Evolution of anthropogenic aerosols in the coastal town of Salina Cruz, Mexico: Part II particulate phase chemistry

An analysis of atmospheric gases and particles during periods of land and sea breezes in a coastal city in southwest Mexico indicates limited removal of total particle mass by deposition during periods when the air resides over the ocean. The average PM2.5 mass concentrations for land and sea breeze samples were 25±1.0 and 26±1.0 μg m−3, respectively. The average sum of the ion concentrations (NH4 +, SO4 2−, NO3 − , Na+, Cl−) were 10 and 11.8 μg m−3 for the samples taken during land and sea breeze periods. The average total carbon concentrations were 6.0 and 5.3 μg m−3 for land and sea breeze periods. The mass of sulfate in particles of ocean origin, 3.3±2.8 μg m−3, is marginally higher than those originating from the land, 2.0±0.8 μg m−3, presumably as a result of the conversion of SO2 recirculated from the city. The fraction of sulfate, nitrate and ammonium ions in rainwater samples is almost a factor of two higher than the fraction measured on filtered air samples. The rainwater also contains significant concentrations of elemental and organic carbon. This study, although extending over a period of only 15 days, with limited chemical samples, suggests that recirculation of anthropogenic particles from coastal cities should be taken into consideration when diagnosing and predicting air quality in such regions.