Negative correlation between concentration of iron oxides and particulate matter in atmospheric dust: case study at industrial site during smoggy period

0532798 - GFÚ 2021 RIV CH eng J - Journal Article
Petrovský, Eduard - Kapička, Aleš - Grison, Hana - Kotlík, B. - Miturová, H.
Negative correlation between concentration of iron oxides and particulate matter in atmospheric dust: case study at industrial site during smoggy period.
Environmental Sciences Europe. Roč. 32, č. 1 (2020), č. článku 134. ISSN 2190-4707. E-ISSN 2190-4715
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) LTV19011; GA ČR GAP210/10/0554
Institutional support: RVO:67985530
Keywords : environmental magnetism * magnetite * atmospheric dust * particulate matter * pollution * steel works * correlation
OECD category: Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)
Impact factor: 5.893, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Open access
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12302-020-00420-8

Background Environmental magnetism, focusing on ferrimagnetic iron oxides, provides useful additional information on pollution of different environments. Magnetic methods have been applied to studies of atmospheric dust, namely PM10 (particulate matter smaller than 10 mu m) in, e.g., industrial or urban areas. Until now, positive correlation was reported between concentration of iron oxides (expressed in terms of either magnetic susceptibility, saturation remanent or saturation induced magnetization) and concentration of PM10 or smaller. Purpose of this study was to verify the relationship between iron oxides and PM at monitoring site close to source of emissions rich in iron oxides during period of smoggy conditions. Results We examined 24-h PM10 and PM1 samples, collected during 10 days of smoggy winter period at a site close to steel plant, which represents a significant source of atmospheric emissions in industrial region of Northern Moravia (Czech Republic), known for generally high degree of air pollution. Magnetic hysteresis loops were measured to obtain parameters reflecting the concentration and grain-size distribution of iron oxides. Our data show unexpected negative correlation between saturation magnetization (concentration of ferrimagnetic iron oxides) and both PM1 and PM10 concentrations, to the best of our knowledge the trend not being reported yet. Conclusions Our finding may seemingly disqualify magnetic methods as useful proxy in air pollution studies. However, we suggest that this is an exceptional case, specific to this region and monitoring site, as well as to synoptic conditions during the smoggy period. Although the significant dust emissions are presumably rich in iron oxides, the overall air quality at the monitoring site is determined by the general environment, controlled by many other sources of different character in the region, and by the specific climatic conditions.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0311195