Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) and PM2.5 samples simultaneously collected at a coastal site (40.4°N; 18.1°E) in the central Mediterranean are analyzed to investigate the relative role of ions (Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) and carbonaceous species in the fine (PM2.5) and coarse (TSP-PM2.5) sampled mass and contribute to the characterization of the Central Mediterranean particulate. A methodology is described to determine carbonate carbon (CC), organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC) levels from Thermal Optical Transmittance (TOT) measurements since carbonate particles may significantly contribute to the Mediterranean particulate. We have found that CC levels vary up to 1.7 $\mu$g/m3 and 0.8 $\mu$g/m3 in the coarse and fine fraction, respectively. OC and EC levels vary up to 3.0 $\mu$g/m3 and 1.5 $\mu$g/m3, respectively in the coarse fraction, and vary within the 2.2-10 $\mu$g/m3 and 0.5-5 $\mu$g/m3 range, respectively in the fine fraction. Hence, it is shown that OC levels may be quite overestimated mainly in the coarse fraction, if the CC contribution is not accounted for. CO32- levels (calculated from CC concentrations) account on average for 6% and 10% of the fine (PM2.5) and coarse (TSP-PM2.5) sampled mass, respectively and allow balancing the anion deficit resulting from the ionic balance of ions detected by ion-chromatography (IC). Total carbon TC = (OC+EC) accounts on average for 29% and 6% of the fine and coarse mass, respectively. IC ions account for 38% and 17% of the fine and coarse mass, respectively. OC, EC, SO42-, NH4+, and K+ are the major components in the fine fraction, accounting on average for 84% of the analyzed PM2.5mass. Marine- and crust-originated ions (Cl-, Mg2+, Na+, Ca2+, CO32-) and NO3- are mainly in the coarse fraction and represent on average 83% of the analyzed coarse mass. A discussion on the main reactions leading to the loss of ammonium particulate in the coarse fraction is provided. It is also shown that the Cl-/Na+ ratio varies within the 0.1-0.8 and 0.0-1.0 range in the fine and coarse particle fraction, respectively for the occurrence of Cl depletion processes.
Composition of Fine and Coarse Particles in a coastal site of the Central Mediterranean: carbonaceous specie contributions / M. R., Perrone; A., Piazzalunga; Prato, Marco; I., Carofalo. - In: ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT. - ISSN 1352-2310. - STAMPA. - 45:39(2011), pp. 7470-7477. [10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.04.030]
Composition of Fine and Coarse Particles in a coastal site of the Central Mediterranean: carbonaceous specie contributions
PRATO, Marco;
2011
Abstract
Total Suspended Particulate (TSP) and PM2.5 samples simultaneously collected at a coastal site (40.4°N; 18.1°E) in the central Mediterranean are analyzed to investigate the relative role of ions (Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+) and carbonaceous species in the fine (PM2.5) and coarse (TSP-PM2.5) sampled mass and contribute to the characterization of the Central Mediterranean particulate. A methodology is described to determine carbonate carbon (CC), organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC) levels from Thermal Optical Transmittance (TOT) measurements since carbonate particles may significantly contribute to the Mediterranean particulate. We have found that CC levels vary up to 1.7 $\mu$g/m3 and 0.8 $\mu$g/m3 in the coarse and fine fraction, respectively. OC and EC levels vary up to 3.0 $\mu$g/m3 and 1.5 $\mu$g/m3, respectively in the coarse fraction, and vary within the 2.2-10 $\mu$g/m3 and 0.5-5 $\mu$g/m3 range, respectively in the fine fraction. Hence, it is shown that OC levels may be quite overestimated mainly in the coarse fraction, if the CC contribution is not accounted for. CO32- levels (calculated from CC concentrations) account on average for 6% and 10% of the fine (PM2.5) and coarse (TSP-PM2.5) sampled mass, respectively and allow balancing the anion deficit resulting from the ionic balance of ions detected by ion-chromatography (IC). Total carbon TC = (OC+EC) accounts on average for 29% and 6% of the fine and coarse mass, respectively. IC ions account for 38% and 17% of the fine and coarse mass, respectively. OC, EC, SO42-, NH4+, and K+ are the major components in the fine fraction, accounting on average for 84% of the analyzed PM2.5mass. Marine- and crust-originated ions (Cl-, Mg2+, Na+, Ca2+, CO32-) and NO3- are mainly in the coarse fraction and represent on average 83% of the analyzed coarse mass. A discussion on the main reactions leading to the loss of ammonium particulate in the coarse fraction is provided. It is also shown that the Cl-/Na+ ratio varies within the 0.1-0.8 and 0.0-1.0 range in the fine and coarse particle fraction, respectively for the occurrence of Cl depletion processes.
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