Abstract
In this study, the ambient aerosol (PM10) concentrations of elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), total carbon (TC), and levoglucosan are reported for a Polish health resort following a one-year (March 2016–April 2017) sampling campaign. The seasonal variation of OC, EC, and levoglucosan (LG) concentrations showed their maximum during the heating season for this site, with monthly mean total carbonaceous material/PM10 ratios ranging between about 0.28 and 0.44 depending on the season. Average EC concentration was 1.1 ± 0.6 µg∙m−3 and changed from 0.3 µg∙m−3 up to 2.3 µg∙m−3 during the sampling campaign. The OC concentration at the site ranged from 2.4 µg∙m−3 during the non-heating season up to 22 µg∙m−3 in the heating season, with an average of 7 µg∙m−3. A strong correlation between OC and EC in the heating season suggested that they were produced from similar sources during this time. Mean LG concentration during the sampling campaign was 0.51 µg∙m−3, while in the heating season it was 0.72 µg∙m−3 and in 0.19 µg∙m−3 in the non-heating season. The obtained results indicated a strong influence of local primary source emissions on air quality, especially during the heating period.
Highlights
Carbonaceous aerosols can be differentiated as either organic (OC) or elemental carbon (EC).Quantification of the carbonaceous content of the ambient aerosol on the basis of single species is an insurmountable task due to their sheer number, their various chemical and physical properties, and the complex aerosol matrix
Biomass burning is an important source of aerosol particles affecting local air quality
The biomass-burning tracers levoglucosan, OC, and EC were identified and quantified from aerosol samples collected during a year-long campaign in 2016/2017
Summary
Carbonaceous aerosols can be differentiated as either organic (OC) or elemental carbon (EC). Quantification of the carbonaceous content of the ambient aerosol on the basis of single species is an insurmountable task due to their sheer number, their various chemical and physical properties, and the complex aerosol matrix. Operational definitions of bulk carbonaceous material such as EC and OC have been established. These compounds play an important role in the chemistry of the troposphere, and in aerosol form, as a climate forcing agent [1]. The many organic compounds associated with ambient fine aerosols have different physical and chemical properties and their effect on human health and cloud formation remains largely unknown. Organic carbon in the atmosphere includes hydrocarbons, oxygenated or halogenated compounds, and multifunctional compounds, as well as particulate matter [2]
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