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Concentration and Emission Sources of Airborne Metals in Particulate Matter in the Industrial District of Médio Paraíba, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Abstract

Total suspended particles and 12 airborne metals were determined in 4 sampling sites in the industrial region of Médio Paraíba, Brazil. The geometrical means for the four sampling locals were (in units of μg/m3): 65.9 in Barra Mansa, 57.3 in Jardim Paraíba (Volta Redonda), 41.7 in Resende, and 48.9 in Volta Grande (Volta Redonda). These values are lower than levels previously determined in urban and industrial locals of the Metropolitan Area of Rio de Janeiro. For metals, the higher concentrations were obtained for Ca, Zn, Al, Fe, and Mg. Ca, Zn, and Al levels are higher than those determined in other industrial areas. These three metals are used in steel manufacturing, the main economical activity of the region. Enrichment factors for Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb are higher than 10, suggesting an industrial input. Statistical analysis show a high correlation among Ca, Mg, Zn, Cr, Al, Mn, and Fe, all of them used as raw materials in steel manufacturing and/or accumulated as industrial blast furnace slag and steelworks slag.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge financial support from FAPERJ and CNPq. They also acknowledge the collaboration of FEEMA (Fundação Estadual de Engenharia do Meio Ambiente), in particular of Antônio Carlos Dias dos Santos and João Eustaquio Xavier, who participated in sampling compaigns. They also acknowledge the collaboration of ANA (Agência Nacional de Águas), INMET, and COORDEMA (Coordenadoria de Meio Ambiente da Prefeitura de Volta Redonda), in particular Leslie Calzavara Carreiro.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Chemistry Department, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, CT, Building A, Room 408., Cidade Universitária, 21949-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Josiane Loyola, Pierre Batista de Almeida Jr., Simone Lorena Quiterio, Célia Regina Sousa & Graciela Arbilla

  2. National Center of Soil Research. EMBRAPA, Jardim Botânico Street, 1024., 22460-000, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Viviane Escaleira

  3. State Foundation of Environmental Engineering. FEEMA, Nossa Senhora de Copacabana Avenue, 493., 22020-000, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Maria Isabel de Carvalho & Alzira dos Santos Amaral Gomes da Silva

Authors
  1. Josiane Loyola
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  2. Pierre Batista de Almeida Jr.
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  3. Simone Lorena Quiterio
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  4. Célia Regina Sousa
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  5. Graciela Arbilla
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  6. Viviane Escaleira
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  7. Maria Isabel de Carvalho
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  8. Alzira dos Santos Amaral Gomes da Silva
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Graciela Arbilla.

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Loyola, J., de Almeida, P.B., Quiterio, S.L. et al. Concentration and Emission Sources of Airborne Metals in Particulate Matter in the Industrial District of Médio Paraíba, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 51, 485–493 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-005-0313-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-005-0313-3

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