Particle size distribution and atmospheric metals measurements in a rural area in the South Eastern USA

Atmospheric particle mass concentrations were measured at a site adjacent to Lake Hartwell, GA, during six dry sampling events in February–March 2003. The overall average PM2.5 mass concentration was 9.5 Ag/m3 and the overall average total suspended particles mass concentration was 19.1 Ag/m3. Particulate matter was collected on a deposition plate mounted onto a specially designed wind vane and was subsequently analyzed to determine the particle size distribution. The average geometric particle diameter was found to be 2.8 Am. Particulate matter collected was found to be closely approximately at log-normal distribution, with a count median diameter of 1.5 Am and a geometric standard deviation of 1.8. Individual metal concentrations present in airborne particulate matter were determined for cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel, and zinc using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis of samples collected on Teflon filters. Ambient metal concentrations were found to range from 0.8 ng/m3 for cadmium to 512 ng/m3 for iron. The dry deposition flux of metals was estimated to be in the range of 0.17 mg/(m2 year) for cadmium to 102 mg/(m2 year) for iron. More samples need to be collected and analyzed, both temporally and spatially, in order to establish atmospheric metals fluxes onto surfaces.