Assessment of sea salt and mineral dust contributions to PM10 in NW Germany using tracer models and Positive Matrix Factorization

Beuck H, Quass U, Klemm O, Kuhlbusch TAJ

Forschungsartikel (Zeitschrift) | Peer reviewed

Zusammenfassung

A Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) based source apportionment study was conducted using chemical composition data of filter samples from 79 selected days between April 2008 and March 2009. Samples of PM10 and PM1 were taken at an urban und regional background site about 100 km apart from each other, and with an altitude difference of about 500 m. PMF modeling was performed with a pooled dataset comprising both PM fractions from both sites in order to obtain identical, hence comparable factors. Eight factors could reasonably be resolved indicating plausible source contributions. High to moderate urban versus regional Pearson correlations were obtained forfactors denoted as aged marine aerosol (r=0.97, N=70), aged mineral dust (r=0.83, N=78), secondary sulfate (r=0.81, N=78), and fossil fuel combustion (r=0.64, N=76). The factors identified as secondary nitrate, biomass combustion, re-suspended road dust and industry did not correlate significantly. The urban / regional concentration ratio of sulfate was used to quantify the altitude effect. Sodium and calcium based tracer methods are proposed to infer the PM10 concentrations of aged and natural seasalt, mineral dust background, and the impact of long-range dust intrusions on PM10 concentrations,respectively. These tracer methods are suitable for application in routine source apportionment within the air quality monitoring network.

Details zur Publikation

FachzeitschriftAtmospheric Environment
Jahrgang / Bandnr. / Volume45
Ausgabe / Heftnr. / Issue32
Seitenbereich5813-5821
StatusVeröffentlicht
Veröffentlichungsjahr2011
Sprache, in der die Publikation verfasst istEnglisch
DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.07.010
StichwörterSource apportionment; Natural sources; Positive matrix factorization; Aged sea salt; Mineral dust

Autor*innen der Universität Münster

Klemm, Otto
Professur für Klimatologie (Prof. Klemm)