Solubility of transition metal compounds plays a significant role in adverse health effects because that is one of the most important factors of particulate matter bioavailability in the body. In this study, we focus on the chemical analysis of particulate matter (PM) collected at different locations in the area of Kraków, one of the most polluted cities in Poland, and compare them with Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1648a from NIST. The content of four elements (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur) was determined by elemental analysis, and the ratio between organic and inorganic carbon in PM extracts was confirmed by Total Organic Carbon analysis. Among the most concentrated elements found there are calcium, magnesium, sulfur, silicon, and zinc, whereas copper, iron, and manganese were present in lower concentrations. SEM-EDS analysis showed a similar morphology of the SRM and PM collected in the urban area of Kraków, while PM collected in the industrial area has smaller particles with a smooth surface. The reported analyses are significant for the APARIC project (“Air Pollution versus Autoimmunity: Role of multiphase aqueous Inorganic Chemistry”), which aims to identify the main inorganic components of PM and to understand how they affect the development of immunological diseases.

中文翻译：

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波兰克拉科夫地区受污染空气中颗粒物水提取物的理化分析

过渡金属化合物的溶解度在不良健康影响中起着重要作用，因为这是体内颗粒物生物利用度的最重要因素之一。在这项研究中，我们着重于对波兰污染最严重的城市之一克拉科夫地区不同地点收集的颗粒物（PM）进行化学分析，并将其与NIST的标准参考物质（SRM）1648a进行比较。通过元素分析确定四种元素（碳，氢，氮和硫）的含量，并通过总有机碳分析确定PM提取物中有机碳和无机碳之比。在发现的最浓缩的元素中，有钙，镁，硫，硅和锌，而铜，铁和锰的含量较低。SEM-EDS分析显示，在克拉科夫市区收集的SRM和PM的形态相似，而在工业区收集的PM具有较小的颗粒，且表面光滑。报告的分析对于APARIC项目（“空气污染与自身免疫：多相水性无机化学的作用”）具有重要意义，该项目旨在鉴定PM的主要无机成分并了解它们如何影响免疫疾病的发展。