Chemical Analysis of PM10 and PM2.5 Aerosols in Sydney, Australia

We have recently commenced a study of the size-resolved chemistry of aerosol particles in the Sydney basin, its geographic and seasonal variability, and relation to respiratory health problems. Both PM10 (particles with diameters less than 10 microns) and PM2.5 samplers have been deployed, and the collected aerosols subjected to a variety of analysis techniques, including ion beam analysis and ion chromatography. In this preliminary phase we plan to intercompare these methods in terms of cost, operational efficiency, and data quality. This paper will present results from a single site, which is intended to provide the foundation for studying aerosol variability across the greater Sydney region.