High Volume Air Sampler (Hi-Vol)

The Hi-Vol works in the northwestern ridge of Chacaltaya since December 2011. It collects aerosol (PM10 or PM2.5 fraction) for a subsequent chemical characterization. It consists of a DIGITEL head coupled to a pump set to work at a flow rate of 30 m3 h-1. Samples are collected on pre-baked and pre-weight quartz fiber filters (Ø 150 mm) on a weekly basis.

Filters are analyzed at IGE (France) and IDAEA (Spain) for
  • aerosol mass (by gravimetry)
  • major and minor ions (by ionic chromatography)
  • organic and elemental carbon (by a thermal method, EUSAAR_2 protocol)
  • anhydrous monosaccharides (by HPLC coupled to a Pulse Amperometric Detector),
  • major elements (by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry)
  • trace elements (by ICP–mass spectrometry)

The filters are manually changed, and there are some gaps in the long-term data series, mostly related to inaccessibility to the summit during bad weather (wet season), or maintenance events.

Contact person: Isabel Moreno
Picture
High-Volume Sampler