Pilot Study on Tracing Fugitive Dust Using from the Parleys Canyon Kilgore Quarry, Utah.

Strontium (Sr) isotopes, particularly the 87Sr/86Sr ratio, are increasingly utilized in dust studies for identifying sources and tracking transport pathways. This pilot study conducted in Millcreek City, Utah, USA, leverages Sr isotopes as a tracer to quantify the contribution of dust from the Kilgore Quarry, near the mouth of Parley's Canyon, to local dust deposition. A dust sample was collected from the exterior wall of a utility shed in the Canyon Rim neighborhood, where it has been accumulating dust transported by canyon winds over several years. Analysis of the dust sample was performed in the University of Utah's Geology and Geophysics Department's ICPMS laboratory.

Comparison with baseline Sr isotope ratios from dust samples collected in the Salt Lake City area in 2017-2018 and bedrock samples from the TwinCreek Limestone were undertaken. The data indicated that the Canyon Rim dust sample had a significantly different Sr isotope ratio compared to the baseline, suggesting a distinct dust source. Utilizing a mass fractionation estimate, it was determined that approximately 60.35% of the dust sample was sourced from the Kilgore Quarry. Wind data collected at the quarry site by UDOT since 2008 further corroborated this finding, indicating prevailing winds that align with Parleys Canyon's axis, thereby facilitating dust transport from the quarry to the Salt Lake Valley.

This study underscores the effectiveness of Sr isotopes in dust source identification, demonstrating that a significant portion of dust in the study area can be attributed to the Kilgore Quarry. The results underline the importance of dust management at the quarry to minimize environmental and potential health impacts. The study also sets a precedent for further investigations that could provide additional insights into dust sources and transport pathways, aiding in environmental protection and public health initiatives.

锶（Sr）同位素，尤其是87Sr/86Sr比率，在粉尘研究中的应用日益广泛，主要用于识别粉尘来源和追踪运输路径。在美国犹他州米尔克里克市进行的这项试点研究，利用锶同位素作为示踪剂，以量化帕里尔斯峡谷口附近的基尔戈尔采石场对当地粉尘沉积的贡献。粉尘样本采集自峡谷边缘社区一栋公用设施仓库的外墙，该仓库多年来累积了由峡谷风携带的粉尘。粉尘样本的分析在犹他大学地质与地球物理学系的电感耦合等离子体质谱（ICPMS）实验室进行。

将峡谷边缘粉尘样本与2017-2018年在盐湖城地区采集的基线锶同位素比率以及双溪石灰岩的基岩样本进行了比较。数据显示，峡谷边缘粉尘样本的锶同位素比率与基线存在显著差异，表明存在独特的粉尘来源。通过质量分馏估算，确定约60.35%的粉尘样本来源于基尔戈尔采石场。UDOT自2008年以来在采石场收集的风数据进一步证实了这一发现，表明盛行风向与帕里尔斯峡谷轴线一致，从而促进了从采石场到盐湖盆地的粉尘传输。

本研究强调了锶同位素在粉尘源识别中的有效性，证明了研究区域内粉尘的显著部分可以归因于基尔戈尔采石场。研究结果凸显了在采石场进行粉尘管理的重要性，以最大限度地减少环境及潜在的健康影响。此外，本研究为未来进一步调查设定了先例，这些调查可能提供更多关于粉尘来源和运输路径的见解，有助于环境保护和公共卫生倡议。