Seasonal variations in aerosol compositions at Great Wall Station in Antarctica

High volume aerosol samplers at Great Wall Station in Antarctica were used to collect 73 aerosol samples between January 2012 and November 2013. The main ions in these aerosol samples, Cl−, NO3−, SO4 2−, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, NH4+, as well as methane sulfonic acid, were analyzed using ion chromatography. Trace metals in these samples, including Pb, Cu, Cd, V, Zn, Fe, and Al, were determined by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results showed that sea salt was the main component in aerosols at Great Wall Station. Most ions exhibited significant seasonal variations, with higher concentrations in summer and autumn than in winter and spring. Variations in ions and trace metals were related to several processes (or sources), including sea salt emission, secondary aerosol formation, and anthropogenic pollution from both local and distant sources. The sources of ions and trace metals were identified using enrichment factor, correlation, and factor analyses. Clearly, Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ were from marine sources, while Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd were from anthropogenic pollution, and Al and V were mainly from crustal sources