Seasonal variation and source apportionment of PM2.5-bound trace elements at a coastal area in southwestern Taiwan

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the seasonal variations and source apportionment on atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM) mass and associated trace element concentrations at a coastal area, in Chiayi County of southwestern Taiwan. Particle measurements were conducted in 2015. Twenty-three trace elements in PM were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Multiple approaches of the enrichment factor (EF) analysis and positive matrix fraction (PMF) model were used to identify potential sources of PM-bound trace elements. Daily mean concentration of PM in cold season (25.41 μg m) was higher than that in hot season (13.10 μg m). The trace elements contributed 11.02 and 10.74% in total PM mass concentrations in cold season and hot season, respectively. The results of EF analysis confirmed that Sb, Mo, and Cd were the top three anthropogenic trace elements in the PM; furthermore, carcinogenic elements (Cr, Ni, and As) and other trace elements (Na, K, V, Cu, Zn, Sr, Sn, Ba, and Pb) were attributable to anthropogenic emissions in both cold and hot seasons; however, highly enriched Li and Mn were observed only in cold season. The PMF model identified four main sources: iron and steel industry, soil and road dust, coal combustion, and traffic-related emission. Each of these sources has an annual mean contribution of 8.2, 27.5, 11.2, and 53.1%, respectively, to PM. The relative dominance of each identified source varies with changing seasons. The highest contributions occurred in cold season for iron and steel industry (66.2%), in hot season for traffic-related emission (58.4%), soil and road dust (22.0%), and coal combustion (2.8%). These findings revealed that the PM mass concentration, PM-bound trace element concentrations, and their contributions were various by seasons.

Effects of Particulate Matter Education on Self-Care Knowledge Regarding Air Pollution, Symptom Changes, and Indoor Air Quality among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

“…The adjusted covariates varied for the different dependent variables and are detailed in the legend of Tables. More importantly, in PM concentrations we adjusted for meteorological influences including season, raining, temperature, humidity, and wind velocity based on previous studies [30,31]. The intervention effect was confirmed if the two-way interaction effect was significant.…”

“…The calibration was performed before collecting the data to improve accuracy and reliability. Since PM concentrations are affected by meteorological influences, such as temperature, humidity, wind velocity, and indoor emissions, those variables were treated as confounders [30,31]. According to the 2012 Environment Protection Administration of Taiwan air quality standards [32], the daily mean or 24-h maximum of PM 10 is 125 µg/m 3 , and that of PM 2.5 is 35 µg/m 3 .…”

Recent Developments in the Determination of PM2.5 Chemical Composition

“…For example, Cu, Pb, Se, and As were found to be the highest inorganic elements in PM 2.5 sample collected in Mountain Tai by using ICP-MS, and these inorganic elements mainly come from coal-fired power plants (Qie et al 2018 ). With ICP-MS, 23 kinds of trace inorganic elements in PM 2.5 sample collected in south Taiwan were detected, and their concentrations in cold season were higher than those in hot season (Hwang et al 2018 ). The method detection limits were in the range 1.83 × 10 − 2 –24.3 µg L −1 for all selected trace elements.…”

Tracing Sources of PM10 in Central Taiwan by using Chemical Characteristics and Pb Isotope Ratios: Local Versus Long-range Transport

“…3). An earlier study found that emissions from steel industry was the dominant source of PM 2.5 during the cold season in Chiayi County, Taiwan (where site #6 is located) because of the high content of Ca, Ti, Pb, and Fe [46]. After investigating the metal compositions of lterable stack total suspended particles emitted from industrial activities in Taiwan, Lin et al [47] 3, Fig.…”