Browsing by Author "Caldarelli, Adriana"

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    Ambient elemental, reactive gaseous and particle-bound mercury concentrations in New Jersey, U.S : measurements and associations with wind direction: Research Project Summary
    (Trenton, N.J. : Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Science, 2011-09) Aucott, Michael; Caldarelli, Adriana; Zsolway, Rudolph; Pietarinen, Charles; England, Randy
    Two and a half years of ambient concentrations of elemental mercury, reactive gaseous mercury (RGM), and particle-bound mercury were collected at measurement sites at Elizabeth, NJ and New Brunswick, NJ with Tekran sampling units in order to gather information on ambient atmospheric mercury levels, to determine whether these levels could be associated with known sources, and to develop a method to analyze these data. The data were processed, summarized, and evaluated from a variety of perspectives. Data quality control and quality assurance procedures are described. Wind direction and wind speed data were also collected. Significant temporal variations in concentrations of all three species were observed. Some significant directional variations were also seen. The sporadic nature of many of the temporal variations is consistent with and could reflect highly variable emission patterns from anthropogenic mercury sources. Overall mean concentrations of all species were determined. These were, for Hg0 , Hgp, and RGM respectively: 2.25 ± 0.04 nanograms per cubic meter (ng/m3 ), 8.21 ± 0.39 picograms per cubic meter (pg/m3), and 8.93 ± 0.31 pg/m3 (arithmetic means and 95% confidence intervals) at Elizabeth, and 2.15 ± 0.02 ng/m3, 10.73 ± 0.45 pg/m3, and 6.04 ± 0.30 pg/m3 at New Brunswick. Mean concentrations were determined for 16 different sectors representing wind directions. The impact of one known large source is suggested by these data. Reasons for some directional variations are not apparent and suggest a need for further investigation.
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    Estimated Quantities and Trends of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in US Municipal Solid Waste Based on Analysis of Incinerator Ash: Research Project Summary
    (Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Science, 2009-12) Aucott, Michael; Namboodiripad, Ambika; Caldarelli, Adriana; Frank, Kenneth; Gross, Herbert
    Heavy metals are present in a variety of products and can be released during product life cycles. The concentration of metals in municipal solid waste (MSW) reflects the amount of metals in products and is directly related to the amount of metals transferred to disposal sites. Measured monthly mean concentrations of cadmium, lead, and mercury in the ash from May 1995 through October 2007 at the Essex County, NJ incinerator and from May 2004 through November 2007 at the Warren County, NJ incinerator were used, along with air emissions data for mercury, to estimate the content of these metals in MSW. Estimated mean concentration and 95% confidence limits for cadmium in MSW at the Essex and Warren facilities, respectively, were17.4±0.1 and 10.1±1.2 ppm. For lead, the corresponding values were 408±41 and 239±42 ppm, and for mercury, they were 2.6±0.2 and 0.9±0.2 ppm. A trend of increasing cadmium concentrations was found at both facilities. No change vs. time was observed in lead concentrations. Mercury concentration was found to be decreasing over time at the Essex facility.
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    Investigation of release, fate and transport of lead from motor vehicle wheel weights: Research Project Summary
    (Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Science, 2011-06) Aucott, Michael; Caldarelli, Adriana
    Lead is a well-known pollutant with documented toxicity. Lead-containing weights used to balance motor vehicle wheels are regularly lost from vehicles and enter the environment where they are ground into small particles by traffic, thus releasing small particles of lead to the environment and potentially contributing significantly to human exposures. The purpose of this study was to measure the quantity and to assess the form and fate of lead that enters the environment from wheel weights, and to estimate the exposure potential that this lead might represent as compared with other measured and estimated inputs of lead to the environment. This study found that approximately 12 tons per year of lead in the form of wheel weights are deposited on New Jersey roadways, but that only approximately 40 kg of this enters the environment in the form of small particles that are likely to result from the abrasion and grinding action of traffic. This study indicates that, relative to other sources, the amount of lead dispersed in the form of small particles to the environment from wheel weights is small. Further, the quantity of lead released via wheel weights appears likely to decline because of state-level legislation, voluntary phase-outs by manufacturers, and new trends in wheel technology.