Suspended particulates in the Jamaican atmosphere

The results of a survey of air particulates at 23 sites across Jamaica for total suspended particulates (TSP), Al, Br, Cl, Na, Pb, and V, by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) are reported. The geometric mean of TSP values, 35 g m-3, is well within the World Health Organisation's standard of 60 g m-3 for TSP, but in areas of high vehicular traffic density the TSP values exceeded this limit. The correlation coefficient between Br and Pb concentrations in the particulates was 0.92 and the Br/Pb ratio of 0.38 compares well with a ratio of 0.39 found in commercial petrol indicating that the exhaust from vehicular traffic is the major source of Pb in atmospheric particulate matter in Jamaica.