[Physical and chemical characters of materials from several mineral aerosol sources in China]

Loess, sand and coal-ash samples were collected at several mineral aerosol sources to analyze the particle size as well as the major and trace elements. The results show that the physical and chemical characters were quite different between these samples. The loess was mainly made up of small particle size that 91% of the sample could be transported as mineral aerosol to a long distance. The sand consists of relative large-size particles, with only 15% sample being formed into mineral aerosol. The coal-ash samples were quite different in particle sizes in the two regions, with 39% of particles < 74 microns in Fushun samples while only 7% in Huhehaote samples. Chemical compositions varied significantly in different particle sizes, with trace elements obviously enriched in the least size. The elements to Al ratios (E/Al) were quite alike between the Loess and the sand, but very different from the coal ash. The similarity of the E/Al ratios between the Loess, the sand and the deep-sea clay suggest that the deserts and the Loess in the northwest China may be important sources for sediment of the northwest Pacific Ocean.