Composition of aerosols in an industrialized area of Northeastern China

Surface level aerosol samples were collected utilizing conventional high vo lume air sampler in the highly industrialized area of Shenyang, China, loca ted in the northeastern part of the country. Sampling was conducted in the severely polluted Tiexi District area on December 25, 1995 and again from A ugust 23-30, 1997. The average SO? and TSP concentrations obtained during t he summer was 38 ppb and 388 mu g/m(3), respectively. SO42-, NO3- and Cl- w ere the detected water-soluble anions with respective summer concentrations of 3.6-10.6 mu g/m(3), 3.2-6.5 mu g/m(3) and 4.5-7.8 mu g/m(3). In additio n, elevated levels of heavy metals such as iron, lead, and zinc in aerosols were noted, which most likely resulted from the combustion of coal and oth er fuels and/or emissions associated with nearby industrial facilities. As expected, concentration levels of TSP, water-soluble ions and heavy metals were found to increase during the winter months.