Caracterización química de la fracción respirable pm 2,5 del campus sur de la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana

Abstract

In the present investigation, the chemical characterization of the particulate material PM 2.5 present in three strategic points of the South Campus Salesian Polytechnic University was carried out, these points were selected because they are places with greater vehicular and pedestrian influx, since two of them are located on the main avenues, such as Av. Morán Valverde and Av. Rumichaca Ñan , while the third point is located in the parking lot inside the university, for which they are considered to have a higher concentration of pollutants in the air being one of the main causes of health effects. Sampling was carried out with the High Volume (Hi- Vol) equipment for PM 2.5 over a period of six weeks at each designated point, thus completing a total of 80 samples collected. After obtaining the data on the differences between the weight of the fiberglass filters before and after sampling, together with the air volume data provided by the equipment, the concentration of PM 2.5 particulate matter is determined. Data on concentrations of heavy metals and sulfate ions were obtained by analyzing them. The analyzes were carried out after the digestion of the sample present in the fiberglass filter with the help of the microwave digester, to later comply with the process of determining the concentrations of each of the metals (Cu, Cr, Cd, Co and Pb) using the graphite furnace method in the atomic absorption spectrophotometer and the determination of sulfate ion concentrations in the multiparameter photometry equipment.