Characterization and source identification of chemical elements near a petrochemical industrial area

Non-destructive instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) were utilized to determine the concentrations of 18 chemical elements in size-fractionated aerosol samples collected by dichotomous samplers at Toufen of Taiwan, ROC. The intensive survey studies were conducted in August 1992 and from August to September 1993. During the sampling period, a special case of open burning at the dumping site of Toufen is also investigated. The results of chemical analysis were provided the base-line information for factor and enrichment analyses to qualitatively determine the air pollution sources, and then to apportion the contributions of each potential sources throughout the Chemical Mass Balance(CMB) method. It is found that the air quality of Toufen city is mainly influenced by marine spray, dust, photochemical reactions and traffic.