Characteristics of the pm10 in the urban environment of Makassar, Indonesia

Abstract

Ambient PM10 samples were collected in Makassar, Province of South Sulawesi to examine the chemical characteristics of the airborne particulates in the area. The PM10 was monitored on a weekly basis for a period of one year from February 2012 to January 2013. A total of nineteen elemental constituents (i.e Ag, Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Si, Ti, and Zn) along with black carbon and ionic components SO4 2- > NO3-> Cl- > NH4 + were analyzed in the sample. The average PM10 concentration was found to be 32.92 µg/m3, lower than those found in other major cities of the world. The black carbon represents 6.1% of the PM10, the highest concentration, followed by SO4 2- (4.5%), NO3 - (3.4%), and Cl- (2.7%) while each of the elemental concentrations represent less than 2% of the PM10 at the site. The descending order of elemental concentration found at the site was Ca > Si > Na > Al > Fe > K > Mg > Zn > Ti > Pb > Ni >Mn> Ba > Cu > Cr > B > Ag > Cd > Co. The elemental enrichment factors indicated that most of these elements were enriched relative to soil origin illustrating their possible associations with other sources such as marine and anthropogenic derived aerosols. A better understanding of the potential air pollution sources in the city of Makassar was revealed in the study. © 2019 Journal of Urban and Environmental Engineering (JUEE).