Wintertime aerosol chemical composition and source apportionment of the organic fraction across Ireland
Abstract
A national wide characterization of PM1 was studied for the first time using a high-time resolution Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) and Aethalometer in Ireland during the heating season. Dublin, the capital of Ireland, is the most polluted area with an average PM1 of 7.6 μg/m3, with frequent occurrence of peak concentration over 200 μg/m3 primarily due to solid fuels burning, while Mace Head, in the west coast, is least polluted with an average PM1 of 0.8 μg/m3 due to the distance from the emission sources. The organic aerosol is the most dominant species across Ireland, contributing 65%, 58%, 32%, 33% to total PM1 mass in Dublin, Birr, Carnsore Point, and Mace Head, respectively. Birr, a small town in the midland of Ireland, has comparable PM1 levels (4.8 μg/m3) and similar chemical compositions with that in Dublin. Carnsore Point, on the southeast coast, has similar composition with that at Mace Head, but nearly 3 times the levels of PM1 mass due to its relative closeness to other European countries. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) with the multi-linear engine (ME-2) was performed on the organic matrix to quantify the contribution of factor candidates. Peat burning was found to be the dominant factor across Ireland, contributing more than 40% of the total organic mass in Dublin and Birr while OOA is dominant at rural Carnsore Point and Mace Head. Possible geographic origins of PM1 species and organic factors using polar plots were explored. The findings of solid fuels burning (primarily peat burning) driving the pollution episodes suggest an elimination or controlled emission of solid fuels burning would reduce PM1 by at least 50%.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AGUFM.A53B2226O
- Keywords:
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- 0305 Aerosols and particles;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0345 Pollution: urban and regional;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0365 Troposphere: composition and chemistry;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 3307 Boundary layer processes;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES