Airborne Particulate Material Research Articles

Airborne particulate material in Metropolitan Zone of Toluca Valley (Mexico) by SEM and ICP-SFMS

ABSTRACTRainy season is known to ease the transport of particulate matter whether they are microorganisms or inorganic compounds. Regardless of their origin, these particles have a great environmental importance through their influence on physical processes such as ice nucleation and cloud droplet formation. Pathogenic airborne microorganisms may also have public health consequences. In this paper, we analyse particles from rainwater which were collected in Teflon pipes and then filtered in 0.45-μm pore diameter cellulose filters from six environmental monitoring stations in the Metropolitan Zone of Toluca Valley, State of Mexico, Mexico, during June and September of 2009 rainy season. The particulate material was treated with nitric and hydrochloric acid in a microwave reactor to homogenise samples and to determine the polluting elements through inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry analyses. At the same time, blank filters were analysed by scanning electron microscopy followed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to observe their morphology and to identify their chemical composition. The enrichment factor of the main metals was evaluated.

Hydrological study of the potential effects of the melting of Nevado del Ruiz glacier on urban growth zones in Manizales, Colombia

ABSTRACTThis paper presents the results of a hydrological study aimed at characterizing flood-prone areas in the urban growth zone in the city of Manizales based on the potential effects of melting of the Nevado del Ruiz glacier, in Caldas, Colombia. These results constitute a basis for decision making regarding possible urban growth zones in Andean areas that face risks from volcanic eruptions producing lahars and floods caused by glacier melt. Conservative estimates of extreme flows in the Chinchiná River in the urban growth area of El Rosario can be obtained by considering the effects of rain triggered by airborne particulate material following a volcanic explosion combined with the effects of glacier melt. The effects of global warming on tropical glaciers contribute to their retreat, leading to their disappearance. Therefore, the worst scenario would take place if these events occurred in the short term as glacier volume decreases with time.Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz; Associate editor not assigned

Phase partitioning and bioaccessibility of Pb in suspended dust from unsurfaced roads in Missouri—A potential tool for determining mitigation response

Airborne particulate material collected from seventeen rural unsurfaced roads in Missouri's agricultural and resource mining areas were characterized using the BCR sequential extraction procedure and simulated in vitro body fluids to determine the phase partitioning and bioaccessibility of Pb associated with roadway dusts. Results show that dusts produced from driving over unsurfaced roads in the mining area has a substantial portion of the Pb concentration associated with the more mobile exchangeable-plus-carbonate and reducible geochemical phases. By comparison, unsurfaced road dusts outside the resource mining area have lower metal contents, as expected, and a larger portion of the total Pb concentration associated with the immobile oxidizable and non-silicate bound residual phases. SEM/EDS analysis suggests the minerals associated with the more mobile Pb components include cerussite, Pb oxides and sulfates. Compared with the coarser >1 μm size fraction of dust, the <1 μm fraction contains a substantially higher concentration of Pb in association with clay minerals. Extraction tests using simulated body fluids show that gastric fluid can mobilize as much as 69% of the total Pb concentration in mining area road dust samples after five hours. Simulated alveolar lung fluid also was an efficient extractor of Pb from the <1 μm sample dust fraction, dissolving up to 100% of the available Pb after 100 h. Regression analysis suggests that aqua regia total Pb concentration is a good predictor of mobility and bioaccessibility and can be used to minimize costs associated with monitoring suspended dust contamination.

The Impact of Traffic Emission on Air Quality in an Urban Environment

Study of the impact of traffic emissions on air quality around the Haram Mosque in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, was conducted experimentally, numerically and statistically. Experimental study was performed to measure existing air quality. Numerical study was done to model the extent of air movement and pollutant dispersion within and around the Haram area. Statistical study was conducted to determine correlation coefficients, auto-correlation and time lags of each pollutant. Pollutant measurements were carried out using an air quality mobile laboratory at three sites. Numerical calculations were made using an ISC-AERMOD dispersion model. Concentrations of traffic emissions including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) and airborne particulate material under 10 μm diameter (PM10) are presented and analyzed. The calculated concentrations are validated by comparing with observed values at the three sites. The results indicate good agreement between calculated concentrations and observed values, which demonstrate satisfactory model performance. Results show that the Haram area is experiencing high concentrations of dust. High buildings around the Haram Mosque act as flow obstacles. Mean pollutant dispersion was toward the south and southeast during January and June. Highest mean concentrations were observed in January and June.

Air pollution effects on flavonoids in pollen grains of some ornamental plants

Phenolic compounds function as stress indicators because they accumulate to high levels in many plant tissues in response to a wide range of biotic and abiotic signals. These compounds are involved in pollen development, pollination, pollen germination, and pollen tube growth. The mature pollen grains of Spartium junceum L., Lagerstroemia indica L., Thuja orientalis L., and Petunia hybrida L. collected from control (less polluted) and polluted areas [mainly SO_2, NO_2, CO, hydrocarbons (HC), and airborne particulate material (APM)]. The ethanolic aquatic extracts of pollen grains were prepared. The extracts were analysed by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). HPLC analysis demonstrated that air pollution induces flavonoids accumulation to significantly higher levels in the polluted pollen of Spartium junceum, Lagerstroemia indica, and Thuja orientalis than in the controls. In Petunia hybrida the flavonoids level increased more slightly in the pollen grains exposed to air pollutants compared to controls.

Laboratory System for Dust Generation from Soils

Farm workers and residential communities adjacent to agricultural fields can be exposed to soil dust generated during field operations at levels that could result in respiratory problems. However, field sampling of agricultural dust faces logistical problems from spatial and temporal differences in soil properties, field operations, and meteorological conditions. To minimize these problems, we designed a dust generator that simulates dust generation during tilling of agricultural fields to provide samples of particulate matter derived from bulk soil and developed optimal operating conditions to assure reproducible results. The dust generator consisted of a rotating chamber, where soil samples were loaded and tumbled, and a settling chamber, where airborne soil dust samples were collected using particle size-selective samplers. The following operating conditions for dust generation were evaluated: initial soil mass, air intake, rotation speed, and sampling time to optimize dust sampling. We compared the laboratory-generated dust from soil samples with field dust that we collected from the same plots during agricultural operations. We determined from X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray analyses that the mineralogy and chemical composition of field- and laboratory-generated dust were similar, indicating that the apparatus reasonably simulated field mechanical processes that produce airborne particulate matter from soils. The results suggest that the laboratory dust generator provides reliable samples of soil-derived dust and could be useful for future studies involving airborne particulate material from soils.

Soil geochemical signature of urbanization and industrialization – Chicago, Illinois, USA

The concentrations of 45 elements in ambient (not obviously disturbed) surface soils were determined for 57 sites distributed throughout the city of Chicago, Illinois in the upper Midwestern United States. These concentrations were compared to soils from 105 sites from a largely agricultural region within a 500-km radius surrounding the city and to soils collected from 90 sites across the state of Illinois. Although the bulk composition of the Chicago urban soils reflects largely natural sources, the soils are significantly enriched in many trace elements, apparently from anthropogenic sources. The median concentration of Pb in Chicago soils is 198 mg/kg, a 13-fold enrichment compared to regional concentrations. Zinc (median 235 mg/kg), Cu (59 mg/kg), and Ni (31 mg/kg) are also enriched from 2- to 4-fold in Chicago soils and all four elements show strong mutual correlations. These elevated concentrations are most likely related to vehicular and roadway sources and represent uneven distribution across the city as airborne material. Other airborne particulate material from a combination of fossil fuel combustion, waste incineration, and steel production may contribute to apparent elevated concentrations in Chicago soil of Fe (median 2.9%), Mo (5 mg/kg), V (82 mg/kg) and S (0.09%). Chicago soils are enriched from about 1.6- to 3-fold in these elements. Enrichments in P and Se may be caused by direct addition of phosphate fertilizer to parklands, lawns and gardens. The density of the sampling (1 site per 10 km 2 ) is inadequate to define the distribution of the observed enrichments within the city or to predict soil compositions for most of the areas between sample sites, but does provide a statistically significant signature of the history of urban and industrial activity within the city in contrast to the surrounding agricultural lands.

Silicon isotopic composition of boreal forest vegetation in Northern Sweden

Thorough characterization of the Si isotopic composition of the terrestrial biogenic pool could potentially allow Si isotope information to be used when assessing the relative contributions from biogenic and mineral sources to soil water, plants and surface waters. In the present study, the Si isotopic compositions of major biomass components in a boreal forest in Northern Sweden were investigated, along with the relative contributions from exogenous Si incorporated in the plant structure. This was achieved using chemical purification and high-resolution multi-collector inductively coupled mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) for the precise and accurate determination of the Si isotopic composition of plants. The technique, which relies on multi-elemental analysis of plant ashes and sample-specific HF-dissolution followed by strong-anion exchange chromatography, allows efficient separation of Si from matrix and interfering elements, while recovering in excess of 99% Si. The long-term instrumental reproducibility, expressed as two standard deviations (2 σ), for the isotopic reference material NBS28 ( n = 12) was 0.06‰ for δ 29Si and 0.12‰ for δ 30Si. Results for the analyses of composite plant samples for the eight most prolific species in the boreal forest yielded a surprisingly homogenous Si isotopic composition, expressed as δ 29Si (± expanded combined uncertainty) and δ 30Si, ranging from (− 0.15 ± 0.11)‰ to (0.13 ± 0.06)‰ and (− 0.31 ± 0.08)‰ to (0.22 ± 0.13)‰, respectively. Isotopic and elemental analyses of local airborne particulate material suggest that the exogenous Si contribution varies between < 1% and > 70%, indicating that the potential surface contribution must be considered during Si uptake studies. The present study thus provides evidence that thorough appreciation of the forms of Si in plants is an absolute requirement when assessing the plant impact on the Si cycle via the difference in dissolution kinetics for phytoliths and lithogenic Si.

CHARACTERIZATION OF SELECTED SPECIATED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICULATE MATTER IN AMBIENT AIR OF THE OUTSKIRTS OF ROME

The organic fraction of airborne particulate matter includes a wide variety of organic compounds, but the present research focus is on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their nitrated derivatives (nitro-PAHs) because of the well-known health risk associated with these organics. In order to identify and assess the sources of hydrocarbon inputs into the environment n-alkanes content and the relative carbon preference index were utilized. Special consideration was given to nitro-PAHs. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the presence in atmosphere of nitro-PAHs not usually studied, which may be responsible for part of the high direct-acting mutagenic activity of unknown origin observed for the airborne particulate material. Of the 38 particulate-associated nitro-PAH compounds measured, 21 were described for the first time and 17 were detected in real samples, although those 21 nitro-PAHs were reported as positional isomers of corresponding PAHs, with the position of the NO2 group not determined.

Lead isotopic signatures of wine and vineyard soils—tracers of lead origin

The Pb contents and 206Pb/ 207Pb and 208Pb/ 206Pb isotopic ratios were studied in the soils and wines (2004 harvest) of three vineyard areas of the Czech Republic. The areas differ in their geological basements and anthropogenic loading. The isotopic compositions of wine in areas with intensive industry (Most, North Bohemia 206Pb/ 207Pb wine = 1.178 ± 0.004) and the agricultural areas of Central Bohemia (Roudnice nad Labem 206Pb/ 207Pb wine = 1.176 ± 0.007) are similar to the Pb isotopic composition of airborne particulate material typical of polluted and industrial environments ( 206Pb/ 207Pb = 1.17–1.19). The isotopic composition of wine from Prague ( 206Pb/ 207Pb wine = 1.174 ± 0.003) is different from that of the soil, which was severely contaminated in the past by vehicular Pb ( 206Pb/ 207Pb soil = 1.147–1.168). This fact shows that interception of airborne Pb by plants is greater than its uptake by the root system.

Characterization of airborne and bulk particulate from iron and steel manufacturing facilities.

Characterization of airborne and bulk particulate material from iron and steel manufacturing facilities, commonly referred to as kish, indicated graphite flakes and graphite flakes associated with spherical iron oxide particles were unique particle characteristics useful in identifying particle emissions from iron and steel manufacturing. Characterization of airborne particulate material collected in receptor areas was consistent with multiple atmospheric release events of kish particles from the local iron and steel facilities into neighboring residential areas. Kish particles deposited in nearby residential areas included an abundance of graphite flakes, tens of micrometers to millimeters in size, and spherical iron oxide particles, submicrometer to tens of micrometers in size. Bulk kish from local iron and steel facilities contained an abundance of similar particles. Approximately 60% of blast furnace kish by volume consisted of spherical iron oxide particles in the respirable size range. Basic oxygen furnace kish contained percent levels of strongly alkaline components such as calcium hydroxide. In addition, concentrations of respirable Mn in airborne particulate in residential areas and at local iron and steel facilities were approximately 1.6 and 53 times the inhalation reference concentration of 0.05 microg/m3 for chronic inhalation exposure of Mn, respectively. Thus, airborne release of kish may pose potential respirable particulate, corrosive, or toxic hazards for human health and/or a corrosive hazard for property and the environment.

Optimization of the atmospheric pollution monitoring network at Santiago de Chile

Environmental pollution is a problem affecting many cities in our planet. Santiago de Chile is one with the worst indices. Because of that, local authorities implemented a few years ago an air quality monitoring network with eight monitoring stations located across the whole city. These stations continuously collect information about the presence and level of atmospheric contaminants as well as meteorological indices. As the budget for this activity is limited, to increase the monitoring network as the city grows might be an inefficient decision. To evaluate alternative decisions multiple criteria should be consider. A statistical evaluation of some low cost modifications of the network becomes a valid research topic. This paper attempts to optimize Santiago's atmospheric monitoring network by excluding the least informative stations with respect to the variables under study: carbon monoxide (CO), airborne particulate material (PM 10), ozone (O 3) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2). To accomplish this, an index of multivariate effectiveness, based on Shannon information index, is applied to that network.

Monitoring and statistical evaluation of heavy metals in airborne particulates in Cairo, Egypt

Airborne particulate material was monitored as total suspended particles and particulate matter less than 10 μm at selected sites in Cairo. The selected sites represent heavily industrial and industrial–residential areas of Cairo, Egypt. The filters were further analyzed for lead, cadmium, zinc and nickel using ion chromatography. The chosen method was modified to improve resolution and decrease the retention time. The data obtained were treated statistically using one-way analysis of variance and correlated with the anthropological and industrial activities of the sites. The concentrations of the heavy metals are studied in terms of particle size, time dependence, and safety.

Allergens in Paved Road Dust and Airborne Particles

Paved road dust present on the surface of streets in Southern California consists of a complex mixture of soil dust, deposited motor vehicle exhaust particles, tire dust, brake lining wear dust, plant fragments, and other biological materials. The research presented here shows that allergens from at least 20 different source materials are found in the paved road dust. These include pollens and pollen fragments, animal dander, and molds. When paved road dust is resuspended into the atmosphere by passing vehicle traffic, allergen concentrations in the air are increased above the levels that would prevail without the vehicle traffic. Using immunological assays that measure the proteins extracted from environmental samples that bind to IgE antibodies present in the blood serum of allergenic patients, it is possible to measure the allergen concentrations present in paved road dust and in airborne particle samples. Total protein contributions to monthly average airborne TSP and PM_(10) concentrations are found to be in the range from 1 to 5.8 μg m^(-3), potentially accounting for a significant fraction of the airborne particulate organic material that has not been identified to date by GC/MS techniques. Results show that up to 5−12% of the allergenicity of atmospheric total suspended particulate matter samples at Long Beach and Rubidoux, CA, is attributable to paved road dust emissions. In an industrial area of urban central Los Angeles where there is less proximity to vegetation and domestic activities, the paved road dust contribution to airborne allergen concentrations is lower, accounting for approximately 0.5% of the total allergenic activity of the atmospheric particle samples. In conclusion, paved road dust when entrained into the atmosphere by passing traffic is a source of allergen exposure for the general population and could be more important in areas with more abundant vegetation or with closer proximity of populations to major highways than is the case for the Southern California air monitoring sites studied here.

Pb Isotopic Composition of Airborne Particulate Material from France and the Southern United Kingdom: Implications for Pb Pollution Sources in Urban Areas

PB isotopic studies of airborne particulate matter, incinerator ash, and gasoline have been carried out to determine sources of Pb pollution in urban areas from France and the southern United Kingdom. Pb 206-207 isotopes ratios in gasoline range from 1.061 to 1.094 (average values are 1.084 for France and 1.067 for the UK) while for industrially-derived Pb, Pb 206-207 isotopes ratios vary from 1.143 to 1.155. Natural Pb is more radiogenic and literature values for pre-industrial sediments give Pb 206-207 isotopes ratios of 1.19-1.20 in France and 1.17-1.19 in the UK. The measured Pb isotopic signature of airborne particulate matter reflects the relative importance of each of these sources, and samples taken from urban areas close to traffic in France and the UK show Pb 206-207 isotopes ratios that vary widely from 1.085 to 1.158. While alkyl-lead additives in gasoline are typically still the dominant source of Pb in urban particulate matter, the relative importance of gasoline-derived Pb has decreased, and as a result other sources (industrial and natural) can be identified using isotopic studies. This is a consequence of recent EU environmental legislation that significantly limits concentrations of Pb in gasoline and the increased market penetration of unleaded gasoline. In addition, at a given location, the Pb isotopic composition of particulate matter can vary considerably due to temporal variations in sources (ie variations in traffic density) and with wind direction. (A)

Determination of Platinum at Trace Levels in Environmental and Biological Materials

The treatment of exhaust gases from motor vehicles equipped with autocatalytic converters has resulted in the removal of about 90% of carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides from the exhaust. However, contamination of the environment occurs in the form of airborne particulate material (or dust) from the abrasion and deterioration of the catalysts. The dust contains precious metals, mainly platinum together with palladium and rhodium. It is deposited along the roadways, on soil and vegetation, and in bodies of water. Sensitive analytical methods are required for determinations of very low levels of platinum in environmental samples in order to ascertain the extent and the seriousness of this relatively new source of pollution. The difficulties in obtaining accurate results in analyses even for total platinum concentrations are formidable. This review is a summary of recent research on the determinations of platinum and other precious metals in dust, vegetation, soil, water, and biologic...

Mutagenicity of airborne particulate organic material from urban and industrial areas of São Paulo, Brazil

The mutagenicity of airborne particulate matter at three different sites within the São Paulo urban area and the Cubatão industrial area, São Paulo State, Brazil, was evaluated using the Salmonella mutagenicity assay over a year's period (June 1990–May 1991). Total suspended particles (TSP) were collected using a Hi-vol sampler and exracted with methylene chloride by ultrasonication. Pooled seasonal extracts were tested using S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100 with and without metabolic activation (S9) and TA98NR and TA98/1,8-DNP 6 without metabolic activation. Organic extracts of the samples with the highest monthly TSP concentration were also assayed for mutagenicity. All samples collected at São Paulo and Cubatão showed mutagenicity with strain TA98, and in general the addition of S9 did not modify the mutagenic response, suggesting the prevalence of direct-acting frameshift mutagens in the atmosphere of these sites. The mutagenicity detected in the urban areas of São Paulo (mainly downtown) was much higher than in the Cubatão industrial area and similar to the more urbanized cities in the world, where vehicle emissions are the major pollution source. Results obtained with the strains TA98NR and TA98/1,8-DNP 6 suggested the presence of mononitro- and dinitroarenes contributed to the mutagenicity of these atmospheric samples. A seasonal variation was observed with higher levels of frameshift mutagens during Spring in São Paulo and Summer in Cubatão. During the Winter, more significant responses were found with strain TA100 in the presence of S9 at all sites. Monthly samples presented high levels of mutagenicity during the period of June to November. Results from this research provide support for Air Pollution Control Programs in the detection of the more potent organic mutagenic compounds in the atmosphere and may help in the establishment of priorities for control and regulatory actions.

Lung retention and bioavailability of arsenic after single intratracheal administration of sodium arsenite, sodium arsenate, fly ash and copper smelter dust in the hamster

Arsenic is present in airborne particulate material released by coal-fired power plants and non-ferrous metal smelters. We have assessed whether the physico-chemical properties of arsenic in such particles play a role in its lung retention and uptake by the body. Female hamsters were given a single intratracheal instillation of fly ash or copper smelter dust suspensions (at doses of 50 or 100 μg As kg(-1)) or identical amounts of soluble tri- and pentavalent arsenic, in the presence or absence of an inert dust material (tungsten carbide). The concentration of the element was measured in a 24 hour urine sample collected on the 1st, 2nd and 6th day after treatment and arsenic remaining in lung tissue was determined at the end of the same time periods. Both lung retention and urinary As excretion indicate a prolonged contact of the lung tissue with particulate As in contrast to soluble As salts. In addition to the effect of solubility described here, more research is needed to determine the effect of particle size and lung loading on retention, as well as the potential differences in the lung inflammatory response using arsenic-rich particulates from various sources.

Determination of Sb, Ni and V in slurry from airborne particulate material collected on filter by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A microdigestion procedure performed directly in the autosampler cup is proposed. Small quartz filter pieces loaded with the particulate material are transferred to the cup. The sample is digested by a mixture of nitric, sulfuric and hydrofluoric acid (1:1:1) under sonication. After the addition of a boric acid solution the elements are determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry using the autosampler to deliver the slurry into the furnace. A mixture of palladium and magnesium nitrates was used as a modifier for Sb. Spiking studies showed recoveries close to 100% using aqueous analytical curves for Ni and Sb. For V, an analytical curve in the blank slurry, obtained by submitting an unloaded filter to the same procedure, was used. The method was applied to two standard reference materials, Coal Fly Ash (NIST 1633a) and Urban Particulate (NIST 1648) and the concentrations showed good agreement with the certified or recommended values using aqueous analytical solutions.

The solubility and partitioning of atmospherically derived trace metals in artificial and natural waters: A review

Airborne particulate material contributes significant quantities of trace elements to surface waters. Metals may be partially transferred from airborne particulate material to the aqueous phase while they are still in the atmosphere, but transfer to solution is most important when the particles contact surface waters. In both artificial and natural waters, appreciable fractions of most metals dissolve within minutes. This is followed by a further, slower dissolution over a period of hours or days. Dissolved metals interact with natural organic material and mineral particles. Interactions with organics and metal oxides are now sufficiently understood for them to be modelled by considering surface charges and chemical binding. More measurements on natural systems are required to validate these models and to establish the respective importance and roles of organic and inorganic interactions. Compared to sea water, data on fresh water are scarce. In view of their compositional variability and the relatively high concentrations of trace metals which they often contain, there is an urgent need for systematic investigations of the partitioning of metals in fresh waters.