PM10 carbonaceous aerosols and their real-time wet scavenging during monsoon and non-monsoon seasons at Delhi, India

Real-time simultaneous measurements of rainwater and PM₁₀ chemistry were carried out at Delhi during the year 2016–17 in order to assess the levels of carbonaceous species and their wet scavenging during monsoon and non-monsoon seasons at Delhi. The PM₁₀ samples were collected Before Rain (BR), During Rain (DR) and After Rain (AR) events, while rainwater samples collected on an event basis. The ambient OC levels were always higher than the levels of EC during both monsoon and non-monsoon seasons in ambient aerosol as well as in rainwater. On an average, during rain (DR) 30% of OC aerosols and 28.2% of EC aerosols removed via wet scavenging process. In after rain (AR), 26.2% OC and 1.8% EC aerosols further decreased in comparison to DR samples due to the presence of OC and EC free air parcel. Overall it observed that the OC concentration significantly lowered from BR to DR and AR. However, EC concentrations in AR were found to be higher than DR samples indicating their build-up after the rains. The Scavenging Ratios (SRs) of OC and rain intensity had a significant positive correlation, whereas the SRs of EC showed a weak correlation with rain intensity. The SRs of EC were significantly higher during non-monsoon as compared to monsoon season. Such characteristics can be explained based on the particles size, source and the hygroscopicity of both types of carbonaceous aerosol.