PARTICLE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION AND LONG-RANGE TRANSPORT OF METALS IN ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOLS FROM THE ALFABIA STATION (MAJORCA, SPAIN)

Atmospheric aerosols collected by using a cascade impaction system at the Alfabia station (1100 m above sea level in Majorca, Spain) from Fe bruary to June 1994 were analysed for calcium, dnc, manganese, magnesi um, sodium, copper, potassium, lead, chromium, cadmium. iron, vanadium and nickel. The results revealed a major effect of long-range transpo rt of metals from natural and anthropogenic sources. The metals were f ound to abound in fine particles (o < 0.5 mu m), in contrast with atmo spheric aerosols previously collected at the campus of the University of the Balearic Islands (not subject to long-range transport), where n atural metals predominated in coarse particles. Samples were classifie d into three groups according to metal concentrations and origin by a principal component analysis (PCA). Aerosols from northern Spain, sout hern and central France, and Sardinia were found to contain high conce ntrations of metals of anthropogenic origin (Cd, Zn, Ni), whereas thos e from southern Spain and northern Africa were found to abound with me tals from natural sources (Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, K, Cr) Both local and remot e aerosols exhibited low metal concentrations in any case. The concent rations of heavy metals in Alfabia are similar to the others observed by several authors in other stations of the Western Mediterranean Sea. Nevertheless, a light increase is observed in the metals content of a nthropogenic origin m the nearest stations to the sources of the europ ean emissions.