PM_(10) speciation and determination of air quality target levels. A case study in a highly industrialized area of Spain

摘要

The paper shows how PM speciation studies allow the evaluation of the strategies to be followed to diminish PM pollution in highly industrialized areas with a large number of potential pollution sources. Evolution of levels and speciation of PM_(10) in the ceramic producing area of Castello (East Spain) was studied from April 2002 until December 2005. PM_(10) levels were measured at one rural (Borriana-rural), two suburban (Almassora and Onda) and three urban (Borriana-urban, L'Alcora and Vila-real) sites, all influenced by the ceramics industry. Average PM_(10) levels varied between 27 and 36 μg/m~3 for the study period. Evaluation of 1996-2005 PM data from Onda shows a clear decrease of PM levels since the beginning of 2002. Summer peak levels and winter minima occurred at both rural and suburban sites, whereas urban sites had no clear seasonal trend, with high PM_(10) episodes being due variously to local, regional, and African dust intrusion events. PM_(10) chemical analysis at four of the sites showed the dominant constituent to be mineral matter, exceeding by 5-12 μg/m~3 the usual ranges of annual mineral loadings in PM_(10) at comparable Spanish urban or regional background sites with no industrial influence. Given current PM_(10) loadings, we recommend a lowering target of 3-5 μg/m~3 of the annual mean at the urban sites, which should be achievable given available emission abatement techniques.