Diurnal source apportionment of organic and inorganic atmospheric particulate matter at a high-altitude mountain site under summer conditions (Sierra Nevada; Spain)

Clara Jaén; Gloria Titos; Sonia Castillo; Andrea Casans; Fernando Rejano; Alberto Cazorla; Javier Herrero; Lucas Alados-Arboledas; Joan O Grimalt; Barend L van Drooge

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167178

Diurnal source apportionment of organic and inorganic atmospheric particulate matter at a high-altitude mountain site under summer conditions (Sierra Nevada; Spain)

Sci Total Environ. 2023 Dec 20:905:167178. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167178. Epub 2023 Sep 18.

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), c/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
² Andalusian Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA), University of Granada, Avenida del Mediterráneo sn, 18071 Granada, Spain; Department of Applied Physics, Sciences Faculty, University of Granada, Avenida Fuentenueva sn, 18071 Granada, Spain.
³ Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), c/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: barend.vandrooge@idaea.csic.es.

PMID: 37730028
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167178

Abstract

High-altitude mountain areas are sentinel ecosystems for global environmental changes such as anthropogenic pollution. In this study, we report a source apportionment of particulate material with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 μm (PM₁₀) in a high-altitude site in southern Europe (Sierra Nevada Station; SNS (2500 m a.s.l.)) during summer 2021. The emission sources and atmospheric secondary processes that determine the composition of aerosol particles in Sierra Nevada National Park (Spain) are identified from the concentrations of organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), 12 major inorganic compounds, 18 trace elements and 44 organic molecular tracer compounds in PM₁₀ filter samples collected during day- and nighttime. The multivariate analysis of the joint dataset resolved five main PM₁₀ sources: 1) Saharan dust, 2) advection from the urbanized valley, 3) local combustion, 4) smoke from a fire-event, and 5) aerosol from regional recirculation with high contribution of particles from secondary inorganic and organic aerosol formation processes. PM sources were clearly associated with synoptic meteorological conditions, and day- and nighttime circulation patterns typical of mountainous areas. Although a local pollution source was identified, the contribution of this source to PM₁₀, OC and EC was small. Our results evidence the strong influence of middle- and long-range transport of aerosols, mainly from anthropogenic origin, on the aerosol chemical composition at this remote site.

Keywords: Air pollution; High-mountain; Inorganic PM; Organic PM; Particulate matter; Source apportionment.