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Chemical composition of PM1 and PM2.5 at a suburban site in southern Italy

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Pages 127-150 | Received 13 Jun 2012, Accepted 22 Mar 2013, Published online: 30 May 2013
 

Abstract

Organic (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), inorganic ions (Cl, NO3, SO42−, Na+, NH4+, K+, Ca2+), methanesulfonate (MSA) and metals (Al, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ba, V) were monitored in PM1 and PM2.5 samples collected at a suburban site in south-eastern Italy, to contribute to the characterisation of fine particles in the Central Mediterranean. Mean mass concentrations are 13 µg/m3 and 22 µg/m3 in PM1 and PM2.5, respectively. OC, EC, SO42−, NH4+, NO3, K+ and Ca2+ are predominant components and account for 54% and 56% of the PM1 and PM2.5 mass, respectively. OC, EC, SO42−, NH4+, K+ and Ca2+ concentrations lie in the range of the corresponding ones measured in PM1 and PM2.5 samples collected at suburban/urban Mediterranean sites. NO3 and trace element concentrations lie in the range of the corresponding ones measured in PM1 and PM2.5 samples collected at remote/background Mediterranean sites. The biogenic nss-SO42− accounts for ~5% and 4% of nss-SO42− in PM1 and PM2.5, respectively. The seasonal trend of the components partitioning and the interspecies correlation analysis in PM1 and PM2.5-1 indicated that the PM1 and PM2.5-1 components depend on season and are likely not controlled by similar sources, and/or similar generation processes, and/or similar transport patterns. The sulfur and nitrogen oxidation ratios were calculated to contribute to the understanding of the seasonal dependence of nitrate and sulfate concentrations in PM1 and PM2.5-1. The mass closure analysis showed that organic matter (OM), EC, and nitrate mass percentages are larger in autumn–winter. NH4+, nss-SO42−, and crustal matter mass percentages are larger in spring–summer. Finally, the ratio of the crustal matter in PM1 to that in PM2.5-1, which is 0.2 and 0.3 in spring–summer and autumn–winter, respectively, and the higher (OM+EC) contribution in PM1 than in PM2.5-1 led to the conclusion that PM1 would be a better indicator for fine-anthropogenic particles than PM2.5.

Acknowledgements

The financial support by the European Community through the ACTRIS Research Infrastructure Action under the 7th Framework Programme under ACTRIS Grant Agreement n° 262254 is gratefully acknowledged. The Regional Air Agency ARPA Puglia is acknowledged for providing NO2 and SO2 mass concentrations. Dr S. Di Sabatino from Università del Salento is acknowledged for providing ground meteorological data.

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