Source apportionment of metallic elements in urban atmospheric particulate matter and assessment of its water-soluble fraction toxicity.

Clean air is essential for the maintenance of human life and environmental balance. The atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is one of the main air pollutants and is characterized by the heterogeneity of its composition, being able to accumulate numerous components, such as metallic elements, which contribute to increasing its toxicity. The objectives of this study were to assess of the air quality in two urban environments, to carry out the source apportionment of the metallic elements Al, Ba, Cd, Pb, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn in the PM and PM, and evaluate the toxicity of PM and PM water-soluble fractions using Lactuca sativa as bioindicator.

Chemical composition of rainwater in the Sinos River Basin, Southern Brazil: a source apportionment study.

This study aimed to assess the chemical composition of the rainwater in three areas of different environmental impact gradients in Southern Brazil using the receptor model EPA Positive Matrix Factorization (EPA PMF 5.0). The samples were collected in a bulk sampler, from October 2012 to August 2014, in three sampling sites along with the Sinos River Basin: Caraá, Taquara, and Campo Bom.

Seasonal assessment and apportionment of surface water pollution using multivariate statistical methods: Sinos River, southern Brazil.

Assessment of surface water quality is an issue of currently high importance, especially in polluted rivers which provide water for treatment and distribution as drinking water, as is the case of the Sinos River, southern Brazil. Multivariate statistical techniques allow a better understanding of the seasonal variations in water quality, as well as the source identification and source apportionment of water pollution. In this study, the multivariate statistical techniques of cluster analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), and positive matrix factorization (PMF) were used, along with the Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's correlation analysis in order to interpret a water quality data set resulting from a monitoring program conducted over a period of almost two years (May 2013 to April 2015).

Integrated assessment of air pollution by metals and source apportionment using ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) in southern Brazil.

One of the biggest environmental problems existing today is air pollution, which is characterized by the presence of toxic gases and metal pollutants, the latter of which is generally associated with emissions of particulate matter (PM) from industries or automotive vehicles. Biomonitoring is a method that can be used to assess air pollution levels because it makes it possible to determine what effects these air pollutants cause in living organisms and their responses. The species Lolium multiflorum Lam.