Investigation of Geological and Environmental Factors of Airborne Suspended Particles from Sand and Gravel Quarries in The West of Tehran, Iran

Introduction: Particulate matter (PM) is known as the most common cause of air pollution in the world. Activities of sand quarries are known as one of the emission sources in Tehran. This study aimed at investigating the geological and environmental factors of airborne particles in an active quarry in the west of Tehran. Material and Methods: Three methods of dust sampling were used. totally, 32 samples were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX). The data were analyzed through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Enrichment Factor (EF) and Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo). Results: The results showed the presence of Si, Ca, Al, Na, Fe, K, Zn, Pb, P, S, Mg, Cu, Ti, Mn, Cl and V in dust of the quarry. Also, the elements of Mn, V, Zn, Cu and Pb were shown to have moderate to extremely enrichment and contamination from anthropogenic origin. The silicon and potassium were found to have a natural source originated from igneous and alluvial rocks. Conclusion: In this study, it was shown that fugitive dust generated from sand quarries and related activities have higher concentration of elements than those in the Earth crust due to anthropogenic activities. Further studies on transfer of fugitive dust from sand and gravel quarries to Tehran and assessment of its health impact are suggested.