Acid rain and particulate matter dynamics in a mid-sized Andean city: The effect of rain intensity on ion scavenging

Abstract

Acid rain phenomenon (average WVM pH = 4.9) and a strong association of sulfate scavenging and rain intensity (R2 = 0.8118) were observed over a seven-month period (October 2010–April 2011) at a densely populated mid-sized Andean city (pop 380,000) that occupies mountain ridge topography (2150 m.a.s.l.). Rain chemistry and PM10 were fairly consistent over four sampling sites representing various scenarios of urban density and topography. All stations exhibited differences in the sulfate content in PM10 between dry and wet periods, further illustrating the sulfate scavenging dynamic. Concentration of major ions evaluated in rain were in order of sulfates (35.2–53.5 μeq L−1) > calcium (14.6–17.3 μeq L−1) > chlorides (3.5–5.1 μeq L−1) > nitrates (2.1–3.1 μeq L−1). Major chemical constituents of PM10 were related with ionic composition of rainwater through scavenging ratios (SRs). High sulfate SRs associated with increased rain intensity reflected higher sulfate ion solubility. Significant contribution of sulfates to total ionic content, higher than 50% at all monitoring stations, suggests important contributions of SO2 emissions, which could come from three principal sources: vehicular emissions due to Colombian fuels with elevated sulfur content, industrial emissions at southeast of the city, and sulfur gas emissions from a nearby active volcano, Nevado del Ruiz, located 27 km southeast of the city.