Selection of metric for indoor-outdoor source apportionment of metals in PM_2.5 : mg/kg versus ng/m³.

ABSTRACT: Trends in the elemental composition of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5 ) collected from indoor, outdoor, and personal microenvironments were investigated using two metrics: ng/m³ and mg/kg. Pearson correlations that were positive using one metric commonly disappeared or flipped to become negative when the other metric was applied to the same dataset. For example, the correlation between Mo and S in the outdoor microenvironment was positive using ng/m³ (p < 0.05) but negative using mg/kg (p < 0.05). In general, elemental concentrations (mg/kg) within PM_2.5 decreased significantly (p < 0.05) as PM_2.5 concentrations (µg/m³ ) increased-a dilution effect that was observed in all microenvironments and seasons. An exception was S: i

SUBMITTER: Rasmussen PE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9292266 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature