Elemental composition of PM0.25 collected in an urban site of Argentina: a first case study

BEATRIZ M. TOSELLI

SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART B-ATOMIC SPECTROSCOPY

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2019 vol. 161

0584-8547

total of 175 aerosol samples were collected during the winter-spring months of 2014-2015 in Córdoba, Argentina. The samples were collected in five size fractions that ranged from < 0.25 to 10 microns using a SIOUTAS impactor in a 6-hour period and analyzed by synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence to obtain elemental aerosol mass concentrations for As, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, Pb, Si, S, Ti, V, and Zn. An analysis of the distribution of the elements in the different collected fractions was performed to infer the most likely sources of particulate matter. From the analysis, it was found that the particulate matter fraction smaller than 0.25 micron was mostly affected by emissions from traffic and combustion, while the particulate matter fraction ranging from 2.5 to 10 microns was mostly influenced by re-suspension of road dust. In addition, the results indicated the presence of Si, typically found in coarse particulate matter and in large amounts in particles smaller than 0.