Source apportionment of trace elements in the Eastern Mediterranean atmosphere

Concentrations of elements and ions, measured in aerosol samples collected during 1993 were investigated to identify sources and source composition of aerosols in the Eastern Mediterranean atmosphere. The factor analysis have shown that Eastern Mediterranean aerosol is a four-component system, including a crustal component, long-range transported pollution component, a marine component and a local pollution component. Main anthropogenic component, which reaches to the region by long-range transport accounts for 70%-90% of the concentrations of Zn, Se, NO3-, nss-SO42-, NH4+ and smaller fractions of V, Sb, Cr and Mn concentrations. According to the quantitative analysis of local and Saharan dust components, the most promising marker elements to distinguish Saharan dust from local soil were found to be Cr, Nd, Mg and Cs as they have significantly different compositions in the local soil and Saharan dust