Chemical composition and association of size-differentiated aerosols at a suburban site in a semi-arid tract of India

Size-differentiated concentrations of SPM, F, Cl, NO3, SO4, Na, K, Ca, Mg and NH4 in atmospheric aerosols were measured in a suburban area of Agra city during December 1992 to March 1993. Except for NH4, Cl and Na, all components were found to have a bimodal distribution. The fine fraction was dominated by NH4, K, NO3 and SO4, while Na, Ca, Mg, F and Cl contributed to the coarse fraction. Fifty-eight percent of SO4 and 67% of NO3 were found in the fine mode and the coarse mode comprised 42 and 33% of SO4 and NO3, respectively. SO4 was found to have a peak above the submicron range at 1.1 mu m which has been attributed to secondary sulphate formation by heterogeneous oxidation of SO2 on alkaline particles of Ca and Mg. The total aerosol was basic in nature and dominated by the soil-derived acid neutralising components (Ca, Mg and Na).