Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and has been affecting the world since the end of 2019. The disease led to significant mortality and morbidity in Turkey, since the first case was reported on March 11 th , 2020. Studies suggest a positive association between air pollution and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of ambient particulate matters (PM), as potential carriers for SARS-CoV-2. Ambient PM samples in various size ranges were collected from 13 sites including urban and urban-background locations and hospital gardens in 10 cities across Turkey between 13th of May and 14th of June 2020 to investigate the possible presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on ambient PM. A total of 203 daily samples (TSP, n=80; PM 2.5 n=33; PM 2.5-10 , n=23; PM 10 μm, n=19; and 6 size segregated PM, n=48) were collected using various samplers. The N1 gene and RdRP gene expressions were analyzed for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to real time (RT)-PCR and three-dimensional digital (3D-d) PCR analysis, dual RdRP and N1 gene positivity were detected in 20 (9.8 %) samples. Ambient PM-bound SARS-CoV-2 was analyzed quantitatively and the air concentrations of the virus ranged from 0.1 copies/m 3 to 23 copies/m 3 . The highest percentages of virus detection on PM samples were from hospital gardens in Tekirdağ, Zonguldak, and Istanbul, especially in PM 2.5 mode. Findings of this study have suggested that SARS-CoV-2 may be transported by ambient particles, especially at sites close to the infection hot-spots. However, whether this has an impact on the spread of the virus infection remains to be determined.

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The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at six subway stations. The PM2.5 levels were compared at the platforms, inside the trains’ cabin and at the train driver’s cabin in the first section of the train. The measurements were grouped into three sections: (1) six underground platforms, (2) trains’ cabin and (3) train driver’s cabin in the Aksaray-Airport light metro line (M1) and the Taksim-4.Levent metro line (M2). On average, the highest PM2.5 concentrations were recorded in the underground platforms. The average daytime PM2.5 concentrations varied from 49.3 to 181.7 µg·m−3 at the two subway line platforms. The PM2.5 levels measured at five stations were higher than the ambient air PM2.5 standard declared by US-EPA, given as 35 µg·m−3 for a 24-h arithmetic mean. The second highest PM2.5 concentration was recorded inside the trains (61 to 73 µg·m−3), followed by train driver’s cabin (50 to 74 µg·m−3) of the M1 and M2 lines. When the train was in the subway tunnels, the PM2.5 concentrations increased. The correlation (R2) between the PM2.5 level on the platform and the depth of the underground stations was 0.88 (p<0.01). The highest PM2.5 levels were recorded in the morning and evenings.

Atmospheric iron aerosol is a bioavailable essential nutrient playing a role in oceanic productivity. Using aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ATOFMS), the particle size (0.3-1.5 μm), chemical composition and mixing state of Fe-containing particles collected at two European urban sites (London and Barcelona) were characterized. Out of the six particle types accounting for the entire Fe-aerosol population, that arising from long-range transport (LRT) of fine Fe-containing particles (Fe-LRT, 54-82% across the two sites) was predominant. This particle type was found to be internally mixed with nitrate and not with sulfate, and likely mostly associated with urban traffic activities. This is in profound contrast with previous studies carried out in Asia, where the majority of iron-containing particles are mixed with sulfate and are of coal combustion origin. Other minor fine iron aerosol sources included mineral dust (8-11%), traffic brake wear material (1-17%), shipping/oil (1-6%), biomass combustion (4-13%) and vegetative debris (1-3%). Overall, relative to anthropogenic Asian Fe-sulfate dust, anthropogenic European dust internally mixed with additional key nutrients such as nitrate is likely to play a different role in ocean global biogeochemical cycles.

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This study aims to determine the in-vehicle and outdoor culturable airborne bacteria concentration, fine particle (PM 2.5) concentration and particle number concentration for six size ranges (0.3-0.5 mm, >0.5-1.0 mm, >1.0-3.0 mm, >3.0-5.0 mm, >5.0-10 mm, and >10 mm) and to assess the relation between the culturable airborne bacteria and PM 2.5 concentrations in different public transport vehicles. The measurement campaign was conducted in the morning and evening onboard of the Metrobus, red-bus and outdoors. PM 2.5 concentrations in the Metrobus and red-bus were observed as 58.8 AE 10.2 mg/m 3 and 76.2 AE 30.9 mg/m 3 , respectively, and the outdoor value was about two times more. For both types of public transportation, the amount of internal environment particulate matter and the amount of external environment particulate matter displayed a high level of correlation (red-bus/outdoors, R ¼ 0.97; Metrobus/outdoors, R ¼ 0.88) with the particulate matter size. The concentration of Staphylococcus aureus correlated with PM 2.5 concentrations in the Metrobus and Staphylococcus spp. was found to be higher in in-vehicle. The number of commuters, vehicle ventilation type and outdoor air entering the vehicles probably caused the differences in in-vehicle culturable airborne bacteria and particle concentrations.