Atmospheric particulate matter from an industrial area as a source of metal nanoparticle contamination in aquatic ecosystems

SOUZA, IARA DA C.; MOROZESK, MARIANA; MANSANO, ADRISLAINE S.; MENDES, VITOR A.S.; AZEVEDO, VINICIUS C.; MATSUMOTO, SILVIA T.; ELLIOTT, MICHAEL; MONFERRÁN, MAGDALENA V.; WUNDERLIN, DANIEL A.; FERNANDES, MARISA N.

THE SCIENCE OF TOTAL ENVIRONMENT

Elsevier B.V.

Año: 2021 vol. 753

0048-9697

ir pollution legislation and control worldwide is based on the size of particulate matter (PM) to evaluate the effects on environmental and human health, in which the small diameter particles are considered more dangerous than larger sizes. This study investigates the composition, stability, size and dispersion of atmospheric settleable particulate matter (SePM) in an aqueous system. We aimed to interrogate the changes in the physical properties and characteristics that can contribute to increased metal uptake by aquatic biota. Samples collected in an area influenced by the steel and iron industry were separated into 8 fractions (425 to ≤10 μm) and analysed physically and chemically. Results from ICP-MS and X-ray showed that the PM composition was mainly hematite with 80% of Fe, followed by Al, Mn and Ti. Among 27 elements analysed we found 19 metals, showing emerging metallic contaminants such as Y, Zr, Sn, La, Ba and Bi. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that SePM