Chemical composition of urban airborne particulate matter in Ulaanbaatar

• Published in: Atmospheric environment (1994) Vol. 45; no. 32; pp. 5710 - 5715
• Main Authors: Nishikawa, Masataka, Matsui, Ichiro, Batdorj, Dashdondog, Jugder, Dulam, Mori, Ikuko, Shimizu, Atsushi, Sugimoto, Nobuo, Takahashi, Katsuyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air pollution; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Carbon; Chemical composition; Coal; Combustion; Concentration (composition); Exact sciences and technology; Heating; Pollution; Soil dust; Soot; Stable carbon isotope ratio; Ulaanbaatar; Urban airborne particulate matter; Winter; Asia; Mongolia; Urban airborne particulate matter; Ulaanbaatar; Chemical composition; Stable carbon isotope ratio; Soil dust; Coal; Isotopic analysis; Sulfur compounds; Combustion residue; Soot; Zerovalent metal; Combustion; Iron; Urban area; Sulfur dioxide; Coarse particle; Decontamination; Fine particle; Lead; Organic compounds; Zinc; Heavy metal; Trace element; Dust; Surveillance; Correlation analysis; Aerosols; Air pollution; Manganese
• ISSN: 1352-2310; 1873-2844
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2011.07.029

Atmospheric pollution caused by airborne particulate matter in the winter season in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia is a very serious problem. However, there is a complete lack of scientific observation data to define the situation prior to any remediation. PM10 and PM2.5 average monthly values obtained by continuous monitoring showed the concentrations of particles of both size categories exceeded 100 μg m−3 during November to February (winter). PM10 particles were sampled with filters in January (i.e. during the heating period) and June (i.e.non-heating period) of 2008 in central Ulaanbaatar. To determine the composition of urban airborne particulate matter we analyzed a range of ionic components, multiple elements including heavy metals, and organic and inorganic carbon (soot). We also measured the stable carbon isotope ratio of the soot. Total carbon (sum of organic carbon and inorganic carbon) accounted for 47% of the mass of the PM10 during the heating period and 33% during the non-heating period, and was the largest component of urban airborne particulate matter in Ulaanbaatar. Stable isotope ratios (δ13C) of soot generated during the heating period (−23.4 ± 0.2‰) approximated the ratios for coal used in Ulaanbaatar (−21.3 to −24.4‰), while the ratios during the non-heating period (−27.1 ± 0.4‰) were clearly different from the coal values. In the heating period, a very high correlation was observed between soot and organic carbon, SO42–, NO3−, F−, Zn, As, and Pb, and we concluded that they were derived from coal combustion along with soot. In addition, the concentrations and their ratios relative to each other of Al, Fe, Ca, K, Na, Mg, and Mn hardly differed between the heating period and the non-heating period, and it was concluded that they were derived from soil dust.
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► PM10 and PM2.5 monthly concentrations in Ulaanbaatar exceed 0.1 mg m−3 in the winter. ► Total carbon (organic (OC) + inorganic (EC)) was largest component of PM. ► A very high correlation between EC, OC and others in PM was observed. ► The stable carbon isotope ratios of EC approximated the ratios for Mongolian coal.