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（Strontium, Sr）同位素，尤其是87Sr/86Sr比值，正日益广泛应用于粉尘溯源与运移路径追踪研究领域。本试点研究在美国犹他州米尔克里克市开展，以锶同位素作为示踪剂，量化分析帕利峡谷口附近基尔戈采石场的粉尘对当地粉尘沉降的贡献占比。研究人员从峡谷边缘社区一间公用棚屋的外墙采集了粉尘样品，该样品历经数年积累了由峡谷风输送而来的粉尘沉积物。本次粉尘样品的分析工作在犹他大学地质与地球物理系的ICPMS实验室完成。

研究团队将本次样品的锶同位素比值与2017-2018年在盐湖城地区采集的粉尘基准样品、以及双溪灰岩的基岩样品的锶同位素比值进行了对比分析。结果显示，本次采集的峡谷边缘粉尘样品的锶同位素比值与基准值存在显著差异，表明其粉尘来源具有独特性。通过质量分馏估算，研究人员判定该粉尘样品中约60.35%的组分来源于基尔戈采石场。犹他州交通部（Utah Department of Transportation, UDOT）自2008年起在采石场站点收集的气象数据进一步佐证了这一结论：该区域盛行风向与帕利峡谷的走向一致，使得粉尘能够从采石场顺利输送至盐湖谷。

本研究证实了锶同位素用于粉尘溯源的有效性，证明研究区域内有相当比例的粉尘可归因于基尔戈采石场。研究结果强调了对采石场开展粉尘管控的必要性，以降低其对环境及公众健康可能造成的负面影响。本研究同时为后续相关研究树立了范例：后续研究可进一步深化对粉尘来源与运移路径的认知，为环境保护与公共健康相关工作提供支撑。