Chemical characterization of atmospheric aerosol collected in the central Mediterranean sea: study of natural and anthropic sources

In this thesis chemical composition of PM10 sampled at daily resolution on the Island of Lampedusa (35.5°N, 12.6° E) over a ten year period (from 2004 to 2014) was presented. In particular, PM10 ionic content was obtained by Ion chromatography analysis whereas metal content evaluation was carried out by the use of two different analytical techniques: ICP-AES and PIXE. Finally carbonaceous fraction (EC-OC and TC) was determined by a thermo-optical Analyser (SUNSET). A comparison between PIXE and ICP-AES techniques was presented and allowed to evaluate two different extraction methods, a weaker one able to determine the metal fraction available to the ecosystem and a stronger according to the EU rule (EN14902). Sharan dust inputs, Sea Salt Aerosols and anthropic emissions from maritime traffic were identified and characterized from PM10 chemical composition and from others parameters as optical properties backward trajectories and meteorological data. Finally the application of the PMF analysis to the PM10 content and its chemical composition confirmed the experimental data set and its interpretation illustrated in this thesis.