Factors affecting levels of aerosol sulfate and nitrate on the Western Mediterranean coast

The present study was carried out between October 2003 and September 2004 at an urban background station near the Mediterranean coast in southeastern Spain. The sulfate and nitrate content was determined in 332 PM10 and PM2.5 daily samples. The results show that the seasonal variation of nitrate measured in PM10 does not correspond with what has been observed at other locations in the Iberian Peninsula, where the minima are reached during the summer months due to decomposition of ammonium nitrate at high temperatures. The recorded levels of PM10 nitrate were slightly higher in summer due to an increase in the concentrations of coarse mode nitrate. On the contrary, both the concentrations and the percentages of nitrate in PM2.5 were lowest from June to September. The sulfate levels in both PM10 and PM2.5 were maxima in summer because the oxidation rate of SO₂ increases with solar radiation. An elevated correlation (0.72 < r < 0.92) between the monthly average concentrations and percentages of sulfate and solar radiation has been found. We have also investigated the influence that Saharan dust intrusions and high pollution episodes have upon the sulfate and nitrate concentrations. Both types of events increased NO₃⁻ and SO₄²⁻ levels, particularly the high pollution episodes.