ACHEX Study

Figure 1. Plots of aerosol C vi. Pb concentrations for Los Angeles in 1973 as determined in the ACHEX study flOJ. The lines indicate the particulate C/Pb ratio for the well-mixed air basin and the highway signature as explained in the text (y,) Dominguez Hills (%) West Covina (O) Riverside.

In this paper we have shown that there is no simple answer to the question posed in the title of this paper. Primary carbon particles dominate the carbonaceous aerosol under certain conditions while substantial secondary carbon may be present at other times. However, the importance of secondary carbon contributions is much less obvious when 24-h samples are examined. With shorter time averaged samples (e.g. 6-h or less) the increase in secondary carbon formation can be more easily detected. Secondary carbon appears to be more important in the summer rather than winter, in the afternoon father than the early morning, and in LA rather than St. Louis. It should be noted that these conditions of increased secondary carbon aerosol formation are also more favorable conditions for photochemical reactions. Our detailed emission inventory Indicates that much more primary carbon exists in the urban aerosol than was thought previously. This is in agreement with the data. Our analysis shows that even on the very smoggy days in the ACHEX study there were times when primary carbon dominated the carbonaceous aerosol. 

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