Particle-induced x-ray emission spectrometry of size-fractionated atmospheric aerosols

Abstract

Atmospheric aerosol samples were collected with a stacked filter unit (SFU), which separates the aerosol into a coarse (2-10 µm aerodynamic diameter (AD)) and a fine (< 2 µm AD) size fraction. The samples were analysed by particle-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) spectrometry. Elemental composition and enrichment of the elements were applied for source identification and apportionment. Multivariate statistical methods identified three principal factors, which were assigned to aerosol sources from: mineral dust, biomass burning and sea salt.