Insights into the Chemical Characteristics of Atmospheric Aerosols from Urban-Industrial and Rural Sites in South-East of Poland During Winter

This study focusses on a short-term characterisation of atmospheric aerosols from three locations in southeast of Poland with different land use characteristics, population density and sources of pollution (Katowice: urban-industrial; Strzyzowice near Lublin: rural; Kielce: urban). Twenty-four hour PM2.5 and PM10 samples were collected on the quartz filter and their chemical compositions were monitored and measured using OCEC thermo-optical analysis and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS). The highest concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were measured at the urban-industrial area in Katowice (29.6 mu g center dot m(-3) and 31.0 mu g center dot m(-3), respectively), whereas the highest organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) levels were observed at the Kielce urban site (23.3 +/- 4.2 mu g and 3.6 +/- 0.3 mu g, respectively). The lowest values were obtained at the rural site for PM2.5 (10.4 +/- 2.7 mu g center dot m(-3)) and PM10 (11.8 +/- 2.7 mu g center dot m(-3)) and for OC (17.8 +/- 1.6 mu g) and EC (1.0 +/- 0.1 mu g). SEM-EDS analysis of samples from Kielce allows identification of internal chemical mixtures of carbon, silicon, calcium, chlorine, sodium and aluminium.