Essay On Atmospheric Particulate Matter

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Analysis of Atmospheric Particulate Matter

Atmospheric particulate matter is a heterogeneous material recognized as a significant source of trace metals in the urban environment. Particles consist of an elemental carbon core and a large number of adsorbed substances, such as metals and organic compounds. The presence of trace metals in particulate matter (PM) has been associated with respiratory diseases due to inhalation of small particles that may be absorbed by the lungs [7]. Metals have been shown to generate reactive oxygen species that switch on cellular pro-inflammatory response pathways for in vitro and in vivo assays [7]. Owing to the dangerous effects on human health, the European Union has established ambient air quality standards for certain toxic metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, nickel) while air quality guidelines have also been recommended by the World Health Organization. Therefore, determination of total trace metals in PM samples is important in order to understand their potential effects on humans as well as the environment.

Atmospheric particulate matter is usually collected on quartz fiber filters prior to analysis. Since most of the …show more content…

Most of these applications use conventional solvents and conditions for PLE for efficient extraction of the compounds from the matrices of

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