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Pietrogrande MC, Colombi C, Cuccia E, Dal Santo U, Romanato L. Seasonal and Spatial Variations of the Oxidative Properties of Ambient PM 2.5 in the Po Valley, Italy, before and during COVID-19 Lockdown Restrictions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1797. [PMID: 36767162 PMCID: PMC9914037 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
This study describes the chemical and toxicological characteristics of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the Po Valley, one of the largest and most polluted areas in Europe. The investigated samples were collected in the metropolitan area of Milan during the epidemic lockdown and their toxicity was evaluated by the oxidative potential (OP), measured using ascorbic acid (OPAA) and dithiothreitol (OPDTT) acellular assays. The study was also extended to PM2.5 samples collected at different sites in the Po Valley in 2019, to represent the baseline conditions in the area. Univariate correlations were applied to the whole dataset to link the OP responses with the concentrations of the major chemical markers of vehicular and biomass burning emissions. Of the two assays, OPAA was found mainly sensitive towards transition metals released from vehicular traffic, while OPDTT towards the PM carbonaceous components. The impact of the controlling lockdown restrictions on PM2.5 oxidative properties was estimated by comparing the OP values in corresponding time spans in 2020 and 2019. We found that during the full lockdown the OPAA values decreased to 80-86% with respect to the OP data in other urban sites in the area, while the OPDTT values remained nearly constant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Pietrogrande
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Cristina Colombi
- Environmental Monitoring Sector, Arpa Lombardia, Via Rosellini 17, 20124 Milano, Italy
| | - Eleonora Cuccia
- Environmental Monitoring Sector, Arpa Lombardia, Via Rosellini 17, 20124 Milano, Italy
| | - Umberto Dal Santo
- Environmental Monitoring Sector, Arpa Lombardia, Via Rosellini 17, 20124 Milano, Italy
| | - Luisa Romanato
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
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2
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Pietrogrande MC, Bacco D, Demaria G, Russo M, Scotto F, Trentini A. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their oxygenated derivatives in urban aerosol: levels, chemical profiles, and contribution to PM 2.5 oxidative potential. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:54391-54406. [PMID: 35297001 PMCID: PMC9356935 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16858-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and quinones, a subgroup of oxygenated PAHs (oxy-PAHs), were measured in PM2.5 samples collected during warm (May-June 2019) and cold (February-March 2020) seasons in the city of Bologna, Italy. Total PAHs concentration was nearly double in winter (6.58 ± 1.03 ng m-3) compared with spring (3.16 ± 0.53 ng m-3), following the trend of the PM2.5 mass concentration. Molecular diagnostic ratios suggested that, together with traffic, biomass burning was the dominant emission source contributing to the peaks of concentration of PM2.5 registered in the cold season. Quinone level was constant in both seasons, being 1.44 ± 0.24 ng m-3, that may be related to the increased secondary formation during warm season, as confirmed by the higher Σoxy-PAHs/ΣPAHs ratio in spring than in winter. The oxidative potential (OP) of the PM2.5 samples was assessed using acellular dithiothreitol (DTT) and ascorbic acid (AA) assays. The obtained responses showed a strong seasonality, with higher volume-normalized (OPV) values in winter than in spring, i.e., OPVDTT: 0.32 ± 0.15 nmol min-1 m-3 vs. 0.08 ± 0.03 nmol min-1 m-3 and OPVAA: 0.72 ± 0.36 nmol min-1 m-3 vs. 0.28 ± 0.21 nmol min-1 m-3. Both OPVDTT and OPVAA responses were significantly associated with total PAHs, as a general descriptor of redox-active PAH derivatives, associated with co-emission from burning sources or secondary atmospheric oxidation of parent PAHs. Otherwise, only winter OPVDTT responses showed a significant correlation with total Ʃoxy-PAHs concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Pietrogrande
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19 - 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Dimitri Bacco
- Emilia Romagna Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy, ARPAE, Via Po 5 - 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgia Demaria
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19 - 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mara Russo
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19 - 44121, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Fabiana Scotto
- Emilia Romagna Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy, ARPAE, Via Po 5 - 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Arianna Trentini
- Emilia Romagna Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy, ARPAE, Via Po 5 - 40139, Bologna, Italy
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Pietrogrande MC, Demaria G, Colombi C, Cuccia E, Dal Santo U. Seasonal and Spatial Variations of PM 10 and PM 2.5 Oxidative Potential in Five Urban and Rural Sites across Lombardia Region, Italy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:7778. [PMID: 35805434 PMCID: PMC9265313 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19137778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Oxidative potential (OP) of particulate matter (PM) is gaining strong interest as a promising health exposure metric. This study investigated OP of a large set of PM10 and PM2.5 samples collected at five urban and background sites near Milan (Italy), one of the largest and most polluted urban areas in Europe, afflicted with high particle levels. OP responses from two acellular assays, based on ascorbic acid (AA) and dithiothreitol (DTT), were combined with atmospheric detailed composition to examine any possible feature in OP with PM size fraction, spatial and seasonal variations. A general association of volume-normalized OP with PM mass was found; this association may be related to the clear seasonality observed, whereby there was higher OP activity in wintertime at all investigated sites. Univariate correlations were used to link OP with the concentrations of the major chemical markers of vehicular and biomass burning emissions. Of the two assays, AA was particularly sensitive towards transition metals in coarse particles released from vehicular traffic. The results obtained confirm that the responses from the two assays and their relationship with atmospheric pollutants are assay- and location-dependent, and that their combination is therefore helpful to singling out the PM redox-active compounds driving its oxidative properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Pietrogrande
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Giorgia Demaria
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy;
| | - Cristina Colombi
- Environmental Monitoring Sector, Arpa Lombardia, Via Rosellini 17, 20124 Milano, Italy; (C.C.); (E.C.); (U.D.S.)
| | - Eleonora Cuccia
- Environmental Monitoring Sector, Arpa Lombardia, Via Rosellini 17, 20124 Milano, Italy; (C.C.); (E.C.); (U.D.S.)
| | - Umberto Dal Santo
- Environmental Monitoring Sector, Arpa Lombardia, Via Rosellini 17, 20124 Milano, Italy; (C.C.); (E.C.); (U.D.S.)
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Pietrogrande MC, Bacco D, Trentini A, Russo M. Effect of filter extraction solvents on the measurement of the oxidative potential of airborne PM 2.5. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:29551-29563. [PMID: 33565023 PMCID: PMC8222022 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-12604-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Solvent extraction of PM2.5 samples collected on the filter is a preliminary step for assessing the PM2.5 oxidative potential (OP) using cell-free assays, as the dithiothreitol (DTT) and the ascorbic acid (AA) assays. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the solvent choice by extracting ambient PM2.5 samples with different solvents: methanol, as organic solvent, and two aqueous buffers, i.e., phosphate buffer (PB) and Gamble's solution (G), as a lung fluid surrogate solution. Both the measured volume-based OPVDTT and OPVAA responses varied for the different extraction methods, since methanol extraction generated the lowest values and phosphate buffer the highest. Although all the tested solvents produced intercorrelated OPVDTT values, the phosphate buffer resulted the most useful for OPDTT assessment, as it provided the most sensible measure (nearly double values) compared with other extractions. The association of the measured OPV values with PM chemical composition suggested that oxidative properties of the investigated PM2.5 samples depend on both transition metals and quinones, as also supported by additional experimental measurements on standard solutions of redox-active species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Pietrogrande
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19 - 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Dimitri Bacco
- Emilia Romagna Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy, ARPAE, Via Po 5 - 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Arianna Trentini
- Emilia Romagna Regional Agency for Prevention, Environment and Energy, ARPAE, Via Po 5 - 40139, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mara Russo
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19 - 44121, Ferrara, Italy
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Indoor Air Quality in Domestic Environments during Periods Close to Italian COVID-19 Lockdown. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18084060. [PMID: 33921463 PMCID: PMC8070062 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This paper describes the in situ monitoring of indoor air quality (IAQ) in two dwellings, using low-cost IAQ sensors to provide high-density temporal and spatial data. IAQ measurements were conducted over 2-week periods in the kitchen and bedroom of each home during the winter, spring, and summer seasons, characterized by different outside parameters, that were simultaneously measured. The mean indoor PM2.5 concentrations were about 15 μg m−3 in winter, they dropped to values close to 10 μg m−3 in spring and increased to levels of about 13 μg m−3 in summer. During the winter campaign, indoor PM2.5 was found mainly associated with particle penetration inside the rooms from outdoors, because of the high outdoor PM2.5 levels in the season. Such pollution winter episodes occur frequently in the study region, due to the combined contributions of strong anthropogenic emissions and stable atmospheric conditions. The concentrations of indoor volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and CO2 increased with the number of occupants (humans and pets), as likely associated with consequent higher emissions through breathing and metabolic processes. They also varied with occupants’ daily activities, like cooking and cleaning. Critic CO2 levels above the limit of 1000 ppm were observed in spring campaign, in the weeks close to the end of the COVID-19 quarantine, likely associated with the increased time that the occupants spent at home.
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Li L, Wu D, Chang X, Tang Y, Hua Y, Xu Q, Deng S, Wang S, Hao J. Polar organic aerosol tracers in two areas in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region: Concentration comparison before and in the sept. Third Parade and sources. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 270:116108. [PMID: 33385855 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A total of 106 24-h PM2.5 aerosol samples were collected in an urban area (Shijiazhuang, SJZ) and a suburban area (Liulihe, LLH, Fangshan County, Beijing) in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region in 2 periods: the first is from 10 July to 10 August, which is before Sept. Third Parade (Period I); the second is from 20 Aug. to 6 Sept. 2015, which is during Sept. Third Parade (Period II). Polar organic tracers, including isoprene, α-pinene, β-caryophyllene and toluene oxidation products, as well as sugars and carboxylic acids were measured. In Period II, rigorous emission-reduction measures were taken in the BTH region. With the anthropogenic emission being cut down significantly, the average concentrations of isoprene, α-pinene, β-caryophyllene and toluene oxidation products and all carboxylic acids (except tetradecanoic, palmitic, and stearic acids), were lower in Period II than those in Period I in LLH, indicating that the SOA tracers were decreased with precursor emission volumes and yields in the atmosphere. Moreover, sugar compounds were shown with comparable levels during the two periods in LLH, suggesting that no measures were taken to reduce the intensities of the biogenic sources. On the contrary, tetradecanoic, palmitic, and stearic acids were shown with obviously higher concentrations in Period II than those in Period I, demonstrating that cooking fumes increased during Sept. Third Parade period. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model combining with tracer-based method was applied to explore the sources of secondary organic carbon (SOC). It reveals that the sources of SOC include isoprene, α-pinene, β-caryophyllene and toluene oxidation products, fossil fuel combustion, cooking fumes and regionally transferred aged aerosols. These sources accounted for 11.3%, 9.0%, 15.5%, 10.9%, 29.2%, 2.9%, 21.1% of SOC for SJZ, and 12.7%, 11.2%, 9.7%, 14.4%, 25.3%, 0%, 26.7% of SOC for LLH, during the whole sampling periods respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- Rural Environment Protection Engineering & Technology Center of Sichuan Province, College of Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, PR China.
| | - Di Wu
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China
| | - Xing Chang
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China
| | - Yi Tang
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China
| | - Yang Hua
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China
| | - Qingcheng Xu
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China
| | - Shihuai Deng
- Rural Environment Protection Engineering & Technology Center of Sichuan Province, College of Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, PR China
| | - Shuxiao Wang
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China
| | - Jiming Hao
- School of Environment, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, PR China
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Papa G, Capitani G, Capri E, Pellecchia M, Negri I. Vehicle-derived ultrafine particulate contaminating bees and bee products. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 750:141700. [PMID: 32861077 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite adverse health effects, ultrafine particulate matter (UFP), i.e., PM less than 0.1 μm in diameter, is an emerging pollutant not subject to regulation. UFP may cause both lung inflammation and cardiopulmonary disease and may enter the brain directly via the olfactory bulb, affecting the nervous system. In highly urbanized environments, diesel and gasoline vehicles are among the major sources of UFP including combustion-generated solid particle pollutant and metal-based particles. Metal-based UFP are of much concern, as they may promote inflammation and DNA damage via oxidative stress with generation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). We used the honeybee as an alternative sampling system of UFP in an area of the Po Valley (Northern Italy), which is subject to intense traffic. Worker bees are widely recognised as efficient samplers of air pollutants, including airborne PM. During flight and foraging activity, pubescence of the bees promotes the accumulation of electrical charge on the body's surface, enhancing attraction to air pollutants. Bees living near the main Italian highway, the Autostrada A1, displayed a contamination of nanosized Fe-oxides/hydroxides and baryte. Sources of Fe-bearing and baryte ultrafine particles are primarily the vehicles speeding on the motorway. Pollen collected by forager bees and honey produced by the bee colony displayed contamination by nanosized Fe-oxides/hydroxides and baryte. Such a contamination exposes pollinators and humans to UFP ingestion, endangering the safety of food produced at traffic-influenced sites. Given the global spread of traffic, our findings suggest that exposure and environmental impact of ultrafine Fe-oxides/hydroxides and baryte are potentially ubiquitous, although usually overlooked in environmental policy discussions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Papa
- DIPROVES - Università Cattolica, Piacenza, Italy
| | | | - Ettore Capri
- OPERA RESEARCH - European Observatory on Sustainable Agriculture, Piacenza, Italy
| | | | - Ilaria Negri
- DIPROVES - Università Cattolica, Piacenza, Italy.
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Horník Š, Sýkora J, Schwarz J, Ždímal V. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Aerosolomics: A Tool for Analysis of Polar Compounds in Atmospheric Aerosols. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:22750-22758. [PMID: 32954122 PMCID: PMC7495480 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear magnetic resonance aerosolomics was proposed as a new approach to the analysis of the water-soluble organic compound fraction in aerosol particulate matter. The identification of individual compounds is based on a comparison of precise chemical shifts in the 1H NMR spectrum with the signals in the standards library. For this purpose, Chenomx metabolomics software and a comprehensive spectra library of 150 compounds known from chemistry of aerosols were used. This approach enabled the identification of 60 compounds in real aerosol samples collected at a suburban site in Prague. Using the metabolomic spectra library, three new compounds were identified in aerosols for the first time, and an association of four other compounds to the atmospheric particulate matter was confirmed. The obtained concentration profiles of all identified chemical individuals were subsequently subjected to advanced statistical analysis. NMR aerosolomics clearly differentiates between summer and winter aerosol samples via multivariate statistical analysis and revealed some interesting trends in composition, according to aerosol particle size. Furthermore, the univariate statistical analysis was applied to highlight compounds responsible for the group separation, and possible sources of these compounds were suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Štěpán Horník
- Institute
of Chemical Process Fundamentals, v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 1/135, Prague 6 165 02, Czech Republic
- Department
of Analytical Chemistry, University of Chemistry
and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, Prague 6 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Sýkora
- Institute
of Chemical Process Fundamentals, v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 1/135, Prague 6 165 02, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Schwarz
- Institute
of Chemical Process Fundamentals, v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 1/135, Prague 6 165 02, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Ždímal
- Institute
of Chemical Process Fundamentals, v.v.i., The Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 1/135, Prague 6 165 02, Czech Republic
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Satish R, Rastogi N, Singh A, Singh D. Change in characteristics of water-soluble and water-insoluble brown carbon aerosols during a large-scale biomass burning. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:33339-33350. [PMID: 32533475 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09388-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Light-absorbing organic aerosol (brown carbon (BrC)) can significantly affect Earth's radiation budget and hydrological cycle. Biomass burning (BB) is among the major sources of atmospheric BrC. In this study, day/night pair (10-h integrated) of ambient PM2.5 were sampled every day before (defined as T1, n = 21), during (T2, n = 36), and after (T3, n = 8) a large-scale paddy-residue burning during October-November over Patiala (30.2° N, 76.3° E, 250 m amsl), a site located in the northwestern Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). PM2.5 concentration varied from ~ 90 to 500 μg m-3 (average ± 1σ standard deviation 230 ± 114) with the average values of 154 ± 57, 271 ± 122, and 156 ± 18 μg m-3 during T1, T2, and T3 periods, respectively, indicating the influence of BB emissions on ambient air quality. The absorption coefficient of BrC (babs) is calculated from the high-resolution absorption spectra of water-soluble and methanol-soluble organic carbon measured at 300 to 700 nm, and that at 365 nm (babs_365) is used as a general measure of BrC. The babs_365_Water and babs_365_Methanol ranged ~ 2 to 112 Mm-1 (avg 37 ± 27) and ~ 3 to 457 Mm-1 (avg 121 ± 108), respectively, suggesting a considerable presence of water-insoluble BrC. Contrasting differences were also observed in the daytime and nighttime values of babs_365_Water and babs_365_Methanol. Further, the levoglucosan showed a strong correlation with K+ (slope = 0.89 ± 0.06, R = 0.92) during the T2 period. We propose that this slope (~ 0.9) can be used as a typical characteristics of the emissions from paddy-residue burning over the IGP. Absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) showed a clear day/night variability during the T2 period, and lower AAEMethanol compared to AAEWater throughout the sampling period. Further at 365 nm, average relative atmospheric radiative forcing (RRF) for BrCWater is estimated to be ~ 17%, whereas that of BrCMethanol ~ 62% with respect to elemental carbon, suggesting that BrC radiative forcing could be largely underestimated by studies those use BrCWater only as a surrogate of total BrC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rangu Satish
- Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, 380009, India
- Stockholm University, 11419, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Neeraj Rastogi
- Geosciences Division, Physical Research Laboratory, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, 380009, India.
| | - Atinderpal Singh
- Department of Physics, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147002, India
- National Central University, Taoyuan, 32001, Taiwan
| | - Darshan Singh
- Department of Physics, Punjabi University, Patiala, 147002, India
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10
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Ari PE, Ari A, Dumanoğlu Y, Odabasi M, Gaga EO. Organic chemical characterization of size segregated particulate matter samples collected from a thermal power plant area. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 262:114360. [PMID: 32443206 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Kütahya city, a thermal power plant (TPPs) affected region of Turkey, has serious air quality problems like similar industrial regions of the world due to the emissions from three closely-located coal-fired TPPs, residential coal combustion along with the contribution of several industrial stacks. The organic chemical speciation of ambient size-segregated particulate matter (PM) was investigated during two seasons at two sites with different pollution characteristics (urban and rural). The ambient PM was collected using a high volume cascade impactor, with 6 stages: PM>10.2, PM10.2-4.2, PM4.2-2.1, PM2.1-1.3, PM1.3-0.69 and PM<0.69. Collected PM samples were extracted with organic solvents and the organic composition (Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), n-alkanes and carboxylic acids) was determined by GC-MS. Sources of the organic species were assessed using molecular PAH diagnostic ratios, carbon preference index and wax percentages. More than 70% of the PM-bound PAHs were quantified in submicron particles. Similarly, 34-42% of n-alkanes and approximately 30% of the carboxylic acids were found on the smallest particles. The main sources of the PM-bound organic species were considered as the anthropogenic emissions such as coal and biomass combustion and also vehicular emissions rather than the biogenic sources. Considerably high cancer risk levels were obtained through inhalation of PAHs. Seasonal variations and size distributions of the carboxylic acids and levoglucosan were also evaluated. Polar organic compound concentrations were higher in the summer period at both locations probably due to the higher sunlight intensity and temperature favoring their photochemical formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pelin Ertürk Ari
- Engineering Faculty, Department of Environmental Engineering, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey; Engineering Faculty, Department of Environmental Engineering, Eskişehir Technical University, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Akif Ari
- Engineering Faculty, Department of Environmental Engineering, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey; Engineering Faculty, Department of Environmental Engineering, Eskişehir Technical University, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Yetkin Dumanoğlu
- Engineering Faculty, Department of Environmental Engineering, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Odabasi
- Engineering Faculty, Department of Environmental Engineering, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey
| | - Eftade O Gaga
- Engineering Faculty, Department of Environmental Engineering, Eskişehir Technical University, Eskişehir, Turkey.
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11
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Source Apportionment of PM2.5 in Florence (Italy) by PMF Analysis of Aerosol Composition Records. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11050484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
An extensive field campaign was carried out in Florence (Tuscany) to investigate the PM2.5 composition and to identify its sources. The scientific objective of this study is providing a reliable source apportionment, which is mandatory for the application of effective mitigation actions. Particulate matter (PM) was collected for one year, simultaneously in a traffic site, in an urban background, and in a regional background site. While the use of two filter types (quartz and Teflon) allowed obtaining a comprehensive chemical characterization (elemental and organic carbon, ions, elements) by the application of different analytical techniques, the location of the three sampling sites allowed getting a better separation among local, urban, regional and transboundary sources. During shorter periods, the aerosol was also collected by means of a streaker sampler and PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) analysis of these samples allowed the assessment of hourly resolution elemental time trends. Positive matrix factorisation (PMF) identified seven main sources: traffic, biomass burning, secondary sulphate, secondary nitrates, urban dust, Saharan dust and marine aerosol. Traffic mass concentration contributions were found to be strong only at the traffic site (~8 μg·m−3, 33% of PM2.5). Biomass burning turned out to be an important PM2.5 source in Florence (~4 μg·m−3), with very similar weights in both city sites while at the regional background site its weight was negligible. Secondary sulphate is an important PM2.5 source on a regional scale, with comparable values in all three sites (~3.5 μg·m−3). On average, the contribution of the “natural” components (e.g., mineral dust and marine aerosols) to PM2.5 is moderate (~1 μg·m−3) except during Saharan dust intrusions where this contribution is higher (detected simultaneously in all three sites). High-time resolution data confirmed and reinforced these results.
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Chemical Composition of PM10 in 16 Urban, Industrial and Background Sites in Italy. ATMOSPHERE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11050479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Italy is characterized by a very variable configuration in terms of altitude, proximity to the sea, latitude and the presence of industrial plants. This paper summarizes the chemical characterization of PM10 obtained from 38 sampling campaigns carried out in 16 sites in Italy during the years 2008–2018. Chemical determinations include all macro-components (six macro-elements, eight ions, elemental carbon and organic carbon). The sum of the individual components agrees well with the PM10 mass. The chemical composition of the atmospheric aerosol clearly reflects the variety in the Italian territory and the pronounced seasonal variations in the meteoclimatic conditions that characterize the country. Macro-sources reconstruction allowed us to identify and evaluate the strength of the main PM10 sources in different areas. On 10 sampling sites, the soluble and insoluble fractions of 23 minor and trace elements were also determined. Principal Component Analysis was applied to these data to highlight the relationship between the elemental composition of PM10 and the characteristics of the sampling sites.
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Jia F, Wu K, Che Y, Zhang Y, Zeng F, Luo Q, Yu X, Zhu Z, Zhao Y, Wang F. ToF‐SIMS analysis of chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols in Beijing. SURF INTERFACE ANAL 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/sia.6710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Feifei Jia
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences; CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences; CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems; National Centre for Mass Spectrometry in Beijing; Institute of ChemistryChinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Kui Wu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences; CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences; CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems; National Centre for Mass Spectrometry in Beijing; Institute of ChemistryChinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- Key Laboratory of Hubei Province for Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials; School of Chemistry and Chemical EngineeringWuhan University of Science and Technology Wuhan China
| | - Yanli Che
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences; CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences; CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems; National Centre for Mass Spectrometry in Beijing; Institute of ChemistryChinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- School of Environment and Natural ResourcesRenmin University of China Beijing China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences; CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences; CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems; National Centre for Mass Spectrometry in Beijing; Institute of ChemistryChinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Fangang Zeng
- School of Environment and Natural ResourcesRenmin University of China Beijing China
| | - Qun Luo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences; CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences; CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems; National Centre for Mass Spectrometry in Beijing; Institute of ChemistryChinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Xiao‐Ying Yu
- Energy and Environment DirectoratePacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland Washington
| | - Zihua Zhu
- Environmental Molecular Sciences LaboratoryPacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland Washington
| | - Yao Zhao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences; CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences; CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems; National Centre for Mass Spectrometry in Beijing; Institute of ChemistryChinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Fuyi Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences; CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences; CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems; National Centre for Mass Spectrometry in Beijing; Institute of ChemistryChinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
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Review of PM Oxidative Potential Measured with Acellular Assays in Urban and Rural Sites across Italy. ATMOSPHERE 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos10100626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This work is an overview of the oxidative potential (OP) values up to date measured in Italy, with the aim to provide a picture of the spatial and seasonal variability of OP in the various geographical areas across Italy. The summarized works used the common acellular assays-based dithiothreitol (OPDTT), ascorbic acid (OPAA), glutathione (OPGSH), and 2',7'-dichlorodfluorescein (OPDCFH) assays. The paper describes the association of OP responses with PM chemical composition, the sensitivity of various acellular OP assays to PM components and emission sources, and PM size distribution of the measured OP values. Our synthesis indicates that crustal and transition metals (e.g., Fe, Ni, Cu, Cr, Mn, Zn, and V), secondary ions and carbonaceous components (elemental carbon, EC, organic carbon, OC and water soluble carbon, WSOC) show significant correlations with OP across different urban and rural areas and size ranges. These chemical species are mainly associated with various PM sources, including residual/fuel oil combustion, traffic emissions, and secondary organic aerosol formation. Although the OP assays are sensitive to the same redox-active species, they differ in the association with PM chemical components. The DDT assay is mainly sensitive to the organic compounds that are mostly accumulated in the fine PM fraction, i.e., tracers of burning sources, and redox active organics associated with other markers of photochemical aging. In contrast, OPAA and OPGSH were mostly responsive to metals, mainly those related to non-exhaust traffic emissions (Cu, Zn, Cr, Fe, Ni, Mn, Sn, Cd, Pb), that are mainly accumulated in the coarse PM. Among the investigated sites, our synthesis shows larger OP values in Trentino region and the Po Valley, that may be explained by the high density of anthropogenic sources, and the orographic and meteorological characteristics, that favor the pollutants accumulation and aerosol photo-oxidative aging.
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High Contribution of Biomass Combustion to PM2.5 in the City Centre of Naples (Italy). ATMOSPHERE 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos10080451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A better knowledge of the local and regional sources of the atmospheric particulate matter provides policy makers with the proper awareness when acting to improve air quality, in order to protect public health. A source apportionment study of the carbonaceous aerosol in Naples (Italy) is presented here, in order to improve this understanding in a vulnerable urban area. The aim of this study is quantifying directly fossil and non-fossil contributions to carbonaceous aerosol, by means of radiocarbon measurements. This is the first time that such an approach is implemented in this area. Fine particles with diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) were collected daily on top of a building in the city center, from November 2016 until January 2017. The carbonaceous aerosol was separated into organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), by a two-step thermal desorption method. Subsequent radiocarbon analysis enabled the partitioning of the major sources of carbonaceous aerosol into fossil and non-fossil ones by applying radiocarbon isotopic mass balance. The PM2.5 concentration was on average 29 ± 3 µg⁄m3 (mean ± standard error; n = 18), with a maximum of 68.6 ± 0.7 µg⁄m3 on a day when air masses back-trajectories suggest a local origin and stagnant airflow conditions in the region. The carbonaceous component accounts for roughly half of the PM2.5 mass. Fossil fuel emissions are a minor source of OC (23%), but the dominant source of EC (66%), which is directly emitted during combustion processes. However, overall only 30% of the total carbon is of fossil origin, accounting for 14% of PM2.5 mass. Surprisingly, a comparable contribution is due to primary biomass burning carbon, which accounts in total for 15% of PM2.5 mass. Traffic pollution, the main cause of fossil fuel emissions in urban areas, is a significant, but not the predominant source of carbonaceous particle concentration. These findings support the conclusion of a predominant contribution from non-fossil sources to the carbon in airborne particulate matter, which policy makers should take into account when planning mitigation strategies to improve urban air quality.
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Comparison of Measurement-Based Methodologies to Apportion Secondary Organic Carbon (SOC) in PM2.5: A Review of Recent Studies. ATMOSPHERE 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos9110452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is known to account for a major fraction of airborne particulate matter, with significant impacts on air quality and climate at the global scale. Despite the substantial amount of research studies achieved during these last decades, the source apportionment of the SOA fraction remains difficult due to the complexity of the physicochemical processes involved. The selection and use of appropriate approaches are a major challenge for the atmospheric science community. Several methodologies are nowadays available to perform quantitative and/or predictive assessments of the SOA amount and composition. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the most commonly used approaches to evaluate secondary organic carbon (SOC) contents: elemental carbon (EC) tracer method, chemical mass balance (CMB), SOA tracer method, radiocarbon (14C) measurement and positive matrix factorization (PMF). The principles, limitations, challenges and good practices of each of these methodologies are discussed in the present article. Based on a comprehensive—although not exhaustive—review of research papers published during the last decade (2006–2016), SOC estimates obtained using these methodologies are also summarized for different regions across the world. Conclusions of some studies which are directly comparing the performances of different methodologies are then specifically discussed. An overall picture of SOC contributions and concentrations obtained worldwide for urban sites under similar conditions (i.e., geographical and seasonal ones) is also proposed here. Finally, further needs to improve SOC apportionment methodologies are also identified and discussed.
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Chiara Pietrogrande M, Barbaro E, Bove MC, Clauser G, Colombi C, Corbella L, Cuccia E, Dalla Torre S, Decesari S, Fermo P, Gambaro A, Gianelle V, Ielpo P, Larcher R, Lazzeri P, Massabò D, Melchionna G, Nardin T, Paglione M, Perrino C, Prati P, Visentin M, Zanca N, Zangrando R. Results of an interlaboratory comparison of analytical methods for quantification of anhydrosugars and biosugars in atmospheric aerosol. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 184:269-277. [PMID: 28601009 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.05.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 05/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
An interlaboratory comparison was performed to evaluate the analytical methods for quantification of anhydrosugars - levoglucosan, mannosan, galactosan - and biosugars - arabitol, glucose and mannitol - in atmospheric aerosol. The performance of 10 laboratories in Italy currently involved in such analyses was investigated on twenty-six PM (particulate matter) ambient filters, three synthetic PM filters and three aqueous standard solutions. An acceptable interlaboratory variability was found, determined as the mean relative standard deviation (RSD%) of the results from the participating laboratories, with the mean RSD% values ranging from 25% to 46% and decreasing with increasing sugar concentration. The investigated methods show good accuracy, evaluated as the percentage error (ε%) related to mean values, since method biases ranged within ±20% for most of the analytes measured in the different laboratories. The detailed investigation (ANOVA analysis at p < 0.05) of the contribution of each laboratory to the total variability and the measurement accuracy shows that comparable results are generated by the different methods, despite the great diversity in terms of extraction conditions, chromatographic separation - more recent LC (liquid chromatography) and EC (exchange chromatography) methods compared to more widespread GC (gas chromatography) - and detection systems, namely PAD (pulsed amperometric detection) or mass spectrometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Chiara Pietrogrande
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Elena Barbaro
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics & Statistics, University Ca' Foscari of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30170 Venice Mestre, Italy
| | - M Chiara Bove
- Department of Physics & INFN, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso, 33, 16146 Genoa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Clauser
- Agenzia Provinciale Protezione Ambiente, Via Lidorno 1, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | | | - Lorenza Corbella
- Department of Chemistry, University of Milan, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | | | - Stefano Dalla Torre
- National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research Rome, Via Salaria Km 29, 300, Monterotondo St., 00015, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Decesari
- National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC), Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
| | - Paola Fermo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Milan, Via Golgi 19, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Gambaro
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics & Statistics, University Ca' Foscari of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30170 Venice Mestre, Italy
| | | | - Pierina Ielpo
- National Research Council (CNR) Water Institute Research - CNR, Viale de Blasio 5, 70132 Bari, Italy
| | - Roberto Larcher
- Fondazione E. Mach, Technology Transfer Center, Via Edmund Mach 1, 38010 San Michele All'Adige (TN), Italy
| | - Paolo Lazzeri
- Agenzia Provinciale Protezione Ambiente, Via Lidorno 1, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Dario Massabò
- Department of Physics & INFN, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso, 33, 16146 Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Tiziana Nardin
- National Research Council (CNR) Water Institute Research - CNR, Viale de Blasio 5, 70132 Bari, Italy
| | - Marco Paglione
- National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC), Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
| | - Cinzia Perrino
- National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research Rome, Via Salaria Km 29, 300, Monterotondo St., 00015, Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Prati
- Department of Physics & INFN, University of Genoa, Via Dodecaneso, 33, 16146 Genoa, Italy
| | - Marco Visentin
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Nicola Zanca
- National Research Council (CNR) Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC), Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberta Zangrando
- Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes-CNR, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice-Mestre, Italy
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Optimization of an ultrasound-assisted derivatization for GC/MS analysis of oxygenated organic species in atmospheric aerosol. Anal Bioanal Chem 2017; 409:4279-4291. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-017-0379-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Benetello F, Squizzato S, Hofer A, Masiol M, Khan MB, Piazzalunga A, Fermo P, Formenton GM, Rampazzo G, Pavoni B. Estimation of local and external contributions of biomass burning to PM 2.5 in an industrial zone included in a large urban settlement. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:2100-2115. [PMID: 27812966 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7987-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
A total of 85 PM2.5 samples were collected at a site located in a large industrial zone (Porto Marghera, Venice, Italy) during a 1-year-long sampling campaign. Samples were analyzed to determine water-soluble inorganic ions, elemental and organic carbon, and levoglucosan, and results were processed to investigate the seasonal patterns, the relationship between the analyzed species, and the most probable sources by using a set of tools, including (i) conditional probability function (CPF), (ii) conditional bivariate probability function (CBPF), (iii) concentration weighted trajectory (CWT), and (iv) potential source contribution function (PSCF) analyses. Furthermore, the importance of biomass combustions to PM2.5 was also estimated. Average PM2.5 concentrations ranged between 54 and 16 μg m-3 in the cold and warm period, respectively. The mean value of total ions was 11 μg m-3 (range 1-46 μg m-3): The most abundant ion was nitrate with a share of 44 % followed by sulfate (29 %), ammonium (14 %), potassium (4 %), and chloride (4 %). Levoglucosan accounted for 1.2 % of the PM2.5 mass, and its concentration ranged from few ng m-3 in warm periods to 2.66 μg m-3 during winter. Average concentrations of levoglucosan during the cold period were higher than those found in other European urban sites. This result may indicate a great influence of biomass combustions on particulate matter pollution. Elemental and organic carbon (EC, OC) showed similar behavior, with the highest contributions during cold periods and lower during summer. The ratios between biomass burning indicators (K+, Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, levoglucosan, EC, and OC) were used as proxy for the biomass burning estimation, and the contribution to the OC and PM2.5 was also calculated by using the levoglucosan (LG)/OC and LG/PM2.5 ratios and was estimated to be 29 and 18 %, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Benetello
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica, Università Ca' Foscari, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia Mestre, Italy
| | - Stefania Squizzato
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica, Università Ca' Foscari, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia Mestre, Italy
| | - Angelika Hofer
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica, Università Ca' Foscari, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia Mestre, Italy
| | - Mauro Masiol
- Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, 13699, USA
| | - Md Badiuzzaman Khan
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica, Università Ca' Foscari, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia Mestre, Italy
| | - Andrea Piazzalunga
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Università di Milano Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Fermo
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Golgi 19, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Gian Maria Formenton
- Agenzia Regionale per la Prevenzione e Protezione Ambientale del Veneto, Dipartimento Provinciale di Venezia, via Lissa 6, 30174, Venezia Mestre, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Rampazzo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica, Università Ca' Foscari, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia Mestre, Italy
| | - Bruno Pavoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica, Università Ca' Foscari, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia Mestre, Italy.
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Visentin M, Pagnoni A, Sarti E, Pietrogrande MC. Urban PM 2.5 oxidative potential: Importance of chemical species and comparison of two spectrophotometric cell-free assays. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2016; 219:72-79. [PMID: 27661730 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.09.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/15/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Oxidative potential (OP) of particulate matter (PM) - defined as the capacity of PM to oxidize target molecules generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) - has been proposed as a more health relevant metric than PM mass. In this study two cell-free methods were used to assess the OP of PM filters collected at an urban site and to evaluate correlation with PM mass and PM composition. Among the different assays existing, two inexpensive and user-friendly methods were used both based on spectrophotometric measurements of depletion rate of target reagents oxidized by redox-active species present in PM. One assay measures the consumption of dithiothreitol (OPDTT) and the other the ascorbate (OPAA). Although both assays respond to the same redox-active species, i.e., quinones and transition metals, no correlations were found between OPDTT and OPAA responses to compounds standard solutions as well as to ambient samples. When expressed in relation to air volume, OPDTT m-3 strongly correlates with PM2.5 mass whereas no correlation was found for OPAA m-3 with PM2.5. When expressed on mass basis, both OPDTT μg-1 and OPAA μg-1 show a strong dependence on the sample composition, with higher OP for summer samples. OPDTT m-3 were highly correlated with the determined metals (Cu, Zn, Cr, Fe, Ni, Mn) whereas OPAA m-3 showed only moderate correlation with Cu and Mn. Thus, the two assays could potentially provide complementary information on oxidative potential characteristic of PM. Consequently, the combination of the two approaches can strengthen each other in giving insight into the contribution of chemical composition to oxidative properties of PM, which can subsequently be used to study health effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Visentin
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Antonella Pagnoni
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Elena Sarti
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Pietrogrande
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Via Fossato di Mortara 17/19, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
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