Fine (PM2.5), coarse (PM2.5–10), and metallic elements of suspended particulates for incense burning at Tzu Yun Yen temple in central Taiwan

Ambient suspended particulate concentrations were measured at Tzu Yun Yen temple (120°, 34′, 10″ E; 24°, 16′, 12″ N) in this study. This is representative of incense burning and semi-open sampling sites. The Universal-sampler collected fine and coarse particle material was used to measure suspended particulate concentrations, and sampling periods were from 16/08/2001 to 2/1/2002 at Tzu Yun Yen temple. In addition, metallic element concentrations, compositions of PM2.5 and PM2.5–10 for incense burning at Tzu Yun Yen temple were also analyzed in this study. The PM2.5/PM10 ratios ranged between 31% and 87% and averaged 70 ± 11% during incense the burning period, respectively. The median metallic element concentration order for these elements is Fe > Zn > Cr > Cd > Pb > Mn > Ni > Cu in fine particles (PM2.5) at the Tzu Yun Yen temple sampling site. The median metallic element concentration order for these elements is Fe > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cd > Ni > Mn > Cu in coarse particle (PM2.5–10) at the Tzu Yun Yen temple sampling site. Fine particulates (PM2.5) are the main portion of PM10 at Tzu Yun Yen temple in this study. From the point of view of PM10, these data reflect that the elements Fe, Zn, and Cr were the major elements distributed at Tzu Yun Yen temple in this study.