Carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses coupled with palynological data of PM10 in Wrocław city (SW Poland) – assessment of anthropogenic impact

Abstract

We have applied both palynological and carbon and nitrogen isotopic analyses of PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter of 10 μm or less) to trace its origin and to assess the anthropogenic impact for the area under study. The PM10 samples were collected in Wrocław (SW Poland) by the Regional Inspectorate for Environment Protection during the year 2007. The usefulness of the palynological observations in the case of PM10 is much lower than that for total suspended particles due to the resolution of absorbed particles, but is still helpful for distinguishing C₃/C₄ plants that indicate long-distance transport of pollutants. The δ¹³C(PM10) values varied seasonally from−26.9 to−25.1‰. The δ¹⁵N(PM10) values showed chaotic fluctuations and varied from 5.0 to 13.7‰. Our results indicated that during the heating period, the PM10 particles in Wrocław are derived mainly from local home heaters, whereas in the growing period, PM10 particles are derived from local transport and are partially generated by the industrial application of coal combustion outside the city of Wrocław.

Keywords:

• carbon anthropogenic impact
• carbon-13
• dust
• fuel products
• fungal spores
• isotope ecology
• nitrogen-15
• palynology
• particulate matter
• PM10

Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the Voivodeship Inspectorate for Environment Protection in Wrocław for PM10 dust samples and meteorological data. This manuscript has benefited a lot from the suggestions of two anonymous reviewers and the language edition by Professor David Cooper. The presented work was realised in the frame of University of Wrocław grant nos 1017/S/ING/09-IX, 2022/W/ING/09-02 and 2022/W/ING/09-12. This publication was prepared with financial support of the Foundation for Polish Science.