Study of particulate emissions near a steel plant in Genova by continuous sampling and PIXE hourly analysis

The particulate emissions near a large steel plant located in a densely inh abited suburb of the town of Geneva (Italy) have been studied for a period of six months. We hale used two-stage continuous streaker samplers and subs equent PIXE analysis with hourly resolution, to follow both seasonal and da ily trends. The first streaker sampler remained installed very close to the plant cokery and furnaces, while another sampler was moved to different lo cations. Samples have been analysed by PIXE, deducing concentrations for el ements from Na to Pb. During part of the campaign. the aerosol fractions wi th aerodynamic diameter (D-ae) < 2.5 mu m (fine fraction) and with 2.5 < D- ae < 10 mu m (coarse fraction) have been separately collected. We have meas ured and analysed about 8500 PIXE spectra: the steel plant emissions have b een identified to some extent and resolved from other aerosol sources. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.