methods will in addition allow conversion to Bosch number which may be useful if historical Bosch data are available and functions for this are described. The scanner/photoshop method demonstrates a technique to obtain measurements of DEP exposure without the need to purchase specialized instrumentation. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

PEMFC catalyst layers: the role of micropores and mesopores on water sorption and fuel cell activity.

PubMed

Soboleva, Tatyana; Malek, Kourosh; Xie, Zhong; Navessin, Titichai; Holdcroft, Steven

2011-06-01

The effects of carbon microstructure and ionomer loading on water vapor sorption and retention in catalyst layers (CLs) of PEM fuel cells are investigated using dynamic vapor sorption. Catalyst layers based on Ketjen Black and Vulcan XC-72 carbon blacks, which possess distinctly different surface areas, pore volumes, and microporosities, are studied. It is found that pores <20 nm diameter facilitate water uptake by capillary condensation in the intermediate range of relative humidities. A broad pore size distribution (PSD) is found to enhance water retention in Ketjen Black-based CLs whereas the narrower mesoporous PSD of Vulcan CLs is shown to have an enhanced water repelling action. Water vapor sorption and retention properties of CLs are correlated to electrochemical properties and fuel cell performance. Water sorption enhances electrochemical properties such as the electrochemically active surface area (ESA), double layer capacitance and proton conductivity, particularly when the ionomer content is very low. The hydrophilic properties of a CL on the anode and the cathode are adjusted by choosing the PSD of carbon and the ionomer content. It is shown that a reduction of ionomer content on either cathode or anode of an MEA does not necessarily have a significant detrimental effect on the MEA performance compared to the standard 30 wt % ionomer MEA. Under operation in air and high relative humidity, a cathode with a narrow pore size distribution and low ionomer content is shown to be beneficial due to its low water retention properties. In dry operating conditions, adequate ionomer content on the cathode is crucial, whereas it can be reduced on the anode without a significant impact on fuel cell performance. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Latitudinal distribution of black carbon soot in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blake, David F.; Kato, Katharine

1995-01-01

Black carbon soot from the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere has been systematically collected at latitudes from 90 deg N to 45 deg S. The measured latitudinal distribution of this soot at 10 to 11 km altitude is found to covary with commercial air traffic fuel use, suggesting that aircraft fuel combustion at altitude is the principal source. In addition, at latitudes where the commercial air traffic is high, measured black carbon soot values are high even at 20 km altitude, suggesting that aircraft-generated soot injected just above the tropopause may be transported to higher altitudes. During the volcanically influenced period in which these samples were collected, the number abundances, total mass, and calculated total surface area of black carbon soot are 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than similar measures of sulfuric acid aerosol. During volcanically quiescent periods, the calculated total surface area of black carbon soot aerosol is of the same order of magnitude as that of the background sulfuric acid aerosol. It appears from this comparison that black carbon soot is only capable of influencing lower stratosphere or upper troposphere chemistry during periods when the aerosol budget is not dominated by volcanic activity. It remains to determine the extent to which black carbon soot particles act as nuclei for sulfuric acid aerosol formation. However, mass balance calculations suggest that aircraft soot injected at altitude does not represent a significant source of condensation nuclei for sulfuric acid aerosols.

Structure-to-property relationships in fuel cell catalyst supports: Correlation of surface chemistry and morphology with oxidation resistance of carbon blacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artyushkova, Kateryna; Pylypenko, Svitlana; Dowlapalli, Madhu; Atanassov, Plamen

2012-09-01

Linking durability of carbon blacks, expressed as their oxidation resistance, used in PEMFCs as catalyst supports, with their chemistry and morphology is an important task towards designing carbon blacks with desired properties. Structure-to-property relationship between surface chemistry determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), morphological structure determined by digital image processing of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, physical properties, and electrochemical corrosion behavior determined in an air-breathing gas-diffusion electrode is studied for several un-altered and several modified carbon blacks. We are showing that surface chemistry, graphitic content and certain physical characteristics such as Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and pore volume, determined by nitrogen adsorptions are not sufficient to explain high corrosion instability of types of carbon blacks. Inclusion of morphological characteristics, such as roughness, texture and shape parameters provide for more inclusive description and therefore more complete structure-to-property correlations of corrosion behavior of carbon blacks. This paper presents the first direct statistically-derived structure-to-property relationship, developed by multivariate analysis (MVA) that links chemical and physical structural properties of the carbon blacks to their critical properties as supports for PEMFC catalysts. We have found that balance between electrocatalytic activity and high resistance towards oxidation and corrosion is achieved by balance between amount of graphitic content and surface oxide coverage, smaller overall roughness and, finally, larger amount of big elongated and loose, and, hypothetically, more hydrophobic pores.

Water requirements of the carbon-black industry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conklin, Howard L.

1956-01-01

Carbon blacks include an important group of industrial carbons used chiefly as a reinforcing agent in rubber tires. In 1953 more than 1,610 million pounds of carbon black was produced, of which approximately 1,134 million pounds was consumed by the rubber industry. The carbon-black industry uses small quantities of water as compared to some industries; however, the water requirements of the industry are important because of the dependence of the rubber-tire industry on carbon black.Two methods are used in the manufacture of carbon black - contact and furnace. The only process use of water in the contact method is that used in pelleting. Water is used also in the plant washhouse and for cleaning, and sometimes the company camp may be supplied by the plant. A survey made during the last quarter of 1953 showed that the average values of unit water use at contact plants for process use, all plant uses, and all uses including company camps are 0.08, 0.14, and 0.98 gallon of water per pound of carbon black respectively.In addition to use in wet pelleting, large quantities of water are required in continuous and cyclic furnace methods to reduce the temperature of the gases of decomposition in order to separate and collect the entrained carbon black. The 22 furnace plants in operation in 1953 used a total of 12.4 million gallons per day for process use. Four furnace plants generate electric power for plant use; condenser-cooling water for one such plant may nearly equal the requirements of the entire industry for process use. The average values of unit water use at furnace plants for process use, all plant uses and all uses including company camps but excluding power generation are 3.26, 3.34, and 3.45 gallons of water per pound of carbon black respectively.Carbon-black plants in remote, sparsely settled areas often must maintain company camps for employees. Twenty-one of twenty-seven contact plants surveyed in 1953 had company camps. These camps used large quantities of water: 0.84 gallon per pound of carbon black as compared to 0.14 gallon per pound used in the plants.Furnace plants can generally be located near a labor supply and, therefore, do not require company camps. Ten of the twenty-two furnace plants surveyed in 1953 had company camps.Because water used for pelleting and gas quenching is evaporated, leaving the dissolved minerals in the product as objectionable impurities, particular attention was paid to the quality of water available for use at the plants visited during the 1953 survey. Reports of chemical analyses of water samples were obtained at 23 plants. A study of these reports does not develop a pattern of the limits of tolerance of dissolved solids in water used in process or of the need for water treatment based on geographical location of the plant. However these analyses show that water used for quenching contains less dissolved solids than water used by the industry for any other purpose.Based on trends in the industry it is expected that the quantity of water used by the carbon-black industry will increase more rapidly than will the quantity of carbon black produced because of the increasing percentage produced in furnace plants, and that selection of sites for modern furnace plants will be influenced more by quantity and quality of the available water supply than was the case in selecting sites for contact plants for which low-cost natural gas was the primary consideration.

ENHANCED TOXICITY OF CHARGED CARBON NANOTUBES AND ULTRAFINE CARBON BLACK PARTICLES

EPA Science Inventory

Man-made carbonaceous nano-particles such as single and multi-walled carbon nano-tubes (CNT) and ultra-fine carbon black (UFCB) particles are finding increasing applications in industry, but their potential toxic effects is of concern. In aqueous media, these particles cluster in...

40 CFR 721.10080 - Carbon black, 4-[(17-substituted-3,6,9,12,15-pentaazaheptadec-1-yl) substituted] phenyl-modified...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Carbon black, 4-[(17-substituted-3,6,9... CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substances § 721.10080 Carbon black, 4-[(17-substituted-3,6,9,12,15-pentaazaheptadec-1-yl) substituted...

Detection of Carbon Monoxide Using Polymer-Carbon Composite Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Homer, Margie L.; Ryan, Margaret A.; Lara, Liana M.

2011-01-01

A carbon monoxide (CO) sensor was developed that can be incorporated into an existing sensing array architecture. The CO sensor is a low-power chemiresistor that operates at room temperature, and the sensor fabrication techniques are compatible with ceramic substrates. Sensors made from four different polymers were tested: poly (4-vinylpryridine), ethylene-propylene-diene-terpolymer, polyepichlorohydrin, and polyethylene oxide (PEO). The carbon black used for the composite films was Black Pearls 2000, a furnace black made by the Cabot Corporation. Polymers and carbon black were used as received. In fact, only two of these sensors showed a good response to CO. The poly (4-vinylpryridine) sensor is noisy, but it does respond to the CO above 200 ppm. The polyepichlorohydrin sensor is less noisy and shows good response down to 100 ppm.

A 700 year sediment record of black carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons near the EMEP air monitoring station in Aspvreten, Sweden.

PubMed

Elmquist, Marie; Zencak, Zdenek; Gustafsson, Orjan

2007-10-15

In view of poor constraints on historical combustion emissions, past environmental loadings of black carbon (BC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) were reconstructed from dated lake sediment cores collected 70 km south of Stockholm, Sweden. Compared to several dramatic variations over the recent 150 years, the preindustrial loading were steady within +/-50% through the entire medieval with BC fluxes of 0.071 g m(-2) yr(-1) and PAH fluxes of 6 microg m(-2) yr(-1). In the wood-burning dominated century leading up to the industrial revolution around 1850, increasing BC fluxes were leading PAH fluxes. BC fluxes reached their millennial-scale maximum around 1920, whereas PAH fluxes increased exponentially to its record maximum around 1960, 50-fold above preindustrial values. For 1920-1950, BC fluxes consistently decreased as PAH fluxes kept increasing. Coal and coke represented >50% of the Swedish energy market in the 1930s. Combined with sharply decreasing (1,7-)/(1,7-+2,6-dimethylphenanthrene), indicative of diminishing wood combustion, and decreasing methylphenanthrenes/phenanthrene, indicative of higher-temperature combustion (coal instead of wood), the sediment archive suggests that the relative BC/PAH emission factors thus are lower for coal than for wood combustion. For the first time, both BC and PAH fluxes decreased after 1960. This trend break is a testament to the positive effects of decreasing reliance on petroleum fuels and a number of legislative actions aimed at curbing emissions and by 1990, the loading of BC was back at preindustrial levels, whereas that of PAH were the lowest since the 1910s. However, for the most recent period (1990-2004) the BC and PAH fluxes are no longer decreasing, putatively reflecting a slight increase in diesel consumption and a doubling of softwood-pellet burners for home heating.

Associations between Prenatal Exposure to Black Carbon and Memory Domains in Urban Children: Modification by Sex and Prenatal Stress

PubMed Central

Cowell, Whitney J.; Bellinger, David C.; Coull, Brent A.; Gennings, Chris; Wright, Robert O.; Wright, Rosalind J.

2015-01-01

Background Whether fetal neurodevelopment is disrupted by traffic-related air pollution is uncertain. Animal studies suggest that chemical and non-chemical stressors interact to impact neurodevelopment, and that this association is further modified by sex. Objectives To examine associations between prenatal traffic-related black carbon exposure, prenatal stress, and sex with children’s memory and learning. Methods Analyses included N = 258 mother-child dyads enrolled in a Boston, Massachusetts pregnancy cohort. Black carbon exposure was estimated using a validated spatiotemporal land-use regression model. Prenatal stress was measured using the Crisis in Family Systems-Revised survey of negative life events. The Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML2) was administered at age 6 years; outcomes included the General Memory Index and its component indices [Verbal, Visual, and Attention Concentration]. Relationships between black carbon and WRAML2 index scores were examined using multivariable-adjusted linear regression including effect modification by stress and sex. Results Mothers were primarily minorities (60% Hispanic, 26% Black); 67% had ≤12 years of education. The main effect for black carbon was not significant for any WRAML2 index; however, in stratified analyses, among boys with high exposure to prenatal stress, Attention Concentration Index scores were on average 9.5 points lower for those with high compared to low prenatal black carbon exposure (P 3-way interaction = 0.04). Conclusion The associations between prenatal exposure to black carbon and stress with children’s memory scores were stronger in boys than in girls. Studies assessing complex interactions may more fully characterize health risks and, in particular, identify vulnerable subgroups. PMID:26544967

Organic Carbon--water Concentration Quotients (IIsocS and [pi]pocS): Measuring Apparent Chemical Disequilibria and Exploring the Impact of Black Carbon in Lake Michigan

EPA Science Inventory

When black carbon (bc) and biologically derived organic carbon (bioc) phases are present in sediments or suspended particulates, both forms of carbon act additively to sorb organic chemicals but the bc phase has more sorption capacity per unit mass. . . .

Factorial Based Response Surface Modeling with Confidence Intervals for Optimizing Thermal Optical Transmission Analysis of Atmospheric Black Carbon

EPA Science Inventory

We demonstrate how thermal-optical transmission analysis (TOT) for refractory light-absorbing carbon in atmospheric particulate matter was optimized with empirical response surface modeling. TOT employs pyrolysis to distinguish the mass of black carbon (BC) from organic carbon (...

Effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes on the bioavailability of PCBs in field-contaminated sediments

EPA Science Inventory

Adsorption of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) to black carbon is a well studied phenomenon. One emerging class of engineered black carbon materials are single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). Little research has investigated the potential of SWNT to adsorb and sequester HO...

Vertical Distribution of Black and Brown Carbon over Shanghai during Winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, M.; Yan, C.; Wang, D.; Fu, Q.

2016-12-01

Carbonaceous aerosols (i.e., black carbon, BC, and organic aerosol, OA) have significant impact on Earth's energy budget by scattering and absorbing solar radiation. Extensive carbonaceous aerosols have been emitted in mainland China. It is essential to study the column burden of carbonaceous aerosol and associated light absorption to better understand its radiative forcing. In this study, a tethered balloon-based field campaign was conducted over a Chinese megacity, Shanghai, in December of 2015, with the primary goal to investigate the vertical profile of air pollutants within the lower troposphere, especially during the polluted days. A 7-wavelength Aethalometer (AE-31) were adopted in the observation to obtain vertical profiles of atmospheric carbonaceous aerosols within the lower troposphere. Light absorption by black and brown carbon, the light absorbing organic components, were distinguished and separated based on difference between light absorption at 450 nm versus 880 nm. Light absorption of brown carbon relative to black carbon were also estimated to pose the importance of brown carbon. Besides, diurnal variation of black and brown carbon vertical profiles would also be discussed, with consideration of variation of height of planetary boundary layer.

Type-segregated aerosol effects on regional monsoon activity: A study using ground-based experiments and model simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vijayakumar, K.; Devara, P. C. S.; Sonbawne, S. M.

2014-12-01

Classification of observed aerosols into key types [e.g., clean-maritime (CM), desert-dust (DD), urban-industrial/biomass-burning (UI/BB), black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC) and mixed-type aerosols (MA)] would facilitate to infer aerosol sources, effects, and feedback mechanisms, not only to improve the accuracy of satellite retrievals but also to quantify the assessment of aerosol radiative impacts on climate. In this paper, we report the results of a study conducted in this direction, employing a Cimel Sun-sky radiometer at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, India during 2008 and 2009, which represent two successive contrasting monsoon years. The study provided an observational evidence to show that the local sources are subject to heavy loading of absorbing aerosols (dust and black carbon), with strong seasonality closely linked to the monsoon annual rainfall cycle over Pune, a tropical urban station in India. The results revealed the absence of CM aerosols in the pre-monsoon as well as in the monsoon seasons of 2009 as opposed to 2008. Higher loading of dust aerosols is observed in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons of 2009; majority may be coated with fine BC aerosols from local emissions, leading to reduction in regional rainfall. Further, significant decrease in coarse-mode AOD and presence of carbonaceous aerosols, affecting the aerosol-cloud interaction and monsoon-rain processes via microphysics and dynamics, is considered responsible for the reduction in rainfall during 2009. Additionally, we discuss how optical depth, contributed by different types of aerosols, influences the distribution of monsoon rainfall over an urban region using the Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate (MACC) aerosol reanalysis. Furthermore, predictions of the Dust REgional Atmospheric Model (DREAM) simulations combined with HYSPLIT (HYbrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) cluster model are also discussed in support of the observed features.

Hygienic characteristics of carbon black used in tyre production.

PubMed

Rogaczewska, T; Ligocka, D; Nowicka, K

1989-01-01

Seven types of carbon black used in type production were subjected to hygienic evaluation. The coal tar pitch volatiles (CTPVs), toluene solubles, were determined by the gravimetric method and benzo/a/pyrene by HPLC with a spectrophotometric detector. Toluene solubles were found to amount to 0.12-0.25% (by weight). Benzo/a/pyrene (1.44-3.07 ppm) was detected in five out of the seven carbon blacks examined.

Cancer mortality in German carbon black workers 1976–98

PubMed Central

Wellmann, J; Weiland, S K; Neiteler, G; Klein, G; Straif, K

2006-01-01

Background Few studies have investigated cancer risks in carbon black workers and the findings were inconclusive. Methods The current study explores the mortality of a cohort of 1535 male German blue‐collar workers employed at a carbon black manufacturing plant for at least one year between 1960 and 1998. Vital status and causes of death were assessed for the period 1976–98. Occupational histories and information on smoking were abstracted from company records. Standardised mortality ratios (SMR) and Poisson regression models were calculated. Results The SMRs for all cause mortality (observed deaths (obs) 332, SMR 120, 95% CI 108 to 134), and mortality from lung cancer (obs 50, SMR 218, 95% CI 161 to 287) were increased using national rates as reference. Comparisons to regional rates from the federal state gave SMRs of 120 (95% CI 107 to 133) and 183 (95% CI 136 to 241), respectively. However, there was no apparent dose response relationship between lung cancer mortality and several indicators of occupational exposure, including years of employment and carbon black exposure. Conclusions The mortality from lung cancer among German carbon black workers was increased. The high lung cancer SMR can not fully be explained by selection, smoking, or other occupational risk factors, but the results also provide little evidence for an effect of carbon black exposure. PMID:16497850

Temperature Coefficients of Electrical Conductivity and Conduction Mechanisms in Butyl Rubber-Carbon Black Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alzamil, M. A.; Alfaramawi, K.; Abboudy, S.; Abulnasr, L.

2018-02-01

Electrical properties of butyl rubber filled with General Purpose Furnace (GPF) carbon black were studied. The carbon black concentration ( X) in the compound was X = 40, 60, 70, 80, and 100 parts by weight per hundred parts by weight of rubber (phr). The corresponding volume fractions of GPF carbon black were 0.447 ± 0.022, 0.548 ± 0.027, 0.586 ± 0.029, 0.618 ± 0.031 and 0.669 ± 0.034, respectively. The concentration dependence of conductivity ( σ ) at constant temperature showed that σ follows a percolation theory; σ ∝ ( {X - Xo } )^{γ } , where X o is the concentration at percolation threshold. The exponent γ was found as 6.6 (at room temperature 30°C). This value agrees with other experimental values obtained by many authors for different rubber-carbon black systems. Electron tunneling between the aggregates, which are dispersed in the insulator rubber, was mainly the conduction process proposed at constant temperature in the butyl-GPF carbon black composites. Temperature dependence of conductivity was investigated in the temperature range from 30°C up to 120°C. All samples exhibit negative temperature coefficients of conductivity (NTCC). The values obtained are - 0.130°C-1, - 0.019°C-1, - 0.0082°C-1, - 0.0094°C-1, and - 0.072°C-1 for carbon black concentrations of 40 phr, 60 phr, 70 phr, 80 phr, and 100 phr, respectively. The samples of concentrations 40 phr and 60 phr have also positive temperature coefficients of conductivity (PTCC) of values + 0.031 and + 0.013, respectively. Electrical conduction at different temperatures showed various mechanisms depending on the carbon black concentration and/or the interval of temperature. The hopping conduction mechanism was noticed at the lower temperature region while carrier thermal activation mechanisms were recorded at the higher temperature range.

Carbon sequestration, optimum forest rotation and their environmental impact

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kula, Erhun, E-mail: erhun.kula@bahcesehir.edu.tr; Gunalay, Yavuz, E-mail: yavuz.gunalay@bahcesehir.edu.tr

2012-11-15

Due to their large biomass forests assume an important role in the global carbon cycle by moderating the greenhouse effect of atmospheric pollution. The Kyoto Protocol recognises this contribution by allocating carbon credits to countries which are able to create new forest areas. Sequestrated carbon provides an environmental benefit thus must be taken into account in cost-benefit analysis of afforestation projects. Furthermore, like timber output carbon credits are now tradable assets in the carbon exchange. By using British data, this paper looks at the issue of identifying optimum felling age by considering carbon sequestration benefits simultaneously with timber yields. Themore » results of this analysis show that the inclusion of carbon benefits prolongs the optimum cutting age by requiring trees to stand longer in order to soak up more CO{sub 2}. Consequently this finding must be considered in any carbon accounting calculations. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Carbon sequestration in forestry is an environmental benefit. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It moderates the problem of global warming. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It prolongs the gestation period in harvesting. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This paper uses British data in less favoured districts for growing Sitka spruce species.« less

Laser-Based Fuel Cell Manufacturing for Thermal Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-10-12

r IMITA T O 6 1 i I1 .114 141-" n. 14 F . I #1 l i f II 0I0 1(P ,1 L P ER I II I U-ABSTRACT- ------- U inr I L nEron ; . A , wl "t . Tills rAI Ou 1 0...concentration is too low to form a connecting network of conductive sites. On the other hand, the material undergoes a sharp transition from...carbon black loading due to the development of a network of closely-seated CB particles. The predicted very high electrical resistivity for 1 and 2 Vol

Oxidation of SO2 by NO2 and air in an aqueous suspension of carbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogowski, R. S.; Schryer, D. R.; Cofer, W. R., III; Edahl, R. A., Jr.; Munavalli, S.

1982-01-01

A series of experiments has been performed using carbon black as a surrogate for soot particles. Carbon black was suspended in water and gas mixtures were bubbled into the suspensions to observe the effect of carbon particles on the oxidation of SO2 by air and NO2. Identical gas mixtures were bubbled into a black containing only pure water. After exposure each solution was analyzed for pH and sulfate. It was found that NO2 greatly enhances the oxidation of SO2 to sulfate in the presence of carbon black. The amount of sulfate in the blanks was significantly less. Under the conditions of the experiments no saturation of the reaction was observed and SO2 was converted to sulfate even in a highly acid medium (pH not less than 1.5).

Study on the PTC/NTC effect of carbon black-filled polymer composites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tang, Hao; Chen, Xinfang; Luo, Yunxia

1995-12-01

In this work, the effect of processing condition and radiation-crosslinking on the electrical and dynamic behaviors of carbon black filled low density polyethylene (LDPE) composites were investigated. Compared with the solution counterpart, the mechanical composites have a strong PTC effect and a great dynamic elastic mold, which results from the strong interaction between carbon black and LDPE. The experiment result shows that the NTC effect is caused by the decrease of elastic mold of LDPE at high temperature, and it can be declined significantly by radiation-crosslinking. We conclude that the strong interaction between polymer and carbon black is essentially importantmore » for composites to have a great PTC intensity good electrical reproducibility and high dynamic elastic sold.« less

Dynamac molecular structure of plant biomass-derived black carbon (Biochar)

EPA Science Inventory

Char black carbon (BC), the solid residue of incomplete combustion, is continuously being added to soils and sediments due to natural vegetation fires, anthropogenic pollution, and new strategies for carbon sequestration (“biochar”). Here we present a molecular-level assessment o...

Long term change in atmospheric dust absorption, dust scattering and black carbon aerosols scattering coefficient parameters over western Indian locations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satoliya, Anil Kumar; Vyas, B. M.; Shekhawat, M. S.

2018-05-01

The first time satellite space based measurement of atmospheric black carbon (BC) aerosols scattering coefficient at 550nm (BC SC at 550nm), dust aerosols scattering and dust aerosols extinction coefficient (DSC at 550nm and DEC at 550nm) parameters have been used to understand their long term trend of natural and anthropogenic aerosols behavior with its close association with ground based measured precipitation parameters such as Total Rain Fall (TRF), and Total Number of Rainy Days (TNRD) for the same period over western Indian regions concerned to the primary aerosols sources of natural activities. The basic objective of this study is an attempt to investigate the inter-correlation between dust and black carbon aerosols loading characteristics with a variation of rainfall pattern parameters as indirect aerosols induced effect i.e., aerosols-cloud interaction. The black carbon aerosols generated by diverse anthropogenic or human made activities are studied by choosing of measured atmospheric BC SC at 550nm parameter, whereas desert dust mineral aerosols primarily produced by varieties of natural activities pre-dominated of dust mineral desert aerosols mainly over Thar desert influenced area of hot climate and rural tropical site are investigated by selecting DSC at 550nm and DEC at 550nm of first semi-urban site i.e., Udaipur (UDP, 24.6°N, 73.35°E, 580m above surface level (asl)) situated in southern Rajasthan part as well as over other two Great Indian Thar desert locations i.e., Jaisalmer (JSM, 26.90°N, 69.90°E, 220m asl)) and Bikaner (BKN, 28.03°N, 73.30°E, 224m asl) located in the vicinity of the Thar desert region situated in Rajasthan state of the western Indian region. The source of the present study would be collection of longer period of monthly values of the above parameters of spanning 35 years i.e., 1980 to 2015. Such types of atmospheric aerosols-cloud monsoon interaction investigation is helpful in view of understanding their direct and indirect aerosols active role of optical absorption and scattering of solar light radiation at useful wavelength 550nm as well as heating of clouds over least explored region, i.e., the Thar desert region and also away from less dust dominated influenced provinces for longer period. The analysis of the above the result would also give a clear scientific evidence of alteration in enhancement in DSC at 550nm and DEC at 550nm and BC SC at 550nm variables with simultaneous corresponding reduction in the five yearly mean precipitation activity parameters such as TRF and TNRD. It is quite evident that anthropogenic BC aerosols activity are showing the significant increasing trend at all three locations, but it is more prominent over central Thar Desert influenced regime, i.e., JSM and BKN relative to semi-urban region i.e., UDP. The systematic increasing pattern of average monthly mean value of DSC at 550nm and DEC at 550nm or increasing aerosol loading have been revealed from acquiring their lowest value in January month and the highest values in July and retained with the broad peak values in pre-monsoon months. Subsequently, their respective values reduce sharply downward from August to December onwards. The mountain value of dust aerosols parameters, i.e., DSC at 550nm and DEC at 550nm are systematically enhanced toward from UDP to BKN and then maximized at JSM. It is clearly obvious fact that the following ascending order of desert aerosols loading influenced activity in different areas has been recorded, i.e., JSM> BKN>UDP. Several other interesting features of the earth-climate change implication in reference to the altering nature of reduction of precipitation parameter pattern with simultaneous observed elevated dust aerosol and BC aerosol loading have been also noticed in the course of present investigation. Overall reduction in rainfall pattern effect with increasing of dust aerosols loading or vice versa are seen more pronounced over JSM and lees prevalence over UDP. The more detailed investigations about other interesting results of Aerosols-Indian monsoon over western Indian locations are also discussed thoroughly in this paper.

The effect of cognitive load and patient race on physicians' decisions to prescribe opioids for chronic low back pain: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Burgess, Diana J; Phelan, Sean; Workman, Michael; Hagel, Emily; Nelson, David B; Fu, Steven S; Widome, Rachel; van Ryn, Michelle

2014-06-01

To test the hypothesis that racial biases in opioid prescribing would be more likely under high levels of cognitive load, defined as the amount of mental activity imposed on working memory, which may come from environmental factors such as stressful conditions, chaotic workplace, staffing insufficiency, and competing demands, one's own psychological or physiological state, as well as from demands inherent in the task at hand. Two (patient race: White vs Black) by two (cognitive load: low vs high) between-subjects factorial design. Ninety-eight primary care physicians from the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. Web-based experimental study. Physicians were randomly assigned to read vignettes about either a Black or White patient, under low vs high cognitive load, and to indicate their likelihood of prescribing opioids. High cognitive load was induced by having physicians perform a concurrent task under time pressure. There was a three-way interaction between patient race, cognitive load, and physician gender on prescribing decisions (P = 0.034). Hypotheses were partially confirmed. Male physicians were less likely to prescribe opioids for Black than White patients under high cognitive load (12.5% vs 30.0%) and were more likely to prescribe opioids for Black than White patients under low cognitive load (30.8% vs 10.5%). By contrast, female physicians were more likely to prescribe opioids for Black than White patients in both conditions, with greater racial differences under high (39.1% vs 15.8%) vs low cognitive load (28.6% vs 21.7%). Physician gender affected the way in which patient race and cognitive load influenced decisions to prescribe opioids for chronic pain. Future research is needed to further explore the potential effects of physician gender on racial biases in pain treatment, and the effects of physician cognitive load on pain treatment. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Estimation of black carbon content for biomass burning aerosols from multi-channel Raman lidar data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talianu, Camelia; Marmureanu, Luminita; Nicolae, Doina

2015-04-01

Biomass burning due to natural processes (forest fires) or anthropical activities (agriculture, thermal power stations, domestic heating) is an important source of aerosols with a high content of carbon components (black carbon and organic carbon). Multi-channel Raman lidars provide information on the spectral dependence of the backscatter and extinction coefficients, embedding information on the black carbon content. Aerosols with a high content of black carbon have large extinction coefficients and small backscatter coefficients (strong absorption), while aerosols with high content of organic carbon have large backscatter coefficients (weak absorption). This paper presents a method based on radiative calculations to estimate the black carbon content of biomass burning aerosols from 3b+2a+1d lidar signals. Data is collected at Magurele, Romania, at the cross-road of air masses coming from Ukraine, Russia and Greece, where burning events are frequent during both cold and hot seasons. Aerosols are transported in the free troposphere, generally in the 2-4 km altitude range, and reaches the lidar location after 2-3 days. Optical data are collected between 2011-2012 by a multi-channel Raman lidar and follows the quality assurance program of EARLINET. Radiative calculations are made with libRadTran, an open source radiative model developed by ESA. Validation of the retrievals is made by comparison to a co-located C-ToF Aerosol Mass Spectrometer. Keywords: Lidar, aerosols, biomass burning, radiative model, black carbon Acknowledgment: This work has been supported by grants of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, Programme for Research- Space Technology and Advanced Research - STAR, project no. 39/2012 - SIAFIM, and by Romanian Partnerships in priority areas PNII implemented with MEN-UEFISCDI support, project no. 309/2014 - MOBBE

Application of microwaves for microbial load reduction in black pepper (Piper nigrum L.).

PubMed

Jeevitha, G Chengaiyan; Sowbhagya, H Bogegowda; Hebbar, H Umesh

2016-09-01

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is exposed to microbial contamination which could potentially create public health risk and also rejection of consignments in the export market due to non-adherance to microbial safety standards. The present study investigates the use of microwave (MW) radiation for microbial load reduction in black pepper and analyses the effect on quality. Black pepper was exposed to MWs at two different power levels (663 and 800 W) at an intensity of 40 W g(-1) for different time intervals (1-15 min) and moisture content (110 and 260 g kg(-1) on a wet basis). The exposure of black pepper to MWs at 663 W for 12.5 min was found to be sufficient to reduce the microbial load to the permissible level suggested by the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods and the European Spice Association. The retention of volatile oil, piperine and resin was 91.3 ± 0.03, 87.6 ± 0.02 and 90.7 ± 0.05%, respectively, in MW-treated black pepper. The final moisture content after MW treatment was found to be 100 ± 1 g kg(-1) for black pepper containing initial moisture of 260 ± 3 g kg(-1) . These results suggest that MW heating can be effectively used for microbial load reduction of black pepper without a significant loss in product quality. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Aerial sampling of emissions from biomass pile burns in ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Emissions from burning piles of post-harvest timber slash in Grande Ronde, Oregon were sampled using an instrument platform lofted into the plume using a tether-controlled aerostat or balloon. Emissions of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, particulate matter (PM2.5 µm), black carbon, ultraviolet absorbing PM, elemental/organic carbon, semi-volatile organics (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/dibenzofurans), filter-based metals, and volatile organics were sampled for determination of emission factors. The effect on emissions from covering or not covering piles with polyethylene sheets to prevent fuel wetting was determined. Results showed that the uncovered (“wet”) piles burned with lower combustion efficiency and higher emissions of volatile organic compounds. Results for other pollutants will also be discussed. This work determined the emissions from open burning of forest slash wood, with and without plastic sheeting. The foresters advocate the use of plastic to keep the slash wood dry and aid in the controlled combustion of the slash to reduce fuel loading. Concerns about the emissions from the burning plastic prompted this work which conducted an extensive characterization of dry, wet, and dry with plastic slash pile emissions.

New method for binder and carbon black detection at nanometer scale in carbon electrodes for lithium ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfaffmann, Lukas; Jaiser, Stefan; Müller, Marcus; Scharfer, Philip; Schabel, Wilhelm; Bauer, Werner; Scheiba, Frieder; Ehrenberg, Helmut

2017-09-01

In the current work, graphite electrodes comprising PVDF binder and carbon black are subjected to characterization. An energy selective backscatter detector is used to localize carbon black and fluorine of PVDF. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish between graphite, amorphous carbon and fluorine rich regions. Typically, an angular selective backscatter detector is employed to obtain an image providing the material contrast of the sample. Suitable materials for that detector are e.g. alloys to observe intermetallic phases, semiconductor for ;channeling contrast;, or imaging SiO2 and Au nanoparticles in biological cells. However, this detector cannot be used to distinguish between light elements with low atomic numbers, such as C to P. In addition, the contrast of fluorine rich regions and graphite is poor in normal in-lens images due to the low difference of the atomic mass between C and F. The aim of this study is to enhance the contrast of fluorine rich regions to graphite to carbon black. Therefore, the energy selective backscatter detector is used and its advantages and setup is described. Finally this technique is applied to investigate 400 μm thick cross-sections of graphite electrodes dried at different temperatures and obtain the carbon black distribution.

Arctic shipping emissions inventories and future scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbett, J. J.; Lack, D. A.; Winebrake, J. J.; Harder, S.; Silberman, J. A.; Gold, M.

2010-10-01

This paper presents 5 km×5 km Arctic emissions inventories of important greenhouse gases, black carbon and other pollutants under existing and future (2050) scenarios that account for growth of shipping in the region, potential diversion traffic through emerging routes, and possible emissions control measures. These high-resolution, geospatial emissions inventories for shipping can be used to evaluate Arctic climate sensitivity to black carbon (a short-lived climate forcing pollutant especially effective in accelerating the melting of ice and snow), aerosols, and gaseous emissions including carbon dioxide. We quantify ship emissions scenarios which are expected to increase as declining sea ice coverage due to climate change allows for increased shipping activity in the Arctic. A first-order calculation of global warming potential due to 2030 emissions in the high-growth scenario suggests that short-lived forcing of ~4.5 gigagrams of black carbon from Arctic shipping may increase global warming potential due to Arctic ships' CO2 emissions (~42 000 gigagrams) by some 17% to 78%. The paper also presents maximum feasible reduction scenarios for black carbon in particular. These emissions reduction scenarios will enable scientists and policymakers to evaluate the efficacy and benefits of technological controls for black carbon, and other pollutants from ships.

Dielectric and microstructure properties of polymer carbon black composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brosseau, C.; Boulic, F.; Queffelec, P.; Bourbigot, C.; Le Mest, Y.; Loaec, J.; Beroual, A.

1997-01-01

Dielectric and physicochemical properties of a composite material prepared by incorporating carbon black particles into a polymer matrix were investigated. Two types of carbon blacks, having very different structures of aggregates, were used. The volume fraction of the carbon blacks ranged from 0.2% to 7%, i.e. below and above the percolation threshold concentration observed from the measurements of dc conductivity. The composite samples were characterized in terms of: swelling by a compatible solvent, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) response, and frequency variation of permittivity. First, the article attempts to evaluate the diffusion coefficient of an appropriate solvent in these materials. Sorption kinetics experiments with toluene indicate that the initial uptake of solvent exhibits a square root dependence in time as a consequence of Fick's law and permit to evaluate the effective diffusion coefficient in the range 10-11-10-12 m2 s-1 depending on the volume fraction of the carbon black in the sample. Second, the analysis of the carbon black concentration dependence of the intensity and linewidth of the EPR signals indicates that EPR is an important experimental probe of the structure of the elasticity network. The most notable feature of the present work is that we find a correlation of the percolation threshold concentration which is detected from the dc electrical conductivity with moments of the EPR lines. The conclusions on the elasticity networks deduced from swelling measurements are confirmed by EPR data carried out on swollen samples. On qualitative grounds the role of the specific surface of carbon black is further analyzed. It is suggested that the elasticity network is mainly controlled by secondary (respectively primary) aggregates for samples containing low (respectively high) specific surface carbon blacks. Last, the article reports precise experimental data on the permittivity of these composite materials as a function of frequency. Thanks to a sensitive measurement technique using an impedance analyzer, we are able to measure the complex permittivity and permeability values of the samples in the frequency range from 108 to 1010 Hz. It is found that the real part of the permittivity is a function of frequency f, via a power law expression ɛ'=af-b, where a and b are two parameters depending upon carbon black concentration, in the range of frequency investigated. The data analysis reaffirms the result that percolation threshold is a key parameter for characterizing the topological arrangement in these structures.

Variability in and agreement between modeled and personal continuously measured black carbon levels using novel smartphone and sensor technologies.

PubMed

Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J; Donaire-Gonzalez, David; Rivas, Ioar; de Castro, Montserrat; Cirach, Marta; Hoek, Gerard; Seto, Edmund; Jerrett, Michael; Sunyer, Jordi

2015-03-03

Novel technologies, such as smartphones and small personal continuous air pollution sensors, can now facilitate better personal estimates of air pollution in relation to location. Such information can provide us with a better understanding about whether and how personal exposures relate to residential air pollution estimates, which are normally used in epidemiological studies. The aims of this study were to examine (1) the variability in personal air pollution levels during the day and (2) the relationship between modeled home and school estimates and continuously measured personal air pollution exposure levels in different microenvironments (e.g., home, school, and commute). We focused on black carbon as an indicator of traffic-related air pollution. We recruited 54 school children (aged 7-11) from 29 different schools around Barcelona as part of the BREATHE study, an epidemiological study of the relation between air pollution and brain development. For 2 typical week days during 2012-2013, the children were given a smartphone with CalFit software to obtain information on their location and physical activity level and a small sensor, the micro-aethalometer model AE51, to measure their black carbon levels simultaneously and continuously. We estimated their home and school exposure to PM2.5 filter absorbance, which is well-correlated with black carbon, using a temporally adjusted PM2.5 absorbance land use regression (LUR) model. We found considerable variation in the black carbon levels during the day, with the highest levels measured during commuting periods (geometric mean = 2.8 μg/m(3)) and the lowest levels at home (geometric mean = 1.3 μg/m(3)). Hourly temporally adjusted LUR model estimates for the home and school showed moderate to good correlation with measured personal black carbon levels at home and school (r = 0.59 and 0.68, respectively) and lower correlation with commuting trips (r = 0.32 and 0.21, respectively). The correlation between modeled home estimates and overall personal black carbon levels was 0.62. Personal black carbon levels vary substantially during the day. The correlation between modeled and measured black carbon levels was generally good, with the exception of commuting times. In conclusion, novel technologies, such as smartphones and sensors, provide insights in personal exposure to air pollution.

High performance platinum single atom electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jing; Jiao, Menggai; Lu, Lanlu; Barkholtz, Heather M.; Li, Yuping; Wang, Ying; Jiang, Luhua; Wu, Zhijian; Liu, Di-Jia; Zhuang, Lin; Ma, Chao; Zeng, Jie; Zhang, Bingsen; Su, Dangsheng; Song, Ping; Xing, Wei; Xu, Weilin; Wang, Ying; Jiang, Zheng; Sun, Gongquan

2017-07-01

For the large-scale sustainable implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells in vehicles, high-performance electrocatalysts with low platinum consumption are desirable for use as cathode material during the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. Here we report a carbon black-supported cost-effective, efficient and durable platinum single-atom electrocatalyst with carbon monoxide/methanol tolerance for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction. The acidic single-cell with such a catalyst as cathode delivers high performance, with power density up to 680 mW cm-2 at 80 °C with a low platinum loading of 0.09 mgPt cm-2, corresponding to a platinum utilization of 0.13 gPt kW-1 in the fuel cell. Good fuel cell durability is also observed. Theoretical calculations reveal that the main effective sites on such platinum single-atom electrocatalysts are single-pyridinic-nitrogen-atom-anchored single-platinum-atom centres, which are tolerant to carbon monoxide/methanol, but highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction.

Erythrocyte-like hollow carbon capsules and their application in proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

PubMed

Kim, Jung Ho; Yu, Jong-Sung

2010-12-14

Hierarchical nanostructured erythrocyte-like hollow carbon (EHC) with a hollow hemispherical macroporous core of ca. 230 nm in diameter and 30-40 nm thick mesoporous shell was synthesized and explored as a cathode catalyst support in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The morphology control of EHC was successfully achieved using solid core/mesoporous shell (SCMS) silica template and different styrene/furfuryl alcohol mixture compositions by a nanocasting method. The EHC-supported Pt (20 wt%) cathodes prepared have demonstrated markedly enhanced catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) and greatly improved PEMFC polarization performance compared to carbon black Vulcan XC-72 (VC)-supported ones, probably due to the superb structural characteristics of the EHC such as uniform size, well-developed porosity, large specific surface area and pore volume. In particular, Pt/EHC cathodes exhibited ca. 30-60% higher ORR activity than a commercial Johnson Matthey Pt catalyst at a low catalyst loading of 0.2 mg Pt cm(-2).

High performance platinum single atom electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

PubMed Central

Liu, Jing; Jiao, Menggai; Lu, Lanlu; Barkholtz, Heather M.; Li, Yuping; Wang, Ying; Jiang, Luhua; Wu, Zhijian; Liu, Di-jia; Zhuang, Lin; Ma, Chao; Zeng, Jie; Zhang, Bingsen; Su, Dangsheng; Song, Ping; Xing, Wei; Xu, Weilin; Wang, Ying; Jiang, Zheng; Sun, Gongquan

2017-01-01

For the large-scale sustainable implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells in vehicles, high-performance electrocatalysts with low platinum consumption are desirable for use as cathode material during the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. Here we report a carbon black-supported cost-effective, efficient and durable platinum single-atom electrocatalyst with carbon monoxide/methanol tolerance for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction. The acidic single-cell with such a catalyst as cathode delivers high performance, with power density up to 680 mW cm−2 at 80 °C with a low platinum loading of 0.09 mgPt cm−2, corresponding to a platinum utilization of 0.13 gPt kW−1 in the fuel cell. Good fuel cell durability is also observed. Theoretical calculations reveal that the main effective sites on such platinum single-atom electrocatalysts are single-pyridinic-nitrogen-atom-anchored single-platinum-atom centres, which are tolerant to carbon monoxide/methanol, but highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction. PMID:28737170

Low black carbon concentration in agricultural soils of central and northern Ethiopia.

PubMed

Yli-Halla, Markku; Rimhanen, Karoliina; Muurinen, Johanna; Kaseva, Janne; Kahiluoto, Helena

2018-08-01

Soil carbon (C) represents the largest terrestrial carbon stock and is key for soil productivity. Major fractions of soil C consist of organic C, carbonates and black C. The turnover rate of black C is lower than that of organic C, and black C abundance decreases the vulnerablility of soil C stock to decomposition under climate change. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of soil C in different pools and impact of agricultural management on the abundance of different species. Soil C fractions were quantified in the topsoils (0-15cm) of 23 sites in the tropical highlands of Ethiopia. The sites in central Ethiopia represented paired plots of agroforestry and adjacent control plots where cereal crops were traditionally grown in clayey soils. In the sandy loam and loam soils of northern Ethiopia, the pairs represented restrained grazing with adjacent control plots with free grazing, and terracing with cereal-based cropping with adjacent control plots without terracing. Soil C contained in carbonates, organic matter and black C along with total C was determined. The total C median was 1.5% (range 0.3-3.6%). The median proportion of organic C was 85% (range 53-94%), 6% (0-41%) for carbonate C and 6% (4-21%) for black C. An increase was observed in the organic C and black C fractions attributable to agroforestry and restrained grazing. The very low concentration of the relatively stable black C fraction and the dominance of organic C in these Ethiopian soils suggest vulnerability to degradation and the necessity for cultivation practices maintaining the C stock. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A study of the mixing state of black carbon in urban zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallet, M.; Roger, J. C.; Despiau, S.; Putaud, J. P.; Dubovik, O.

2004-02-01

The knowledge of the mixing state of black carbon particle with other aerosol species is critical for adequate simulations of the direct radiative effect of black carbon particles and its effect on climate. This paper reports the investigation of the mixing state of black carbon aerosol in the urban zone. The study uses a combination of in situ and ground-based remote sensing observations conducted during the ESCOMPTE experiment, which took place in industrialized region in France in summer of 2001. The criteria we used for identifying mixing state relies on the known enhancement of absorption for aerosol composed by internal versus external mixtures of black carbon with weakly absorbing aerosol components. First, using in situ aerosol data, we performed Mie computations and reconstructed the single scattering albedo of aerosol for the two different mixing assumptions: black carbon mixed externally or internally with other aerosol species. Then, we compared the obtained values ωo,int and ωo,ext with the retrievals of ωo from independent AERONET Sun-photometric measurements. The aerosol single scattering albedo (ωo,aer.) derived from the AERONET photometer observations (with the mean value equal to 0.84 ± 0.04) was found to be close to ωo,ext reconstructed from in situ observation under assumptions of external mixture. This similarity between AERONET values and external mixture simulations was observed during all the days studied. Our conclusion on external mixture of black carbon aerosol with other particles in urban zone during ESCOMPTE (close to the pollution source) is coherent with observations made during other independent studies reported in a number of recent publications.

Black Carbon Measurement Intercomparison during the 2017 Black Carbon Shootout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shingler, T.; Moore, R.; Winstead, E.; Robinson, C. E.; Shook, M.; Crosbie, E.; Ziemba, L. D.; Thornhill, K. L., II; Sorooshian, A.; Anderson, B. E.

2017-12-01

The NASA Langley Aerosol Research Group (LARGE) provides multiple black carbon (BC) based aerosol particle measurements and engine emission factors for airborne and ground-based field campaigns and laboratory studies. These datasets are made available to the general public where accuracy is key to enable further use in environmental assessments, models, and validation studies. Studies are needed to establish the accuracy and precision of BC measurements of particles with varying physical properties using a variety of detection techniques. Work is also needed to develop calibration and correction schemes for new sensors and to link these measurements to heritage instruments on which our understanding of BC emissions and characteristics has been established. A BC measurement intercomparison was performed at Langley Research Center using particles generated from a mini-CAST (Jing) diffusion flame soot generator. The particles were passed to instruments measuring optical absorption, extinction, scattering and black carbon mass. Filter based measurements of optical absorption were performed using a PSAP (Radiance Research) and a TAP (BMI). Absorption was also measured using two photoacoustic based instruments: the MSS-plus (AVL) and PASS-3 (DMT). Measurements of aerosol extinction were performed using three CAPS PM-ex (Aerodyne Research) instruments at multiple wavelengths. Two Artium LII-300 units (standard and high-sensitivity) were used to measure black carbon mass via laser incandescence. Black carbon measurements were correlated to mass collected concurrently on a filter and analyzed by OC/EC analysis (Sunset Labs). Black carbon quantification measurements are analyzed between instruments to assess agreement between platforms using manufacturer's calibration settings as well as after calibrations performed to a single standard soot source (mini-CAST). Sampling was also performed from behind a Falcon aircraft at multiple thrust settings and downwind of runway at an international airport with commercial takeoffs and landings.

Black Carbon Concentration from Worldwide Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuster, Greg; Dubovik, Oleg; Holben, Brent; Clothiaux, Eugene

2008-01-01

Worldwide black carbon concentration measurements are needed to assess the efficacy of the carbon emissions inventory and transport model output. This requires long-term measurements in many regions, as model success in one region or season does not apply to all regions and seasons. AERONET is an automated network of more than 180 surface radiometers located throughout the world. The sky radiance measurements obtained by AERONET are inverted to provide column-averaged aerosol refractive indices and size distributions for the AERONET database, which we use to derive column-averaged black carbon concentrations and specific absorptions that are constrained by the measured radiation field. This provides a link between AERONET sky radiance measurements and the elemental carbon concentration of transport models without the need for an optics module in the transport model. Knowledge of both the black carbon concentration and aerosol absorption optical depth (i.e., input and output of the optics module) will enable improvements to the transport model optics module.

Self-assembly of carbon black into nanowires that form a conductive three dimensional micronetwork

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levine, L. E.; Long, G. G.; Ilavsky, J.; Gerhardt, R. A.; Ou, R.; Parker, C. A.

2007-01-01

The authors have used mechanical self-assembly of carbon-black nanoparticles to fabricate a three dimensional, electrically connected micronetwork of nanowires embedded within an insulating, supporting matrix of poly(methyl methacrylate). The electrical connectivity, mean wire diameter, and morphological transitions were characterized as a function of the carbon-black mass fraction. Conductive wires were produced with mean diameters as low as 24nm with lengths up to 100μm.

Equilibrium climate response of the East Asian summer monsoon to forcing of anthropogenic aerosol species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhili; Wang, Qiuyan; Zhang, Hua

2017-12-01

We used an online aerosol-climate model to study the equilibrium climate response of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) to increases in anthropogenic emissions of sulfate, organic carbon, and black carbon aerosols from 1850 to 2000. Our results show that each of these aerosol species has a different effect on the EASM as a result of changes in the local sea-land thermal contrast and atmospheric circulation. The increased emission of sulfate aerosol leads to a decrease in the thermal contrast between the land and ocean, a southward shift of the East Asian subtropical jet, and significant northerly wind anomalies at 850 hPa over eastern China and the ambient oceans, markedly dampening the EASM. An increase in organic carbon aerosol results in pronounced surface cooling and the formation of an anomalous anticyclone over the oceans north of 30°N. These effects cause a slight increase in the sea-land thermal contrast and southerly flow anomalies to the west of the anticyclonic center, strengthening the northern EASM. An increase in organic carbon emission decreases the sea-land thermal contrast over southern China, which weakens the southern EASM. The response of the summer 850-hPa winds and rainfall over the East Asian monsoon region to an increase in black carbon emission is generally consistent with the response to an increase in organic carbon. The increase in black carbon emission leads to a strengthening of the northern EASM north of 35°N and a slight weakening of the southern EASM south of 35°N. The simulated response of the EASM to the increase in black carbon emission is unchanged when the emission of black carbon is scaled up by five times its year 2000 levels, although the intensities of the response is enhanced. The increase in sulfate emission primarily weakens the EASM, whereas the increases in black carbon and organic carbon emissions mitigate weakening of the northern EASM.

A New Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 record from the Central North Atlantic at South East Newfoundland Ridge, IODP Expedition 342, Newfoundland Drifts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junium, C. K.; Bornemann, A.; Bown, P. R.; Friedrich, O.; Moriya, K.; Kirtland Turner, S.; Whiteside, J. H.

2013-12-01

The recovery of Cretaceous, Cenomanian-Turonian black shales deposited during Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE 2) at Site U1407, South East Newfoundland Ridge (SENR), was an unexpected but fortuitous discovery that fills a gap in the pelagic Tethyan and North Atlantic geologic records. Drilling operations recovered the OAE sequence in all three holes drilled at Site U1407 defined initially on the basis of lithology and calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy and confirmed by carbon isotope stratigraphy post-expedition. The SENR OAE 2 sequence is a classic chalk sequence punctuated by a prominent black band. Prior to OAE 2, greenish white pelagic carbonate is interrupted by thin, 2 to 5 cm thick organic-rich, gray calcareous clays. A sharp transition from greenish-white chalk to carbonate-poor sediments marks the occurrence of the organic carbon-rich black band. Within the black band are finely laminated to massive, pyritic black shales and laminated gray clays that are relatively organic carbon-lean, free of preserved benthic foraminifera and rich in radiolarians. Finely laminated greenish-gray marls overlay the black band and grade into approximately 1 meter of greenish white chalks with common 1cm chert layers and nodules. The remainder of the Turonian sequence is characterized by a notable transition to pink chalks. The thickness of the black band ranges from 15-40 cm between Holes A through C. The differences in the thickness of beds between Holes is due in part to drilling disturbances and mass wasting indicated by slump features in the overlying Turonian strata. Core scanning XRF and carbon isotopes can help resolve the nature of these differences and inform future sampling and study. Carbonate and organic carbon isotopes reveal that the δ13C excursion marking the initiation of OAE 2 is below the base of the black band. At U1407A the δ13C rise is immediately below (3 cm) the black shale, with δ13C maxima in the black band. At U1407C the initial δ13C rise is below the black shale by 60 cm, in the underlying chalk. The temporal transience of TOC-enrichment is typical of OAE 2 sequences, particularly in the Tethyan realm (Gubbio, Italy; Ferriby, UK; Tarfaya, Morocco; Wunsorf, Germany), but the mechanism is unknown. In many ways, Site U1407 bears the distinct characteristics of the Tethyan region. Prior to the OAE, there are several black and dark gray bands interbedded with carbonate-rich (>80 wt. %), greenish white chalks. The color progression of white to black to pink through the OAE at U1407 is similar to C-T boundary sequences from the Umbria-Marche basin of Italy. The greenish white to pink nannofossil chalks are reminiscent of the Scaglia Bianca/Rossa limestones that bound the Bonarelli horizon. Associated lithologies include the presence of radiolarian sands interbedded with the black shales and cherts. This stratigraphic progression is similar to the Italian sequences, but the δ13C stratigraphy indicates that the excursion leads black shale deposition and in this sense is more similar to shallow continental records from the UK, USA and mainland Europe. This new δ13C record can be used to correlate SENR with other OAE 2 sections, allowing us to better understand possible mechanisms for the temporal transience of the black shales and paleoceanographic change during OAE2.

Investigating the Vertical Distribution and Source Attribution of Black Carbon over the Pacific Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J.; Liu, J.; Ban-Weiss, G. A.; Tao, S.

2014-12-01

Long-range transport of black carbon (BC) aerosols to the Pacific Ocean can potentially play a significant role in changing the marine climate through influences on temperature and cloud profiles and the top-of-atmosphere and surface energy balance. Therefore, quantitatively understanding sources of BC over the Pacific, particularly at different altitudes, is of great importance. In this study, we simulate the transport of thirteen continental BC tracers with a variety of e-folding aging times (few hours to 1 month) using the global chemical transport model MOZART-4. We then optimize BC aging rate according to different source regions by constraining the vertical profile of BC concentrations to the HAIPER Polo-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO). We find that for all HIPPO deployments, a shorter BC aging timescale (less than half day) for tropical and mid-latitude tracers and a longer aging timescale (2-10 days) for high-latitude tracers (except summer) in most cases significantly reduces model biases. By comparing the source-receptor relationship between the optimized BC tracers over the Pacific, we find that during 2009-2011, East Asia contributes most to the BC loading over the Northern Pacific in all seasons except summer, while South American, African and Australian tracers dominate the BC loadings over the Southern Pacific. In addition, unlike other tracers, African BC is a dominant contributor over a larger area in the free troposphere versus the boundary layer. Our findings indicate that the aging rate of BC strongly depends on source location and season, which may significantly influence the contribution of different source regions to BC forcing over the Pacific Ocean.

The Importance of Asia as a Source of Black Carbon to the Arctic Constrained by Aircraft and Surface Measurements.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, J.; Martin, R.; Morrow, A.; Sharma, S.; Huang, L.; Leaitch, W. R.; Burkart, J.; Schulz, H.; Zanatta, M.; Willis, M. D.; Henze, D. K.; Lee, C. J.; Herber, A. B.; Abbatt, J.

2017-12-01

The contribution of Asian sources to Arctic black carbon (BC) remains uncertain. We interpret a series of recent airborne (NETCARE 2015, PAMARCMiP 2009 and 2011 campaigns) and ground-based measurements (at Alert, Barrow and Ny-Ålesund) from multiple methods (thermal, laser incandescence and light absorption) with the GEOS-Chem global chemical transport model and its adjoint to attribute the sources of Arctic BC. Our simulations with the addition of seasonally varying domestic heating and of gas flaring emissions are consistent with ground-based measurements of BC concentrations at Alert and Barrow to within 13% in winter and spring, and with airborne measurements to within 17 % except for an underestimation in the middle troposphere (500-700 hPa). Sensitivity simulations suggest that anthropogenic emissions from eastern and southern Asia have the largest impact on the Arctic BC column burden both in spring (56 %) and annually (37 %), with the largest contribution in the middle troposphere (400-700 hPa). Anthropogenic emissions from northern Asia are the primary source of the Arctic surface BC ( 40% annually). Our adjoint simulations indicate noteworthy contributions from emissions in eastern China (15 %) and western Siberia (6.5 %) to the Arctic BC loadings on an annual average. Emissions from as south as the Indo-Gangetic Plain have a substantial impact (6.3 % annually) on Arctic BC as well. The Tarim oilfield in western China stands out as the second most influential grid cell with an annual contribution of 2.6 %. Gas flaring emissions from oilfields in western Siberia have a striking impact (13 %) on Arctic BC loadings in January, comparable to the total influence of continental Europe and North America (6.5 % each in January).

Relative importance of school bus-related microenvironments to children's pollutant exposure.

PubMed

Behrentz, Eduardo; Sabin, Lisa D; Winer, Arthur M; Fitz, Dennis R; Pankratz, David V; Colome, Steven D; Fruin, Scott A

2005-10-01

Real-time concentrations of black carbon, particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen dioxide, and fine particulate counts, as well as integrated and real-time fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mass concentrations were measured inside school buses during long commutes on Los Angeles Unified School District bus routes, at bus stops along the routes, at the bus loading/unloading zone in front of the selected school, and at nearby urban "background" sites. Across all of the pollutants, mean concentrations during bus commutes were higher than in any other microenvironment. Mean exposures (mean concentration times time spent in a particular microenvironment) in bus commutes were between 50 and 200 times greater than those for the loading/unloading microenvironment, and 20-40 times higher than those for the bus stops, depending on the pollutant. Although the analyzed school bus commutes represented only 10% of a child's day, on average they contributed one-third of a child's 24-hr overall black carbon exposure during a school day. For species closely related to vehicle exhaust, the within- cabin exposures were generally dominated by the effect of surrounding traffic when windows were open and by the bus's own exhaust when windows were closed. Low-emitting buses generally exhibited high concentrations only when traveling behind a diesel vehicle, whereas high-emitting buses exhibited high concentrations both when following other diesel vehicles and when idling without another diesel vehicle in front of the bus. To reduce school bus commute exposures, we recommend minimizing commute times, avoiding caravanning with other school buses, using the cleanest buses for the longest bus routes, maintaining conventional diesel buses to eliminate visible emissions, and transitioning to cleaner fuels and advanced particulate control technologies as soon as possible.

Mass absorption efficiency of elemental carbon over Van Vihar National Park, Bhopal, India: Temporal variability and implications to estimates of black carbon radiative forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samiksha, S.; Raman, R. S.; Singh, A.

2016-12-01

It is now well recognized that black carbon (a component of aerosols that is similar but not identical to elemental carbon) is an important contributor to global warming, second only to CO2.However, the most popular methods for estimation of black carbon rely on accurate estimates of its mass absorption efficiency (MAE) to convert optical attenuation measurements to black carbon concentrations. Often a constant manufacturer specified MAE is used for this purposes. Recent literature has unequivocally established that MAE shows large spatio-temporal heterogeneities. This is so because MAE depends on emission sources, chemical composition, and mixing state of aerosols. In this study, ambient PM2.5 samples were collected over an ecologically sensitive zone (Van Vihar National Park) in Bhopal, Central India for two years (01 January, 2012 to 31 December, 2013). Samples were collected on Teflon, Nylon, and Tissue quartz filter substrates. Punches of quartz fibre filter were analysed for organic and elemental carbon (OC/EC) by a thermal-optical-transmittance/reflectance (TOT-TOR) analyser operating with a 632 nm laser diode. Teflon filters were also used to interdependently measure PM2.5 attenuation (at 370 nm and 800 nm) by transmissometry. Site-specific mass absorption efficiency (MAE) for elemental carbon over the study site will be derived using a combination of measurements from the TOT/TOR analyser and transmissometer. An assessment of site-specific MAE values, its temporal variability and implications to black carbon radiative forcing will be discussed. It is now well recognized that black carbon (a component of aerosols that is similar but not identical to elemental carbon) is an important contributor to global warming, second only to CO2. However, the most popular methods for estimation of black carbon rely on accurate estimates of its mass absorption efficiency (MAE) to convert optical attenuation measurements to black carbon concentrations. Often a constant manufacturer specified MAE is used for this purposes. Recent literature has unequivocally established that MAE shows large spatio-temporal heterogeneities. This is so because MAE depends on emission sources, chemical composition, and mixing state of aerosols. In this study, ambient PM2.5 samples were collected over an ecologically sensitive zone (Van Vihar National Park) in Bhopal, Central India for two years (01 January, 2012 to 31 December, 2013). Samples were collected on Teflon, Nylon, and Tissue quartz filter substrates. Punches of quartz fibre filter were analysed for organic and elemental carbon (OC/EC) by a thermal-optical-transmittance/reflectance (TOT-TOR) analyser operating with a 632 nm laser diode. Teflon filters were also used to interdependently measure PM2.5 attenuation (at 370 nm and 800 nm) by transmissometry. Site-specific mass absorption efficiency (MAE) for elemental carbon over the study site will be derived using a combination of measurements from the TOT/TOR analyser and transmissometer. An assessment of site-specific MAE values, its temporal variability and implications to black carbon radiative forcing will be discussed.

Carbothermal Reduction of Quartz and Carbon Pellets at Elevated Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fei; Tangstad, Merete; Ringdalen, Eli

2018-06-01

In this study, the carbothermal reduction of pellets composed of quartz and carbon at temperatures between 1898 K and 1948 K (1625 °C and 1675 °C) are investigated. The main product from this reaction is silicon carbide (SiC). The reduction of quartz with carbon black, charcoal, coke, coal, and pre-heated coal in the pellet were compared to investigate the different carbon resources used in silicon production. Charcoal and coke have high SiO reactivity, while carbon black and coal (pre-heated coal) have low SiO reactivity. Charcoal and carbon black show better matching between quartz/carbon reactivity and SiO reactivity, and will lose less SiO gas than coke and pre-heated coal. Coal has a high volatile content and is thus not recommended as a raw material for the pellets.

Monitoring the mechanical behaviour of electrically conductive polymer nanocomposites under ramp and creep conditions.

PubMed

Pedrazzoli, D; Dorigato, A; Pegoretti, A

2012-05-01

Various amounts of carbon black (CB) and carbon nanofibres (CNF) were dispersed in an epoxy resin to prepare nanocomposites whose mechanical behaviour, under ramp and creep conditions, was monitored by electrical measurements. The electrical resistivity of the epoxy resin was dramatically reduced by both nanofillers after the percolation threshold (1 wt% for CB and 0.5 wt% for CNF), reaching values in the range of 10(3)-10(4) omega . cm for filler loadings higher than 2 wt%. Due to the synergistic effects between the nanofillers, an epoxy system containing a total nanofiller amount of 2 wt%, with a relative CB/CNF ratio of 90/10 was selected for the specific applications. A direct correlation between the tensile strain and the increase of the electrical resistance was observed over the whole experimental range, and also the final failure of the samples was clearly detected. Creep tests confirmed the possibility to monitor the various deformational stages under constant loads, with a strong dependency from the temperature and the applied stress. The obtained results are encouraging for a possible application of nanomodified epoxy resin as a matrix for the preparation of structural composites with sensing (i.e., damage-monitoring) capabilities.

Analysis of PEG oligomers in black gel inks: Discrimination and ink dating.

PubMed

Sun, Qiran; Luo, Yiwen; Xiang, Ping; Yang, Xu; Shen, Min

2017-08-01

Carbon-based black gel inks are common samples in forensic practice of questioned document examination in China, but there are few analytical methods for this type of ink. In this study, a liquid chromatography-.high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) method was established for the analysis of PEG oligomers in carbon-based black gel ink entries. The coupled instruments achieve both the identification and quantification of PEG oligomers in ink entries with reproducible results. Twenty carbon-based black gel inks, whose Raman spectra appeared identical, were analyzed using the LC-HRMS method. As a result, the twenty gel inks were classified into four groups according to the distribution of PEG oligomers. Artificially aging of PEG 400 and a gel ink showed that as PEG degraded, the relative amounts of low molecular weight PEG oligomers increased, while those of high molecular weight decreased. The degradation of PEG oligomers in a naturally aged gel ink was consistent with those in the artificially aged samples, but occurred more slowly. This study not only provided a new method for discriminating carbon-based black gel ink entries, but also offered a new approach for studying the relative ink dating of carbon-based black gel ink entries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Black Carbon in Estuarine and Coastal Ocean Dissolved Organic Matter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mannino, Antonio; Harvey, H. Rodger

2003-01-01

Analysis of high-molecular-weight dissolved organic matter (DOM) from two estuaries in the northwest Atlantic Ocean reveals that black carbon (BC) is a significant component of previously uncharacterized DOM, suggesting that river-estuary systems are important exporters of recalcitrant dissolved organic carbon to the ocean.

IMPORTANCE OF BLACK CARBON IN DISTRIBUTION AND BIOACCUMULATION MODELS OF POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN CONTAMINATED MARINE SEDIMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

The roles and relative importance of nonpyrogenic organic carbon (NPOC) and black carbon (BC) as binding phases of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were assessed by their ability to estimate pore water concentrations and biological uptake in various marine sediments. Sedim...

Origin of PCDDs in ball clay assessed with compound-specific chlorine isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating.

PubMed

Holmstrand, Henry; Gadomski, Damien; Mandalakis, Manolis; Tysklind, Mats; Irvine, Robert; Andersson, Per; Gustafsson, Orjan

2006-06-15

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) of high concentrations in a ball clay deposit from the Mississippi Embayment were found to be consistent with a natural abiotic and non-pyrogenic origin by investigation with bulk radiocarbon analysis, compound-specific chlorine isotope analysis (CSIA-delta37Cl) of octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD), and black carbon (BC) analysis. The conventional radiocarbon date of total organic carbon from a depth of approximately 10 m in three parallel cores ranged from 14 700 years to >48 000 years, indicating that the strata with elevated levels of PCDDs have remained isolated from recent anthropogenic input in these >40 Ma old clay sediments. The CSIA-delta37Cl of OCDD yielded a delta37Cl of -0.2 per thousandth, which is significantly higher than the postulated range for biotic chlorination by chloroperoxidase enzymes, -11 to -10 per thousandth, and falls within the known range for abiotic organochlorines, -6 to +3 per thousandth. The absence of correlations between concentrations of PCDDs and corresponding pyrogenic black carbon (BC), together with estimations of BC sorptive loadings and the absence of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), suggest that vegetation fires did not form these ball-clay PCDDs. Results from this study indicate that the high levels of the toxic and carcinogenic PCDDs found in kaolinite-bearing clays may result from natural abiotic formation via in situ surface-promoted reactions on the clay mineral, including a so-far unknown organic precursor, rather than being the result of anthropogenic contamination.

40 CFR 458.36 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Channel... pollutant property-Oil and grease. Pretreatment standard-100mg/liter. [60 FR 33972, June 29, 1995] ...

40 CFR 458.16 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Furnace... pollutant property-Oil and grease. Pretreatment standard-100mg/liter. [60 FR 33972, June 29, 1995] ...

40 CFR 458.26 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Thermal... pollutant property-Oil and grease. Pretreatment standard-100mg/liter. [60 FR 33972, June 29, 1995] ...

40 CFR 458.36 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Channel... pollutant property-Oil and grease. Pretreatment standard-100mg/liter. [60 FR 33972, June 29, 1995] ...

40 CFR 458.26 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Thermal... pollutant property-Oil and grease. Pretreatment standard-100mg/liter. [60 FR 33972, June 29, 1995] ...

40 CFR 458.16 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Furnace... pollutant property-Oil and grease. Pretreatment standard-100mg/liter. [60 FR 33972, June 29, 1995] ...

40 CFR 458.46 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process... pollutants or pollutant properties controlled by this section which may be discharged to a publicly owned...

Organic / inorganic carbon content and isotope analysis of 3.1Ga Cleaverville Formation in Pilbara, Australia: Result of DXCL project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miki, T.; Kiyokawa, S.; Ito, T.; Yamaguchi, K. E.; Ikehara, M.

2014-12-01

DXCL project was targeted for 3.2-3.1 Ga hydrothermal chert-black shale (Dixon Island Formation) and black shale-banded iron formation (Cleaverville Formation). CL3 core (200m long) was drilled from 1) upper part of Black Shale Member (35m thick) to 2) lower part of BIF Member (165m thick) of the Cleaverville Formation. Here, the BIF Member can be divided into three submembers; Greenish shale-siderite (50m thick), Magnetite-siderite (55m thick) and Black shale-siderite (60m) submembers. In this study, we used bulk samples and samples treated by hot hydrochloric acid in order to extract organic carbon. 　The Black shale Member consists of black carbonaceous　matter and fine grain quartz (< 100μm). Organic carbon content (Corg) of black shale is 1.2% in average and organic carbon isotope ratio (δ13Corg) is -31.4 to -28.7‰. On the other hand, inorganic carbon isotope ratio of siderite (δ13Ccarb) was -5.2 to +12.6‰. 　In the BIF Member, the Greenish shale-siderite submember is composed of well laminated greenish sideritic shale and white chert (<7mm thick), which is gradually increase from black shale of the Black shale Member through about 10m. Magnetite-siderite submember contains very fine magnetite lamination with inter-bedded greenish sideritic shale and siderite lamination. Hematite is identified near fractured part. The Black shale-siderite submember is composed of black shale, siderite and chert bands. 　1) Siderite layers of these three submembers showedδ13Ccarb value of -14.6 to -3.8‰. Corg and δ13Corg content are 0.2% and -18.3 to -0.3‰. 2) Siderite grains within greenish sideritic shales showedδ13Ccarb value of -12.9 to +15.0‰. 3) Black shale of Corg and δ13Corg content in the BIF Member are 0.1% and -36.3 to -17.1‰ respectively. 　We found great difference in values of δ13Ccarb of siderite. One is Corg-rich shale (up to +15.0‰) and the other is Corg-poor siderite layers (up to -3.8‰). The lighter value of siderite layers may be originated from precursor organic carbon which is strongly affected by biological activity.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhu Qin, E-mail: zhuqin@fudan.edu.cn; Peng Xizhe, E-mail: xzpeng@fudan.edu.cn

This study examines the impacts of population size, population structure, and consumption level on carbon emissions in China from 1978 to 2008. To this end, we expanded the stochastic impacts by regression on population, affluence, and technology model and used the ridge regression method, which overcomes the negative influences of multicollinearity among independent variables under acceptable bias. Results reveal that changes in consumption level and population structure were the major impact factors, not changes in population size. Consumption level and carbon emissions were highly correlated. In terms of population structure, urbanization, population age, and household size had distinct effects onmore » carbon emissions. Urbanization increased carbon emissions, while the effect of age acted primarily through the expansion of the labor force and consequent overall economic growth. Shrinking household size increased residential consumption, resulting in higher carbon emissions. Households, rather than individuals, are a more reasonable explanation for the demographic impact on carbon emissions. Potential social policies for low carbon development are also discussed. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We examine the impacts of population change on carbon emissions in China. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We expand the STIRPAT model by containing population structure factors in the model. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The population structure includes age structure, urbanization level, and household size. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The ridge regression method is used to estimate the model with multicollinearity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The population structure plays a more important role compared with the population size.« less

Observational Evidence of Impacts of Aerosols on Seasonal-to-Interannual Variability of the Asian Monsoon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lau, K.-M.; Kim, K.-M.; Hsu, N. C.

2006-01-01

Observational evidences are presented showing that the Indian subcontinent and surrounding regions are subject to heavy loading of absorbing aerosols (dust and black carbon), with strong seasonality closely linked to the monsoon annual rainfall cycle. Increased loading of absorbing aerosols over the Indo-Gangetic Plain in April-May is associated with a) increased heating of the upper troposphere over the Tibetan Plateau, b) an advance of the monsoon rainy season, and c) subsequent enhancement of monsoon rainfall over the South Asia subcontinent, and reduction over East Asia. Also presented are radiative transfer calculations showing how differential solar absorption by aerosols over bright surface (desert or snow cover land) compared to dark surface (vegetated land and ocean), may be instrumental in triggering an aerosol-monsoon large-scale circulation and water cycle feedback, consistent with the elevated heat pump hypothesis (Lau et al. 2006).

Variable effects of plant colonization on black slate uptake into microbial PLFAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifert, Anne-Gret; Trumbore, Susan; Xu, Xiaomei; Zhang, Dachung; Gleixner, Gerd

2013-04-01

Microbial degradation of carbon derived from black shale and slate has been shown in vitro. However, in natural settings where other labile carbon sources are likely to exist, this has not been previously demonstrated. We investigated the uptake of ancient carbon derived from slate weathering and from recently photosynthesised organic matter by different groups of microorganisms. Therefore we isolated microbial biomarkers (phospholipid fatty acids, PLFAs) from black slates collected at a chronosequence of waste piles which differed in age and vegetation cover. We quantified the amount of PLFAs and performed stable isotope and radiocarbon measurements on individual or grouped PLFAs to quantify the fraction of slate derived carbon. We used black slate from a pile heaped in the 1950s with either uncovered black slate material (bare site) or material slightly colonized by small plants (greened site) and from a forested leaching pile (forested site) used for alum-mining in the 19th century. Colonization by plants influenced the amount and composition of the microbial community. Greater amounts of PLFAs (5410 ng PLFA/g dw) were extracted from slate sampled at the forested site as opposed to the bare site (960 ng PLFAs/g dw) or the greened (annual grasses and mosses) rock waste pile (1050 ng PLFAs/g dw). We found the highest proportion of PLFAs representing Gram-negative bacteria on the forested site and the highest proportion of PLFAs representing Gram-positive bacteria on the bare site. The fungal PLFA was most abundant at the greened site. Sites with less plant colonization (bare and greened site) tended to have more depleted δ13C values compared to the forested site. Radiocarbon measurements on PLFAs indicated that fungi and Gram-positive bacteria were best adapted to black slate carbon uptake. In the fungal PLFA (combined bare and greened waste pile sample) and in PLFAs of Gram-positive bacteria (greened site) we measured 39.7% and 28.9% ancient carbon uptake, respectively. Our results prove that black slate degradation followed by carbon uptake takes place in situ. Results imply that plant colonization might additionally affect this process. Slight colonization with few plants increased slate derived carbon uptake in PLFAs of Gram-positive bacteria. Evidently, Gram-positive bacteria represented by specific PLFAs from the greened site held more ancient carbon than from the bare site. In contrast, no black slate derived carbon was used by microorganisms at the forested site with 2-3 times greater carbon content. Results suggest that the use of ancient slate derived carbon dominates mainly in early stages of microbial colonization of surfaces and that with increasing ecosystem development recycling of plant derived carbon dominates.

A potential large and persistent black carbon forcing over Northern Pacific inferred from satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhongshu; Liu, Junfeng; Mauzerall, Denise L.; Li, Xiaoyuan; Fan, Songmiao; Horowitz, Larry W.; He, Cenlin; Yi, Kan; Tao, Shu

2017-03-01

Black carbon (BC) aerosol strongly absorbs solar radiation, which warms climate. However, accurate estimation of BC’s climate effect is limited by the uncertainties of its spatiotemporal distribution, especially over remote oceanic areas. The HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observation (HIPPO) program from 2009 to 2011 intercepted multiple snapshots of BC profiles over Pacific in various seasons, and revealed a 2 to 5 times overestimate of BC by current global models. In this study, we compared the measurements from aircraft campaigns and satellites, and found a robust association between BC concentrations and satellite-retrieved CO, tropospheric NO2, and aerosol optical depth (AOD) (R2 > 0.8). This establishes a basis to construct a satellite-based column BC approximation (sBC*) over remote oceans. The inferred sBC* shows that Asian outflows in spring bring much more BC aerosols to the mid-Pacific than those occurring in other seasons. In addition, inter-annual variability of sBC* is seen over the Northern Pacific, with abundances varying consistently with the springtime Pacific/North American (PNA) index. Our sBC* dataset infers a widespread overestimation of BC loadings and BC Direct Radiative Forcing by current models over North Pacific, which further suggests that large uncertainties exist on aerosol-climate interactions over other remote oceanic areas beyond Pacific.

A potential large and persistent black carbon forcing over Northern Pacific inferred from satellite observations.

PubMed

Li, Zhongshu; Liu, Junfeng; Mauzerall, Denise L; Li, Xiaoyuan; Fan, Songmiao; Horowitz, Larry W; He, Cenlin; Yi, Kan; Tao, Shu

2017-03-07

Black carbon (BC) aerosol strongly absorbs solar radiation, which warms climate. However, accurate estimation of BC's climate effect is limited by the uncertainties of its spatiotemporal distribution, especially over remote oceanic areas. The HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observation (HIPPO) program from 2009 to 2011 intercepted multiple snapshots of BC profiles over Pacific in various seasons, and revealed a 2 to 5 times overestimate of BC by current global models. In this study, we compared the measurements from aircraft campaigns and satellites, and found a robust association between BC concentrations and satellite-retrieved CO, tropospheric NO 2 , and aerosol optical depth (AOD) (R 2  > 0.8). This establishes a basis to construct a satellite-based column BC approximation (sBC*) over remote oceans. The inferred sBC* shows that Asian outflows in spring bring much more BC aerosols to the mid-Pacific than those occurring in other seasons. In addition, inter-annual variability of sBC* is seen over the Northern Pacific, with abundances varying consistently with the springtime Pacific/North American (PNA) index. Our sBC* dataset infers a widespread overestimation of BC loadings and BC Direct Radiative Forcing by current models over North Pacific, which further suggests that large uncertainties exist on aerosol-climate interactions over other remote oceanic areas beyond Pacific.

Measurement of aerosol optical properties by integrating cavity ring-down spectroscopy and nephelometery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tedela, Getachew; Singh, Sujeeta; Fiddler, Marc; Bililign, Solomon

2013-03-01

Accurate measurement of optical properties of aerosols is crucial for quantifying the influence of aerosols on climate. Aerosols that scatter and absorb radiation can have a cooling or warming effect depending on the magnitude of the respective scattering and absorption terms. One example is black carbon known for its strong absorption. The reported refractive indices for black carbon particles range from 1.2 +0i to 2.75 +1.44i. Our work attempts to measure extinction coefficient, and scattering coefficient of black carbon particles at different incident beam wavelengths using a cavity ring-down spectrometer and a Nephelometer and compare to Mie theory predictions. We report calibration results using polystyrene latex spheres and preliminary results on using commercial black carbon particles. The work is supported by the Department of Defense grant W911NF-11-1-0188.

A method for monitoring mass concentration of black carbon particulate matter using photothermal interferometry.

PubMed

Li, Baosheng; Wang, Yicheng; Li, Zhengqiang

2016-03-01

A method for measurements of mass concentration of black carbon particulate matter (PM) is proposed based on photothermal interferometry (PTI). A folded Jamin photothermal interferometer was used with a laser irradiation of particles deposited on a filter paper. The black carbon PM deposited on the filter paper was regarded as a film while the quartz filter paper was regarded as a substrate to establish a mathematical model for measuring the mass concentration of PM using a photothermal method. The photothermal interferometry system was calibrated and used to measure the atmospheric PM concentration corresponding to different dust-treated filter paper. The measurements were compared to those obtained using β ray method and were found consistent. This method can be particularly relevant to polluted atmospheres where PM is dominated by black carbon.

Study of Rubber Composites with Positron Doppler Broadening Spectroscopy: Consideration of Counting Rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Chun; Quarles, C. A.

2007-10-01

We have used positron Doppler Broadening Spectroscopy (DBS) to investigate the uniformity of rubber-carbon black composite samples. The amount of carbon black added to a rubber sample is characterized by phr, the number of grams of carbon black per hundred grams of rubber. Typical concentrations in rubber tires are 50 phr. It has been shown that the S parameter measured by DBS depends on the phr of the sample, so the variation in carbon black concentration can be easily measured to 0.5 phr. In doing the experiments we observed a dependence of the S parameter on small variation in the counting rate or deadtime. By carefully calibrating this deadtime correction we can significantly reduce the experimental run time and thus make faster determination of the uniformity of extended samples.

Scaling approach of terrestrial carbon cycle over Alaska's black spruce forests: a synthesis of field observation, remote sensing, and ecosystem modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueyama, M.; Date, T.; Harazono, Y.; Ichii, K.

2007-12-01

Spatio-temporal scale up of the eddy covariance data is an important challenge especially in the northern high latitude ecosystems, since continuous ground observations are rarely conducted. In this study, we measured the carbon fluxes at a black spruce forest in interior Alaska, and then scale up the eddy covariance data to spatio- temporal variations in regional carbon budget by using satellite remote sensing data and a process based ecosystem model, Biome-BGC. At point scale, both satellite-based empirical model and Biome-BGC could reproduce seasonal and interannual variations in GPP/RE/NEE. The magnitude of GPP/RE is also consistent among the models. However, spatial patterns in GPP/RE are something different among the models; high productivity in low elevation area is estimated by the satellite-based model whereas insignificant relationship is simulated by Biome-BGC. Long- term satellite records, AVHRR and MODIS, show the gradual decline of NDVI in Alaska's black spruce forests between 1981 and 2006, resulting in a general trend of decreasing GPP/RE for Alaska's black spruce forests. These trends are consistent with the Biome-BGC simulation. The trend of carbon budget is also consistent among the models, where the carbon budget of black spruce forests did not significantly change in the period. The simulated results suggest that the carbon fluxes in black spruce forests could be more sensitive to water availability than air temperature.

Association of black carbon with cognition among children in a prospective birth cohort study.

PubMed

Suglia, S Franco; Gryparis, A; Wright, R O; Schwartz, J; Wright, R J

2008-02-01

While studies show that ultrafine and fine particles can be translocated from the lungs to the central nervous system, the possible neurodegenerative effect of air pollution remains largely unexplored. The authors examined the relation between black carbon, a marker for traffic particles, and cognition among 202 Boston, Massachusetts, children (mean age = 9.7 years (standard deviation, 1.7)) in a prospective birth cohort study (1986-2001). Local black carbon levels were estimated using a validated spatiotemporal land-use regression model (mean predicted annual black carbon level, 0.56 mug/m(3) (standard deviation, 0.13)). The Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test were administered for assessment of cognitive constructs. In analysis adjusting for sociodemographic factors, birth weight, blood lead level, and tobacco smoke exposure, black carbon (per interquartile-range increase) was associated with decreases in the vocabulary (-2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI): -5.5, 1.1), matrices (-4.0, 95% CI: -7.6, -0.5), and composite intelligence quotient (-3.4, 95% CI: -6.6, -0.3) scores of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test and with decreases on the visual subscale (-5.4, 95% CI: -8.9, -1.9) and general index (-3.9, 95% CI: -7.5, -0.3) of the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning. Higher levels of black carbon predicted decreased cognitive function across assessments of verbal and nonverbal intelligence and memory constructs.

Black Carbon Facilitated Dechlorination of DDT and its Metabolites by Sulfide.

PubMed

Ding, Kai; Xu, Wenqing

2016-12-06

1,1-trichloro-2,2-di(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) and its metabolites 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDD) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE), are often detected in soils and sediments containing high concentrations of black carbon. Sulfide (∼5 mM) from biological sulfate reduction often coexists with black carbon and serves as both a strong reductant and a nucleophile for the abiotic transformation of contaminants. In this study, we found that the abiotic transformation of DDT, DDD, and DDE (collectively referred to as DDX) require both sulfide and black carbon. 89.3 ± 1.8% of DDT, 63.2 ± 1.9% of DDD, and 50.9 ± 1.6% of DDE were degraded by sulfide (5 mM) in the presence of graphite powder (21 g/L) after 28 days at pH 7. Chloride was a product of DDX degradation. To better understand the reaction pathways, electrochemical cells and batch reactor experiments with sulfide-pretreated graphite powder were used to differentiate the involvement of black carbon materials in DDX transformation by sulfide. Our results suggest that DDT and DDD are transformed by surface intermediates formed from the reaction between sulfide and black carbon, while DDE degradation involves reductive dechlorination. This research lays the groundwork for developing an alternative in situ remediation technique for rapidly decontaminating soils and sediments to lower toxic products under environmentally relevant conditions.

Effect of Pt and Fe catalysts in the transformation of carbon black into carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asokan, Vijayshankar; Myrseth, Velaug; Kosinski, Pawel

2015-06-01

In this research carbon nanotubes and carbon nano onion-like structures were synthesized from carbon black using metal catalysts at 400 °C and 700 °C. Platinum and iron-group metals were used as catalysts for the transformation of CB into graphitized nanocarbon and the effect of both metals was compared. The synthesized products were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The characterization shows that this process is very efficient in the synthesis of high quality graphitized products from amorphous carbon black, even though the process temperature was relatively low in comparison with previous studies. Distinguished graphitic walls of the newly formed carbon nanostructures were clearly visible in the HRTEM images. Possible growth difference related to the type of catalyst used is briefly explained with the basis of electron vacancies in d-orbitals of metals.

Long-term airborne black carbon measurements on a Lufthansa passenger aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ditas, Jeannine; Su, Hang; Scharffe, Dieter; Wang, Siwen; Zhang, Yuxuan; Brenninkmeijer, Carl; Pöschl, Ulrich; Cheng, Yafang

2016-04-01

Aerosol particles containing black carbon are the most absorbing component of incoming solar radiation and exert a significant positive radiative forcing thus forming next to CO² the strongest component of current global warming (Bond, 2013). Nevertheless, the role of black carbon particles and especially their complex interaction with clouds needs further research which is hampered by the limited experimental data, especially observations in the free and upper troposphere, and in the UTLS (upper troposphere and lower stratosphere). Many models underestimate the global atmospheric absorption attributable to black carbon by a factor of almost 3 (Bond, 2013). In August 2014, a single particle soot photometer was included in the extensive scientific payload of the CARIBIC (Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container) project. CARIBIC is in operation since 1997 (with an interruption for 2002-2005) and carries out systematic observations at 10-12 km altitude. For this a special air freight container combining different instruments is transported on a monthly basis using a Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 passenger aircraft with destinations from 120°W to 120°E and 10°N to 75°N. The container has equipment for trace gas analyses and sampling and aerosol analyses and sampling and is connected to an inlet system that is part of the aircraft which contains a camera and DOAS remote sensing system. The integration of a single particle soot photometer (SP2) offers the possibility for the first long-term measurement of global distribution of black carbon and so far flights up to November 2015 have been conducted with more than 400 flight hours. So far the SP2 measurements have been analysed for flights over four continents from Munich to San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Beijing, Cape Town, Los Angeles and Hong Kong). The first measurements show promising results of black carbon measurements. Background concentrations in the UTLS have been determined. Beside a general distribution of number and mass of black carbon particles, single peak events were detected with an up to 20 times higher concentration. High concentration plumes have been observed continuously over a range of 10,000 km. Interestingly, the first measurements show also a lower amount of black carbon mass in the tropics compared to the mid latitude northern hemisphere. References CARIBIC: www.caribic-atmospheric.com / www.caribic-atmospheric.org / www.caribic.de Bond, T. C., et al. (2013), Bounding the role of black carbon in the climate system: A scientific assessment, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 5380-5552, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50171

Laboratory Validation of Four Black Carbon Measurement Methods for Determination of the Nonvolatile Particulate Matter (nvPM) Mass Emissions from Commercial Aircraft Engines

EPA Science Inventory

Four candidate black carbon (BC) measurement techniques have been identified by the SAE International E-31 Committee for possible use in determining nonvolatile particulate matter (nvPM) mass emissions during commercial aircraft engine certification. These techniques are carbon b...

Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: health implications of short-lived greenhouse pollutants.

PubMed

Smith, Kirk R; Jerrett, Michael; Anderson, H Ross; Burnett, Richard T; Stone, Vicki; Derwent, Richard; Atkinson, Richard W; Cohen, Aaron; Shonkoff, Seth B; Krewski, Daniel; Pope, C Arden; Thun, Michael J; Thurston, George

2009-12-19

In this report we review the health effects of three short-lived greenhouse pollutants-black carbon, ozone, and sulphates. We undertook new meta-analyses of existing time-series studies and an analysis of a cohort of 352,000 people in 66 US cities during 18 years of follow-up. This cohort study provides estimates of mortality effects from long-term exposure to elemental carbon, an indicator of black carbon mass, and evidence that ozone exerts an independent risk of mortality. Associations among these pollutants make drawing conclusions about their individual health effects difficult at present, but sulphate seems to have the most robust effects in multiple-pollutant models. Generally, the toxicology of the pure compounds and their epidemiology diverge because atmospheric black carbon, ozone, and sulphate are associated and could interact with related toxic species. Although sulphate is a cooling agent, black carbon and ozone could together exert nearly half as much global warming as carbon dioxide. The complexity of these health and climate effects needs to be recognised in mitigation policies. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public health benefits of strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions: health implications of short-lived greenhouse pollutants

PubMed Central

Smith, Kirk R.; Jerrett, Michael; Anderson, H Ross; Burnett, Richard T.; Stone, Vicki; Derwent, Richard; Atkinson, Richard W.; Cohen, Aaron; Shonkoff, Seth B.; Krewski, Daniel; Pope, C. Arden; Thun, Michael J.; Thurston, George

2014-01-01

In this report we review the health effects of three short-lived greenhouse pollutants—black carbon, ozone, and sulphates. We undertook new meta-analyses of existing time-series studies and an analysis of a cohort of 352 000 people in 66 US cities during 18 years of follow-up. This cohort study provides estimates of mortality effects from long-term exposure to elemental carbon, an indicator of black carbon mass, and evidence that ozone exerts an independent risk of mortality. Associations among these pollutants make drawing conclusions about their individual health effects difficult at present, but sulphate seems to have the most robust effects in multiple-pollutant models. Generally, the toxicology of the pure compounds and their epidemiology diverge because atmospheric black carbon, ozone, and sulphate are associated and could interact with related toxic species. Although sulphate is a cooling agent, black carbon and ozone could together exert nearly half as much global warming as carbon dioxide. The complexity of these health and climate effects needs to be recognised in mitigation policies. PMID:19942276

KSC-2011-1039

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-01-06

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In Orbital Sciences Corp. Building 1555 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians monitor the loading of the Taurus XL rocket components onto an Assembly Integration Trailer in preparation for moving to Pad 576-E on north Vandenberg later this month. The Orbital Sciences Taurus XL rocket, targeted to lift off Feb. 23, 2011, from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex 576-E, will take NASA's Glory satellite into low Earth orbit. Glory is scheduled to collect data on the properties of aerosols and black carbon. It also will help scientists understand how the sun's irradiance affects Earth's climate. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

KSC-2011-1040

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-01-06

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – In Orbital Sciences Corp. Building 1555 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, technicians monitor the loading of the Taurus XL rocket components onto an Assembly Integration Trailer in preparation for moving to Pad 576-E on north Vandenberg later this month. The Orbital Sciences Taurus XL rocket, targeted to lift off Feb. 23, 2011, from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex 576-E, will take NASA's Glory satellite into low Earth orbit. Glory is scheduled to collect data on the properties of aerosols and black carbon. It also will help scientists understand how the sun's irradiance affects Earth's climate. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

Black Ink of Activated Carbon Derived From Palm Kernel Cake (PKC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selamat, M. H.; Ahmad, A. H.

2009-06-01

Recycling the waste from natural plant to produce useful end products will benefit many industries and help preserve the environment. The research reported in this paper is an investigation on the use of the natural waste of palm kernel cake (PKC) to produce carbon residue as a black carbon for pigment source by using pyrolysis process. The activated carbons (AC) is produced in powder form using ball milling process. Rheological spectra in ink is one of quality control process in determining its performance properties. Findings from this study will help expand the scientific knowledge-base for black ink production and formulation base on PKC. Various inks with different weight percentage compositions of AC will be made and tested against its respective rheological properties in order to determine ideal ink printing system. The items in the formulation used comprised of organic and bio-waste materials with added additive to improve the quality of the black ink. Modified Polyurethane was used as binder. The binder's properties highlighted an ideal vehicle to be applied for good black ink opacity performance. The rheological behaviour is a general foundation for ink characterization where the wt% of AC-PKC resulted in different pseudoplastic behaviors, including the Newtonian behavior. The result found that Newtonian field was located in between 2 wt% and 10 wt% of AC-PKC composition with binder. Mass spectroscopy results shown that the carbon content in PKC is high and very suitable for black performance. In the ageing test, the pigment of PKC perform fairly according to the standard pigment of Black carbon (CB) of ferum oxide pigment. The contact angle for substrate's wettability of the ink system shown a good angle proven to be a water resistive coating on paper subtrates; an advantage of the PKC ink pigment performance.

Influential role of black carbon in the soil-air partitioning of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Indus River Basin, Pakistan.

PubMed

Ali, Usman; Syed, Jabir Hussain; Mahmood, Adeel; Li, Jun; Zhang, Gan; Jones, Kevin C; Malik, Riffat Naseem

2015-09-01

Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were assessed in surface soils and passive air samples from the Indus River Basin, and the influential role of black carbon (BC) in the soil-air partitioning process was examined. ∑26-PCBs ranged between 0.002-3.03 pg m(-3) and 0.26-1.89 ng g(-1) for passive air and soil samples, respectively. Lower chlorinated (tri- and tetra-) PCBs were abundant in both air (83.9%) and soil (92.1%) samples. Soil-air partitioning of PCBs was investigated through octanol-air partition coefficients (KOA) and black carbon-air partition coefficients (KBC-A). The results of the paired-t test revealed that both models showed statistically significant agreement between measured and predicted model values for the PCB congeners. Ratios of fBCKBC-AδOCT/fOMKOA>5 explicitly suggested the influential role of black carbon in the retention and soil-air partitioning of PCBs. Lower chlorinated PCBs were strongly adsorbed and retained by black carbon during soil-air partitioning because of their dominance at the sampling sites and planarity effect. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Webinar Presentations: STAR Black Carbon Webinar Series (11/21 and 12/9)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

These presentations were given at the STAR Black Carbon Webinar Series held on Nov. 21, 2016 (Topic: Interactions with Water) and on Dec. 9, 2016 (Topic: Representation at Different Geographic Scales).

On-line Field Measurements of Speciated PM1 Emission Factors from Common South Asian Combustion Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeCarlo, P. F.; Goetz, J. D.; Giordano, M.; Stockwell, C.; Maharjan, R.; Adhikari, S.; Bhave, P.; Praveen, P. S.; Panday, A. K.; Jayarathne, T. S.; Stone, E. A.; Yokelson, R. J.

2017-12-01

Characterization of aerosol emissions from prevalent but under sampled combustion sources in South Asia was performed as part of the Nepal Ambient Monitoring and Source Testing Experiment (NAMaSTE) in April 2015. Targeted emission sources included cooking stoves with a variety of solid fuels, brick kilns, garbage burning, crop-residue burning, diesel irrigation pumps, and motorcycles. Real-time measurements of submicron non-refractory particulate mass concentration and composition were obtained using an Aerodyne mini Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (mAMS). Speciated PM1 mass emission factors were calculated for all particulate species (e.g. organics, sulfates, nitrates, chlorides, ammonium) and for each source type using the carbon mass balance approach. Size resolved emission factors were also acquired using a novel high duty cycle particle time-of-flight technique (ePTOF). Black carbon and brown carbon absorption emission factors and absorption Angström exponents were measured using filter loading and scattering corrected attenuation at 370 nm and 880 nm with a dual spot aethalometer (Magee Scientific AE-33). The results indicate that open garbage burning is a strong emitter of organic aerosol, black carbon, and internally mixed particle phase hydrogen chloride (HCl). Emissions of HCl were attributed to the presence chlorinated plastics. The primarily coal fired brick kilns were found to be large emitters of sulfate but large differences in the organic and light absorbing component of emissions were observed between the two kiln types investigated (technologically advanced vs. traditional). These results, among others, bring on-line and field-tested aerosol emission measurements to an area of atmoshperic research dominated by off-line or laboratory based measurements.

Pulmonary toxicity of manufactured nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peebles, Brian Christopher

Manufactured nanomaterials have become ubiquitous in science, industry, and medicine. Although electron microscopy and surface probe techniques have improved understanding of the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials, much less is known about what makes nanomaterials toxic. Particulate matter less than 2.5 mum in effective aerodynamic diameter is easily inhaled and taken deep into the lungs. The toxicity of inhaled particulate matter is related to its size and surface chemistry; for instance, the smaller the size of particles, the greater their specific surface area. The chemistry and toxicity of insoluble particles depends on their surface area, since chemical reactions may happen with the environment on the surface. Oxidation and reduction may occur on the surfaces of particles after they are produced. For instance, it is known that carbonaceous particles from vehicle exhaust and industrial emission may interact with reactive species like ozone in their ambient environment, altering the surface chemistry of the particles. Reaction with species in the environment may cause changes in the chemical functionality of the surface and change the toxic properties of the particles when they are inhaled. Furthermore, metals on the surface of inhalable particles can contribute to their toxicity. Much attention has been given to the presence of iron on the surfaces of inhalable particles in the environment. After particle inhalation, particles are endocytosed by alveolar macrophages in the immune response to foreign matter. They are exposed to hydrogen peroxide in the oxidative burst, which can cause the iron-mediated production of hydroxyl free radicals via the Fenton reaction, causing oxidative stress that leads to inflammation and cell death. The toxicity of particles that contain metals depends on the redox activity and bioavailability of the metals, the causes of thich have not yet been adequately explored. In this thesis, electron paramagnetic spectroscopy showed that carbon blacks contain free radical and other surface functionality as manufactured, and that exposure to ozone further functionalizes the surface. Samples of carbon black that have been exposed to ozone react with their ambient environment so that acid anhydride and cyclic ether functionality hydrolyze to form carboxylic acid functionality, observable by transmission Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Persistent free radical content, but not free radical content from ozone exposure, may mediate the toxic response of cells to carbon blacks in vitro. Results showed that macrophages exposed to carbon blacks that had been exposed to ozone were not less viable in vitro than macrophages exposed to carbon blacks as manufactured because the free radical content that resulted from ozone exposure was not persistent in an aqueous medium. Furthermore, concurrent exposure to ozonated carbon blacks and ozone was less lethal to macrophages than carbon black exposure alone, possibly because the ozone oxidatively preconditioned the macrophages to resist oxidative stress. The nature of redox-active iron species on the surface of iron-loaded synthetic carbon particles was explored. The particles had been shown in previous studies to provoke an inflammatory response involving the release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, which was correlated with their production of hydroxyl free radicals via the Fenton reaction in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. It was found that the source of bioavailable Fenton-active iron on the surfaces of the particles was fluoride species that were byproducts of a step in the synthetic process. Fluoride ligated the iron already on the surface, forming a complex that resisted precipitation in the biological medium and thus made the iron more bioavailable. The results of this thesis aim to clarify whether the size and surface chemistry of nanoparticles should be considered more closely as criteria with which to develop better environmental controls for occupational health. Permissible exposure limits to micrometer-size particulate matter in the workplace are in place, but current limits do not specifically address the role of surface chemistry and the potentially higher toxicity of nanomaterials. The size, agglomeration characteristics, and surface chemistry of carbon nanoparticles are being studied and manipulated to explore the causes of their toxicity. Inflammatory response and cytotoxicity following exposure of human and murine macrophages to nanoparticles are being employed as indicators of the ability of particles to cause respiratory harm. The results are expected to lead to more effective standards for nanomaterial exposure in the workplace and pathways to toxicity mitigation.

Black Tea Lowers Blood Pressure and Wave Reflections in Fasted and Postprandial Conditions in Hypertensive Patients: A Randomised Study

PubMed Central

Grassi, Davide; Draijer, Richard; Desideri, Giovambattista; Mulder, Theo; Ferri, Claudio

2015-01-01

Hypertension and arterial stiffening are independent predictors of cardiovascular mortality. Flavonoids may exert some vascular protection. We investigated the effects of black tea on blood pressure (BP) and wave reflections before and after fat load in hypertensives. According to a randomized, double-blind, controlled, cross-over design, 19 patients were assigned to consume black tea (129 mg flavonoids) or placebo twice a day for eight days (13 day wash-out period). Digital volume pulse and BP were measured before and 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after tea consumption. Measurements were performed in a fasted state and after a fat load. Compared to placebo, reflection index and stiffness index decreased after tea consumption (p < 0.0001). Fat challenge increased wave reflection, which was counteracted by tea consumption (p < 0.0001). Black tea decreased systolic and diastolic BP (−3.2 mmHg, p < 0.005 and −2.6 mmHg, p < 0.0001; respectively) and prevented BP increase after a fat load (p < 0.0001). Black tea consumption lowers wave reflections and BP in the fasting state, and during the challenging haemodynamic conditions after a fat load in hypertensives. Considering lipemia-induced impairment of arterial function may occur frequently during the day, our findings suggest regular consumption of black tea may be relevant for cardiovascular protection. PMID:25658240

Aerosol Absorption by Black Carbon and Dust: Implications of Climate Change and Air Quality in Asia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Mian

2010-01-01

Atmospheric aerosol distributions from 2000 to 2007 are simulated with the global model GOCART to attribute light absorption by aerosol to its composition and sources. We show the seasonal and interannual variations of absorbing aerosols in the atmosphere over Asia, mainly black carbon and dust. and their linkage to the changes of anthropogenic and dust emissions in the region. We compare our results with observations from satellite and ground-based networks, and estimate the importance of black carbon and dust on regional climate forcing and air quality.

Black and brown pigment gallstones differ in microstructure and microcomposition.

PubMed

Malet, P F; Takabayashi, A; Trotman, B W; Soloway, R D; Weston, N E

1984-01-01

The two subtypes of pigment gallstones, black and brown stones, differ in chemical composition and pathogenesis. We examined a black bilirubinate stone and a black phosphate stone (which represented opposite ends of the compositional spectrum of black noncarbonate stones), a black carbonate stone, and a brown pigment stone using scanning electron microscopy and microchemical techniques to determine if stone microstructure and microcomposition reflected different patterns of formation. The cross-sectional surfaces of the black bilirubinate and black phosphate stones were smooth and homogenous. Electron probe microanalysis demonstrated high concentrations of sulfur and copper in the center of the black bilirubinate stone; sulfur was in a low valence state consistent with disulfide linkages in proteins. The brown stone was rough-surfaced with lamellated bands on cross-section. The lighter-colored bands in this stone contained virtually all of the detected calcium palmitate, while the darker sections contained much more calcium bilirubinate. Plasma oxygen etching demonstrated a network of protein interdigitating with calcium bilirubinate salts in the black bilirubinate and black phosphate stones but not in the black carbonate or brown stones. Argon ion etching demonstrated that calcium bilirubinate was in a closely packed rod-shaped arrangement in all three black stones but not in the brown stone. We conclude that the marked differences in structure and composition between the black noncarbonate and brown pigment gallstones support the hypothesis that the two major pigment gallstone types form by different mechanisms. In addition, the layered structures of the black carbonate and brown stones suggest that stone growth is affected by cyclic changes in biliary composition.

Black carbon emission reduction strategies in healthcare industry for effective global climate change management.

PubMed

Raila, Emilia Mmbando; Anderson, David O

2017-04-01

Climate change remains one of the biggest threats to life on earth to date with black carbon (BC) emissions or smoke being the strongest cause after carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Surprisingly, scientific evidence about black carbon emissions reduction in healthcare settings is sparse. This paper presents new research findings on the reduction of black carbon emissions from an observational study conducted at the UN Peacekeeping Operations (MINUSTAH) in Haiti in 2014. Researchers observed 20 incineration cycles, 30 minutes for each cycle of plastic and cardboard sharps healthcare waste (HCW) containers ranged from 3 to 14.6 kg. The primary aim was to determine if black carbon emissions from healthcare waste incineration can be lowered by mainstreaming the use of cardboard sharps healthcare waste containers instead of plastic sharps healthcare waste containers. Similarly, the study looks into whether burning temperature was associated with the smoke levels for each case or not. Independent samples t-tests demonstrated significantly lower black carbon emissions during the incineration of cardboard sharps containers (6.81 ± 4.79% smoke) than in plastic containers (17.77 ± 8.38% smoke); a statistically significant increase of 10.96% smoke (95% Confidence Interval ( CI) [4.4 to 17.5% smoke], p = 0.003). Correspondingly, lower bottom burner temperatures occurred during the incineration of cardboard sharps containers than in plastic (95% Cl [16 to 126°C], p = 0.014). Finally, we expect the application of the new quantitative evidence to form the basis for policy formulation, mainstream the use of cardboard sharps containers and opt for non-incineration disposal technologies as urgent steps for going green in healthcare waste management.

Regional scale temperature and circulation impacts of short-lived climate pollutants reductions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oudar, T.; Kushner, P. J.; Fyfe, J. C.; von Salzen, K.; Shrestha, R.

2017-12-01

The role of anthropogenic aerosols on climate is still not clearly understood. Aerosol forcing is spatially heterogeneous and their emissions are controlled by regional economic and regulatory factors. For example, it is known that black carbon is responsible for a global net warming but its regional impacts are less understood. We evaluate the regional climate impacts of anthropogenic aerosol emission changes over the recent past and near future. Specifically, we report on numerical experiments using aerosol emissions from the Evaluating the Climate and Air Quality Impacts of Short-Lived Pollutants (ECLIPSE, Stohl et al., 2015) project. These scenarios are alternative mitigation pathways for black carbon and organic aerosol over the period from 1990 to 2050. With these scenarios, we carried out three sets of simulation using the second generation Canadian Earth System Model (CanESM2): 1) A current legislation emission (CLE) scenario for black carbon and organic aerosols; 2) A mitigation (MIT) scenario for black carbon and organic aerosols, and; 3) A black carbon only mitigation scenario (MIT-BC). Five simulations were carried out for each scenario and the response analyzed in the context of a large fifty-member initial condition ensemble of simulations using historical anthropogenic aerosol forcings to 2005 as well as those forcing from the RCP8.5 scenario to 2020. Our main finding is a significant springtime cooling over the Northern midlatitudes that attributable to black carbon. Other cooling signals attributable to black carbon reductions are found in the boreal summer over Southern Europe as well as over the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes and tropical troposphere in boreal summer and fall. All of these cooling signals are to some degree offset by simultaneous reductions in organic aerosols. As a check on the robustness, we will also report on results of five-member draws from the large ensemble over periods of comparably strong radiative forcing changes, to gauge the chance of finding similar signals as a result of internal variability alone.

Atmospheric Rivers as a Trigger for Landslides and Post-Fire Debris Flows in Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oakley, N.; Lancaster, J.; Stock, J. D.; Cerovski-Darriau, C.; Kaplan, M.; Ralph, F. M.

2016-12-01

The role of anthropogenic aerosols on climate is still not clearly understood. Aerosol forcing is spatially heterogeneous and their emissions are controlled by regional economic and regulatory factors. For example, it is known that black carbon is responsible for a global net warming but its regional impacts are less understood. We evaluate the regional climate impacts of anthropogenic aerosol emission changes over the recent past and near future. Specifically, we report on numerical experiments using aerosol emissions from the Evaluating the Climate and Air Quality Impacts of Short-Lived Pollutants (ECLIPSE, Stohl et al., 2015) project. These scenarios are alternative mitigation pathways for black carbon and organic aerosol over the period from 1990 to 2050. With these scenarios, we carried out three sets of simulation using the second generation Canadian Earth System Model (CanESM2): 1) A current legislation emission (CLE) scenario for black carbon and organic aerosols; 2) A mitigation (MIT) scenario for black carbon and organic aerosols, and; 3) A black carbon only mitigation scenario (MIT-BC). Five simulations were carried out for each scenario and the response analyzed in the context of a large fifty-member initial condition ensemble of simulations using historical anthropogenic aerosol forcings to 2005 as well as those forcing from the RCP8.5 scenario to 2020. Our main finding is a significant springtime cooling over the Northern midlatitudes that attributable to black carbon. Other cooling signals attributable to black carbon reductions are found in the boreal summer over Southern Europe as well as over the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes and tropical troposphere in boreal summer and fall. All of these cooling signals are to some degree offset by simultaneous reductions in organic aerosols. As a check on the robustness, we will also report on results of five-member draws from the large ensemble over periods of comparably strong radiative forcing changes, to gauge the chance of finding similar signals as a result of internal variability alone.

Long-term Airborne Black Carbon Measurements on a Lufthansa Passenger Aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Y.; Su, H.; Ditas, J.; Scharffe, D.; Wang, S.; Zhang, Y.; McMeeking, G. R.; Brenninkmeijer, C. A. M.; Poeschl, U.

2015-12-01

Aerosol particles containing black carbon are the most absorbing component of incoming solar radiation and exert a significant positive radiative forcing thus forming next to CO2 the strongest component of current global warming. Nevertheless, the role of black carbon particles and especially their complex interaction with clouds needs further research which is hampered by the limited experimental data, especially observations in the free troposphere, and in the UTLS (upper troposphere and lower stratosphere). In August 2014, a single particle soot photometer (SP2) was included in the extensive scientific payload of the CARIBIC (Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container) project. CARIBIC is in operation since 1997 and carries out systematic observations of trace gas and aerosol sampling and on-line analyses, as well as DOAS remote sensing system at 10-12 km altitude. For this a special air freight container combining different instruments is transported on a monthly basis using a Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 passenger aircraft with destinations from 120°W to 120°E and 10°N to 75°N. The integration of a SP2 offers the possibility for the first long-term measurement of global distribution of black carbon. Up to date the SP2 measurements have been analyzed for 392 flights hours over four continents (Fig. 1). The first measurements show promising results of black carbon including periods when background concentrations in the UTLS were encountered. Beside a general distribution of number and mass of black carbon particles, peak events were detected with up to 20 times higher concentrations compared to the background. Moreover, high concentration plumes have been observed continuously over a range of 10,000 km. Interestingly, our results show also a generally lower amount of black carbon mass in the tropics compared to the mid latitude northern hemisphere.

Sonoelectrochemical one-pot synthesis of Pt - Carbon black nanocomposite PEMFC electrocatalyst.

PubMed

Karousos, Dionysios S; Desdenakis, Kostantinos I; Sakkas, Petros M; Sourkouni, Georgia; Pollet, Bruno G; Argirusis, Christos

2017-03-01

Simultaneous electrocatalytic Pt-nanoparticle synthesis and decoration of Vulcan XC-72 carbon black substrate was achieved in a novel one-step-process, combining galvanostatic pulsed electrodeposition and pulsed ultrasonication with high power, low-frequency (20kHz) ultrasound. Aqueous chloroplatinic acid precursor baths, as well as carbon black suspensions in the former, were examined and decoration was proven by a combination of characterization methods, namely: dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with EDX-analysis and cyclic voltammetry. In particular, PVP was shown to have a beneficial stabilizing effect against free nanoparticle aggregation, ensuring narrow size distributions of the nanoparticles synthesized, but is also postulated to prevent the establishment of a strong metal-substrate interaction. Current pulse amplitude was identified as the most critical nanoparticle size-determining parameters, while only small size particles, under 10nm, appeared to be attached to carbon black. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

When smoke gets in our eyes: the multiple impacts of atmospheric black carbon on climate, air quality and health.

PubMed

Highwood, Eleanor J; Kinnersley, Robert P

2006-05-01

With both climate change and air quality on political and social agendas from local to global scale, the links between these hitherto separate fields are becoming more apparent. Black carbon, largely from combustion processes, scatters and absorbs incoming solar radiation, contributes to poor air quality and induces respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Uncertainties in the amount, location, size and shape of atmospheric black carbon cause large uncertainty in both climate change estimates and toxicology studies alike. Increased research has led to new effects and areas of uncertainty being uncovered. Here we draw together recent results and explore the increasing opportunities for synergistic research that will lead to improved confidence in the impact of black carbon on climate change, air quality and human health. Topics of mutual interest include better information on spatial distribution, size, mixing state and measuring and monitoring.

How is Biomass Burning Affected by Grazing and Drought in Central and Western Asia?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, W. M.; Nordgren, B.; Petkov, A.; Corley, R.; Urbanski, S. P.; Balkanski, Y.; Ciais, P.; Mouillot, F.

2016-12-01

Biomass burning is a recurring natural process in many ecosystems and most of the fires are caused by human activity. The trace gases, aerosol particles, and black carbon emitted from biomass fires can affect air quality, climate, and public health. In addition, black carbon emitted from wildfires in high latitudes transports and is deposited in the Arctic, accelerating the ice and snow melt. As the climate becomes warmer and drier, more wildfires will occur in high-latitude ecosystems, a region highly sensitive to global warming. We mapped the area burned daily in Northern Eurasia at a 500m x 500m resolution from 2002 to 2015 in different ecosystems over different geographic regions. The mapping was based on the MODIS (MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) products from NASA Terra and Aqua satellites. From the Northern Eurasia dataset, we report the driving forces for the inter-annual variability of fire activity in Central and Western Asia during a period of 14 years from 2002 to 2015. Grassland dominated the region (>95%). Our results showed the area burned in this region has decreased about 65% from 1.4 x 105 km2 in 2002 to 0.5 x 105 km2 in 2015 during this period. The decrease is correlated with (1) the decrease of MODIS Drought Severity Index (DSI), and (2) the increase of the number of goats, sheep and cattle. The DSI decreased substantially from +1.0 in 2002 to -0.4 in 2011. The numbers of grazers in this region have decreased drastically in the mid-1990s because of economic collapse of the Soviet Union. However, the number of grazers have recovered and have increased steadily since 2000. Grazing by domestic animals on grassland reduces fuel loadings and thus emissions from biomass burning. The interactions of drought-economy-grazing-extent of biomass burning-emissions of black carbon and atmospheric pollutants in Central and Western Asia in the past 14 years will be summarized.

Vertical variability of aerosol single-scattering albedo and equivalent black carbon concentration based on in-situ and remote sensing techniques during the iAREA campaigns in Ny-Ålesund

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markowicz, K. M.; Ritter, C.; Lisok, J.; Makuch, P.; Stachlewska, I. S.; Cappelletti, D.; Mazzola, M.; Chilinski, M. T.

2017-09-01

This work presents a methodology for obtaining vertical profiles of aerosol single scattering properties based on a combination of different measurement techniques. The presented data were obtained under the iAREA (Impact of absorbing aerosols on radiative forcing in the European Arctic) campaigns conducted in Ny-Ålesund (Spitsbergen) during the spring seasons of 2015-2017. The retrieval uses in-situ observations of black carbon concentration and absorption coefficient measured by a micro-aethalometer AE-51 mounted onboard a tethered balloon, as well as remote sensing data obtained from sun photometer and lidar measurements. From a combination of the balloon-borne in-situ and the lidar data, we derived profiles of single scattering albedo (SSA) as well as absorption, extinction, and aerosol number concentration. Results have been obtained in an altitude range from about 400 m up to 1600 m a.s.l. and for cases with increased aerosol load during the Arctic haze seasons of 2015 and 2016. The main results consist of the observation of increasing values of equivalent black carbon (EBC) and absorption coefficient with altitude, and the opposite trend for aerosol concentration for particles larger than 0.3 μm. SSA was retrieved with the use of lidar Raman and Klett algorithms for both 532 and 880 nm wavelengths. In most profiles, SSA shows relatively high temporal and altitude variability. Vertical variability of SSA computed from both methods is consistent; however, some discrepancy is related to Raman retrieval uncertainty and absorption coefficient estimation from AE-51. Typically, very low EBC concentration in Ny-Ålesund leads to large error in the absorbing coefficient. However, SSA uncertainty for both Raman and Klett algorithms seems to be reasonable, e.g. SSA of 0.98 and 0.95 relate to an error of ±0.01 and ± 0.025, respectively.

Testing the ``Wildfire Hypothesis:'' Terrestrial Organic Carbon Burning as the Cause of the Paleocene-Eocene Boundary Carbon Isotope Excursion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, E. A.; Kurtz, A. C.

2005-12-01

The 3‰ negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE) at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary has generally been attributed to dissociation of seafloor methane hydrates. We are testing the alternative hypothesis that the carbon cycle perturbation resulted from wildfires affecting the extensive peatlands and coal swamps formed in the Paleocene. Accounting for the CIE with terrestrial organic carbon rather than methane requires a significantly larger net release of fossil carbon to the ocean-atmosphere, which may be more consistent with the extreme global warming and ocean acidification characteristic of the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). While other researchers have noted evidence of fires at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary in individual locations, the research presented here is designed to test the "wildfire hypothesis" for the Paleocene-Eocene boundary by examining marine sediments for evidence of a global increase in wildfire activity. Such fires would produce massive amounts of soot, widely distributed by wind and well preserved in marine sediments as refractory black carbon. We expect that global wildfires occurring at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary would produce a peak in black carbon abundance at the PETM horizon. We are using the method of Gelinas et al. (2001) to produce high-resolution concentration profiles of black carbon across the Paleocene-Eocene boundary using seafloor sediments from ODP cores, beginning with the Bass River core from ODP leg 174AX and site 1209 from ODP leg 198. This method involves the chemical and thermal extraction of non-refractory carbon followed by combustion of the residual black carbon and measurement as CO2. Measurement of the δ 13C of the black carbon will put additional constraints on the source of the organic material combusted, and will allow us to determine if this organic material was formed prior to or during the CIE.

Rethinking the Scope of Environmental Injustice: Perceptions of Health Hazards in a Rural Native American Community Exposed to Carbon Black

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shriver, Thomas E.; Webb, Gary R.

2009-01-01

We use in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis to examine perceptions of environmental health and justice among Native Americans in a rural Oklahoma community. Residents live near the Continental Carbon Company, which manufactures a rubber compound know as "carbon black." Ponca tribal members believe their…

THE OPTIMIZATION OF THERMAL OPTICAL ANALYSIS FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF BLACK CARBON IN REGIONAL PM2.5: A CHEMOMETRIC APPROACH REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

In thermal-optical analysis (TOA), particulate organic carbon (OC) as well as black carbon (BC) must be quantified. Both the BC that is native to the filter and instrument-produced OC char are products of incomplete combustion and have similar optical as well as chemical properti...

Environmental Technology Verification Program Advanced Monitoring Systems Center Quality Assurance Project Plan for Verification of Black Carbon Monitors

EPA Science Inventory

Black carbon is a term that is commonly used to describe strongly light absorbing carbon (LAC), which is thought to play a significant role in global climate change through direct absorption of light, interaction with clouds, and by reducing the reflectivity of snow and ice. BC ...

Black shale deposition during Toarcian super-greenhouse driven by sea level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermoso, M.; Minoletti, F.; Pellenard, P.

2013-12-01

One of the most elusive aspects of the Toarcian oceanic anoxic event (T-OAE) is the paradox between carbon isotopes that indicate intense global primary productivity and organic carbon burial at a global scale, and the delayed expression of anoxia in Europe. During the earliest Toarcian, no black shales were deposited in the European epicontinental seaways, and most organic carbon enrichment of the sediments postdated the end of the overarching positive trend in the carbon isotopes that characterises the T-OAE. In the present study, we have attempted to establish a sequence stratigraphic framework for Early Toarcian deposits recovered from a core drilled in the Paris Basin using a combination of mineralogical (quartz and clay relative abundance) and geochemical (Si, Zr, Ti and Al) measurements. Combined with the evolution in redox sensitive elements (Fe, V and Mo), the data suggest that expression of anoxia was hampered in European epicontinental seas during most of the T-OAE (defined by the positive carbon isotope trend) due to insufficient water depth that prevented stratification of the water column. Only the first stratigraphic occurrence of black shales in Europe corresponds to the "global" event. This interval is characterised by >10% Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content that contains relatively low concentration of molybdenum compared to subsequent black shale horizons. Additionally, this first black shale occurrence is coeval with the record of the major negative Carbon Isotope Excursion (CIE), likely corresponding to a period of transient greenhouse intensification likely due to massive injection of carbon into the atmosphere-ocean system. As a response to enhanced weathering and riverine run-off, increased fresh water supply to the basin may have promoted the development of full anoxic conditions through haline stratification of the water column. In contrast, post T-OAE black shales during the serpentinum and bifrons Zones were restricted to epicontinental seas (higher Mo to TOC ratios) during a period of relative high sea level, and carbon isotopes returning to pre-T-OAE values. Comparing palaeoredox proxies with the inferred sequence stratigraphy for Sancerre suggests that episodes of short-term organic carbon enrichment were primarily driven by third-order sea level changes. These black shales exhibit remarkably well-expressed higher-frequency cyclicities in the oxygen availability in the water column whose nature has still to be determined through cyclostratigraphic analysis.

Behavior of Quartz and Carbon Black Pellets at Elevated Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Fei; Tangstad, Merete

This paper studies the quartz and carbon black pellets at elevated temperature with varying temperature and gas atmosphere. High-purity quartz and commercial ultra-pure carbon black was mixed (carbon content vet. 15%), and then pelletized into particles of l-3mm in diameter. The stoichiometric analysis of the pellet during heating is studied in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) furnace at different temperature in CO and Ar atmosphere. The microstructure, phase changes and element content of sample before/after heating is characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, X-ray fluorescence and LECO analyzer. The reaction process can be divided into two stages. Higher temperature and argon atmosphere are the positive parameters for SiC formation.

Mesostructure, electron paramagnetic resonance, and magnetic properties of polymer carbon black composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brosseau, C.; Molinié, P.; Boulic, F.; Carmona, F.

2001-06-01

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has now become firmly established as one of the methods of choice for analyzing the carbon network over a range of different volume fraction of the carbon black in the composite, i.e., below and above the respective conduction threshold concentration. In the present article, two types of carbon blacks, having very different primary structures, surface areas, and percolation thresholds, were used; Raven 7000 (of high surface area and high percolation threshold volume fraction) and Y50A (of low surface area and low percolation threshold volume fraction). A semiquantitative image analysis of the microstructure from transmission electron microscopy reveals information about the spatial distribution of the carbon aggregates and agglomerates inside the composite. We observe that the apparent surface of agglomerates increases significantly with increasing carbon black content for the two types of blacks investigated. Adsorbed oxygen on the carbon black cristallites and dynamic coalescence under mixing conditions can be responsible for the broadening of the dispersed phase surface distribution. The interagglomerate distance in two samples of concentrations f

Arctic shipping emissions inventories and future scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbett, J. J.; Lack, D. A.; Winebrake, J. J.; Harder, S.; Silberman, J. A.; Gold, M.

2010-04-01

The Arctic is a sensitive region in terms of climate change and a rich natural resource for global economic activity. Arctic shipping is an important contributor to the region's anthropogenic air emissions, including black carbon - a short-lived climate forcing pollutant especially effective in accelerating the melting of ice and snow. These emissions are projected to increase as declining sea ice coverage due to climate change allows for increased shipping activity in the Arctic. To understand the impacts of these increased emissions, scientists and modelers require high-resolution, geospatial emissions inventories that can be used for regional assessment modeling. This paper presents 5 km×5 km Arctic emissions inventories of important greenhouse gases, black carbon and other pollutants under existing and future (2050) scenarios that account for growth of shipping in the region, potential diversion traffic through emerging routes, and possible emissions control measures. Short-lived forcing of ~4.5 gigagrams of black carbon from Arctic shipping may increase climate forcing; a first-order calculation of global warming potential due to 2030 emissions in the high-growth scenario suggests that short-lived forcing of ~4.5 gigagrams of black carbon from Arctic shipping may increase climate forcing due to Arctic ships by at least 17% compared to warming from these vessels' CO2 emissions (~42 000 gigagrams). The paper also presents maximum feasible reduction scenarios for black carbon in particular. These emissions reduction scenarios will enable scientists and policymakers to evaluate the efficacy and benefits of technological controls for black carbon, and other pollutants from ships.

Source contributions to black carbon mass fractions in aerosol particles over the northwestern Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koga, Seizi; Maeda, Takahisa; Kaneyasu, Naoki

Aerosol particle number size distributions above 0.3 μm in diameter and black carbon mass concentrations in aerosols were observed on Chichi-jima of the Ogasawara Islands in the northwestern Pacific from January 2000 to December 2002. Chichi-jima is suitable to observe polluted air masses from East Asia in winter and clean air masses over the western North Pacific in summer. In winter, aerosols over Chichi-jima were strongly affected by anthropogenic emissions in East Asia. The form of energy consumption in East Asia varies in various regions. Hence, each source region is expected to be characterized by an individual black carbon mass fraction. A three-dimensional Eulerian transport model was used to estimate contribution rates to air pollutants from each source region in East Asia. Because the Miyake-jima eruption began at the end of June 2000, the influence of smokes from Miyake-jima was also considered in the model calculation. The results of model calculations represent what must be noticed about smokes from volcanoes including Miyake-jima to interpret temporal variations of sulfur compounds over the northwestern Pacific. To evaluate black carbon mass fractions in anthropogenic aerosols as a function of source region, the relationships between the volume concentration of aerosol particles and the black carbon mass concentration in the winter were classified under each source region in East Asia. Consequently, the black carbon mass fractions in aerosols from China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula, and other regions were estimated to be 9-13%, 5-7%, and 4-5%, respectively.

Wintertime Correlation Between Black Carbon and Particle Size in a Street and Rural Site in Santiago de Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gramsch, E. V.; Reyes, F.; Oyola, P.

2013-05-01

We have studied the correlation between black carbon and particle size in three sites in the Metropolitan area of Santiago de Chile in the winter of 2009 and performed a detailed comparison. Two of the sites are located near busy streets in Santiago de Chile. The other site was located in a rural area about 30 km upwind from downtown with little influence from vehicles, but large influence from wood burning. The particle size distribution was measured with a DMPS (Whalin, 2001) in the range from 10 to 700 nm. Simultaneously, black carbon was measured with an optical monitor developed at the University of Santiago (Gramsch, 2004). It is well known that the smaller particles (~ 10 - 40 nm ) are emitted directly by the engines of vehicles, which later condensate or coagulate in the atmosphere to form larger particles. In our measurements, the street site is mostly influenced by diesel vehicles which emit large amounts of black carbon. We have divided the particle size measurements in four groups (10 - 40 nm, 41- 69 nm, 79 - 157 nm and 190 - 700 nm) in order to compare with the carbon monitor. The highest correlation (0.98) in the site near the street between black carbon and the particles was obtained with the 190 - 700 nm. The correlation with the 79 - 157 nm group was slightly less (0.93). A comparison between the hourly average curves for black carbon and the 190 - 700 nm group show a similar shape during the whole day. In the rural site, the number of particles in the 10 - 40 nm group was 10 times lower than in the street, but the number of particles in the 190 - 700 nm group was only two times smaller. This fact is an indication that wood burning does not generate particles smaller than ~ 80 - 100 nm. The best correlation in the rural site between the black carbon and the particles was also with the 190 - 700 nm group. However, the correlation was lower (0.86) than in the street site. The hourly average curves for black carbon and the 190 - 700 nm group show a similar shape during the night (10 PM - 6 AM), but differ during the day. These measurements indicate that black carbon measurements may be more sensitive to emission from diesel vehicles than wood burning. This work was supported by the University of Santiago (Dicyt), the National Commission for the Environment (CONAMA) and the Regional Government of the Metropolitan Region (GORE).. Gramsch, E., Cereceda-Balic, F., Ormeño, I., Palma, G., Oyola, P., 2004. Use of the light absorption coefficient to monitor elemental carbon and PM2.5. Example of Santiago de Chile. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association 54, 799-808 Wahlin, P., Palmgren, F., Van Dingenen, R., 2001. Experimental studies of ultrafine particles in streets and the relationship to traffic. Atmospheric Environment 35 (Suppl. 1), 63-69..

Commuter exposure to black carbon, carbon monoxide, and noise in the mass transport khlong boats of Bangkok, Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziegler, A. D.; Velasco, E.; Ho, K. J.

2013-12-01

Khlong (canal) boats are a unique mass transport alternative in the congested city of Bangkok. Canals and rivers provide exclusive transit-ways for reducing the commuting time of thousands of city residents daily. However, as a consequence of the service characteristics and boats design and state of repair, they can represent a potential public health risk and an important source of black carbon and greenhouse gases. This work quantifies commuter exposure to black carbon, CO and noise when waiting for and travelling in these diesel fueled boats. Exposure to toxic pollutants and acute noise is similar or worse than for other transportation modes. Mean black carbon concentrations observed at one busy pier and along the main canal were much higher than ambient concentrations at sites impacted by vehicular traffic. Concentrations of CO were similar to those reported for roadside areas of Bangkok. The equivalent continuous sound levels registered at the landing pier were similar to those reported for roadsides, but values recorded inside the boats were significantly higher. We believe that the boat service is a viable alternative mode of mass transport, but public safety could be improved to provide a high quality service, comparable to modern rail systems or emerging bus rapid transit systems. These investments would also contribute to reduce the emission of black carbon and other greenhouse and toxic pollutants.

Sol-gel processed thin-layer ruthenium oxide/carbon black supercapacitors: A revelation of the energy storage issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panić, V. V.; Dekanski, A. B.; Stevanović, R. M.

Hydrous ruthenium oxide/carbon black nanocomposites were prepared by impregnation of the carbon blacks by differently aged inorganic RuO 2 sols, i.e. of different particle size. Commercial Black Pearls 2000 ® (BP) and Vulcan ® XC-72 R (XC) carbon blacks were used. Capacitive properties of BP/RuO 2 and XC/RuO 2 composites were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in H 2SO 4 solution. Capacitance values and capacitance distribution through the composite porous layer were found different if high- (BP) and low- (XC) surface-area carbons are used as supports. The aging time (particle size) of Ru oxide sol as well as the concentration of the oxide solid phase in the impregnating medium influenced the capacitive performance of prepared composites. While the capacitance of BP-supported oxide decreases with the aging time, the capacitive ability of XC-supported oxide is promoted with increasing oxide particle size. The increase in concentration of the oxide solid phase in the impregnating medium caused an improvement of charging/discharging characteristics due to pronounced pseudocapacitance contribution of the increasing amount of inserted oxide. The effects of these variables in the impregnation process on the energy storage capabilities of prepared nanocomposites are envisaged as a result of intrinsic way of population of the pores of carbon material by hydrous Ru oxide particle.

A black body absorber from vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes

PubMed Central

Mizuno, Kohei; Ishii, Juntaro; Kishida, Hideo; Hayamizu, Yuhei; Yasuda, Satoshi; Futaba, Don N.; Yumura, Motoo; Hata, Kenji

2009-01-01

Among all known materials, we found that a forest of vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes behaves most similarly to a black body, a theoretical material that absorbs all incident light. A requirement for an object to behave as a black body is to perfectly absorb light of all wavelengths. This important feature has not been observed for real materials because materials intrinsically have specific absorption bands because of their structure and composition. We found a material that can absorb light almost perfectly across a very wide spectral range (0.2–200 μm). We attribute this black body behavior to stem from the sparseness and imperfect alignment of the vertical single-walled carbon nanotubes. PMID:19339498

Novel Structural Health Monitoring Schemes for Glass-Fiber Composites using Nanofillers

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-31

laminate with aligned carbon black. EIT has also been used to locate damage in a carbon nanofiber (CNF) filled epoxy composite. Methods of improving EIT...mm in diameter as well as impact damage to a GFRP laminate with aligned carbon black. EIT has also been used to locate damage in a carbon nanofiber...field applications, particularly ballistic armor and helicopter blades. The ability to detect matrix damage in composite laminates is extremely

A study of remotely sensed aerosol properties from ground-based sun and sky scanning radiometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giles, David M.

Aerosol particles impact human health by degrading air quality and affect climate by heating or cooling the atmosphere. The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) of Northern India, one of the most populous regions in the world, produces and is impacted by a variety of aerosols including pollution, smoke, dust, and mixtures of them. The NASA Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) mesoscale distribution of Sun and sky-pointing instruments in India was established to measure aerosol characteristics at sites across the IGP and around Kanpur, India, a large urban and industrial center in the IGP, during the 2008 pre-monsoon (April-June). This study focused on detecting spatial and temporal variability of aerosols, validating satellite retrievals, and classifying the dominant aerosol mixing states and origins. The Kanpur region typically experiences high aerosol loading due to pollution and smoke during the winter and high aerosol loading due to the addition of dust to the pollution and smoke mixture during the pre-monsoon. Aerosol emissions in Kanpur likely contribute up to 20% of the aerosol loading during the pre-monsoon over the IGP. Aerosol absorption also increases significantly downwind of Kanpur indicating the possibility of the black carbon emissions from aerosol sources such as coal-fired power plants and brick kilns. Aerosol retrievals from satellite show a high bias when compared to the mesoscale distributed instruments around Kanpur during the pre-monsoon with few high quality retrievals due to imperfect aerosol type and land surface characteristic assumptions. Aerosol type classification using the aerosol absorption, size, and shape properties can identify dominant aerosol mixing states of absorbing dust and black carbon particles. Using 19 long-term AERONET sites near various aerosol source regions (Dust, Mixed, Urban/Industrial, and Biomass Burning), aerosol absorption property statistics are expanded upon and show significant differences when compared to previous work. The sensitivity of absorption properties is evaluated and quantified with respect to aerosol retrieval uncertainty. Using clustering analysis, aerosol absorption and size relationships provide a simple method to classify aerosol mixing states and origins and potentially improve aerosol retrievals from ground-based and satellite-based instrumentation.

Colloidal Synthesis of Silicon-Carbon Composite Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Su, Haiping; Barragan, Alejandro A; Geng, Linxiao; Long, Donghui; Ling, Licheng; Bozhilov, Krassimir N; Mangolini, Lorenzo; Guo, Juchen

2017-08-28

We report colloidal routes to synthesize silicon@carbon composites for the first time. Surface-functionalized Si nanoparticles (SiNPs) dissolved in styrene and hexadecane are used as the dispersed phase in oil-in-water emulsions, from which yolk-shell and dual-shell hollow SiNPs@C composites are produced via polymerization and subsequent carbonization. As anode materials for Li-ion batteries, the SiNPs@C composites demonstrate excellent cycling stability and rate performance, which is ascribed to the uniform distribution of SiNPs within the carbon hosts. The Li-ion anodes composed of 46 wt % of dual-shell SiNPs@C, 46 wt % of graphite, 5 wt % of acetylene black, and 3 wt % of carboxymethyl cellulose with an areal loading higher than 3 mg cm -2 achieve an overall specific capacity higher than 600 mAh g -1 , which is an improvement of more than 100 % compared to the pure graphite anode. These new colloidal routes present a promising general method to produce viable Si-C composites for Li-ion batteries. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Investigation of black and brown carbon multiple-wavelength-dependent light absorption from biomass and fossil fuel combustion source emissions

Treesearch

Michael R. Olson; Mercedes Victoria Garcia; Michael A. Robinson; Paul Van Rooy; Mark A. Dietenberger; Michael Bergin; James Jay Schauer

2015-01-01

Quantification of the black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) components of source emissions is critical to understanding the impact combustion aerosols have on atmospheric light absorption. Multiple-wavelength absorption was measured from fuels including wood, agricultural biomass, coals, plant matter, and petroleum distillates in controlled combustion settings....

Assessing the combined influence of TOC and black carbon in soil-air partitioning of PBDEs and DPs from the Indus River Basin, Pakistan.

PubMed

Ali, Usman; Mahmood, Adeel; Syed, Jabir Hussain; Li, Jun; Zhang, Gan; Katsoyiannis, Athanasios; Jones, Kevin C; Malik, Riffat Naseem

2015-06-01

Levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and dechlorane plus (DPs) were investigated in the Indus River Basin from Pakistan. Concentrations of ∑PBDEs and ∑DPs were ranged between 0.05 and 2.38 and 0.002-0.53 ng g(-1) in the surface soils while 1.43-22.1 and 0.19-7.59 pg m(-3) in the passive air samples, respectively. Black carbon (fBC) and total organic carbon (fTOC) fractions were also measured and ranged between 0.73 and 1.75 and 0.04-0.2%, respectively. The statistical analysis revealed strong influence of fBC than fTOC on the distribution of PBDEs and DPs in the Indus River Basin soils. BDE's congener profile suggested the input of penta-bromodiphenylether (DE-71) commercial formulation in the study area. Soil-air partitioning of PBDEs were investigated by employing octanol-air partition coefficients (KOA) and black carbon-air partition coefficients (KBC-A). The results of both models suggested the combined influence of total organic carbon (absorption) and black carbon (adsorption) in the studied area. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 63.1103 - Source category-specific applicability, definitions, and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... compliance schedule for the carbon black production and acetylene decomposition carbon black production... AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS FOR SOURCE CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source...

40 CFR 63.1103 - Source category-specific applicability, definitions, and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... compliance schedule for the carbon black production and acetylene decomposition carbon black production... AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS FOR SOURCE CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source...

40 CFR 63.1103 - Source category-specific applicability, definitions, and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... compliance schedule for the carbon black production and acetylene decomposition carbon black production... AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS FOR SOURCE CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source...

40 CFR 63.1103 - Source category-specific applicability, definitions, and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... compliance schedule for the carbon black production and acetylene decomposition carbon black production... AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) NATIONAL EMISSION STANDARDS FOR HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS FOR SOURCE CATEGORIES (CONTINUED) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Source...

40 CFR 458.44 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false [Reserved] 458.44 Section 458.44 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.44 [Reserved] ...

40 CFR 458.43 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.43 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of..., controlled by this paragraph, which may be discharged from the carbon black lamp process by a point source...

40 CFR 458.44 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false [Reserved] 458.44 Section 458.44 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.44...

40 CFR 458.44 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false [Reserved] 458.44 Section 458.44 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.44...

40 CFR 458.44 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false [Reserved] 458.44 Section 458.44 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.44...

40 CFR 458.43 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.43 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of..., controlled by this paragraph, which may be discharged from the carbon black lamp process by a point source...

40 CFR 458.44 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false [Reserved] 458.44 Section 458.44 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.44 [Reserved] ...

40 CFR 458.43 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.43 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of..., controlled by this paragraph, which may be discharged from the carbon black lamp process by a point source...

40 CFR 458.14 - [Reserved

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false [Reserved] 458.14 Section 458.14 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Furnace Process Subcategory § 458.14...

Can reducing black carbon emissions counteract global warming?

PubMed

Bond, Tami C; Sun, Haolin

2005-08-15

Field measurements and model results have recently shown that aerosols may have important climatic impacts. One line of inquiry has investigated whether reducing climate-warming soot or black carbon aerosol emissions can form a viable component of mitigating global warming. We review and acknowledge scientific arguments against considering aerosols and greenhouse gases in a common framework, including the differences in the physical mechanisms of climate change and relevant time scales. We argue that such a joint consideration is consistent with the language of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. We synthesize results from published climate-modeling studies to obtain a global warming potential for black carbon relative to that of CO2 (680 on a 100 year basis). This calculation enables a discussion of cost-effectiveness for mitigating the largest sources of black carbon. We find that many emission reductions are either expensive or difficult to enact when compared with greenhouse gases, particularly in Annex I countries. Finally, we propose a role for black carbon in climate mitigation strategies that is consistent with the apparently conflicting arguments raised during our discussion. Addressing these emissions is a promising way to reduce climatic interference primarily for nations that have not yet agreed to address greenhouse gas emissions and provides the potential for a parallel climate agreement.

Accounting for water levels and black carbon-inclusive sediment-water partitioning of organochlorines in Lesser Himalaya, Pakistan using two-carbon model.

PubMed

Ali, Usman; Sweetman, Andrew James; Jones, Kevin C; Malik, Riffat Naseem

2018-06-18

This study was designed to monitor organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in riverine water of Lesser Himalaya along the altitude. Further, the sediment-water partitioning employing organic carbon and black carbon models were assessed. Results revealed higher water levels of organochlorine pesticides (0.07-41.4 ng L -1 ) and polychlorinated biphenyls (0.671-84.5 ng L -1 ) in Lesser Himalayan Region (LHR) of Pakistan. Spatially, elevated levels were observed in the altitudinal zone (737-975 masl) which is influenced by anthropogenic and industrial activities. Sediment-water partitioning of OCPs and PCBs were deduced using field data by employing one-carbon (f OC K OC ) and two-carbon Freundlich models (f OC K OC + f BC K BC C W nF-1 ). Results suggested improved measured vs predicted model concentrations when black carbon was induced in the model and suggested adsorption to be the dominant mechanism in phase partitioning of organochlorines in LHR.

Estimation of lifetime of carbonaceous aerosol from open crop residue burning during Mount Tai Experiment 2006 (MTX2006)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, X. L.; Kanaya, Y.; Wang, Z. F.; Komazaki, Y.; Taketani, F.; Akimoto, H.; Pochanart, P.; Liu, Y.

2012-06-01

Studying the emission ratios of carbonaceous aerosols (element carbon, EC, and organic carbon, OC) from open biomass burning helps to reduce uncertainties in emission inventories and provides necessary constraints for model simulations. We measured apparent elemental carbon (ECa) and OC concentrations at the summit of Mount Tai (Mt. Tai) during intensive open crop residue burning (OCRB) episodes using a Sunset OCEC analyzer. Equivalent black carbon (BCe) concentrations were determined using a Multiple Angle Absorption Photometer (MAAP). In the fine particle mode, OC and EC showed strong correlations (r > 0.9) with carbon monoxide (CO). Footprint analysis using the FLEXPART_WRF model indicated that OCRB in central east China (CEC) had a significant influence on ambient carbonaceous aerosol loadings at the summit of Mt. Tai. ΔECa/ΔCO ratios resulting from OCRB plumes were 14.3 ± 1.0 ng m-3 ppbv-1 at Mt. Tai. This ratio was more than three times those resulting from urban pollution in CEC, demonstrating that significant concentrations of soot particles were released from OCRB. ΔOC/ΔCO ratio from fresh OCRB plumes was found to be 41.9 ± 2.6 ng m-3 ppbv-1 in PM1. The transport time of smoke particles was estimated using the FLEXPART_WRF tracer model by releasing inert particles from the ground layer inside geographical regions where large numbers of hotspots were detected by a MODIS satellite sensor. Fitting regressions using the e-folding exponential function indicated that the removal efficiency of OC (normalized to CO) was much larger than that of ECa mass, with mean lifetimes of 27 h (1.1 days) for OC and 105 h (4.3 days) for ECa, respectively. The lifetime of black carbon estimated for the OCRB events in east China was comparably lower than the values normally adopted in the transport models. Short lifetime of organic carbon highlighted the vulnerability of OC to cloud scavenging in the presence of water-soluble organic species from biomass combustion.

Black shale deposition during Toarcian super-greenhouse driven by sea level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermoso, M.; Minoletti, F.; Pellenard, P.

2013-07-01

One of the most elusive aspects of the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE) is the paradox between carbon isotopes that indicate intense global primary productivity and organic carbon burial at a global scale, and the delayed expression of anoxia in Europe. During the earliest Toarcian, no black shales were deposited in the European epicontinental seaways, and most organic carbon enrichment of the sediments postdated the T-OAE (defined by the overarching positive trend in the carbon isotopes). In the present studied, we have attempted to establish a sequence stratigraphy framework for Early Toarcian deposits recovered from a core drilled in the Paris Basin using a combination of mineralogical (quartz and clay relative abundance) and geochemical (Si, Zr, Ti and Al) measurements. Combined with the evolution in redox sensitive elements (Fe, V and Mo), the data suggest that expression of anoxia was hampered in European epicontinental seas during most of the T-OAE due to insufficient water depth that prevented stratification of the water column. Only the first stratigraphic occurrence of black shales in Europe corresponds to the "global" event. This interval is characterised by > 10% Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content that contains relatively low concentration of molybdenum compared to subsequent black shale horizons. Additionally, this first black shale occurrence is coeval with the record of the major negative Carbon Isotope Excursion (CIE), likely corresponding to a period of transient greenhouse intensification likely due to massive injection of carbon into the Atmosphere-Ocean system. As a response to enhanced weathering and riverine run-off, increased fresh water supply to the basin may have promoted the development of full anoxic conditions through haline stratification of the water column. In contrast, post T-OAE black shales were restricted to epicontinental seas (higher Mo to TOC ratios) during a period of relative high sea level, and carbon isotopes returning to pre-T-OAE values. Comparing palaeoredox proxies with the inferred sequence stratigraphy for Sancerre suggests that episodes of short-term organic carbon enrichment were primarily driven by third-order sea level changes. These black shales exhibit remarkably well-expressed higher-frequency cyclicities in the concentration of redox-sensitive elements such as iron or vanadium whose nature has still to be determined through cyclostratigraphic analysis.

High performance platinum single atom electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Jing; Jiao, Menggai; Lu, Lanlu

For the large-scale sustainable implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells in vehicles, high-performance electrocatalysts with low platinum consumption are desirable for use as cathode material during the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. Here we report a carbon black-supported cost-effective, efficient and durable platinum single-atom electrocatalyst with carbon monoxide/methanol tolerance for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction. The acidic single-cell with such a catalyst as cathode delivers high performance, with power density up to 680 mW cm –2 at 80 °C with a low platinum loading of 0.09 mgPt cm –2, corresponding to a platinum utilization of 0.13 gPt kWmore » –1 in the fuel cell. Good fuel cell durability is also observed. As a result, theoretical calculations reveal that the main effective sites on such platinum single-atom electrocatalysts are single-pyridinic-nitrogen-atom-anchored single-platinum-atom centres, which are tolerant to carbon monoxide/methanol, but highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction.« less

High performance platinum single atom electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

DOE PAGES

Liu, Jing; Jiao, Menggai; Lu, Lanlu; ...

2017-07-24

For the large-scale sustainable implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells in vehicles, high-performance electrocatalysts with low platinum consumption are desirable for use as cathode material during the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. Here we report a carbon black-supported cost-effective, efficient and durable platinum single-atom electrocatalyst with carbon monoxide/methanol tolerance for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction. The acidic single-cell with such a catalyst as cathode delivers high performance, with power density up to 680 mW cm –2 at 80 °C with a low platinum loading of 0.09 mgPt cm –2, corresponding to a platinum utilization of 0.13 gPt kWmore » –1 in the fuel cell. Good fuel cell durability is also observed. As a result, theoretical calculations reveal that the main effective sites on such platinum single-atom electrocatalysts are single-pyridinic-nitrogen-atom-anchored single-platinum-atom centres, which are tolerant to carbon monoxide/methanol, but highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction.« less

Fullerene Soot in Eastern China Air: Results from Soot Particle-Aerosol Mass Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Ge, X.; Chen, M.; Zhang, Q.; Yu, H.; Sun, Y.; Worsnop, D. R.; Collier, S.

2015-12-01

In this work, we present for the first time, the observation and quantification of fullerenes in ambient airborne particulate using an Aerodyne Soot Particle - Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SP-AMS) deployed during 2015 winter in suburban Nanjing, a megacity in eastern China. The laser desorption and electron impact ionization techniques employed by the SP-AMS allow us to differentiate various fullerenes from other aerosol components. Mass spectrum of the identified fullerene soot is consisted by a series of high molecular weight carbon clusters (up to m/z of 2000 in this study), almost identical to the spectral features of commercially available fullerene soot, both with C70 and C60 clusters as the first and second most abundant species. This type of soot was observed throughout the entire study period, with an average mass loading of 0.18 μg/m3, accounting for 6.4% of the black carbon mass, 1.2% of the total organic mass. Temporal variation and diurnal pattern of fullerene soot are overall similar to those of black carbon, but are clearly different in some periods. Combining the positive matrix factorization, back-trajectory and analyses of the meteorological parameters, we identified the petrochemical industrial plants situating upwind from the sampling site, as the major source of fullerene soot. In this regard, our findings imply the ubiquitous presence of fullerene soot in ambient air of industry-influenced area, especially the oil and gas production regions. This study also offers new insights into the characterization of fullerenes from other environmental samples via the advanced SP-AMS technique.

CARBON BLACK DISPERSION PRE-PLATING TECHNOLOGY FOR PRINTED WIRE BOARD MANUFACTURING

EPA Science Inventory

This evaluation addresses the product quality, waste reduction, and economic issues involved in replacing electroless copper with a carbon black dispersion technology. McCurdy Circuits of Orange County, California, currently has both processes in operation. McCurdy has found that...

Top-of-atmosphere radiative forcing affected by brown carbon in the upper troposphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yuzhong; Forrister, Haviland; Liu, Jiumeng; Dibb, Jack; Anderson, Bruce; Schwarz, Joshua P.; Perring, Anne E.; Jimenez, Jose L.; Campuzano-Jost, Pedro; Wang, Yuhang; Nenes, Athanasios; Weber, Rodney J.

2017-07-01

Carbonaceous aerosols affect the global radiative balance by absorbing and scattering radiation, which leads to warming or cooling of the atmosphere, respectively. Black carbon is the main light-absorbing component. A portion of the organic aerosol known as brown carbon also absorbs light. The climate sensitivity to absorbing aerosols rapidly increases with altitude, but brown carbon measurements are limited in the upper troposphere. Here we present aircraft observations of vertical aerosol distributions over the continental United States in May and June 2012 to show that light-absorbing brown carbon is prevalent in the troposphere, and absorbs more short-wavelength radiation than black carbon at altitudes between 5 and 12 km. We find that brown carbon is transported to these altitudes by deep convection, and that in-cloud heterogeneous processing may produce brown carbon. Radiative transfer calculations suggest that brown carbon accounts for about 24% of combined black and brown carbon warming effect at the tropopause. Roughly two-thirds of the estimated brown carbon forcing occurs above 5 km, although most brown carbon is found below 5 km. The highest radiative absorption occurred during an event that ingested a wildfire plume. We conclude that high-altitude brown carbon from biomass burning is an unappreciated component of climate forcing.

A black carbon air quality network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirchstetter, T.; Caubel, J.; Cados, T.; Preble, C.; Rosen, A.

2016-12-01

We developed a portable, power efficient black carbon sensor for deployment in an air quality network in West Oakland, California. West Oakland is a San Francisco Bay Area residential/industrial community adjacent to regional port and rail yard facilities, and is surrounded by major freeways. As such, the community is affected by diesel particulate matter emissions from heavy-duty diesel trucks, locomotives, and ships associated with freight movement. In partnership with Environmental Defense Fund, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project, we are collaborating with community members to build and operate a 100-sensor black carbon measurement network for a period of several months. The sensor employs the filter-based light transmission method to measure black carbon. Each sensor node in the network transmits data hourly via SMS text messages. Cost, power consumption, and performance are considered in choosing components (e.g., pump) and operating conditions (e.g., sample flow rate). In field evaluation trials over several weeks at three monitoring locations, the sensor nodes provided black carbon concentrations comparable to commercial instruments and ran autonomously for a week before sample filters and rechargeable batteries needed to be replaced. Buildup to the 100-sensor network is taking place during Fall 2016 and will overlap with other ongoing air monitoring projects and monitoring platforms in West Oakland. Sensors will be placed along commercial corridors, adjacent to freeways, upwind of and within the Port, and throughout the residential community. Spatial and temporal black carbon concentration patterns will help characterize pollution sources and demonstrate the value of sensing networks for characterizing intra-urban air pollution concentrations and exposure to air pollution.

Morphology and Optical Properties of Black-Carbon Particles Relevant to Engine Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michelsen, H. A.; Bambha, R.; Dansson, M. A.; Schrader, P. E.

2013-12-01

Black-carbon particles are believed to have a large influence on climate through direct radiative forcing, reduction of surface albedo of snow and ice in the cryosphere, and interaction with clouds. The optical properties and morphology of atmospheric particles containing black carbon are uncertain, and characterization of black carbon resulting from engines emissions is needed. Refractory black-carbon particles found in the atmosphere are often coated with unburned fuel, sulfuric acid, water, ash, and other combustion by-products and atmospheric constituents. Coatings can alter the optical and physical properties of the particles and therefore change their optical properties and cloud interactions. Details of particle morphology and coating state can also have important effects on the interpretation of optical diagnostics. A more complete understanding of how coatings affect extinction, absorption, and incandescence measurements is needed before these techniques can be applied reliably to a wide range of particles. We have investigated the effects of coatings on the optical and physical properties of combustion-generated black-carbon particles using a range of standard particle diagnostics, extinction, and time-resolved laser-induced incandescence (LII) measurements. Particles were generated in a co-flow diffusion flame, extracted, cooled, and coated with oleic acid. The diffusion flame produces highly dendritic soot aggregates with similar properties to those produced in diesel engines, diffusion flames, and most natural combustion processes. A thermodenuder was used to remove the coating. A scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) was used to monitor aggregate sizes; a centrifugal particle mass analyzer (CPMA) was used to measure coating mass fractions, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to characterize particle morphologies. The results demonstrate important differences in optical measurements between coated and uncoated particles.

Natural and pyrogenic humic acids at goethite and natural oxide surfaces interacting with phosphate.

PubMed

Hiemstra, Tjisse; Mia, Shamim; Duhaut, Pierre-Benoît; Molleman, Bastiaan

2013-08-20

Fulvic and humic acids have a large variability in binding to metal (hydr) oxide surfaces and interact differently with oxyanions, as examined here experimentally. Pyrogenic humic acid has been included in our study since it will be released to the environment in the case of large-scale application of biochar, potentially creating Darks Earths or Terra Preta soils. A surface complexation approach has been developed that aims to describe the competitive behavior of natural organic matter (NOM) in soil as well as model systems. Modeling points unexpectedly to a strong change of the molecular conformation of humic acid (HA) with a predominant adsorption in the Stern layer domain at low NOM loading. In soil, mineral oxide surfaces remain efficiently loaded by mineral-protected organic carbon (OC), equivalent with a layer thickness of ≥ ~0.5 nm that represents at least 0.1-1.0% OC, while surface-associated OC may be even three times higher. In natural systems, surface complexation modeling should account for this pervasive NOM coverage. With our charge distribution model for NOM (NOM-CD), the pH-dependent oxyanion competition of the organo-mineral oxide fraction can be described. For pyrogenic HA, a more than 10-fold increase in dissolved phosphate is predicted at long-term applications of biochar or black carbon.

Emission Factors from Aerial and Ground Measurements of Field and Laboratory Forest Burns in the Southeastern U.S.: PM2.5, Black and Brown Carbon, VOC, and PCDD/PCDF

EPA Science Inventory

Aerial- and ground-sampled emissions from three prescribed forest burns in the southeastern U.S. were compared to emissions from laboratory open burn tests using biomass from the same locations. A comprehensive array of emissions, including PM2.5, black carbon (BC), brown carbon ...

Whites excrete a water load more rapidly than blacks.

PubMed

Weder, Alan B; Gleiberman, Lillian; Sachdeva, Amit

2009-04-01

A recent report demonstrated a racial difference in response to furosemide compatible with increased ion reabsorption in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle in blacks. Urinary dilution is another function of the loop-diuretic-sensitive Na,K,2Cl cotransporter in the thick ascending limb, and racial differences in urinary diluting capacity have not been reported previously. We assessed diluting segment (cortical thick ascending limb and distal convoluted tubule) function in black and white normotensives in 2 studies using a water-loading approach. In both studies, we found that whites excreted a water load more rapidly than blacks. In the first study, the final free water clearance rates (mean+/-SD) were 7.3+/-4.7 mL/min in whites (n=17, 7 females and 10 males) and 3.8+/-3.6 mL/min in blacks (n=14, 9 females and 5 males; P<0.03). In the second study, final free water clearance rates were 8.3+/-2.6 mL/min in whites (n=17, 8 females and 9 males) and 6.4+/-1.8 mL/min in blacks (n=11, 8 females and 3 males; P<0.01). We found no evidence of a racial difference in renal proximal tubular fluid reabsorption as assessed by renal endogenous lithium clearance or in plasma vasopressin level that could explain the difference in free water excretion. We conclude that our observations are most consistent with a lower capacity of ion reabsorption in the renal diluting segment in blacks. Slower excretion of an acute water load may have been an advantage during natural selection of humans living in arid, hot climates.

On-road black carbon instrument intercomparison and aerosol characteristics by driving environment

EPA Science Inventory

Large spatial variations of black carbon (BC) concentrations in the on-road and near-road environments necessitate measurements with high spatial resolution to assess exposure accurately. A series of measurements was made comparing the performance of several different BC instrume...

Overview of EPA activities and research related to black carbon

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this international presentation is to give an overview of EPA activities related to black carbon (BC). This overview includes some summary information on how EPA defines BC, current knowledge on United States emissions and forecasted emission reductions, and ongoin...

40 CFR 458.46 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Pretreatment standards for new sources. 458.46 Section 458.46 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp...

40 CFR 458.46 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Pretreatment standards for new sources. 458.46 Section 458.46 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp...

Use of carbon black in bituminous concrete in Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-01-01

In an attempt to verify the claim that the addition of carbon black to bituminous concrete increases its stability and performance, a test section placed on a deformed bridge deck surface near Altavista and one on Route 360 near Richmond are being ev...

Effect of carbon black on temperature field and weld profile during laser transmission welding of polymers: A FEM study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acherjee, Bappa; Kuar, Arunanshu S.; Mitra, Souren; Misra, Dipten

2012-04-01

The influence of the carbon black on temperature distribution and weld profile, during laser transmission welding of polymers, is investigated in the present research work. A transient numerical model, based on conduction mode heat transfer, is developed to analyze the process. The heat input to the model is considered to be the volumetric Gaussian heat source. The computation of temperature field during welding is carried out for polycarbonates having different proportion of carbon black in polymer matrix. The temperature dependent material properties of polycarbonate are taken into account for modeling. The finite element code ANSYS ® is employed to obtain the numerical results. The numerically computed results of weld pool dimensions are compared with the experimental results. The comparison shows a fair agreement between them, which gives confidence to use the developed model for intended investigation with acceptable accuracy. The results obtained have revealed that the carbon black has considerable influence on the temperature field distribution and the formation of the weld pool geometry.

Coatings of black carbon in Tijuana, Mexico, during the CalMex Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahama, S.; Russell, L. M.; Duran, R.; Subramanian, R.; Kok, G.

2010-12-01

Black carbon number and mass concentrations were measured by a single-particle soot photometer (SP2; by Droplet Measurement Technologies) in Tijuana, Mexico between May 15, 2010, and June 30, 2010, for the CalMex campaign. The measurement site, Parque Morelos, is a recreational area located in the Southeast region of Tijuana. The SP2 was equipped with 8-channels of signal detection that spans a wider range of sensitivity for incandescing and scattering measurements than traditional configurations. The campaign-average number concentration of incandescing particles was 280 #/cc, peaking during traffic activity in the mornings. Incandescing particles made up 50% of all particles (incandescing and purely scattering) detected by the SP2. The mode of the number size distribution estimated for black carbon, according to estimated mass-equivalent diameters, was approximately 100 nm or smaller. Temporal variations in estimated coating thicknesses for these black carbon particles are discussed together with co-located measurements of organic aerosol and inorganic salts.

Feedbacks between Climate and Fire Emissions

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-29

CH4 2. Direct emission of short-lived climate forcers - Black Carbon - Particulate organic matter 3. Production of tropospheric ozone and secondary... tropospheric ozone and secondary organic particulate matter 4. Changes in land surface properties - Black carbon on snow - Albedo Radiative Forcing of Black...lived  climate forcers:  particles 3.  Ozone   production 4. Change in  surface properties Fires Impacts on the Climate System 1. Emission of long lived

Low-glycemic load decreases postprandial insulin and glucose and increases postprandial ghrelin in white but not black women.

PubMed

Brownley, Kimberly A; Heymen, Steve; Hinderliter, Alan L; Galanko, Joseph; Macintosh, Beth

2012-07-01

Alterations in appetite hormones favoring increased postprandial satiety have been implicated in both the glycemic control and potential weight-loss benefits of a low-glycemic diet. Racial differences exist in dietary glycemic load and appetite hormone concentrations. This study examined the impact of glycemic load on appetite hormones in 20 black women [10 normal weight, BMI = 22.8 ± 1.42 (mean ± SD); 10 obese, BMI = 35.1 ± 2.77] and 20 white women (10 normal weight, BMI = 22.9 ± 1.45; 10 obese, BMI = 34.3 ± 2.77). Each woman completed two 4.5-d weight-maintenance, mixed-macronutrient, high-glycemic vs. low-glycemic load diets that concluded with a test meal of identical composition. Blood samples collected before and serially for 3 h after each test meal were assayed for plasma ghrelin and serum insulin and glucose concentrations. Compared with the high-glycemic load meal, the low-glycemic load meal was associated with lower insulin(AUC) (P = 0.02), glucose(AUC) (P = 0.01), and urge to eat ratings (P = 0.05) but with higher ghrelin(AUC) (P = 0.008). These results suggest the satiating effect of a low-glycemic load meal is not directly linked to enhanced postprandial suppression of ghrelin. Notably, these effects were significant among white but not black women, suggesting that black women may be less sensitive than white women to the glucoregulatory effects of a low-glycemic load. These findings add to a growing literature demonstrating racial differences in postprandial appetite hormone responses. If reproducible, these findings have implications for individualized diet prescription for the purposes of glucose or weight control in women.

Paleoceanographic Inferences from Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopic Compositions of Cenomanian Black Shales from DSDP/ODP Sites 367, 530, 603, 641, 1257-1261, and 1276 in the Atlantic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yum, J.; Meyers, P. A.; Bernasconi, S. M.; Arnaboldi, M.

2005-12-01

The mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian- Turonian) was characterized as a peak global greenhouse period with highest sea level, highest CO2 concentration in atmosphere and low thermal gradients from the poles to the equator. The depositional environment of the organic-carbon-rich black shales that typify this period remains an open question. A total of 180 Cenomanian- Turonian core samples were selected from multiple ODP and DSDP sites in the Atlantic Ocean: 530 (Cape Basin), 603 (Hatteras Rise), 641 (Galicia Bank), 1257-1261 (Demerara Rise), 1276 (Newfoundland Basin). Total organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations and isotopic compositions were measured to investigate variations in the proto-Atlantic Ocean paleoceanographic conditions that contributed to the origin of the black shales for this period. These new data were combined with existing data from Sites 367 (Senegal Rise), 530, and 603. Both the black shales and the organic-carbon-poor background sediments (less than 1 percent) have carbon isotope values between -29 to -22 permil. The C/N ratios of the background sediments are low (less than 20) compared to those of the black shales (20-40). Nitrogen isotope values range from 0 to 4 permil in the background samples. All black shales have similarly low nitrogen isotope values that range between -4 to 0 permil. These exceptionally low values are inferred to reflect the productivity of blue green algae and cyanobacteria under strongly surface stratified oceanic conditions. Although carbon isotope and C/N values of black shales show almost similar patterns at each location, there are site-specific shifts in these data that could be related to the amount of continental run off and/or the effect of latitude. Our multi-site comparison suggests that specially stratified depositional environments that could produce and accumulate the abnormally high carbon concentrations in sediments occurred throughout the proto-Atlantic ocean during the mid-Cretaceous. However, regional factors affected the amount and origin of organic matter delivered to each location.

Development of land-use regression models for fine particles and black carbon in peri-urban South India.

PubMed

Sanchez, Margaux; Ambros, Albert; Milà, Carles; Salmon, Maëlle; Balakrishnan, Kalpana; Sambandam, Sankar; Sreekanth, V; Marshall, Julian D; Tonne, Cathryn

2018-09-01

Land-use regression (LUR) has been used to model local spatial variability of particulate matter in cities of high-income countries. Performance of LUR models is unknown in less urbanized areas of low-/middle-income countries (LMICs) experiencing complex sources of ambient air pollution and which typically have limited land use data. To address these concerns, we developed LUR models using satellite imagery (e.g., vegetation, urbanicity) and manually-collected data from a comprehensive built-environment survey (e.g., roads, industries, non-residential places) for a peri-urban area outside Hyderabad, India. As part of the CHAI (Cardiovascular Health effects of Air pollution in Telangana, India) project, concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and black carbon were measured over two seasons at 23 sites. Annual mean (sd) was 34.1 (3.2) μg/m 3 for PM 2.5 and 2.7 (0.5) μg/m 3 for black carbon. The LUR model for annual black carbon explained 78% of total variance and included both local-scale (energy supply places) and regional-scale (roads) predictors. Explained variance was 58% for annual PM 2.5 and the included predictors were only regional (urbanicity, vegetation). During leave-one-out cross-validation and cross-holdout validation, only the black carbon model showed consistent performance. The LUR model for black carbon explained a substantial proportion of the spatial variability that could not be captured by simpler interpolation technique (ordinary kriging). This is the first study to develop a LUR model for ambient concentrations of PM 2.5 and black carbon in a non-urban area of LMICs, supporting the applicability of the LUR approach in such settings. Our results provide insights on the added value of manually-collected built-environment data to improve the performance of LUR models in settings with limited data availability. For both pollutants, LUR models predicted substantial within-village variability, an important feature for future epidemiological studies. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantifying immediate radiative forcing by black carbon and organic matter with the Specific Forcing Pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond, T. C.; Zarzycki, C.; Flanner, M. G.; Koch, D. M.

2010-06-01

We propose a measure to quantify climate warming or cooling by pollutants with atmospheric lifetimes of less than one year: the Specific Forcing Pulse (SFP). SFP is the amount of energy added to the Earth system per mass of pollutant emitted. Global average SFP for black carbon, including atmosphere and cryosphere, is 1.12 GJ g-1 and that for organic matter is -0.061 GJ g-1. We provide regional values for black carbon (BC) and organic matter (OM) emitted from 23 source-region combinations, divided between atmosphere and cryosphere impacts and identifying forcing by latitude. Regional SFP varies by about 40% for black carbon. This variation is relatively small because of compensating effects; particles from regions that affect ice albedo typically have shorter atmospheric lifetimes because of lower convection. The ratio between BC and OM SFP implies that, for direct forcing, an OM:BC mass ratio of 15 has a neutral effect on top-of-atmosphere direct forcing for any region, and any lower ratio induces direct warming. However, important processes, particularly cloud changes that tend toward cooling, have not been included here. We demonstrate ensemble adjustment, in which we produce a "best estimate" by combining a suite of diverse but simple models and enhanced models of greater complexity. Adjustments for black carbon internal mixing and for regional variability are discussed; regions with convection are implicated in greater model diversity. SFP expresses scientific uncertainty and separates it from policy uncertainty; the latter is caused by disagreements about the relevant time horizon, impact, or spatial scale of interest. However, metrics used in policy discussions, such as global warming potentials, are easily derived from SFP. Global-average SFP for biofuel and fossil fuel emissions translates to a 100-year GWP of about 760 for black carbon and -40 for organic matter when snow forcing is included. Ensemble-adjusted estimates of atmospheric radiative impact by black and organic matter using year 2000 emissions are +0.46 W m-2 and -0.17 W m-2, respectively; anthropogenic forcing is +0.38 W m-2 and -0.12 W m-2. The black carbon value is only 11% higher than that of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), although this value includes enhanced absorption due to internal mixing.

Multilayer graphene rubber nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schartel, Bernhard; Frasca, Daniele; Schulze, Dietmar; Wachtendorf, Volker; Krafft, Bernd; Morys, Michael; Böhning, Martin; Rybak, Thomas

2016-05-01

Multilayer Graphene (MLG), a nanoparticle with a specific surface of BET = 250 m2/g and thus made of only approximately 10 graphene sheets, is proposed as a nanofiller for rubbers. When homogenously dispersed, it works at low loadings enabling the replacement of carbon black (CB), increase in efficiency, or reduction in filler concentration. Actually the appropriate preparation yielded nanocomposites in which just 3 phr are sufficient to significantly improve the rheological, curing and mechanical properties of different rubbers, as shown for Chlorine-Isobutylene-Isoprene Rubber (CIIR), Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber (NBR), Natural Rubber (NR), and Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR). A mere 3 phr of MLG tripled the Young's modulus of CIIR, an effect equivalent to 20 phr of carbon black. Similar equivalents are observed for MLG/CB mixtures. MLG reduces gas permeability, increases thermal and electrical conductivities, and retards fire behavior. The later shown by the reduction in heat release rate in the cone calorimeter. The higher the nanofiller concentration is (3 phr, 5 phr, and 10 phr was investigated), the greater the improvement in the properties of the nanocomposites. Moreover, the MLG nanocomposites improve stability of mechanical properties against weathering. An increase in UV-absorption as well as a pronounced radical scavenging are proposed and were proved experimentally. To sum up, MLG is interesting as a multifunctional nanofiller and seems to be quite ready for rubber development.

Seasonal variation in the spatial distribution of aerosol black carbon over Bay of Bengal: A synthesis of multi-campaign measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kompalli, Sobhan Kumar; Suresh Babu, S.; Krishna Moorthy, K.; Nair, Vijayakumar S.; Gogoi, Mukunda M.; Chaubey, Jai Prakash

2013-01-01

Synthesizing data from several cruise experiments over the Bay of Bengal (BoB), the seasonal characterization of aerosol black carbon (BC) mass concentration was made. The study indicated that the BC mass concentration (MBC) showed significant seasonal variation over the oceanic region with MBC being the highest during the winter season (˜2407 ± 1756 ng m-3) and lowest in summer monsoon (˜765 ± 235 ng m-3). The seasonal changes in the BC mass concentration were more prominent over the northern BoB (having an annual amplitude of ˜4) compared to southern BoB (amplitude ˜ 2). Significant spatial gradients in MBC, latitudinal as well as longitudinal, existed in all the seasons. Latitudinal gradients, despite being consistently increasing northwards, were found to be sharper during winter and weakest during summer monsoon with e-fold scaling distances of ˜7.7° and ˜15.6° during winter and summer monsoon seasons respectively. Longitudinally, BC concentrations tend to increase toward east during winter and premonsoon seasons, but an opposite trend was seen in monsoon season highlighting the seasonally changing source impacts on BC loading over BoB. Examination of the results in light of possible role of transport from adjoining landmasses, using airmass back trajectory cluster analysis, also supported spatially and temporally varying source influence on oceanic region.

Characterization of Particulate Matter from a Heavily Industrial Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valarini, Simone; Ynoue, Rita Yuri

2011-01-01

A characterization of PM aerosols collected in Cubatão, Brazil is presented. Throughout 2009, 5 sampling campaings were carried out at CEPEMA (Centro de Capacitação e Pesquisa em Meio Ambiente da Universidade de São Paulo), in the vicinity of PETROBRAS oil refinery. Mini-vol portable air sampler was deployed to collect coarse and fine particles. Size-fractionated particle samples were collected by a Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposition Impactor (MOUDI) device. Gravimetric analysis showed three peaks for mass size distributions: the After-Filter stage (cut point diameter of less than 0,1μm), stage 7A (d=0,32μm) and stage 3A (d= 3,2μm). Fine particle matter (FPM) concentrations were almost always lower than coarse particle matter (CPM) concentrations. Comparison between the PM2.5 (particulate matter lower than 2.5μg.m-3) measurements by the MOUDI and Mini-Vol sampler reveals good agreement. However, MOUDI underestimates CPM. Reflectance analysis showed that almost all the Black Carbon is found in the Mini-Vol FPM and lower stages of the MOUDI, with higher concentrations at the After-Filter. The atmospheric loading of PM 2.5 was elevated at night, mainly due to more stable atmospheric conditions. Aerosol samples were analyzed for water- soluble ions, black carbon (BC), and trace elements using a number of analytical techniques.

Dermal absorption of benzo[a]pyrene into human skin from soil: Effect of artificial weathering, concentration, and exposure duration.

PubMed

Peckham, Trevor K; Shirai, Jeffry H; Bunge, Annette L; Lowney, Yvette W; Ruby, Michael V; Kissel, John C

2017-11-01

In vitro assessments of 14 C-benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) absorption through human epidermis were conducted with the sub-63-μm fraction of four test soils containing different amounts of organic and black carbon. Soils were artificially weathered for eight weeks and applied to epidermis at nominal BaP concentrations of 3 and 10 mg/kg for 8 or 24 h. Experiments were also conducted at 24 h with unweathered soils and with BaP deposited onto skin from acetone at a comparable chemical load. For the weathered soils, absorption was independent of the amount of organic or black carbon, the mass in the receptor fluid was proportional to exposure duration but independent of concentration, and the mass recovered in the skin after washing was proportional to concentration and independent of exposure time. Results from the weathered and unweathered soils were similar except for the mass recovered in the washed skin, which was lower for the weathered soil only at the higher concentration. We hypothesize that chemical concentrations exceeded the BaP sorption capacity accessible within the artificial weathering timeframe for all soils tested, and that BaP mass in the washed skin was dominated by particles that were not removed by washing. Fluxes into and through skin from soils were lower by an order of magnitude than from acetone-deposited BaP.

A potential large and persistent black carbon forcing over Northern Pacific inferred from satellite observations

PubMed Central

Li, Zhongshu; Liu, Junfeng; Mauzerall, Denise L.; Li, Xiaoyuan; Fan, Songmiao; Horowitz, Larry W.; He, Cenlin; Yi, Kan; Tao, Shu

2017-01-01

Black carbon (BC) aerosol strongly absorbs solar radiation, which warms climate. However, accurate estimation of BC’s climate effect is limited by the uncertainties of its spatiotemporal distribution, especially over remote oceanic areas. The HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observation (HIPPO) program from 2009 to 2011 intercepted multiple snapshots of BC profiles over Pacific in various seasons, and revealed a 2 to 5 times overestimate of BC by current global models. In this study, we compared the measurements from aircraft campaigns and satellites, and found a robust association between BC concentrations and satellite-retrieved CO, tropospheric NO2, and aerosol optical depth (AOD) (R2 > 0.8). This establishes a basis to construct a satellite-based column BC approximation (sBC*) over remote oceans. The inferred sBC* shows that Asian outflows in spring bring much more BC aerosols to the mid-Pacific than those occurring in other seasons. In addition, inter-annual variability of sBC* is seen over the Northern Pacific, with abundances varying consistently with the springtime Pacific/North American (PNA) index. Our sBC* dataset infers a widespread overestimation of BC loadings and BC Direct Radiative Forcing by current models over North Pacific, which further suggests that large uncertainties exist on aerosol-climate interactions over other remote oceanic areas beyond Pacific. PMID:28266532

Effect of polyamide 6 on the morphology and electrical conductivity of carbon black-filled polypropylene composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xuewei; Liu, Jiang; Wang, Yi; Wu, Wei

2017-12-01

Carbon black (CB)-filled polypropylene (PP) with surface resistivity between 106 and 109 Ω sq-1 is the ideal antistatic plastic material in the electronics and electric industry. However, a large amount of CB may have an adverse effect on the mechanical properties and processing performance of the material, thus an improved ternary system is developed. Blends of CB-filled PP and polyamide 6 (PA6) have been prepared by melt blending in order to obtain electrically conductive polymer composites with a low electrical percolation threshold based on the concept of double percolation. The morphological developments of these composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that CB particles were selectively dispersed in PA6 phases due to the good interaction and interfacial adhesion between CB and PA6. At the same CB loadings, the surface resistivity of PP/PA6/CB composite was smaller than that of PP/CB composite system, which indicated the better conductivity in the former composite. The increasing amount of PA6 in the composites changed the morphology from a typical sea-island morphology to a co-continuous morphology. What is more, with 8 wt% of CB and PP/PA6 phase ratio of 70/30 in which the PP and PA6 phases formed a co-continuous structure, the electrical conductivity of the composite peaked at 2.01 × 105 Ω sq-1.

Fine Mode Aerosol over the United Arab Emirates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, K. E.; Piketh, S. J.; Reid, J. S.; Reid, E. A.

2005-12-01

The aerosol loading of the atmosphere over the Arabian Gulf region is extremely diverse and is composed not only of dust, but also of pollution that is derived largely from oil-related activities. Fine mode pollution particles are most efficient at scattering incoming solar radiation and have the potential to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), and may therefore have implications for climate change. The smaller aerosols may also pose a health hazard if present in high concentrations. The United Arab Emirates Unified Aerosol Experiment (UAE2) was designed to investigate aerosol and meteorological characteristics over the region using ground-based, aircraft and satellite measurements, and was conducted in August and September 2004. Aerosol chemical composition has been obtained from filters that were collected at the site of the Mobile Atmospheric Aerosol and Radiation Characterization Observatory (MAARCO) on the coast of the UAE between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Filter samples were also collected on an airborne platform in order to assess how aerosol chemical composition varies across the region and throughout the depth of the boundary layer. Results of the analysis of the PM2.5 coastal samples show that ammonium sulphate is the most prevalent constituent of the fine mode aerosol in the region (>50% of the mass), followed by organic matter, alumino-silicates, calcium carbonate and black carbon. Source apportionment indicates that most of the fine aerosol mass is derived from fossil fuel combustion, while mineral dust and local vehicle emissions also contribute to the fine aerosol loading. The organic carbon-to-total carbon ratio of the aerosol is 0.65, which is typical of fossil fuel combustion. The dominance of sulphates means that the fine mode aerosol in the region is probably responsible for a negative radiative forcing, and that the polluting emissions significantly elevate the concentration of CCN.

Carbon catalyzed SO2 oxidation by NO2 and O3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cofer, W. R., III; Schryer, D. R.; Rogowski, R. S.

1982-01-01

The oxidation of SO2 to sulfate on carbon particles by trace quantities of NO2 and O3 was studied. Particulate carbon black was either: (1) directly exposed on the pan of a microbalance to various humidified mixtures of SO2 and oxidant gas and the resultant weight gains monitored, or (2) the gas mixtures were bubbled through aqueous suspensions of carbon black and pure water blanks. In each set of experiments the run times were varied appropriately and the yields of sulfate were determined analytically. Conversion of SO2 to sulfate was thus characterized as a function of exposure time and of oxidant gas. Carbon black was determined to be an excellent catalyst for SO2 oxidation to sulfate by both NO2 and O3. No saturation effects were observed in either experimental approach. Conversions of SO2 to sulfate did not appear pH dependent.

Particulate matter and black carbon optical properties and emission factors from prescribed fires in the southeastern United States

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This dataset provides all data used to generate the figures and tables in the article entitled Particulate matter and black carbon optical properties and emission factors from prescribed fires in the southeastern United States published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: AtmospheresThis dataset is associated with the following publication:Holder , A., G. Hagler , J. Aurell, M. Hays , and B. Gullett. Particulate matter and black carbon optical properties and emission factors from prescribed fires in the southeastern United States. JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES. American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, USA, 121(7): 3465-3483, (2016).

Polymer-carbon black composite sensors in an electronic nose for air-quality monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, M. A.; Shevade, A. V.; Zhou, H.; Homer, M. L.

2004-01-01

An electronic nose that uses an array of 32 polymer-carbon black composite sensors has been developed, trained, and tested. By selecting a variety of chemical functionalities in the polymers used to make sensors, it is possible to construct an array capable of identifying and quantifying a broad range of target compounds, such as alcohols and aromatics, and distinguishing isomers and enantiomers (mirror-image isomers). A model of the interaction between target molecules and the polymer-carbon black composite sensors is under development to aid in selecting the array members and to enable identification of compounds with responses not stored in the analysis library.

40 CFR 63.11400 - Am I subject to this subpart?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Carbon Black Production Area Sources... if you own or operate a carbon black production facility that is an area source of hazardous air... units, maintenance wastewater, and equipment components that contain or contact HAP that are associated...

MULTIYEAR REAL-TIME MONITORING OF PARTICLES, PAH, AND BLACK CARBON IN AN OCCUPIED HOUSE

EPA Science Inventory

Concentrations of ultrafine, fine, and coarse particles, particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and black carbon have been measured continuously (every 1 to 5 minutes) in an occupied townhouse for 2-3 years. Also, since the summer of 1999, temperature (outdoors...

Estimates of increased black carbon emissions from electrostatic precipitators during powdered activated carbon injection for mercury emissions control.

PubMed

Clack, Herek L

2012-07-03

The behavior of mercury sorbents within electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) is not well-understood, despite a decade or more of full-scale testing. Recent laboratory results suggest that powdered activated carbon exhibits somewhat different collection behavior than fly ash in an ESP and particulate filters located at the outlet of ESPs have shown evidence of powdered activated carbon penetration during full-scale tests of sorbent injection for mercury emissions control. The present analysis considers a range of assumed differential ESP collection efficiencies for powdered activated carbon as compared to fly ash. Estimated emission rates of submicrometer powdered activated carbon are compared to estimated emission rates of particulate carbon on submicrometer fly ash, each corresponding to its respective collection efficiency. To the extent that any emitted powdered activated carbon exhibits size and optical characteristics similar to black carbon, such emissions could effectively constitute an increase in black carbon emissions from coal-based stationary power generation. The results reveal that even for the low injection rates associated with chemically impregnated carbons, submicrometer particulate carbon emissions can easily double if the submicrometer fraction of the native fly ash has a low carbon content. Increasing sorbent injection rates, larger collection efficiency differentials as compared to fly ash, and decreasing sorbent particle size all lead to increases in the estimated submicrometer particulate carbon emissions.

Domestic airborne black carbon and exhaled nitric oxide in children in NYC

PubMed Central

Cornell, Alexandra G.; Chillrud, Steven N.; Mellins, Robert B.; Acosta, Luis M.; Miller, Rachel L.; Quinn, James W.; Yan, Beizhan; Divjan, Adnan; Olmedo, Omar E.; Lopez-Pintado, Sara; Kinney, Patrick L.; Perera, Frederica P.; Jacobson, Judith S.; Goldstein, Inge F.; Rundle, Andrew G.; Perzanowski, Matthew S.

2012-01-01

Differential exposure to combustion by-products and allergens may partially explain the marked disparity in asthma prevalence (3%–18%) among New York City neighborhoods. Subclinical changes in airway inflammation can be measured by fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). FeNO could be used to test independent effects of these environmental exposures on airway inflammation. Seven and eight year-old children from neighborhoods with lower (range 3–9%, n=119) and higher (range 11–18%, n=121) asthma prevalence participated in an asthma case-control study. During home visits, FeNO was measured, and samples of bed dust (allergens) and air (black carbon) were collected. Neighborhood built-environment characteristics were assessed for the 500m surrounding participants’ homes. Airborne black carbon concentrations in homes correlated with neighborhood asthma prevalence (P<0.001) and neighborhood densities of truck routes (P<0.001) and buildings burning residual oil (P<0.001). FeNO concentrations were higher among asthmatics with compared to asthmatics without frequent wheeze (≥4 times/year) (P=0.002). FeNO concentrations correlated with domestic black carbon among children without seroatopy (P=0.012) and with dust mite allergen among children with seroatopy (P=0.020). The association between airborne black carbon in homes and both neighborhood asthma prevalence and FeNO suggest that further public health interventions on truck emissions standards and residual oil use are warranted. PMID:22377682

Temporal variations of black carbon during haze and non-haze days in Beijing

PubMed Central

Liu, Qingyang; Ma, Tangming; Olson, Michael R; Liu, Yanju; Zhang, Tingting; Wu, Yu; Schauer, James J.

2016-01-01

Black carbon (BC) aerosol has been identified as one of key factors responsible for air quality in Beijing. BC emissions abatement could help slow regional climate change while providing benefits for public health. In order to quantify its variations and contribution to air pollution, we systematically studied real-time measurements of equivalent black carbon (eBC) in PM2.5 aerosols at an urban site in Beijing from 2010 to 2014. Equivalent black carbon (eBC) is used instead of black carbon (BC) for data derived from Aethalometer-31 measurement. Equivalent BC concentrations showed significant temporal variations with seasonal mean concentration varying between 2.13 and 5.97 μg m−3. The highest concentrations of eBC were found during autumn and winter, and the lowest concentrations occurred in spring. We assessed the temporal variations of eBC concentration during haze days versus non-haze days and found significantly lower eBC fractions in PM2.5 on haze days compared to those on non-haze days. Finally, we observed a clear inverse relationship between eBC and wind speed. Our results show that wind disperses PM2.5 more efficiently than eBC; so, secondary aerosols are not formed to the same degree as primary aerosols over the same transport distance during windy conditions. PMID:27634102

Black carbon, mass and elemental measurements of airborne particles in the village of Serowe, Botswana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moloi, K.; Chimidza, S.; Lindgren, E. Selin; Viksna, A.; Standzenieks, P.

Absorption of sunlight by sub-micron particles is an important factor in calculations of the radiation balance of the earth and thus in climate modelling. Carbon-containing particles are generally considered as the most important in this respect. Major sources of these particles are generally considered to be bio-mass burning and vehicle exhaust. In order to characterise size fractionated particulate matter in a rural village in Botswana with respect to light absorption and elemental content experiments were performed, in which simultaneous sampling was made with a dichotomous impactor and a laboratory-made sampler, made compatible with black carbon analysis by reflectometry. The dichotomous impactor was equipped with Teflon filters and the other sampler with glass fibre filters. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence was used for elemental analysis of both kinds of filters. It appeared that Teflon filters were the most suitable for the combination of mass-, elemental- and black carbon measurements. The black carbon content in coarse (2.5-10 μm) and fine (<2.5 μm) particles was determined separately and related to elemental content and emission source. The results show that the fine particle fraction in the aerosol has a much higher contribution of black particles than the coarse particle fraction. This observation is valid for the village in Botswana as well as for a typical industrialised city in Sweden, used as a reference location.

Optimization of degradation of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) and electricity generation in solar photocatalytic fuel cell system.

PubMed

Khalik, Wan Fadhilah; Ho, Li-Ngee; Ong, Soon-An; Voon, Chun-Hong; Wong, Yee-Shian; Yusoff, NikAthirah; Lee, Sin-Li; Yusuf, Sara Yasina

2017-10-01

The photocatalytic fuel cell (PFC) system was developed in order to study the effect of several operating parameters in degradation of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) and its electricity generation. Light irradiation, initial dye concentration, aeration, pH and cathode electrode are the operating parameters that might give contribution in the efficiency of PFC system. The degradation of RB5 depends on the presence of light irradiation and solar light gives better performance to degrade the azo dye. The azo dye with low initial concentration decolorizes faster compared to higher initial concentration and presence of aeration in PFC system would enhance its performance. Reactive Black 5 rapidly decreased at higher pH due to the higher amount of OH generated at higher pH and Pt-loaded carbon (Pt/C) was more suitable to be used as cathode in PFC system compared to Cu foil and Fe foil. The rapid decolorization of RB5 would increase their voltage output and in addition, it would also increase their V oc , J sc and P max . The breakage of azo bond and aromatic rings was confirmed through UV-Vis spectrum and COD analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating Renewable Cornstarch/biochar Fillers as Potential Substitutes for Carbon Black in SBR Composites

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The continually growing demand for fossil fuels coupled with the potential risk of relying on foreign sources for these fuels strengthens the need to find renewable substitutes for petroleum products. Carbon black is a petroleum product that dominates the rubber composite filler market. Agricultur...

Nitric Acid Uptake and Decomposition on Black Carbon (Soot) Surfaces: Its Implications for the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, W.; Leu, M. T.

1998-01-01

Black carbon particles (soot) are formed as a result of incomplete combustion processes and are ubiquitous in the atmosphere. The lower troposphere contains plenty of soot particles whose principal sources are fossil fuel and biomass combustion at the ground level.

Electrically conductive rigid polyurethane foam

DOEpatents

Neet, T.E.; Spieker, D.A.

1983-12-08

A rigid, moldable polyurethane foam comprises about 2 to 10 weight percent, based on the total foam weight, of a carbon black which is CONDUCTEX CC-40-220 or CONDUCTEX SC, whereby the rigid polyurethane foam is electrically conductive and has essentially the same mechanical properties as the same foam without carbon black added.

40 CFR 721.10149 - Carbon black, (3-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Carbon black, (3-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic). 721.10149 Section 721.10149 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substance...

40 CFR 721.10149 - Carbon black, (3-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Carbon black, (3-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic). 721.10149 Section 721.10149 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substance...

40 CFR 721.10150 - Carbon black, (4-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Carbon black, (4-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic). 721.10150 Section 721.10150 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substance...

40 CFR 721.10150 - Carbon black, (4-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Carbon black, (4-methylphenyl)-modified, substituted (generic). 721.10150 Section 721.10150 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical Substance...

Laboratory validation of four black carbon measurement methods for the determination of non-volatile particulate matter (PM) mass emissions . . .

EPA Science Inventory

A laboratory-scale experimental program was designed to standardize each of four black carbon measurement methods, provide appropriate quality assurance/control procedures for these techniques, and compare measurements made by these methods to a NIST traceable standard (filter gr...

Electrically conductive rigid polyurethane foam

DOEpatents

Neet, Thomas E.; Spieker, David A.

1985-03-19

A rigid, polyurethane foam comprises about 2-10 weight percent, based on the total foam weight, of a carbon black which is CONDUCTEX CC-40-220 or CONDUCTEX SC, whereby the rigid polyurethane foam is electrically conductive and has essentially the same mechanical properties as the same foam without carbon black added.

PULMONARY TOXICOLOGY OF SYNTHETIC AIR POLLUTION PARTICLES CONTAINING METAL SULFATES COMPARED TO CARBON BLACK AND DIESEL

EPA Science Inventory

PULMONARY TOXICITY OF SYNTHETIC AIR POLLUTION PARTICLES CONTAINING METAL SULFATES COMPARED TO CARBON BLACK AND DIESEL.

M Daniels, A Ranade* & MJ Selgrade & MI Gilmour.
Experimental Toxicology Division, ORD/NHEERL, U.S. EPA, RTP, NC. * Particle Technology, College Par...

40 CFR 721.10579 - Carbon black derived from the pyrolysis of rubber tire shreds (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... pyrolysis of rubber tire shreds (generic). 721.10579 Section 721.10579 Protection of Environment... pyrolysis of rubber tire shreds (generic). (a) Chemical substance and significant new uses subject to reporting. (1) The chemical substance identified generically as carbon black derived from the pyrolysis of...

40 CFR 458.42 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.42 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

40 CFR 458.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Channel Process Subcategory § 458.32 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

40 CFR 458.22 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Thermal Process Subcategory § 458.22 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

40 CFR 458.42 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.42 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

40 CFR 458.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Channel Process Subcategory § 458.32 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

40 CFR 458.22 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Thermal Process Subcategory § 458.22 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

40 CFR 458.22 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Thermal Process Subcategory § 458.22 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

40 CFR 458.22 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Thermal Process Subcategory § 458.22 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

40 CFR 458.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Channel Process Subcategory § 458.32 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

40 CFR 458.32 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Channel Process Subcategory § 458.32 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

40 CFR 458.42 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.42 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the...): There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June...

Black Carbon Measurements of Flame-Generated Soot as Determinedby Optical, Thermal-Optical, Direct Absorption,and Laser Incandescence Methods

EPA Science Inventory

Black carbon (BC), light absorbing particles emitted primarily from incomplete combustion, is operationally defined through a variety of instrumental measurements rather than with a universal definition set forth by the research or regulatory communities. To examine the consiste...

Nanoscale Interactions between Engineered Nanomaterials and Black Carbon (Biochar) in Soil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An understanding of the interactions between engineered nanomaterials (NMs) and soil constituents, and a comprehension of how these interactions may affect biological uptake and toxicity are currently lacking. Charcoal black carbon is a normal constituent of soils due to fire history, and can be pre...

EFFECTS OF FORMALDEHYDE AND PARTICLE-BOUND FORMALDEHYDE ON LUNG MACROPHAGE FUNCTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Dr. George Jakab and associates exposed mice to varying levels (ranging from 0.5 to 15 parts per million [ppm]) of formaldehyde alone or to formaldehyde (5 and 2.5 ppm) mixed with carbon black particles. Carbon black particles were chosen because of their similarity to comb...

Emission Rates and Optical Properties of Pollutants Emitted from a Traditional and an Improved Wood-Burning Cookstove

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirchstetter, T.; Hadley, O. L.; Preble, C.; Gadgil, A.

2010-12-01

Traditional cooking methods in developing regions of the world generate gas and particle phase pollutants that endanger the lives of more than a billion people and contribute appreciably to the burden of climate-changing particles in the atmosphere. This presentation compares pollutant emissions from the traditional “three-stone fire” and an improved cookstove developed for refugees in Darfur: the Berkeley-Darfur Stove (BDS). The BDS was designed for increased fuel efficiency to decrease the risk of assault that women often face when gathering fuel wood. Reduced pollutant exposure and climate impact are potential co-benefits. Testing of these stoves at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory facility includes 1-Hz measurements of concentrations of particulate matter, black carbon, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide; coefficients of particle light absorption and scattering; and absorption Angstrom exponent. Absorption and scattering coefficients were measured at 532 nm using a photoacoustic absorption instrument equipped with a reciprocal nephelometer. The BDS heated food faster and consumed less wood in cooking tests compared to the three-stone fire. The BDS emitted less carbon monoxide and particulate matter but comparable mass of black carbon compared to the three-stone fire for the same cooking task. Values of the absorption Angstrom exponent ranged from about 1 - 3, indicating the emission of both black carbon and light-absorbing organic carbon (i.e., brown carbon). Values of (dry) aerosol single scattering albedo were mostly in the range of 0.25 - 0.55, indicating that the emitted particles tend to absorb more light than they scatter. Our analysis considered the variability of pollutant emissions during different phases of the fire. Particulate matter emissions were highest during the first several minutes of cooking, which included igniting the wood, whereas carbon monoxide emissions were highest during the last several minutes of cooking when smoldering became more dominant. Comparison of photoacoustic absorption and aethalometer black carbon provided an easy means of correcting black carbon concentrations, which were low by a factor of 2 at the end of the aethalometer sampling cycle if uncorrected.

Carbon nanofibers grafted on activated carbon as an electrode in high-power supercapacitors.

PubMed

Gryglewicz, Grażyna; Śliwak, Agata; Béguin, François

2013-08-01

A hybrid electrode material for high-power supercapacitors was fabricated by grafting carbon nanofibers (CNFs) onto the surface of powdered activated carbon (AC) through catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD). A uniform thin layer of disentangled CNFs with a herringbone structure was deposited on the carbon surface through the decomposition of propane at 450 °C over an AC-supported nickel catalyst. CNF coating was controlled by the reaction time and the nickel content. The superior CNF/AC composite displays excellent electrochemical performance in a 0.5 mol L(-1) solution of K2 SO4 due to its unique structure. At a high scan rate (100 mV s(-1) ) and current loading (20 A g(-1) ), the capacitance values were three- and fourfold higher than those for classical AC/carbon black composites. Owing to this feature, a high energy of 10 Wh kg(-1) was obtained over a wide power range in neutral medium at a voltage of 0.8 V. The significant enhancement of charge propagation is attributed to the presence of herringbone CNFs, which facilitate the diffusion of ions in the electrode and play the role of electronic bridges between AC particles. An in situ coating of AC with short CNFs (below 200 nm) is a very attractive method for producing the next generation of carbon composite materials with a high power performance in supercapacitors working in neutral medium. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Characterizing particulate matter emissions from vehicles: chassis-dynamometer tests using a High-Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collier, S.; Zhang, Q.; Forestieri, S.; Kleeman, M.; Cappa, C. D.; Kuwayama, T.

2012-12-01

During September of 2011 a suite of real-time instruments was used to sample vehicle emissions at the California Air Resources Board Haagen-Schmidt facility in El Monte, CA. A representative fleet of 8 spark ignition gasoline vehicles, a diesel passenger vehicle, a gasoline direct-injection vehicle and an ultra-low emissions vehicle were tested on a chassis dynamometer. The emissions were sampled into the facility's standard CVS tunnel and diluted to atmospherically relevant levels (5-30 μg/m3) while controlling other factors such as relative humidity or background black carbon particulate loading concentrations. An Aerodyne High Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-MS) was among the real-time instruments used and sampled vehicle emissions at 10 second time resolution in order to characterize the non-refractory organic and inorganic particulate matter (PM). PM composition and concentration were tracked throughout the cold start driving cycle which included periods of fast acceleration and high velocity cruise control, meant to recreate typical commuter driving behavior. Variations in inorganic and organic PM composition for a given vehicle throughout the driving cycle as well as for various vehicles with differing emissions loading were characterized. Differences in PM composition for a given vehicle whose emissions are being exposed to differing experimental conditions such as varying relative humidity will also be reported. In conjunction with measurements from a Multi Wavelength Photoacoustic Black Carbon Spectrometer (MWPA-BC) and real-time gas measurements from the CARB facility, we determine the real-time emission ratios of primary organic aerosols (POA) with respect to BC and common combustion gas phase pollutants and compared to different vehicle driving conditions. The results of these tests offer the vehicle emissions community a first time glimpse at the real-time behavior of vehicle PM emissions for a variety of conditions and vehicle types at atmospherically relevant conditions and without chemical interferences from other primary or secondary aerosol sources.

Use of the Hydrological Simulation Program-FORTRAN and bacterial source tracking for development of the fecal coliform total maximum daily load (TMDL) for Blacks Run, Rockingham County, Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moyer, Douglas; Hyer, Kenneth

2003-01-01

Impairment of surface waters by fecal coliform bacteria is a water-quality issue of national scope and importance. Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires that each State identify surface waters that do not meet applicable water-quality standards. In Virginia, more than 175 stream segments are on the 1998 Section 303(d) list of impaired waters because of violations of the water-quality standard for fecal coliform bacteria. A total maximum daily load (TMDL) will need to be developed by 2006 for each of these impaired streams and rivers by the Virginia Departments of Environmental Quality and Conservation and Recreation. A TMDL is a quantitative representation of the maximum load of a given water-quality constituent, from all point and nonpoint sources, that a stream can assimilate without violating the designated water-quality standard. Blacks Run, in Rockingham County, Virginia, is one of the stream segments listed by the State of Virginia as impaired by fecal coliform bacteria. Watershed modeling and bacterial source tracking were used to develop the technical components of the fecal coliform bacteria TMDL for Accotink Creek. The Hydrological Simulation Program?FORTRAN (HSPF) was used to simulate streamflow, fecal coliform concentrations, and source-specific fecal coliform loading in Blacks Run. Ribotyping, a bacterial source tracking technique, was used to identify the dominant sources of fecal coliform bacteria in the Blacks Run watershed. Ribotyping also was used to determine the relative contributions of specific sources to the observed fecal coliform load in Blacks Run. Data from the ribotyping analysis were incorporated into the calibration of the fecal coliform model. Study results provide information regarding the calibration of the streamflow and fecal coliform bacteria models and also identify the reductions in fecal coliform loads required to meet the TMDL for Blacks Run. The calibrated streamflow model simulated observed streamflow characteristics with respect to total annual runoff, seasonal runoff, average daily streamflow, and hourly stormflow. The calibrated fecal coliform model simulated the patterns and range of observed fecal coliform bacteria concentrations. Observed fecal coliform bacteria concentrations during low-flow periods ranged from 40 to 7,000 colonies per 100 milliliters, and peak concentrations during storm-flow periods ranged from 33,000 to 260,000 colonies per 100 milliliters. Simulated source-specific contributions of fecal coliform bacteria to instream load were matched to the observed contributions from the dominant sources, which were cats, cattle, deer, dogs, ducks, geese, horses, humans, muskrats, poultry, raccoons, and sheep. According to model results, a 95-percent reduction in the current fecal coliform load delivered from the watershed to Blacks Run would result in compliance with the designated water-quality goals and associated TMDL.

Formation of artificial pores in nano-TiO2 photo-electrode films using acetylene-black for high-efficiency, dye-sensitized solar cells

PubMed Central

Cho, Tae-Yeon; Han, Chi-Whan; Jun, Yongseok; Yoon, Soon-Gil

2013-01-01

Acetylene-black paste without a light scattering layer was applied to meso-porous TiO2 photo-electrode films with a crystalline framework, a low residual carbon, and a tunable morphological pore size. The thermal-treated TiO2 photo-electrode films had an increased acetylene-black concentration with an increase in artificial pores and a decrease in residual carbon. The performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was enhanced by the use of the TiO2 photo-anode pastes at various acetylene-black concentrations. The photo-conversion efficiency of the DSSCs using TiO2 photo-electrode films with 1.5 wt% acetylene-black was enhanced from 7.98 (no acetylene-black) to 9.75% without the integration of a light- scattering layer. PMID:23511122

Suspension plasma spraying of La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ cathodes: Influence of carbon black pore former on performance and degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, E. S. C.; Kuhn, J.; Kesler, O.

2016-06-01

Suspension plasma spray deposition is utilized to fabricate solid oxide fuel cell cathodes with minimal material decomposition. Adding carbon black as a pore former to the feedstock suspension results in smoother and more porous coatings, but over the range of carbon black concentrations studied, has little impact on the overall symmetrical cell performance. The cathode made with a suspension containing 25 wt% carbon has the highest deposition efficiency and a polarization resistance of 0.062 Ωcm2 at 744 °C. This cathode is tested for 500 h, and it is observed that adding an SDC interlayer between the YSZ electrolyte and the cathode(s) and/or coating the metal substrate with lanthanum chromite decrease the rate of performance degradation.

Process for the conversion of carbonaceous feedstocks to particulate carbon and methanol

DOEpatents

Steinberg, Meyer; Grohse, Edward W.

1995-01-01

A process for the production of a pollutant-free particulate carbon (i.e., a substantially ash-, sulfur- and nitrogen-free carbon) from carbonaceous feedstocks. The basic process involves de-oxygenating one of the gas streams formed in a cyclic hydropyrolysis-methane pyrolysis process in order to improve conversion of the initial carbonaceous feedstock. De-oxygenation is effected by catalytically converting carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen contained in one of the pyrolysis gas streams, preferably the latter, to a methanol co-product. There are thus produced two products whose use is known per se, viz., a substantially pollutant-free particulate carbon black and methanol. These products may be admixed in the form of a liquid slurry of carbon black in methanol.

Regional Modelling of Air Quality in the Canadian Arctic: Impact of marine shipping and North American wild fire emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, W.; Beagley, S. R.; Zhang, J.; Cousineau, S.; Sassi, M.; Munoz-Alpizar, R.; Racine, J.; Menard, S.; Chen, J.

2015-12-01

Arctic atmospheric composition is strongly influenced by long-range transport from mid-latitudes as well as processes occurring in the Arctic locally. Using an on-line air quality prediction model GEM-MACH, simulations were carried out for the 2010 northern shipping season (April - October) over a regional Arctic domain. North American wildfire emissions and Arctic shipping emissions were represented, along with other anthropogenic and biogenic emissions. Sensitivity studies were carried out to investigate the principal sources and processes affecting air quality in the Canadian Northern and Arctic regions. In this paper, we present an analysis of sources, transport, and removal processes on the ambient concentrations and atmospheric loading of various pollutants with air quality and climate implications, such as, O3, NOx, SO2, CO, and aerosols (sulfate, black carbon, and organic carbon components). Preliminary results from a model simulation of a recent summertime Arctic field campaign will also be presented.

Isolation and Quantitative Estimation of Diesel Exhaust and Carbon Black Particles Ingested by Lung Epithelial Cells and Alveolar Macrophages In Vitro

EPA Science Inventory

A new procedure for isolating and estimating ingested carbonaceous diesel exhaust particles (DEP) or carbon black (CB) particles by lung epithelial cells and macrophages is described. Cells were incubated with DEP or CB to examine cell-particle interaction and ingestion. After va...

REAL-TIME INDOOR AND OUTDOOR MEASUREMENTS OF BLACK CARBON IN AN OCCUPIED HOUSE: AN EXAMINATION OF SOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

Black carbon (BC) was measured every five minutes for two years (May, 1998 to May 2000) inside and immediately outside a northern Virginia house (suburban Washington, DC) occupied by two nonsmokers. Two Aethalometers TM, which measure BC by optical transmission through a quart...

Studies of Aflas Fluoroelastomers

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-01

experiments. 4 Table 6. RECIPE FOR FLUOREL FLUOROELASTOMER Ingredient PHR Fluorel 2174* 80 FRuorel 2145 20 Carnauba Wax 3 N-990 Carbon Black 30...FLUOROELASTOMEP Ingredient PHR Alas 150 P 100 N-990 Carbon Black 50 Carnauba Wax 2 Diak #7* 7 Luperco 101XLt 9 169 *Suppled by Du Pont Co. tSupplied by Harwick

Black carbon concentrations and sources in the marine boundary layer of the tropical Atlantic Ocean using four methodologies

EPA Science Inventory

Combustion-derived aerosols in the marine boundary layer have been poorly studied, especially in remote environments such as the open Atlantic Ocean. The tropical Atlantic has the potential to contain a high concentration of aerosols, such as black carbon, due to the African emis...

Particulate matter and black carbon optical properties and emission factors from prescribed fires in the southeastern United States

EPA Science Inventory

The aerosol emissions from prescribed fires in the Southeastern United States were measured and compared to emissions from laboratory burns with fuels collected from the site. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon, and aerosol light scattering and absorption were characte...

Evaluation of Methods for the Determination of Black Carbon Emissions from an Aircraft Gas Turbine Engine

EPA Science Inventory

The emissions from aircraft gas turbine engines consist of nanometer size black carbon (BC) particles plus gas-phase sulfur and organic compounds which undergo gas-to-particle conversion downstream of the engine as the plume cools and dilutes. In this study, four BC measurement ...

Utilization of low-ash biochar to partially replace carbon black in SBR composites

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A biochar made from woody waste feedstock with low ash content was blended with carbon black as filler for styrene-butadiene rubber. At 10% total filler concentration (w/w), composites made from 25 or 50% biochar showed improved tensile strength, elongation, and toughness compared to similar composi...

TEMPORAL TRENDS OF BLACK CARBON CONCENTRATIONS AND REGIONAL CLIMATE FORCING IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. (R825248)

EPA Science Inventory

The effect of black carbon (BC) on climate forcing is potentially important, but its estimates have large uncertainties due to a lack of sufficient observational data. The BC mass concentration in the southeastern US was measured at a regionally representative site, Mount Gibb...

Post-processing method to reduce noise while preserving high time resolution in aethalometer real-time black carbon data

EPA Science Inventory

Real-time aerosol black carbon (BC) data, presented at time resolutions on the order of seconds to minutes, is desirable in field and source characterization studies measuring rapidly varying concentrations of BC. The Optimized Noise-reduction Averaging (ONA) algorithm has been d...

40 CFR 458.42 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS CARBON BLACK MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Carbon Black Lamp Process Subcategory § 458.42 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of... shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants into navigable waters. [60 FR 33972, June 29...

UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMATIC MEASUREMENT ERROR IN THERMAL-OPTICAL ANALYSIS FOR PM BLACK CARBON USING RESPONSE SURFACES AND SURFACE CONFIDENCE INTERVALS

EPA Science Inventory

Results from a NIST-EPA Interagency Agreement on Understanding Systematic Measurement Error in Thermal-Optical Analysis for PM Black Carbon Using Response Surfaces and Surface Confidence Intervals will be presented at the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) 24th Annu...

Application of Positron Doppler Broadening Spectroscopy to the Measurement of the Uniformity of Composite Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quarles, C. A.; Sheffield, Thomas; Stacy, Scott; Yang, Chun

2009-03-01

The uniformity of rubber-carbon black composite materials has been investigated with positron Doppler Broadening Spectroscopy (DBS). The number of grams of carbon black (CB) mixed into one hundred grams of rubber, phr, is used to characterize a sample. A typical concentration for rubber in tires is 50 phr. The S parameter measured by DBS has been found to depend on the phr of the sample as well as the type of rubber and carbon black. The variation in carbon black concentration within a surface area of about 5 mm diameter can be measured by moving a standard Na-22 or Ge-68 positron source over an extended sample. The precision of the concentration measurement depends on the dwell time at a point on the sample. The time required to determine uniformity over an extended sample can be reduced by running with much higher counting rate than is typical in DBS and correcting for the systematic variation of S parameter with counting rate. Variation in CB concentration with mixing time at the level of about 0.5% has been observed.

Chemical compositions of black carbon particle cores and coatings via soot particle aerosol mass spectrometry with photoionization and electron ionization.

PubMed

Canagaratna, Manjula R; Massoli, Paola; Browne, Eleanor C; Franklin, Jonathan P; Wilson, Kevin R; Onasch, Timothy B; Kirchstetter, Thomas W; Fortner, Edward C; Kolb, Charles E; Jayne, John T; Kroll, Jesse H; Worsnop, Douglas R

2015-05-14

Black carbon is an important constituent of atmospheric aerosol particle matter (PM) with significant effects on the global radiation budget and on human health. The soot particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SP-AMS) has been developed and deployed for real-time ambient measurements of refractory carbon particles. In the SP-AMS, black carbon or metallic particles are vaporized through absorption of 1064 nm light from a CW Nd:YAG laser. This scheme allows for continuous "soft" vaporization of both core and coating materials. The main focus of this work is to characterize the extent to which this vaporization scheme provides enhanced chemical composition information about aerosol particles. This information is difficult to extract from standard SP-AMS mass spectra because they are complicated by extensive fragmentation from the harsh 70 eV EI ionization scheme that is typically used in these instruments. Thus, in this work synchotron-generated vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light in the 8-14 eV range is used to measure VUV-SP-AMS spectra with minimal fragmentation. VUV-SP-AMS spectra of commercially available carbon black, fullerene black, and laboratory generated flame soots were obtained. Small carbon cluster cations (C(+)-C5(+)) were found to dominate the VUV-SP-AMS spectra of all the samples, indicating that the corresponding neutral clusters are key products of the SP vaporization process. Intercomparisons of carbon cluster ratios observed in VUV-SP-AMS and SP-AMS spectra are used to confirm spectral features that could be used to distinguish between different types of refractory carbon particles. VUV-SP-AMS spectra of oxidized organic species adsorbed on absorbing cores are also examined and found to display less thermally induced decomposition and fragmentation than spectra obtained with thermal vaporization at 200 °C (the minimum temperature needed to quantitatively vaporize ambient oxidized organic aerosol with a continuously heated surface). The particle cores tested in these studies include black carbon, silver, gold, and platinum nanoparticles. These results demonstrate that SP vaporization is capable of providing enhanced organic chemical composition information for a wide range of organic coating materials and IR absorbing particle cores. The potential of using this technique to study organic species of interest in seeded laboratory chamber or flow reactor studies is discussed.

Radio-frequency and microwave load comprising a carbon-bonded carbon fiber composite

DOEpatents

Lauf, R.J.; McMillan, A.D.; Johnson, A.C.; Everleigh, C.A.; Moorhead, A.J.

1998-04-21

A billet of low-density carbon-bonded carbon fiber (CBCF) composite is machined into a desired attenuator or load element shape (usually tapering). The CBCF composite is used as a free-standing load element or, preferably, brazed to the copper, brass or aluminum components of coaxial transmission lines or microwave waveguides. A novel braze method was developed for the brazing step. The resulting attenuator and/or load devices are robust, relatively inexpensive, more easily fabricated, and have improved performance over conventional graded-coating loads. 9 figs.

Radio-frequency and microwave load comprising a carbon-bonded carbon fiber composite

DOEpatents

Lauf, Robert J.; McMillan, April D.; Johnson, Arvid C.; Everleigh, Carl A.; Moorhead, Arthur J.

1998-01-01

A billet of low-density carbon-bonded carbon fiber (CBCF) composite is machined into a desired attenuator or load element shape (usually tapering). The CBCF composite is used as a free-standing load element or, preferably, brazed to the copper, brass or aluminum components of coaxial transmission lines or microwave waveguides. A novel braze method was developed for the brazing step. The resulting attenuator and/or load devices are robust, relatively inexpensive, more easily fabricated, and have improved performance over conventional graded-coating loads.

Sedimentology of SPICE (Steptoean positive carbon isotope excursion): A high-resolution trace fossil and microfabric analysis of the middle to late Cambrian Alum Shale Formation, southern Sweden

USGS Publications Warehouse

Egenhoff, Sven; Fishman, Neil; Ahlberg, Per; Maletz, Jorg; Jackson, Allison; Kolte, Ketki; Lowers, Heather; Mackie, James; Newby, Warren; Petrowsky, Matthew

2015-01-01

The Cambrian Alum Shale Formation in the Andrarum-3 core from Scania, southern Sweden, consists of black siliciclastic mudstone with minor carbonate intercalations. Four facies comprise three siliciclastic mudstones and one fine-grained carbonate. The facies reflect deposition along a transect from deep ramp to basin on a Cambrian shelf. The three mudstone facies contain abundant clay clasts and laterally variable siltstone laminae. Bed-load transport processes seem to have dominated deposition on this deep shelf. These sedimentary rocks record mainly event deposition, and only relatively few, thin laminae probably resulted from suspension settling. The Alum Shale Formation deep shelf did not show a bioturbation gradient, but fecal strings are common and Planolites burrows are rare in all mudstone facies. Evidence for biotic colonization indicates that this mudstone environment was not persistently anoxic, but rather was most likely intermittently dysoxic. The Alum Shale Formation in the Andrarum-3 core shows an overall decrease of grain size, preserved energy indicators, and carbonate content upsection interpreted to reflect a deepening upward. The succession can also be divided into four small-scale fining-upward cycles that represent deepening, and four overlying coarsening-upward cycles that represent upward shallowing.

Impact and collisional processes in the solar system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahrens, Thomas J.; Gazis, C.; Pepin, R.; Becker, R.; Cronin, R.; Tyburczy, J.; Tingle, T.; Duffy, T.; Rowan, L.

1991-01-01

As impact cratered terrains have been successively recognized on certain planets and planetary satellites, it has become clear that impact processes are important to the understanding of the accretion and evolution of all solid planets. The noble gases in the normalized atmospheric inventories of the planets and the normalized gas content of meteorites are grossly similar, but demonstrate differences from each other which are not understood. In order to study shock devolatilization of the candidate carrier phases which are principally thought to be carbonaceous or hydrocarbons in planetesimals, experiments were conducted on noble gase implantation in various carbons: carbon black, activated charcoal, graphite, and carbon glass. These were candidate starting materials for impact devolatilization experiments. Initial experiments were conducted on vitreous amorphous carbon samples which were synthesized under vapor saturated conditions using argon as the pressurizing medium. An amino acid and surface analysis by laser ionization analyses were performed on three samples of shocked Murchison meteorite. A first study was completed in which a series of shock loading experiments on a porous limestone and on a non-porous gabbro in one and three dimensions were performed. Also a series of recovery experiments were conducted in which shocked molten basalt a 1700 C is encapsulated in molybdenum containers and shock recovered from up to 6 GPa pressures.

Influence of carbon nanoparticle modification on the mechanical and electrical properties of epoxy in small volumes.

PubMed

Leopold, Christian; Augustin, Till; Schwebler, Thomas; Lehmann, Jonas; Liebig, Wilfried V; Fiedler, Bodo

2017-11-15

The influence of nanoparticle morphology and filler content on the mechanical and electrical properties of carbon nanoparticle modified epoxy is investigated regarding small volumes. Three types of particles, representing spherical, tubular and layered morphologies are used. A clear size effect of increasing true failure strength with decreasing volume is found for neat and carbon black modified epoxy. Carbon nanotube (CNT) modified epoxy exhibits high potential for strength increase, but dispersion and purity are critical. In few layer graphene modified epoxy, particles are larger than statistically distributed defects and initiate cracks, counteracting any size effect. Different toughness increasing mechanisms on the nano- and micro-scale depending on particle morphology are discussed based on scanning electron microscopy images. Electrical percolation thresholds in the small volume fibres are significantly higher compared to bulk volume, with CNT being found to be the most suitable morphology to form electrical conductive paths. Good correlation between electrical resistance change and stress strain behaviour under tensile loads is observed. The results show the possibility to detect internal damage in small volumes by measuring electrical resistance and therefore indicate to the high potential for using CNT modified polymers in fibre reinforced plastics as a multifunctional, self-monitoring material with improved mechanical properties. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A potential utilization of end-of-life tyres as recycled carbon black in EPDM rubber.

PubMed

Sagar, M; Nibedita, K; Manohar, N; Kumar, K Raj; Suchismita, S; Pradnyesh, A; Reddy, A Babul; Sadiku, E Rotimi; Gupta, U N; Lachit, P; Jayaramudu, J

2018-04-01

End-of-life (EOL) tyres and their decomposition present severe environmental concern due to their resistance to moisture, oxygen, natural degradation, etc. Pyrolysis is considered to be the most effective and sustainable process for recycling, due to its eco-friendly process. The current work studied the effect of recycled carbon black (rCB), obtained from the pyrolysis of EOL tyres, on the properties of ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM). The rCB was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and chemical methods. rCB was incorporated solely, into a conventional EPDM formulation and also in combination with N550 carbon black. The physico-mechanical properties of the EPDM vulcanizates, before and after aging, were succinctly studied by SEM, TGA, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), tensile tests and cross-link density. The average particle size of rCB was observed to be 8 µm and the ash content was observed to be higher when compared to the conventional N550 carbon black, which was evident, by the TGA and SEM-EDX analyses. The reinforcing effect and the cross-link density of the rCB-filled vulcanizates were found to be marginally inferior in comparison to the conventional carbon black (N550). The morphology of the tensile- and tear-fractured surfaces were studied by SEM and it was observed that the breaking mechanism follows the rubber chain detachment from the surface mode. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Black carbon trends in southwestern Iberia in the context of the financial and economic crisis. The role of bioenergy.

PubMed

Malico, Isabel; Pereira, Sérgio Nepomuceno; Costa, Maria João

2017-01-01

Since black carbon concentrations are useful to reveal changes in anthropogenic activities, measurements taken from 2007 to 2015 in a Portuguese city are used to assess to which extent the ambient air was impacted by the economic crisis. The average black carbon concentrations are representative of an urban area of small size (1.3 ± 1.3 μg m -3 ). The highest concentrations are observed in the heating season, being biomass combustion one of the causes for the high values. The daily cycle of black carbon concentrations presents both morning and evening peaks, mainly due to road traffic and, in the heating season, to domestic heating as well. The yearly averaged black carbon mass concentrations decreased 33 % from 2007 to 2015, possibly due to a combination of the economic recession and environmental legislation. The reduction in road traffic led to a decrease in the daily morning peak from 2007 to 2015. This reduction was not followed by a decrease in the evening peak, explained by an increase in biomass burning. Biomass is the cheapest heating fuel in Portugal, and its consumption increased in the aftermath of the economic crisis. The use of bioenergy is an alternative to fossil fuels and presents many advantages. However, energy policies should discourage inefficient biomass burning and promote better ways of exploiting the available energy resources and emission air pollution mitigation strategies.

Regional Responses to Black Carbon Aerosols: The Importance of Air-Sea Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnanadesikan, A.; Scott, A. A.; Pradal, M.-A.; Seviour, W. J. M.; Waugh, D. W.

2017-12-01

The impact of modern black carbon aerosols on climate via their changes in radiative balance is studied using a coupled model where sea surface temperatures (SSTs) are allowed to vary and an atmosphere-only version of the same model where SSTs are held fixed. Allowing the ocean to respond is shown to have a profound impact on the pattern of temperature change. Particularly, large impacts are found in the North Pacific (which cools by up to 1 K in the coupled model) and in north central Asia (which warms in the coupled simulation and cools in the fixed SST simulation). Neither set of experiments shows large changes in surface temperatures in the Southeast Asian region where the atmospheric burden of black carbon is highest. These results are related to the stabilization of the atmosphere and changes in oceanic heat transport. Over the North Pacific, atmospheric stabilization results in an increase in stratiform clouds. The resulting shading reduces evaporation, freshening the surface layer of the ocean and reducing the inflow of warm subtropical waters. Over the land, a delicate balance between greater atmospheric absorption, shading of the surface and changes in latent cooling of the surface helps to determine whether warming or cooling is seen. Our results emphasize the importance of coupling in determining the response of the climate system to black carbon and suggest that black carbon may play an important role in modulating climate change over the North Pacific.

Multi-wavelength Characterization of Brown and Black Carbon from Filter Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, M. M.; Yatavelli, R. L. N.; Chen, L. W. A. A.; Gyawali, M. S.; Arnott, W. P.; Wang, X.; Chakrabarty, R. K.; Moosmüller, H.; Watson, J. G.; Chow, J. C.

2014-12-01

Particulate matter (PM) scatters and absorbs solar radiation and thereby affects visibility, the Earth's radiation balance, and properties and lifetimes of clouds. Understanding the radiative forcing (RF) of PM is essential to reducing the uncertainty in total anthropogenic and natural RF. Many instruments that measure light absorption coefficients (βabs [λ], Mm-1) of PM have used light at near-infrared (NIR; e.g., 880 nm) or red (e.g., 633 nm) wavelengths. Measuring βabs over a wider wavelength range, especially including the ultraviolet (UV) and visible, allows for contributions from black carbon (BC), brown carbon (BrC), and mineral dust (MD) to be differentiated. This will help to determine PM RF and its emission sources. In this study, source and ambient samples collected on Teflon-membrane and quartz-fiber filters are used to characterize and develop a multi-wavelength (250 - 1000 nm) filter-based measurement method of PM light absorption. A commercially available UV-visible spectrometer coupled with an integrating sphere is used for quantifying diffuse reflectance and transmittance of filter samples, from which βabs and absorption Ǻngström exponents (AAE) of the PM deposits are determined. The filter-based light absorption measurements of laboratory generated soot and biomass burning aerosol are compared to 3-wavelength photoacoustic absorption measurements to evaluate filter media and loading effects. Calibration factors are developed to account for differences between filter types (Teflon-membrane vs. quartz-fiber), and between filters and in situ photoacoustic absorption values. Application of multi-spectral absorption measurements to existing archived filters, including specific source samples (e.g. diesel and gasoline engines, biomass burning, dust), will also be discussed.

Effects of nutrient load on microbial activities within a seagrass-dominated ecosystem: Implications of changes in seagrass blue carbon.

PubMed

Liu, Songlin; Jiang, Zhijian; Wu, Yunchao; Zhang, Jingping; Arbi, Iman; Ye, Feng; Huang, Xiaoping; Macreadie, Peter Ian

2017-04-15

Nutrient loading is a leading cause of global seagrass decline, triggering shifts from seagrass- to macroalgal-dominance. Within seagrass meadows of Xincun Bay (South China Sea), we found that nutrient loading (due to fish farming) increased sediment microbial biomass and extracellular enzyme activity associated with carbon cycling (polyphenol oxidase, invertase and cellulase), with a corresponding decrease in percent sediment organic carbon (SOC), suggesting that nutrients primed microorganism and stimulated SOC remineralization. Surpisingly, however, the relative contribution of seagrass-derived carbon to bacteria (δ 13 C bacteria ) increased with nutrient loading, despite popular theory being that microbes switch to consuming macroalgae which are assumed to provide a more labile carbon source. Organic carbon sources of fungi were unaffected by nutrient loading. Overall, this study suggests that nutrient loading changes the relative contribution of seagrass and algal sources to SOC pools, boosting sediment microbial biomass and extracellular enzyme activity, thereby possibly changing seagrass blue carbon. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Observational Signatures of Mass-loading in Jets Launched by Rotating Black Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O’ Riordan, Michael; Pe’er, Asaf; McKinney, Jonathan C.

2018-01-01

It is widely believed that relativistic jets in X-ray binaries (XRBs) and active-galactic nuclei are powered by the rotational energy of black holes. This idea is supported by general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of accreting black holes, which demonstrate efficient energy extraction via the Blandford–Znajek mechanism. However, due to uncertainties in the physics of mass loading, and the failure of GRMHD numerical schemes in the highly magnetized funnel region, the matter content of the jet remains poorly constrained. We investigate the observational signatures of mass loading in the funnel by performing general-relativistic radiative transfer calculations on a range of 3D GRMHD simulations of accreting black holes. We find significant observational differences between cases in which the funnel is empty and cases where the funnel is filled with plasma, particularly in the optical and X-ray bands. In the context of Sgr A*, current spectral data constrains the jet filling only if the black hole is rapidly rotating with a ≳ 0.9. In this case, the limits on the infrared flux disfavor a strong contribution from material in the funnel. We comment on the implications of our models for interpreting future Event Horizon Telescope observations. We also scale our models to stellar-mass black holes, and discuss their applicability to the low-luminosity state in XRBs.

Synthesis and characterization of non halogen fire retardant composite through combination of epoxy resin, Al(OH)3 additive and filler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saputra, Asep Handaya; Sungkar, Faraj

2017-11-01

Epoxy has a wide range of applications in many sectors, but it still has deficiency in fire retardancy. Therefore, it is combined with fire retardant additives. Fire retardant additive commonly contains halogen compounds that causes environmental and health problems. Therefore Al (OH)3 additive is used to improve the fire retardancy properties of composite through decomposition that produced water vapour and formation of oxide layer on its surface. In this research, synthesis of fire retardant composite has been conducted by varying filler carbon black and silica (1%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%wt) with composition of Al (OH)3 50%wt and epoxy 50%wt. Fire retardancy of composite was observed by UL-94V standard, while thermal degradation behaviour of composite was analyzed by thermal gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Whereas, mechanical properties was studied based on its tensile strength and hardness. It was found that the best concentration for carbon black and silica is 1%wt and 2.5%wt respectively. The addition of carbon black 1%wt and silica 2.5%wt could improve the flame retardancy and gives V-0 flammability rating. Besides that, the addition of carbon black 1%wt is able to increase the thermal stability of composite by reducing mass loss rate until 10.75%/minute and total mass loss until 53.76%. While adding silica 2.5%wt could also enhance its thermal stability by decreasing mass loss rate until 9.32%/minute and total mass loss until 51.06%. Furthermore, the addition of carbon black and silica could decrease its tensile strength and hardness. The addition of carbon black 1%wt yields composite with 6.59 MPa for tensile strength and 65.8 shore D for hardness. Whereas the addition of of silica 2.5%wt produces composite with the tensile strength up to 9.89MPa and hardness up to71.2 shore D.

Single-Wall Carbon Nanotube Anodes for Lithium Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hepp, Aloysius F.; Raffaelle, Ryne; Gennett, Tom; Kumta, Prashant; Maranchi, Jeff; Heben, Mike

2006-01-01

In recent experiments, highly purified batches of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have shown promise as superior alternatives to the graphitic carbon-black anode materials heretofore used in rechargeable thin-film lithium power cells. The basic idea underlying the experiments is that relative to a given mass of graphitic carbon-black anode material, an equal mass of SWCNTs can be expected to have greater lithium-storage and charge/discharge capacities. The reason for this expectation is that whereas the microstructure and nanostructure of a graphitic carbon black is such as to make most of the interior of the material inaccessible for intercalation of lithium, a batch of SWCNTs can be made to have a much more open microstructure and nanostructure, such that most of the interior of the material is accessible for intercalation of lithium. Moreover, the greater accessibility of SWCNT structures can be expected to translate to greater mobilities for ion-exchange processes and, hence, an ability to sustain greater charge and discharge current densities.

Bulk and surface structural investigations of diesel engine soot and carbon black.

PubMed

Müller, J-O; Su, D S; Wild, U; Schlögl, R

2007-08-14

The microstructure and electronic structure of environmentally relevant carbons such as Euro IV heavy duty diesel engine soot, soot from a black smoking diesel engine, spark discharge soot as model aerosol, commercial furnace soot and lamp black are investigated by transmission electron microscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The materials exhibit differences in the predominant bonding, which influences microstructure as well as surface functionalization. These chemical and physical properties depend on the formation history of the investigated carbonaceous materials. In this work, a correlation of the microstructure of the samples to the predominant bonding and incorporation of oxygen into the carbons is obtained. It is shown that a high amount of defects and the deviation of the carbons from a perfect graphitic structure results in a increased incorporation of oxygen and hydrogen. A correlation between the length and curvature of graphene layers with the bonding state of carbon atoms and incorporation of oxygen and hydrogen is established.

The variability in the relationship between black carbon and carbon monoxide over the eastern coast of China: BC aging during transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Qingfeng; Hu, Min; Guo, Song; Wu, Zhijun; Peng, Jianfei; Wu, Yusheng

2017-09-01

East Asia is a densely populated region with a myriad of primary emissions of pollutants such as black carbon (BC) and carbon monoxide (CO). To characterize primary emissions over the eastern coast of China, a series of field campaigns were conducted in 2011, including measurements from a ship cruise, island, and coastal receptor sites. The relationship between BC and CO is presented here for the first ship cruise (C1), the second ship cruise (C2), an island site (Changdao Island, CD), and a coastal site (Wenling, WL). The average BC mass concentrations were 2.43, 2.73, 1.09, 0.94, and 0.77 µg m-3 for CD, WL, C1-YS (Yellow Sea), C1-ES (East China Sea), and C2-ES, respectively. For those locations, the average CO mixing ratios were 0.55, 0.48, 0.31, 0.36, and 0.27 ppm. The high loadings of both BC and CO imply severe anthropogenic pollution over the eastern coast of China. Additionally, the linear correlation between BC and CO was regressed for each location. The slopes, i.e., the ratios of ΔBC to ΔCO derived from their relationship, correlated well with the ratios of diesel consumption to gasoline consumption in each province/city, which reveals vehicular emission to be the common source for BC and CO and that there are distinct fuel structures between North and South China. The ΔBC/ΔCO values at coastal sites (Changdao Island and Wenling) were much higher than those over the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, and the correlation coefficients also showed a decreasing trend from the coast to the sea. Therefore, the quantity of ΔBC/ΔCO and the correlation coefficients are possible indicators for the aging and removal of BC.

Aircraft measurement over the Gulf of Tonkin capturing aloft transport of biomass burning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiaoyang; Xu, Jun; Bi, Fang; Zhang, Zhongzhi; Chen, Yunbo; He, Youjiang; Han, Feng; Zhi, Guorui; Liu, Shijie; Meng, Fan

2018-06-01

A suite of aircraft measurements was conducted over the Gulf of Tonkin, located downwind to the east of Mainland Southeast Asia (MSE), between March 23rd and April 6th, 2015. To the best of our knowledge, this campaign of 11 flights (totaling 34.4 h) was the first in-flight measurement over the region. Measurements of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide, black carbon and the particulate scattering coefficient were recorded at approximately 1 500 m (low level) and 3 000 m (high level). Significantly higher measurements of black carbon, carbon monoxide and ozone in the high level on March 23rd and April 5th and 6th were directly related to biomass burning in the MSE and were comparable to severe pollution events at the surface. Similarly, relatively low pollutant concentrations were observed at both altitudes between March 23rd and April 5th. A combined analysis of the measurements with meteorology and satellite data verified that the plumes captured at 3 000 m were attributed to transport in the high altitude originating from biomass burning in northern MSE. Furthermore, each plume captured by the measurements in the high level corresponded to heavy regional air pollution caused by biomass burning in northern MSE. In addition, relatively low levels of the measured pollutants corresponded to relatively light pollution levels in MSE and its adjacent areas. Taken together, these results indicated that aircraft measurements were accurate in characterizing the variation in transport and pollutant levels. During the most active season of biomass burning in MSE, pollutant emissions and their regional impact could vary on an episodic basis. Nonetheless, such concentrated emissions from biomass burning is likely to lead to particularly high atmospheric-loading of pollutants at a regional level and, depending on weather conditions, has the potential of being transported over considerably longer distances. Further investigation of the short-term impacts of such concentrations therefore appears prudent.

Properties of arctic haze aerosol from lidar observations during iarea 2015 campaign on spitsbergen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stachlewska, Iwona S.; Ritter, Christoph; Böckmann, Christine; Engelmann, Ronny

2018-04-01

Arctic Haze event was observed on 5-8 April 2015 using simultaneously Near-range Aerosol Raman Lidar of IGFUW and Koldewey Aerosol Raman Lidar of AWI, both based at AWIPEV German-French station in Ny-Ålesund, Spitsbergen. The alterations in particle abundance and altitude of the aerosol load observed on following days of the event is analyzed. The daytime profiles of particle optical properties were obtained for both lidars, and then served as input for microphysical parameters inversion. The results indicate aerosol composition typical for the Arctic Haze. However, in some layers, a likely abundance of aqueous aerosol or black carbon originating in biomass burning over Siberia, changes measurably the Arctic Haze properties.

Sediment transport, particle sizes, and loads in lower reaches of the Chippewa, Black and Wisconsin Rivers in Western Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rose, W.J.

1992-01-01

Average annual total-sediment load and the percentage transported as bedload were determined for a 10-year period (water years 1974-83)(October 1,1973-September 30, 1982). These loads and percentages were, respectively, 123,000 tons and 35 percent at Chippewa River near Caryville; 1,073,000 tons and 61 percent at Chippewa River at Durand; 940,000 tons and 44 percent at Chippewa River near Pepin; 277,000 tons and 43 percent at Black River near Galesville; and 558,000 tons and 49 percent at Wisconsin River at Muscoda.

An Investigation of Black Carbon Degradation Potential in a Forest Soil Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

William, H. C.; Lee, E.; Grannas, A.; Hatcher, P. G.

2003-12-01

Except for emission processes, there is currently little understanding of the mechanisms driving the degradation and biogeochemical cycling of black carbon (BC). Considering current estimates of the global BC pool (>2,500x1015gC), and its annual emission rates (55-205x1012 gC/year), BC represents roughly 16% of Earth's actively cycling organic carbon. Without significant chemical and biological degradation pathways, all of the actively cycling carbon on earth would have accumulated as charcoal in <100,000 years. This investigation show that charcoals recovered from experimental forest fires are altered significantly by microbial colonization, and mineral complexation during exposure to soil processes. Charcoal surface morphology and elemental composition were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and BET surface area measurements. The influence of 90 years aging upon carbon functionality was probed by solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy. The prevalence of fungal mycorhizae in these forest soil charcoals also motivated an investigation of black carbon degradation via extracellular enzymes and acids known be exuded by mycelia. Degradation is quantified by carbon loss, and soluble products are examined by mass spectrometry.

Emissions of black carbon and co-pollutants emitted from diesel vehicles in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavala, Miguel; Molina, Luisa T.; Fortner, Edward; Knighton, Berk; Herndon, Scott; Yacovitch, Tara; Floerchinger, Cody; Roscioli, Joseph; Kolb, Charles; Mejia, Jose Antonio; Sarmiento, Jorge; Paramo, Victor Hugo; Zirath, Sergio; Jazcilevich, Aron

2014-05-01

Black carbon emitted from freight, public transport, and heavy duty trucks sources is linked with adverse effects on human health. In addition, the control of emissions of black carbon, an important short-lived climate forcing agent (SLCF), has recently been considered as one of the key strategies for mitigating regional near-term climate change. Despite the availability of new emissions control technologies for reducing emissions from diesel-powered mobile sources, their introduction is still not widespread in many urban areas and there is a need to characterize real-world emission rates of black carbon from this key source. The emissions of black carbon, organic carbon, and other gaseous and particle pollutants from diesel-powered mobile sources in Mexico were characterized by deploying a mobile laboratory equipped with real-time instrumentation in Mexico City as part of the SLCFs-Mexico 2013 project. From February 25-28 of 2013 the emissions from selected diesel-powered vehicles were measured in both controlled experiments and real-world on-road driving conditions. Sampled vehicles had several emissions levels technologies, including: EPA98, EPA03, EPA04, EURO3-5, and Hybrid. All vehicles were sampled using diesel fuel and several vehicles were measured using both diesel and biodiesel fuels. Additional measurements included the use of a remote sensing unit for the co-sampling of all tested vehicles, and the installation and operation of a Portable Emissions Measurements System (PEMS) for the measurement of emissions from a test vehicle. We will present inter-comparisons of the emission factors obtained among the various vehicle technologies that were sampled during the experiment as well as the inter-comparison of results from the various sampling platforms. The results can be used to

Online single particle measurements of black carbon coatings, structure and optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allan, James; Liu, Dantong; Taylor, Jonathan; Flynn, Michael; Williams, Paul; Morgan, William; Whitehead, James; Alfarra, Rami; McFiggans, Gordon; Coe, Hugh

2016-04-01

The impacts of black carbon on meteorology and climate remain a major source of uncertainty, owing in part to the complex relationship between the bulk composition of the particulates and their optical properties. A particular complication stems from how light interacts with particles in response to the microphysical configuration and any 'coatings', i.e. non-black carbon material that is either co-emitted or subsequently obtained through atmospheric processing. This may cause the particle to more efficiently absorb or scatter light and may even change the sign of its radiative forcing potential. While much insight has been gained through measurements of bulk aerosol properties, either while suspended or after collection on a filter or impactor substrate, this does not provide a complete picture and thus may not adequately constrain the system. Here we present an overview of recent work to better constrain the properties of black carbon using online, in situ measurements of single particles, primarily using a Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2). We have developed novel methods of inverting the data produced and combining the different metrics derived so as to give the most effective insights into black carbon sources, processes and properties. We have also used this measurement in conjunction with other instruments (sometimes in series) and used the data to challenge many commonly used models of optical properties such as core-shell Mie, Rayleigh-Debeye-Gans and effective medium. This work has been carried out in a variety of atmospheric environments and with laboratory-produced soots, e.g. from a diesel engine rig. Highlights include the finding that with real-world atmospheric aerosols, bulk optical measurements may be insufficient to derive brown carbon parameters without detailed morphological data. We also show that the enhancement of absorption for both ambient and laboratory generated particles only occurs after the coating mass fraction reaches a certain threshold, something that may explain some apparently contradictory results from field measurements. These findings should help to inform atmospheric black carbon models and reduce uncertainties when evaluating its impacts.

An Investigation of the Effects of Black Carbon on Precipitation in the Western United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseng, Hsien-Liang Rose

Black carbon (BC), the byproduct of incomplete combustion, is considered to be the second most important anthropogenic climate forcing agent after carbon dioxide. BC warms the atmosphere by absorbing solar radiation (direct effect), alters cloud and precipitation formation by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (indirect effect), and modifies cloud distribution via cloud burn-off (semi-direct effect). Currently, there are large discrepancies in general circulation model estimates of the influence of BC on precipitation. Even less known is how BC changes precipitation on regional scales. In the drought-stricken western United States (WUS), where BC emissions are known to affect the hydrological cycle, an investigation on how BC influences precipitation is warranted. In this study, we employ the Weather Research and Forecasting-Chemistry (WRF Chem) model (version 3.6.0) with the newly chemistry- and microphysics-coupled Fu-Liou-Gu radiation scheme to study how black carbon affects precipitation by separating BC-related effects into direct and semi-direct, and indirect effects. In this three-part study, we use a recent wet year (2005) to investigate black carbon effects. We first examine BC effects during a heavy wintertime heavy precipitation event (7-11 January 2005), a heavy summertime precipitation week for comparison to the wintertime event (20-24 July 2005), and finally, examine these same effects for the months of January to June 2005 to investigate month-long trends. We find that BC suppresses precipitation, predominantly through its direct and semi-direct effects. The direct and semi-direct effects warm the air aloft, and cool the lower levels of the atmosphere (surface dimming) through the reduction of downward shortwave radiation flux at the surface. These changes in vertical temperature increase the stability of the atmosphere and reduce convective precipitation. Convective precipitation reduction accounts for approximately 60 75% of the total precipitation reduction. Additionally, cooling in the lower levels reduces evaporation from the surface, which reduces the moisture needed for non-convective precipitation. Subsequently, reduced moisture in the atmosphere suppresses non-convective precipitation by approximately 10-40%. The indirect effects also reduce precipitation, but to a much smaller extent of 5-20%. Although we use an atypical BC emission dataset is used in this study, the resulting reduction of the different types of precipitation sheds light on the physical mechanisms of BC-cloud-radiation interactions by which the reductions follow. In particular, our results highlight the importance of the cumulus and surface layer parameterizations that house the triggering mechanism and surface moisture flux parameterizations in future studies. In this research we find the NEI 2005 emissions did not significantly change precipitation. This is likely due to the aggressive emission regulations that exist for the United States. Emission regulations, however, do not exist or are enforced equally across the globe. In the developing countries that rely on inefficient cook stoves and heating systems, the populations suffer the most due to black carbon emission. Along with respiratory and cardiovascular impacts from black carbon, they may suffer from reduced water resources from suppressed precipitation, as well. In a larger sense, findings from this research serve as a platform for understanding the wider-reaching effects of black carbon on regional precipitation and drought. In particular, in areas where there are no black carbon emission regulations, this would highlight health and potentially significant environmental benefits that could be achieved from a black carbon cap and trade.

Corrosion-resistant catalyst supports for phosphoric acid fuel cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kosek, J.A.; Cropley, C.C.; LaConti, A.B.

High-surface-area carbon blacks such as Vulcan XC-72 (Cabot Corp.) and graphitized carbon blacks such as 2700{degree}C heat-treated Black Pearls 2000 (HTBP) (Cabot Corp.) have found widespread applications as catalyst supports in phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFCs). However, due to the operating temperatures and pressures being utilized in PAFCs currently under development, the carbon-based cathode catalyst supports suffer from corrosion, which decreases the performance and life span of a PAFC stack. The feasibility of using alternative, low-cost, corrosion-resistant catalyst support (CRCS) materials as replacements for the cathode carbon support materials was investigated. The objectives of the program were to prepare high-surface-areamore » alternative supports and to evaluate the physical characteristics and the electrochemical stability of these materials. The O{sub 2} reduction activity of the platinized CRCS materials was also evaluated. 2 refs., 3 figs.« less

Black Carbon Concentration from Worldwide Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuster, Gregory L.; Dubovik, Oleg; Holben, Brent N.; Clothiaux, Eugene E.

2006-01-01

The carbon emissions inventories used to initialize transport models and general circulation models are highly parameterized, and created on the basis of multiple sparse datasets (such as fuel use inventories and emission factors). The resulting inventories are uncertain by at least a factor of 2, and this uncertainty is carried forward to the model output. [Bond et al., 1998, Bond et al., 2004, Cooke et al., 1999, Streets et al., 2001] Worldwide black carbon concentration measurements are needed to assess the efficacy of the carbon emissions inventory and transport model output on a continuous basis.

40 CFR 721.10075 - Carbon black, 4-[[2-(Sulfooxy) ethyl]substituted] phenyl- modified, sodium salts (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Carbon black, 4-[[2-(Sulfooxy) ethyl]substituted] phenyl- modified, sodium salts (generic). 721.10075 Section 721.10075 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for...

76 FR 27316 - Science Advisory Board Staff Office Notification of a Public Teleconference of the Advisory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-11

... the Report to Congress on Black Carbon AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice... announces a public teleconference of the Black Carbon Review Panel. DATES: The meeting will be held on June..., 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460; or by telephone/voice mail at (202) 564-2067; fax...

Joint measurements of black carbon and particle mass for heavy-duty diesel vehicles using a portable emission measurement system

EPA Science Inventory

The black carbon (BC) emitted from heavy-duty diesel vehicles(HDDVs) is an important source of urban atmospheric pollution and createsstrong climate-forcing impacts. The emission ratio of BC to totalparticle mass (PM) (i.e., BC/PM ratio) is an essential variable used toestimate t...

76 FR 17123 - Science Advisory Board Staff Office; Notification of a Public Meeting of the Advisory Council on...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-28

... comprehensive report to Congress on the climate effects of black carbon. Black carbon, or soot, results from incomplete combustion of organic matter such as fossil fuels and biomass. The report to Congress will... and regional climate, and the potential utility and cost-effectiveness of mitigation options for...

40 CFR 721.10579 - Carbon black derived from the pyrolysis of rubber tire shreds (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Carbon black derived from the pyrolysis of rubber tire shreds (generic). 721.10579 Section 721.10579 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for Specific Chemical...

40 CFR 721.10075 - Carbon black, 4-[[2-(Sulfooxy) ethyl]substituted] phenyl- modified, sodium salts (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Carbon black, 4-[[2-(Sulfooxy) ethyl]substituted] phenyl- modified, sodium salts (generic). 721.10075 Section 721.10075 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for...

40 CFR 721.10075 - Carbon black, 4-[[2-(Sulfooxy) ethyl]substituted] phenyl- modified, sodium salts (generic).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Carbon black, 4-[[2-(Sulfooxy) ethyl]substituted] phenyl- modified, sodium salts (generic). 721.10075 Section 721.10075 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES Significant New Uses for...

FORMATION OF 8-OXO-2'-DEOXYGUANOSINE, AN OXIDATIVE ADDUCT IN THE LUNG DNA OF RATS FOLLOWING SUBCHRONIC INHALATION OF CARBON BLACK

EPA Science Inventory

Chronic inhalation of carbon black (CB) can produce carcinomas in rat lungs. The mechanisms underlying this response are uncertain. However, it has been postulated that chronic inflammation and cell proliferation may play a role in the development of tumors after high dose, lo...

FORMATION OF 8-OXO-7, 8-DIHYDRO-2'-DEOXYGUANOSINE IN RAT LUNG FOLLOWING SUB-CHRONIC INHALATION OF CARBON BLACK

EPA Science Inventory

ABSTRACT
Formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine, an oxidative adduct in the lung DNA of rats following sub-chronic inhalation of carbon black. Gallagher, J., Sams II, R.L., Inmon, J., Gelein, R., Elder, A., Oberdorster, G., Prahalad, A. (2002). Toxicol. Appl. Pharm...

Process for the conversion of carbonaceous feedstocks to particulate carbon and methanol

DOEpatents

Steinberg, M.; Grohse, E.W.

1995-06-27

A process is described for the production of a pollutant-free particulate carbon (i.e., a substantially ash-, sulfur- and nitrogen-free carbon) from carbonaceous feedstocks. The basic process involves de-oxygenating one of the gas streams formed in a cyclic hydropyrolysis-methane pyrolysis process in order to improve conversion of the initial carbonaceous feedstock. De-oxygenation is effected by catalytically converting carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen contained in one of the pyrolysis gas streams, preferably the latter, to a methanol co-product. There are thus produced two products whose use is known per se, viz., a substantially pollutant-free particulate carbon black and methanol. These products may be admixed in the form of a liquid slurry of carbon black in methanol. 3 figs.

The impacts of aerosol loading, composition, and water uptake on aerosol extinction variability in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyersdorf, A. J.; Ziemba, L. D.; Chen, G.; Corr, C. A.; Crawford, J. H.; Diskin, G. S.; Moore, R. H.; Thornhill, K. L.; Winstead, E. L.; Anderson, B. E.

2016-01-01

In order to utilize satellite-based aerosol measurements for the determination of air quality, the relationship between aerosol optical properties (wavelength-dependent, column-integrated extinction measured by satellites) and mass measurements of aerosol loading (PM2.5 used for air quality monitoring) must be understood. This connection varies with many factors including those specific to the aerosol type - such as composition, size, and hygroscopicity - and to the surrounding atmosphere, such as temperature, relative humidity (RH), and altitude, all of which can vary spatially and temporally. During the DISCOVER-AQ (Deriving Information on Surface conditions from Column and Vertically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality) project, extensive in situ atmospheric profiling in the Baltimore, MD-Washington, D.C. region was performed during 14 flights in July 2011. Identical flight plans and profile locations throughout the project provide meaningful statistics for determining the variability in and correlations between aerosol loading, composition, optical properties, and meteorological conditions. Measured water-soluble aerosol mass was composed primarily of ammonium sulfate (campaign average of 32 %) and organics (57 %). A distinct difference in composition was observed, with high-loading days having a proportionally larger percentage of sulfate due to transport from the Ohio River Valley. This composition shift caused a change in the aerosol water-uptake potential (hygroscopicity) such that higher relative contributions of inorganics increased the bulk aerosol hygroscopicity. These days also tended to have higher relative humidity, causing an increase in the water content of the aerosol. Conversely, low-aerosol-loading days had lower sulfate and higher black carbon contributions, causing lower single-scattering albedos (SSAs). The average black carbon concentrations were 240 ng m-3 in the lowest 1 km, decreasing to 35 ng m-3 in the free troposphere (above 3 km). Routine airborne sampling over six locations was used to evaluate the relative contributions of aerosol loading, composition, and relative humidity (the amount of water available for uptake onto aerosols) to variability in mixed-layer aerosol extinction. Aerosol loading (dry extinction) was found to be the predominant source, accounting for 88 % on average of the measured spatial variability in ambient extinction, with lesser contributions from variability in relative humidity (10 %) and aerosol composition (1.3 %). On average, changes in aerosol loading also caused 82 % of the diurnal variability in ambient aerosol extinction. However on days with relative humidity above 60 %, variability in RH was found to cause up to 62 % of the spatial variability and 95 % of the diurnal variability in ambient extinction. This work shows that extinction is driven to first order by aerosol mass loadings; however, humidity-driven hydration effects play an important secondary role. This motivates combined satellite-modeling assimilation products that are able to capture these components of the aerosol optical depth (AOD)-PM2.5 link. Conversely, aerosol hygroscopicity and SSA play a minor role in driving variations both spatially and throughout the day in aerosol extinction and therefore AOD. However, changes in aerosol hygroscopicity from day to day were large and could cause a bias of up to 27 % if not accounted for. Thus it appears that a single daily measurement of aerosol hygroscopicity can be used for AOD-to-PM2.5 conversions over the study region (on the order of 1400 km2). This is complimentary to the results of Chu et al. (2015), who determined that the aerosol vertical distribution from "a single lidar is feasible to cover the range of 100 km" in the same region.

A simple approach to estimate daily loads of total, refractory, and labile organic carbon from their seasonal loads in a watershed

Treesearch

Ying Ouyang; Johnny M. Grace; Wayne C. Zipperer; Jeff Hatten; Janet Dewey

2018-01-01

Loads of naturally occurring total organic carbons (TOC), refractory organic carbon (ROC), and labile organic carbon (LOC) instreams control the availability of nutrients and the solubility and toxicity of contaminants and affect biological activities throughabsorption of light and complex metals with production of carcinogenic compounds....

An Index-Based Approach to Assessing Recalcitrance and Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential of Engineered Black Carbons (Biochars)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harvey, Omar R.; Kuo, Li-Jung; Zimmerman, Andrew R.

2012-01-10

The ability of engineered black carbons (or biochars) to resist abiotic and, or biotic degradation (herein referred to as recalcitrance) is crucial to their successful deployment as a soil carbon sequestration strategy. A new recalcitrance index, the R{sub 50}, for assessing biochar quality for carbon sequestration is proposed. The R{sub 50} is based on the relative thermal stability of a given biochar to that of graphite and was developed and evaluated with a variety of biochars (n = 59), and soot-like black carbons. Comparison of R{sub 50}, with biochar physicochemical properties and biochar-C mineralization revealed the existence of a quantifiablemore » relationship between R{sub 50} and biochar recalcitrance. As presented here, the R{sub 50} is immediately applicable to pre-land application screening of biochars into Class A (R{sub 50} {>=} 0.70), Class B (0.50 {<=} R{sub 50} < 0.70) or Class C (R{sub 50} < 0.50) recalcitrance/carbon sequestration classes. Class A and Class C biochars would have carbon sequestration potential comparable to soot/graphite and uncharred plant biomass, respectively, while Class B biochars would have intermediate carbon sequestration potential. We believe that the coupling of the R{sub 50}, to an index-based degradation, and an economic model could provide a suitable framework in which to comprehensively assess soil carbon sequestration in biochars.« less

Comparison of different procedures to stabilize biogas formation after process failure in a thermophilic waste digestion system: Influence of aggregate formation on process stability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kleyboecker, A.; Liebrich, M.; Kasina, M.

2012-06-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mechanism of process recovery with calcium oxide. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Formation of insoluble calcium salts with long chain fatty acids and phosphate. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Adsorption of VFAs by the precipitates resulting in the formation of aggregates. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Acid uptake and phosphate release by the phosphate-accumulating organisms. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Microbial degradation of volatile fatty acids in the aggregates. - Abstract: Following a process failure in a full-scale biogas reactor, different counter measures were undertaken to stabilize the process of biogas formation, including the reduction of the organic loading rate, the addition of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and the introduction of calcium oxide (CaO). Correspondingmore » to the results of the process recovery in the full-scale digester, laboratory experiments showed that CaO was more capable of stabilizing the process than NaOH. While both additives were able to raise the pH to a neutral milieu (pH > 7.0), the formation of aggregates was observed particularly when CaO was used as the additive. Scanning electron microscopy investigations revealed calcium phosphate compounds in the core of the aggregates. Phosphate seemed to be released by phosphorus-accumulating organisms, when volatile fatty acids accumulated. The calcium, which was charged by the CaO addition, formed insoluble salts with long chain fatty acids, and caused the precipitation of calcium phosphate compounds. These aggregates were surrounded by a white layer of carbon rich organic matter, probably consisting of volatile fatty acids. Thus, during the process recovery with CaO, the decrease in the amount of accumulated acids in the liquid phase was likely enabled by (1) the formation of insoluble calcium salts with long chain fatty acids, (2) the adsorption of volatile fatty acids by the precipitates, (3) the acid uptake by phosphorus-accumulating organisms and (4) the degradation of volatile fatty acids in the aggregates. Furthermore, this mechanism enabled a stable process performance after re-activation of biogas production. In contrast, during the counter measure with NaOH aggregate formation was only minor resulting in a rapid process failure subsequent the increase of the organic loading rate.« less

Spinning, structure and properties of PP/CNTs and PP/carbon black composite fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcincin, A.; Hricova, M.; Ujhelyiova, A.

2014-08-01

In this paper, the effect of the compatibilisers-dispersants and other nanofillers on melt spinning of the polypropylene (PP) composites, containing carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and carbon black pigment (CBP) has been investigated. Further, the structure and selected properties of composite fibers, such as mechanical and electrical have been studied. The results revealed, that percolation threshold for PP/CBP composite fibres was situated within the concentration of 15 - 20 wt%, what is several times higher than for PP/CNTs fibers.

AmeriFlux CA-Qc2 Quebec - 1975 Harvested Black Spruce (HBS75)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Margolis, Hank

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site CA-Qc2 Quebec - 1975 Harvested Black Spruce (HBS75). Site Description - Quebec - Eastern Boreal; Black Spruce forest harvested in 1975.

AmeriFlux US-Blk Black Hills

DOE Data Explorer

Meyers, Tilden [NOAA/ARL

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Blk Black Hills. Site Description - The Black Hills tower was established by the Institute for Atmospheric Studies of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

The Ascension Island boundary layer in the remote southeast Atlantic is often smoky

DOE PAGES

Zuidema, Paquita; Sedlacek III, Arthur J.; Flynn, Connor; ...

2018-03-31

Observations from June through October, 2016, from a surface-based ARM Mobile Facility deployment on Ascension Island (8°S, 14.5°W) indicate that refractory black carbon (rBC) is almost always present within the boundary layer. rBC mass concentrations, light absorption coefficients, and cloud condensation nuclei concentrations vary in concert and synoptically, peaking in August. Light absorption coefficients at three visible wavelengths as a function of rBC mass indirectly indicate the presence of other light-absorbing aerosols (e.g., brown carbon), most pronounced in June. The single-scattering-albedo increases systematically from August to October in both 2016 and 2017, with monthly-means of 0.78±0.02 (August), 0.81±0.03 (September) andmore » 0.83±0.03 (October) at the green wavelength. Boundary-layer aerosol loadings are only loosely correlated with total aerosol optical depth, with smoke more likely to be present in the boundary layer earlier in the biomass-burning season, evolving to smoke predominantly present above the cloud layers in September-October, typically resting upon the cloud-top inversion. The time period with the campaign-maximum near-surface light absorption and column aerosol optical depth, on 13-16 August of 2016, is investigated further. Also, backtrajectories indicate more direct boundary layer transport westward from the African continent is central to explaining the elevated surface aerosol loadings.« less

The Ascension Island boundary layer in the remote southeast Atlantic is often smoky

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zuidema, Paquita; Sedlacek III, Arthur J.; Flynn, Connor

Observations from June through October, 2016, from a surface-based ARM Mobile Facility deployment on Ascension Island (8°S, 14.5°W) indicate that refractory black carbon (rBC) is almost always present within the boundary layer. rBC mass concentrations, light absorption coefficients, and cloud condensation nuclei concentrations vary in concert and synoptically, peaking in August. Light absorption coefficients at three visible wavelengths as a function of rBC mass indirectly indicate the presence of other light-absorbing aerosols (e.g., brown carbon), most pronounced in June. The single-scattering-albedo increases systematically from August to October in both 2016 and 2017, with monthly-means of 0.78±0.02 (August), 0.81±0.03 (September) andmore » 0.83±0.03 (October) at the green wavelength. Boundary-layer aerosol loadings are only loosely correlated with total aerosol optical depth, with smoke more likely to be present in the boundary layer earlier in the biomass-burning season, evolving to smoke predominantly present above the cloud layers in September-October, typically resting upon the cloud-top inversion. The time period with the campaign-maximum near-surface light absorption and column aerosol optical depth, on 13-16 August of 2016, is investigated further. Also, backtrajectories indicate more direct boundary layer transport westward from the African continent is central to explaining the elevated surface aerosol loadings.« less

Reusable Suborbital Launch Vehicles: Modeling and Assessment of Global Changes Associated With High Flight Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, M.

2011-12-01

Reusable Suborbital Launch Vehicles (RSLVs) are expected to play a large role in the space transport sector in coming decades, opening a new chapter in middle and upper atmospheric flight. RSLV flight rates of up to 1000 per year are forecast as early as 2025. While combustion emissions from each RSLV launch are small, less than 10 metric tons or less, the cumulative stratospheric emissions loading from RSLV flights could significantly exceed the loading from present day orbital launches. Recent GCM results suggest that black carbon (BC) emissions from hydrocarbon fueled rocket engines - including engine types planned for some RSLVs - are of particular interest because BC emitted by rockets could affect global direct radiative forcing and composition in the middle atmosphere to a much greater extent than other rocket emissions such as carbon dioxide and water. We present arguments and model results indicating that 1000 RSLV launches per year could regionally increase stratospheric BC by at least tens of percent over the background and change surface temperatures by over one degree. We also show how the new middle atmospheric measurement capabilities offered by RSLVs permit heretofore unavailable measurements of background stratospheric and mesospheric particle populations and an assessment of the buildup of RSLV exhaust particles during the time that RSLV flight rates are expected to surge (2015-2025).

Toward Theoretically Cycling-Stable Lithium-Sulfur Battery Using a Foldable and Compositionally Heterogeneous Cathode.

PubMed

Zhong, Lei; Yang, Kai; Guan, Ruiteng; Wang, Liangbin; Wang, Shuanjin; Han, Dongmei; Xiao, Min; Meng, Yuezhong

2017-12-20

Rechargeable lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have been expected for new-generation electrical energy storages, which are attributed to their high theoretical energy density, cost effectiveness, and eco-friendliness. But Li-S batteries still have some problems for practical application, such as low sulfur utilization and dissatisfactory capacity retention. Herein, we designed and fabricated a foldable and compositionally heterogeneous three-dimensional sulfur cathode with integrated sandwich structure. The electrical conductivity of the cathode is facilitated by three different dimension carbons, in which short-distance and long-distance pathways for electrons are provided by zero-dimensional ketjen black (KB), one-dimensional activated carbon fiber (ACF) and two-dimensional graphene (G). The resultant three-dimensional sulfur cathode (T-AKG/KB@S) with an areal sulfur loading of 2 mg cm -2 exhibits a high initial specific capacity, superior rate performance and a reversible discharge capacity of up to 726 mAh g -1 at 3.6 mA cm -2 with an inappreciable capacity fading rate of 0.0044% per cycle after 500 cycles. Moreover, the cathode with a high areal sulfur loading of 8 mg cm -2 also delivers a reversible discharge capacity of 938 mAh g -1 at 0.71 mA cm -2 with a capacity fading rate of 0.15% per cycle and a Coulombic efficiency of almost 100% after 50 cycles.

Sensitivity of aerosol loading and properties to cloudiness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iversen, T.; Seland, O.; Kirkevag, A.; Kristjansson, J. E.

2005-12-01

Clouds influence aerosols in various ways. Sulfate is swiftly produced in liquid phase provided there is both sulfur dioxide and oxidants available. Nucleation and Aitken mode aerosol particles efficiently grow in size by collision and coagulation with cloud droplets. When precipitation is formed, aerosol and precursor gases may be quickly removed bay rainout. The dynamics associated with clouds in some cases may swiftly mix aerosols deeply into the troposphere. In some cases Aitken-mode particles may be formed in cloud droplets by splitting agglomerates of particulate matter such as black carbon In this presentation we will discuss how global cloudiness may influence the burden, residence time, and spatial distribution of sulfate, black carbon and particulate organic matter. A similar physico-chemical scheme for there compounds has been implemented in three generations of the NCAR community climate model (CCM3, CAM2 and CAM3). The scheme is documented in the literature and is a part of the Aerocom-intercomparison. There are many differences between these models. With respect to aerosols, a major difference is that CAM3 has a considerably higher global cloud volume and more then twice the amount of cloud water than CAM2 and CCM3. Atmospheric simulations have been made with prescribed ocean temperatures. It is slightly surprising to discover that certain aspects of the aerosols are not particularly sensitive to these differences in cloud availability. This sensitivity will be compared to sensitivities with respect to processing in deep convective clouds.

Effect of polyamide 6 on the morphology and electrical conductivity of carbon black-filled polypropylene composites

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xuewei; Liu, Jiang; Wang, Yi

2017-01-01

Carbon black (CB)-filled polypropylene (PP) with surface resistivity between 106 and 109 Ω sq−1 is the ideal antistatic plastic material in the electronics and electric industry. However, a large amount of CB may have an adverse effect on the mechanical properties and processing performance of the material, thus an improved ternary system is developed. Blends of CB-filled PP and polyamide 6 (PA6) have been prepared by melt blending in order to obtain electrically conductive polymer composites with a low electrical percolation threshold based on the concept of double percolation. The morphological developments of these composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that CB particles were selectively dispersed in PA6 phases due to the good interaction and interfacial adhesion between CB and PA6. At the same CB loadings, the surface resistivity of PP/PA6/CB composite was smaller than that of PP/CB composite system, which indicated the better conductivity in the former composite. The increasing amount of PA6 in the composites changed the morphology from a typical sea–island morphology to a co-continuous morphology. What is more, with 8 wt% of CB and PP/PA6 phase ratio of 70/30 in which the PP and PA6 phases formed a co-continuous structure, the electrical conductivity of the composite peaked at 2.01 × 105 Ω sq−1. PMID:29308223

Self-Sensing of Position-Related Loads in Continuous Carbon Fibers-Embedded 3D-Printed Polymer Structures Using Electrical Resistance Measurement

PubMed Central

Luan, Congcong; Shen, Hongyao; Fu, Jianzhong

2018-01-01

Condition monitoring in polymer composites and structures based on continuous carbon fibers show overwhelming advantages over other potentially competitive sensing technologies in long-gauge measurements due to their great electromechanical behavior and excellent reinforcement property. Although carbon fibers have been developed as strain- or stress-sensing agents in composite structures through electrical resistance measurements, the electromechanical behavior under flexural loads in terms of different loading positions still lacks adequate research, which is the most common situation in practical applications. This study establishes the relationship between the fractional change in electrical resistance of carbon fibers and the external loads at different loading positions along the fibers’ longitudinal direction. An approach for real-time monitoring of flexural loads at different loading positions was presented simultaneously based on this relationship. The effectiveness and feasibility of the approach were verified by experiments on carbon fiber-embedded three-dimensional (3D) printed thermoplastic polymer beam. The error in using the provided approach to monitor the external loads at different loading positions was less than 1.28%. The study fully taps the potential of continuous carbon fibers as long-gauge sensory agents and reinforcement in the 3D-printed polymer structures. PMID:29584665

Potential role for carbon nanoparticles to guide central neck dissection in patients with papillary thyroid cancer.

PubMed

Yu, Wenbin; Cao, XiaoLi; Xu, Guihu; Song, Yuntao; Li, Guojun; Zheng, Hongliang; Zhang, Naisong

2016-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use and clinical utility of carbon nanoparticles as a lymph node tracer in the central neck lymph node dissection of patients with papillary thyroid cancer. One hundred forty consecutive patients were divided into a carbon nanoparticle group (n = 70) and a control group (n = 70). All patients underwent total or near-total thyroidectomy with bilateral central neck dissection. The carbon nanoparticle and control groups had different rates of metastatic lymph nodes (P = .017), total detected numbers of lymph nodes (P = .0001), total numbers of dissected lymph nodes <5 mm (P = .0001), and numbers of metastatic lymph nodes <5 mm (P = .0001). Of the 682 lymph nodes dissected in the carbon nanoparticle group, 579 (85%) were stained black, and of these, 147 (25%) were metastatic lymph nodes. There were 63 metastatic lymph nodes <5 mm among the black-stained metastatic lymph nodes, while there were 12 non-black-stained metastatic lymph nodes <5 mm. Of the total number of metastatic lymph nodes (n = 193), 147 (76%) were stained black. Moreover, pathologic results revealed that 5 accidental parathyroid resections occurred in the carbon nanoparticle group, compared with 14 in the control group (P = .046). Carbon nanoparticles might help to detect lymph nodes and increase the number of metastatic lymph nodes visualized and preserved. Therefore, use of carbon nanoparticles may reflect the metastatic condition of the central neck and have the potential to protect parathyroid glands. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The determination of the energy values and the composition analysis of M-16 rifle black powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satee, R.; Dararutana, P.; Phutdhawong, W.

2017-09-01

The determination of the energy values, specifically the heat of combustion of various M-16 black powders was the important part of the bullet efficiency investigations. The calorimetric bomb is commonly used for these determinations. Four M-16 black powders from the different sources were used as samples for this research. It was found that, after using calorimetric bomb technique, the gross heating value in Joules/g of sample S1-S4 were 10,647, 10,416, 5,281 and 3,878 respectively. The chemical compositions of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N) and sulfer (S) have also been determined. The results indicated that carbon and nitrogen compositions of sample S1 shown the highest values and provided little differences with sample S2 while sample S3 and S4 shown the lowest carbon and nitrogen percentage composition. The hydrogen composition of all samples was equally valued, however, only sample 3 and 4 displayed sulfur values while no sulfur values were detected from sample 1 and 2. From these results, the heat values and chemical composition of M-16 black powders were characterized their sources and the energy values might be estimated from the amount of carbon and nitrogen in the black powders. Thus, it would be possible to use this determination analysis in the forensic investigation.

Modeling of Carbon Mortar Color Expression Using Artificial Neural Network.

PubMed

Jang, Hong-Seok; Kim, Ju-Hee; Shuli, Xing; So, Seung-Young

2018-09-01

Colored concrete uses pigments and white Portland cement (WPC) to perform decorative functions together with structural function. Pigments are used in permanent coloring of concrete with colors different from the natural color of the cement or the aggregates with mixing WPC. In this study, an artificial neural networks study was carried out to predict the color evaluation of black mortar using pigment and carbon black. A data set of a laboratory work, in which a total of 9 mortars were produced, was utilized in the Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) study. The mortar mixture parameters were nine different pigment and carbon black ratios. Each mortar was measured at ten locations on the surface and averaged. Color can be evaluated by measurements of tristimulus values L* , a* and b* , represented in the chromatic space CIELAB. The L* value is a measure of luminosity (0 darkness), from completely opaque (0) to completely transparent (100); a* is a measure of redness (-a* greenness) and b* of yellowness (-b* blueness). ANN model is constructed, trained and tested using these data. The data used in the ANN model are arranged in a format of three input parameters that cover the pigment, carbon black and WPC and, an output parameter which is the color parameters of the black colored mortar. The results showed that ANN can be an alternative approach for the predicting the color parameters using mortar ingredients as input parameters.

Engineering and Modeling Carbon Nanofiller-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Habis, Nuha Hamad

Conductive biopolymers are starting to emerge as potential scaffolds of the future. These scaffolds exhibit some unique properties such as inherent conductivity, mechanical and surface properties. Traditionally, a conjugated polymer is used to constitute a conductive network. An alternative method currently being used is nanofillers as additives in the polymer. In this dissertation, we fabricated an intelligent scaffold for use in tissue engineering applications. The main idea was to enhance the mechanical, electrical properties and cell growth of scaffolds by using distinct types of nanofillers such as graphene, carbon nanofiber and carbon black. We identified the optimal concentrations of nano-additive in both fibrous and film scaffolds to obtain the highest mechanical and electrical properties without neglecting any of them. Lastly, we investigated the performance of these scaffold with cell biology. To accomplish these tasks, we first studied the mechanical properties of the scaffold as a function of morphology, concentration and variety of carbon nanofillers. Results showed that there was a gradual increase of the modulus and the fracture strength while using carbon black, carbon nanofiber and graphene, due to the small and strong carbon-to-carbon bonds and the length of the interlayer spacing. Moreover, regardless of the fabrication method, there was an increase in mechanical properties as the concentration of nanofillers increased until a threshold of 7 wt% was reached for the nanofiller film scaffold and 1%wt for the fibrous scaffold. Experimental results of carbon black exhibited a good agreement when compared with data obtained using numerical approaches and analytical models, especially in the case of lower carbon black fractions. Second, we examined the influence of electrical properties of nanofillers based on the concentration and the geometry of carbon nanofillers in the polymer matrix using experimental and numerical simulation approaches. The experimental results showed an increase in conductivity as the amount of nanofiller concentration increased. And regardless of nanofiller type, the trend remained the same. The percolation threshold was around 4-5wt% of nano-additive with PCL and PAN matrices, respectively. However, at the same concentrations, conductivity was higher in graphene-based nanocomposites than for CNF and carbon black-based nanocomposites. The numerical modeling highlighted the effect of nanofillers as constructing a conductive network due to the aggregation phenomenon. The conductivity trend for carbon black and carbon nanofiber-based composites by the numerical simulation approach was similar to the experimental approach. Lastly, we studied the effect of these carbon nanocomposite-based scaffolds on the behavior of cell growth. The results showed that regardless of the scaffold shape (film or fiber) and the additive's type, when the concentration of nano-additives was increased, electrical conductivity and cell density increased also. For a given nano-additive concentration and type, cell density increased in the scaffolds with fiber shape vs. the film. Importantly, as the conductivity of the scaffolds increased, so did the cell density. Consequently, this study has highlighted the close relationship between electrical conductivity, cell density and scaffold orientation. An increase in conductivity can be achieved in two ways: by molecular orientation of the nanofillers or by the appropriate selection of nano-additives such as graphene and carbon nanofiber.

Optical properties of sea ice doped with black carbon - an experimental and radiative-transfer modelling comparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marks, Amelia A.; Lamare, Maxim L.; King, Martin D.

2017-12-01

Radiative-transfer calculations of the light reflectivity and extinction coefficient in laboratory-generated sea ice doped with and without black carbon demonstrate that the radiative-transfer model TUV-snow can be used to predict the light reflectance and extinction coefficient as a function of wavelength. The sea ice is representative of first-year sea ice containing typical amounts of black carbon and other light-absorbing impurities. The experiments give confidence in the application of the model to predict albedo of other sea ice fabrics. Sea ices, ˜ 30 cm thick, were generated in the Royal Holloway Sea Ice Simulator ( ˜ 2000 L tanks) with scattering cross sections measured between 0.012 and 0.032 m2 kg-1 for four ices. Sea ices were generated with and without ˜ 5 cm upper layers containing particulate black carbon. Nadir reflectances between 0.60 and 0.78 were measured along with extinction coefficients of 0.1 to 0.03 cm-1 (e-folding depths of 10-30 cm) at a wavelength of 500 nm. Values were measured between light wavelengths of 350 and 650 nm. The sea ices generated in the Royal Holloway Sea Ice Simulator were found to be representative of natural sea ices. Particulate black carbon at mass ratios of ˜ 75, ˜ 150 and ˜ 300 ng g-1 in a 5 cm ice layer lowers the albedo to 97, 90 and 79 % of the reflectivity of an undoped clean sea ice (at a wavelength of 500 nm).

Black carbon mixing state impacts on cloud microphysical properties: effects of aerosol plume and environmental conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ching, Ping Pui; Riemer, Nicole; West, Matthew

2016-05-27

Black carbon (BC) is usually mixed with other aerosol species within individual aerosol particles. This mixture, along with the particles' size and morphology, determines the particles' optical and cloud condensation nuclei properties, and hence black carbon's climate impacts. In this study the particle-resolved aerosol model PartMC-MOSAIC was used to quantify the importance of black carbon mixing state for predicting cloud microphysical quantities. Based on a set of about 100 cloud parcel simulations a process level analysis framework was developed to attribute the response in cloud microphysical properties to changes in the underlying aerosol population ("plume effect") and the cloud parcelmore » cooling rate ("parcel effect"). It shows that the response of cloud droplet number concentration to changes in BC emissions depends on the BC mixing state. When the aerosol population contains mainly aged BC particles an increase in BC emission results in increasing cloud droplet number concentrations ("additive effect"). In contrast, when the aerosol population contains mainly fresh BC particles they act as sinks for condensable gaseous species, resulting in a decrease in cloud droplet number concentration as BC emissions are increased ("competition effect"). Additionally, we quantified the error in cloud microphysical quantities when neglecting the information on BC mixing state, which is often done in aerosol models. The errors ranged from -12% to +45% for the cloud droplet number fraction, from 0% to +1022% for the nucleation-scavenged black carbon (BC) mass fraction, from -12% to +4% for the effective radius, and from -30% to +60% for the relative dispersion.« less

Carbonaceous aerosols and Impacts on regional climate over South Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathak, B.; Parottil, A.

2017-12-01

A comprehensive assessment on the effects of carbonaceous aerosols over regional climate of South Asia CORDEX Domain is carried out using the ICTP developed Regional climate model version 4 (RegCM 4.4). Five different simulations considering (a) Carbonaceous aerosols with feedback to meteorological field (EXP1), (b) Carbonaceous aerosols without feedback to meteorological field (c) only Black Carbon with feed back to meteorological field (EXP3) and (d) only Black Carbon without feed back to meteorological field (EXP4) and only meteorology simulation (CNTL) are performed. All the five experiments are integrated from 01 January 2008 to 01 January 2012 continuously with a horizontal resolution of 50 km with first one year as spin up time. The simulated meteorology for all the simulations is validated by comparing with observations. The influence of carbonaceous aerosols on Direct Radiative Forcing (DRF) at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and within the atmosphere (ATM) over the South Asian region with focus on Indian subcontinent is carried out. The contribution of black carbon to the total DRF and its significance is analyzed. Modulation in precipitation and temperature with the aerosol-climate feedback is studied by comparing the meteorological parameters in CNTL with CARB/BC with and without feedback simulations. In general, black carbon is found to reduce the precipitation, wind over the region more strongly than total carbonaceous aerosols. Role of black carbon in warming the surface is investigated by comparing the RegCM simulation considering both biomass burning and anthropogenic emissions with simulations considering only anthropogenic simulations.

Clay mineral continental amplifier for marine carbon sequestration in a greenhouse ocean.

PubMed

Kennedy, Martin J; Wagner, Thomas

2011-06-14

The majority of carbon sequestration at the Earth's surface occurs in marine continental margin settings within fine-grained sediments whose mineral properties are a function of continental climatic conditions. We report very high mineral surface area (MSA) values of 300 and 570 m(2) g in Late Cretaceous black shales from Ocean Drilling Program site 959 of the Deep Ivorian Basin that vary on subcentennial time scales corresponding with abrupt increases from approximately 3 to approximately 18% total organic carbon (TOC). The observed MSA changes with TOC across multiple scales of variability and on a sample-by-sample basis (centimeter scale), provides a rigorous test of a hypothesized influence on organic carbon burial by detrital clay mineral controlled MSA. Changes in TOC also correspond with geochemical and sedimentological evidence for water column anoxia. Bioturbated intervals show a lower organic carbon loading on mineral surface area of 0.1 mg-OC m(-2) when compared to 0.4 mg-OC m(-2) for laminated and sulfidic sediments. Although either anoxia or mineral surface protection may be capable of producing TOC of < 5%, when brought together they produced the very high TOC (10-18%) apparent in these sediments. This nonlinear response in carbon burial resulted from minor precession-driven changes of continental climate influencing clay mineral properties and runoff from the African continent. This study identifies a previously unrecognized land-sea connection among continental weathering, clay mineral production, and anoxia and a nonlinear effect on marine carbon sequestration during the Coniacian-Santonian Oceanic Anoxic Event 3 in the tropical eastern Atlantic.

40 CFR 721.10080 - Carbon black, 4-[(17-substituted-3,6,9,12,15-pentaazaheptadec-1-yl) substituted] phenyl-modified...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Carbon black, 4-[(17-substituted-3,6,9,12,15-pentaazaheptadec-1-yl) substituted] phenyl-modified, hydrochlorides (generic). 721.10080 Section 721.10080 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL...

Response of black ash wetland gaseous soil carbon fluxes to a simulated emerald ash borer infestation

Treesearch

Matthew Van Grinsven; Joseph Shannon; Nicholas Bolton; Joshua Davis; Nam Noh; Joseph Wagenbrenner; Randall Kolka; Thomas Pypker

2018-01-01

The rapid and extensive expansion of emerald ash borer (EAB) in North America since 2002 may eliminate most existing ash stands, likely affecting critical ecosystem services associated with water and carbon cycling. To our knowledge, no studies have evaluated the coupled response of black ash (Fraxinus nigra Marsh.) wetland water tables, soil...

Decomposition of soil organic matter from boreal black spruce forest: environmental and chemical controls

Treesearch

Kimberly P. Wickland; Jason C. Neff

2007-01-01

Black spruce forests are a dominant covertype in the boreal forest region, and they inhabit landscapes that span a wide range of hydrologic and thermal conditions. These forests often have large stores of soil organic carbon. Recent increases in temperature at northern latitudes may be stimulating decomposition rates of this soil carbon. It is unclear, however, how...

40 CFR 721.10080 - Carbon black, 4-[(17-substituted-3,6,9,12,15-pentaazaheptadec-1-yl) substituted] phenyl-modified...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Carbon black, 4-[(17-substituted-3,6,9,12,15-pentaazaheptadec-1-yl) substituted] phenyl-modified, hydrochlorides (generic). 721.10080 Section 721.10080 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL...

40 CFR 721.10080 - Carbon black, 4-[(17-substituted-3,6,9,12,15-pentaazaheptadec-1-yl) substituted] phenyl-modified...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Carbon black, 4-[(17-substituted-3,6,9,12,15-pentaazaheptadec-1-yl) substituted] phenyl-modified, hydrochlorides (generic). 721.10080 Section 721.10080 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT SIGNIFICANT NEW USES OF CHEMICAL...

Top-down estimates of biomass burning emissions of black carbon in the western United States

Treesearch

Y. H. Mao; Q. B. Li; D. Chen; L. Zhang; W. -M. Hao; K.-N. Liou

2014-01-01

We estimate biomass burning and anthropogenic emissions of black carbon (BC) in the western US for May-October 2006 by inverting surface BC concentrations from the Interagency Monitoring of PROtected Visual Environment (IMPROVE) network using a global chemical transport model. We first use active fire counts from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS...

Black carbon concentrations in a goods-movement neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA

Treesearch

Michelle C. Kondo; Chris Mizes; John Lee; Igor Burstyn

2014-01-01

Communities along the Delaware River in Philadelphia, USA such as Port Richmond, are subject to traffic associated with goods movement to and from port facilities and local industry. Air pollution associated with this traffic poses an environmental health concern in this and other urban areas. Our study measures black carbon (BC) in Port Richmond and examines its...

Carbon spheres-assisted strategy to prepare mesoporous manganese dioxide for supercapacitor applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li Siheng; Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039; Qi Li, E-mail: qil@ciac.jl.cn

Mesoporous MnO{sub 2} microstructures with large specific surface area have been successfully synthesized by an in-situ redox precipitation method in the presence of colloidal carbon spheres. The samples of them had much higher specific surface area, pore size and pore volume than those obtained via routes without carbon spheres. The morphology, chemical compositions and porous nature of products were fully characterized. Electrochemical measurements showed that these mesoporous MnO{sub 2} could function well when used as positive electrode materials for supercapacitor. Ideal electrochemical capacitive performances and cyclic stability after 2000 galvanostatic charge-discharge cycles could be observed in 1 M neutral Na{submore » 2}SO{sub 4} aqueous electrolyte with a working voltage of 1.7 V. - Graphical Abstract: Mesoporous MnO{sub 2} microstructures with large S{sub BET} were successfully synthesized by in-situ redox precipitation method in the presence of colloidal carbon spheres. Electrochemical measurements showed that these mesoporous MnO{sub 2} could be well used as electrode materials for supercapacitor. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mesoporous MnO{sub 2} was prepared by in-situ redox method assisted by carbon spheres. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer S{sub BET}, pore size and volume were higher than MnO{sub 2} obtained without carbon spheres. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer They could function well when used as electrode materials for supercapacitor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ideal capacitive behaviors and long cycling life showed after 2000 charge-discharge.« less

Contribution of Black Carbon Aerosol to Drying of the Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, T.; Shindell, D. T.; Samset, B. H.; Boucher, O.; Forster, P.; Hodnebrog, Ø.; Myhre, G.; Sillmann, J.; Voulgarakis, A.; Andrews, T.; Faluvegi, G.; Fläschner, D.; Iverson, T.; Kasoar, M.; Kharin, V. V.; Kirkevag, A.; Lamarque, J. F.; Olivié, D.; Richardson, T.; Stjern, C.; Takemura, T.; Zwiers, F. W.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric aerosols affect cloud properties, radiative balance and thus, the hydrological cycle. Many studies have reported that precipitation has decreased in the Mediterranean since the mid-20th century, and investigated possible mechanisms. So far, however, the effects of aerosol forcing on Mediterranean precipitation remain largely unknown. Here we compare observed Mediterranean precipitation trends during 1951-2010 with responses to individual forcing in a set of state-of-the-art global climate models. Our analyses suggest that nearly one-third (30%) of the observed precipitation decrease may be attributable to black carbon forcing. The remainder is most strongly linked to forcing of well-mixed greenhouse gases (WMGHGs), with scattering sulfate aerosols having negligible impacts. Black carbon caused an enhanced positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)/Arctic Oscillation (AO)-like sea level pressure (SLP) pattern, characterized by higher SLP at mid-latitudes and lower SLP at high-latitudes. This SLP change diverted the jet stream and storm tracks further northward, reducing precipitation in the Mediterranean while increasing precipitation in Northern Europe. The results from this study suggest that future black carbon emissions may significantly affect regional water resources, agricultural practices, ecosystems, and economy in the Mediterranean region.

An algorithm to estimate aircraft cruise black carbon emissions for use in developing a cruise emissions inventory.

PubMed

Peck, Jay; Oluwole, Oluwayemisi O; Wong, Hsi-Wu; Miake-Lye, Richard C

2013-03-01

To provide accurate input parameters to the large-scale global climate simulation models, an algorithm was developed to estimate the black carbon (BC) mass emission index for engines in the commercial fleet at cruise. Using a high-dimensional model representation (HDMR) global sensitivity analysis, relevant engine specification/operation parameters were ranked, and the most important parameters were selected. Simple algebraic formulas were then constructed based on those important parameters. The algorithm takes the cruise power (alternatively, fuel flow rate), altitude, and Mach number as inputs, and calculates BC emission index for a given engine/airframe combination using the engine property parameters, such as the smoke number, available in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) engine certification databank. The algorithm can be interfaced with state-of-the-art aircraft emissions inventory development tools, and will greatly improve the global climate simulations that currently use a single fleet average value for all airplanes. An algorithm to estimate the cruise condition black carbon emission index for commercial aircraft engines was developed. Using the ICAO certification data, the algorithm can evaluate the black carbon emission at given cruise altitude and speed.

In vitro cytotoxicity of carbon black nanoparticles synthesized from solution plasma on human lung fibroblast cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panomsuwan, Gasidit; Chokradjaroen, Chayanaphat; Rujiravanit, Ratana; Ueno, Tomonaga; Saito, Nagahiro

2018-01-01

Carbon black nanoparticles (CB-NPs) have been synthesized from liquid benzene by a solution plasma method at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The morphological observation by scanning electron microscopy revealed the agglomeration of aggregated fine particles. The synthesized CB-NPs were predominantly amorphous as confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The in vitro cytotoxicity of CB-NPs on the human lung fibroblast (MRC-5) cell line was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and systematically compared with those of two types of commercial carbon blacks (i.e., Vulcan XC-72 and Ketjenblack EC-600JD). Cell viabilities were studied at different concentrations of 32.5, 65, 125, and 250 µg/mL. It was found that the CB-NPs derived from solution plasma exhibited a lower cytotoxicity on the MRC-5 cells than the other two comparative carbon blacks. The viability of MRC-5 cells exposed to CB-NPs remained higher than 90% even at a high concentration of 250 µg/mL. This result preliminarily confirmed the biosafety and potential use of CB-NPs in the field of biological applications.