Exploratory analysis of carbonaceous PM2.5 species in urban environments: Relationship with meteorological variables and satellite data

AMARILLO, ANA; CARRERAS, HEBE; KRISNA, TRISMONO; MIGNOLA, MARCOS; TAVERA BUSSO, I.; WENDISCH, MANFRED

ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2020

1352-2310

The carbonaceous chemical composition and mass concentration of particles with anaerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5),were analyzed, as well as their relationship withsatellite data and meteorological variables. PM2.5 groundsamples were collected at nine sampling siteswith different land use in the metropolitan area of Córdoba city, during autumn and winter in 2018, and concentrations of organiccarbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) were measured. The aerosol optical depth (AOD) was retrieved from the MODIS sensor,Aqua and Terra satellites. The AOD was validated using ground-based sun photometer data.Furthermore, the PM2.5mass concentration and composition weresimulated using multiple linear regression models, with the measured AOD and meteorological parameters as input variables. The data showed that PM2.5 mass concentrations varied in space throughout thecity, indeed at four sampling sites, they exceeded the World HealthOrganization (WHO) daily guidelines. The OC and EC mass concentrations were moderate and low, respectively,in comparison with other cities in the world. PM2.5 concentrations were negatively associated with average planetary boundarylayer (PBLav), dew point (DP) and AOD from Aqua satellite (AODa). The columnar average AODav did not correlate significantly with theground-based PM2.5measurements, however AODawas retained in a model to explain PM2.5 having a negative effect onparticles. An effective carbon ratio (ECR) was calculated to estimate theradiative forcing of PM2.5 in a local scale. The results suggestedan overall local radiative heating effect due to PM2.5.