Preliminary analysis of arsenic and other metallic elements in PM10 sampled near a copper smelter Bor (Serbia)

Abstract

In this paper, there are presented levels of twenty one elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, S, Se, Sr, and Zn) in PM10 and SO2 concentration measured at the sampling site in an urban area of the town of Bor (40000 inhabitants) in eastern Serbia. Sampling site was located in densely populated city center about 0.65 km far from one of the largest copper mine and cooper smelter in Europe. For the first time PM10 was collected using Europen standard sampler, during preliminar campaing in duration of 7 days in early spring 2009. PM10 were sampled on PTFE memebrane filters and element concentrations quantified by GF AAS and ICP AES. A concentration level and correlations within trace elements, PM10 and SO2 indicated that industrial activates underpinned with metrological conditions of slow wind speed (calm), are the main factors that influence air pollution in densely populated area. It was evident that both, PM10 mass concentration and SO2 concentration once exceeded daily limit values during measuring period of seven days. Strong relationship was found between PM10 and Mn, Mg, Ca and B daily average concentrations. On the other side, SO2 correlated strongly with As, Pb, Cd, Cu and S daily average concentrations. These results confirm relationship between emissions of SO2 from the Copper Smelter Bor, calm meteorological conditions (wind speed less than 0.5 m/sec) with concentration level of carcinogenic substances of arsenic, lead and cadmium in ambient air.