Analysis of PM(2.5) main pollutant components and sources in two cities in north and south of China

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the pollution characteristics and source of fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) in Shenzhen and Taiyuan, two cities in the north and south of China. Methods: PM(2.5) samples were collected from the year of 2017 to 2018. The levels of 10 heavy metal elements (Pb, Al, As, etc.) , 10 water soluble ions (F(-), Cl(-), SO(4)(2-), etc.) and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (Nap, Acy, Ace, etc.) in PM(2.5) were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) , ion Chromatography and high Performance Liquid Chromatography respectively. USA commercial carbon analysis was applied to detect organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) . Source of PM(2.5) was analyzed by Factor analysis method. Results: The concentrations of Pb, Mn, As, Ni, F(-), OC and EC in PM(2.5) of Taiyuan city were significantly higher than those of Shenzhen City, and the concentrations of Na(+), Cl(-), and PO(4)(3-) were lower than those of Shenzhen City (P<0.05) . Except naphthalene, the concentrations of PAHs in PM(2.5) of Taiyuan city were higher than those of Shenzhen City (P<0.05) . The main sources of metal elements and water soluble ions in PM(2.5) in Shenzhen included: industry/vehicle exhaust factor (42.64%) , construction/soil factor (34.22%) and ocean factor (17.93%) . PAHs in PM(2.5) in Shenzhen mostly came from fuel oil/vehicle exhaust factor (38.58%) , coal combustion factor (30.78%) and biomass combustion factor (24.38%) . Differently, the main sources of metal elements and water soluble ions in PM(2.5) in Taiyuan included: construction factor (30.26%) , fuel oil and coal combustion factor (24.58%) , secondary particles/soil factor (22.03%) and industry factor (18.89%) . PAHs in PM(2.5) were from fuel oil/vehicle exhaust factor (54.71%) and coal combustion factor (43.54%) in Taiyuan. Conclusion: The sources of PM(2.5) pollution are different between Shenzhen and Taiyuan, the occupational health management must be continuously strengthened, measures should be strengthened contrapuntally on the basis of different pollution sources.