This study elucidates the characteristics of ambient PM2.5 (fine) and PM1 (submicron) samples collected between July 2009 and June 2010 in Raipur, India, in terms of water soluble ions, i.e. Na+, NH 4 + , K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl−, NO 3 − and SO 4 2− . The total number of PM2.5 and PM1 samples collected with eight stage cascade impactor was 120. Annual mean concentrations of PM2.5 and PM1 were 150.9 ± 78.6 μg/m3 and 72.5 ± 39.0 μg/m3, respectively. The higher particulate matter (PM) mass concentrations during the winter season are essentially due to the increase of biomass burning and temperature inversion. Out of above 8 ions, the most abundant ions were SO 4 2− , NO 3 − and NH 4 + for both PM2.5 and PM1 aerosols; their average concentrations were 7.86 ± 5.86 μg/m3, 3.12 ± 2.63 μg/m3 and 1.94 ± 1.28 μg/m3 for PM2.5, and 5.61 ± 3.79 μg/m3, 1.81 ± 1.21 μg/m3 and 1.26 ± 0.88 μg/m3 for PM1, respectively. The major secondary species SO 4 2− , NO 3 − and NH 4 + accounted for 5.81%, 1.88% and 1.40% of the total mass of PM2.5 and 11.10%, 2.68%, and 2.48% of the total mass of PM1, respectively. The source identification was conducted for the ionic species in PM2.5 and PM1 aerosols. The results are discussed by the way of correlations and principal component analysis. Spearman correlation indicated that Cl− and K+ in PM2.5 and PM1 can be originated from similar type of sources. Principal component analysis reveals that there are two major sources (anthropogenic and natural such as soil derived particles) for PM2.5 and PM1 fractions.