Quantitative chemical composition and characteristics of aerosols over western India: One-year record of temporal variability

One-year quantitative chemical data set consisting of water-soluble constituents (NH4+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl−, NO3−, SO42− and HCO3−), crustal and trace elements (Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Zn, Pb) and carbonaceous species (OC, EC) in ambient aerosols, collected over an urban site located in a high-dust semi-arid region of western India, reveals excellent linear relationship (r2 = 0.92; slope = 0.96 ± 0.05) between gravimetrically assessed TSP (total suspended particulates) and chemically analyzed aerosol mass. The TSP abundance ranging from 60 to 250 μg m−3, over a period of 12 months (January–December), is dominated by mineral dust (∼70%); whereas contribution from sea-salts, anthropogenic and carbonaceous species exhibits significant temporal variability depending upon the wind regimes. The mineral dust is enriched in Ca, Mg and Fe with respect to upper continental crust (UCC); whereas Zn and Pb exhibit a characteristic anthropogenic source and high enrichment factors. The carbonaceous species show significant seasonality; with dominance of OC (range: 4.6–28 μg m−3; average: 12.8 μg m−3; SD: 6.8) and minor contribution from EC (range: 0.3–4.4 μg m−3; average: 2.4 μg m−3; SD: 1.4). The observed concentrations are significantly lower than those reported for the metro cities in South Asia but the OC/EC ratios (range: 4.3–35; average: 8.3; SD: 5.7) are significantly higher than the characteristic ratio (∼2–4) reported for the urban atmosphere. Such quantitative chemical characterization of aerosols is essential in assessing their role in atmospheric chemistry and climate change. This study could also be useful in understanding the physical and optical aerosol properties documented from the same site and thus, in validating regional climate models.