Atmospheric Air Dust Concentration, Composition And Size Distribution Data At Breathing Heights In Yekaterinburg.

Abstract

Accurate information on air quality serves as the foundation for making regulatory and legal decisions aimed at reducing air pollution. This study investigates the vertical distribution of dust particle concentration, their elemental composition, and size distribution in the atmospheric surface layer in Yekaterinburg. Over eight days in April 2021, 64 dust samples were collected on filters at heights ranging from 0.5 m to 10 m at a single site using a mobile post. The mass concentration of the dust, characterized by heterogeneous data with a coefficient of variation exceeding 30%, exhibited a weak tendency to decrease with height. The proportion of particles smaller than 1 µm decreased with increasing altitude, except for 10 m, where their proportion increased. Conversely, the concentration of p articles ranging from one to two microns decreased closer to the surface. Dust grains of other sizes were nearly evenly distributed at various heights. Dust particles smaller than PM2.5 accounted for approximately 45% of the total particles. X-ray fluorescence analysis identified 12 elements in dust particles, with S, Ca, and Fe showing the most substantial content. The proportion of most metals and Ca in solid particles decreased with height, while the content of S and As increased. The Cu, Zn, and Sb content in dust particles remained constant at all measured heights.