Review on recent progress in observations, source identifications and countermeasures of PM2.5.

Seasonal variations and chemical characteristics of PM2.5 in Wuhan, central China

Characterization and source apportionment of PM 2.5 based on error estimation from EPA PMF 5.0 model at a medium city in China

The seasonal changes in ambient mass concentrations and chemical composition of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were investigated in three locations in Poland. The analyses included PM2.5-bound hazardous benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), As, Ni, Cd, and Pb. The samples of PM2.5 were collected daily in Katowice (southern Poland, urban background site), Gdansk, and Diabla Gora (northern Poland, urban and regional background sites, respectively) during 1-year-long campaign in 2010. Based on monthly ambient concentrations of PM2.5-bound carbon (organic and elemental), water-soluble ions (Na+, NH4
 +, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl−, NO3
 −, SO4
 2−), and elements As, Ni, Cd, Pb, Ti, Al, Fe, the chemical mass closure of PM2.5 was checked for each of the four seasons of the year and for the heating and non-heating periods at each site. Also, the annual concentrations of PM2.5 were determined and the annual PM2.5 mass closure checked. At each measuring point, the PM2.5 concentrations were high compared to its Polish yearly permissible value, 25 μg/m3, and its concentrations elsewhere in Europe. The highest annual PM2.5 concentration, 43 μg/m3, occurred in Katowice; it was twice the annual PM2.5 concentration in Gdansk, and thrice the one in Diabla Gora. The high annual averages were due to very high monthly concentrations in the heating period, which were highest in the winter. PM2.5 consisted mainly of carbonaceous matter (elemental carbon (EC) + organic matter (OM), the sum of elemental carbon, EC, and organic matter, OM; its annual mass contributions to PM2.5 were 43, 31, and 33 % in Katowice, Gdansk, and Diabla Gora, respectively), secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA), the Na_Cl group, and crustal matter (CM)—in the decreasing order of their yearly mass contributions to PM2.5. OM, EC, SIA, Na_Cl, and CM accounted for almost 81 % of the PM2.5 mass in Katowice, 74 % in Gdansk, and 90 % in Diabla Gora. The annual average toxic metal contribution to the PM2.5 mass was not greater than 0.2 % at each site. In Katowice and Gdansk, the yearly ambient BaP concentrations were high (15.4 and 3.2 ng/m3, respectively); in rural Diabla Gora, the concentrations of BaP were almost equal to 1 ng/m3, the Polish BaP annual limit. The great seasonal fluctuations of the shares of the component groups in PM2.5 and of the concentrations of PM2.5 and its components are due to the seasonal fluctuations of the emissions of PM and its precursors from hard and brown coal combustion for energy production, growing in a heating season, reaching maximum in winter, and decreasing in a non-heating period. In Gdansk, northern Poland, especially in the spring and autumn, sea spray might have affected the chemical composition of PM2.5. The greatest hazard from PM2.5 occurs in Katowice, southern Poland, in winter, when very high concentrations of PM2.5 and PM2.5-related carbonaceous matter, including BaP, are maintained by poor natural ventilation in cities, weather conditions, and the highest level of industrialization in Poland. In less industrialized northern Poland, where the aeration in cities is better and rather gaseous than solid fuels are used, the health hazard from ambient PM2.5 is much lower.

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Spatial and seasonal variability of the mass concentration and chemical composition of PM2.5 in Poland

Fine particulate matter (PM) in the ambient air is implicated in a variety of human health issues throughout the globe. Regulation of fine PM in the atmosphere requires information on the dimension of the problem with respect to variations in concentrations and sources. To understand the current status of fine particles in the atmosphere and their potential harmful health effects in different regions of the world this review article was prepared based on peer-reviewed scientific papers, scientific reports, and database from government organizations published after the year 2000 to evaluate the global scenario of the PM2.5 (particles <2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter), its exceedance of national and international standards, sources, mechanism of toxicity, and harmful health effects of PM2.5 and its components. PM2.5 levels and exceedances of national and international standards were several times higher in Asian countries, while levels in Europe and USA were mostly well below the respective standards. Vehicular traffic has a significant influence on PM2.5 levels in urban areas; followed by combustion activities (biomass, industrial, and waste burning) and road dust. In urban atmosphere, fine particles are mostly associated with different health effects with old aged people, pregnant women, and more so children being the most susceptible ones. Fine PM chemical constituents severely effect health due to their carcinogenic or mutagenic nature. Most of the research indicated an exceedance of fine PM level of the standards with a diverse array of health effects based on PM2.5 chemical constituents. Emission reduction policies with epidemiological studies are needed to understand the benefits of sustainable control measures for fine PM mitigation.

A Global Perspective of Fine Particulate Matter Pollution and Its Health Effects.

The paper discusses ambient concentrations of PM(25) (ambient fine particles) and of 29 PM(25)-related elements in Zabrze and Katowice, Poland, in 2007 The elemental composition of PM(25) was determined using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) The mobility (cumulative percentage of the water-soluble and exchangeable fractions of an element in its total concentration) of 18 PM(25)-related elements in Zabrze and Katowice was computed by using sequential extraction and EDXRF combined into a simple method The samples were extracted twice: in deionized water and in ammonium acetate In general, the mobility and the concentrations of the majority of the elements were the same in both cities S, Cl, K, Ca, Zn, Br, Ba, and Pb in both cities, Ti and Se in Katowice, and Sr in Zabrze had the mobility greater than 70% Mobility of typical crustal elements, Al, Si, and Ti, because of high proportion of their exchangeable fractions in PM, was from 40 to 66% Mobility of Fe and Cu was lower than 30% Probable sources of PM(25) were determined by applying principal component analysis and multiple regression analysis and computing enrichment factors Great part of PM(25) (78% in Katowice and 36% in Zabrze) originated from combustion of fuels in domestic furnaces (fossil fuels, biomass and wastes, etc) and liquid fuels in car engines Other identified sources were: power plants, soil, and roads in Zabrze and in Katowice an industrial source, probably a non-ferrous smelter or/and a steelwork, and power plants

PM(2.5) in the central part of Upper Silesia, Poland: concentrations, elemental composition, and mobility of components

Comparative assessment of air quality in two health resorts using carbon isotopes and palynological analyses

Prace Naukowe Instytutu Inzynierii Ochrony Środowiska Politechniki Wroclawskiej 90. Monografie 55

/pdf/metody-identyfikacji-odorotworczych-gazow-emitowanych-z-2q33wrlrxv.pdf

Metody identyfikacji odorotwórczych gazów emitowanych z obiektów przemysłowych

Ambient PM2.5 aerosol samples were collected from Wroclaw residential area between January and April 2009, and their elemental compositions were studied. The mean mass concentration of PM2.5 was 36±21 μg/m. Based on the variability in elemental composition of atmospheric aerosols, using principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression (MLRA), four main sources of fine particulate matter were identified: road dust (54%), combustion of liquid fuels (4%), soil /mineral material (15%); industrial emission (10%). Also in the analysis of these data, two road dust components were identified with one being associated with local wood burning and the other with road salt.

http://epe.pwr.wroc.pl/2012/1_2012/08sowka.pdf

PM2.5 elemental composition and source apportionment in a residential area of Wrocław, Poland

Spider webs found in polluted areas could absorb air contaminants. In order to check their cumulative ability, two different study sites had been chosen in Wrocław (in the area of wet ponds and in the residential district of Biskupin) where spider silk was collected (after 10 days from the time of its construction). Web types of appropriate thickness and size were chosen for analyses. The representatives of Agelenidae family belonging to two species Malthonica silvestris and Malthonica ferruginea proved to be the most adequate for further studies. The level of selected heavy metal cumulation was assessed (Pb, Zn, Pt) in the collected samples. As the background, the level of air pollution concerning dust and selected heavy metals was also analysed by classic methods. Based on the web analysis, it was found that site 2 (Biskupin) exhibited the highest level of pollution with some metals. Similar results were obtained with the application of classic methods. The results of research are promising and confirm the possibility of obtaining a practical tool for the indication of air pollutants based on spiders silk, particularly on webs belonging to Agelenidae family.

I. Sówka

Papers

PM(2.5) in the central part of Upper Silesia, Poland: concentrations, elemental composition, and mobility of components

Comparative assessment of air quality in two health resorts using carbon isotopes and palynological analyses

Metody identyfikacji odorotwórczych gazów emitowanych z obiektów przemysłowych

PM2.5 elemental composition and source apportionment in a residential area of Wrocław, Poland

Preliminary assessment of use of spider webs for the indication of air contaminants