Evolution, Sources and Distribution of Mineral Particles and Amorphous Phase of Atmospheric Aerosol in An Industrial and Mediterranean Coastal Area

Abstract

The aim of this work is to propose a methodology that helps to learn about the distribution of different types of solid compounds in atmospheric aerosol, collected in an industrial area located in a Mediterranean basin that produces mineral raw materials. The work is developed from TSP samples collected daily in an open area near a ceramic production facility with a High Volume TSP sampler. The sampler permits the collection of sufficient daily quantities of particulate sample for subsequent X-ray diffraction characterisation and quantification. The results have shown that atmospheric aerosol in the area are dominated by particles coming from combustion processes, mainly vehicular traffic, and dust emissions originating when raw materials are transferred and treated. Combustion particles present a seasonal evolution. Mineral particles are mainly dependent upon weekly industrial activity and their contents suffer high increases during periods of atmospheric particle accumulation which are produced when certain meteorological conditions exist. Data have also shown an approximation of the particle distribution in aerosol from different source origins (vehicular traffic, dust emissions, secondary formation, marine aerosols). During days with intermediate pollution levels (which suppose 60% of the total) combustion particles compromise around 55 to 60% of the TSP while mineral particles coming from industrial dust emissions make up 20% of the TSP. In time intervals of atmospheric particulate accumulation these particle levels in the air can reach the legislated guideline values. During these episodes, mineral contents coming mainly from dust emissions compromise more than the 50% of the aerosol.

A laboratory investigation of the ice nucleation efficiency of three types of mineral and soil dust

“…Table 1 shows that a large weight percentage of each dust sample is made up of amorphous, non-crystalline material, with Iceland 25 dust containing as much as ~ 65%. While the exact identification and speciation of this amorphous matter is not possible, it can be composed of biological components (Formenti et al, 2008), various carbonaceous organic compounds (Gómez et al, 2005;Deboudt et al, 2010), alumosilicates (Archuleta et al, 2005), non-crystalline iron minerals (Takahashi et al, 2011), soluble material (Zhu et al, 1997) and others. A more detailed investigation into the possible identity of the amorphous matter and its effect on the INA occurs in the following section when discussing the results of the auxiliary measurements of Immediately obvious in Table 1 is the highest amount of total feldspar and K-feldspar in the Himalaya dust.…”

Deposition of heavy metals from particulate settleable matter in soils of an industrialised area

“…(Sanfeliu et al, 2002). Another important source of atmospheric particulate is the intense traffic in the study area (Gómez et al, 2005) and the presence of the petrochemical complex and power station; the main pollutants coming from these industries are fly ash, CO 2 , SO 2 and NOx. The origin of heavy metals in the study area is mainly associated to the combustion processes and to the presence of the ceramic industry and more specifically the manufacturing processes of frits, enamels and ceramic pigments .…”

“…The reason for this is that in locations like the Mediterranean coastal basin a proportion of dust depends partially upon natural processes, where the ambient dryness and low precipitation help increase the atmospheric dust content from wind erosion and transport of common soil minerals (Gómez et al, 2005). Also the older resuspension, less rainfall and greater frequency of African dust episodes occurring in summer (Querol et al, 2008) favour the presence of particulate in the atmosphere.…”

A Valuation of the Influence of Particulate Atmospheric Aerosol in Constructions of the Cultural and Architecture Patrimony of the Urban Area of Castellon (NE, Spain)

“…This fact causes an increase of the intensity of the peaks associated to materials of nonclay nature (quartz, feldspar, carbonate) in the highsize fraction, separating clay minerals in the fine fraction. The content of organic and inorganic matter of low crystallinity grade (amorphous of small particle size) decreases and concentrates in fine-size fraction, hindering the obtainment of quality diffraction patterns for this fraction (Gómez et al , 2005.…”

“…The spectra were taken with Cu Kα radiation at 40 kV and 30 mA. The diffraction patterns were recorded between 3°and 65°, steps of 0.04-0.05°and time of 2-3 s (Davis 1984;Gómez et al 2002Gómez et al , 2005. Some samples were also analysed by scanning electronic microscope with an equipment 440 LEO SEM and an EDX LINK-OXFORD micro-analysis equipment (Jordán et al 2002(Jordán et al , 2006.…”