Chemical composition and hygroscopic properties of size-segregated aerosol particles collected at the Adriatic coast of Slovenia

The chemical composition as well as the water uptake characteristics of aerosols was determined in size-segregated samples collected during November 2002 on the Slovenian coast. Major ions, water-soluble organic compounds (WSOC), short-chain carboxylic acids and trace elements were determined in the water-soluble fraction of the aerosol. Total aerosol black carbon (BC) was measured from filter samples. Our results showed that the origin of air masses is an important factor that controls the variation in the size distribution of the main components. Very high concentrations of WSOC as well as higher concentrations of BC were found under mostly continental influence. Besides the main ionic species (image, image, K+) in the finest size fraction (0.17–0.53 μm), the concentration of image was also high. The difference between the two different air mass origins is particularly expressed for Cl−, Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ determined in particles larger than 1.6 μm. As expected, a very good correlation was found between Na+ and Cl−. A good correlation was found between sea salt elements and elements of crustal origin (Na+, Cl−, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr). A good relationship between typical anthropogenic tracers (K, V and Pb) was also observed. The mass growth factors, for all size fractions of aerosols collected under continental influence were very low (maximum 2.23 at 94%, 1.6–5.1 μm), while under marine influence the mass growth factors increased significantly with the particle size. At 97% humidity, the mass growth factors were 6.95 for the size fraction 0.53–1.6 μm and 9.78 for larger particles (1.6–5.1 μm).