Source apportionment of PM2.5 at two receptor sites in Brisbane, Australia

Environmental contextFine particles affect air quality locally, regionally and globally. Determining the sources of fine particle is therefore critical for developing strategies to reduce their adverse effects. Advanced data analysis techniques were used to determine the sources of fine particles at two sites, providing information for future pollution reduction strategies not only at the study sites but in other areas of the world as well. AbstractIn this study, samples of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) collected at two sites in the south-east Queensland region, a suburban (Rocklea) and a roadside site (South Brisbane), were analysed for H, Na, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Pb and black carbon (BC). Samples were collected during 2007–10 at the Rocklea site and 2009–10 at the South Brisbane site. The receptor model Positive Matrix Factorisation was used to analyse the samples. The sources identified included secondary sulfate, motor vehicles, soil, sea salt and biomass burning. Conditional probability function analysis was used to determine the most likely directions of the sources. Future air quality control strategies may focus on the particular sources identified in the analysis.