Title: Assessing the impact of particulate matter sources in the Milan urban area

Authors: Stefano Mossetti, Silvana P. Angius, Elisabetta Angelino

Addresses: Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale (ARPA) della Lombardia, Settore Aria, U.O. Modellistica, Viale Restelli 3/1, Milano, Italy. ' Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale (ARPA) della Lombardia, Dipartimento Provinciale di Milano, U.O. Aria, Via Juvara 22, Milano, Italy. ' Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale (ARPA) della Lombardia, Settore Aria, U.O. Modellistica, Viale Restelli 3/1, Milano, Italy

Abstract: The Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) receptor model of the US-EPA was applied to PM10 data obtained during a field study performed in the Milan urban area, including daily average concentrations, element and ion concentrations. Two chemical fingerprints were estimated to characterise total traffic emissions and diesel engine exhaust emissions. Four main source groups were identified: road traffic, with a 56% contribution, secondary particulate with 26%, soil dust (15%), and industrial emissions (3%). A more detailed treatment of the traffic source showed the important contributions of diesel exhaust and tyre and brake wear to ambient PM10 concentrations. The influence of meteorology on source apportionment was also studied by analysing the effects of rainfall of different intensities, and those of wind speed.

Keywords: particulate matter; source apportionment; chemical mass balance model; particulate sources; PM10; receptor models; urban air quality; atmospheric dispersion modelling; air pollution; Italy; traffic emissions; diesel engine exhaust emissions; meteorology; wind speed; rainfall; pollutant concentration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2005.007396

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2005 Vol.24 No.1/2/3/4, pp.247 - 259

Published online: 15 Jul 2005 *

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