Journal of Pollution

Source of Heavy Metals in Aerosol Particles in Atmosphere of Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Iqbal M Ismal, Jalal M Basahi, Ibrahim A Hassan1, Ahmed S Summan and Essam Hammam

Chemical characteristics of aerosols were elucidated through studying concentrations of total suspended particulate matter (TSP) and their elemental composition at industrial, urban and residential sites in Western coast of Saudi Arabia. The average concentration of total particulates were 225, 121 and 98 μg m-3 at industrial, urban and residential sites, respectively. The present study showed that the concentrations of measured heavy metals were in the order of Residential˂Urban˂Industrial. Moreover, EFs of most of elements collected from an industrial site were the highest.Principle component analysis (PCA) indicated that the major source of Al, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and K is road dust (vehicular emissions); Cu is vehicular abrasion; Zn and V is residual oil combustion and Ni is metal plating.