PM10 spatial distribution and metals speciation study in the Bilbao metropolitan area during the 2017–2018 period. (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Morillas, Héctor; Gredilla, Ainara; Gallego-Cartagena, Euler; Upasen, Settakorn; Maguregui, Maite; Madariaga, Juan Manuel
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 259(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: PM10 -- Dispersion process -- Particulate matter transportation -- Self-made passive sampler -- Hazardous elements -- SEM-EDS; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.127482
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Abstract: Speciation of respirable particles is becoming increasingly important from an epidemiological and analytical point of view to determine the potential effects of air pollution on human health. For this reason, current laws and analytical sampling methods focus on particle size, as it turns out to be the main factor for the greater or lesser penetration into the airways. In this sense, particles of less than 10 μm in diameter (<10 μm), referred to as PM10, are the particles that have a higher capacity for access to the respiratory tract and, therefore, more significant effect on them. In this sense, one of the most important factors that have a key role in the PM10 atmospheric pollution effect is the dispersion effect with the direct influence of natural effects such as wind, rain, topography apart from others. In this work, PM10 data extracted from the Basque Government environmental stations (19 sampling points) in the Biscay province (Basque Country, north of Spain) were combined with the results obtained from the use of self-made passive samplers (SMPS) in the same sampling points areas and subsequently, the sample analysis with a non-invasive elemental technique (Scanning Electron Microscope coupled to Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry) was carried out. Thanks to this methodology, it was possible to determine a wide variety of metals in PM10 such as Al, Fe, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Ti, etc. Most of them present as oxides and others as part of natural aggregations such as quartz, aluminosilicates, phosphates etc. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: PM10 data extracted from the Basque Government environmental stations (19 different sampling points) was studied. Spatial distributions of the Annual PM10 average concentration were constructed by 3D kriging. Self-made passive sampler (SMPS) was successfully used for the HEs elemental speciation. Metal oxides, phosphates, silicates, chromates etc. Forming metal clusters were identified by SEM-EDS.