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Atmospheric PM2.5 Mercury in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City

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Abstract

In this study, atmospheric mercury concentration in airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) was analyzed by ICP-MS. Samples were collected in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA), during 2013, in five locations, Northwest, Northeast (NE), Central, Southwest and Southeast, along three seasons: dry warm, rainy, and dry cold (DC). It can be observed that NE shows the highest mercury concentration (p < 0.05), where pollution events were identified. The seasonal distribution shows that samples collected during DC present the highest concentration (p < 0.05). These results are in agreement with the distribution of important mercury industrial sources located in the northern urban area as well with the temperature and wind conditions during 2013. The comparison of data obtained in this work with those of similar previous studies clearly indicates a decrease, between 2006 and 2013, of mercury content in PM2.5 collected in MCMA.

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Acknowledgements

This study was performed with financial support of Project 166295 from CONACyT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología) and Project CPSG/087A/2014 FA from the SECyTI (Secretaría de Ciencia Tecnología e Inovación) as well as from Project IN102815 from DGAPA (Dirección General de Personal Académico, UNAM).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico, Cd. de México, Mexico

    Ofelia Morton-Bermea, Elizabeth Hernández-Álvarez & Sara L. Ordoñez-Godínez

  2. Posgrado en Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. de México, Mexico

    Rodrigo Garza-Galindo

  3. Centro de Ciencias de la Atmósfera, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. de México, Mexico

    Omar Amador-Muñoz, Javier Miranda & Irma Rosas-Pérez

  4. Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510, Mexico, Cd. de México, Mexico

    Laura Beramendi-Orosco

Authors
  1. Ofelia Morton-Bermea
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  2. Rodrigo Garza-Galindo
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  3. Elizabeth Hernández-Álvarez
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  4. Sara L. Ordoñez-Godínez
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  5. Omar Amador-Muñoz
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  6. Laura Beramendi-Orosco
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  7. Javier Miranda
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  8. Irma Rosas-Pérez
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Correspondence to Ofelia Morton-Bermea.

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Morton-Bermea, O., Garza-Galindo, R., Hernández-Álvarez, E. et al. Atmospheric PM2.5 Mercury in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 100, 588–592 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-018-2288-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-018-2288-6

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