Evaluation of PM2.5 Sources in Skopje Urban Area Using Positive Matrix Factorization

Mirakovski, Dejan and Zendelska, Afrodita and Boev, Blazo and Hadzi-Nikolova, Marija and Sijakova-Ivanova, Tena and Doneva, Nikolinka and Boev, Ivan and Dimov, Gorgi and Doneva, Elena and Mihailovska, Ana (2024) Evaluation of PM2.5 Sources in Skopje Urban Area Using Positive Matrix Factorization. Environmental Modeling & Assessment. ISSN 1420-2026 / e-ISSN:1573-2967

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Abstract

This source apportionment research was one of the first attempts to quantify the contributions of pollution sources to ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) in the urban area of Skopje. The sampling was conducted at two locations in the city of Skopje, with permanent, year-round coverage. The elemental composition of PM2.5 aerosols was analyzed with non-destructive energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, water-soluble ions were analyzed photometrically, and black carbon was assessed with an optical transmissometer. Positive Matrix Factorization was used for data modelling, and the contribution of each source to total particulate mass (PM2.5) was calculated. Seven main pollution sources were identified for both sites including biomass burning, open fire burning, traffic, fuel/residual oil burning, industry, and soil/mineral dust. Biomass combustion continues to be the largest single source of ambient air pollution and, due to its particular temporal distribution, is most likely the primary cause of extreme wintertime pollution episodes. Despite being fully seasonal, biomass burning provides the greatest annual relative contribution, reaching 32% for the Novo Lisiche site and 33% for the Karposh site, and during the winter months, this source alone contributes beyond the annual PM2.5 limit levels. Traffic is the second most important source. The annual relative contribution of traffic to the total particle mass at the Novo Lisiche site was 23%, and at the Karposh site, it was 18%. Other notable sources include the combustion of fuel/residual oil, soil dust, and open fires burning.

Item Type:	Article
Impact Factor Value:	2.4
Subjects:	Engineering and Technology > Environmental engineering
Divisions:	Faculty of Natural and Technical Sciences
Depositing User:	Afrodita Zendelska
Date Deposited:	29 Feb 2024 09:10
Last Modified:	29 Feb 2024 09:10
URI:	https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/33778

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