Characterization and Identification of the Sources of Chromium, Zinc, Lead, Cadmium, Nickel, Manganese and Iron in Pm sub(10) Particulates at the Two Sites of Kolkata, India

• Published in: Environmental monitoring and assessment 2006-09, Vol.120 (1-3), p.347-360
• Main Authors: Karar, Kakoli, Gupta, A K, Kumar, Animesh, Biswas, Arun Kanti
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cadmium; Chromium; Dust; Emission analysis; Inductively coupled plasma; Iron; Manganese; Nickel; Zinc
• ISSN: 0167-6369; 1573-2959
• DOI: 10.1007/s10661-005-9067-7

Monitoring of ambient PM sub(10) (particulate matter which passes through a size selective impactor inlet with a 50% efficiency cut-off at 10 km aerodynamic diameter) has been done at residential (Kasba) and industrial (Cossipore) sites of an urban region of Kolkata during November 2003 to November 2004. These sites were selected depending on the dominant anthropogenic activities. Metal constituents of atmospheric PM sub(10) deposited on glass fibre filter paper were estimated using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer (ICP-AES). Chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) are the seven toxic trace metals quantified from the measured PM sub(10) concentrations. The 24 h average concentrations of Cr, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Mn and Fe from ninety PM sub(10) particulate samples of Kolkata were found to be 6.9, 506.1, 79.1, 3.3, 7.4, 2.4 and 103.6 ng/m super(3), respectively. The 24 h average PM sub(10) concentration exceeded national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) as specified by central pollution control board, India at both residential (Kasba) and industrial (Cossipore) areas with mean concentration of 140.1 and 196.6 kg/m super(3), respectively. A simultaneous meteorology study was performed to assess the influence of air masses by wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, relative humidity and temperature. The measured toxic trace metals generally showed inverse relationship with wind speed, relative humidity and temperature. Factor analysis, a receptor modeling technique has been used for identification of the possible sources contributing to the PM sub(10). Varimax rotated factor analysis identified four possible sources of measured trace metals comprising solid waste dumping, vehicular traffic with the influence of road dust, road dust and soil dust at residential site (Kasba), while vehicular traffic with the influence of soil dust, road dust, galvanizing and electroplating industry, and tanning industry at industrial site (Cossipore).