Vertical distribution of PM10 and PM2.5 emission sources and chemical composition during winter period in Delhi city

AbstractChemical characterization and source apportionment of PM10 and PM2.5 were carried out for two different elevations (lower elevation (LE)  ~ 5–10 m and higher elevation (HE) ~ 30–45 m) at four different locations representing urban background, city center, upwind, and downwind of the Delhi city during January 2017–March 2017. The 24-h average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were varied between 135.2 –258.7 and 79.3–120.9 µg/m3, respectively. The average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were found significantly higher at LE than HE. The PM samples were analyzed for ions, elements and carbonaceous matter (EC/OC), and their concentrations (except S, V, As, Ni, Sb, Sr, Ga, elements associated with industrial combustion activities, and NO3−, attributed to high nitrate formation potential at HE) were observed higher in LE than HE at all the study locations. The chemical mass balance model was applied to quantify the source contributions to PM10 and PM2.5 mass at two different elevations. Model identified vehicular emission (diesel, PM10 ~ 8.8–21.7% and PM2.5 ~ 10.5–24.4% and gasoline, PM10 ~ 4.8–15.6% and PM2.5 ~ 6.7–14.8%), industrial residual oil combustion (PM10 ~ 8.8–23.5% and PM2.5 ~ 3.2–10.4%), road dust (PM10 ~ 13.6–22.3% and PM2.5 ~ 8.8–17.8%), soil dust (PM10 ~ 33.8–41.1% and PM2.5 ~ 5.8–8.3%), secondary nitrate (PM10 ~ 6.1–16.2% and PM2.5 ~ 13.4–20.2%), secondary sulfate (PM1...
Source: Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research