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Airborne particulate matter (PM10) in the china clay area, Cornwall, UK

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2018

B. Parsons ,
L. Salter ,
T. Coe ,
R. Mathias ,
R. J. Richards  and
T. P. Jones
B. Parsons*
Affiliation:
Cornwall College, Cornwall TR15 3RD, UK
L. Salter
Affiliation:
Cornwall College, Cornwall TR15 3RD, UK
T. Coe
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3US, UK
R. Mathias
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3US, UK
R. J. Richards
Affiliation:
School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3YE, UK
T. P. Jones
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3US, UK
*
E-mail: barbara.parsons@cornwall.ac.uk
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Abstract

Work was undertaken in 1997 as part of a UK government programme to monitor air quality in the Cornish china clay area. These studies showed that concentrations of airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm (PM10) did not exceed UK National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS, 1995) guidelines but were, however, greater than those normally associated with rural areas. Subsequently, in the summer of 2000, airborne dust sampling was conducted at three sites around the IMERYS (formerly ECCI) Kernick mica dam, a potential source of resuspended airborne particulates from china clay waste minerals. Analytical scanning electron microscopy examination of the collected material suggested that up to 61% of the airborne PM10 monitored next to the mica dam could be associated with china clay extraction compared with 46% 2 km to the south. Results showed the presence of substantial percentages of respirable kaolinite, muscovite and quartz; the major components of china clay waste. The health effects of the particular mineral dust emissions associated with china clay mining are reviewed.

Keywords

china claymica damsPM10airborne dusthealth effects.
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 67 , Issue 2 , April 2003 , pp. 163 - 171
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2003

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