Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the mass concentration levels of the inhalable air particulate matter (PM10) and the effect of meteorological parameters on the dilution and dispersion thereof. The PM10 was collected using Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (TEOM) and the concentrations were determined at two sampling sites RMINE and RCBD within the Rustenburg area. The hourly levels for RMINE (closer to the mining industry) were high (6.5 to 215.7 μg/m³); the daily levels were higher (44.4 to 151.7 μg/m³) than at RCBD (10.3 to 81.7 μg/m³); and the monthly levels were also higher (94.1 to 131.0 μg/m³) than RCBD (44.2 to 49.3 μg/m³). The high levels experienced by RMINE were also shown to be highly dispersed (~100 Km) with low dilution (X 10^-1 of the initial). RCBD also experienced high levels of concentrations that get diluted quickly (X 10^-4 of the initial) and are dispersed over large area (~120 Km). The results showed an increase in PM10 as wind speed and relative humidity decreases; and an increase in PM10 as temperature increases. Numerical values in the air quality index showed that, the hourly levels in RMINE range from moderate to very unhealthy, the daily levels from moderate to unhealthy, and the monthly levels from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Key words: PM10, meteorological parameters, dispersion.