Evaluating PM 2.5 element concentration measurements for a nationwide monitoring network

• DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2023.2247376
• Publication Date: 2023-08-23T13:45:33Z
• Authors: Colleen Marciel F...; Frank Weber; Tracy L. Dombek; Keith Levine; Andrea McWilliams; Nicholas J. Spada; Nicole P. Hyslop
• Keywords: X-Ray Fluorescence; Fluorescence spectrometry

Particulate matter (PM) concentrations have decreased dramatically over the past 20 years, thus lower method detection limits (MDL) are required for these measurements. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy is used to quantify multiple elements simultaneously in United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Chemical Speciation Network (CSN). Inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) an alternative analysis with MDL elements. Here, we present a side-by-side comparison of XRF and ICP-MS PM2.5 samples collected via US EPA’s CSN. For ICP-MS, simple extraction technique was applied wide variety minimize effort cost serve as feasibility test large monitoring network. Filter (N = 549) from various urban locations across were analyzed first at UC Davis then RTI International. Both methods measured 29 same out 33 usually reported Of 29, 14 (Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb) found be frequently detected (i.e. had more than 10% values above both MDL). 26 elements, namely Na, Co, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Zr, Ag, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, Ce, Pb; conversely, 3 namely, P, Zn. Intra-method quality checks using (1) inter-elemental inspection scatter plots priori knowledge element sources (2) routine versus collocated measurements reveal that exhibits better measurement precision. Lower nationwide PM networks would benefit human-health source apportionment research.