Impact of air masses on the distribution of 210Pb in the southeast of Iberian Peninsula air

Abstract The current research has been developed in the southern of the Iberian Peninsula in order to better understand the atmospheric processes and also the influence of the air masses origin and pathways in the transport of 210 Pb-aerosols in the atmosphere. Simultaneous measurements of the radionuclides 7 Be and 210 Pb on airborne have been routinely carried out at Granada (Spain 37.177N, 3.598 W, 687 m a.s.l.) from 2010 to 2014. The long term monitoring evolution on 210 Pb is discussed in this study and also the useful ratio 7 Be/ 210 Pb. The maximum monthly activity concentration for 210 Pb at ground level in Granada was detected during summer and early autumn (September), whereas minimum activity was measured in the winter. The monthly mean activity concentration for 210 Pb was 617.8 ± 33.0 μBq·m −3 . The results show that the annual average 210 Pb concentrations in samples collected during the same period were almost constant. The lowest activity concentration for 210 Pb are associated with maritime air masses coming from Atlantic and Norwest of Spain, while the highest activity concentrations for this radiotracers were positively correlated with the arrival of mineral dust linked to continental air masses coming from Mediterranean, Africa and Local area. The concentrations values show a nice agreement with the relevant reported results.