Size-segregated concentration of heavy metals in an urban aerosol of the Balkans region (Belgrade)

¹ ICTM – Centre of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12–16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
² Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes (CNR-IDPA), Calle Larga Santa Marta 2137, 30123, Venice, Italy
³ Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12–16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
⁴ Faculties of Science, Department of Chemistry, University of Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
⁵ Environmental Sciences, Informatics, Statistic Department, Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Calle Larga Santa Marta 2137, 30123 Venice, Italy

^a dragadj@chem.bg.ac.rs
^b stortini@unive.it
^c dradman@chem.bg.ac.rs amzelic@chem.bg.ac.rs
^d jasnahuremovic@yahoo.com
^e gambaro@unive.it

Abstract

This work focuses on the heavy metals contents of the size-segregated urban aerosol of the continental area of Balkans. The distribution of nano/micron heavy metals in the size-segregated urban aerosol of Belgrade center was studied during the summer–autumn of 2008. The particle size distribution in the size ranges D_p ≤ 0.49 μm, 0.49 ≤ Dp ≤ 0.95 μm, 0.95 ≤ D_p ≤ 1.5 μm, 1.5 ≤ D_p ≤ 3.0 μm, 3.0 ≤ D_p ≤ 7.2 μm and D_p ≥ 7.2 μm was measured. The aerosol samples were submitted to gravimetric and chemical analyses. The obtained mean mass concentration of the PM fractions was in accordance with an urban aerosol distribution. The aerosol mass concentrations were determined by gravimetric measurements (m_GM) and, for heavy metals analyzed by ICP/MS.