Carbonaceous species of TSP in urban and rural sites around coal-fired power stations in northwestern Greece

Total suspended particles from urban and rural locations around an industrial complex with four coal-fired power stations were collected for a period of 6 months (January–June 2001). Mass concentrations of TSP and carbonaceous species (TC, EC, OC and BC) were determined for seven sampling sites of the studied area. The contribution of TC mass to the total particle mass was similar for all sites with an average value of 12.36±1.27%. The fraction of elemental carbon (EC) was estimated between 32 and 46% of the total carbon (TC). The relationship between organic and elemental carbon showed the primary origin of organic carbon (direct emissions). The OC/BC ratio values were also considered in order to get information about the enrichment of aerosols in organic carbon. Four conditional categories out of the sampling site ‘collection were additionally extracted (“urban”, “rural”, “far” and “close” location to the power stations) and considered with respect to the values of the ratios OC/BC and OC/EC and the multiple correlation coefficients R2 for the concentrations of OC, BC and EC. It has been found that in some cases the correlation coefficients rather than the ratios could inform on the type of site.