Temporal evaluation of aerosol in the winter of São Paulo: concentrations and main sources

Abstract

The research project has the main objective of the characterization of aerosol in São Paulo in the winter months, analyzing concentration, chemical composition, main sources, and temporal variations. In São Paulo the air quality is determined mainly by local pollutant sources, especially vehicles. In the winter months, the concentrations of pollutants increase due to unfavorable conditions for their dispersion, and also due to the biomass burning events that occur in the interior of the country. The pollutants can be harmful to human health, interfere in the radiation balance with the surface, change cloud properties, visibility, and increase effects such as heat islands and thermal inversions. This last event is quite common in the winter in São Paulo, contributing to worsening air quality. This study aims to characterize the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the winter months in different years, through sampling at the School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities (EACH) of the University of São Paulo, located in the East Zone of São Paulo. The aerosol sampling was done using a Partisol sampler model 2025i. The characterization was through the use of complementary techniques: gravimetry, to evaluate the mass concentration of particles, and X-ray fluorescence, to study the elemental concentration. At the end of the study, it will be possible to obtain the concentrations of the pollutant and identify the main sources, vehicles, biomass burning, among others, evaluating the chemical composition. This study will contribute to gathering information and give continuity to the Fapesp projects "Physical-chemical characterization of aerosol from the East Zone of São Paulo capital" (Fapesp Process 2012/24689-5) and "Relationship between the chemical composition and optical properties of atmospheric aerosol particles in the city of São Paulo" (Fapesp Process 2018/25226-5). (AU)