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In this study, the information potential of a two-step sequential extraction procedure was evaluated. For this purpose, first of all the elemental composition of Arctic PM10 samples collected in Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard Islands) from 28 February 2015 to 21 October 2015 was investigated. Enrichment Factors, Principal Component Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis were performed to identify PM10 sources and to understand the effects of short- and long-range transport processes. The investigation of the potential source areas was also aided by taking into account back-trajectories. Then, the sequential extraction procedure was applied to some of the samples in order to obtain more information on these sources. This approach allowed us to establish that most of the elements prevalently having an anthropogenic origin not only were present in higher concentrations, but they were also more easily extractable in late winter and early spring. This confirms the common statement that the anthropogenic portion of the elements present in a sample is generally loosely bound to the particulate matter structure, and so it is more easily extractable and releasable on the Arctic snowpack. Moreover, in the samples collected in late winter and early spring, even the elements prevalently having a crustal origin were more easily extractable, probably due to the particle size selection occurred during the long-range transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From January to December 2010, surface snow samples were collected with monthly resolution at the Concordia station (75°06’S, 123°20’E), on the Antarctic plateau, and analysed for major and trace elements in both dissolved and particulate (i.e. insoluble particles, >0.45 μm) phase. Additional surface snow samples were collected with daily resolution, for the determination of sea-salt sodium and not-sea-salt calcium, in order to support the discussion on the seasonal variations of trace elements. Concentrations of alkaline and alkaline-earth elements were higher in winter (April–October) than in summer (November–March) by a factor of 1.2–3.3, in agreement with the higher concentration of sea-salt atmospheric particles reaching the Antarctic plateau during the winter. Similarly, trace elements were generally higher in winter by a factor of 1.2–1.5, whereas Al and Fe did not show any significant seasonal trend. Partitioning between dissolved and particulate phases did not change with the sampling period, but it depended only on the element: alkaline and alkaline-earth elements, as well as Co, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn were for the most part (>80%) in the dissolved phase, whereas Al and Fe were mainly associated with the particulate phase (>80%) and Cd, Cr, V were nearly equally distributed between the phases. Finally, the estimated marine and crustal enrichment factors indicated that Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn have a dominant anthropogenic origin, with a possible contribution from the Concordia station activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]