Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
484373 
Journal Article 
Characterization of African Dust (PM2.5) across the Atlantic Ocean during AEROSE 2004 
Jimenez-Velez, B; Detres, Y; Armstrong, RA; Gioda, A 
2009 
Atmospheric Environment
ISSN: 1352-2310
EISSN: 1873-2844 
43 
16 
2659-2664 
English 
An Aerosol and Oceanographic Science Expedition (AEROSE) on the NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown collected PM2.5 particles from a Saharan dust storm in March 2004. High levels Of PM2.5 (120 mu g m(-3)) were measured during this Saharan storm over the Atlantic Ocean. The particles were characterized for trace element content, with Al and Fe the most abundant metals. These metals were detected in high concentrations during the Saharan event and exhibited good correlations with PM2.5, suggesting its soil origin. Other elements (Pb, Ni, Cd) did not correlate with Al and Fe, indicating their anthropogenic origin. Enrichment factor calculation conducted on these trace elements support our findings. Trace element analyses performed on particulate matter from a reference site on land in Puerto Rico (Fajardo), demonstrated similar results to those obtained in the AEROSE expedition, where high concentrations of PM2.5 and Fe were present concomitantly with Saharan events at this station. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 
Saharan dust; Heavy metals; PM2.5; Arsenic; Enrichment factor; puerto-rico; canary-islands; mineral dust; air-quality; transport; florida; pm10