Source Apportionment of Fine Organic Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) in Central Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Worku Tefera, Abera Kumie, Kiros Berhane, Frank Gilliland, Alexandra Lai, Piyaporn Sricharoenvech, Jonathan Patz, Jonathan Samet and James J. Schauer
Additional contact information
Worku Tefera: School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 9086, Ethiopia
Abera Kumie: School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa 9086, Ethiopia
Kiros Berhane: Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
Frank Gilliland: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
Alexandra Lai: Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Piyaporn Sricharoenvech: Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Jonathan Patz: Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Jonathan Samet: Office of the Dean, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
James J. Schauer: Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-13

Abstract: The development of infrastructure, a rapidly increasing population, and urbanization has resulted in increasing air pollution levels in the African city of Addis Ababa. Prior investigations into air pollution have not yet sufficiently addressed the sources of atmospheric particulate matter. This study aims to identify the major sources of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) and its seasonal contribution in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Twenty-four-hour average PM 2.5 mass samples were collected every 6th day, from November 2015 through November 2016. Chemical species were measured in samples and source apportionment was conducted using a chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model that uses particle-phase organic tracer concentrations to estimate source contributions to PM 2.5 organic carbon (OC) and the overall PM 2.5 mass. Vehicular sources (28%), biomass burning (18.3%), plus soil dust (17.4%) comprise about two-thirds of the PM 2.5 mass, followed by sulfate (6.5%). The sources of air pollution vary seasonally, particularly during the main wet season (June–September) and short rain season (February–April): From motor vehicles, (31.0 ± 2.6%) vs. (24.7 ± 1.2%); biomass burning, (21.5 ± 5%) vs. (14 ± 2%); and soil dust, (11 ± 6.4%) vs. (22.7 ± 8.4%), respectively, are amongst the three principal sources of ambient PM 2.5 mass in the city. We suggest policy measures focusing on transportation, cleaner fuel or energy, waste management, and increasing awareness on the impact of air pollution on the public’s health.

Keywords: ambient air pollution; motor vehicles; biomass burning; soil dust; seasonality; source apportionment; chemical mass balance (CMB) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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