| dc.description.abstract | This study aimed to assess ambient air quality in a urban area of Natal, capital of Rio Grande
do Norte (latitude 5º49'29 '' S and longitude 35º13'34'' W), aiming to determine the metals
concentration in particulate matter (PM10 and PM2,5) of atmospheric air in the urban area o the
Natal city. The sampling period for the study consisted of data acquisition from January to
December 2012. Samples were collected on glass fiber filters by means of two large volumes
samplers, one for PM2,5 (AGV PM 2,5) and another for PM10 (PM10 AGV). Monthly averages
ranged from 8.92 to 19.80 g.m-3
, where the annual average was 16,21 g.m-3
for PM10 and
PM2,5 monthly averages ranged from 2,84 to 7,89 g.m
-3
, with an annual average of 5,61
g.m-3
. The results of PM2,5 and PM10 concentrations were related meteorological variables
and for information on the effects of these variables on the concentration of PM, an
exploratory analysis of the data using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed.
The results of the PCA showed that with increasing barometric pressure, the direction of the
winds, the rainfall and relative humidity decreases the concentration of PM and the variable
weekday little influence compared the meteorological variables. Filters containing particulate
matter were selected in six days and subjected to microwave digestion. After digestion
samples were analyzed by with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).
The concentrations for heavy metals Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese, Nickel, Copper,
Arsenic and lead were determined. The highest concentrations of metals were for Pb and Cu,
whose average PM10 values were, respectively, 5,34 and 2,34 ng.m-3
and PM2,5 4,68 and 2,95
ng.m-3
. Concentrations for metals V, Cr, Mn, Ni, and Cd were respectively 0,13, 0,39, 0,48,
0,45 and 0,03 ng.m-3
for PM10 fraction and PM2,5 fraction, 0,05, 0,10, 0,10, 0,34 and 0,01
ng.m-3. The concentration for As was null for the two fractions | |
