An integrated approach to identify the origin of PM10 exceedances

Amodio, M.; Andriani, E.; de Gennaro, G.; Demarinis Loiotile, A.; Di Gilio, A.; Placentino, M. C.

An integrated approach to identify the origin of PM10 exceedances

2012

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to the development of an integrated approach for the characterization of particulate matter (PM) pollution events in the South of Italy. METHODS: PM10 and PM2.5 daily samples were collected from June to November 2008 at an urban background site located in Bari (Puglia Region, South of Italy). Meteorological data, particle size distributions and atmospheric dispersion conditions were also monitored in order to provide information concerning the different features of PM sources. RESULTS: The collected data allowed suggesting four indicators to characterize different PM10 exceedances. PM2.5/PM10 ratio, natural radioactivity, aerosol maps and back-trajectory analysis and particle distributions were considered in order to evaluate the contribution of local anthropogenic sources and to determine the different origins of intrusive air mass coming from long-range transport, such as African dust outbreaks and aerosol particles from Central and Eastern Europe. The obtained results were confirmed by applying principal component analysis to the number particle concentration dataset and by the chemical characterization of the samples (PM10 and PM2.5). CONCLUSIONS: The integrated approach for PM study suggested in this paper can be useful to support the air quality managers for the development of cost-effective control strategies and the application of more suitable risk management approaches.

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