Concentration level and surface chemical composition of urban airborne particles near crossroads in Zabrze, Poland

The paper presents results of investigations carried out in 2005 at six crossroads in Zabrze. The investigations comprised determinations of vehicular traffic intensity, observations of meteorological conditions and, as amain subject, determinations of concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 at all observed sites. Structure of ambient aerosol in the vicinity of crossroads was compared with the structure of aerosol at a reference measuring point, located beyond effects of vehicular traffic, by determining a share of PM2.5 in PM10 for each site. At a selected crossroad the measurements lasted 11 days and the sampled dust was analyzed for chemical composition of surface of its particles with the use of the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Both the most abundant and trace elements in the surface layer of dust sampled at the crossroads were identified.