characterization and source apportionment of heavy metals in ambient particulate matter in manesar, gurugram

This study provides insights into the ambient particulate matter (pm) concentration, chemical characterization, source apportionment, and associated heavy metals in manesar, gurugram. it is a rapidly growing industrial hub, experiencing severe air pollution. this highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive study to analyze ambient pm at the study site. therefore, particulate matter (pm10 and pm2.5) samples were collected on glass fiber filters over two years, excluding the monsoon season. the sampling was conducted from october 2022 to april 2023 and october 2023 to april 2024. heavy metals were quantified using icp-ms (agilent 7800). the average concentration of pm10 and pm2.5 during the study period were 180.98 μg/m³ and 107.25 μg/m³, respectively, exceeding the national ambient air quality standards (naaqs) set by the central pollution control board (cpcb). a substantial seasonal variation was observed, with peak concentrations occurring in the post-monsoon season followed by winter. among the analyzed heavy metals, fe (10.89 μg/m³) exhibited the highest average concentration, followed by mn (0.283 μg/m³). seasonal variation was also evident in heavy metal concentrations, with maxima in post-monsoon, and followed by winter. enrichment factor (ef) analysis classified nickel (ni), copper (cu), and cadmium (cd) as less enriched, while lead (pb) was highly enriched. further, principal component analysis (pca) of particulate matter, revealed that vehicles and industrial emissions were the primary sources of the heavy metals in the ambient air of study area. these findings highlight the necessity to implement the strategies for controlling vehicular and industrial emission to reduce the pm concentration.