Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of PM 10 over Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), adjoining regions and Indo-Himalayan Range (IHR) during a winter 2014 campaign

Abstract

For source identification, a field campaign involving simultaneous sampling of particulate matter (PM₁₀) was conducted at eight sampling sites in the Indian mainland during winter 2014. The sampling sites include Delhi (upper IGP), Lucknow (middle IGP), and Kolkata (lower IGP) in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP); Mohal-Kullu and Darjeeling in the Indo-Himalayan Range (IHR). In addition, Ajmer, located upwind of the IGP in NW-India and Giridih and Bhubaneswar, in the downwind to the IGP has also been chosen. To characterize the sources of the ambient PM₁₀, stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ¹³C_TC) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N_TN) for the total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) fractions have been considered. Ancillary chemical parameters, such as organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and water-soluble ionic components (WSIC) mass concentrations are also presented in this paper. There was very small variation in the daily average δ¹³C_TC ratios (− 24.8 to − 25.9‰) among the sites. Comparison with end-member stable C isotopic signatures of major typical sources suggests that the PM₁₀ at the sites was mainly from fossil fuel and biofuel and biomass combustion. Daily average δ¹⁵N_TN ratios were not observed to vary much between sites either (8.3 to 11.0‰), and the low δ¹⁵N_TN levels also indicate substantial contributions from biofuel and biomass burning of primarily C3 andC4 plant matter.

Graphical abstract

Scatter plot of the average (± 1 standard deviation (SD)) δ¹³C_TC (‰) compared to δ¹⁵N_TN (‰) at the sampling sites.