Study of the chemical elements and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in atmospheric particles of PM10 and PM2.5 in the urban and rural areas of South Brazil

The purpose of this work is to study the chemical elements and PAHs associated with atmospheric particulate in samples of PM10 collected in the Metropolitan Area of Porto Alegre—MAPA, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In addition, to study the chemical elements associated with particles of different fractions of PM10–2.5 and PM2.5 using dichotomous sampling, in urban (MAPA) and rural areas. Two types of samplers were used: HV PM10 and Dichotomous (PM10–2.5 and PM2.5). Samples were collected during 2002 and 2005. The concentration of the elements Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn was determined by PIXE (Particle-Induced X-ray Emission), while the concentrations of 16 major PAHs were determined according to EPA with a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer (GS/MS). Results showed that elements of anthropogenic origin (V, Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, and S) were mainly associated with the fraction PM2.5, while the soil dust (Si, Al, Ti and Fe) were found mainly on fraction PM10–2.5. In samples of PM10, the most frequent PAHs found were Bgp, Flt, BaA, Chr, B(b + k)F, BaP and Dba. The types of emission and their association with the atmospheric parameters were studied applying the statistical analysis of the principal component method. The main sources found in the area under study were vehicles, industries (steel mills and a coal-fired power station), dust, sea breeze, and burning.