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PM2.5 monitoring during a 10-year period: relation between elemental concentration and meteorological conditions

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Abstract

Four monitoring campaigns between the years 2009 and 2018 were conducted in Córdoba City, Argentina, to detect toxic metals in PM2.5 samples. The concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Mn, Hg, Ni, and Zn, together with several other elements, were measured. The average metal concentrations followed the order: Zn > Cr > Cu > Mn > Pb > V > Ni > As ~ Sb > Cd > Tl > Pd > Hg > Pt. From the analysis of the temporal variation in the elemental concentration of PM2.5, results show seasonal variations that reach, in general, a maximum in the coldest seasons and a minimum in the warmer seasons. These differences could be explained by the different weather conditions during each season, the influence of the El Niño/La Niña regimen, and the presence of fires on certain sampling dates. The source apportionment analysis performed for the period 2017–2018 showed the contribution to PM2.5 of combustion of heavy fuel oil and diesel-powered vehicles, pet coke, metallurgical and nonferrous industries, paint plant factory, traffic, and natural sources like the soil and road dust. This last analysis completed the assignment of sources for the 10-year period of study. Thus, the results of this work contribute to the implementation of emission reduction strategies in order to decrease the impact of PM2.5 on the environment and the human health.

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Acknowledgments

Pamela B. Sanguineti would like to thank CONICET for a postdoctoral fellowship.

Funding

Funding for this work was provided by PIP 1120120100004CO, CONICET; grant number 05/C275, SeCyT-UNC; PICT 2014- 0876, ANPCyT, and the Research Proposal D09B-XRF-20160044, LNLS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Departamento de Físico Química, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    Pamela B. Sanguineti, Bethania L. Lanzaco, Mariana Achad, Gustavo G. Palancar, Luis E. Olcese & Beatriz M. Toselli

  2. Instituto de Investigaciones en Fisicoquímica de Córdoba (INFIQC)/CONICET/CLCM, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    Pamela B. Sanguineti, Bethania L. Lanzaco, Mariana Achad, Gustavo G. Palancar, Luis E. Olcese & Beatriz M. Toselli

  3. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía, Física y Computación, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    María Laura López

  4. Instituto de Física Enrique Gaviola (IFEG)/CONICET, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    María Laura López

Authors
  1. Pamela B. Sanguineti
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  2. Bethania L. Lanzaco
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  3. María Laura López
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  4. Mariana Achad
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  5. Gustavo G. Palancar
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  6. Luis E. Olcese
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  7. Beatriz M. Toselli
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Correspondence to Beatriz M. Toselli.

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Highlights

• Size segregated particulate matter (PM) was collected in the city for a 10-year period.

• Levels of toxic metal concentrations along the period were analyzed.

• The effects of different phases of ENSO were important in the PM concentrations.

• The distribution of toxic metals in the samples was analyzed and associated to PM sources.

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Sanguineti, P.B., Lanzaco, B.L., López, M.L. et al. PM2.5 monitoring during a 10-year period: relation between elemental concentration and meteorological conditions. Environ Monit Assess 192, 313 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-020-08288-0

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