Laboratory equipment

Dionex ICS-3000

Atmospheric water-soluble ionic species can be analysed with the Dionex ICS-3000.

Sample requirements:

• Aerosol samples gathered preferably on Teflon filters with the sampling volume (m³) known, or rainwater samples gathered with wet-only samplers.

• Filter extraction and/or analysis to be conducted by the Atmospheric Chemistry Research Group at the North-West University.

Sunset OCEC dual optical analyser version 6.4

Aerosol organic and elemental carbon analysed is analysed with the Sunset OCEC dual optical lab Instrument (version 6.4).

Sample requirements:

• Aerosols samples gathered on appropriate quartz filters that were pre-baked prior to sampling.

• Sampling volume (m³) must be known.

Tekran 2600-IVS sparge-based THg system

Water soluble mercury (Hg) is analysed with the Tekran 2600-IVS system, which is a cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometer (CVAFS) comprising a gold amalgamation system.

Sample requirements:

• Rainwater samples are collected directly into dedicated Hg-rainwater samplers comprising a pre-acidified glass bottle.

• The sampler is equipped with a glass funnel and tube sample train, which is soaked in HCl for cleaning between samples.

• The sample is preserved by adding either hydrochloric acid (HCl) or bromine monochloride (BrCl) solution.

Shimadzu TOC-LCPH FA, E200, High Sensitivity

Aerosol organic and elemental carbon is analysed with this TOC-L series of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysers. The Shimadzu uses a 680°C combustion catalytic oxidation method, while providing an ultra wide range of 4 μg/L to 30,000 mg/L. The analyser boasts a detection limit of 4 μg/L, which is the highest level of detection sensitivity available with this method.

Sample requirements:

• Aerosol samples gathered on Teflon or pre-baked glass fiber filters with known sampling volume (m³), or rainwater samples collected with wet-only samplers.

• Filter extraction, other sample preparation and/or analysis to be conducted by the MBL at the University of Cape Town.

Additional capabilities

Instruments and data available via the BIOGRIP Node for Atmospheric Biogeochemistry from the Welgegund atmospheric research station (often operated in collaboration with the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the University of Helsinki, as well as local partners) include:

• Differential mobility particle sizer (DMPS) for the measurement of aerosol number size distribution (12-840 nm)

• Air ion spectrometer (AIS) for the measurement of aerosol ion number size distribution (0.8-42 nm)

• PM₁₀ aerosol mass concentration

• PM₂.₅ aerosol mass concentration

• Multi-angle absorption photometry (MAAP) to determine aerosol absorption coefficient at a single wavelength (637 nm), from which black carbon (BC) concentration is determined

• Three wavelengths (450, 525 and 635 nm) Nephelometer for the measurement of light scattering by aerosols

  Atmospheric trace gasses (i.e. SO₂, NOₓ/NO, O₃ and CO)

• Direct and reflected photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), direct and reflected global radiation and net radiation

• Standard meteorology parameters (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, ambient pressure)

• Rain volume and rain intensity

• H₂O and CO₂, as well as sensible and latent heat fluxes measured with closed path infrared gas analyser and micrometeorological data collected with a three-dimensional ultrasonic anemometer

• SO₂ and NO₂ fluxes measured with dual mid-infrared quantum cascade laser with infrared detector and micrometeorological data collected with a three-dimensional ultrasonic anemometer

• Soil temperature and moisture at different depths

• Ground mounted ceilometer lidar that measures vertical profile by laser illumination and analysing the reflected light

• Cimel sun photometer for the measurement direct-sun radiance

• Wet-only rain sampler and off-line analysis

• Total gaseous mercury (TGM)

• Campaign based volatile organic compound (VOC) sample collection onto adsorbent tubes and off-line analysis by thermal desorption, with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (CG-MS)

• Campaign based size resolved aerosol collection on Teflon/quartz filters with cascade impactors. Analyses off-line with comprehensive gas chromatography and time of flight mass spectrometry (CG-CG-MS), and/or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and/or organic and elemental carbon (OC-EC) analyser and/or ion chromatography.

• Dichotomous Partisol sampling (PM₂.₅ and PM₂.₅-₁₀). Analyses off-line with comprehensive gas chromatography and time of flight mass spectrometry (CG-CG-MS), and/or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and/or organic and elemental carbon (OC-EC) analyser and/or ion chromatography.

Instruments and data available via the BIOGRIP Node for Atmospheric Biogeochemistry from the Cape Point Global Atmospheric Watch station of the South African Weather Service (often operated in collaboration with national and international partners) include:

• PM₁₀ aerosol mass concentration (in conjunction with SAWS Air Quality division)

• PM₂.₅ aerosol mass concentration (in conjunction with SAWS Air Quality division)

• NO/NOₓ ambient measurements (in conjunction with SAWS Air Quality division)

• SO₂ ambient measurements (in conjunction with SAWS Air Quality division)

• O₃ ambient measurements (in conjunction with SAWS Air Quality division)

• Atmospheric greenhouse and reactive gasses (i.e. N₂O, CO₂, CH₄ and CO)

• Standard meteorology parameters (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, ambient pressure)

• Rain volume and rain intensity

• Wet-only rain sampler and off line analysis

• PFR sun photometer for the measurement of AOD

• Total gaseous mercury (TGM)

• Aerosol light absorption and scattering in 3 wavelengths

• Atmospheric Radon-222 activity

• VOC’s and CFC’s