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The aim of this study was to determine the potential impact of a highly industrialized area on its urbanized surroundings. The area studied is home to a refinery, a thermoelectric plant and several petrochemical facilities industries. The concentrations of twelve elements were determined in PM10 and PM2.5 samples collected along a busy highway and near the petrochemical complex. Significantly higher concentrations of Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu and Al were observed in the petrochemical zone, but principal component analysis revealed similar patterns for both the highway site and a site approximately 1.5 km from the petrochemical complex, suggesting that the main pollution source in the area is vehicular flux. Higher concentrations in the industrial area may be attributed to intense diesel-powered truck and bus traffic movement, mainly due to the transport of supplies, fuel and gas. The observed concentrations of the elements Cr, Co, Ni, Cd and Pb were always lower than the detection limits of the technique used.

The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Campus (FIOCRUZ), in a suburban region of the city of Rio de Janeiro, was selected as a case study to assess the pollution released from vehicle and industrial facilities in Basin III, the most polluted area of the city. Concentrations of particulate matter (PM10) and trace metals in airborne particles were determined in an intensive field campaign. The samplings were performed every six days for 24 h periods, using a PM10 high volume sampler, from September 2004 to August 2005. PM10 mass concentrations were determined gravimetrically and the metals by ICP-OES. For PM10, the arithmetic mean for the period is 169 +/- 42 microg m(-3) which is 3.4 times the national recommended standard of 50 microg m(-3). Additionally, 51% of the samplings exceeded the recommended 24 h limit of 150 microg m(-3). Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn and Al were the metals that presented the higher concentrations. The correlation matrix gave two main clusters and three significant principal components (PC). Both PC1 and PC2 are associated to crustal, vehicular and industrial emissions while PC3 is mainly associated to geological material. Enrichment factors for Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb indicate that for these elements, anthropic sources prevail over natural inputs. PM10 levels showed a good correlation with hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in children and elderly people.

Total suspended particles and 12 airborne metals were determined in 4 sampling sites in the industrial region of Médio Paraíba, Brazil. The geometrical means for the four sampling locals were (in units of microg/m3): 65.9 in Barra Mansa, 57.3 in Jardim Paraíba (Volta Redonda), 41.7 in Resende, and 48.9 in Volta Grande (Volta Redonda). These values are lower than levels previously determined in urban and industrial locals of the Metropolitan Area of Rio de Janeiro. For metals, the higher concentrations were obtained for Ca, Zn, Al, Fe, and Mg. Ca, Zn, and Al levels are higher than those determined in other industrial areas. These three metals are used in steel manufacturing, the main economical activity of the region. Enrichment factors for Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb are higher than 10, suggesting an industrial input. Statistical analysis show a high correlation among Ca, Mg, Zn, Cr, Al, Mn, and Fe, all of them used as raw materials in steel manufacturing and/or accumulated as industrial blast furnace slag and steelworks slag.