- 1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan (gulden.ormanova@nu.edu.kz)
- 2Astana IT University, Astana, Kazakhstan (gulden.ormanova@astanait.edu.kz)
- 3Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, 265 Crittenden Boulevard CU420644, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA (phopke@clarkson.edu)
- 4Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan (dhawal.shah@nu.edu.kz)
- 5Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA (mehdiat@uic.edu)
Atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a complex mixture of various chemical species, has emerged as a significant air quality issue in urban areas. PM2.5 is a key factor in harmful health effects, significantly contributes to the disease burden, plays a significant role in atmospheric visibility and climate change. These tiny particles can scatter and absorb sunlight, leading to haze and reduced visibility, especially in urban areas. Additionally, some components of PM2.5, like Black Carbon (BC), can contribute to global warming by absorbing heat in the atmosphere.
Central Asia is home to several republics that have been striving for independent development over the past 25 years. Kazakhstan is probably the most advanced of these countries as well as the largest in area. It is rich in mineral resources, particularly fossil fuels and thus, has relied primarily on coal for its heating, electricity generation, and industrial base operations. Its air quality is not well characterized to the rest of the world since governmental monitoring data are not publicly available and few prior studies of the amounts or sources of particulate matter have been published.
Currently, the capital Astana has become one of the most polluted cities. Thus, this work that provides almost two years of compositional data and source contributions provides an initial assessment of particulate air quality in Astana. This initial study thoroughly investigates the chemical compositions and source apportionment of PM2.5 based on elements, ions, BC, and estimated UMM, due to the lack of organic carbon data from the samples. Source apportionment was obtained by the U.S. EPA’s Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) (v5.0) receptor model and Conditional Bivariate Probability Function (CBPF) analyses. Identified source types and average contribution to PM2.5 were ‘Spark Ignition’, ‘Coal Flyash’, ‘Secondary Nitrate’, ‘Primary Sulfate-Fuel Combustion’, ‘Secondary Sulfate-Coal Combustion’, ‘Soil/Road Dust’, ‘Diesel’, and ‘Local Power Plant(s)’. Carbonaceous matter, sulfates, and nitrates account for a significant PM2.5 fraction since power plants burn high-ash coal and fuel oil year-round in Astana city. The major contributions are heating power plants (CHPP-1 and CHPP-2), private residential chimney heating systems, autonomous boilers, vehicles, and local construction activities.
Kazakhstan recently declared its intent to decarbonize by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 that should substantially improve air quality. This study will thus provide baseline data against which future apportionment studies can be compared.
How to cite: Ormanova, G., Hopke, P., Shah, D., and Torkmahalleh, M. A.: Chemical Characterization and Source Apportionment of airborne PM2.5 at an urban site in Astana, Kazakhstan, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9466, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9466, 2025.
