Anthropogenic platinum fluxes: Quantification of sources and sinks, and outlook

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Employing the data available to date, anthropogenic Pt fluxes are calculated for Germany with special emphasis on the Pt emitted by cars equipped with catalytic converters. Pt fluxes are quantified using five different methods (street deposition, automobile emission rate, sewage sludges, atmospheric load, industrial consumption). During the first and the second methods, approx. 100 kg of emitted Pt are seen to result for both for the mid 1990's. Up to the year 2018, a total of 2100 kg of Pt will be emitted by cars equipped with catalytic converters. The diffuse atmospheric Pt deposition amounts to 0.73 - 4.4 μg/m 2y or 260 kg Pt/year. Industrial sources emitting Pt into the atmosphere are likely but difficult to quantify. The enrichment of Pt in soils during agriculture fertilization with sewage sludges and during diffuse atmospheric deposition result in a level of 46 - 460 ng/kg up to the year 2018. Although this is slightly below the geogenic background, a comparison with the pollution history of Pb implies that forthcoming environmental Pt enrichment should not be neglected.

Original languageEnglish
JournalEnvironmental Science and Pollution Research
Volume6
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)29-36
Number of pages8
ISSN0944-1344
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1999
Externally publishedYes

    Research areas

  • Chemistry
  • PGE, Pb, Pd, Pt, atmospheric load, automobile emissions, environmental enrichment, industrial consumption, lead, palladium, platinum fluxes, platinum group element, sewage sludges, sinks, street deposition, Platinum group element, Industrial consumption, Lead, Automobile emissions, Platinum fluxes, Sinks, Environmental enrichment, Palladium, Street deposition, Atmospheric load, Sewage sludges

DOI