Source characterisation of road dust based on chemical and mineralogical composition

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 87; no. 2; pp. 163 - 170
• Main Authors: Gunawardana, Chandima, Goonetilleke, Ashantha, Egodawatta, Prasanna, Dawes, Les, Kokot, Serge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; chemical bases; chlorites; clay minerals; combustion; Dust - analysis; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; fly ash; heavy metals; land use; Metals, Heavy - chemistry; mineral soils; organic matter; Pollutant source identification; pollutants; Pollutants build-up; Pollutants physicochemistry study: properties, effects, reactions, transport and distribution; Pollution; quartz; Road dust; Road surface pollutants; roads; Soil - chemistry; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - chemistry; soil sampling; tires; traffic; Traffic generated particles; Transportation; Australia; Oceania; Queensland; Traffic generated particles; Pollutants build-up; Pollutant source identification; Road dust; Road surface pollutants; Atmospheric fallout; Highway; Mineralogical composition; Identification; Heavy metal; Trace element; Dust; Aerosols; Air pollution; Chemical composition; Road traffic
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.12.012

► Research study investigated physico-chemical parameters of road deposited solids. ► Mineralogy and chemical composition can assist in pollutant source characterisation. ► Road deposited solids predominantly composed of minerals from surrounding soil. ► About 30% of road deposited solids consists of particles of anthropogenic origin. ► Significant fraction of heavy metals are derived from anthropogenic particles. Road dust contain potentially toxic pollutants originating from a range of anthropogenic sources common to urban land uses and soil inputs from surrounding areas. The research study analysed the mineralogy and morphology of dust samples from road surfaces from different land uses and background soil samples to characterise the relative source contributions to road dust. The road dust consist primarily of soil derived minerals (60%) with quartz averaging 40–50% and remainder being clay forming minerals of albite, microcline, chlorite and muscovite originating from surrounding soils. About 2% was organic matter primarily originating from plant matter. Potentially toxic pollutants represented about 30% of the build-up. These pollutants consist of brake and tire wear, combustion emissions and fly ash from asphalt. Heavy metals such as Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr and Cd primarily originate from vehicular traffic while Fe, Al and Mn primarily originate from surrounding soils. The research study confirmed the significant contribution of vehicular traffic to dust deposited on urban road surfaces.