title: A new look at inhalable metalliferous airborne particles on rail subway platforms.
abstract: Most particles breathed on rail subway platforms are highly ferruginous (FePM) and extremely small (nanometric to a few microns in size). High magnification observations of particle texture and chemistry on airborne PM₁₀ samples collected from the Barcelona Metro, combined with published experimental work on particle generation by frictional sliding, allow us to propose a general model to explain the origin of most subway FePM. Particle generation occurs by mechanical wear at the brake-wheel and wheel-rail interfaces, where magnetic metallic flakes and splinters are released and undergo progressive atmospheric oxidation from metallic iron to magnetite and maghemite. Flakes of magnetite typically comprise mottled mosaics of octahedral nanocrystals (10-20 nm) that become pseudomorphed by maghemite. Continued oxidation results in extensive alteration of the magnetic nanostructure to more rounded aggregates of non-magnetic hematite nanocrystals, with magnetic precursors (including iron metal) still preserved in some particle cores. Particles derived from steel wheel and rails contain a characteristic trace element chemistry, typically with Mn/Fe=0.01. Flakes released from brakes are chemically very distinctive, depending on the pad composition, being always carbonaceous, commonly barium-rich, and texturally inhomogeneous, with trace elements present in nanominerals incorporated within the crystalline structure. In the studied subway lines of Barcelona at least there appears to be only a minimal aerosol contribution from high temperature processes such as sparking. To date there is no strong evidence that these chemically and texturally complex inhalable metallic materials are any more or less toxic than street-level urban particles, and as with outdoor air, the priority in subway air quality should be to reduce high mass concentrations of aerosol present in some stations.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDÆA-CSIC), C/Jordi Girona 18-24, 08034 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: teresa.moreno@idaea.csic.es.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDÆA-CSIC), C/Jordi Girona 18-24, 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Dept. of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Vânia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDÆA-CSIC), C/Jordi Girona 18-24, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Querol
authors.affiliation: School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, CF10 3YE Cardiff, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: BéruBé
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDÆA-CSIC), C/Jordi Girona 18-24, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria Cruz
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Minguillón
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDÆA-CSIC), C/Jordi Girona 18-24, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.affiliation: Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), Santa Eulalia 08902, Av. del Metro s/n L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Capdevila
authors.affiliation: Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), Santa Eulalia 08902, Av. del Metro s/n L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
authors.forename: Eladio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Miguel
authors.affiliation: Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), Santa Eulalia 08902, Av. del Metro s/n L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Centelles
authors.affiliation: WPS, C/Major 13, 08870 Sitges, Spain.
authors.forename: Wes
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gibbons
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D011890:Railroads
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Iron oxides; Nanoparticles; Platform air quality; SEM; Subway PM; TEM