| Abstract: | The Wieliczka Salt Mine World Cultural Heritage Site contains many rock salt sculptures that are threatened by water vapor condensation from the mine ventilation air. Gaseous and particulate air pollutant concentrations have been measured both outdoors and within the Wieliczka Salt Mine, along with pollutant deposition fluxes to surfaces within the mine. One purpose of these measurements was to determine whether or not low deliquescence point ionic materials (e.g., NH4NO3) are accumulating on surfaces to an extent that would exacerbate the water vapor condensation problems in the mine. It was found that pollutant gases including SO2 and HNO3 present in outdoor air are removed rapidly and almost completely from the air within the mine by deposition to surfaces. Sulfur isotope analyses confirm the accumulation of air pollutant-derived sulfur in liquid dripping from surfaces within the mine. Particle deposition onto interior surfaces in the mine is apparent, with resulting soiling of some of those sculptures that have been carved from translucent rock salt. Water accumulation by salt sculpture surfaces was studied both experimentally and by approximate thermodynamic calculations. Both approaches suggest that the pollutant deposits on the sculpture surfaces lower the relative humidity (RH) at which a substantial amount of liquid water will accumulate by 1% to several percent. The extraordinarily low SO2 concentrations within the mine may explain the apparent success of a respiratory sanatorium located deep within the mine. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70018722 |
| Citation Author: | Salmon, L. G.; Cass, G. R.; Kozlowski, R.; Hejda, A.; Spiker, E. C.; Bates, A. L. |
| Citation Contributing Office: | |
| Citation Datum: | |
| Citation Day: | |
| Citation Edition: | |
| Citation Editor: | |
| Citation End Page: | 880 |
| Citation Issue: | 3 |
| Citation Keywords: | |
| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Environmental Science and Technology |
| Citation LatN: | |
| Citation LatS: | |
| Citation LonE: | |
| Citation LonW: | |
| Citation Month: | |
| Citation No Pagination: | |
| Citation Number Of Pages: | 9 |
| Citation Online Only Flag: | |
| Citation Phsyical Description: | |
| Citation Projection: | |
| Citation Public Comments: | |
| Citation Publisher: | |
| Citation Series: | |
| Citation Series Code: | |
| Citation Series Number: | |
| Citation Search Results Text: | Air pollutant intrusion into the Wieliczka Salt Mine; 1996; Article; Journal; Environmental Science and Technology; Salmon, L. G.; Cass, G. R.; Kozlowski, R.; Hejda, A.; Spiker, E. C.; Bates, A. L. |
| Citation Start Page: | 872 |
| Citation Volume: | 30 |
| Citation Year: | 1996 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Air pollutant intrusion into the Wieliczka Salt Mine; 1996; Article; Journal; Environmental Science and Technology; Salmon, L. G.; Cass, G. R.; Kozlowski, R.; Hejda, A.; Spiker, E. C.; Bates, A. L. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| URL (DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es950306j |
| Date Other: | Mon, 1 Jan 1996 00:00 -0600 |
| Publisher: | |
