Water-soluble inorganic ions in urban aerosols of the continental part of Balkans (Belgrade) during the summer – autumn (2008). Central European Journal of Chemistry.

Size-segregated aerosol samples were collected using six stages High Volume Cascade Impactor. Aerosol mass and water soluble ions concentrations were determined. The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model was used to study the origin of air masses arriving to Belgrade in the investigated period. The obtained results of aerosol mass and water-soluble ion concentrations have been divided into six sub-data sets based on air mass categories. The highest average mass concentration of the fine mode (Dp ≤ 0.49 μm) was found for air masses coming to Belgrade from the southeast and northwest directions, and of the coarse mode (3.0 < Dp ≤7.2 μm) for air masses arriving from the northwest direction. The highest concentrations of SO42– were found in the fine particles transported to the investigated area by air masses from southeast direction. The analysis of contribution of marine aerosol components (Na+ and Cl-), the Correlation and Cluster Analysis indicated the influence of marine aerosol on urban aerosol of the central Balkans coming from the Western Mediterranean and northern direction. NH4+ and SO42- and K+ dominated in the fine mode for all air mass categories. PCA demonstrated the dominant impact of secondary aerosol formation processes on urban aerosols.