Chemical Fractionation in Environmental Studies of Potentially Toxic Particulate-Bound Elements in Urban Air: A Critical Review

Abstract

In recent years, studies of heavy metal air pollution have increasingly gone beyond determining total concentrations of individual toxic metals. Chemical fractionation of potentially toxic elements in airborne particles is becoming an important part of these studies. This review covers the articles that have been published over the last three decades. Attention was paid to the issue of atmospheric aerosol sampling, sample pretreatment, sequential extraction schemes and conditions of individual extractions. Geochemical forms of metals occurring in the air in urban areas were considered in detail. Based on the data sets from chemical fractionation of particulate matter samples by three sequential extraction procedures (SEPs)—Fernández Espinosa, BCR and Chester’s—the compilation of the chemical distribution patterns of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn was prepared. The human health risk posed by these toxic and/or carcinogenic elements via inhalation of atmospheric particles was estimated for two categories of polluted urban areas: the commonly encountered pollution level and the high pollution level.

Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi - Mineral Resources Management

“…In the Tessier procedure, the oxide fraction is extracted at a higher temperature, which increases the amount of metals bound with the Fe-Mn oxide fraction but may also mobilize metals bound with organic matter and sulfides. This problem does not occur with the SM&T procedure where the extraction is performed at room temperature (≈20°C) (Rao et al 2008(Rao et al , 2010Świetlik and Trojanowska 2008).…”

“…Currently, speciation techniques are used to assess metal fractions in bottom sediment, soil, sewage sludge, compost, ash, waste and others. Speciation analysis is important especially when assessing the suitability of waste for agrotechnological use (Förstner 1993;Świetlik and Trojanowska 2008). However, for wastes that are landfilled or destined for reuse, one-step extraction with the use of one eluent under controlled conditions is most commonly used (Rao et al 2008).…”

A Study on the Behavior of Cadmium in the Soil Solution–Plant System by the Lysimeter Method Using the 109Cd Radioactive Tracer

“…In aerosol precipitation, Cd is mainly represented by oxides (up to 71%) [ 3 ]. It was found that in solid fine atmospheric particles with a diameter of 2.5 to 10 μm (PM 2.5 –PM 10 ), the proportion of Cd mobile forms (including those extracted with weak acetic acid) reaches 50% [ 5 ].…”

The Validity of Benchmark Dose Limit Analysis for Estimating Permissible Accumulation of Cadmium

“…Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental toxicant of worldwide public health significance because numerous population-based studies suggest that exposure to Cd even at low levels adversely impacts the functions of most organs of the body [ 1 ]. Volcanic emissions, biomass and fossil fuel combustion, and cigarette smoke are sources of environmental Cd pollution [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Cd in cigarette smoke as a volatile metallic form and oxide (CdO) has a particularly high transmission rate [ 7 ].…”