Characteristics and seasonal variation of carbonaceous and water soluble organic components in the aerosols over East India

Abstract

The present investigation intends to measurement of PM2.5 and PM10 samples from agricultural (AG) and an Adityapur industrial (AI) site of East India to better characterize the carbonecous and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC). The current study aimed (a) to determine variation ratio of OC/PM, EC/PM, WSOC/EC, OC/EC in the study area (b) assess and quantity the Correlation between OC and EC, WSOC and OC, WSOC and PM, WSOC and EC of AG and AI site (c) Analyse the abundance pattern, at AG site indicating dominant contribution from biomass burning sources (wood-fuel and agriculture waste) and in AI site sharp contrast influenced by emissions from coal-fired industries. The OC10/EC10, OC2.5/EC2.5, OC10/PM10, OC2.5/PM2.5, EC10/PM10, EC2.5/PM2.5 ratios at the AI and AG sampling sites varied from (min-max (average)) are 2.8-8.3 (4.9), 4.2-7.6 (5.5), 0.17-0.19 (0.17), 0.14-0.20 (0.17), 0.03-0.06 (0.04), 0.02-0.04 (0.03) and 3.3-8.3 (4.9), 3.03-8.8 (3.9), 0.62-0.98 (0.78), 0.09-0.12 (0.09), 0.07-0.23 (0.17), 0.01-0.04 (0.02) respectively. Total carbon (TC) was calculated as OC+EC. The comprehensive data set on EC, OC and WSOC/OC ratios from Eastern India is crucial to systematise the baseline data for future predictions of carbonaceous aerosol studies for atmospheric scattering and absorption of solar radiation on a regional scale.