Chemical Characterization of Trace Elements in PM2.5 and PM10 and their Source Apportionment by PMF Modelling with Associated Health Risk Assessment in the Aravalli Region, India

Chemical Characterization of Trace Elements in PM2.5 and PM10 and their Source Apportionment by PMF Modelling with Associated Health Risk Assessment in the Aravalli Region, India | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Chemical Characterization of Trace Elements in PM2.5 and PM10 and their Source Apportionment by PMF Modelling with Associated Health Risk Assessment in the Aravalli Region, India Prity Pippal, Rajesh Kumar, Atar Singh, Paulraj Rajamani, Anshika Kushwaha, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8352964/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 02 Apr, 2026 Read the published version in Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology → Version 1 posted 4 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study assessed particulate matter to quantify trace elements and source apportionment using the PMF receptor model, enrichment factor, and health risk assessment of toxic trace elements. The mean 24-hour average PM 2.5 and PM 10 concentrations computed by gravimetric analysis (GA) were 66.87 µg/m³ and 121.44 µg/m³, respectively, exceeding standard limits. The 22 trace elements observed through ICP-OES contributed 1.12% of the total PM, which raises health concerns. The percent contribution of sources by PMF model for PM 2.5 and PM 10 is approximately 27% and 40% crustal emissions, 30% and 29% road dust, 18% and 15% secondary aerosols, 13% and 7% vehicular emissions, 6% and 4% industries & mining activities, and 6% and 5% marine sources, respectively. Although crustal emissions and road dust appeared to be significant contributors, as indicated by the combined evaluation of EF and PMF results, these factors were found to be mixtures of re-suspended dust and emissions, rather than purely crustal material due to strong dominance of fine-particles from anthropogenic activities and secondary processes. Further, the observed carcinogenic risk (CR) values were higher for elements Cr < As < Cd < Ni < Pb in PM 2.5 and PM 10 for children and adults, respectively, than 1x10⁻ 6 to 1x10⁻⁴ limit by USEPA. Children were more susceptible to exposure to health risks than adults with higher HQ and CR values in PM 2.5 , making it more potent than PM 10 . This paper provides a comprehensive understanding of trace elements contributing in PM and associated health risks with crucial insights for air quality management, climate impact, and public health. Air Quality Heavy metal Carcinogenic Enrichment factor Northwest India Full Text Supplementary Files Supplimentary03122025.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 02 Apr, 2026 Read the published version in Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology → Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 06 Jan, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 05 Jan, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 17 Dec, 2025 First submitted to journal 13 Dec, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8352964","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":561659522,"identity":"2cbea31b-50be-4268-bdc0-0bd764ac0a54","order_by":0,"name":"Prity Pippal","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Central University of Rajasthan","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Prity","middleName":"","lastName":"Pippal","suffix":""},{"id":561659523,"identity":"c4192605-c88a-42b3-a6d4-15f1cd289a0f","order_by":1,"name":"Rajesh 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Toxicology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Air Quality, Heavy metal, Carcinogenic, Enrichment factor, Northwest India","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8352964/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8352964/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study assessed particulate matter to quantify trace elements and source apportionment using the PMF receptor model, enrichment factor, and health risk assessment of toxic trace elements. The mean 24-hour average PM\u003csub\u003e2.5\u003c/sub\u003e and PM\u003csub\u003e10\u003c/sub\u003e concentrations computed by gravimetric analysis (GA) were 66.87 \u0026micro;g/m\u0026sup3; and 121.44 \u0026micro;g/m\u0026sup3;, respectively, exceeding standard limits. The 22 trace elements observed through ICP-OES contributed 1.12% of the total PM, which raises health concerns. The percent contribution of sources by PMF model for PM\u003csub\u003e2.5\u003c/sub\u003e and PM\u003csub\u003e10\u003c/sub\u003e is approximately 27% and 40% crustal emissions, 30% and 29% road dust, 18% and 15% secondary aerosols, 13% and 7% vehicular emissions, 6% and 4% industries \u0026amp; mining activities, and 6% and 5% marine sources, respectively. Although crustal emissions and road dust appeared to be significant contributors, as indicated by the combined evaluation of EF and PMF results, these factors were found to be mixtures of re-suspended dust and emissions, rather than purely crustal material due to strong dominance of fine-particles from anthropogenic activities and secondary processes. Further, the observed carcinogenic risk (CR) values were higher for elements Cr\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;As \u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;Cd\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;Ni\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;Pb in PM\u003csub\u003e2.5\u003c/sub\u003e and PM\u003csub\u003e10\u003c/sub\u003e for children and adults, respectively, than 1x10⁻\u003csup\u003e6\u003c/sup\u003e to 1x10⁻⁴ limit by USEPA. Children were more susceptible to exposure to health risks than adults with higher HQ and CR values in PM\u003csub\u003e2.5\u003c/sub\u003e, making it more potent than PM\u003csub\u003e10\u003c/sub\u003e. This paper provides a comprehensive understanding of trace elements contributing in PM and associated health risks with crucial insights for air quality management, climate impact, and public health.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Chemical Characterization of Trace Elements in PM2.5 and PM10 and their Source Apportionment by PMF Modelling with Associated Health Risk Assessment in the Aravalli Region, India","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-12-19 05:51:17","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8352964/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2026-01-06T21:30:31+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-01-06T04:33:15+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-12-17T09:15:19+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","date":"2025-12-13T08:11:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"archives-of-environmental-contamination-and-toxicology","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"aect","sideBox":"Learn more about [Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology](https://www.springer.com/journal/244)","snPcode":"244","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/244/3","title":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"f5e228f2-dd50-43d3-9da7-6745e1d1721f","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 19th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-07T16:01:26+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-8352964","link":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-026-01189-2","journal":{"identity":"archives-of-environmental-contamination-and-toxicology","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology"},"publishedOn":"2026-04-02 15:58:22","publishedOnDateReadable":"April 2nd, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-12-19 05:51:17","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1007/s00244-026-01189-2","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-026-01189-2","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8352964","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8352964","identity":"rs-8352964","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}