Apportioning PM1 in a contrasting receptor site in the Mediterranean region: Aerosol sources with an updated sulfur speciation

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 851; p. 158127
• Main Authors: Tositti, Laura, Morozzi, Pietro, Brattich, Erika, Zappi, Alessandro, Calvello, Mariarosaria, Esposito, Francesco, Lettino, Antonio, Pavese, Giulia, Sabia, Serena, Speranza, Antonio, Summa, Vito, Caggiano, Rosa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 10.12.2022
• Subjects: Chemical fingerprinting; Claus process; Equivalent Black Carbon; Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF); Single particle analysis; Claus process; Equivalent Black Carbon; Single particle analysis; Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF); Chemical fingerprinting
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158127

A multi-parametric experimental campaign was performed in Agri Valley (Basilicata, southern Italy) from July 2017 to January 2018. The investigated area, though basically rural and devoted to agricultural activities, hosts a huge on-shore oil reservoir, i.e. Centro Olio Val d'Agri (COVA), bringing substantial environmental modifications and impacts to the district landscape. Daily concentrations of PM1 aerosol samples, Equivalent Black Carbon and number size distributions were evaluated. Chemical aerosol speciation based on elemental and ion analyses were carried out and source apportionment by Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) was applied to reconstruct PM1 source profile. The most significant emission sources found are torches from the oil treatment facility (37 % w/w), an unresolved factor constituted by soil resuspension, Saharan dust, and biomass burning (24 % w/w), ammonium sulphate (23 % w/w), emissions from the oil desulfurization (Claus process) (13 % w/w), and traffic + road dust (3 % w/w). SEM analysis on PM1 single particles allowed to confirm the finding from PMF including the occurrence of elemental sulfur associated with the Claus process. The novelty of the present study consists in the identification of this latter fingerprint. [Display omitted] •PM1 chemical speciation and source apportionment in Southern Italy are presented.•Industry, secondary sulphate, traffic, and crustal material sources were identified.•A new chemical fingerprint from the local industrial facility was found.•An updated sulfur apportionment was achieved based on the previous observations.