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Source apportionment of fine atmospheric particles using positive matrix factorization in Pretoria, South Africa
Outdoor and indoor air pollution have been regarded as a
serious issue in South Africa, with the emissions of various air
pollutants and their resulting concentrations in the atmosphere
being a major source of concern. For example, nearly 80% of
the global population was subjected to air pollution levels that
surpassed the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality
guidelines in 2011. Pollution from a variety of sources has had
a significant effect on air quality, posing a direct threat to the
critical roles the environment plays in preserving and sustaining
life by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation, warming the
surface, and controlling the earth’s temperature. Particulate
matter (PM) suspended in the air for hours or days can travel a
long distance, making it a long-range transported pollutant that
is influenced by particle size, chemical composition, and other
physical and biological characteristics. PM2.5 (particles smaller
than 2.5 μm) has received a lot of attention recently because of
the negative impact it has on human health, i.e., its potential to
penetrate human lungs. Furthermore, epidemiological studies
have revealed a connection between PM and a variety of health
problems. Source apportionment is an important air quality
management tool for providing information about source
contributions required for pollution abatement strategies.
However, not many studies have applied air mass backward
trajectory modelling with source apportionment model analysis
to investigate the sources of PM.