Determination of water-soluble elements in PM2.5, PM10, and PM2.5-10 collected in the surroundings of power plants

Abstract

Abstract. The analysis reported in this study was performed to characterize the concentrations and water-soluble content of trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb and Se) in PM2.5, PM10 and PM2.5-10 samples collected in the surroundings of power plants in southern Poland. The solubility of trace elements bound to PM2.5 and PM10 was higher than for PM2.5-10, and in most cases, significant differences were revealed in the relative percentage concentrations of the water-soluble fractions. The occurrence of Cd, Cr, Mn, Ni, Pb and Se in first PCA (Principal Component Analysis) factor (PC1) − indicate coal combustion processes as the potential source of these elements. Other factors indicate two further anthropogenic sources: the resuspension of road dust due to vehicular activities and waste burning in domestic sources − factor (PC2), and, soil dust sources affected by fugitive dust from the mining processes and unpaved roads, as well as transportation and deposition of coal −factor (PC3).

Fractionation of trace elements and human health risk of submicron particulate matter (PM1) collected in the surroundings of coking plants

“…Investigations conducted by Wiseman and Zereini ( 2014 ) revealed the high solubility of As and Sb in an artificially prepared body fluid that naturally occurs in human lungs. The author’s research (Zajusz-Zubek 2016 ) also revealed the highest percentage contents of these elements in the most mobile fraction F1. This may indicate a high health risk due to the content of the listed elements at the selected measurement points.…”

“…Moreover, in the vicinity of coking plants, a relatively high content of Pb in the carbonate and oxide fraction (F2) in PM2.5 and PM10 was found, reaching 46.36 and 50.49%, respectively. The results of these investigations have been presented in the author’s publication (Zajusz-Zubek 2016 ). The presence of Pb, mainly in the F2 fraction in total suspended particulates (TSP), was also signaled in the investigations conducted in urban areas in China (Schleicher et al 2011 ).…”

“…In general, the highest values of the total hazard index (4.26·10 −1 ) among the examined points were noted at point K4, in the surroundings of a working coking plant. The author’s investigations (Zajusz-Zubek 2016 ) conducted in Poland in the vicinity of sources of emissions based on coal processing revealed no probability of chronic hazard for children and adults due to the toxic effect of the examined elements in mobile forms (F1 + F2) contained in PM2.5 and PM10. The total hazard index did not exceed the value of 1 at all the examined points ( HI < 1).…”

“…An analysis according to the adopted scheme involves the chemical fractionation of particulate matter in the process of sequential extraction with solutions of an increasing leaching power (Zajusz-Zubek 2016; Zajusz-Zubek et al, 2015a). Such a procedure enables the simulation of the natural and anthropogenic environmental conditions.…”

“…The adopted scheme takes into consideration the presence of elements in the following chemical fractions: exchangeable—the most bioavailable (F1)— highly mobile fraction ; related to carbonates and oxides (F2)— mobile fraction ; related to organic matter (F3)— less mobile fraction ; and permanently bound with minerals (F4)— not mobile fraction . An analysis according to the adopted scheme involves the chemical fractionation of particulate matter in the process of sequential extraction with solutions of an increasing leaching power (Zajusz-Zubek 2016 ; Zajusz-Zubek et al, 2015a ). Such a procedure enables the simulation of the natural and anthropogenic environmental conditions.…”