Greifswald 2024 – scientific programme

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UP: Fachverband Umweltphysik

UP 6: Other Topics

UP 6.3: Talk

Wednesday, February 28, 2024, 15:00–15:15, ELP 6: HS 1

The occurrence and sources of Ni in ambient air particulates using Synchrotron Radiation Based X-ray Fluorescence and X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure — •Abdallah Shaltout¹, Messaoud Harfouche², and Diane Eichert³ — ¹Spectroscopy Department, Physics Research Institute, National Research Centre, El Behooth St., 12622 Dokki, Cairo, Egypt — ²Synchrotron-light for Experimental and Scientific Applications in the Middle East (SESAME), P.O. Box 7, Allan 19252, Jordan — ³ELETTRA Sincrotrone Trieste, Strada Statale, Science Park 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy

High concentrations of Ni in the ambient air might induce carcinogenic effects. The present work aims at investigating the presence of Ni in ambient air particulates using advanced X-ray synchrotron radiation techniques. Total suspended and fine particulates (TSP, PM2.5) were collected from residential and industrial areas of Cairo, Egypt. Quantitative results indicate remarkable high concentrations of Ni in the ambient air particulates which are higher than the annual allowance thresholds as indicated by the world health organization (WHO). Elemental maps of Ni were acquired to unravel the natural spatial distribution of Ni on the filters carrying the ambient air particulates. Complementary X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy at the Ni K-edge (8.331 keV) was used to determine Ni speciation. Our results demonstrate that Ni is predominantly found under its divalent oxidation state in the studied ambient air particulates.

Keywords: Nickel (Ni); PM2.5; total suspended particulate (TSP); X-ray Synchrotron radiation techniques