Gravimetric and chemical features of airborne PM 10 AND PM 2.5 in mainland Portugal

Chemical characterization of fine aerosols in respect to water-soluble ions at the eastern Middle Adriatic coast

Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentrations at the Middle Adriatic coastal site of Croatia were affected by different air-mass inflows and/or local sources and meteorological conditions, and peaked in summer. More polluted continental air-mass inflows mostly affected the area in the winter period, while southern marine pathways had higher impact in spring and summer. Chemical characterization of the water-soluble inorganic and organic ionic constituents is discussed with respect to seasonal trends, possible sources, and air-mass inputs. The largest contributors to the PM_2.5 mass were sea salts modified by the presence of secondary sulfate-rich aerosols indicated also by principal component analysis. SO₄^2- was the prevailing anion, while the anthropogenic SO₄^2- (anth-nssSO₄^2-) dominantly constituted the major non-sea-salt SO₄^2- (nssSO₄^2-) fraction. Being influenced by the marine origin, its biogenic fraction (bio-nssSO₄^2-) increased particularly in the spring. During the investigated period, aerosols were generally acidic. High Cl^- deficit was observed at Middle Adriatic location for which the acid displacement is primarily responsible. With nssSO₄^2- being dominant in Cl^- depletion, sulfur-containing species from anthropogenic pollution emissions may have profound impact on atmospheric composition through altering chlorine chemistry in this region. However, when accounting for the neutralization of H₂SO₄ by NH₃, the potential of HNO₃ and organic acids to considerably influence Cl^- depletion is shown to increase. Intensive open-fire events substantially increased the PM_2.5 concentrations and changed the water-soluble ion composition and aerosol acidity in summer of 2015. To our knowledge, this work presents the first time-resolved data evaluating the seasonal composition of water-soluble ions and their possible sources in PM_2.5 at the Middle Adriatic area. This study contributes towards a better understanding of atmospheric composition in the coastal Adriatic area and serves as a basis for the comparison with future studies related to the air quality at the coastal Adriatic and/or Mediterranean regions.

Levels and Sources of Atmospheric Particle-Bound Mercury in Atmospheric Particulate Matter (PM10) at Several Sites of an Atlantic Coastal European Region

Atmospheric particle-bound mercury (PHg) quantification, at a pg m−3 level, has been assessed in particulate matter samples (PM10) at several sites (industrial, urban and sub-urban sites) of Atlantic coastal European region during 13 months by using a direct thermo-desorption method. Analytical method validation was assessed using 1648a and ERM CZ120 reference materials. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.25 pg m−3 and 0.43 pg m−3, respectively. Repeatability of the method was generally below 12.6%. PHg concentrations varied between 1.5–30.8, 1.5–75.3 and 2.27–33.7 pg m−3 at urban, sub-urban and industrial sites, respectively. PHg concentration varied from 7.2 pg m−3 (urban site) to 16.3 pg m−3 (suburban site) during winter season, while PHg concentrations varied from 9.9 pg m−3 (urban site) to 19.3 pg m−3 (suburban site) during the summer. Other trace elements, major ions, black carbon (BC) and UV-absorbing particulate matter (UV PM) was also assessed at several sites. Average concentrations for trace metals (Al, As, Bi, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Si, Sr, V and Zn) ranged from 0.08 ng m−3 (Bi) at suburban site to 1.11 µg m−3 (Fe) at industrial site. Average concentrations for major ions (including Na+, K+, Ca2+, NH4+, Mg2+, Cl−, NO3− and SO42−) ranged from 200 ng m−3 (K+) to 5332 ng m−3 (SO42−) at urban site, 166 ng m−3 (Mg2+) to 4425 ng m−3 (SO42−) at suburban site and 592 ng m−3 (K+) to 5853 ng m−3 (Cl−) at industrial site. Results of univariate analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) suggested crustal, marine and anthropogenic sources of PHg in PM10 at several sites studied. Toxicity prediction of PHg, by using hazard quotient, suggested no non-carcinogenic risk for adults.

Lead in duplicate diet samples from an academic community

Lead is a naturally occurring element that with the advent of the industrial era became a serious environmental and public health issue. Leaded gasoline, lead based paints, use of lead in plumbing and water pipes, ceramics with lead-containing glazes and tobacco smoke are potential sources of lead exposure for humans. Despite these multiple sources, food is still considered the most important one for the general non-smoking population. Hence, in the present study, the dietary intake of lead was determined in duplicate diet samples provided by 30 participants working or studying at University of Aveiro, Portugal. Pb was detected in all the analysed samples with values ranging between 0.009 and 0.10mgkg^-1 ww which correspond to estimated daily intakes between 0.22 and 3.5μgkg-bw^-1day^-1. Risk estimations disclose that at least 3.3% and 26.7% of the participants might suffer cardiovascular and nephrotoxic effects, respectively.

Derivation of PM10 size-selected human equivalent concentrations of inhaled nickel based on cancer and non-cancer effects on the respiratory tract

Abstract Nickel (Ni) in ambient air is predominantly present in the form of oxides and sulfates, with the distribution of Ni mass between the fine (particle aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 µm; PM2.5) and coarser (2.5-10 µm) size-selected aerosol fractions of PM10 dependent on the aerosol's origin. When deriving a long-term health protective reference concentration for Ni in ambient air, the respiratory toxicity and carcinogenicity effects of the predominant Ni compounds in ambient air must be considered. Dosimetric adjustments to account for differences in aerosol particle size and respiratory tract deposition and/or clearance among rats, workers, and the general public were applied to experimentally- and epidemiologically-determined points of departure (PODs) such as no(low)-effect concentrations, for both cancer and non-cancer respiratory effects. This approach resulted in the derivation of threshold-based PM10 size-selected equivalent concentrations (modified PODs) of 0.5 µg Ni/m(3) based on workers' cancer effects and 9-11 µg Ni/m(3) based on rodent respiratory toxicity effects. Sources of uncertainty in exposure extrapolations are described. These are not reference concentrations; rather the derived PM10 size-selected modified PODs can be used as the starting point for the calculation of ambient air reference concentrations for Ni. The described approach is equally applicable to other particulates.

Characteristics of Airborne Pm2.5 and Pm2.5-10 in the Urban Environment of Kuala Lumpur

Gravimetric and elemental analyses were conducted at a site in Kuala Lumpur from 2008 to 2010, representing the local air quality of urban and traffic. Eighteen elements were detected by ED-XRF and was further analysed for enrichment factor and correlation study. About 19.7% elements were identified and detected in PM10, including 8.2% and 11.5% in fine and coarse fractions, respectively. Al was found predominant in coarse fraction. However its composition in PM2.5was highly enriched pointed to some anthropogenic emission source. In fine particulates, the total mass was mostly dominated by Al, K, Mg and S. Those elements, probably from biomass burning accounted for more than 90% of total elemental detected in PM2.5.

Concentrations and source apportionment of PM10 and associated major and trace elements in the Rhodes Island, Greece

Ambient concentrations of PM(10) and associated major and trace elements were measured over the cold and the warm season of 2007 at two sites located in the Rhodes Island (Greece), in Eastern Mediterranean, aimed at source apportionment by Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) receptor modeling. Source chemical profiles, necessary in CMB modeling, were obtained for a variety of emission sources that could possibly affect the study area, including sea spray, geological material, soot emissions from the nearby oil-fuelled thermal power plant, and other anthropogenic activities, such as vehicular traffic, residential oil combustion, wood burning, and uncontrolled open-air burning of agricultural biomass and municipal waste. Source apportionment of PM(10) and elemental components was carried out by employing an advanced CMB version, the Robotic Chemical Mass Balance model (RCMB). Vehicular emissions were found to be major PM(10) contributor accounting, on average, for 36.8% and 31.7% during the cold period, and for 40.9% and 39.2% in the warm period at the two sites, respectively. The second largest source of ambient PM(10), with minor seasonal variation, was secondary sulfates (mainly ammonium and calcium sulfates), with total average contribution around 16.5% and 18% at the two sites. Soil dust was also a remarkable source contributing around 22% in the warm period, whereas only around 10% in the cold season. Soot emitted from the thermal power plant was found to be negligible contributor to ambient PM(10) (<1%), however it appeared to appreciably contribute to the ambient V and Ni (11.3% and 5.1%, respectively) at one of the sites during the warm period, when electricity production is intensified. Trajectory analysis did not indicate any transport of Sahara dust; on the contrary, long range transport of soil dust from arid continental regions of Minor Asia and of biomass burning aerosol from the countries surrounding the Black Sea was considered possible.

Monitoring of ambient particles and heavy metals in a residential area of Seoul, Korea

In this study, ambient TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 in a residential area located in the northern part of Seoul were monitored every other month for 1 year from April 2005 to February 2006. The monthly average levels of TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 had ranges of 71 approximately 158, 40 approximately 106, and 28 approximately 43 microg/m(3), respectively. TSP and PM10 showed highest concentration in April; this seems to be due to Asian dust from China and/or Mongolia. However, the fine particle of PM2.5 showed a relatively constant level during the monitoring period. Heavy metals in PM 10 and PM2.5, such as Cr, As, Cd, Mn, Zn and Pb, were also analysed during the same period. The monthly average concentrations of heavy metal in PM2.5 were Cr:1.9 approximately 22.7 ng/m(3); As:0.9 approximately 2.5 ng/m(3); Cd: 0.6 approximately 7 ng/m(3); Mn:6.1 approximately 22.6 ng/m(3); Zn: 38.9 approximately 204.8 ng/m(3), and Pb: 21.6 approximately 201.1 ng/m(3). For the health risk assessment of heavy metals in ambient particles, excess cancer risks were calculated using IRIS unit risk. As a result, the excess cancer risks of chromium, cadmium, and arsenic were shown to be more than one per million based on the annual concentration of heavy metals, and chromium showed the highest excess cancer risk in ambient particles in Seoul.