Assessment of contribution of metal pollution sources to attic and household dust in Pb-polluted area.

Abstract

Attic and household dusts from Pb-polluted area were investigated using various analytical techniques for source apportionment and assessment of source contribution of metal-bearing phases. Mineralogically, attic dust consists of gypsum, anhydrite, and metal-bearing phases, while household dust comprises C-bearing particles and only minor metal-bearing phases. Sulfur isotope composition of sulfides and sulfates in attic dust shows that they result from past primary smelting of local sulfide ore, while those in household dust originate directly from local mine-waste material. Pb isotope ratios show that Pb-bearing phases in both dust types mostly originate from mining and primary smelting of local Pb-ore. Individual metal-bearing particles were apportioned by their composition, morphology, and mineralogy to phases from past Pb-smelting, present-day Pb-recycling, and past mining/mine-waste mechanical processing. Calculated source contribution of metal-bearing phases to indoor dust showed that primary Pb-smelting was important pollution source in the past, while active Pb-recycling has contributed only negligible amount of material so far. However, material from mining/mine-waste processing is an important currently active pollution source. Study demonstrated that simultaneous investigation of characteristics and isotopic composition of metal-bearing phases in different indoor dust types serves as tool for assessment of source contribution of past and recent airborne metal pollution.