Particulate Composition at a Semi Rural Site in the Southwest of Western Australia
Data from a 12 month particulate monitoring program at a semi rural site affected by mining activities are presented. Data were collected by one day and 7 day high volume and low volume air samplers for the TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 size fractions with chemical analysis by USEPA method 3050 and ICPMS. Fine scale temporal changes in the particulate were recorded by both TEOMs and a Grimm particle counter. The data set show a number of high concentration dust events due to nearby mining activities. Analysis of this data show clear trends in the metals content by particle size, including metals such as arsenic, cadmium and selenium. The data also indicate that the PM2.5/PM10 ratio from crustal sources are lower than commonly accepted, indicating that crustal sources are a minor source of PM2.5.