Abstract

SANCHEZ CHACON, María Liliana; RAMOS OCHOA, Jorge Luis  and  VISITACION FIGUEROA, Lizardo. Markers related to emissions from the ceramics industry. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2023, vol.39, 54502.  Epub Sep 14, 2023. ISSN 0188-4999.  https://doi.org/10.20937/rica.54502.

The ceramic industry generates atmospheric emissions containing fluorine, particulate matter, organic compounds, and raw material residues deposited on the ground. This research aimed to identify air and soil quality parameters that can be used as emissions tracers. Parameters such as wind speed and direction; air quality parameters such as particulate material PM10 and PM2.5, fluorine content in PM2.5 and metals in PM10; soil quality parameters such as the content of anions and metals, and mineralogical contents, were analyzed. The results showed that the concentration of fluorine in PM2.5 in the air of the urban area is between < 5 and 279 µg/m3, which could cause damage to vegetation; the PM2.5/PM10 ratio reaches values between 62.2 and 95.8 %, indicating that the presence of particulate matter is due to firing processes; the sodium concentration in PM10 reaches values between 32.80 and 50.31 µg/m3 coming from the plagioclases. The concentration of metal and anions, and the percentage of plagioclase in the soil were higher in the most influence area. It was concluded that the parameters fluorine in PM2.5, sodium in PM10, and PM2.5/PM10 ratio in the air are emissions tracers from the firing processes. Furthermore, the increase in the concentration of metals, anions, and the percentage of plagioclase in the soil are tracers of deposition of particulate matter or raw materials residues.

Keywords : particulate matter; fluorine; metals; clay minerals; plagioclase.