Abstract
Water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) makes up a large mass fraction of the organic carbon in the aerosol and can influence important cloud processes in the atmosphere. The capacity of WSOC to form metallic complexes with transition metals is well known; however, its influence on the aerosol of urban areas in the Amazon region is not very well known. In this study, we investigated the relationship between WSOC, black carbon (BC), levoglucosan (LEV) and transition metals (Fe, Cu and Mn) present in the PM2.5 (particles with a diameter smaller than 2.5 µm) of an urban environment during the dry season in the central Amazon. Oxalic acid (C2) was used to identify the influence of transition metals on WSOC. The mean mass concentration value of the PM2.5 was 14.72 μg m-3 (2.11-31.68 μg m-3). The WSOC made up 58.34% of the PM2.5 mass, followed by BC (20.28%), and LEV (2.62%). The WSOC showed significant correlation with the transition metals analyzed (> 0.56), especially Mn with C2 (linear coefficient (R2 ) = 0.74). A multiple linear regression with WSOC, BC and LEV showed a strong linear correlation between them (R2 = 0.86), indicating the influence of biomass burning and vehicle traffic on the organic aerosol.
Highlights
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) stands out among the atmospheric pollutants due to its influence on atmospheric processes.[1,2] Studies have shown that approximately 10-80% of the total urban PM2.5 mass is composed of organic carbon.[3,4]More than 90% of organic aerosol in urban environments is composed of secondary organic aerosol (SOA).[5]
The mass concentration value of PM2.5, water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), black carbon (BC), LEV and metals of fine particles emitted by the city of Manaus was measured and, through the results, we sought to understand the relationship and influence/ impact of transition metals and biogenic and fossil fuel burning markers to the origin of the WSOC
The mean WSOC value in this study was lower than that reported by Graham et al.[17] (17.3 μg m-3) in the dry season in the Amazon (Rondônia, Brazil) in a pasture highly affected by biomass burning
Summary
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) (particles with a diameter smaller than 2.5 μm) stands out among the atmospheric pollutants due to its influence on atmospheric processes.[1,2] Studies have shown that approximately 10-80% of the total urban PM2.5 mass is composed of organic carbon.[3,4]More than 90% of organic aerosol in urban environments is composed of secondary organic aerosol (SOA).[5]. The mass concentration value of PM2.5, WSOC, BC, LEV and metals of fine particles emitted by the city of Manaus was measured and, through the results, we sought to understand the relationship and influence/ impact of transition metals and biogenic and fossil fuel burning markers to the origin of the WSOC.
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