Organic aerosols in Eastern Mediterranean: components source reconciliation by using molecular markers and atmospheric back trajectories

Molecular markers, such as n-alkanes, hopanes, PAHs, n-alkanols, n-alkanals, n-alkan-2-ones and n-alkanoic acids, and atmospheric back trajectories have been conjointly used to reconcile Eastern Mediterranean marine organic aerosols with their emission sources. In the urban site, local inputs of polar and non polar lipids control the aerosol composition. In addition the presence of iso- and anteisoalkanes in the aliphatic fraction of all urban samples analysed, demonstrated the contribution of cigarette smoke to urban aerosols. The composition of the aliphatic and aromatic fractions demonstrated a clear petrogenic input. In the rural site the composition and concentrations of the PAH fraction were dependant on the origin of air masses, and showed a rather pyrolytic origin. They were higher for air masses from the north than for air masses originating from the south. Some molecular markers, such as 6,10,14-trimethylpentadecan-2-one and α,ω-dicarboxylic acids with C n > C 20, characterized rural aerosols corresponding to air masses with a pronounced marine origin.