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Tracing of aerosol sources in an urban environment using chemical, Sr isotope, and mineralogical characterization

  • Recent Advances in Chemistry and the Environment
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Abstract

In the framework of two national research projects (ORGANOSOL and CN-linkAIR), fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was sampled for 17 months at an urban location in the Western European Coast. The PM2.5 samples were analyzed for organic carbon (OC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), elemental carbon (EC), major water-soluble inorganic ions, mineralogical, and for the first time in this region, strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) composition. Organic matter dominates the identifiable urban PM2.5 mass, followed by secondary inorganic aerosols. The acquired data resulted also in a seasonal overview of the carbonaceous and inorganic aerosol composition, with an important contribution from primary biomass burning and secondary formation processes in colder and warmer periods, respectively. The fossil-related primary EC seems to be continually present throughout the sampling period. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios were measured on both the labile and residual PM2.5 fractions as well as on the bulk PM2.5 samples. Regardless of the air mass origin, the residual fractions are more radiogenic (representative of a natural crustal dust source) than the labile fractions, whose 87Sr/86Sr ratios are comparable to that of seawater. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios and the mineralogical composition data further suggest that sea salt and mineral dust are important primary natural sources of fine aerosols throughout the sampling period.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) (UID/AMB/50017/2013; University of Aveiro), CICECO—Aveiro Institute of Materials, (UID/CTM/50011/2013; University of Aveiro), and the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT), through the European Social Fund (ESF) and “Programa Operacional Potencial Humano e POPH.” FCT is also acknowledged for a post-doctoral (Regina M.B.O. Duarte, SFRH/BPD/102882/2014) and a Ph.D. grant (João T.V. Matos, SFRH/BD/84247/2012). This work was funded by FEDER under the Operational Program for Competitiveness Factors e COMPETE and by National funds via FCT within the framework of research projects ORGANOSOL (PTDC/CTE-ATM/118551/2010) and CN-linkAIR (PTDC/AAG-MAA/2584/2012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, CICECO and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    Regina M. B. O. Duarte

  2. Department of Chemistry and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    João T. V. Matos, Andreia S. Paula, Sónia P. Lopes & Armando C. Duarte

  3. Department of Geosciences and GeoBioTec, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    Sara Ribeiro, José Francisco Santos, Carla Patinha & Eduardo Ferreira da Silva

  4. Department of Chemistry and CICECO, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal

    Rosário Soares

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  1. Regina M. B. O. Duarte
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  2. João T. V. Matos
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  3. Andreia S. Paula
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  4. Sónia P. Lopes
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  5. Sara Ribeiro
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  6. José Francisco Santos
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  7. Carla Patinha
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  8. Eduardo Ferreira da Silva
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  9. Rosário Soares
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  10. Armando C. Duarte
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Correspondence to Regina M. B. O. Duarte.

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Duarte, R.M.B.O., Matos, J.T.V., Paula, A.S. et al. Tracing of aerosol sources in an urban environment using chemical, Sr isotope, and mineralogical characterization. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 11006–11016 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7793-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7793-8

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