Aerosol source apportionment around a large coal fired power plant—Thermoelectric Complex Jorge Lacerda, Santa Catarina, Brazil

The Thermoelectric Complex Jorge Lacerda (TCJL) is located in the Southern part of Brazil, at the community of Capivari de Baixo, in the state of Santa Catarina, 130 km from Florianópolis. The TCJL is the largest coal burning thermoelectric complex of Latin America, formed by seven power plants and with a total capacity of 832 MW. Two aerosol-sampling campaigns were performed, during summer and winter seasons, in 12 different sites around the TCJL with aerosol collection for 10 sampling days each site. Stacked filter units were used to collect fine and coarse aerosol particles and trace element analysis by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry(ICP-MS ) was performed in both size fractions. Gravimetric analysis and reflectance measurements provided aerosol mass and black carbon concentrations. Very good detection limits for up to 42 elements were obtained. Receptors models such as principal factor analysis, cluster analysis and absolute principal factor analysis were applied in order to identify and quantify the aerosol particle sources. Emissions from the TCJL are the main source of elements such as As, Bi, Cd, Pb, Sb and Se in both aerosol fractions, ranging from 34% up to 83% in mass. Based on absolute principal component analysis, source profiles were calculated. These profiles were compared with those observed on the EPA Speciate 3.1 data bank and a good similarity was observed. The ICP-MS analysis of trace elements in aerosols has proven to be reliable and feasible for large amount of samples, and the coupling with receptor models provided an excellent method for quantitative aerosol source apportionment in industrial complexes.