Particle-Bound PAHs and Elements in a Highly Industrialized City in Southern Italy: PM 2.5 Chemical Characterization and Source Apportionment after the Implementation of Governmental Measures for Air Pollution Mitigation and Control

Jolanda Palmisani, Alessia Di Gilio, Silvana Angela Franchini, Pietro Cotugno, Daniela Valeria Miniero, Paolo D’Ambruoso and Gianluigi de Gennaro
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Jolanda Palmisani: Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
Alessia Di Gilio: Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
Silvana Angela Franchini: Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
Pietro Cotugno: Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
Daniela Valeria Miniero: Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
Paolo D’Ambruoso: Regional Agency for Environmental Prevention and Protection (ARPA Puglia), Corso Trieste 27, 70126 Bari, Italy
Gianluigi de Gennaro: Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-25

Abstract: The present study was aimed at determining airborne concentrations of PAHs, Nitro-/Oxy-PAHs and elements in industrial and urban areas of Taranto, a site of environmental risk in Southern Italy, after the issue of strategic measures for air pollution mitigation and control by the Italian Environment Ministry in 2012. A PM 2.5 sampling campaign was carried out from 9 to 28 December 2014 at eight receptor sites, two placed in the urban settlement and five included in the high spatial resolution fence monitoring network of the biggest European steel plant. The integration of collected data with meteorological parameters and source apportionment analysis by Positive Matrix Factorization and bivariate polar plots allowed to discriminate among emission sources and estimate their contributions. Evidence on the effect of distinct processes (homogenization, sintering) occurring inside the steel plant on airborne concentrations of PAHs and selected elements was provided. The impact of emissions from the steel plant “core” on the surrounding area was observed at receptor sites downwind to it. Moreover, the extent of the effectiveness of mitigation measures, partially applied at the moment of study’s beginning, was demonstrated by mean and peak pollutant concentrations at all receptor sites up to one order of magnitude lower than those documented prior to 2012.

Keywords: PAHs; elements; particulate matter; steel plant; chemical characterization; diagnostic ratios; source apportionment; positive matrix factorization; polar plots (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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