Elemental and Ionic Concentrations in the Urban Aerosol in Antwerp, Belgium

Abstract

The results of a study of the elemental and ionic composition of the ambient aerosol in and around Antwerp are presented. Four sampling campaigns were performed, covering all seasons. The samples were obtained by filtration and impaction methods. Subsequently, the filters were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for elements, and the impactor substrates were leached with water and analyzed by ion chromatography for ions. When comparing the results of the chemical analysis with the meteorological information, it was found that the concentration of certain elements and ions in aerosol samples was affected considerably by the location of the sampling site and by the meteorological conditions. In relatively less polluted places like small towns and rural regions around Antwerp, the concentrations of some elements and ions showed qualitatively a positive or negative correlation in their time variations with the amount of precipitation. Hence, we suppose that in the first case these elements and ions are contained mainly in the more hygroscopic fraction (the most apparent is the behavior of Na and Cl), and that in the second case, the elements are mainly present in the less hygroscopic fraction of the ambient aerosol. However, this behavior of the elements and ions may be different for various particle size ranges. In the highly urbanized and industrial sites close to the central and industrial parts of Antwerp, these correlations were not found. This could be connected with the high and variable local aerosol generation rate, when only heavy rains are able to provide a sufficient removal of the aerosols from the atmosphere.

Influence of local and regional sources on the observed spatial and temporal variability of size resolved atmospheric aerosol mass concentrations and water-soluble species in the Athens metropolitan area

“…However, Na þ and K þ the only species to display three modes with the intermediate mode at around 1 mm not corresponding to an anion analysed here. It is possible that this is an indication that the marine and terrestrial borne particles have two distinct coarse modes as indicated by other studies elsewhere bothe for crustal elements (Eleftheriadis and Colbeck, 2001) and ionic species (Deutsch et al, 2004). On the other hand an intermediate mode for K þ was observed also in background aerosol and may originate from biomass burning.…”

Optimization of Measurement Conditions of an Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer with High-Energy Polarized Beam Excitation for Analysis of Aerosol Filters

“…Numerous researchers apply XRF to analyze aerosols collected in different locations in order to estimate the level of air pollution. About 50-100 articles have been published annually, over the last two decades, on X-ray emission spectrometry for aerosol analysis, e.g., Marcazzan et al, 1,2 Injuk et al, 3 Samek et al, 4 and Deutsch et al 5 used the energydispersive (ED) mode of XRF. Conventional EDXRF has the advantages of moderate cost and the possibility of determining simultaneously a wide range of elements, as well as the possibility of automatic running; no dissolution step is required prior to analysis.…”

Atomic spectrometry update. X-Ray fluorescence spectrometry

“…The importance of sampling strategy has been a recurring theme throughout this review period for investigations into elemental characterisation and the mobility of airborne particulates. Deutsch et al 290 used filtration and impaction methods to collect samples representing all four seasons of the year. They found that element concentrations were affected by both the location of the sampling site and meteorological conditions, as only heavy rains were able to provide sufficient removal of the aerosols from the atmosphere.…”