Evaluation of atmospheric particulate matter from an industrial area in Southeast Brazil

A large number of pollutants, such as trace elements, can be found on the surface of atmospheric particulate matter. Since some trace elements can be hazardous to humans, monitoring the atmospheric emissions is relevant to generate comparative data over the years and to predict the health risks of the exposed population. Thus, the aim of this study was to monitor the concentrations of trace elements in atmospheric particulate matter samples from an industrial area in the city of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, in Southeast Brazil. After the sampling campaign, the samples (n = 22) were prepared with microwave-assisted extraction and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. Then, the analyte results were evaluated through statistical approaches. The enrichment factor calculation, Pearson correlation, principal component analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to identify the main source of each analyte. The samples presented high levels of Al and Fe, which were mainly associated with natural sources, such as resuspension of soil dust. Cr and Mn mostly can come from natural origin. The anthropogenic influence showed increasing trends for As and Cu, indicating that these elements can be from sources other than natural ones, such as industrial processes and vehicle emissions. Furthermore, extremely high enrichment was observed for Cd, Pb, and Zn, indicating strong anthropogenic impact, which may be related to industrial activity in this area. Thus, the industrial emissions were probably the main source of these analytes in the investigated samples.