Physicochemical Analysis of Water Extracts of Particulate Matter from Polluted Air in the Area of Kraków, Poland

Abstract

Solubility of transition metal compounds plays a significant role in adverse health effects because that is one of the most important factors of particulate matter bioavailability in the body. In this study, we focus on the chemical analysis of particulate matter (PM) collected at different locations in the area of Kraków, one of the most polluted cities in Poland, and compare them with Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1648a from NIST. The content of four elements (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur) was determined by elemental analysis, and the ratio between organic and inorganic carbon in PM extracts was confirmed by Total Organic Carbon analysis. Among the most concentrated elements found there are calcium, magnesium, sulfur, silicon, and zinc, whereas copper, iron, and manganese were present in lower concentrations. SEM-EDS analysis showed a similar morphology of the SRM and PM collected in the urban area of Kraków, while PM collected in the industrial area has smaller particles with a smooth surface. The reported analyses are significant for the APARIC project (“Air Pollution versus Autoimmunity: Role of multiphase aqueous Inorganic Chemistry”), which aims to identify the main inorganic components of PM and to understand how they affect the development of immunological diseases.