Determination of water-insoluble light absorbing matter in rainwater using polycarbonate membrane filters and photometric detection

Abstract. A method for determination of water-insoluble light absorbing matter in rainwater has been developed. After collection the rainwater samples were filtered using polycarbonate membrane filter in the laboratory. After drying the filter in filtered air, the amount of water-insoluble light absorbing matter (soot) on the filters was determined with photometry at a wavelength of 555 nm. The precision for the method was better than 10% calculated as relative standard deviation. The overall loss of soot due to adsorption during collection and filtration was 22±2%. The detection limit was estimated to 0.025 in optical density, or 2 ng/ml expressed as a concentration assuming a filtration volume of 30 ml. Analysis of environmental samples have been successfully performed with the described method at the Maldives Climate Observatory Hanimaadhoo and Nepal Climate Observatory. At Maldives the average soot concentration in rain was 0.048 μg/ml and at the Nepal obseravtory 0.086 μg/ml.