Assessing the spatial and temporal variability of fine particulate matter components in Israeli, Jordanian, and Palestinian cities

This manuscript presents results from an extensive, multi-country comparative monitoring study of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and its primary chemical components in Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian cities. This study represented the first time that researchers from these countries have worked together to examine spatial and temporal relationships for PM2.5 and its major components among the study sites. The findings indicated that total PM2.5 mass was relatively homogenous among many of the 11 sites as shown from strong between-site correlations. Mean annual concentrations ranged from 19.9 to 34.9 mu g m(-3) in Haifa and Amman, respectively, and exceeded accepted international air quality standards for annual PM2.5 mass. Similarity of total mass was largely driven by SO24- and crustal PM2.5 components. Despite the close proximity of the seven, well correlated sites with respect to PM2.5, there were pronounced differences among the cities for EC and, to a lesser degree, OC. EC, in particular, exhibited spatiotemporal trends that were indicative of strong local source contributions. Interestingly, there were moderate to strong EC correlations (r > 0.65) among the large metropolitan cities, West Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Amman. For these relatively large cities, (i.e., West Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Amman), EC sources from the fleet of buses and cars typical for many urban areas predominate and likely drive spatiotemporal EC distributions. As new airshed management strategies and public health interventions are implemented throughout the Middle East, our findings support regulatory strategies that target integrated regional and local control strategies to reduce PM2.5 mass and specific components suspected to drive adverse health effects of particulate matter exposure. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.