Study of the Elemental Concentrations of Aerosol Particulates of Ariab Mining Area using PIXE

The goal of this work was to determine the concentration of these elements (Si, S, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb) in aerosol collected at six different sites of Ariab Mining area which located in the eastern part of Sudan. The samples were taken onto a nucleopore membrane filter with an air sampler that constructed to collect airborne particulate. For the quantitative determination of the investigated elements, a proton-induced X-ray emission accelerator (PIXE) was used, the accuracy of the measurements has been investigated by using certified Micro-Matter® thin film standards. The average concentration values of Si, S. Ca, and Fe in ( %) are 1.52, 0.19, 0.11, and 1.86 respectively while elements Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Pb showed average concentration values in (ng/m3) 25.7, 43.3, 100.8, 82.5 and 225.8 respectively. The enrichment factor (EF) of data using Si as a reference element showed that elements, Ca, Mn, Cu and Zn are non-enriched and are considered to be due to crustal sources while Fe and Cr are enriched suggesting an origin dominated by mining sources from the ore. Also, element Pb exhibited high EF value due to its anthropogenic sources of emission from the diesel machines at the site. The results of the correlation between different elements confirmed the presence of Cu and Zn as sulfides. Comparison of the data obtained in this work with some global data showed much higher concentration values for the typical crustal elements Si and Ca, for the anthropogenic element Pb with a relatively high value for Cu and Fe, where comparable values where found for elements Zn, and Cr.