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PM 1 is widely believed to provide better information on the anthropogenic fraction of particulate matter pollution than PM 2.5 . However, data on PM 1 are still limited in Europe as well as comprehensive information about its chemical composition and source apportionment and this gap is more evident in the pollution hot-spots still remaining in Europe, such as the Po Valley (Northern Italy). Elemental and organic carbon, 7 water soluble inorganic ions and 17 elements were quantified in 117 PM 1 samples collected at an urban background site in Venice-Mestre, a large city located in the eastern Po Valley, during winter (December 2013-February 2014) and summer (May-July 2014) periods. Results show a strong seasonality for PM 1 mass concentration (averages ranging from 6 ± 2 in summer to 34 ± 24 μg m −3 in winter) and for most of the analysed species. Components mainly related to road traffic, residential heating, biomass burning and secondary inorganic aerosol (ammonium nitrate) reached their highest levels in winter, while mineral dust and marine components were elevated in summer. PMF analysis revealed 7 potential sources. Secondary inorganic aerosol (33%) and biomass burning (33%) are the major contributor in winter followed by EC-primary emissions (16%), aged sulphate (6%), road traffic (7%), fossil fuel combustion (%) and marine aerosol (3%). During summer, these sources account for 12%, 14%, 20%, 22%, 8%, 14% and 10%, respectively. Some PM 1 sources are located near the sampling site (residential area, traffic road, industrial area) but a major contribution of long range transport is observed when high pollution events occur. The results give useful insights into PM 1 composition in an urban area and chemical profiles of sources helpful in the interpretation of receptor model results.

Urban air quality represents a major public health burden and is a long-standing concern to European citizens. Combustion processes and traffic-related emissions represent the main primary particulate matter (PM) sources in urban areas. Other sources can also affect air quality (e.g., secondary aerosol, industrial) depending on the characteristics of the study area. Thus, the identification and the apportionment of all sources is of crucial importance to make effective corrective decisions within environmental policies. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impacts of different emissions sources on PM2.5 concentrations and compositions in a mid-size city in the Po Valley (Treviso, Italy). Data have been analyzed to highlight compositional differences (elements and major inorganic ions), to determine PM2.5 sources and their contributions, and to evaluate the influence of air mass movements. Non-parametric tests, positive matrix factorization (PMF), conditional bivariate probability function (CBPF), and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) have been used in a multi-chemometrics approach to understand the areal-scale (proximate, local, long-range) where different sources act on PM2.5 levels and composition. Results identified three levels of scale from which the pollution arose: (i) a proximate local scale (close to the sampling site) for traffic non-exhaust and resuspended dust sources; (ii) a local urban scale (including both sampling site and areas close to them) for combustion and industrial; and (iii) a regional scale characterized by ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate. This approach and results can help to develop and adopt better air quality policy action

Understanding and controlling air pollution in highly populated areas is very important, although interpreting the levels of gaseous pollutants and airborne particulate matter is complicated by dominant natural and anthropogenic emissions, micrometeorological processes, and chemical reactions which take place directly in the atmosphere. For this reason, it is very difficult to relate the characteristics of air pollution to one or more specific emission sources. The aim of this paper is to detect associations among elements and organic compounds emitted from specific sources by means of chemical analyses, statistical processing of data, seasonal evolution study, and geochemical considerations to trace their origin. A detailed characterization of air quality during the period September 2000-September 2001 was carried out in three locations of the Venice region: A heavy traffic urban site, a public park, and the island centre of the city of Venice. Twenty-eight inorganic elements, four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, CO and benzene were quantified and processed by a statistical procedure based on factor analysis considering variations on a seasonal basis. Results show the presence of associations between elements and compounds with the same behaviour in all sampling points. This indicates that several pollutants originate from a common source, and are then "diluted" throughout the study area, maintaining the imprint of their origin. Pt, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, CO and benzene originating from the exhaust gas of vehicles are all linked in the traffic factor, whereas Cd is associated with Se, having a common source in industrial processes.

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