The Origin of Dust Particles in Atmospheric Air in Krakow (Poland) (Atmospheric Background)

Abstract

For several decades air pollution in Krakow has been a serious and an unresolved environmental and social problem. The causes of high concentration of particulate matter, such as PM10 and PM2.5 in Krakow are both natural and anthropogenic. Nevertheless, the sources of dust pollution have not been fully determined yet. The main source of dust in Krakow is local emissions, however, particles from adjacent areas might also contribute significantly to the pollution. Transboundary dust should also be taken into account while investigating the problem. The aim of the study is to determine what type of particles are present in the atmospheric air in Krakow and to make an attempt at determining their sources. The analytical method applied in the study was the Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS). In addition, the HYSPLIT model was used for data analysis and for determination of particles source areas. The analysis of individual dust particles indicates that they are very diverse in terms of chemical composition and particle size. Moreover, the analysis shows that the particles are of various origins, such as anthropogenic and natural, as well as that some of them are formed in the air by chemical reactions. The analysis of particulate matter demonstrates that the majority of it consists of particles with a diameter of less than 1 μm. The concentration of very fine soot particles (nanoparticles) seems to be the highest, however, spherical aluminosilicate particles such as iron and titanium oxides are also found.

Physico-chemical characterization of indoor settled dust in Children's microenvironments in Ikeja and Ota, Nigeria

“…Also, a previous study on the exposure of fly ash in children's homes by Zierold et al [ 32 ] describes fly ash particles as being smoothly spherical and characterized by silicon, sulphur, potassium, calcium and iron [ 33 ]. The soot particles indicated in Pietras's [ 14 ] work had elongated and branched shapes that are different from this study's micrograph. This variation in the micrograph of the soot particles depends on the type and source of fuel used, the combustion process, and smog reactions in the atmosphere [ 14 ].…”

“…The soot particles indicated in Pietras's [ 14 ] work had elongated and branched shapes that are different from this study's micrograph. This variation in the micrograph of the soot particles depends on the type and source of fuel used, the combustion process, and smog reactions in the atmosphere [ 14 ]. Soot aggregates deposited on alumino silicate particles: The SEM micrograph in location H ( Fig.…”

“…Furthermore, children's increased exposure to dust particles in an indoor environment, combined with their developing physiology, can lead to serious health problems like wheezing, sneezing coughing, and asthma [ 12 ]. Certain constituents in indoor dust, such as pollen grains, soot, coarse mineral particles and alumina, have some health consequences, such as asthma, bronchitis, coronary heart diseases and cancer [ [13] , [14] , [15] ]. A high concentration of skin cells in a dust sample, for example, could indicate a malfunctioning or insufficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) filtering system in an indoor environment [ 16 ].…”

Black Crust from Historic Buildings as a Natural Indicator of Air Pollution: A Case Study of the Lipowiec Castle, Babice, Southern Poland

“…This may be due to the very small dimensions of these particles, along with the phenomenon of fluorescence, which hampers the registration of spectra. The iron oxide particles are typical for emissions from the metallurgical industry, but they could also be associated with emissions from coal power plants [59]. Similarly, spherical particles and aggregates, with chemical composition comparable to all of those from the crust samples analysed in this study, were observed in the soils sampled near the Zn-Pb metallurgical plant in nearby Bukowno.…”

“…Nevertheless, the origin of the soot particles is difficult to determine. Their morphology, sizes, and shapes vary, depending on type of the fuel burned, combustion processes (temperature, cooling rate of the exhaust gases), and chemical reactions in the atmosphere [59]. Raman micro-spectroscopy analyses provided significant data for the characteristics of these particles.…”