Elemental composition of airborne particulate matter from coastal South Florida area influenced by African dust events

Airborne particulate matter (APM) is a complex mixture of dust, dirt, soot and smoke containing both organic and inorganic components as well as biological particles. APM below 10 µm can enter the respiratory track and are known to cause adverse health effects. African dust storms are responsible for the transport of large amount of APM across the Atlantic Ocean during summer months. Anthropogenic activities are also responsible for APM pollution contribution in coastal areas and could have potential effects on sensitive ecosystems. The present study evaluates the elemental composition of APM collected from a coastal area in South Florida. In this study, a high-volume air sampler equipped with Versapor filters and located near the Port of Fort Lauderdale was employed for APM collection from 2005 to 2010. APM chemical composition was analyzed for multiple elements by ICP-MS. Seven of the eleven metals listed by the EPA as hazardous air pollutants (Mn, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, As, Co and Se) were detected in the samples. Iron and aluminum were the most abundant elements found in all samples, followed by V and Ni, which are usually associated with anthropogenic pollution coming from fossil fuel combustion. Specific sources of APM pollution were identified by principal component analysis and using the U.S. EPA UNMIX model for environmental data analyses. Rare earth elements were used to identify contributions of geological material to the APM and African dust influence during the summer months.