Evaluation of Sources and Patterns of Elemental Composition of PM 2.5 at Three Low-Income Neighborhood Schools and Residences in Quito, Ecuador

Amit U. Raysoni, Rodrigo X. Armijos, M. Margaret Weigel, Patricia Echanique, Marcia Racines, Nicholas E. Pingitore and Wen-Whai Li
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Amit U. Raysoni: Department of Public Health Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
Rodrigo X. Armijos: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
M. Margaret Weigel: Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
Patricia Echanique: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, EC 170136, Ecuador
Marcia Racines: Instituto de Investigaciones en Biomedicina, Universidad Central del Ecuador, Quito, EC 170201, Ecuador
Nicholas E. Pingitore: Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA
Wen-Whai Li: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-26

Abstract: Elemental characterization of fine particulate matter was undertaken at schools and residences in three low income neighborhoods in Quito, Ecuador. The three zones were located in the northern (Cotocollao), south central (El Camal), and south east (Los Chillos) neighborhoods and were classified as zones 1–3, respectively. Forty elements were quantified via ICP-MS analysis. Amongst the geogenic elements, the concentration of Si was the most abundant followed by S, Al, and Ca. Elements with predominantly anthropogenic sources such as Zn, V, and Ni were higher in zone 3 school followed by zone 2 and zone 1 schools. Enrichment factors were calculated to study the role of crustal sources in the elemental concentrations. Geogenic elements, except K, all had values <10 and anthropogenic elements such as Ni, V, Zn, Pb, As, Cr had >10. Principal Component Analysis suggested that Ni and V concentrations were strongly attributable to pet coke and heavy oil combustion. Strong associations between As and Pb could be attributed to traffic and other industrial emissions. Resuspended dust, soil erosion, vehicular emissions (tailpipe, brake and tire wear, and engine abrasion), pet coke, heavy oil combustion, and heavy industrial operations were major contributors to air pollution.

Keywords: elemental composition; PM 2.5; enrichment factors; principal component analysis; schools; residences; Quito (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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