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Trace Metals in PM10 and PM2.5 Samples Collected in a Highly Industrialized Chemical/Petrochemical Area and Its Urbanized Surroundings

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the potential impact of a highly industrialized area on its urbanized surroundings. The area studied is home to a refinery, a thermoelectric plant and several petrochemical facilities industries. The concentrations of twelve elements were determined in PM10 and PM2.5 samples collected along a busy highway and near the petrochemical complex. Significantly higher concentrations of Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu and Al were observed in the petrochemical zone, but principal component analysis revealed similar patterns for both the highway site and a site approximately 1.5 km from the petrochemical complex, suggesting that the main pollution source in the area is vehicular flux. Higher concentrations in the industrial area may be attributed to intense diesel-powered truck and bus traffic movement, mainly due to the transport of supplies, fuel and gas. The observed concentrations of the elements Cr, Co, Ni, Cd and Pb were always lower than the detection limits of the technique used.

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Acknowledgments

The study was funded in part by FAPERJ, CNPq and CAPES. We would like to thank CENPES and ASSECAMPE for providing the facilities to perform sampling at the monitoring stations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Química, Centro de Tecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Predio A, Sala 408, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21949-900, Brazil

    Silvia dos Anjos Paulino, Rafael Lopes Oliveira, Josiane Loyola, Alan Silva Minho & Graciela Arbilla

  2. Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio de Janeiro, Campus Rio de Janeiro, Rua Senador Furtado, 121, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20270-020, Brazil

    Simone Lorena Quiterio

  3. Centro Nacional da Pesquisa do Solo, EMBRAPA, Rua Jardim Botânico 1024, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22460-000, Brazil

    Viviane Escaleira

Authors
  1. Silvia dos Anjos Paulino
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  2. Rafael Lopes Oliveira
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  3. Josiane Loyola
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  4. Alan Silva Minho
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  5. Graciela Arbilla
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  6. Simone Lorena Quiterio
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  7. Viviane Escaleira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Graciela Arbilla.

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dos Anjos Paulino, S., Oliveira, R.L., Loyola, J. et al. Trace Metals in PM10 and PM2.5 Samples Collected in a Highly Industrialized Chemical/Petrochemical Area and Its Urbanized Surroundings. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 92, 590–595 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1219-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-014-1219-4

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