Chemical characterization of fine particulate matter, source apportionment and long-range transport clusters in Thohoyandou, South Africa

dc.contributor.authorNovela, Rirhandzu J.
dc.contributor.authorGitari, Wilson M.
dc.contributor.authorChikoore, Hector
dc.contributor.authorMolnar, Peter
dc.contributor.authorMudzielwana, Rabelani
dc.contributor.authorWichmann, Janine
dc.date.accessioned2021-03-26T10:40:42Z
dc.date.available2021-03-26T10:40:42Z
dc.date.issued2020
dc.description.abstractThis paper presents a chemical characterization of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in air masses passing through Thohoyandou and further determines their sources. PM2.5 samples were collected and quantified using the gravimetric method. X-ray fluorescence, smoke stain reflectometer, optical transmissometer and scanning electron microscopy - energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy were used to determine the chemical and morphological composition of the particulate matter. The source apportionment was done using principal component analysis while the HYSPLIT model was used to depict the long-range transport clusters. The mean of concentrations of PM2.5, soot, black carbon and UVPM were 10.9 μg/m3 , 0.69x10-5 m-1, 1.22 μg/m3 and 1.40 μg/m3, respectively. A total of 24 elements were detected in the PM2.5 with Pd, Sn, Sb, Mg, Al, and Si being the dominant elements. SEM-EDS have shown the presence of irregular, flat and spherical particles which is associated with crustal material and industrial emissions. Source apportionment analysis revealed six major sources of PM2.5 in Thohoyandou namely, crustal materials, industrial emissions, vehicular emissions, urban emissions, fossil fuel combustion and fugitive-Pd. Air parcels that pass through Thohoyandou were clustered into four groupings. The major pathways were from the SW Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and inland trajectories. Clusters from the ocean are associated with low concentration, while inland clusters are associated with high concentration of PM2.5. The PM2.5 levels occasionally exceeded the daily WHO guideline (25 μg/m3) in Thohoyandou and the sources of PM2.5 extend beyond the borders. This study recommends that further studies need to be carried out to assess the health impacts of PM2.5 in Thohoyandou.en_ZA
dc.description.departmentSchool of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH)en_ZA
dc.description.librarianpm2021en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipNational Research Foundation, South African Department of Higher Education and Training Research incentive funds and University of Venda RPC.en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://www.minervamedica.it/it/riviste/chirurgia/index.phpen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationNovela, R.J., Gitari, W.M., Chikoore, H. et al. 2020, 'Chemical characterization of fine particulate matter, source apportionment and long-range transport clusters in Thohoyandou, South Africa', Clean Air Journal, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 1-10.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1017-1703 (print)
dc.identifier.issn2410-972X (online)
dc.identifier.other10.17159/caj/2020/30/2.8735
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/79125
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherEdizioni Minerva Medicaen_ZA
dc.rights© 2020. The Author(s). Published under a Creative Commons Attribution Licence.en_ZA
dc.subjectPM2.5 characterizationen_ZA
dc.subjectSource apportionmenten_ZA
dc.subjectLong range clustersen_ZA
dc.subjectPrincipal component analysis (PCA)en_ZA
dc.subjectBackward trajectoriesen_ZA
dc.subjectParticulate matter (PM2.5)en_ZA
dc.titleChemical characterization of fine particulate matter, source apportionment and long-range transport clusters in Thohoyandou, South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA

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