Oxidative potential of size-segregated PM in an urban and an industrial area of Italy

AA assay resulted to be more sensitive towards coarse particles and OPAA showed a size distribution very similar to that of brake dust tracers. DTT and DCFH assays resulted instead more sensitive towards fine particles. OPDTT and OPDCFH values were comparable at the two sites; sources whose strength was very different in the two monitored areas (secondary contribution and, to a less extent, industrial sources) did not then contribute significantly to the measured OP values. The dimensional behaviour of OPDTT and OPDCFH was consistent with the contribution of biomass burning.