Metal Signature of Atmospheric Aerosol from Kochi, the Queen of Arabian Sea, Kerala, India

Abstract

The present research article highlights the metal (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn and Fe)<br />distribution pattern in the RSPM generated in different hot spot sites located at Kochi, the<br />Queen of Arabian Sea. These sampling sites are categorized under three different zones<br />as estuarine, riverine, and coastal. Two sampling phases are selected in order to check the<br />consistency in pollution trend after a two year gap and are described in Phase I and Phase<br />II, respectively. Metals are noticed to be intensely concentrated in the post monsoon<br />months in both phases. Among the metals, Fe is revealed as the prominent metal at the<br />estuarine sites. Estuarine and riverine zone expresses the overall enrichment pattern with<br />slight difference at coastal regime in phase I. In phase II, insignificant metal load with<br />irregular pattern is observed. Source apportionment study reveals that major sources of<br />metals are from automobile exhausts and the estuarine zone is entangled with 45.9%.