Published in

European Geosciences Union, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 17(18), p. 13215-13230, 2018

DOI: 10.5194/acp-18-13215-2018

European Geosciences Union, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions, p. 1-30

DOI: 10.5194/acp-2018-10

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Source apportionment of atmospheric aerosol in a marine dusty environment by Ionic/composition Mass Balance (IMB)

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Abstract. PM10 aerosol was sampled in Santiago, the largest island of Cabo Verde, for 1 year, and analysed for elements, ions and carbonaceous material. Very high levels of dust were measured during the winter months, as a result of the direct transport of dust plumes from the African continent. Ionic and mass balances (IMBs) were applied to the analysed compounds, permitting the determination of six to seven different processes and source contributions to the aerosol loading: insoluble and soluble dust, sea salt, carbonaceous material and secondary inorganic compounds resulting from the reaction of acidic precursors with ammonia, sea salt and dust. The mass balance could be closed by the consideration and estimation of sorbed water that constituted 20 %–30 % of the aerosol mass. The balance methodology was compared with positive matrix factorisation (PMF), showing similar qualitative source composition. In quantitative terms, while for soil dust and secondary inorganic compound source classes, the results are similar, for other sources such as sea-salt spray there are significant differences in periods of dust episodes. The discrepancies between both approaches are interpreted based on calculated source profiles. The joint utilisation of the two methodologies, which are complementary, gives confidence in our capability for the correct source apportionment of aerosol particles.