title: Chemical composition of Eastern Black Sea aerosol--preliminary results.
abstract: Trace element composition of atmospheric particles collected at a high altitude site on the Eastern Black Sea coast of Turkey was investigated to understand atmospheric transport of pollutants to this semi-closed basin. Aerosol samples were collected at a timber-storage area, which is operated by the General Directorate of Forestry. The site is situated at a rural area and is approximately 50 km to the Black Sea coast and 200 km to the Georgia border of Turkey. Coarse (PM2.5-10) and fine (PM2.5) aerosol samples were collected between 2011 and 2013 using a "stacked filter unit". Collected samples were shipped to the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, where Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ba, Pb were measured by Energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence technique (EDXRF). Comparison of measured concentrations of elements with corresponding data generated at other parts of Turkey demonstrated that concentrations of pollution derived elements are higher at Eastern Black Sea than their corresponding concentrations measured at other parts of Turkey, which is attributed to frequent transport of pollutants from north wind sector. Positive matric factorization revealed four factors including three anthropogenic and a crustal factor. Southeastern parts of Turkey, Georgia and Black Sea coast of Ukraine were identified as source regions affecting composition of particles at our site, using trajectory statistics, namely "potential source contribution function" (PSCF).
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Middle East Technical University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: balcilar@metu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Ilker
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Balcılar
authors.affiliation: Turkish Atomic Energy Authority, Ankara Nuclear Research and Training Center, 06983 Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zararsız
authors.affiliation: Turkish Atomic Energy Authority, Ankara Nuclear Research and Training Center, 06983 Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yakup
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kalaycı
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Akdeniz University, 07058 Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Güray
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Doğan
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Middle East Technical University, 06800 Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gürdal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tuncel
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis*; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D059038:Black Sea; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D012621:Seasons; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D014131:Trace Elements
keywords: Aerosol; Atmospheric transport; Eastern Black Sea; Trace elements