Abstract
Concentrations of inorganic ions (Cl-, H+, SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) and metals (V, Ni, Cu, Pb, Cr Mn, Al, Fe) in bulk precipitation and PM10 samples collected in the metropolitan area of Costa Rica were analyzed. Good correlations between acidity in bulk precipitation with the concentrations of aerosols in the air were observed. The scavenging of the pollutants from the air directly affects the pH and composition of the bulk precipitation. The major ions in bulk precipitation in the metropolitan area of Costa Rica were SO42-, NH4+, Ca2+, Na+ ion percentages with 41.4, 12.0, 10.9 and 9.1 respectively. Al, Fe and Mn were the most abundant trace metals. The alkaline cations, NH4+ and Ca2+, actedas acid neutralizers and buffered the acidity of bulk precipitation. Meteorological conditions presented during the events determine the composition of bulk precipitation samples.
Highlights
IntroductionThe urban atmosphere is subjected to large inputs of anthropogenic contaminants coming from both stationary (industries) and mobile sources (road traffic) [1, 2, 3]
The urban atmosphere is subjected to large inputs of anthropogenic contaminants coming from both stationary and mobile sources [1, 2, 3]
This paper aims to provide a characterization of some factors that determine the bulk precipitation chemical composition in the metropolitan area of Costa Rica
Summary
The urban atmosphere is subjected to large inputs of anthropogenic contaminants coming from both stationary (industries) and mobile sources (road traffic) [1, 2, 3]. According to their physical and chemical properties, these pollutants are partitioned between particulate, liquid, and vapor phases and are subsequently transported to the Earth’s surface through dry and wet deposition. Especially those with diameters below 0.1 μm, Brownian diffusion becomes increasingly important with decreasing particle size. Inertial impaction is an important removal mechanism when the momentum of a particle is sufficient to maintain a nearly linear trajectory in a moving air mass. Inertial impaction is important for particles with aerodynamic diameters between 0.5 and 15 μm but is highly dependent on particle size and wind velocity [5]
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