Profile analysis of ambient and source emitted particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from three sites in northern Greece

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed to ambient PM(10) were determined at three sites in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, during the period June 1997-July 1998. Ambient PAH profiles exhibited significant seasonal and spatial variations. Source PAH profiles were obtained for a number of urban, industrial and geological sources including cement, fertilizer and asphalt production, quarry operations, metal electroplating, metal welding and tempering, steel manufacture, lead and bronze smelters, metal scrap incineration, oil burning, non-catalyst equipped passenger cars, diesel fueled taxies and buses, paved road dust and soil dust. Principal component analysis (PCA) and diagnostic ratios were employed to compare ambient and source PAH profiles in an attempt to recognize compositional patterns. Similarities between the ambient PAH profiles and the profiles of certain sources, such as vehicular emissions, oil burning and metal industries, were identified.     

Size distribution of airborne particulate matter and associated heavy metals in the roadside environment

The size distributions of airborne particulate matter (PM) and associated heavy metals Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr, V, Mn, Cu and Fe in different inhalable fractions (< 0.8 microm, 0.8-1.3 microm, 1.3-2.7 microm, 2.7-6.7 microm and > 6.7 microm) were determined at a traffic-orientated urban site in the city of Thessaloniki, northern Greece. The airborne PM displayed a bimodal distribution with most of the mass (52%) contained in the submicron size range (< 0.8 microm) and an additional minor mode (20%) in the coarse size fraction (> 6.7 microm). Characteristic size distributions of heavy metals allowed identification of three main behavioral types: (a) metals whose mass was resided mainly within the accumulation mode (Pb,Cd), (b) those which were distributed between fine, intermediate and coarse modes (Ni,Cu,Mn), and (c) those which were mainly found within particles larger than 2.7 microm in diameter (Fe). The mean mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of PM was found at 0.85+/-0.71 microm, while the mean MMADs of heavy metals followed the order Pb (0.96 +/- 0.71 microm) < Cd (1.14 +/- 0.82 microm) < V (1.38 +/- 0.63 microm) < Ni (1.45 +/- 0.88 microm) < Cu (2.04 +/- 0.77 microm) < Mn (2.61 +/- 1.23 microm) < Cr (2.91 +/- 1.40 microm) < Fe (3.82 +/- 0.88 microm). The measured distributions are believed to result from a combination of processes including local anthropogenic and natural sources, such as traffic, industrial emissions and resuspension of road dust.     

Characterization of airborne particulate matter in thessaloniki,Greece

TSP samples, collected at two stations in the area of Thessaloniki during the period July 1987‐June 1988, were analysed for heavy metals (Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni and V). Flame and flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used for metal determinations. Metals determined were characterized with respect to their origin from natural or man‐made emission sources. Source identification was attempted by relation of metal concentrations to wind direction, and interelement correlations.

Results obtained showed that Pb, Zn and Cu are emitted from man‐made sources (traffic, domestic heating, industry), V, Ni and Co are derived partially from natural and man‐made sources, while Cr is mainly soil‐derived.     

Characterization of airborne particulate matter in Thessaloniki,Greece

A receptor modeling approach has been applied to identify and apportion sources of airborne particulate matter in Thessaloniki, Greece. The absolute principal component analysis source apportionment technique used, provided quantitative information regarding both source particle characteristics and impacts. The analysis identified four major sources of heavy metals within total suspended particles (TSP) in the centre of the city: oil burning, pyrometallurgical non‐ferrous metal processes, motor vehicles and soil resuspension. Their contributions to TSP estimated by regression on absolute principal component scores (APCS) were 12%, 8%, 5% and 4%, respectively. A similar analysis conducted for a sampling site close to the industrial area identified five major sources: oil burning, industrial Cr source, soil resuspension, pyrometallurgical non‐ferrous metal processes and motor vehicles with contributions 20%, 15%, 9%, 8% and 4%, respectively.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the bulk precipitation and surface waters of Northern Greece

Bulk (wet and dry) precipitation and surface water sampling was undertaken in the main plain of central Macedonia in Northern Greece. Fourteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) included in the US EPA's priority pollutant list were analysed. The concentrations determined in bulk precipitation were in general within the range of values worldwide reported. Concentrations were highest in the cold months. Deposition fluxes of PAHs were of the same order of magnitude as reported data. The greatest values were found when high concentrations of PAHs in precipitation coincided with large precipitation amounts. The concentrations of PAHs in surface waters (main rivers, tributaries, ditches, etc) were in general lower than those in bulk precipitation, and among the lowest reported for European rivers, excepting Np and Ph. Bulk deposition and domestic effluents are suggested as being the main PAH sources into surface waters.     

Phosphorus fractionation in lake sediments--lakes Volvi and Koronia, N. Greece

Sediments from two lakes, the meso-to-eutrophic Volvi and the hypertrophic Koronia, located in N. Greece were examined on the basis of P-fractionation. In both lakes, the rank order of P-fractions was HCl-P > NaOH-P > BD-P > NH4Cl-P. The loosely sorbed phosphorus (NH4Cl-P) represented < 1% of the sedimentary inorganic phosphorus, while the reductant phosphorus (BD-P) ranged 5-6%. The calcium bound phosphorus (HCl-P) showed considerable contribution (59-74%) to the sedimentary inorganic P-loads. The metal oxide bound phosphorus (NaOH-P) was higher in the hypertrophic (30-35%) than in the meso-to-eutrophic system (19-28%). Fine-sized sediments exhibited significantly higher concentrations of HCl-P in Volvi and NH4Cl-P in Koronia. Sampling month had significant effect in variance of most P-fractions and other sediment features in both lakes. Use was also made of multivariate statistics to identify the factors which influence the sedimentary phosphorus. NaOH-P was the most reactive fraction in Lake Volvi. Iron compounds and organic matter seem to play a significant role in regulating this labile P-budget. NH4Cl-P was the more reactive fraction in Lake Koronia which was influenced by sedimentation of P-absorbed on clay/silt fine particles.     

Distribution of persistent organic pollutants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and trace elements in soil and vegetation following a large scale landfill fire in northern Greece

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), including hexaclorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and DDTs, as well as trace elements were determined in soil and vegetation samples collected from the surrounding area of the landfill "Tagarades", the biggest in northern Greece, following a large scale fire involving approximately 50,000 tons of municipal waste. High concentrations of total PAHs, PCBs and heavy metals were found inside the landfill (1475 microg kg(-1) dw, 399 microg kg(-1) dw and 29.8 mg kg(-1) dw, respectively), whereas concentrations in the surrounding soils were by far lower ranging between 11.2-28.1 microg kg(-1) dw for PAHs, 4.02-11.2 microg kg(-1) dw for PCBs and 575-1207 mg kg(-1) dw for heavy metals. The distribution of HCHs and DDTs were quite different since certain soils exhibited equal or higher concentrations than the landfill. In vegetation, the concentrations of PAHs, PCBs, HCHs and DDTs ranged from 14.1-34.7, 3.64-25.9, 1.41-32.1 and 0.61-4.03 microg kg(-1) dw, respectively, while those of heavy metals from 81 to 159 mg kg(-1) dw. The results of the study indicated soil and vegetation pollution levels in the surroundings of the landfill comparable to those reported for other Greek locations. The impact from the landfill fire was not evident partially due to the presence of recent and past inputs from other activities (agriculture, vehicular transport, earlier landfill fires).     

Trace elements in vegetables grown in an industrial area in relation to soil and air particulate matter

The relationships between the trace element content of vegetables, agricultural soil and airborne particulate matter were investigated in the greater industrial area of Thessaloniki, northern Greece. Most elements were found at concentrations normally observed in vegetables grown in uncontaminated areas, however, elevated concentrations of Pb, Zn, Cr and Mn were found particularly in leafy vegetables. The trace element content of agricultural soil was low, despite the airborne particulate matter that was highly enriched with Zn, Cd, Pb and Mn. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated that the compositional patterns of the vegetables, the soil and the atmospheric particulates were largely different. The dominant pathway for most trace elements to vegetable roots was from the soil, while trace elements in vegetable leaves appeared to originate mostly from the atmosphere. High accumulation due to atmospheric deposition was found for Pb, Cr and Cd, especially in leafy vegetables. Root vegetables were found to accumulate soil Cd more efficiently than the other trace elements.     

Toxicity and heavy metal contamination of surficial sediments from the Bay of Thessaloniki (Northwestern Aegean Sea) Greece

Surficial sediments (the fraction < 2000 microm) from the Bay of Thessaloniki, in the Northwestern Aegean Sea, Greece were examined for heavy metal and organic carbon contents, as well as for acute LUMIStox toxicity of pore waters (PWs), wet sediment elutriates (WSEs) and dry sediment elutriates (DSEs) obtained from the solid material remaining after PW extraction. WSEs where not toxic. EC20/50 values could be measured in some DSE and PW samples. In all sediment samples, the DSE toxicity was greater than the corresponding PW toxicity. Sediment concentrations of total and labile Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn, Ni and Fe were determined and evaluated in relation to sediment quality guidelines. Pollution levels ranged from low to high for certain metals. A misfit between sediment toxicities calculated from heavy metal concentrations and those biologically measured was observed. Toxicity values were in general poorly correlated with sediment's heavy metal or organic carbon content. As significant correlation was however found between the DSE toxicity with total Ni and labile Fe, as well as for the PW toxicity with total Ni, labile Fe and labile Cr.     

Indoor concentrations of PM2.5 and associated water-soluble and labile heavy metal fractions in workplaces: implications for inhalation health risk assessment

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - PM2.5 (i.e., particles with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5&nbsp;μm) and the associated water-soluble, dissolved, and labile fractions of...