Spatial and temporal analysis of black carbon aerosols in Istanbul megacity

Abstract

Black carbon (BC) is an important component of particulate matter due to its effects on human health and climate. In this study, we present the first BC concentrations measured in the Istanbul megacity (~15million inhabitants). Two measurement campaigns have been conducted to measure BC and fine particulate matter (PM<inf>2.5</inf>) concentrations at four locations, characterized by different traffic densities. In the first campaign, BC daily mean concentrations have been found to be between 4μg/m3 and 10μg/m3. In the second campaign, BC and PM<inf>2.5</inf> have been measured at the site with the highest traffic density for an entire year. Annually averaged BC contributes by 38±14% to the PM<inf>2.5</inf> levels (annual average BC: 13μg/m3 and PM<inf>2.5</inf>: 36μg/m3). Diurnal variations of BC concentrations followed those of traffic density (correlation coefficient of 0.87). These measurements are essential to identify the sources of BC and PM<inf>2.5</inf> concentrations in Istanbul and develop mitigation measures. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. © 2014 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.