Source apportionment of inorganic ions in airborne urban particles from Coruña city (N.W. of Spain) using positive matrix factorization.
Water-soluble atmospheric particulate matter was analyzed for pH, conductivity and inorganic ions: Mg(2+), Ca(2+), K(+), Na(+), NH(4)(+), Cl(-), NO(3)(-) and SO(4)(2-) by ion-chromatography. In order to get a deeper insight on the atmospheric data and assess the 'optimal' number of pollution sources, principal component analysis and cluster analysis were applied. After that, the second objective was to apply a recently developed chemometric technique (positive matrix factorization) to perform source apportionment and get ion balances. Four pollution patterns were identified, namely, marine, industrial, urban and building-related source pollutants. Ion balances were also made in a straightforward manner.
Prendes
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Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of A Coruña, Campus da Zapateira S/N, E-15071, A Coruña, Spain.
Andrade
J M
JM
López-Mahía
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P
Prada
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D