Margarita Préndez

Correlation between solar radiation and total syspended particulate matter in Santiago, Chile—Preliminary results

Abstract This is a first-approach study tending to correlate solar radiation and temperature with total particulate matter in Santiago, Chile, a city heavily polluted by this contaminant. Experimental data for monthly average total radiation, G , were provided by the Chilean Meteorological Bureau. Diffuse monthly average radiation, D , was calculated. The concentrations of TSP were provided from the monitoring system of the Chilean Environment Health Service. Results show that there exists a relationship between TSP and solar radiation and temperature for urban sites, but not for suburban sites, even considering the monthly average values. Further and more detailed studies are necessary in this field.

Elemental composition of surface waters in the Antarctic Peninsula and interactions with the environment.

The fast changes in chemical and biological properties of many coastal and inland waters in the last decades reflect the pressure of man on the environment. The surface waters of the Antarctic Peninsula, located far from industrial or populated areas, could eventually be used as background lines. Surface water samples were taken from five lagoons of King George Island, Antarctic Peninsula, and from the Kitiesh Lake. Sample pH and electrical conductivity were analysed in situ and in the laboratory, respectively. The dissolved fractions were analysed in 1997 and 1998. Total concentrations only for 1998 were determined in another fraction adjusted to pH 2. Aluminium, Ca, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ba, Bi, and Pb were quantified in all samples by means of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Total and dissolved elemental concentrations were discussed considering the composition of particulate material suspended in the waters removed by streams or by water runoff, or from atmospheric aerosols. Concentrations of dissolved elements change from one lagoon to another. Total and dissolved elemental concentrations could be related to water movement by windstorms, to chemical mechanisms in water and/or to natural and anthropogenic atmospheric factors.

Tropospheric aerosols above the thermal inversion layer of Santiago, Chile: Size distribution of elemental concentrations

Abstract This paper reports on elemental concentration distribution versus size of particulate matter under 10.2μm, above the thermal inversion layer in Santiago, Chile. Forty-eight-hour samples were collected with Andersen and Berner cascade impactors. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry was used to quantify Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr and Cd. These last three elements were found under the detection limit of the technique. The concentration of Ca, Fe, Mg and Mn increases as the sizes of particles increase, while the concentration of Pb increases as the sizes of particles decrease. Analysis by enrichment factors using Fe from local soils as reference shows that Mg, Ca and Mn have a natural origin, and Pb and Zn an anthropogenic origin. The principal component analysis indicates that Mg, Ca, Mn and Fe are very probably coming from peripheral soils or dust from unpaved roads and streets; Pb from motor vehicles; and Zn and Cu from industrial emissions.

Biogenic volatile organic compounds from the urban forest of the Metropolitan Region, Chile.

Tropospheric ozone is a secondary pollutant whose primary sources are volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides. The national standard is exceeded on a third of summer days in some areas of the Chilean Metropolitan Region (MR). This study reports normalized springtime experimental emissions factors (EF) for biogenic volatile organic compounds from tree species corresponding to approximately 31% of urban trees in the MR. A Photochemical Ozone Creation Index (POCI) was calculated using Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential of quantified terpenes. Ten species, natives and exotics, were analysed using static enclosure technique. Terpene quantification was performed using GC-FID, thermal desorption, cryogenic concentration and automatic injection. Observed EF and POCI values for terpenes from exotic species were 78 times greater than native values; within the same family, exotic EF and POCI values were 28 and 26 times greater than natives. These results support reforestation with native species for improved urban pollution management.

METODOLOGÍA PARA LA EXTRACCIÓN, FRACCIONAMIENTO Y CUANTIFICACIÓN DE HIDROCARBUROS AROMÁTICOS R.C.Suelo Nutr. Veg. 8 (2) 2008 (I-I) J. Soil Sc. Plant Nutr. 8 (2) 2008 (I-I) POLICÍCLICOS PRESENTES EN MATERIAL PARTICULADO URBANO

Se desarrollo una metodologia confiable para la identificacion y cuantificacion de Hidrocarburos Aromaticos Policiclicos (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, PAHs) en aerosoles atmosfericos, que incluye la extraccion con diclorometano, la purificacion y fraccionamiento de los componentes presentes en la muestra con columna de gel de silice y la cuantificacion mediante GC¾MSD. Se obtuvo porcentajes de recuperacion en el rango de 61 a 113%, dependiendo del PAH especifico analizado. El protocolo analitico, que implica una significativa economia en el tiempo de analisis y consumo de reactivos, se aplico exitosamente a la cuantificacion de PAHs en muestras de material particulado PM10 urbano, colectadas en la ciudad de Santiago de Chile, entre octubre y noviembre de 1999.

Estudio Preliminar del Material Particulado de Fuentes Estacionarias: Aplicación al Sistema de Compensación de Emisiones en la Región Metropolitana, Chile

Resumen Se realiza una caracterizacion fisica y quimica de emisiones proveniente de diferentes tipos de fuentes estacionarias en Santiago de Chile con el proposito de determinar si la forma en que se aplican las medidas de compensacion de emisiones es apropiada. El sistema de compensacion de emisiones se aplica tradicionalmente a las emisiones masicas. La hipotesis de este trabajo es que el dano a la salud ocasionado por el material particulado depende ademas de su tamano y de los elementos quimicos que contenga, como lo corroboran los resultados que muestran notables diferencias en la composicion quimica de las emisiones desde distintos tipos de fuentes. Esto indica que la aplicacion del sistema actual no es apropiada como herramienta ambiental para el mejoramiento de la calidad del aire de la ciudad. Palabras claves: fuentes estacionarias, compensacion de emisiones, caracterizacion del particulado Preliminary Study of Particulate Matter from Stationary Sources: Application to the Emission Compensation System of the Metropolitan Region, Chile

Determinación de Factores de Emisión de Compuestos Orgánicos Volátiles de Dos Especies Arbóreas Nativas de La Región Metropolitana, Chile

En este trabajo se informa sobre algunos factores de emision para seis monoterpenos emitidos por Cryptocarya alba (peumo) y Schinus molle (pimiento), especies que corresponden al 2,5% de las especies arboreas de la Region Metropolitana de Chile. Los compuestos organicos volatiles biogenicos (COVsB) participan en la formacion de ozono troposferico y los modelos para elaborar estrategias de control y disminucion de las concentraciones de ozono requieren de los factores de emision. En este sentido, existe poca informacion para las especies arboreas nativas chilenas, como las consideradas en este estudio. Se uso el encierro estatico y la adsorcion en Tenax para el muestreo y GC-FID para la cuantificacion de COVsB. Los mayores factores de emision en peumo fueron: 0.0049 a 0.0165 µgg-1hsh-1 para cineol y 0.0030 a 0.0117 µgg-1hsh-1 para limoneno. En pimiento los valores extremos fueron: 0.0097-0.128 µgg-1hsh-1 para a-pineno y 0.0029 a 0.108 µgg-1hsh-1 para 3-careno. Los resultados muestran que los factores de emision son muy dependientes de las condiciones ambientales y de la especie arborea.

Evolution of lead concentration in the particulate matter of Santiago, Chile, since 1978

Santiago is a city of over 4.5 million inhabitants and about 415000 motor vehicles using leaded gasoline. Twenty-four-hour samples were taken of total and fractionated particulate matter using a low-volume system and two Andersen cascade impactors, between 1978 and 1989 at different sites of the city of Santiago. Lead concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results show that Pb concentrations vary greatly depending on the site selected. Higher values are always detected near the city center. An annual variation with the highest value during the autumn-winter period (May–July) is clearly observed. Lead concentrations versus size are clearly biased to particles smaller than 2 µm. A correlation is observed between Pb concentrations and the suspended particulate matter under 3 µm at different sites of the city. The curves of Pb concentration versus size of the aerosols emitted by the gas exhaust of motor vehicles using leaded gasoline are similar to those of the atmospheric aerosols.

Physical and Chemical Components of Cuba’s Rain: Effects on Air Quality

The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of the physical and chemical components of rain affecting air quality in Cuba. Samples were obtained from pollution monitoring stations throughout Cuba. Different chemical analyses including elements and ions were conducted. Meteorological data was also included for the analysis. Results show that the pH was slightly basic for most stations, except those of the eastern region which exhibit pH values below 5.6. The major anthropogenic sources of ions are the burning of fossil fuel by power plants, cement factories, and nickel-processing industries and the burning of biomass through poor agricultural practices. The western region exhibited increased concentrations of and during the dry season, most likely due to the long-range transport of pollutants from the northeastern United States as well as local pollutants. Marine aerosols clearly influence Cuba’s rain. Only a small fraction of the potentially acidic ions contributes to the free acidity of Cuba’s rainwater, mainly due to the neutralizing capacity of some ions such as Cl-, Na

Análisis de Contaminantes en la Cuenca del Río Aconcagua en Chile: Evaluación de Riesgo Humano y Ambiental

This paper presents a study and analysis of air pollutants in an area of permanent industrial and agricultural development in Chile. The study considers the watershed of the Aconcagua river including several cities of the provinces of Valparaiso, Quillota, San Felipe and Marga Marga. The information obtained from monitoring networks of air quality that are regulated by the Chilean health and environmental authorities, during the period 1998 to 2008, was used to develop a qualitative method to assess the risk of contamination to human health and vegetation. The method showed areas of high risk to vegetation and human life and other areas that should be declared as saturated zones. It was also demonstrated that it is necessary to establish primary and secondary standards, particularly for some trace elements considering the importance of the area as an exporter of agricultural products.