Chemical composition of atmospheric particulate matter soluble fraction and meteorological variables in São Paulo state, Brazil

The objective of this work was to characterize and compare the chemical composition of the PM10 soluble fraction in relation to meteorological variables such as wind direction and air masses backward trajectories. The PM10 was collected during winter of 1999 in two contrasting sites: the Sao Paulo city and the State Park of Serra do Mar (Cunha) inside the Atlantic Forest Reserve. The aqueous extracts of PM10 were analyzed by Ion Chromatography for major ions (Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, NH4+, Cl-, NO3-, SO42-) and by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) for trace elements (Al, Mn, Fe, Pb, Zn, etc.). In Sao Paulo, the dominant chemical species were SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, Zn, Fe, Al, Ba, Cu, Pb, Mn and Ni while in Cunha, Na+, K+, Cl-, SO42-, Zn and Ni were dominant. The chemical composition related to the wind direction during sampling reflected short-range influence due to soil occupation and anthropic activities.