Evaluation of levels, sources and distribution of toxic elements in PM10 in a suburban industrial region, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Campus (FIOCRUZ), in a suburban region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, was selected as a case study to assess the pollution released from vehicle and industrial facilities in Basin III, the most polluted area of the city. Concentrations of particulate matter (PM10) and trace metals in airborne particles were determined in an intensive field campaign. The samplings were performed every six days for 24 h periods, using a PM10 high volume sampler, from September 2004 to August 2005. PM10 mass concentrations were determined gravimetrically and the metals by ICP-OES. For PM10, the arithmetic mean for the period is 169 +/- 42 microg m(-3) which is 3.4 times the national recommended standard of 50 microg m(-3). Additionally, 51% of the samplings exceeded the recommended 24 h limit of 150 microg m(-3). Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn and Al were the metals that presented the higher concentrations. The correlation matrix gave two main clusters and three significant principal components (PC). Both PC1 and PC2 are associated to crustal, vehicular and industrial emissions while PC3 is mainly associated to geological material. Enrichment factors for Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb indicate that for these elements, anthropic sources prevail over natural inputs. PM10 levels showed a good correlation with hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in children and elderly people.

A systematic review of the physical and chemical characteristics of pollutants from biomass burning and combustion of fossil fuels and health effects in Brazil

“…The most studied sites in articles on emissions of these pollutants were the metropolitan regions of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro 7,8,90,91,94,95,98,99,102,103,105 .…”

“…In metropolitan areas in the South and Southeast Regions of Brazil, high concentrations of metals, especially Zn, Pb, Cr, manganese (Mn) and cadmium (Cd) were measured in PM 8,101,102 . In Rio de Janeiro, elevated concentrations of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), Fe, aluminum (Al) and Zn were identified in the elemental composition of PM 2.5 .…”

“…In Rio de Janeiro, elevated concentrations of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), Fe, aluminum (Al) and Zn were identified in the elemental composition of PM 2.5 . The presence of Cd, nickel (Ni), Pb and Cu is related to emissions from industry and motor vehicles 102 . In steel manufacturing regions in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Pb concentrations reached values of 140ng/m 3 in the elemental composition of PM 107 .…”

Trace metals in the urban aerosols of Rio de Janeiro city

“…[11][12][13] Over the last few years, several studies describing the PM 2.5 particulate matter were obtained in Rio de Janeiro City. 14,15 In 2009, Godoy et al 15 published results describing aerosol samples that were collected in ten locations in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area, and the trace elements were analyzed by inductively coupled plasmamass spectrometry (ICP-MS).…”

“…For the analysis of trace metals, the same procedures were followed as in our previous studies. 12,13,23 The filters were extracted by adding 5 mL of nitric acid (Merck Suprapur 65%), 2 mL of hydrochloric acid (Merck Suprapur 36%) and 10 mL of ultrapure water (18 MW cm -1 of specific resistivity) to a Pyrex tube and subsequently heating for 2 h at 95 °C on a heating plate. The extracted solution was filtered with a Whatman No.…”