Study of Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Some Major Urban Air Pollutants

Abstract

Abstract Urban air/environmental pollution as a major concern of contemporary civilization, substantially affecting the health of the residents, requires identification of both physico-chemical specificity and generating sources. Particle matter (PM) monitored in the atmosphere should be associated to their chemical composition that allows identification of sources as enhancement contributor and sinks as mitigation factor but also as possible spreading agent as it has been reported in rain fall for some of the pollutants cathegories. After a number of episodes of increased amounts of measured PM 2.5 and PM 10, considerable dust deposits on cars were collected and SEM-EDX analyses were performed, showing the agglomerated morphology and elemental composition of the dust. Sodium aluminate and calcium chloride were identified as major contributors to the dust composition. Such chemical components may end-up into the water supply and tab water as previously reported affecting the quality of the water. As sources, dust-binding solutions for streets cleaning and/or coagulant agents in constructions are to be considered.