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Chemical Characterization and Source Apportionment of Size-Segregated Aerosol Collected at an Urban Site in Sicily

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Abstract

Aerosol samples were collected at Catania (Italy), from 16 March to 13 June 2005. The sampling was performed using a low pressure five-stage Berner cascade impactor. The samples were analysed for total aerosol mass, Water Soluble Organic Carbon (WSOC), Total Carbon (TC) and main inorganic ionic species. The Water-Insoluble Carbon (WINC) was derived by the difference: TC-WSOC. The samples share some common features: ammonium sulphate and carbon-containing species (both soluble and insoluble) are the largest contributors of fine particle mass, while coarse particles essentially consist of sea-salt, sodium nitrate and unaccounted PM (probably crustal material). The WINC/WSOC ratio decreases from the smallest size range to the large accumulation mode range (0.42–1.2 μm), while the \({\text{nssSO}}^{ = }_{4} \) and \( {\text{NH}}^{ + }_{4} \) contribution rises. The water-insoluble carbonaceous matter is the dominant component in the smallest particles (0.05–0.14 μm). We identified four different aerosol types, corresponding to different sources, contributing to the total particles load of the investigated urban environment: vehicular traffic, producing primary carbonaceous insoluble particles, secondary aerosols, dominating the composition of accumulation mode particles, and marine particles and mineral dust (both important components of the coarse aerosol fraction).

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by MIUR, Rome, COFIN 2004, Project “Functional and Structural Characteristics of Atmospheric Particulate Organic Matter in Urban Areas”.

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Author notes

  1. L. Emblico

    Present address: European Commission Joint Research Centre-Institute for the Environment and Sustainability-Transport and Air Quality Unit, Via E. Fermi 1, 21020, Ispra, Italy

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Scienze dell’Atmosfera e del Clima-CNR, via P. Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy

    M. Rinaldi, L. Emblico, S. Decesari, S. Fuzzi & M. C. Facchini

  2. Centro di Ricerca per l’Analisi, il Monitoraggio e le Metodologie di Minimizzazione del Rischio Ambientale, Università di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy

    V. Librando

  3. Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy

    V. Librando

Authors
  1. M. Rinaldi
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  2. L. Emblico
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  3. S. Decesari
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  4. S. Fuzzi
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  5. M. C. Facchini
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  6. V. Librando
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Correspondence to M. Rinaldi.

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Rinaldi, M., Emblico, L., Decesari, S. et al. Chemical Characterization and Source Apportionment of Size-Segregated Aerosol Collected at an Urban Site in Sicily. Water Air Soil Pollut 185, 311–321 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-007-9455-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-007-9455-4

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