Trace element chemistry of atmospheric deposition along the Wasatch Front (Utah, USA) reflects regional playa dust and local urban aerosols

Abstract Atmospheric deposition to urban areas and mountain snowpack often contains a mixture of playa dust and anthropogenic aerosols, yet the relative contribution of trace elements from each source is not well understood. To evaluate dust contributions from regional playas to an urban area, we sampled playa dust sources, urban dust deposition, and snow dust deposition across the Wasatch Front in northern Utah, USA. Dust samples were analyzed for trace and major element chemistry, grain size distribution, and mineralogy. Playa, urban, and snow dust samples contained similar mineralogy, dominated by silicate, carbonate, and evaporite minerals. Grain size distribution between playa, urban, and snow dust samples was also similar, suggesting that playas are a primary dust source for the region. Principal component analysis and enrichment diagrams revealed similar chemistry of playa, urban, and snow dust with some exceptions. Compared with playa dust, urban and snow dust had lower concentrations of Li, Na, Sr, U, Mg, and Ca and higher concentrations of Fe, Al, Be, Sb, Se, Mo, Cr, La, and Cu. The first set of elements are found in evaporite- and carbonate-minerals while the second set of elements are sourced from anthropogenic activities. Mass balance calculations suggest that 90% of the dust mass deposited on the Wasatch Front is from playas, with small additions from local sources that alter the dust chemistry. Sequential leaching of dust samples showed that some elements were readily leached with weak acids, including B, K, Na, Sr, Ca, U, Mo, Cd, and Se, suggesting that they are environmentally available and may serve as important macronutrients or contaminants to ecosystems. This is the first study to directly compare the geochemistry of playa dust sources with dust deposition to urban areas and mountain snowpack in the western US, with implications for understanding how water diversions, land use changes, and population growth may affect the regional dust cycle in the future.