Elemental Variability of PM2.5 Aerosols in Historical and Modern Areas of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Air particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 mu m (PM2.5) were assembled for a whole year from the historical Jeddah district. Additional PM2.5 aerosols were collected during the autumn and winter seasons from another newly constructed district in Jeddah city (Alnaeem). The annual concentration of the total mass of the PM2.5 aerosols from the historical Jeddah site was found to be 43 +/- 6 mu g/m(3). In addition, the average of the total mass concentration at the Alnaeem site was 61 +/- 14 mu g/m(3). These values were greater than the annual mass concentration of the air quality standards of the European Commission (25 mu g/m(3)) and the World Health Organization (10 mu g/m(3)). The elemental analysis of the collected fine atmospheric aerosols was achieved by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) with three secondary targets (CaF2, Ge, and Mo). Quantitative elemental analyses of twenty-two (22) elements were achieved starting from the low atomic number element (Na) up to the high atomic number element (Pb). Although the historical Jeddah site is not well organized, the elemental concentrations and total mass concentrations were lower than those of the other site. The statistical analyses including enrichment factors, correlation analysis, and the principal component analysis revealed more information about the source identification of the PM2.5 aerosols collected from both locations. It was recognized that the elements Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Rb, and Sr originated from a natural source. On the other hand, the elements Ta, Br, Pb, Sc, Ni, Cu, Zn, and S originated from anthropogenic sources. Finally, the elements Na, Cl, and Br came mainly from the sea spray source.

Automated summary

This study investigated the atmospheric PM2.5 particles in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and analyzed their sources. The results showed that the air quality in Jeddah exceeded the standards set by the European Commission and the World Health Organization. Elemental analysis revealed the origin of different elements, including natural sources, anthropogenic sources, and sea spray.