Size-resolved elemental composition of aerosol particles in greater Sydney in 2002–2003
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2013-08-02
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Between November 2002 and December 2003 samples of PM2.5 and PM10 (particulate matter less than 2.5- and 10-μm aerodynamic diameter) aerosols were collected at four sites in the Sydney Basin in order to determine the spatial and seasonal variation of size-resolved aerosol chemical composition in the Sydney region and relate this to aerosol optical properties. Accelerator-based ion beam analysis was used to determine the elemental composition and black carbon (BC) was determined using the laser integrating plate method. Aerosol species were determined by multiplying a marker element by a factor based on molecular weight ratios. Mass concentrations at the rural sites were lower than at the urban sites with an average PM2.5/PM10 mass ratio of 0.5–0.6 for all sites although at the urban sites it was 0.2–0.25 in summer. For all sites BC was the dominant element, followed by Na. For the urban sites this was followed by Cl suggesting sea salt and then the soil elements Al and Si. For the rural sites the soil elements Al, Si and Ca were more important than Cl, which was found to decrease away from the coast. Analysis of aerosol species shows that BC accounts for a larger portion of PM2.5 than PM10 and sea salt and sulfate levels are higher in summer than in winter. © 2013, CSRIO Publishing.
Description
Keywords
Aerosols, Australia, Urban areas, Ion beams, Aluminium, Silicon, Sodium, Carbon black
Citation
Hallal, T., Box, G. P., Cohen, D. D., & Stelcer, E. (2013). Size-resolved elemental composition of aerosol particles in greater Sydney in 2002–2003. Environmental Chemistry, 10(4), 295-305. doi:10.1071/EN12194