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Seasonal characteristics and sources of carbonaceous components and elements of PM10 (2010–2019) in Delhi, India

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Abstract

In this study we present the seasonal chemical characteristics and potential sources of PM10 at an urban location of Delhi, India during 2010˗2019. The concentrations of carbonaceous aerosols [organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and water insoluble organic carbon (WIOC)] and elements (Al, Fe, Ti, Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cr, F, Cl, Br, P, S, K, As, Na, Mg, Ca, B, Ni, Mo, V, Sr, Zr and Rb) in PM10 were estimated to explore their possible sources. The annual average concentration (2010–2019) of PM10 was computed as 227 ± 97 µg m−3 with a range of 34˗734 µg m−3. The total carbonaceous aerosols in PM10 was accounted for 22.5% of PM10 mass concentration, whereas elements contribution to PM10 was estimated to be 17% of PM10. The statistical analysis of OC vs. EC and OC vs. WSOC of PM10 reveals their common sources (biomass burning and/or fossil fuel combustion) during all the seasons. Enrichment factors (EFs) of the elements and the relationship of Al with other crustal metals (Fe, Ca, Mg and Ti) of PM10 indicates the abundance of mineral dust over Delhi. Principal component analysis (PCA) extracted the five major sources [industrial emission (IE), biomass burning + fossil fuel combustion (BB + FFC), soil dust, vehicular emissions (VE) and sodium and magnesium salts (SMS)] of PM10 in Delhi, India. Back trajectory and cluster analysis of airmass parcel indicate that the pollutants approaching to Delhi are mainly from Pakistan, IGP region, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal.

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Data availability

The datasets developed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to the Director, CSIR-NPL, New Delhi and Head, Environmental Sciences and Biomedical Division (ES&BMD), CSIR-NPL, New Delhi for their encouragement and support to this study. Authors are thankfully acknowledge the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Air Resources Laboratory for download the air mass trajectories (http://www.arl.noaa.gov/ready/hysplit4.html).

Funding

The authors are thankfully acknowledged the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India, New Delhi for financial support to this study (EMPOWER OLP-102132; PSC-0112).

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  1. CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, Dr. K. S. Krishnan Road, New Delhi-110 012, Delhi , India

    Sudhir Kumar Sharma, Rubiya Banoo & Tuhin Kumar Mandal

  2. Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201 002 , Ghaziabad, India

    Sudhir Kumar Sharma, Rubiya Banoo & Tuhin Kumar Mandal

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Conception and design of the study were planned by SKS; Data collection and analysis were performed by SKS, RB, TKM; the first draft was written by SKS. Data interpretation was carried out by SKS, TKM and RB. All the authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Sudhir Kumar Sharma.

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Sharma, S.K., Banoo, R. & Mandal, T.K. Seasonal characteristics and sources of carbonaceous components and elements of PM10 (2010–2019) in Delhi, India. J Atmos Chem 78, 251–270 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10874-021-09424-x

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