Trace Elemental Composition in PM10 and PM2.5 Collected in Cardiff, Wales

Abstract

A Dichotomous Sampler Model 241 was used to collect PM10 and PM2.5 samples, from midnight to midnight on every other day, from December 2009 to December 2010. Ca, K, Mg, Na, Al, Pb, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cd, and Fe were determined by Atomic absorption Spectrometer (AAS). The mass concentration ranged from 18.0 to 83.3 μg/m3, with an annual average of 37. 9 μg/m3 for PM10. The mass concentration of PM2.5 ranged from 3.0 to 36.0 μg/m3 with an annual average of 14.1 μg/m. Most of the elements in both PM fractions were abundant in the winter season. A good correlation was observed between PM10 and PM2.5.Enrichment factors (EF) for elements in PM10 and PM2.5 were calculated and indicate that elements from anthropogenic origins such as Zn, Pb, Cu, Cr and Cd were highly enriched with respect to crustal elements Al, Fe and Ca.