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A significativa emissão veicular na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (RMSP), com mais de 7 milhões de veículos e uma população da ordem de 18 milhões de habitantes, fazem desta uma área crítica do ponto de vista de níveis de poluentes atmosféricos. Neste trabalho foi obtida a determinação quantitativa de fontes de poluentes atmosféricos na RMSP, em particular do material carbonáceo na fração fina (PM2.5) do aerossol atmosférico, focando na componente veicular. Como parte do projeto FONTES, coordenado pela Petrobrás, PUC-Rio e IFUSP, foram operadas por 1 ano quatro estações de amostragem localizadas em Congonhas (CGH), Ibirapuera (IBP), Cerqueira César (FSP) e Instituto de Física da USP (IFP), no período entre agosto de 2011 e janeiro de 2014. A concentração em massa de material particulado fino (PM2.5), grosso (PM2.5-10), e inalável (PM10) foi determinada através de análise gravimétrica. Íons solúveis foram determinados por cromatografia iônica (IC), elementos traços por fluorescência de raios-X (XRF) e as concentrações de black carbon equivalente por refletância ótica. As componentes de carbono orgânico (OC) e carbono elementar (EC), bem como as diversas frações carbonáceas foram determinadas por análises termo-ópticas em equipamento da Sunset Inc., seguindo vários protocolos analíticos. As concentrações de gases tais como CO, NOx, e O3 foram fornecidas por estações de monitoramento da CETESB. Modelos receptores tais como APFA (Absolute Principal Factor Analysis) foram usados na determinação quantitativa de fontes de poluentes. Observou-se uma grande similaridade nas concentrações medidas nas estações, indicando uma homogeneidade nas concentrações e composição de aerossóis da moda fina (PM2.5) na RMSP. Nas estações amostradoras IFP, FSP e IBP foram observadas concentrações entre 10 e 12g m-3 na fração fina e na faixa de 16 a 18 g m-3 na fração grossa. Em CGH, observou-se uma concentração média de 34 g m-3, para PM10. O balanço químico de massa mostrou, na fração fina, impacto predominante de aerossóis orgânicos (~50%), EC (~20%) e sulfato (~20%). Na fração grossa verificaram-se concentrações dominantes de aerossóis de poeira do solo (~40%). A APFA identificou e quantificou o impacto das componentes veicular (~60%), ressuspensão de solo (~10%), emissões industriais e de sulfato (~20%), aerossol marinho (~5%) e aerossol secundário (~5%). O impacto da componente veicular é dominante na RMSP. A aplicação dos modelos receptores forneceu a caracterização do material carbonáceo de acordo com as fontes de emissões e um perfil de volatilidade do material carbonáceo. / The large vehicle fleet in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (RMSP), with more than 7 million vehicles and a population of about 18 million people, make this a critical area from the point of view of atmospheric pollutants levels. This work focused on the quantitative determination of air pollutant sources, focusing at the vehicular component and the carbonaceous material in the fine fraction (PM2.5) of the atmospheric aerosol of RMSP. As part of the FONTES research project, coordinated by Petrobrás, PUC-Rio and IFUSP, it was operated for 1 year four sampling stations located in Congonhas (CGH), Ibirapuera (IBP), Cerqueira César (FSP) and the Institute of Physics at USP (IFP) during the period from August 2011 to January 2014. The mass concentrations of fine (PM2.5), coarse (PM2.5-10) and inhalable (PM10) particulate matter was determined by gravimetric analysis. Soluble ions were determined by ion chromatography (IC), trace elements by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and equivalent black carbon (EBC) concentration by optical reflectance. The organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) components, as well as several carbonaceous fractions were determined by thermo-optical analysis using a Sunset Inc. equipment, following various analytical protocols. The concentration of gases such as CO, NOx, and O3 were obtained from CETESB air pollution monitoring stations. Receptors models such APFA (Absolute Principal Factor Analysis) were used for the quantification of the impacts of polluting sources. It was observed similar concentrations in the several sampling stations, showing uniformity in the concentrations and aerosol composition of PM2.5 in the RMSP. For the sites IFP, FSP and IBP were observed concentrations between 10 and 12 g m-3 in the fine fraction and in the range from 16 to 18 g m-3 in the coarse fraction. In the CGH site, there was an average concentration of 34 g m-3 of PM10. The chemical mass balance showed large presence of organic aerosols (~50%), EC (~20%) and sulfate (~20%) in the fine mode fraction. In the coarse fraction soil dust aerosols (~40%) dominates. The APFA identified and quantified the impact of vehicular components (~60%), soil dust (~10%), industrial emissions and sulfate (~20%), marine aerosol (~5%) and secondary aerosol (~5%). Vehicular emissions is the major air pollution component at the RMSP. The application of receptor models has provided the source characterization of carbonaceous material according to their volatility profile.

A significativa emissão veicular na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (RMSP), com mais de 7 milhões de veículos e uma população da ordem de 18 milhões de habitantes, fazem desta uma área crítica do ponto de vista de níveis de poluentes atmosféricos. Neste trabalho foi obtida a determinação quantitativa de fontes de poluentes atmosféricos na RMSP, em particular do material carbonáceo na fração fina (PM2.5) do aerossol atmosférico, focando na componente veicular. Como parte do projeto FONTES, coordenado pela Petrobrás, PUC-Rio e IFUSP, foram operadas por 1 ano quatro estações de amostragem localizadas em Congonhas (CGH), Ibirapuera (IBP), Cerqueira César (FSP) e Instituto de Física da USP (IFP), no período entre agosto de 2011 e janeiro de 2014. A concentração em massa de material particulado fino (PM2.5), grosso (PM2.5-10), e inalável (PM10) foi determinada através de análise gravimétrica. Íons solúveis foram determinados por cromatografia iônica (IC), elementos traços por fluorescência de raios-X (XRF) e as concentrações de black carbon equivalente por refletância ótica. As componentes de carbono orgânico (OC) e carbono elementar (EC), bem como as diversas frações carbonáceas foram determinadas por análises termo-ópticas em equipamento da Sunset Inc., seguindo vários protocolos analíticos. As concentrações de gases tais como CO, NOx, e O3 foram fornecidas por estações de monitoramento da CETESB. Modelos receptores tais como APFA (Absolute Principal Factor Analysis) foram usados na determinação quantitativa de fontes de poluentes. Observou-se uma grande similaridade nas concentrações medidas nas estações, indicando uma homogeneidade nas concentrações e composição de aerossóis da moda fina (PM2.5) na RMSP. Nas estações amostradoras IFP, FSP e IBP foram observadas concentrações entre 10 e 12g m-3 na fração fina e na faixa de 16 a 18 g m-3 na fração grossa. Em CGH, observou-se uma concentração média de 34 g m-3, para PM10. O balanço químico de massa mostrou, na fração fina, impacto predominante de aerossóis orgânicos (~50%), EC (~20%) e sulfato (~20%). Na fração grossa verificaram-se concentrações dominantes de aerossóis de poeira do solo (~40%). A APFA identificou e quantificou o impacto das componentes veicular (~60%), ressuspensão de solo (~10%), emissões industriais e de sulfato (~20%), aerossol marinho (~5%) e aerossol secundário (~5%). O impacto da componente veicular é dominante na RMSP. A aplicação dos modelos receptores forneceu a caracterização do material carbonáceo de acordo com as fontes de emissões e um perfil de volatilidade do material carbonáceo. / The large vehicle fleet in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (RMSP), with more than 7 million vehicles and a population of about 18 million people, make this a critical area from the point of view of atmospheric pollutants levels. This work focused on the quantitative determination of air pollutant sources, focusing at the vehicular component and the carbonaceous material in the fine fraction (PM2.5) of the atmospheric aerosol of RMSP. As part of the FONTES research project, coordinated by Petrobrás, PUC-Rio and IFUSP, it was operated for 1 year four sampling stations located in Congonhas (CGH), Ibirapuera (IBP), Cerqueira César (FSP) and the Institute of Physics at USP (IFP) during the period from August 2011 to January 2014. The mass concentrations of fine (PM2.5), coarse (PM2.5-10) and inhalable (PM10) particulate matter was determined by gravimetric analysis. Soluble ions were determined by ion chromatography (IC), trace elements by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and equivalent black carbon (EBC) concentration by optical reflectance. The organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) components, as well as several carbonaceous fractions were determined by thermo-optical analysis using a Sunset Inc. equipment, following various analytical protocols. The concentration of gases such as CO, NOx, and O3 were obtained from CETESB air pollution monitoring stations. Receptors models such APFA (Absolute Principal Factor Analysis) were used for the quantification of the impacts of polluting sources. It was observed similar concentrations in the several sampling stations, showing uniformity in the concentrations and aerosol composition of PM2.5 in the RMSP. For the sites IFP, FSP and IBP were observed concentrations between 10 and 12 g m-3 in the fine fraction and in the range from 16 to 18 g m-3 in the coarse fraction. In the CGH site, there was an average concentration of 34 g m-3 of PM10. The chemical mass balance showed large presence of organic aerosols (~50%), EC (~20%) and sulfate (~20%) in the fine mode fraction. In the coarse fraction soil dust aerosols (~40%) dominates. The APFA identified and quantified the impact of vehicular components (~60%), soil dust (~10%), industrial emissions and sulfate (~20%), marine aerosol (~5%) and secondary aerosol (~5%). Vehicular emissions is the major air pollution component at the RMSP. The application of receptor models has provided the source characterization of carbonaceous material according to their volatility profile.

To improve the understanding of aerosol composition, sources, and spatial and temporal variations, atmospheric aerosols were characterized in three locations. Ambient aerosols were characterized using 24-hour samples collected from Kathmandu, Nepal (urban), New Hampshire (semi-rural) and Houston (urban). Results are reported in the main chapters. Chamber studies of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) formation from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the effects of in-situ SOA formation on atmospheric mercury oxidation are described in the appendices. Carbonaceous, ionic, and isotopic species in aerosols from Kathmandu identified local primary emissions, most likely vehicular exhaust as the most important aerosol sources. Carbonaceous aerosols collected in Kathmandu (24.5 μg C m -3 ) were much larger than those in New Hampshire (3.74 μg C m -3 ) during winter. Stable carbon isotope in aerosols of Kathmandu and New Hampshire were similar (Δδ 13 C ∠ 0.5[per thousand]) while stable nitrogen isotope were much lower in aerosols of Kathmandu (Δδ 15 N = 8.3[per thousand]). Aerosols in New Hampshire exhibited a large seasonal variation for carbonaceous aerosols, stable nitrogen isotope, and the aromatic fraction of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC). Pure aliphatics (H-C) were the dominant functional group in WSOC. Results illustrate the importance of secondary aerosol sources throughout the year, with enhanced importance of primary sources during winter. Stable carbon isotope values suggest a consistent isotopic signature of carbonaceous aerosol sources, while the nitrogen isotope values indicate the variable nitrogenous sources and the strong influence of meteorological parameters (temperature and relative humidity) on nitrogen isotope fractionation. Characteristics of methoxyphenols (lignin macropolymers) in the ambient aerosols are reported for the first time using CuO oxidation method. The study illustrates the use of lignin oxidation products (LOPs) in aerosols as potential tracers of primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP). The methoxyphenols identified soil organic matter and altered woody angiosperms, with minor influence from soft tissues and gymnosperms as the important PBAP sources in mainly coarse particles in Houston atmosphere. Solvent-extracted methoxyphenols (lignin monomers) and anhydrosugars (levoglucosan, mannosan, and galactosan) in aerosols were either absent or very small, suggesting very limited biomass burning influence with any trace-level presence originating from long-range transport.

Interest in effects of carbonaceous particles in the atmosphere has recently taken an upswing due to knowledge of how these particles affect our environment. Carbonaceous aerosols are characterized by their dark color, giving them the ability to absorb both incoming and outgoing radiation of all wavelengths in the atmosphere. If these particles are deposited on snow or ice they blacken the surface, with an increased rate of melting as a consequence. These particles play a significant role in climate change and it is important to characterize the particles in order to determine their environmental impact and their origin. In this thesis, two non-destructive dielectric measurement approaches for characterizing carbonaceous particles at microwave frequencies were explored: measurements with an impedance analyzer and measurements using a cavity resonator. Measurements were carried out on quartz filters containing concentrations of carbon normally found in snow in northern Scandinavia. To validate the carbon concentration on the filters a field trip to northern Sweden was conducted. Snow samples were collected and analyzed in regards of carbon content, confirming that the amount of carbon on the filters were accurate. The impedance analyzer showed great uncertainty and the results were not precise enough to determine the credibility of the approach. Measurements with the cavity resonator showed some promising results due to its extreme sensitivity but require adjustments to distinguish different particle types from each other. Thus, it is expected that the use of a cavity resonator operating at microwave frequencies will become an applicable method for characterizing carbonaceous particles in the future.