Carbon-14 measurements of PM from Noto peninsular in Kanazawa, Japan

Yamada, Rena*; Ikemori, Fumikazu*; Nakamura, Toshio*; Minami, Masayo*; Watanabe, Takahiro   ; Kinouchi, Kento*; Matsuki, Atsushi*

PM is becoming the focus of international attention, particularly in eastern Asia, because of air pollution and the health risks. Carbon is one of the major components in aerosol. Therefore, sources of the carbon compound should be known for the understanding material cycles and mechanism of the rise. Radiocarbon analysis is unique and useful techniques for estimation of carbon sources in environmental samples including aerosol. Hence half-life of radiocarbon is 5730 years, percent modern carbon (pMC) value based on radiocarbon concentration of fossil fuels are negligible. Therefore, pMC value can reveal the components of carbon in aerosol (biomass carbon versus fossil fuel). In this study, aerosol samples were taken at Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa pref., Japan, in order to estimate contribution rate of biomass carbon and/or fossil fuel in PM. The pMC values of PM at Noto were more than 70 in the summer of 2014. These results show that biomass contribution is relative high in the area.