Average daily contributions (90% CI black bar) to PM10 in relative (%, left pie charts), OPAA and OPDTT per source’s mass in absolute (OPm in nmol/min m−3, middle bar plot) and OPAA and OPDTT per ...volume in relative (OPv in %, right bar plot) values grouped according to sources common activities. Arrows indicate (additional) associations between the sources.
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•Concentrations of PM10 at the site are comparable to other Alpine valleys, however, OP levels are higher compared to European sites.•Extensive tests with PMF were performed including organic tracers.•The most important sources of PM10, OP per µg of source as well as OP per m3 at the site are biomass burning and activities related to cement production.•Sources with important contributions to PM10 do not necessarily have high OP.•An unusual chloride-rich source was identified with high OP per µg of source.
Toxicity of particulate matter (PM) depends on its sources, size and composition. We identified PM10 sources and determined their contribution to oxidative potential (OP) as a health proxy for PM exposure in an Alpine valley influenced by cement industry. PM10 filter sample chemical analysis and equivalent black carbon (eBC) were measured at an urban background site from November 2020 to November 2021. Using an optimized Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model, the source chemical fingerprints and contributions to PM10 were determined. The OP assessed through two assays, ascorbic acid (AA) and dithiothreitol (DTT), was attributed to the PM sources from the PMF model with a multiple linear regression (MLR) model. Ten factors were found at the site, including biomass burning (34, 40 and 38% contribution to annual PM10, OPAA and OPDDT, respectively), traffic (14, 19 and 7%), nitrate- and sulphate-rich (together: 16, 5 and 8%), aged sea salt (2, 2 and 0%) and mineral dust (10, 12 and 17%). The introduction of innovative organic tracers allowed the quantification of the PM primary and secondary biogenic fractions (together: 13, 8 and 21%). In addition, two unusual factors due to local features, a chloride-rich factor and a second mineral dust-rich factor (named the cement dust factor) were found, contributing together 10, 14 and 8%. We associate these two factors to different processes in the cement plant. Despite their rather low contribution to PM10 mass, these sources have one of the highest OPs per µg of source. The results of the study provide vital information about the influence of particular sources on PM10 and OP in complex environments and are thus useful for PM control strategies and actions.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Based on selected parameters, this paper aims to assess the physical-chemical water quality (PCWQ) of the Sava River in a part of the streamflow through Serbia, for the period 1997–2016. The ...spatio-temporal variations of surface water quality were determined by using One Way ANOVA, Pearson Correlation Index (PCI), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Water quality was assessed according to national and international water quality criteria. The parameter values are mostly within the permitted limits, however, on few stations, they were found to exceed the criteria levels. Better water quality was registered during the colder periods of the year. Also, better water quality was registered at SSt Šabac compared to SSt Jamena and SSt Ostružnica. PCI analysis shows a negative correlation between the T and DO and a positive correlation between the EC and PO
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-P. The PCA defined four main components that determine the greatest impact on the temporal change of water quality. These are seasonal factors, eutrophication, sediment pollution and organic pollution. As shown in the algorithm results, as long as the covariance curve is included in the four factors, no related issues are detected in the goodness of fit of reflective indicators and interior and external quality is reported with excellence. The orthogonal model, thus, stands. The seasonality factor was dominant but it has been established that the pressures in the Sava River Basin exist, and there are most pronounced through the point sources of pollution.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Recent years have seen an increase in the use of wood for energy production of over 30 %, and this trend is expected to continue due to the current energy crisis and geopolitical instability. At ...present, residential wood burning (RWB) is one of the most important sources of organic aerosols (OAs) and black carbon (BC), posing a significant risk to air quality and health. Simultaneously, as a substantial aerosol source, RWB also holds relevance in the context of aerosol radiative effects and climate. While BC is recognized for its large light absorption cross-section, the role of OAs in light absorption is still under evaluation due to their heterogeneous composition and source-dependent optical properties. Existing studies that characterize wood-burning aerosol emissions in Europe primarily concentrate on urban and background sites and focus on BC properties. Despite the significant RWB emissions in rural areas, these locations have received comparatively less attention. The present scenario underscores the imperative for an improved understanding of RWB pollution, aerosol optical properties, and their subsequent connection to climate impacts, particularly in rural areas.
Residential wood combustion is a widespread practice in
Europe with a serious impact on air quality, especially in mountainous
areas. While there is a significant number of studies conducted in deep
...urbanized valleys and basins, little is known about the air pollution
processes in rural shallow hollows, where around 30 % of the people in mountainous areas across Europe live. We aim to determine the influence of
ground temperature inversions on wood combustion aerosol pollution in hilly,
rural areas. The study uses Retje karst hollow (Loški Potok, Slovenia)
as a representative site for mountainous and hilly rural areas in central and south-eastern Europe with residential wood combustion. Sampling with a mobile
monitoring platform along the hollow was performed in December 2017 and
January 2018. The backpack mobile monitoring platform was used for the
determination of equivalent black carbon (eBC) and particulate matter
(PM) mass concentrations along the hollow. To ensure high quality of mobile measurement data, intercomparisons of mobile instruments with
reference instruments were performed at two air quality stations during
every run. Our study showed that aerosol pollution events in the relief
depression were associated with high local emission intensities originating
almost entirely from residential wood burning and shallow temperature
inversions (58 m on average). The eBC and PM mass concentrations showed
stronger associations with the potential temperature gradient (R2=0.8) than with any other meteorological parameters taken into account
(ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and precipitation). The strong association between the potential temperature
gradient and pollutant concentrations suggests that even a small number of
emission sources (total 243 households in the studied hollow) in similar
hilly and mountainous rural areas with frequent temperature inversions can
significantly increase the levels of eBC and PM and deteriorate local air quality. During temperature inversions the measured mean eBC and
PM2.5 mass concentrations in the whole hollow were as high as 4.5±2.6 and 48.0 ± 27.7 µg m−3,
respectively, which is comparable to larger European urban centres.
