On the time-averaging of ultrafine particle number size spectra in vehicular plumes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. H. Yao

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Ultrafine vehicular particle (<100 nm number size distributions presented in the literature are mostly averages of long scan-time (~30 s or more spectra mainly due to the non-availability of commercial instruments that can measure particle distributions in the <10 nm to 100 nm range faster than 30 s even though individual researchers have built faster (1–2.5 s scanning instruments. With the introduction of the Engine Exhaust Particle Sizer (EEPS in 2004, high time-resolution (1 full 32-channel spectrum per second particle size distribution data become possible and allow atmospheric researchers to study the characteristics of ultrafine vehicular particles in rapidly and perhaps randomly varying high concentration environments such as roadside, on-road and tunnel. In this study, particle size distributions in these environments were found to vary as rapidly as one second frequently. This poses the question on the generality of using averages of long scan-time spectra for dynamic and/or mechanistic studies in rapidly and perhaps randomly varying high concentration environments. One-second EEPS data taken at roadside, on roads and in tunnels by a mobile platform are time-averaged to yield 5, 10, 30 and 120 s distributions to answer this question.

Volatility and mixing states of ultrafine particles from biomass burning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maruf Hossain, A.M.M.; Park, Seungho; Kim, Jae-Seok; Park, Kihong

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Size distribution, volatility, and mixing states of ultrafine particles emitted from rice straw, oak, and pine burning under different burning conditions were investigated. ► Smoldering combustion emitted larger mode particles in higher numbers than smaller mode particles, while the converse was true for flaming combustion. ► While the flaming combustion and open burning results imply there is internal mixing of OC and BC, smoldering combustion in rice straw produced ultrafine particles devoid of BC. ► Mixing state of ultrafine particles from biomass burning can alter the single scattering albedo, and might even change the sign of radiative forcing. - Abstract: Fine and ultrafine carbonaceous aerosols produced from burning biomasses hold enormous importance in terms of assessing radiation balance and public health hazards. As such, volatility and mixing states of size-selected ultrafine particles (UFP) emitted from rice straw, oak, and pine burning were investigated by using volatility tandem differential mobility analyzer (VTDMA) technique in this study. Rice straw combustion produced unimodal size distributions of emitted aerosols, while bimodal size distributions from combustions of oak (hardwood) and pine (softwood) were obtained. A nearness of flue gas temperatures and a lower CO ratio of flaming combustion (FC) to smoldering combustion (SC) were characteristic differences found between softwood and hardwood. SC emitted larger mode particles in higher numbers than smaller mode particles, while the converse was true for FC. Rice straw open burning UFPs exhibited a volatilization behavior similar to that between FC and SC. In addition, internal mixing states were observed for size-selected UFPs in all biomasses for all combustion conditions, while external mixing states were only observed for rice straw combustion. Results for FC and open burning suggested there was an internal mixing of volatile organic carbon (OC) and non-volatile core (e

Characterization of ultrafine and fine particles from CHP Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2009-08-15

Samples of particles collected at CHP plants in the project 'Survey of emissions from CHP Plants' have been analysed in this project to give information on the morphology and chemical composition of individual particle size classes. The objective of this project was to characterize ultrafine and fine particles emitted to the atmosphere from Danish CHP plants. Nine CHP plants were selected in the Emission Survey Project as being representative for the different types of CHP plants operating in Denmark: 1) Three Waste-to Energy (WTE) plants. 2) Three biomass fired (BM) plants (two straw fired, one wood/saw dust fired). 3) Two gas fired (GF) plants (one natural gas, one landfill gas fired). 4) One gasoil (GO) fired plant. At the WTE and BM plants, various types of emission control systems implemented. The results from these plants represent the composition and size distribution of combustion particles that are emitted from the plants emission control systems. The measured emissions of particles from the waste-to-energy plants WTE1-3 are generally very low. The number and mass concentrations of ultrafine particles (PM{sub 0.1}) were particularly low in the flue gas from WTE2 and WTE3, where bag filters are used for the reduction of particle emissions. The EDX analysis of particles from the WTE plants indicates that the PM{sub 0.1} that penetrates the ECS at WTE can contain high fractions of metals such as Fe, Mn and Cu. The SEM analysis of particles from WTE1-3 showed that the particles were generally porous and irregular in shape. The concentrations of particles in the flue gas from the biomass plants were generally higher than found for the WTE plants. The time series results showed that periodical, high concentration peaks of PM emissions occur from BM1 and BM2. The chemical composition of the particles emitted from the three biomass plants is generally dominated by C, O and S, and to some extend also Fe and Si. A high amount of Cu was found in selected

Physicochemical characterization of Baizhi particles by ultrafine pulverization

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Lian-Wei; Sun, Peng; Gai, Guo-Sheng; Yang, Yu-Fen; Wang, Yu-Rong

2011-04-01

Baizhi, as a medicinal plant, has been demonstrated to be useful for the treatment of aches and pains in China. The physicochemical characterization of Baizhi particles is greatly influenced by ultrafine pulverization. To study the physicochemical characterization of Baizhi, the raw plant material of Baizhi was ground to 6 μm particles by a high speed centrifugal sheering (HSCS) pulverizer. The micron particles were characterized by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Imperatorin is one of the active ingredients of Baizhi, and its extraction yield is determined to evaluate the chemical characterization of Baizhi powder. Imperatorin was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results show that after ultrafine pulverization, the plant cell walls are broken into pieces and the extraction yield of imperatorin is increased by 11.93% compared with the normal particles.

[Ultrafine particle number concentration and size distribution of vehicle exhaust ultrafine particles].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Ye-qiang; Chen, Qiu-fang; Sun, Zai; Cai, Zhi-liang; Yang, Wen-jun

2014-09-01

Ultrafine particle (UFP) number concentrations obtained from three different vehicles were measured using fast mobility particle sizer (FMPS) and automobile exhaust gas analyzer. UFP number concentration and size distribution were studied at different idle driving speeds. The results showed that at a low idle speed of 800 rmin-1 , the emission particle number concentration was the lowest and showed a increasing trend with the increase of idle speed. The majority of exhaust particles were in Nuclear mode and Aitken mode. The peak sizes were dominated by 10 nm and 50 nm. Particle number concentration showed a significantly sharp increase during the vehicle acceleration process, and was then kept stable when the speed was stable. In the range of 0. 4 m axial distance from the end of the exhaust pipe, the particle number concentration decayed rapidly after dilution, but it was not obvious in the range of 0. 4-1 m. The number concentration was larger than the background concentration. Concentration of exhaust emissions such as CO, HC and NO showed a reducing trend with the increase of idle speed,which was in contrast to the emission trend of particle number concentration.

Sources of ultrafine particles in the Eastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Posner, Laura N.; Pandis, Spyros N.

2015-06-01

Source contributions to ultrafine particle number concentrations for a summertime period in the Eastern U.S. are investigated using the chemical transport model PMCAMx-UF. New source-resolved number emissions inventories are developed for biomass burning, dust, gasoline automobiles, industrial sources, non-road and on-road diesel. According to the inventory for this summertime period in the Eastern U.S., gasoline automobiles are responsible for 40% of the ultrafine particle number emissions, followed by industrial sources (33%), non-road diesel (16%), on-road diesel (10%), and 1% from biomass burning and dust. With these emissions as input, the chemical transport model PMCAMx-UF reproduces observed ultrafine particle number concentrations (N3-100) in Pittsburgh with an error of 12%. For this summertime period in the Eastern U.S., nucleation is predicted to be the source of more than 90% of the total particle number concentrations. The source contributions to primary particle number concentrations are on average similar to those of their source emissions contributions: gasoline is predicted to contribute 36% of the total particle number concentrations, followed by industrial sources (31%), non-road diesel (18%), on-road diesel (10%), biomass burning (1%), and long-range transport (4%). For this summertime period in Pittsburgh, number source apportionment predictions for particles larger than 3 nm in diameter (traffic 65%, other combustion sources 35%) are consistent with measurement-based source apportionment (traffic 60%, combustion sources 40%).

Comparison of deposited surface area of airborne ultrafine particles generated from two welding processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, J F; Albuquerque, P C; Miranda, Rosa M; Santos, Telmo G; Vieira, M T

2012-09-01

This article describes work performed on the assessment of the levels of airborne ultrafine particles emitted in two welding processes metal-active gas (MAG) of carbon steel and friction-stir welding (FSW) of aluminium in terms of deposited area in alveolar tract of the lung using a nanoparticle surface area monitor analyser. The obtained results showed the dependence from process parameters on emitted ultrafine particles and clearly demonstrated the presence of ultrafine particles, when compared with background levels. The obtained results showed that the process that results on the lower levels of alveolar-deposited surface area is FSW, unlike MAG. Nevertheless, all the tested processes resulted in important doses of ultrafine particles that are to be deposited in the human lung of exposed workers.

Ultrafine carbon particles promote rotenone-induced dopamine neuronal loss through activating microglial NADPH oxidase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yinxi; Liu, Dan; Zhang, Huifeng; Wang, Yixin [Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, 100191 (China); Wei, Ling [Beijing Center for Physical & Chemical Analysis, Beijing 100089 (China); Liu, Yutong [School of Life Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Liao, Jieying [Department of Translational Medicine, Xiamen Institute of Rare Earth Materials, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361024 (China); Gao, Hui-Ming [Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University, Nanjing 211800 (China); Zhou, Hui, E-mail: hardhui@gmail.com [Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, 100191 (China)

2017-05-01

Background: Atmospheric ultrafine particles (UFPs) and pesticide rotenone were considered as potential environmental risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD). However, whether and how UFPs alone and in combination with rotenone affect the pathogenesis of PD remains largely unknown. Methods: Ultrafine carbon black (ufCB, a surrogate of UFPs) and rotenone were used individually or in combination to determine their roles in chronic dopaminergic (DA) loss in neuron-glia, and neuron-enriched, mix-glia cultures. Immunochemistry using antibody against tyrosine hydroxylase was performed to detect DA neuronal loss. Measurement of extracellular superoxide and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were performed to examine activation of NADPH oxidase. Genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition of NADPH oxidase and MAC-1 receptor in microglia were employed to examine their role in DA neuronal loss triggered by ufCB and rotenone. Results: In rodent midbrain neuron-glia cultures, ufCB and rotenone alone caused neuronal death in a dose-dependent manner. In particularly, ufCB at doses of 50 and 100 μg/cm{sup 2} induced significant loss of DA neurons. More importantly, nontoxic doses of ufCB (10 μg/cm{sup 2}) and rotenone (2 nM) induced synergistic toxicity to DA neurons. Microglial activation was essential in this process. Furthermore, superoxide production from microglial NADPH oxidase was critical in ufCB/rotenone-induced neurotoxicity. Studies in mix-glia cultures showed that ufCB treatment activated microglial NADPH oxidase to induce superoxide production. Firstly, ufCB enhanced the expression of NADPH oxidase subunits (gp91{sup phox}, p47{sup phox} and p40{sup phox}); secondly, ufCB was recognized by microglial surface MAC-1 receptor and consequently promoted rotenone-induced p47{sup phox} and p67{sup phox} translocation assembling active NADPH oxidase. Conclusion: ufCB and rotenone worked in synergy to activate NADPH oxidase in microglia, leading to

Ultrafine carbon particles promote rotenone-induced dopamine neuronal loss through activating microglial NADPH oxidase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yinxi; Liu, Dan; Zhang, Huifeng; Wang, Yixin; Wei, Ling; Liu, Yutong; Liao, Jieying; Gao, Hui-Ming; Zhou, Hui

2017-01-01

Background: Atmospheric ultrafine particles (UFPs) and pesticide rotenone were considered as potential environmental risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD). However, whether and how UFPs alone and in combination with rotenone affect the pathogenesis of PD remains largely unknown. Methods: Ultrafine carbon black (ufCB, a surrogate of UFPs) and rotenone were used individually or in combination to determine their roles in chronic dopaminergic (DA) loss in neuron-glia, and neuron-enriched, mix-glia cultures. Immunochemistry using antibody against tyrosine hydroxylase was performed to detect DA neuronal loss. Measurement of extracellular superoxide and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were performed to examine activation of NADPH oxidase. Genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition of NADPH oxidase and MAC-1 receptor in microglia were employed to examine their role in DA neuronal loss triggered by ufCB and rotenone. Results: In rodent midbrain neuron-glia cultures, ufCB and rotenone alone caused neuronal death in a dose-dependent manner. In particularly, ufCB at doses of 50 and 100 μg/cm 2 induced significant loss of DA neurons. More importantly, nontoxic doses of ufCB (10 μg/cm 2 ) and rotenone (2 nM) induced synergistic toxicity to DA neurons. Microglial activation was essential in this process. Furthermore, superoxide production from microglial NADPH oxidase was critical in ufCB/rotenone-induced neurotoxicity. Studies in mix-glia cultures showed that ufCB treatment activated microglial NADPH oxidase to induce superoxide production. Firstly, ufCB enhanced the expression of NADPH oxidase subunits (gp91 phox , p47 phox and p40 phox ); secondly, ufCB was recognized by microglial surface MAC-1 receptor and consequently promoted rotenone-induced p47 phox and p67 phox translocation assembling active NADPH oxidase. Conclusion: ufCB and rotenone worked in synergy to activate NADPH oxidase in microglia, leading to oxidative damage to DA neurons. Our

Ultrafine particle emissions from modern Gasoline and Diesel vehicles: An electron microscopic perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Liati, Anthi; Schreiber, Daniel; Arroyo Rojas Dasilva, Yadira; Dimopoulos Eggenschwiler, Panayotis

2018-08-01

Ultrafine (electron microscopy (TEM) is applied to obtain a concrete picture on the nature, morphology and chemical composition of non-volatile ultrafine particles in the exhaust of state-of-the-art, Euro 6b, Gasoline and Diesel vehicles. The particles were collected directly on TEM grids, at the tailpipe, downstream of the after-treatment system, during the entire duration of typical driving cycles on the chassis dynamometer. Based on TEM imaging coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, numerous ultrafine particles could be identified, imaged and analyzed chemically. Particles vehicles and driving cycles. The present TEM study gives information also on the imaging and chemical composition of the solid fraction of the unregulated sub-23 nm size category particles. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrafine particles from power plants: Evaluation of WRF-Chem simulations with airborne measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Forkel, Renate; Junkermann, Wolfgang

2017-04-01

Ultrafine particles (UFP, particles with a diameter risk to human health and have a potential effect on climate as their presence affects the number concentration of cloud condensation nuclei. Despite of the possibly hazardous effects no regulations exist for this size class of ambient air pollution particles. While ground based continuous measurements of UFP are performed in Germany at several sites (e.g. the German Ultrafine Aerosol Network GUAN, Birmili et al. 2016, doi:10.5194/essd-8-355-2016) information about the vertical distribution of UFP within the atmospheric boundary layer is only scarce. This gap has been closed during the last years by regional-scale airborne surveys for UFP concentrations and size distributions over Germany (Junkermann et al., 2016, doi: 10.3402/tellusb.v68.29250) and Australia (Junkermann and Hacker, 2015, doi: 10.3402/tellusb.v67.25308). Power stations and refineries have been identified as a major source of UFP in Germany with observed particle concentrations > 50000 particles cm-3 downwind of these elevated point sources. Nested WRF-Chem simulations with 2 km grid width for the innermost domain are performed with UFP emission source strengths derived from the measurements in order to study the advection and vertical exchange of UFP from power plants near the Czech and Polish border and their impact on planetary boundary layer particle patterns. The simulations are evaluated against the airborne observations and the downward mixing of the UFP from the elevated sources is studied.

Effect of flow characteristics on ultrafine particle emissions from range hoods.

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Li-Ching; Chen, Chih-Chieh

2013-08-01

In order to understand the physical mechanisms of the production of nanometer-sized particulate generated from cooking oils, the ventilation of kitchen hoods was studied by determining the particle concentration, particle size distribution, particle dimensions, and hood's flow characteristics under several cooking scenarios. This research varied the temperature of the frying operation on one cooking operation, with three kinds of commercial cooking oils including soybean oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil. The variations of particle concentration and size distributions with the elevated cooking oil temperatures were presented. The particle concentration increases as a function of temperature. For oil temperatures ranging between 180°C and 210°C, a 5°C increase in temperature increased the number concentration of ultrafine particles by 20-50%. The maximum concentration of ultrafine particles was found to be approximately 6 × 10(6) particles per cm(3) at 260°C. Flow visualization techniques and particle distribution measurement were performed for two types of hood designs, a wall-mounted range hood and an island hood, at a suction flow rate of 15 m(3) min(-1). The flow visualization results showed that different configurations of kitchen hoods induce different aerodynamic characteristics. By comparing the results of flow visualizations and nanoparticle measurements, it was found that the areas with large-scale turbulent vortices are more prone to dispersion of ultrafine particle leakage because of the complex interaction between the shear layers and the suction movement that results from turbulent dispersion. We conclude that the evolution of ultrafine particle concentration fluctuations is strongly affected by the location of the hood, which can alter the aerodynamic features. We suggest that there is a correlation between flow characteristics and amount of contaminant leakage. This provides a comprehensive strategy to evaluate the effectiveness of kitchen hoods

Vascular effects of ultrafine particles in persons with type 2 diabetes

Science.gov (United States)

BACKGROUND: Diabetes confers an increased risk for cardiovascular effects of airborne particles. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that inhalation of elemental carbon ultrafine particles (UFP) would activate blood platelets and vascular endothelium in people with type 2 diabetes. ...

Unipolar and bipolar diffusion charging of ultrafine particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adachi, Motoaki; Okuyama, Kikuo; Kousaka, Yasuo.

1985-01-01

Unipolar and bipolar diffusion charging of monodisperse ultrafine particles of 4 - 100 nm in diameter has been studied experimentally and theoretically. The particles were charged by unipolar and bipolar ions generated by α-ray irradiation and the charge distribution of particles was directly observed in the electric field after the growth of them by condensation of di-butyl phthalate vapor. In both cases of unipolar and bipolar charging, the experimental results have been found in good agreement with the solution of basic equations where Fuchs' formula is used as the combination probability of an ion with a particle. (author)

Impact of two particle measurement techniques on the determination of N95 class respirator filtration performance against ultrafine particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mostofi, Reza; Noël, Alexandra; Haghighat, Fariborz; Bahloul, Ali; Lara, Jaime; Cloutier, Yves

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Performance evaluation of respirator using two different measurement techniques. ► Impaction and electrical mobility were used to characterize ultrafine particle. ► The experiment was done using ultrafine-sized poly-dispersed aerosols. ► Both techniques show that MPPS would occur at a similar size range. - Abstract: The purpose of this experimental study was to compare two different particle measurement devices; an Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI) and a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS), to measure the number concentration and the size distribution of NaCl salt aerosols to determine the collection efficiency of filtering respirators against poly disperse aerosols. Tests were performed on NIOSH approved N95 filtering face-piece respirators (FFR), sealed on a manikin head. Ultrafine particles found in the aerosols were also collected and observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). According to the results, there is a systematic difference for the particle size distribution measured by the SMPS and the ELPI. It is largely attributed to the difference in the measurement techniques. However, in spite of these discrepancies, reasonably similar trends were found for the number concentration with both measuring instruments. The particle penetration, calculated based on mobility and aerodynamic diameters, never exceeded 5% for any size range measured at constant flow rate of 85 L/min. Also, the most penetrating particle size (MPPS), with the lowest filtration efficiency, would occur at a similar ultrafine size range <100 nm. With the ELPI, the MPPS was at 70 nm aerodynamic diameter, whereas it occurred at 40 nm mobility diameter with the SMPS.

Ultrafine particle emission characteristics of diesel engine by on-board and test bench measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Cheng; Lou, Diming; Hu, Zhiyuan; Tan, Piqiang; Yao, Di; Hu, Wei; Li, Peng; Ren, Jin; Chen, Changhong

2012-01-01

This study investigated the emission characteristics of ultrafine particles based on test bench and on-board measurements. The bench test results showed the ultrafine particle number concentration of the diesel engine to be in the range of (0.56-8.35) x 10(8) cm(-3). The on-board measurement results illustrated that the ultrafine particles were strongly correlated with changes in real-world driving cycles. The particle number concentration was down to 2.0 x 10(6) cm(-3) and 2.7 x 10(7) cm(-3) under decelerating and idling operations and as high as 5.0 x 10(8) cm(-3) under accelerating operation. It was also indicated that the particle number measured by the two methods increased with the growth of engine load at each engine speed in both cases. The particle number presented a "U" shaped distribution with changing speed at high engine load conditions, which implies that the particle number will reach its lowest level at medium engine speeds. The particle sizes of both measurements showed single mode distributions. The peak of particle size was located at about 50-80 nm in the accumulation mode particle range. Nucleation mode particles will significantly increase at low engine load operations like idling and decelerating caused by the high concentration of unburned organic compounds.

Identification and verification of ultrafine particle affinity zones in urban neighbourhoods: sample design and data pre-processing.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Harris, Paul

2009-01-01

A methodology is presented and validated through which long-term fixed site air quality measurements are used to characterise and remove temporal signals in sample-based measurements which have good spatial coverage but poor temporal resolution. The work has been carried out specifically to provide a spatial dataset of atmospheric ultrafine particle (UFP < 100 nm) data for ongoing epidemiologic cohort analysis but the method is readily transferable to wider epidemiologic investigations and research into the health effects of other pollutant species.

Comparison of Atmospheric New Particle Formation Events Events in Three Central European Cities.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Németh, Z.; Rosati, B.; Zíková, Naděžda; Salma, I.; Bozó, L.; Dameto de España, C.; Schwarz, Jaroslav; Ždímal, Vladimír; Wonaschütz, A.

2018-01-01

Roč. 178, APR 2018 (2018), s. 191-197 ISSN 1352-2310 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LM2015037 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 654109 - ACTRIS-2 Grant - others:HSRFK(HU) K116788; HSRFK(HU) PD124283; NRDIO(HU) GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00055 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : urban environment * ultrafine particles * new particle formation Subject RIV: DG - Athmosphere Sciences, Meteorology OBOR OECD: Meteorology and atmospheric sciences Impact factor: 3.629, year: 2016

Ultrafine particles dispersion modeling in a street canyon: development and evaluation of a composite lattice Boltzmann model.

Science.gov (United States)

Habilomatis, George; Chaloulakou, Archontoula

2013-10-01

Recently, a branch of particulate matter research concerns on ultrafine particles found in the urban environment, which originate, to a significant extent, from traffic sources. In urban street canyons, dispersion of ultrafine particles affects pedestrian's short term exposure and resident's long term exposure as well. The aim of the present work is the development and the evaluation of a composite lattice Boltzmann model to study the dispersion of ultrafine particles, in urban street canyon microenvironment. The proposed model has the potential to penetrate into the physics of this complex system. In order to evaluate the model performance against suitable experimental data, ultrafine particles levels have been monitored on an hourly basis for a period of 35 days, in a street canyon, in Athens area. The results of the comparative analysis are quite satisfactory. Furthermore, our modeled results are in a good agreement with the results of other computational and experimental studies. This work is a first attempt to study the dispersion of an air pollutant by application of the lattice Boltzmann method. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Water-soluble ions in nano/ultrafine/fine/coarse particles collected near a busy road and at a rural site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, C.-C.; Chen, S.-J.; Huang, K.-L.; Lee, W.-J.; Lin, W.-Y.; Liao, C.-J.; Chaung, H.-C.; Chiu, C.-H.

2007-01-01

This study investigated water-soluble ions in the sized particles (particularly nano (PM 0.01-0.056 )/ultrafine (PM 0.01-0.1 )) collected using MOUDI and Nano-MOUDI samplers near a busy road site and at a rural site. The analytical results demonstrate that nano and coarse particles exhibited the highest (16.3%) and lowest (8.37%) nitrate mass ratios, respectively. The mass ratio of NO 3 - was higher than that of SO 4 2- in all the sized particles at the traffic site. The secondary aerosols all displayed trimodal distributions. The aerosols in ultrafine particles collected at the roadside site exhibited Aitken mode distributions indicating they were of local origin. This finding was not observed for those ultrafine particles collected at the rural site. The mass median diameters (MMDs) of the nano, ultrafine, and fine particles were smaller at the traffic site than at the rural site, possibly related to the contribution of mobile engine emissions. - NO 3 - > SO 4 2- in mass ratio, different from common observations in rural areas, was found in (particularly the nano) traffic-associated particles

Personal exposure to ultrafine particles and oxidative DNA damage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vinzents, Peter S; Møller, Peter; Sørensen, Mette

2005-01-01

Exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) from vehicle exhaust has been related to risk of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease and cancer, even though exposure assessment is difficult. We studied personal exposure in terms of number concentrations of UFPs in the breathing zone, using portable instr......, particularly during bicycling in traffic. The results indicate that biologic effects of UFPs occur at modest exposure, such as that occurring in traffic, which supports the relationship of UFPs and the adverse health effects of air pollution.......Exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) from vehicle exhaust has been related to risk of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease and cancer, even though exposure assessment is difficult. We studied personal exposure in terms of number concentrations of UFPs in the breathing zone, using portable...... instruments in six 18-hr periods in 15 healthy nonsmoking subjects. Exposure contrasts of outdoor pollution were achieved by bicycling in traffic for 5 days and in the laboratory for 1 day. Oxidative DNA damage was assessed as strand breaks and oxidized purines in mononuclear cells isolated from venous blood...

Facile Deposition of Ultrafine Silver Particles on Silicon Surface Not Submerged in Precursor Solutions for Applications in Antireflective Layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bing Jiang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Using a facile deposition method, the ultrafine silver particles are successfully deposited on the Si surface that is not submerged in precursor solutions. The ultrafine silver particles have many advantages, such as quasiround shape, uniformity in size, monodisperse distribution, and reduction of agglomeration. The internal physical procedure in the deposition is also investigated. The results show that there are more particles on the rough Si surface due to the wetting effect of solid-liquid interface. The higher concentration of ethanol solvent can induce the increase of quantity and size of particles on Si surface not in solutions. The ultrafine particles can be used to prepare porous Si antireflective layer in solar cell applications.

Outdoor ultrafine particle concentrations in front of fast food restaurants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vert, Cristina; Meliefste, Kees; Hoek, Gerard

2016-01-01

Ultrafine particles (UFPs) have been associated with negative effects on human health. Emissions from motor vehicles are the principal source of UFPs in urban air. A study in Vancouver suggested that UFP concentrations were related to density of fast food restaurants near the monitoring sites. A

Translocation and potential neurological effects of fine and ultrafine particles a critical update.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Annette; Veronesi, Bellina; Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; Gehr, Peter; Chen, Lung Chi; Geiser, Marianne; Reed, William; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara; Schürch, Samuel; Schulz, Holger

2006-09-08

Particulate air pollution has been associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Evidence for cardiovascular and neurodegenerative effects of ambient particles was reviewed as part of a workshop. The purpose of this critical update is to summarize the evidence presented for the mechanisms involved in the translocation of particles from the lung to other organs and to highlight the potential of particles to cause neurodegenerative effects. Fine and ultrafine particles, after deposition on the surfactant film at the air-liquid interface, are displaced by surface forces exerted on them by surfactant film and may then interact with primary target cells upon this displacement. Ultrafine and fine particles can then penetrate through the different tissue compartments of the lungs and eventually reach the capillaries and circulating cells or constituents, e.g. erythrocytes. These particles are then translocated by the circulation to other organs including the liver, the spleen, the kidneys, the heart and the brain, where they may be deposited. It remains to be shown by which mechanisms ultrafine particles penetrate through pulmonary tissue and enter capillaries. In addition to translocation of ultrafine particles through the tissue, fine and coarse particles may be phagocytized by macrophages and dendritic cells which may carry the particles to lymph nodes in the lung or to those closely associated with the lungs. There is the potential for neurodegenerative consequence of particle entry to the brain. Histological evidence of neurodegeneration has been reported in both canine and human brains exposed to high ambient PM levels, suggesting the potential for neurotoxic consequences of PM-CNS entry. PM mediated damage may be caused by the oxidative stress pathway. Thus, oxidative stress due to nutrition, age, genetics among others may increase the susceptibility for neurodegenerative diseases. The relationship between PM exposure and CNS degeneration can also be

Exposure to diesel exhaust fumes in the context of exposure to ultrafine particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stella Bujak-Pietrek

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Diesel exhaust fumes emission is a significant source of ultrafine particles, the size of which is expressed in nanometers. People occupationally exposed to diesel exhaust particles include mainly workers servicing vehicles with engines of this type. This article presents the analysis of measurements of ultrafine particle concentrations occurring in the bus depot premises during the work connected with everyday technical servicing of buses. Material and Methods: The measurements were carried out in the everyday servicing (ES room of the bus depot before, during and after the work connected with bus servicing. Determinations included: particle concentrations in terms of particle number and particle surface area, and mass concentrations of aerosol. Results: Mean value of number concentration of 10- to 1000-nm particles increased almost 20-fold, from 7600 particles/cm3 before starting bus servicing procedures to 130 000 particles/cm3 during the bus servicing procedures in the room. During the procedures, the mean surface area concentration of particles potentially deposited in the alveolar (A region was almost 3 times higher than that of the particles depositing in the tracheo-bronchial (TB region: 356.46 μm2/cm3 vs. 95.97 μm2/cm3, respectively. The mass concentration of the fraction of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter 0.02–1 μm (PM1 increased 5-fold during the analyzed procedures and was 0.042 mg/m3 before, and 0.298 mg/m3 while the procedures continued. Conclusions: At the time when bus servicing procedures continued in the ES room, a very high increase in all parameters of the analyzed particles was observed. The diesel exhaust particles exhibit a very high degree of fragmentation and, while their number is very high and their surface area is very large, their mass concentration is relatively low. The above findings confirm that ultrafine particles found in diesel exhaust fumes may be harmful to the health of the

Ultrafine particles cause cytoskeletal dysfunctions in macrophages: role of intracellular calcium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brown David M

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Particulate air pollution is reported to cause adverse health effects in susceptible individuals. Since most of these particles are derived form combustion processes, the primary composition product is carbon with a very small diameter (ultrafine, less than 100 nm in diameter. Besides the induction of reactive oxygen species and inflammation, ultrafine particles (UFP can cause intracellular calcium transients and suppression of defense mechanisms of alveolar macrophages, such as impaired migration or phagocytosis. Methods In this study the role of intracellular calcium transients caused by UFP was studied on cytoskeleton related functions in J774A.1 macrophages. Different types of fine and ultrafine carbon black particles (CB and ufCB, respectively, such as elemental carbon (EC90, commercial carbon (Printex 90, diesel particulate matter (DEP and urban dust (UD, were investigated. Phagosome transport mechanisms and mechanical cytoskeletal integrity were studied by cytomagnetometry and cell viability was studied by fluorescence microscopy. Macrophages were exposed in vitro with 100 and 320 μg UFP/ml/million cells for 4 hours in serum free medium. Calcium antagonists Verapamil, BAPTA-AM and W-7 were used to block calcium channels in the membrane, to chelate intracellular calcium or to inhibit the calmodulin signaling pathways, respectively. Results Impaired phagosome transport and increased cytoskeletal stiffness occurred at EC90 and P90 concentrations of 100 μg/ml/million cells and above, but not with DEP or UD. Verapamil and W-7, but not BAPTA-AM inhibited the cytoskeletal dysfunctions caused by EC90 or P90. Additionally the presence of 5% serum or 1% bovine serum albumin (BSA suppressed the cytoskeletal dysfunctions. Cell viability showed similar results, where co-culture of ufCB together with Verapamil, W-7, FCS or BSA produced less cell dead compared to the particles only.

Nanocapillary Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet: A Tool for Ultrafine Maskless Surface Modification at Atmospheric Pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Motrescu, Iuliana; Nagatsu, Masaaki

2016-05-18

With respect to microsized surface functionalization techniques we proposed the use of a maskless, versatile, simple tool, represented by a nano- or microcapillary atmospheric pressure plasma jet for producing microsized controlled etching, chemical vapor deposition, and chemical modification patterns on polymeric surfaces. In this work we show the possibility of size-controlled surface amination, and we discuss it as a function of different processing parameters. Moreover, we prove the successful connection of labeled sugar chains on the functionalized microscale patterns, indicating the possibility to use ultrafine capillary atmospheric pressure plasma jets as versatile tools for biosensing, tissue engineering, and related biomedical applications.

Number size distribution of fine and ultrafine fume particles from various welding processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Peter; Lenz, Klaus; Reisgen, Uwe; Kraus, Thomas

2013-04-01

Studies in the field of environmental epidemiology indicate that for the adverse effect of inhaled particles not only particle mass is crucial but also particle size is. Ultrafine particles with diameters below 100 nm are of special interest since these particles have high surface area to mass ratio and have properties which differ from those of larger particles. In this paper, particle size distributions of various welding and joining techniques were measured close to the welding process using a fast mobility particle sizer (FMPS). It turned out that welding processes with high mass emission rates (manual metal arc welding, metal active gas welding, metal inert gas welding, metal inert gas soldering, and laser welding) show mainly agglomerated particles with diameters above 100 nm and only few particles in the size range below 50 nm (10 to 15%). Welding processes with low mass emission rates (tungsten inert gas welding and resistance spot welding) emit predominantly ultrafine particles with diameters well below 100 nm. This finding can be explained by considerably faster agglomeration processes in welding processes with high mass emission rates. Although mass emission is low for tungsten inert gas welding and resistance spot welding, due to the low particle size of the fume, these processes cannot be labeled as toxicologically irrelevant and should be further investigated.

Performance assessment of adding Cu-ultrafine particles into falling film desiccant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Mulla Ali, A.

2006-01-01

The concept of dehumidification between air and liquid desiccant for the improvement of the efficiency of heating and cooling fluids in industrial applications was discussed. The use of solid/liquid desiccants has received much attention in recent years because liquid desiccants can take moisture from surrounding air at low temperature and then release the moisture at high temperature to provide a continuous process of dehumidification of air and regeneration of liquid desiccant. This process can be used with conventional vapor compression cycles. This paper presented a comparative numerical study between parallel and counter flow configurations that examined the effects of various parameters on heat and mass transfer for the dehumidification and cooling processes of air and regeneration rate of liquid desiccant. Ultrafine particles were added to the falling film desiccant to investigate heat and mass transfer enhancement for both parallel and counter flow channels. The Cu-volume fraction in the falling film desiccant and dispersion effect were the important parameters. A mathematical model was therefore developed to account for the addition of Cu-ultrafine particles into the film desiccant. The dehumidification and cooling rate processes were found to improve with an increase in the Cu-ultrafine particles and dispersion effect. The new hybrid AC system was shown to improve indoor air quality, reduce energy consumption, and be environmentally safe. It was concluded that although the volume fraction and dispersion factor improve the dehumidification and cooling processes of the air, the improvements are not significant due to the small thickness of the falling-film desiccant. The regeneration process did not improve for either controlling parameter because of the small thickness of the film desiccant. 14 refs., 10 figs

Expert elicitation on ultrafine particles: likelihood of health effects and causal pathways.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Knol, A.B.; de Hartog, J.J.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/288354850; Boogaard, H.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/314406522; Slottje, P.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/299345351; van der Sluijs, J.P.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/073427489; Lebret, E.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/071318917; Cassee, F.R.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/143038990; Wardekker, J.A.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/306644398; Ayres, J.G.; Borm, P.; Brunekreef, B.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/067548180; Donaldson, K.; Forastiere, F.; Holgate, S.T.; Kreyling, W.; Nemery, B.; Pekkanen, J.; Stone, V.; Wichmann, H.E.; Hoek, G.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/069553475

2009-01-01

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Exposure to fine ambient particulate matter (PM) has consistently been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The relationship between exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) and health effects is less firmly established. If UFP cause health effects independently from

Preparation and Hydrogen Storage Properties of Mg-Rich Mg-Ni Ultrafine Particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianxin Zou

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In the present work, Mg-rich Mg-Ni ultrafine powders were prepared through an arc plasma method. The phase components, microstructure, and hydrogen storage properties of the powders were carefully investigated. It is found that Mg2Ni and MgNi2 could be obtained directly from the vapor state reactions between Mg and Ni, depending on the local vapor content in the reaction chamber. A nanostructured MgH2 + Mg2NiH4 hydrogen storage composite could be generated after hydrogenation of the Mg-Ni ultrafine powders. After dehydrogenation, MgH2 and Mg2NiH4 decomposed into nanograined Mg and Mg2Ni, respectively. Thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC analyses showed that Mg2NiH4 phase may play a catalytic role in the dehydriding process of the hydrogenated Mg ultrafine particles.

Increased ultrafine particles and carbon monoxide concentrations are associated with asthma exacerbation among urban children

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Kristin A.; Halterman, Jill S.; Hopke, Philip K.; Fagnano, Maria; Rich, David Q.

2014-01-01

Objectives Increased air pollutant concentrations have been linked to several asthma-related outcomes in children, including respiratory symptoms, medication use, and hospital visits. However, few studies have examined effects of ultrafine particles in a pediatric population. Our primary objective was to examine the effects of ambient concentrations of ultrafine particles on asthma exacerbation among urban children and determine whether consistent treatment with inhaled corticosteroids could attenuate these effects. We also explored the relationship between asthma exacerbation and ambient concentrations of accumulation mode particles, fine particles (≤ 2.5 micrograms [μm]; PM2.5), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone. We hypothesized that increased 1 to 7 day concentrations of ultrafine particles and other pollutants would be associated with increases in the relative odds of an asthma exacerbation, but that this increase in risk would be attenuated among children receiving school-based corticosteroid therapy. Methods We conducted a pilot study using data from 3–10 year-old children participating in the School-Based Asthma Therapy trial. Using a time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression, we estimated the relative odds of a pediatric asthma visit treated with prednisone (n=96 visits among 74 children) associated with increased pollutant concentrations in the previous 7 days. We re-ran these analyses separately for children receiving medications through the school-based intervention and children in a usual care control group. Results Interquartile range increases in ultrafine particles and carbon monoxide concentrations in the previous 7 days were associated with increases in the relative odds of a pediatric asthma visit, with the largest increases observed for 4-day mean ultrafine particles (interquartile range=2088 p/cm3; OR=1.27; 95% CI=0.90–1.79) and 7-day mean carbon monoxide (interquartile range=0.17 ppm; OR=1.63; 95

Summertime observations of elevated levels of ultrafine particles in the high Arctic marine boundary layer

Science.gov (United States)

Burkart, Julia; Willis, Megan D.; Bozem, Heiko; Thomas, Jennie L.; Law, Kathy; Hoor, Peter; Aliabadi, Amir A.; Köllner, Franziska; Schneider, Johannes; Herber, Andreas; Abbatt, Jonathan P. D.; Leaitch, W. Richard

2017-05-01

Motivated by increasing levels of open ocean in the Arctic summer and the lack of prior altitude-resolved studies, extensive aerosol measurements were made during 11 flights of the NETCARE July 2014 airborne campaign from Resolute Bay, Nunavut. Flights included vertical profiles (60 to 3000 m above ground level) over open ocean, fast ice, and boundary layer clouds and fogs. A general conclusion, from observations of particle numbers between 5 and 20 nm in diameter (N5 - 20), is that ultrafine particle formation occurs readily in the Canadian high Arctic marine boundary layer, especially just above ocean and clouds, reaching values of a few thousand particles cm-3. By contrast, ultrafine particle concentrations are much lower in the free troposphere. Elevated levels of larger particles (for example, from 20 to 40 nm in size, N20 - 40) are sometimes associated with high N5 - 20, especially over low clouds, suggestive of aerosol growth. The number densities of particles greater than 40 nm in diameter (N > 40) are relatively depleted at the lowest altitudes, indicative of depositional processes that will lower the condensation sink and promote new particle formation. The number of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN; measured at 0.6 % supersaturation) are positively correlated with the numbers of small particles (down to roughly 30 nm), indicating that some fraction of these newly formed particles are capable of being involved in cloud activation. Given that the summertime marine Arctic is a biologically active region, it is important to better establish the links between emissions from the ocean and the formation and growth of ultrafine particles within this rapidly changing environment.

Exposure to ultrafine particles, intracellular production of reactive oxygen species in leukocytes and altered levels of endothelial progenitor cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jantzen, Kim; Møller, Peter Horn; Karottki, Dorina Gabriela

2016-01-01

. Additionally, the early endothelial progenitor cell levels were positively associated with a personalised measure of ultrafine particle exposure and negatively associated with both basal and capacity for reactive oxygen species production in lymphocytes and granulocytes, respectively. Our results indicate......Exposure to particles in the fine and ultrafine size range has been linked to induction of low-grade systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and development of cardiovascular diseases. Declining levels of endothelial progenitor cells within systemic circulation have likewise been linked...... to progression of cardiovascular diseases. The objective was to determine if exposure to fine and ultrafine particles from indoor and outdoor sources, assessed by personal and residential indoor monitoring, is associated with altered levels of endothelial progenitor cells, and whether such effects are related...

Ultrafine Particles from Traffic Emissions and Children’s Health (UPTECH in Brisbane, Queensland (Australia: Study Design and Implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wafaa Nabil Ezz

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Ultrafine particles are particles that are less than 0.1 micrometres (µm in diameter. Due to their very small size they can penetrate deep into the lungs, and potentially cause more damage than larger particles. The Ultrafine Particles from Traffic Emissions and Children’s Health (UPTECH study is the first Australian epidemiological study to assess the health effects of ultrafine particles on children’s health in general and peripheral airways in particular. The study is being conducted in Brisbane, Australia. Continuous indoor and outdoor air pollution monitoring was conducted within each of the twenty five participating school campuses to measure particulate matter, including in the ultrafine size range, and gases. Respiratory health effects were evaluated by conducting the following tests on participating children at each school: spirometry, forced oscillation technique (FOT and multiple breath nitrogen washout test (MBNW (to assess airway function, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO, to assess airway inflammation, blood cotinine levels (to assess exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke, and serum C-reactive protein (CRP levels (to measure systemic inflammation. A pilot study was conducted prior to commencing the main study to assess the feasibility and reliably of measurement of some of the clinical tests that have been proposed for the main study. Air pollutant exposure measurements were not included in the pilot study.

Deposition of fine and ultrafine particles on indoor surface materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Afshari, Alireza; Reinhold, Claus

2008-01-01

-scale test chamber. Experiments took place in a 32 m3 chamber with walls and ceiling made of glass. Prior to each experiment the chamber was flushed with outdoor air to reach an initial particle concentration typical of indoor air in buildings with natural ventilation. The decay of particle concentrations...... The aim of this study was the experimental determination of particle deposition for both different particle size fractions and different indoor surface materials. The selected surface materials were glass, gypsum board, carpet, and curtain. These materials were tested vertically in a full...... was monitored. Seven particle size fractions were studied. These comprised ultrafine and fine particles. Deposition was higher on carpet and curtain than on glass and gypsum board. Particles ranging from 0.3 to 0.5 µm had the lowest deposition. This fraction also has the highest penetration and its indoor...

Impact of superplasticizer concentration and of ultra-fine particles on the rheological behaviour of dense mortar suspensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artelt, C.; Garcia, E.

2008-01-01

This work aims at investigating the impact of the addition of superplasticizer and of ultra-fine particles, namely of silica fume and of precipitated titania, on the rheological behaviour of water-lean mortar pastes. The pastes are characterised in terms of their spread, their flowing behaviour and by means of performing a shear test, giving access to viscosity/shear gradient correlations. Adding superplasticizer is shown to shift the onset of shear thickening of the referring pastes to higher shear rates and to attenuate its otherwise rapid evolution, possibly by means of favouring steric particle-particle interactions. The workability of these mortars, which is characterised in terms of spread values and draining, is also improved. For the case of fly ash based mortars, adding ultra-fine particles is another way of (slightly) 'retarding' shear thickening and of attenuating its evolution, possibly because of resulting in - on the average - lower hydrodynamic forces and reduced attractive Van der Waals interactions between particles. However, at the same time these mortars are characterised by a worsening in workability which is attributed to the huge amount of surface area provided by the ultra-fines

Ultrafine particles in inhabited areas in the Arctic - From very low to high concentrations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pétursdóttir, Una; Kirkelund, Gunvor Marie; Press-Kristensen, Kåre

2017-01-01

The Arctic is considered a pristine environment, where pollution mainly originates from global sources. The present study examines particle number concentrations (PNCs) and the main sources of airborne ultrafine particles (UFPs, d < 100 nm) in the town Sisimiut and two nearby settlements, Sarfann......The Arctic is considered a pristine environment, where pollution mainly originates from global sources. The present study examines particle number concentrations (PNCs) and the main sources of airborne ultrafine particles (UFPs, d ..., Sarfannguit and Itilleq, in West Greenland. Measurements were carried out during three weeks in April and May 2016. Air temperatures during the measurements ranged from −4.4 to +8.7 °C. A portable condensation particle counter (P-Trak) was used for the measurements. Results showed that the lowest...... in Sisimiut, while subsequent measurements at the same location showed much lower PNCs. The presence of heavy machinery elevated PNCs highly during two measurement events, giving PNCs up to 270,993 cm−3 but dropping to 1180 cm−3 10 min later, after the vehicle had passed by. A measurement event in Sisimiut...

Synthesis and electrochemistry properties of Sn-Sb ultrafine particles as anode of lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhong; Tian, Wenhuai; Li, Xingguo

2007-01-01

Ultrafine particles of Sn-Sb alloys with different chemical composition have been prepared by hydrogen plasma-metal reaction. Structure, morphology, size and chemical composition of the Sn-Sb ultrafine particles were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, BET gas adsorption, and induction-coupled plasma spectroscopy. It was found that all the particles have spherical shapes, with average particle size in the range of 100-300 nm. The electrochemistry properties as an alternative anode material for lithium-ion batteries have been characterized by constant current cycling and cyclic voltammetry. Electrochemical measurements showed that the alloys with Sn-46.5 at.% Sb have best reversible capacity and capacity retention. It exhibited a high reversible lithium-ion storage capacity of 701 mAh g -1 in the initial cycle, which has remained at 81% (i.e., 566 mAh g -1 ) of its original capacity after 20 cycles

Exposure to ultrafine particles, intracellular production of reactive oxygen species in leukocytes and altered levels of endothelial progenitor cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jantzen, Kim; Møller, Peter; Karottki, Dorina Gabriela; Olsen, Yulia; Bekö, Gabriel; Clausen, Geo; Hersoug, Lars-Georg; Loft, Steffen

2016-01-01

Exposure to particles in the fine and ultrafine size range has been linked to induction of low-grade systemic inflammation, oxidative stress and development of cardiovascular diseases. Declining levels of endothelial progenitor cells within systemic circulation have likewise been linked to progression of cardiovascular diseases. The objective was to determine if exposure to fine and ultrafine particles from indoor and outdoor sources, assessed by personal and residential indoor monitoring, is associated with altered levels of endothelial progenitor cells, and whether such effects are related to leukocyte-mediated oxidative stress. The study utilized a cross sectional design performed in 58 study participants from a larger cohort. Levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells, defined as either late (CD34 + KDR + cells) or early (CD34 + CD133 + KDR + cells) subsets were measured using polychromatic flow cytometry. We additionally measured production of reactive oxygen species in leukocyte subsets (lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes) by flow cytometry using intracellular 2′,7′-dichlorofluoroscein. The measurements encompassed both basal levels of reactive oxygen species production and capacity for reactive oxygen species production for each leukocyte subset. We found that the late endothelial progenitor subset was negatively associated with levels of ultrafine particles measured within the participant residences and with reactive oxygen species production capacity in lymphocytes. Additionally, the early endothelial progenitor cell levels were positively associated with a personalised measure of ultrafine particle exposure and negatively associated with both basal and capacity for reactive oxygen species production in lymphocytes and granulocytes, respectively. Our results indicate that exposure to fine and ultrafine particles derived from indoor sources may have adverse effects on human vascular health.

Filtration efficiency of an electrostatic fibrous filter: Studying filtration dependency on ultrafine particle exposure and composition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ardkapan, Siamak Rahimi; Johnson, Matthew S.; Yazdi, Sadegh

2014-01-01

The objective of the present study is to investigate the relationship between ultrafine particle concentrations and removal efficiencies for an electrostatic fibrous filter in a laboratory environment. Electrostatic fibrous filters capture particles efficiently, with a low pressure drop. Therefor...

Combustion of PTFE: The effects of gravity on ultrafine particle generation

Science.gov (United States)

McKinnon, Thomas; Todd, Paul; Oberdorster, Gunter

1996-01-01

The objective of this project is to obtain an understanding of the effect of gravity on the toxicity of ultrafine particle and gas phase materials produced when fluorocarbon polymers are thermally degraded or burned. The motivation for the project is to provide a basic technical foundation on which policies for spacecraft health and safety with regard to fire and polymers can be formulated.

On the spatial distribution and evolution of ultrafine particles in Barcelona

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Dall'Osto

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Sources and evolution of ultrafine particles were investigated both horizontally and vertically in the large urban agglomerate of Barcelona, Spain. Within the SAPUSS project (Solving Aerosol Problems by Using Synergistic Strategies, a large number of instruments was deployed simultaneously at different monitoring sites (road, two urban background, regional background, urban tower 150 m a.s.l., urban background tower site 80 m a.s.l. during a 4 week period in September–October 2010. Particle number concentrations (N_{>5 nm} are highly correlated with black carbon (BC at all sites only under strong vehicular traffic influences. By contrast, under cleaner atmospheric conditions (low condensation sink, CS such correlation diverges towards much higher N/BC ratios at all sites, indicating additional sources of particles including secondary production of freshly nucleated particles. Size-resolved aerosol distributions (N_10–500 as well as particle number concentrations (N_{>5 nm} allow us to identify three types of nucleation and growth events: (1 a regional type event originating in the whole study region and impacting almost simultaneously the urban city of Barcelona and the surrounding urban background area; (2 a regional type event impacting only the regional background area but not the urban agglomerate; (3 an urban type event which originates only within the city centre but whose growth continues while transported away from the city to the regional background. Furthermore, during these clean air days, higher N are found at tower level than at ground level only in the city centre whereas such a difference is not so pronounced at the remote urban background tower. In other words, this study suggests that the column of air above the city ground level possesses the optimal combination between low CS and high vapour source, hence enhancing the concentrations of freshly nucleated

Exposure to airborne ultrafine particles from cooking in Portuguese homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bordado, J C; Gomes, J F; Albuquerque, P C

2012-10-01

Cooking was found to be a main source of submicrometer and ultrafine aerosols from gas combustion in stoves. Therefore, this study consisted of the determination of the alveolar deposited surface area due to aerosols resulting from common domestic cooking activities (boiling fish, vegetables, or pasta, and frying hamburgers and eggs). The concentration of ultrafine particles during the cooking events significantly increased from a baseline of 42.7 microm2/cm3 (increased to 72.9 microm2/cm3 due to gas burning) to a maximum of 890.3 microm2/cm3 measured during fish boiling in water and a maximum of 4500 microm2/cm3 during meat frying. This clearly shows that a domestic activity such as cooking can lead to exposures as high as those of occupational exposure activities. The approach of this study considers the determination of alveolar deposited surface area of aerosols generated from cooking activities, namely, typical Portuguese dishes. This type of measurement has not been done so far, in spite of the recognition that cooking activity is a main source of submicrometer and ultrafine aerosols. The results have shown that the levels of generated aerosols surpass the outdoor concentrations in a major European town, which calls for further determinations, contributing to a better assessment of exposure of individuals to domestic activities such as this one.

Environmental and health impacts of fine and ultrafine metallic particles: Assessment of threat scores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goix, Sylvaine [Université de Toulouse, INP-ENSAT, Av. Agrobiopôle, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan (France); UMR 5245 CNRS-INP-UPS, EcoLab (Laboratoire d' écologie fonctionnelle), Avenue de l' Agrobiopôle, BP 32607, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan (France); Lévêque, Thibaut [Université de Toulouse, INP-ENSAT, Av. Agrobiopôle, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan (France); UMR 5245 CNRS-INP-UPS, EcoLab (Laboratoire d' écologie fonctionnelle), Avenue de l' Agrobiopôle, BP 32607, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan (France); ADEME (French Agency for Environment and Energy Management), 20 Avenue du Grésillé, BP 90406, 49004 Angers Cedex 01 (France); Xiong, Tian-Tian [Université de Toulouse, INP-ENSAT, Av. Agrobiopôle, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan (France); UMR 5245 CNRS-INP-UPS, EcoLab (Laboratoire d' écologie fonctionnelle), Avenue de l' Agrobiopôle, BP 32607, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan (France); Schreck, Eva [Géosciences Environnement Toulouse (GET), Observatoire Midi Pyrénées, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, IRD, 14 Avenue E. Belin, F-31400 Toulouse (France); and others

2014-08-15

This study proposes global threat scores to prioritize the harmfulness of anthropogenic fine and ultrafine metallic particles (FMP) emitted into the atmosphere at the global scale. (Eco)toxicity of physicochemically characterized FMP oxides for metals currently observed in the atmosphere (CdO, CuO, PbO, PbSO{sub 4}, Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and ZnO) was assessed by performing complementary in vitro tests: ecotoxicity, human bioaccessibility, cytotoxicity, and oxidative potential. Using an innovative methodology based on the combination of (eco)toxicity and physicochemical results, the following hazard classification of the particles is proposed: CdCl{sub 2}∼CdO>CuO>PbO>ZnO>PbSO{sub 4}>Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Both cadmium compounds exhibited the highest threat score due to their high cytotoxicity and bioaccessible dose, whatever their solubility and speciation, suggesting that cadmium toxicity is due to its chemical form rather than its physical form. In contrast, the Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3} threat score was the lowest due to particles with low specific area and solubility, with no effects except a slight oxidative stress. As FMP physicochemical properties reveal differences in specific area, crystallization systems, dissolution process, and speciation, various mechanisms may influence their biological impact. Finally, this newly developed and global approach could be widely used in various contexts of pollution by complex metal particles and may improve risk management. - Highlights: • Seven micro- and nano- monometallic characterized particles were studied as references. • Bioaccessibility, eco and cytotoxicity, and oxidative potential assays were performed. • According to calculated threat scores: CdCl{sub 2}∼CdO>CuO>PbO>ZnO>PbSO{sub 4}>Sb{sub 2}O{sub 3}.

Exposure to ultrafine particles in relation to indoor events and dwelling characteristics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spilak, Michal; Frederiksen, Marie; Kolarik, Barbara

2014-01-01

Exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) in homes is associated with health risks such as cardiovascular disease and/or respiratory problems. These risks are heightened by the long time that people spend indoors. Therefore reducing the particle concentration in homes leads to improved health among its....... Furthermore, the winter season was associated significantly with high UFP levels indoors. Results of our study also indicated that owning a pet, wood-type floors and floor levels close to the ground are associated with increased UFP levels....

Personal exposure to ultrafine particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Lance; Ott, Wayne

2011-01-01

Personal exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) can occur while people are cooking, driving, smoking, operating small appliances such as hair dryers, or eating out in restaurants. These exposures can often be higher than outdoor concentrations. For 3 years, portable monitors were employed in homes, cars, and restaurants. More than 300 measurement periods in several homes were documented, along with 25 h of driving two cars, and 22 visits to restaurants. Cooking on gas or electric stoves and electric toaster ovens was a major source of UFP, with peak personal exposures often exceeding 100,000 particles/cm³ and estimated emission rates in the neighborhood of 10¹² particles/min. Other common sources of high UFP exposures were cigarettes, a vented gas clothes dryer, an air popcorn popper, candles, an electric mixer, a toaster, a hair dryer, a curling iron, and a steam iron. Relatively low indoor UFP emissions were noted for a fireplace, several space heaters, and a laser printer. Driving resulted in moderate exposures averaging about 30,000 particles/cm³ in each of two cars driven on 17 trips on major highways on the East and West Coasts. Most of the restaurants visited maintained consistently high levels of 50,000-200,000 particles/cm³ for the entire length of the meal. The indoor/outdoor ratios of size-resolved UFP were much lower than for PM₂.₅ or PM₁₀, suggesting that outdoor UFP have difficulty in penetrating a home. This in turn implies that outdoor concentrations of UFP have only a moderate effect on personal exposures if indoor sources are present. A time-weighted scenario suggests that for typical suburban nonsmoker lifestyles, indoor sources provide about 47% and outdoor sources about 36% of total daily UFP exposure and in-vehicle exposures add the remainder (17%). However, the effect of one smoker in the home results in an overwhelming increase in the importance of indoor sources (77% of the total).

Liquid chromatography-dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization-mass spectrometry: Application to the analysis of aldehydes in atmospheric aerosol particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Jiménez, José; Hautala, Sanna; Parshintsev, Jevgeni; Laitinen, Totti; Hartonen, Kari; Petäjä, Tuukka; Kulmala, Markku; Riekkola, Marja-Liisa

2013-01-01

A complete methodology based on LC-anisole-toluene dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization-IT-MS was developed for the determination of aldehydes in atmospheric aerosol particles. For the derivatization, ultrasound was used to accelerate the reaction between the target analytes and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. The developed methodology was validated for three different samples, gas phase, ultrafine (Dp = 30 ± 4 nm; where Dp stands for particle diameter) and all-sized particles, collected on Teflon filters. The method quantitation limits ranged from 5 to 227 pg. The accuracy and the potential matrix effects were evaluated using standard addition methodology. Recoveries ranged between 91.7 and 109.9%, and the repeatability and the reproducibility of the method developed between 0.5 and 8.0% and between 2.9 and 11.1%, respectively. The results obtained by the developed methodology compared to those provided by the previously validated method revealed no statistical differences. The method developed was applied to the determination of aldehydes in 16 atmospheric aerosol samples (30 nm and all-sized samples) collected at the Station for Measuring Forest Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations II during spring 2011. The mean concentrations of aldehydes, and oxidation products of terpenes were between 0.05 and 82.70 ng/m(3). © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Exposure to ultrafine particles and respiratory hospitalisations in five European cities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Samoli, Evangelia; Andersen, Zorana Jovanovic; Katsouyanni, Klea

2016-01-01

Epidemiological evidence on the associations between exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP), with aerodynamic electrical mobility diameters <100 nm, and health is limited. We gathered data on UFP from five European cities within 2001-2011 to investigate associations between short-term changes in c...... period may reflect better exposure assessment and that the main source of non-soluble UFP in urban areas is traffic, our results call for improved regulation of traffic emissions....

Soot, unburned carbon and ultrafine particle emissions from air- and oxy-coal flames

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, W.J.; Yu, Dunxi; Wendt, J.O.L.

2010-01-01

Oxy-coal combustion is one possible solution for the mitigation of greenhouse gases. In this process coal is burned in oxygen, rather than air, and the temperatures in the boiler are mitigated by recycling flue gases, so that the inlet mixture may contain either 27 % O 2 to match adiabatic flame temperatures, or 32 % O 2 to match gaseous radiation heat fluxes in the combustion chamber. However, a major issue for heat transfer from coal combustion is the radiative heat transmission from soot. For this research, air and oxy coal firing were compared regarding the emission of soot. A 100 kW down-fired laboratory combustor was used to determine effects of switching from air to oxy-firing on soot, unburned carbon and ultrafine particle emissions from practical pulverized coal flames. Of interest here were potential chemical effects of substitution of the N 2 in air by CO 2 in practical pulverized coal flames. The oxy-coal configuration investigated used once-through CO 2 , simulating cleaned flue gas recycle with all contaminants and water removed. Three coals were each burned in: a) air, b) 27 % O 2 / 73 % CO 2 , c) 32 % O 2 / 68 % CO 2 . Tests were conducted at (nominally) 3 %, 2 %, 1 % and 0 % O 2 in the exhaust (dry basis). For each condition, particulate samples were iso kinetically withdrawn far from the radiant zone, and analyzed using a photoacoustic analyzer (PA) for black carbon, a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) for ultrafine particles, and a total sample loss on ignition (LOI) method for unburned carbon in ash. Data suggest that at low stoichiometric ratios, ultrafine particles consist primarily of black carbon, which, for the bituminous coal, is produced in lesser amounts under oxy-fired conditions than under the air-fired condition, even when adiabatic flame temperatures are matched. However, significant changes in mineral matter vaporization were not observed unless the flames were hotter. These and other results are interpreted in the light of

Ultrafine and Fine Particles and Hospital Admissions in Central Europe Results from the UFIREG Study

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lanzinger, S.; Schneider, A.; Breitner, S.; Stafoggia, M.; Erzen, I.; Dostál, Miroslav; Pastorková, Anna; Bastian, S.; Cyrys, J.; Zscheppang, A.; Kolodnitská, T.; Peters, A.

2016-01-01

Roč. 194, č. 10 (2016), s. 1233-1241 ISSN 1073-449X Institutional support: RVO:68378041 Keywords : ultrafine particles * particulate matter * hospital admissions * respiratory Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality Impact factor: 13.204, year: 2016

Exposure to inhalable, respirable, and ultrafine particles in welding fume.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehnert, Martin; Pesch, Beate; Lotz, Anne; Pelzer, Johannes; Kendzia, Benjamin; Gawrych, Katarzyna; Heinze, Evelyn; Van Gelder, Rainer; Punkenburg, Ewald; Weiss, Tobias; Mattenklott, Markus; Hahn, Jens-Uwe; Möhlmann, Carsten; Berges, Markus; Hartwig, Andrea; Brüning, Thomas

2012-07-01

This investigation aims to explore determinants of exposure to particle size-specific welding fume. Area sampling of ultrafine particles (UFP) was performed at 33 worksites in parallel with the collection of respirable particles. Personal sampling of respirable and inhalable particles was carried out in the breathing zone of 241 welders. Median mass concentrations were 2.48 mg m(-3) for inhalable and 1.29 mg m(-3) for respirable particles when excluding 26 users of powered air-purifying respirators (PAPRs). Mass concentrations were highest when flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) with gas was applied (median of inhalable particles: 11.6 mg m(-3)). Measurements of particles were frequently below the limit of detection (LOD), especially inside PAPRs or during tungsten inert gas welding (TIG). However, TIG generated a high number of small particles, including UFP. We imputed measurements welding fume. Concentrations were mainly predicted by the welding process and were significantly higher when local exhaust ventilation (LEV) was inefficient or when welding was performed in confined spaces. Substitution of high-emission techniques like FCAW, efficient LEV, and using PAPRs where applicable can reduce exposure to welding fume. However, harmonizing the different exposure metrics for UFP (as particle counts) and for the respirable or inhalable fraction of the welding fume (expressed as their mass) remains challenging.

Exposure to ultrafine particles in hospitality venues with partial smoking bans.

Science.gov (United States)

Neuberger, Manfred; Moshammer, Hanns; Schietz, Armin

2013-01-01

Fine particles in hospitality venues with insufficient smoking bans indicate health risks from passive smoking. In a random sample of Viennese inns (restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs and discotheques) effects of partial smoking bans on indoor air quality were examined by measurement of count, size and chargeable surface of ultrafine particles (UFPs) sized 10-300 nm, simultaneously with mass of particles sized 300-2500 nm (PM2.5). Air samples were taken in 134 rooms unannounced during busy hours and analyzed by a diffusion size classifier and an optical particle counter. Highest number concentrations of particles were found in smoking venues and smoking rooms (median 66,011 pt/cm(3)). Even non-smoking rooms adjacent to smoking rooms were highly contaminated (median 25,973 pt/cm(3)), compared with non-smoking venues (median 7408 pt/cm(3)). The particle number concentration was significantly correlated with the fine particle mass (Phospitality premises. Health protection of non-smoking guests and employees from risky UFP concentration is insufficient, even in rooms labeled "non-smoking". Partial smoking bans with separation of smoking rooms failed.

Personal exposure to airborne ultrafine particles in the urban area of Milan

Science.gov (United States)

Cattaneo, A.; Garramone, G.; Taronna, M.; Peruzzo, C.; Cavallo, D. M.

2009-02-01

The relevance of health effects related to ultrafine particles (UFPs; aerodynamic diameter car), indicating that the highest exposure to UFPs can be reached near motorized traffic. The lowest exposures were observed in green areas and in office microenvironments. An appreciable difference between working and non-working days was observed. Concentration patterns and variation by days of the week and time periods appears related to time trends in traffic intensity.

Contribution of various microenvironments to the daily personal exposure to ultrafine particles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bekö, Gabriel; Kjeldsen, Birthe Uldahl; Olsen, Yulia

2015-01-01

a backpack equipped with a portable monitor, continuously recording particle number concentrations (PN), in order to measure the real-time individual exposure over a period of similar to 48 h. A GPS logger was carried along with the particle monitor and allowed us to estimate the contribution of UFP exposure......, compared to the GPS. These results may indicate limitations of using diaries, but also possible inaccuracy and miss-classification in the GPS data. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.......Exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) may have adverse health effects. Central monitoring stations do not represent the personal exposure to UFP accurately. Few studies have previously focused on personal exposure to UFP. Sixty non-smoking residents living in Copenhagen, Denmark were asked to carry...

Deposition velocities to Sorbus aria, Acer campestre, Populus deltoides x trichocarpa 'Beaupre', Pinus nigra and x Cupressocyparis leylandii for coarse, fine and ultra-fine particles in the urban environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freer-Smith, P.H.; Beckett, K.P.; Taylor, Gail

2005-01-01

Trees are effective in the capture of particles from urban air to the extent that they can significantly improve urban air quality. As a result of their aerodynamic properties conifers, with their smaller leaves and more complex shoot structures, have been shown to capture larger amounts of particle matter than broadleaved trees. This study focuses on the effects of particle size on the deposition velocity of particles (Vg) to five urban tree species (coniferous and broadleaved) measured at two field sites, one urban and polluted and a second more rural. The larger uptake to conifers is confirmed, and for broadleaves and conifers Vg values are shown to be greater for ultra-fine particles (Dp<1.0 μm) than for fine and coarse particles. This is important since finer particles are more likely to be deposited deep in the alveoli of the human lung causing adverse health effects. The finer particle fraction is also shown to be transported further from the emission source; in this study a busy urban road. In further sets of data the aqueous soluble and insoluble fractions of the ultra-fines were separated, indicating that aqueous insoluble particles made up only a small proportion of the ultra-fines. Much of the ultra-fine fraction is present as aerosol. Chemical analysis of the aqueous soluble fractions of coarse, fine and ultra-fine particles showed the importance of nitrates, chloride and phosphates in all three size categories at the polluted and more rural location

Photochemical synthesis of ultrafine organosilicon particles from trimethyl(2-propynyloxy)silane and carbon disulfide

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Morita, H.; Nozawa, R.; Bastl, Zdeněk; Šubrt, Jan; Pola, Josef

2006-01-01

Roč. 179, 1-2 (2006), s. 142-148 ISSN 1010-6030 Grant - others:MEXT(JP) 767/15085203 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40400503; CEZ:AV0Z40320502; CEZ:AV0Z40720504 Keywords : ultrafine particles * photo-polymerization * trimethyl(2-propynyloxy)silane * carbon disulfide Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 2.098, year: 2006

Direct synthesis and structure characterization of ultrafine CeO2 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Chenguo; Zhang Zuwei; Liu Hong; Gao Puxian; Wang Zhonglin

2006-01-01

A new method to directly synthesize single-crystalline CeO 2 nanoparticles has been developed. The advantages of the method are rapid synthesis, at normal atmosphere, 100% productive ratio and low cost, with a great potential for scale-up. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra showed unusual peak width versus particle size, compared with Scherrer equation predictions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), electron diffraction and ultraviolet (UV) absorption were used to examine the particle size and microstructure to find out the cause. As a result, ultrafine particles with a size less than 6 nm were found to be self-assembled into a 'coherent interface', so that a large group of particles behave like a large single particle in XRD

SEPARATION OF FISCHER-TROPSCH WAX PRODUCTS FROM ULTRAFINE IRON CATALYST PARTICLES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

James K. Neathery; Gary Jacobs; Burtron H. Davis

2004-03-31

In this reporting period, a fundamental filtration study was started to investigate the separation of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) liquids from iron-based catalyst particles. Slurry-phase FTS in slurry bubble column reactor systems is the preferred mode of production since the reaction is highly exothermic. Consequently, heavy wax products must be separated from catalyst particles before being removed from the reactor system. Achieving an efficient wax product separation from iron-based catalysts is one of the most challenging technical problems associated with slurry-phase FTS. The separation problem is further compounded by catalyst particle attrition and the formation of ultra-fine iron carbide and/or carbon particles. Existing pilot-scale equipment was modified to include a filtration test apparatus. After undergoing an extensive plant shakedown period, filtration tests with cross-flow filter modules using simulant FTS wax slurry were conducted. The focus of these early tests was to find adequate mixtures of polyethylene wax to simulate FTS wax. Catalyst particle size analysis techniques were also developed. Initial analyses of the slurry and filter permeate particles will be used by the research team to design improved filter media and cleaning strategies.

REAL TIME MEASUREMENT OF ULTRAFINE AND NANO PARTICLES AND SIGNIFICANCE OF OPERATING GEARS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. A. NAKHAWA

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This research paper focuses on characterization of ultrafine and nanoparticle emissions from diesel vehicle to investigate their physical characterization in terms of number and size as they are more vulnerable and responsible for toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. An investigation has been carried out to identify the significance of different operating gears, clutch, declutch and gear change operations for their contributions to particle number(PN on urban and extra urban part of the driving cycle. A bi-modal particle size distribution pattern was observed for both urban and extra urban parts where almost all the particles are below 200 nm and particle number peaks appear at 7 to 8 nm and at 70 nm. Nano particles contribute approximately, 70% of total particle number over urban part. Experimental investigation shows that the most significant gear for their contribution to particle number are 3rd and 5th gears on urban and extra urban part of the driving cycle respectively.

Personal exposure to airborne ultrafine particles in the urban area of Milan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cattaneo, A; Garramone, G; Taronna, M; Peruzzo, C; Cavallo, D M

2009-01-01

The relevance of health effects related to ultrafine particles (UFPs; aerodynamic diameter 5 particles/cm 3 . UFPs measures were divided on the basis of crossed environments or micro-environments, days of the week and day time (hours). The highest measured mean concentrations and data variability were observed during walking time and moving on motorized vehicles (bus and car), indicating that the highest exposure to UFPs can be reached near motorized traffic. The lowest exposures were observed in green areas and in office microenvironments. An appreciable difference between working and non-working days was observed. Concentration patterns and variation by days of the week and time periods appears related to time trends in traffic intensity.

NANODERM. Quality of skin as a barrier to ultra-fine particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiss, A.Z.; Kertesz, Zs.; Szikszai, Z.; Biro, T.; Czifra, G.; Toth, B.I.; Juhasz, I.; Kiss, B.; Hunyadi, J.

2007-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. The EU5 project carried out by a consortium of 12 European universities and research institutes under the leadership of the Faculty of Physics and Geosciences, University of Leipzig started in 2003 and ended with the publication of its final report in 2007. The main goal of the project was to get quantitative information on the penetration of ultra-fine particles in all strata of skin, on their penetration pathways as well as on their impact on human health. Details of the project can be found on the following website: http://www.uni-leipzig.de/"~nanoderm. The Hungarian team was lead by the Department of Dermatology, University of Debrecen, who provided human skin grafted on SCID (Severe Combined Immune Deficiency) mice as a suitable model for studying particle penetration. In the Institute of Physiology, University of Debrecen, the cellular effects of the nanoparticles were assessed. The ATOMKI group performed ion beam analytical investigations using proton induced x-ray emission and scanning transmission ion microscopy techniques to determine the particle distribution on porcine, SCID graft and human skin samples on which various nanoparticle (TiO 2 ) formulations including commercially available sunscreens were applied. Several pre-treatments of the skin were tested, too. The skin samples were cryofixed native specimens, reducing considerably the possibility of creating artefacts. Results Titanium was only detected in the stratum corneum for healthy skin. Penetration to layers consisting of living cells was not observed. No diffusion profile was present therefore we conclude that the penetration takes place through mechanical action. Deep penetration into hair follicles was also observed, but not into vital tissue. Clearance is expected via desquamation and sebum excretion respectively for corneocyte layers and hair follicles. In conclusion, the NANODERM group does not expect any harmful effects of sunscreens containing

Ultrafine titanium dioxide particles in the absence of photoactivation can induce oxidative damage to human bronchial epithelial cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurr, J.-R.; Wang, Alexander S.S.; Chen, C.-H.; Jan, K.-Y.

2005-01-01

Ultrafine titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) particles have been shown to exhibit strong cytotoxicity when exposed to UVA radiation, but are regarded as a biocompatible material in the absence of photoactivation. In contrast to this concept, the present results indicate that anatase-sized (10 and 20 nm) TiO 2 particles in the absence of photoactivation induced oxidative DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and micronuclei formation, and increased hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide production in BEAS-2B cells, a human bronchial epithelial cell line. However, the treatment with anatase-sized (200 and >200 nm) particles did not induce oxidative stress in the absence of light irradiation; it seems that the smaller the particle, the easier it is for the particle to induce oxidative damage. The photocatalytic activity of the anatase form of TiO 2 was reported to be higher than that of the rutile form. In contrast to this notion, the present results indicate that rutile-sized 200 nm particles induced hydrogen peroxide and oxidative DNA damage in the absence of light but the anatase-sized 200 nm particles did not. In total darkness, a slightly higher level of oxidative DNA damage was also detected with treatment using an anatase-rutile mixture than with treatment using either the anatase or rutile forms alone. These results suggest that intratracheal instillation of ultrafine TiO 2 particles may cause an inflammatory response

Ultrafine ash aerosols from coal combustion: Characterization and health effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William P. Linak; Jong-Ik Yoo; Shirley J. Wasson; Weiyan Zhu; Jost O.L. Wendt; Frank E. Huggins; Yuanzhi Chen; Naresh Shah; Gerald P. Huffman; M. Ian Gilmour [US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). National Risk Management Research Laboratory

2007-07-01

Ultrafine coal fly-ash particles withdiameters less than 0.5 {mu}m typically comprise less than 1% of the total fly-ash mass. This paper reports research focused on both characterization and health effects of primary ultrafine coal ash aerosols alone. Ultrafine, fine, and coarse ash particles were segregated and collected from a coal burned in a 20 kW laboratory combustor and two additional coals burned in an externally heated drop tube furnace. Extracted samples from both combustors were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence(WD-XRF) spectroscopy, Moessbauer spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. Pulmonary inflammation was characterized by albumin concentrations in mouse lung lavage fluid after instillation of collected particles in saline solutions and a single direct inhalation exposure. Results indicate that coal ultrafine ash sometimes contains significant amounts of carbon, probably soot originating from coal tar volatiles, depending on coal type and combustion device. Surprisingly, XAFS results revealed the presence of chromium and thiophenic sulfur in the ultrafine ash particles. The instillation results suggested potential lung injury, the severity of which could be correlated with the carbon (soot) content of the ultrafines. This increased toxicity is consistent with theories in which the presence of carbon mediates transition metal (i.e., Fe) complexes, as revealed in this work by TEM and XAFS spectroscopy, promoting reactive oxygenspecies, oxidation-reduction cycling, and oxidative stress. 24 refs., 7 figs.

Preparation and Characterization of Plasma-Sprayed Ultrafine Chromium Oxide Coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Feng; Jiang Xianliang; Yu Yueguang; Zeng Keli; Ren Xianjing; Li Zhenduo

2007-01-01

Ultrafine chromium oxide coatings were prepared by plasma spraying with ultrafine feedstock. Processing parameters of plasma spraying were optimized. Optical microscope (OM) was used to observe the microstructure of the ultrafine chromium oxide coatings. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the morphology and particle size of ultrafine powder feedstock as well as to examine the microstructure of the chromium oxide coating. In addition, hardness and bonding strength of the ultrafine chromium oxide coatings were measured. The results showed that the optimized plasma spraying parameters were suitable for ultrafine chromium oxide coating and the properties and microstructure of the optimized ultrafine chromium oxide coating were superior compared to conventional chromium oxide wear resistant coatings

Association between short-term exposure to ultrafine particles and mortality in eight European urban areas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stafoggia, Massimo; Schneider, Alexandra; Cyrys, Josef

2017-01-01

urban areas of Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Greece, between 1999 and 2013. We applied city-specific time-series Poisson regression models and pooled them with random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: We estimated a weak, delayed association between particle number concentration...... and particulate matter (PM) and daily mortality in eight European urban areas. METHODS: We collected daily data on non-accidental and cardio-respiratory mortality, particle number concentrations (as proxy for ultrafine particle number concentration), fine and coarse PM, gases and meteorologic parameters in eight...... and non-accidental mortality, with mortality increasing by approximately 0.35% per 10,000 particles/cm increases in particle number concentration occurring 5 to 7 days before death. A similar pattern was found for cause-specific mortality. Estimates decreased after adjustment for fine particles (PM2...

POTENTIAL PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF ULTRAFINE PARTICLE TOXIC EFFECTS IN HUMANS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JASMINA JOVIĆ-STOŠIĆ

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Epidemiological and clinical studies suggested the association of the particulate matter ambient air pollution and the increased morbidity and mortality, mainly from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. The size of particles has great influence on their toxicity, because it determines the site in the respiratory tract where they deposit. The most well established theory explaining the mechanisms behind the increased toxicity of ultrafine particles (UFP, < 0.1 µm is that it has to do with the increased surface area and/or the combination with the increased number of particles. Biological effects of UFP are also determined by their shape and chemical composition, so it is not possible to estimate their toxicity in a general way. General hypothesis suggested that exposure to inhaled particles induces pulmonary alveolar inflammation as a basic pathophysiological event, triggering release of various proinflammatory cytokines. Chronic inflammation is a very important underlying mechanism in the genesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. UFP can freely move through the circulation, but their effects on the secondary organs are not known yet, so more studies on recognizing toxicological endpoints of UFP are needed. Determination of UFP toxicity and the estimation of their internal and biologically active dose are necessary for the evidence based conclusions connecting air pollution by UFP and human diseases.

White-light Detection for Nanoparticle Sizing with the TSI Ultrafine Condensation Particle Counter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dick, William D.; McMurry, Peter H.; Weber, Rodney J.; Quant, Frederick R.

2000-01-01

Several of the most common methods for measuring nanoparticle size distributions employ the ultrafine condensation particle counter (UCPC) for detection purposes. Among these methods, the pulse height analysis (PHA) technique, in which the optical response of the UCPC detector is related to initial particle diameter in the 3-10 nm range, prevails in applications where fast sampling is required or for which concentrations of nanoparticles are frequently very low. With the PHA technique, white light is required for particle illumination in order to obtain a monotonic relationship between initial particle diameter and optical response (pulse height). However, the popular, commercially available TSI Model 3025A UCPC employs a laser for particle detection. Here, we report on a novel white-light detection system developed for the 3025A UCPC that involves minimal alteration to the instrument and preserves normal counting operation. Performance is illustrated with pulse height spectra produced by differential mobility analyzer (DMA) - generated calibration aerosols in the 3-50 nm range

Atmospheric ultrafine aerosol number concentration and its ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development, Himachal Unit, ... a significant increase indicating impact of vehicular onslaught on pure air of this hilly region. 1. .... Meteorological conditions during ultrafine measurement days in 2008 at: (a) Mohal and ..... Claiborne C and Koenig J 1999 Episodes of high coarse.

Correlation of Air Quality Data to Ultrafine Particles (UFP Concentration and Size Distribution in Ambient Air

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Werner Hofmann

2010-07-01

Full Text Available This study monitored ultrafine particles (UFP concurrent with environmental air quality data, investigating whether already existing instrumentation used by environmental authorities can provide reference values for estimating UFP concentrations. Of particular interest was the relation of UFP to PM10 (particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (NOx, NO2 in ambient air. Existing PM measurement methods alone did not correspond exactly enough with the actual particle number, but we observed a link between NOx and NO2 to UFP concentration. The combined data could act as proxy-indicator for authorities in estimating particle number concentrations, but cannot replace UFP monitoring.

Ultrafine portland cement performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Argiz

2018-04-01

Full Text Available By mixing several binder materials and additions with different degrees of fineness, the packing density of the final product may be improved. In this work, ultrafine cement and silica fume mixes were studied to optimize the properties of cement-based materials. This research was performed in mortars made of two types of cement (ultrafine Portland cement and common Portland cement and two types of silica fume with different particle-size distributions. Two Portland cement replacement ratios of 4% and 10% of silica fume were selected and added by means of a mechanical blending method. The results revealed that the effect of the finer silica fume mixed with the coarse cement enhances the mechanical properties and pore structure refinement at a later age. This improvement is somewhat lower in the case of ultrafine cement with silica fume.

Ice crystallization in ultrafine water-salt aerosols: nucleation, ice-solution equilibrium, and internal structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Hudait, Arpa; Molinero, Valeria

2014-06-04

Atmospheric aerosols have a strong influence on Earth's climate. Elucidating the physical state and internal structure of atmospheric aqueous aerosols is essential to predict their gas and water uptake, and the locus and rate of atmospherically important heterogeneous reactions. Ultrafine aerosols with sizes between 3 and 15 nm have been detected in large numbers in the troposphere and tropopause. Nanoscopic aerosols arising from bubble bursting of natural and artificial seawater have been identified in laboratory and field experiments. The internal structure and phase state of these aerosols, however, cannot yet be determined in experiments. Here we use molecular simulations to investigate the phase behavior and internal structure of liquid, vitrified, and crystallized water-salt ultrafine aerosols with radii from 2.5 to 9.5 nm and with up to 10% moles of ions. We find that both ice crystallization and vitrification of the nanodroplets lead to demixing of pure water from the solutions. Vitrification of aqueous nanodroplets yields nanodomains of pure low-density amorphous ice in coexistence with vitrified solute rich aqueous glass. The melting temperature of ice in the aerosols decreases monotonically with an increase of solute fraction and decrease of radius. The simulations reveal that nucleation of ice occurs homogeneously at the subsurface of the water-salt nanoparticles. Subsequent ice growth yields phase-segregated, internally mixed, aerosols with two phases in equilibrium: a concentrated water-salt amorphous mixture and a spherical cap-like ice nanophase. The surface of the crystallized aerosols is heterogeneous, with ice and solution exposed to the vapor. Free energy calculations indicate that as the concentration of salt in the particles, the advance of the crystallization, or the size of the particles increase, the stability of the spherical cap structure increases with respect to the alternative structure in which a core of ice is fully surrounded by

Effectiveness of the Top-Down Nanotechnology in the Production of Ultrafine Cement (~220 nm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byung-Wan Jo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The present investigation is dealing with the communition of the cement particle to the ultrafine level (~220 nm utilizing the bead milling process, which is considered as a top-down nanotechnology. During the grinding of the cement particle, the effect of various parameters such as grinding time (1–6 h and grinding agent (methanol and ethanol on the production of the ultrafine cement has also been investigated. Performance of newly produced ultrafine cement is elucidated by the chemical composition, particle size distribution, and SEM and XRD analyses. Based on the particle size distribution of the newly produced ultrafine cement, it was assessed that the size of the cement particle decreases efficiently with increase in grinding time. Additionally, it is optimized that the bead milling process is able to produce 90% of the cement particle <350 nm and 50% of the cement particle < 220 nm, respectively, after 6.3 h milling without affecting the chemical phases. Production of the ultrafine cement utilizing this method will promote the construction industries towards the development of smart and sustainable construction materials.

Formation of ultra-fine grained TiC-dispersed SUS316L by ball-milling and their consolidation by hot isostatic pressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Yongjia; Yamasaki, Tohru; Fukami, Takeshi; Mitamura, Tohru; Terasawa, Mititaka

2003-01-01

In order to overcome the irradiation embrittlement in austenitic stainless steels, ultra-fine grained SUS316L steels with very fine TiC particles have been developed. The SUS316-TiC nanocomposite powders having 1.0 to 2.0 mass%TiC were prepared by ball-milling SUS316-TiC powder mixtures for 125h in an argon gas atmosphere. The milled powders were consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) under a pressure of 200 MPa at temperature between 700-1000degC, and the bulk materials with crystallite size ranging between 100-400 nm have been produced. The possibility of using fine-grained TiC particles for pinning grain boundaries and thereby to maintain the ultra-fine grained structures has been discussed. (author)

Lung cancer risk in relation to traffic-related nano/ultrafine particle-bound PAHs exposure: a preliminary probabilistic assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Chung-Min; Chio, Chia-Pin; Chen, Wei-Yu; Ju, Yun-Ru; Li, Wen-Hsuan; Cheng, Yi-Hsien; Liao, Vivian Hsiu-Chuan; Chen, Szu-Chieh; Ling, Min-Pei

2011-06-15

Exposures to carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been linked to human lung cancer. The purpose of this study was to assess lung cancer risk caused by inhalation exposure to nano/ultrafine particle-bound PAHs at the population level in Taiwan appraised with recent published data. A human respiratory tract model was linked with a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to estimate deposition fraction and internal organic-specific PAHs doses. A probabilistic risk assessment framework was developed to estimate potential lung cancer risk. We reanalyzed particle size distribution, total-PAHs, particle-bound benzo(a)pyrene (B[a]P) and PM concentrations. A dose-response profile describing the relationships between external B[a]P concentration and lung cancer risk response was constructed based on population attributable fraction (PAF). We found that 90% probability lung cancer risks ranged from 10(-5) to 10(-4) for traffic-related nano and ultrafine particle-bound PAHs, indicating a potential lung cancer risk. The particle size-specific PAF-based excess annual lung cancer incidence rate due to PAHs exposure was estimated to be less than 1 per 100,000 population, indicating a mild risk factor for lung cancer. We concluded that probabilistic risk assessment linked PAF for limiting cumulative PAHs emissions to reduce lung cancer risk plays a prominent role in future government risk assessment program. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of shot peening using ultra-fine particles on fatigue properties of 5056 aluminum alloy under rotating bending

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kikuchi, Shoichi, E-mail: kikuchi@mech.kobe-u.ac.jp [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo 657-8501 (Japan); Nakamura, Yuki [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Toyota College, 2-1 Eisei-cho, Toyota-shi, Aichi 471-8525 (Japan); Nambu, Koichiro [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Suzuka College, Shiroko-cho, Suzuka-shi, Mie 510-0294 (Japan); Ando, Masafumi [Innovation Team, IKK SHOT Co. Ltd., 412-4, Nunowari, Minami-Shibata-machi, Tokai-shi, Aichi 476-0001 (Japan)

2016-01-15

Shot peening using particles 10 μm in diameter (ultra-fine particle peening: Ultra-FPP) was introduced to improve the fatigue properties of 5056 aluminum alloy. The surface microstructures of the Ultra-FPP treated specimens were characterized using a micro-Vickers hardness tester, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), non-contact scanning white light interferometry, and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The Ultra-FPP treated specimen had higher hardness than the conventional FPP treated specimen with a short nozzle distance due to the high velocity of the ultra-fine particles. Furthermore, the surface hardness of the Ultra-FPP treated specimen tended to increase as the peening time decreased. Fatigue tests were performed in air at room temperature using a cantilever-type rotating bending fatigue testing machine. It was found that the fatigue life of the Ultra-FPP treated specimen tended to increase with decreasing peening time. Mainly, the Ultra-FPP improved the fatigue properties of 5056 aluminum alloy in the very high cycle regime of more than 10{sup 7} cycles compared with the un-peened specimens. This is because the release of the compressive residual stress is small during fatigue tests at low stress amplitudes.

Substantial convection and precipitation enhancements by ultrafine aerosol particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, Jiwen; Rosenfeld, Daniel; Zhang, Yuwei; Giangrande, Scott E.; Li, Zhanqing; Machado, Luiz A. T.; Martin, Scot T.; Yang, Yan; Wang, Jian; Artaxo, Paulo; Barbosa, Henrique M. J.; Braga, Ramon C.; Comstock, Jennifer M.; Feng, Zhe; Gao, Wenhua; Gomes, Helber B.; Mei, Fan; Pöhlker, Christopher; Pöhlker, Mira L.; Pöschl, Ulrich; de Souza, Rodrigo A. F.

2018-01-25

Aerosol-cloud interaction remains the largest uncertainty in climate projections. Ultrafine aerosol particles (UAP; size <50nm) are considered too small to serve as cloud condensation nuclei conventionally. However, this study provides observational evidence to accompany insights from numerical simulations to support that deep convective clouds (DCCs) over Amazon have strong capability of nucleating UAP from an urban source and forming greater numbers of droplets, because fast drop coalescence in these DCCs reduces drop surface area available for condensation, leading to high vapor supersaturation. The additional droplets subsequently decrease supersaturation and release more condensational latent heating, a dominant contributor to convection intensification, whereas enhanced latent heat from ice-related processes plays a secondary role. Therefore, the addition of anthropogenic UAP may play a much greater role in modulating clouds than previously believed over the Amazon region and possibly in other relatively pristine regions such as maritime and forest locations.

New Setup of the UAS ALADINA for Measuring Boundary Layer Properties, Atmospheric Particles and Solar Radiation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konrad Bärfuss

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The unmanned research aircraft ALADINA (Application of Light-weight Aircraft for Detecting in situ Aerosols has been established as an important tool for boundary layer research. For simplified integration of additional sensor payload, a flexible and reliable data acquisition system was developed at the Institute of Flight Guidance, Technische Universität (TU Braunschweig. The instrumentation consists of sensors for temperature, humidity, three-dimensional wind vector, position, black carbon, irradiance and atmospheric particles in the diameter range of ultra-fine particles up to the accumulation mode. The modular concept allows for straightforward integration and exchange of sensors. So far, more than 200 measurement flights have been performed with the robustly-engineered system ALADINA at different locations. The obtained datasets are unique in the field of atmospheric boundary layer research. In this study, a new data processing method for deriving parameters with fast resolution and to provide reliable accuracies is presented. Based on tests in the field and in the laboratory, the limitations and verifiability of integrated sensors are discussed.

Exposure to carbon monoxide, fine particle mass, and ultrafine particle number in Jakarta, Indonesia: effect of commute mode.

Science.gov (United States)

Both, Adam F; Westerdahl, Dane; Fruin, Scott; Haryanto, Budi; Marshall, Julian D

2013-01-15

We measured real-time exposure to PM(2.5), ultrafine PM (particle number) and carbon monoxide (CO) for commuting workers school children, and traffic police, in Jakarta, Indonesia. In total, we measured exposures for 36 individuals covering 93 days. Commuters in private cars experienced mean (st dev) exposures of 22 (9.4) ppm CO, 91 (38) μg/m(3)PM(2.5), and 290 (150)×10(3) particles cm(-3). Mean concentrations were higher in public transport than in private cars for PM(2.5) (difference in means: 22%) and particle counts (54%), but not CO, likely reflecting in-vehicle particle losses in private cars owing to air-conditioning. However, average commute times were longer for private car commuters than public transport commuters (in our sample, 24% longer: 3.0 vs. 2.3 h per day). Commute and traffic-related exposures experienced by Jakarta residents are among the highest in the world, owing to high on-road concentrations and multi-hour commutes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurements of ultrafine particles from a gas-turbine burning biofuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Allouis, C.; Beretta, F.; Minutolo, P.; Pagliara, R. [Istituto di Ricerche sulla Combustione, CNR, Piazzale V. Tecchio, 80, 80125 Napoli (Italy); Sirignano, M.; Sgro, L.A.; D' Anna, A. [Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, Universita di Napoli Federico II, Piazzale V. Tecchio, 80, 80125 Napoli (Italy)

2010-04-15

Measurements of ultrafine particles have been performed at the exhaust of a low emission microturbine for power generation. This device has been fuelled with liquid fuels, including a commercial diesel oil, a mixture of the diesel oil with a biodiesel and kerosene, and tested under different loads. Primarily attention has been focused on the measurements of the size distribution functions of the particles emitted from the system by using particle differential mobility analysis. A bimodal size distribution function of the particle emitted has been found in all the examined conditions. Burning diesel oil, the first mode of the size distribution function of the combustion-formed particles is centered at around 2-3 nm, whereas the second mode is centered at about 20-30 nm. The increase of the turbine load and the addition of 50% of biodiesel has not caused changes in the shape of size distribution of the particles. A slightly decrease of the amount of particle formed has been found. By using kerosene the amount of emitted particles increases of more than one order of magnitude. Also the shape of the size distribution function changes with the first mode shifted towards larger particles of the order of 8-10 nm but with a lower emission of larger 20-30 nm particles. Overall, in this conditions, the mass concentration of particles is increased respect to the diesel oil operation. Particle sizes measured with the diesel oil have been compared with the results on a diesel engine operated in the same power conditions and with the same fuel. Measurements have showed that the mean sizes of the formed particles do not change in the two combustion systems. However, diesel engine emits a number concentration of particles more than two orders of magnitude higher in the same conditions of power and with the same fuel. By running the engine in more premixed-like conditions, the size distribution function of the particles approaches that measured by burning kerosene in the

Maskless localized patterning of biomolecules on carbon nanotube microarray functionalized by ultrafine atmospheric pressure plasma jet using biotin-avidin system

Science.gov (United States)

Abuzairi, Tomy; Okada, Mitsuru; Purnamaningsih, Retno Wigajatri; Poespawati, Nji Raden; Iwata, Futoshi; Nagatsu, Masaaki

2016-07-01

Ultrafine plasma jet is a promising technology with great potential for nano- or micro-scale surface modification. In this letter, we demonstrated the use of ultrafine atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) for patterning bio-immobilization on vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) microarray platform without a physical mask. The biotin-avidin system was utilized to demonstrate localized biomolecule patterning on the biosensor devices. Using ±7.5 kV square-wave pulses, the optimum condition of plasma jet with He/NH3 gas mixture and 2.5 s treatment period has been obtained to functionalize CNTs. The functionalized CNTs were covalently linked to biotin, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and avidin-(fluorescein isothiocyanate) FITC, sequentially. BSA was necessary as a blocking agent to protect the untreated CNTs from avidin adsorption. The localized patterning results have been evaluated from avidin-FITC fluorescence signals analyzed using a fluorescence microscope. The patterning of biomolecules on the CNT microarray platform using ultrafine APPJ provides a means for potential application of microarray biosensors based on CNTs.

Ultrafine and fine particle formation in a naturally ventilated office as a result of reactions between ozone and scented products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toftum, Jørn; Dijken, F. v.

2003-01-01

Ultrafine and fine particle formation as a result of chemical reactions between ozone and four different air fresheners and a typical lemon-scented domestic cleaner was studied in a fully furnished, naturally ventilated office. The study showed that under conditions representative of those...

Ultrafine particles are not major carriers of carcinogenic PAHs and their genotoxicity in size-segregated aerosols

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Topinka, Jan; Milcová, Alena; Schmuczerová, Jana; Kroužek, J.; Hovorka, J.

2013-01-01

Roč. 754, 1-2 (2013), s. 1-6 ISSN 1383-5718 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP503/11/0142; GA ČR(CZ) GBP503/12/G147 Grant - others:MZP(CZ) SP/1A3/149/08 Institutional support: RVO:68378041 Keywords : Air pollution * Ultrafine particles * Carcinogenic PAHs Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality Impact factor: 2.481, year: 2013

Mass and elemental distributions of atmospheric particles nearby blast furnace and electric arc furnace operated industrial areas in Australia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohiuddin, Kazi, E-mail: kazi.mohiuddin@students.mq.edu.au [Graduate School of the Environment, Department of Environment and Geography, Faculty of Science, Macquarie University, NSW (Australia); Strezov, Vladimir; Nelson, Peter F. [Graduate School of the Environment, Department of Environment and Geography, Faculty of Science, Macquarie University, NSW (Australia); Stelcer, Eduard [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW (Australia); Evans, Tim [Graduate School of the Environment, Department of Environment and Geography, Faculty of Science, Macquarie University, NSW (Australia)

2014-07-01

The improved understanding of mass and elemental distributions of industrial air particles is important due to their heterogeneous atmospheric behaviour and impact on human health and the environment. In this study, particles of different size ranges were collected from three sites in Australia located in the vicinity of iron and steelmaking industries and one urban background site with very little industrial influence. In order to determine the importance of the type of industrial activity on the urban atmospheric quality, the industrial sites selected in this study were in the close proximity to two blast furnace operated and one electric arc furnace based steelmaking sites. The chemical compositions of the collected air particles were analysed using the proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique. This study revealed significantly higher metal concentrations in the atmospheric particles collected in the industrial sites, comparing to the background urban site, demonstrating local influence of the industrial activities to the air quality. The modality types of the particles were found to be variable between the mass and elements, and among elements in the urban and industrial areas indicating that the elemental modal distribution is as important as particle mass for particle pollution modelling. The highest elemental number distribution at all studied sites occurred with particle size of 0.1 μm. Iron was found as the main dominant metal at the industrial atmosphere in each particle size range. The industrial Fe fraction in the submicron and ultrafine size particles was estimated at up to 95% which may be released from high temperature industrial activities with the iron and steelmaking industries being one of the major contributors. Hence, these industrial elemental loadings can highly influence the atmospheric pollution at local urban and regional levels and are required to consider in the atmospheric modelling settings. - Highlights: • Urban and

Mass and elemental distributions of atmospheric particles nearby blast furnace and electric arc furnace operated industrial areas in Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohiuddin, Kazi; Strezov, Vladimir; Nelson, Peter F.; Stelcer, Eduard; Evans, Tim

2014-01-01

The improved understanding of mass and elemental distributions of industrial air particles is important due to their heterogeneous atmospheric behaviour and impact on human health and the environment. In this study, particles of different size ranges were collected from three sites in Australia located in the vicinity of iron and steelmaking industries and one urban background site with very little industrial influence. In order to determine the importance of the type of industrial activity on the urban atmospheric quality, the industrial sites selected in this study were in the close proximity to two blast furnace operated and one electric arc furnace based steelmaking sites. The chemical compositions of the collected air particles were analysed using the proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique. This study revealed significantly higher metal concentrations in the atmospheric particles collected in the industrial sites, comparing to the background urban site, demonstrating local influence of the industrial activities to the air quality. The modality types of the particles were found to be variable between the mass and elements, and among elements in the urban and industrial areas indicating that the elemental modal distribution is as important as particle mass for particle pollution modelling. The highest elemental number distribution at all studied sites occurred with particle size of 0.1 μm. Iron was found as the main dominant metal at the industrial atmosphere in each particle size range. The industrial Fe fraction in the submicron and ultrafine size particles was estimated at up to 95% which may be released from high temperature industrial activities with the iron and steelmaking industries being one of the major contributors. Hence, these industrial elemental loadings can highly influence the atmospheric pollution at local urban and regional levels and are required to consider in the atmospheric modelling settings. - Highlights: • Urban and

Formation of ultra-fine grained SUS316L steels by ball-milling and their mechanical properties after neutron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Y.J.; Yamasaki, T.; Fukami, T.; Terasawa, M.; Mitamura, T.

2003-01-01

In order to overcome the irradiation embrittlement in austenitic stainless steels, ultra-fine grained SUS316L steels with very fine TiC particles have been developed. The SUS316L-TiC nanocomposite powders having 1.0 to 2.0 mass% TiC were prepared by ball-milling SUS316L-TiC powder mixtures for 125 h in an argon gas atmosphere. The milled powders were consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) under a pressure of 200 MPa at temperatures between 700 and 1000 C, and the bulk materials with grain sizes between 100 and 400 nm have been produced. The possibility of using fine-grained TiC particles to pin grain boundaries and thereby maintain the ultra-fine grained structures has been discussed. In order to clarify the effects of the neutron irradiation on mechanical properties of the ultra-fine grained SUS316L steels, Vickers microhardness measurements were performed before and after the irradiation of 1.14 x 10 23 n/m 2 and 1.14 x 10 24 n/m 2 . The hardness increased with increasing the dose of the irradiation. However, these increasing rates of the ultra-fine grained steels were much smaller than those of the coarse-grained SUS316L steels having grain sizes between 13 and 50 μm. (orig.)

Outdoor ultrafine particle concentrations in front of fast food restaurants.

Science.gov (United States)

Vert, Cristina; Meliefste, Kees; Hoek, Gerard

2016-01-01

Ultrafine particles (UFPs) have been associated with negative effects on human health. Emissions from motor vehicles are the principal source of UFPs in urban air. A study in Vancouver suggested that UFP concentrations were related to density of fast food restaurants near the monitoring sites. A previous monitoring campaign could not separate the contribution of restaurants from road traffic. The main goal of this study has been the quantification of fast food restaurants' contribution to outdoor UFP concentrations. A portable particle number counter (DiscMini) has been used to carry out mobile monitoring in a largely pedestrianized area in the city center of Utrecht. A fixed route passing 17 fast food restaurants was followed on 8 days. UFP concentrations in front of the restaurants were 1.61 times higher than in a nearby square without any local sources used as control area and 1.22 times higher compared with all measurements conducted in between the restaurants. Adjustment for other sources such as passing mopeds, smokers or candles did not explain the increase. In conclusion, fast food restaurants result in significant increases in outdoor UFP concentrations in front of the restaurant.

Seasonal and spatial variation of trace elements and metals in quasi-ultrafine (PM0.25) particles in the Los Angeles metropolitan area and characterization of their sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saffari, Arian; Daher, Nancy; Shafer, Martin M.; Schauer, James J.; Sioutas, Constantinos

2013-01-01

Year-long sampling campaign of quasi-ultrafine particles (PM 0.25 ) was conducted at 10 distinct locations across the Los Angeles south coast air basin and concentrations of trace elements and metals were quantified at each site using high-resolution inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry. In order to characterize sources of trace elements and metals, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the dataset. The major sources were identified as road dust (influenced by vehicular emissions as well as re-suspended soil), vehicular abrasion, residual oil combustion, cadmium sources and metal plating. These sources altogether accounted for approximately 85% of the total variance of quasi-ultrafine elemental content. The concentrations of elements originating from source and urban locations generally displayed a decline as we proceeded from the coast to the inland. Occasional concentration peaks in the rural receptor sites were also observed, driven by the dominant westerly/southwesterly wind transporting the particles to the receptor areas. -- Highlights: •We collected quasi-ultrafine samples at 10 locations across the Los Angeles Basin. •The concentration of trace elements and metals at each site were quantified. •Distinct temporal and spatial variability was observed across the basin. •Principal component analysis was applied to the data to characterize the sources. •Five major sources were identified for quasi-ultrafine elemental content. -- Characterization of sources of trace elements and metals in quasi-ultrafine particles in the Los Angeles south coast air basin and explaining their seasonal and spatial variability

Release of ultrafine particles from three simulated building processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Prashant; Mulheron, Mike; Som, Claudia

2012-01-01

Building activities are recognised to produce coarse particulate matter but less is known about the release of airborne ultrafine particles (UFPs; those below 100 nm in diameter). For the first time, this study has investigated the release of particles in the 5–560 nm range from three simulated building activities: the crushing of concrete cubes, the demolition of old concrete slabs, and the recycling of concrete debris. A fast response differential mobility spectrometer (Cambustion DMS50) was used to measure particle number concentrations (PNC) and size distributions (PNDs) at a sampling frequency of 10 Hz in a confined laboratory room providing controlled environment and near–steady background PNCs. The sampling point was intentionally kept close to the test samples so that the release of new UFPs during these simulated processes can be quantified. Tri–modal particle size distributions were recorded for all cases, demonstrating different peak diameters in fresh nuclei ( 4 cm −3 . These background modal peaks shifted towards the larger sizes during the work periods (i.e. actual experiments) and the total PNCs increased between 2 and 17 times over the background PNCs for different activities. After adjusting for background concentrations, the net release of PNCs during cube crushing, slab demolition, and ‘dry’ and ‘wet’ recycling events were measured as ∼0.77, 19.1, 22.7 and 1.76 (×10 4 ) cm −3 , respectively. The PNDs were converted into particle mass concentrations (PMCs). While majority of new PNC release was below 100 nm (i.e. UFPs), the bulk of new PMC emissions were constituted by the particles over 100 nm; ∼95, 79, 73 and 90% of total PNCs, and ∼71, 92, 93 and 91% of total PMCs, for cube crushing, slab demolition, dry recycling and wet recycling, respectively. The results of this study firmly elucidate the release of UFPs and raise a need for further detailed studies and designing health and safety related exposure guidelines for

Exposure assessment of a cyclist to PM10 and ultrafine particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Berghmans, P; Bleux, N; Int Panis, L; Mishra, V K; Torfs, R; Van Poppel, M

2009-02-01

Estimating personal exposure to air pollution is a crucial component in identifying high-risk populations and situations. It will enable policy makers to determine efficient control strategies. Cycling is again becoming a favorite mode of transport both in developing and in developed countries due to increasing traffic congestion and environmental concerns. In Europe, it is also seen as a healthy sports activity. However, due to high levels of hazardous pollutants in the present day road microenvironment the cyclist might be at a higher health risk due to higher breathing rate and proximity to the vehicular exhaust. In this paper we present estimates of the exposure of a cyclist to particles of various size fractions including ultrafine particles (UFP) in the town of Mol (Flanders, Belgium). The results indicate relatively higher UFP concentration exposure during morning office hours and moderate UFP levels during afternoon. The major sources of UFP and PM(10) were identified, which are vehicular emission and construction activities, respectively. We also present a dust mapping technique which can be a useful tool for town planners and local policy makers.

Preparation of a ceramic superconductor from ultrafine particles by freeze-dry process in Ba-Y-Cu-O system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Zuyao; Qian Yitai; Wan Yanjian; Rong Jingfang; Zhang Han; Pan Guoqiang; Zhao Yong; Zhang Qirui

1989-01-01

Freeze-dry technique is first reported for preparing ceramic ultrafines. The single-phase complex oxide Ba 2 YCu 3 O/sub 9-δ/, a poly-crystallized compound, and ceramic superconductor have been synthesized successfully. The experimental results show that not only is the ceramic superconductor obtained uniform with fine particles and excellent superconductivity, but the conditions for solid reactions are relatively limited

Ultrafine particle emissions by in-use diesel buses of various generations at low-load regimes

Science.gov (United States)

Tartakovsky, L.; Baibikov, V.; Comte, P.; Czerwinski, J.; Mayer, A.; Veinblat, M.; Zimmerli, Y.

2015-04-01

Ultrafine particles (UFP) are major contributors to air pollution due to their easy gas-like penetration into the human organism, causing adverse health effects. This study analyzes UFP emissions by buses of different technologies (from Euro II till Euro V EEV - Enhanced Environmentally-friendly Vehicle) at low-load regimes. Additionally, the emission-reduction potential of retrofitting with a diesel particle filter (DPF) is demonstrated. A comparison of the measured, engine-out, particle number concentrations (PNC) for buses of different technological generations shows that no substantial reduction of engine-out emissions at low-load operating modes is observed for newer bus generations. Retrofitting the in-use urban and interurban buses of Euro II till Euro IV technologies by the VERT-certified DPF confirmed its high efficiency in reduction of UFP emissions. Particle-count filtration efficiency values of the retrofit DPF were found to be extremely high - greater than 99.8%, similar to that of the OEM filter in the Euro V bus.

Reduced Ultrafine Particle Concentration in Urban Air: Changes in Nucleation and Anthropogenic Emissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Provat K; Robinson, Ellis S; Shah, Rishabh U; Zimmerman, Naomi; Apte, Joshua S; Robinson, Allen L; Presto, Albert A

2018-06-19

Nucleation is an important source of ambient ultrafine particles (UFP). We present observational evidence of the changes in the frequency and intensity of nucleation events in urban air by analyzing long-term particle size distribution measurements at an urban background site in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during 2001-2002 and 2016-2017. We find that both frequency and intensity of nucleation events have been reduced by 40-50% over the past 15 years, resulting in a 70% reduction in UFP concentrations from nucleation. On average, the particle growth rates are 30% slower than 15 years ago. We attribute these changes to dramatic reductions in SO 2 (more than 90%) and other pollutant concentrations. Overall, UFP concentrations in Pittsburgh have been reduced by ∼48% in the past 15 years, with a ∼70% reduction in nucleation, ∼27% in weekday local sources (e.g., weekday traffic), and 49% in the regional background. Our results highlight that a reduction in anthropogenic emissions can considerably reduce nucleation events and UFP concentrations in a polluted urban environment.

Air pollutant concentrations near three Texas roadways, Part I: Ultrafine particles

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yifang; Pudota, Jayanth; Collins, Donald; Allen, David; Clements, Andrea; DenBleyker, Allison; Fraser, Matt; Jia, Yuling; McDonald-Buller, Elena; Michel, Edward

Vehicular emitted air pollutant concentrations were studied near three types of roadways in Austin, Texas: (1) State Highway 71 (SH-71), a heavily traveled arterial highway dominated by passenger vehicles; (2) Interstate 35 (I-35), a limited access highway north of Austin in Georgetown; and (3) Farm to Market Road 973 (FM-973), a heavily traveled surface roadway dominated by truck traffic. Air pollutants examined include carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NO x), and carbonyl species in the gas-phase. In the particle phase, ultrafine particle (UFP) concentrations (diameter road were found to be the most important factors determining UFP concentrations near the roadways. Since wind directions were not consistent during the sampling periods, distances along wind trajectories from the roadway to the sampling points were used to study the decay characteristics of UFPs. Under perpendicular wind conditions, for all studied roadway types, particle number concentrations increased dramatically moving from the upwind side to the downwind side. The elevated particle number concentrations decay exponentially with increasing distances from the roadway with sharp concentration gradients observed within 100-150 m, similar to previously reported studies. A single exponential decay curve was found to fit the data collected from all three roadways very well under perpendicular wind conditions. No consistent pattern was observed for UFPs under parallel wind conditions. However, regardless of wind conditions, particle concentrations returned to background levels within a few hundred meters of the roadway. Within measured UFP size ranges, smaller particles (6-25 nm) decayed faster than larger ones (100-300 nm). Similar decay rates were observed among UFP number, surface, and volume.

Ultrafine particle air pollution inside diesel-propelled passenger trains.

Science.gov (United States)

Abramesko, Victoria; Tartakovsky, Leonid

2017-07-01

Locomotives with diesel engines are used worldwide and are an important source of air pollution. Pollutant emissions by locomotive engines affect the air quality inside passenger trains. This study is aimed at investigating ultrafine particle (UFP) air pollution inside passenger trains and providing a basis for assessing passenger exposure to this pollutant. The concentrations of UFPs inside the carriages of push-pull trains are dramatically higher when the train operates in pull mode. This clearly shows that locomotive engine emissions are a dominant factor in train passengers' exposure to UFPs. The highest levels of UFP air pollution are observed inside the carriages of pull trains close to the locomotive. In push mode, the UFP number concentrations were lower by factors of 2.6-43 (depending on the carriage type) compared to pull mode. The UFP concentrations are substantially lower in diesel multiple-unit trains than in trains operating in pull mode. A significant influence of the train movement regime on the UFP NC inside a carriage is observed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of ultrafine diesel exhaust particles on oxidative stress generation and dopamine metabolism in PC-12 cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yong-Dae; Lantz-McPeak, Susan M; Ali, Syed F; Kleinman, Michael T; Choi, Young-Sook; Kim, Heon

2014-05-01

A major constituent of urban air pollution is diesel exhaust, a complex mixture of gases, chemicals, and particles. Recent evidence suggests that exposure to air pollution can increase the risk of a fatal stroke, cause cerebrovascular damage, and induce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress that may trigger neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease. The specific aim of this study was to determine whether ultrafine diesel exhaust particles (DEPs), the particle component of exhaust from diesel engines, can induce oxidative stress and effect dopamine metabolism in PC-12 cells. After 24 h exposure to DEPs of 200 nm or smaller, cell viability, ROS and nitric oxide (NO(2)) generation, and levels of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites, (dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA)), were evaluated. Results indicated cell viability was not significantly changed by DEP exposure. However, ROS showed dramatic dose-dependent changes after DEP exposure (2.4 fold increase compared to control at 200 μg/mL). NO(2) levels were also dose-dependently increased after DEP exposure. Although not in a dose-dependent manner, upon DEP exposure, intracellular DA levels were increased while DOPAC and HVA levels decreased when compared to control. Results suggest that ultrafine DEPs lead to dopamine accumulation in the cytoplasm of PC-12 cells, possibly contributing to ROS formation. Further studies are warranted to elucidate this mechanism. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring PM2.5, Ultrafine Particles, Nicotine Air and Wipe Samples Following the Use of Electronic Cigarettes.

Science.gov (United States)

Melstrom, Paul; Koszowski, Bartosz; Thanner, Meridith Hill; Hoh, Eunha; King, Brian; Bunnell, Rebecca; McAfee, Tim

2017-09-01

Few studies have examined the extent of inhalation or dermal contact among bystanders following short-term, secondhand e-cigarette exposure. Measure PM2.5 (particles e-cigarette exposure. E-cigarettes were used ad libitum by three experienced users for 2 hours during two separate sessions (disposable e-cigarettes, then tank-style e-cigarettes, or "tanks") in a 1858 ft3 room. We recorded: uncorrected PM2.5 (using SidePak); UF (using P-Trak); air nicotine concentrations (using air samplers; SKC XAD-4 canisters); ambient air exchange rate (using an air capture hood). Wipe samples were taken by wiping 100 cm2 room surfaces pre- and post- both sessions, and clean cloth wipes were worn during the exposure and collected at the end. Uncorrected PM2.5 and UF were higher (p e-cigarette use can produce: elevated PM2.5; elevated UF; nicotine in the air; and accumulation of nicotine on surfaces and clothing. Short-term indoor e-cigarette use produced accumulation of nicotine on surfaces and clothing, which could lead to dermal exposure to nicotine. Short-term e-cigarette use produced elevated PM2.5 and ultrafine particles, which could lead to secondhand inhalation of these particles and any chemicals associated with them by bystanders. We measured significant differences in PM2.5 and ultrafine particles between disposable e-cigarettes and tank-style e-cigarettes, suggesting a difference in the exposure profiles of e-cigarette products. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Production of ultrafine particles of high-temperature tetragonal WO3 by dc arc discharge in Ar-O2 gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Yumei; Murata, Norihiko; Ono, Kazuya; Okazaki, Tsugio

2005-01-01

Ultrafine particles of WO 3 are successfully produced by dc arc discharge in Ar-O 2 gases. Particle sizes are distributed from 10 nm to 1 μm depending on production conditions: gas pressure, collection position and discharge current. Observations of the cooled particles by electron microscopy indicate that the WO 3 particles are tetragonal, a phase that is usually only stable above 725 deg. C. The octahedral crystals are bounded by eight {1 0 1} faces and occasionally truncated by {1 0 0} and/or {0 0 1} faces. This method of producing WO 3 by dc arc discharge therefore affords a high-temperature phase that is preserved upon cooling to room temperature

Comparison of atmospheric new particle formation events in three Central European cities

Science.gov (United States)

Németh, Zoltán; Rosati, Bernadette; Zíková, Naděžda; Salma, Imre; Bozó, László; Dameto de España, Carmen; Schwarz, Jaroslav; Ždímal, Vladimír; Wonaschütz, Anna

2018-04-01

Simultaneous particle number size distribution measurements were performed in the urban environment of Budapest, Vienna, and Prague, three Central European cities located within 450 km of each other. The measurement days from the continuous, 2-year long campaign were classified for new particle formation (NPF) events using an adapted classification scheme for urban sites. The total numbers of NPF event days were 152 for Budapest, 69 for Vienna, and 143 for Prague. There were 12 days when new particle formation took place at all three sites; 11 out of these 12 days were in spring and in summer. There were only 2 (Budapest-Vienna), 19 (Budapest-Prague), and 19 (Vienna-Prague) nucleation days, when NPF did not occur on the third site. The main difference was related to source and sink terms of gas-phase sulphuric acid. Air mass origin and back-trajectories did not show any substantial influence on the atmospheric nucleation phenomena. The relative contribution of particles from NPF with respect to regional aerosol to the particles originating from all sources was expressed as nucleation strength factor. The overall mean nucleation strength factors were 1.58, 1.54, and 2.01 for Budapest, Vienna, and Prague, respectively, and showed diurnal and seasonal variations. The monthly mean NSF varied from 1.2 to 3.2 in Budapest, from 0.7 to 1.9 in Vienna, and from 1.0 to 2.3 in Prague. This implies that the new particle formation in cities is a significant source of ultrafine (UF) particles, and the amount of them is comparable to the directly emitted UF particles.

Using the Aerasense NanoTracer for simultaneously obtaining several ultrafine particle exposure metrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marra, J

2011-01-01

The expanding production and use of nanomaterials increases the chance of human exposure to engineered nanoparticles (NP), also referred to as ultrafine particles (UFP; ≤ 100 - 300 nm). This is particularly true in workplaces where they can become airborne and thereafter inhaled by workers during nanopowder processing. Considering the suspected hazard of many engineered UFPs, the general recommendation is to take measures for minimizing personal exposure while monitoring the UFP pollution for assessment and control purposes. The portable Aerasense NanoTracer accomplishes this UFP monitoring, either intermittently or in real time. This paper reviews its design and operational characteristics and elaborates on a number of application extensions and constraints. The NanoTracer's output signals enable several UFP exposure metrics to be simultaneously inferred. These include the airborne UFP number concentration and the number-averaged particle size, serving as characteristics of the pertaining UFP pollution. When non-hygroscopic particles are involved, the NanoTracer's output signals also allow an estimation of the lung-deposited UFP surface area concentration and the lung-deposited UFP mass concentration. It is thereby possible to distinguish between UFP depositions in the alveolar region, the trachea-bronchial region and the head airway region, respectively, by making use of the ICRP particle deposition model.

Combustion of PTFE: The Effects of Gravity and Pigmentation on Ultrafine Particle Generation

Science.gov (United States)

McKinnon, J. Thomas; Srivastava, Rajiv; Todd, Paul

1997-01-01

Ultrafine particles generated during polymer thermodegradation are a major health hazard, owing to their unique pathway of processing in the lung. This hazard in manned spacecraft is poorly understood, because the particulate products of polymer thermodegradation are generated under low gravity conditions. Particulate generated from the degradation of PolyTetraFluoroEthylene (PTFE), insulation coating for 20 AWG copper wire (representative of spacecraft application) under intense ohmic heating were studied in terrestrial gravity and microgravity. Microgravity tests were done in a 1.2-second drop tower at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM). Thermophoretic sampling was used for particulate collection. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) were used to examine the smoke particulates. Image software was used to calculate particle size distribution. In addition to gravity, the color of PTFE insulation has an overwhelming effect on size, shape and morphology of the particulate. Nanometer-sized primary particles were found in all cases, and aggregation and size distribution was dependent on both color and gravity; higher aggregation occurred in low gravity. Particulates from white, black, red and yellow colored PTFE insulations were studied. Elemental analysis of the particulates shows the presence of inorganic pigments.

Internal Combustion Engines as the Main Source of Ultrafine Particles in Residential Neighborhoods: Field Measurements in the Czech Republic

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Štolcpartová, Jitka; Pechout, M.; Dittrich, L.; Mazač, M.; Fenkl, M.; Vrbová, Kristýna; Ondráček, Jakub; Vojtíšek-Lom, M.

2015-01-01

Roč. 6, č. 11 (2015), s. 1714-1735 ISSN 2073-4433 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP503/12/G147; GA ČR(CZ) GA13-01438S Institutional support: RVO:68378041 ; RVO:67985858 Keywords : ultrafine particles * nanoparticles * UFP Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality; DI - Air Pollution ; Quality (UCHP-M) Impact factor: 1.221, year: 2015

Detecting charging state of ultra-fine particles: instrumental development and ambient measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Laakso

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The importance of ion-induced nucleation in the lower atmosphere has been discussed for a long time. In this article we describe a new instrumental setup – Ion-DMPS – which can be used to detect contribution of ion-induced nucleation on atmospheric new particle formation events. The device measures positively and negatively charged particles with and without a bipolar charger. The ratio between "charger off" to "charger on" describes the charging state of aerosol particle population with respect to equilibrium. Values above one represent more charges than in an equilibrium (overcharged state, and values below unity stand for undercharged situation, when there is less charges in the particles than in the equilibrium. We performed several laboratory experiments to test the operation of the instrument. After the laboratory tests, we used the device to observe particle size distributions during atmospheric new particle formation in a boreal forest. We found that some of the events were clearly dominated by neutral nucleation but in some cases also ion-induced nucleation contributed to the new particle formation. We also found that negative and positive ions (charged particles behaved in a different manner, days with negative overcharging were more frequent than days with positive overcharging.

Performance of school bus retrofit systems: ultrafine particles and other vehicular pollutants.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qunfang; Zhu, Yifang

2011-08-01

This study evaluated the performance of retrofit systems for diesel-powered school buses, a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) muffler and a spiracle crankcase filtration system (CFS), regarding ultrafine particles (UFPs) and other air pollutants from tailpipe emissions and inside bus cabins. Tailpipe emissions and in-cabin air pollutant levels were measured before and after retrofitting when the buses were idling and during actual pick-up/drop off routes. Retrofit systems significantly reduced tailpipe emissions with a reduction of 20-94% of total particles with both DOC and CFS installed. However, no unequivocal decrease was observed for in-cabin air pollutants after retrofitting. The AC/fan unit and the surrounding air pollutant concentrations played more important roles for determining the in-cabin air quality of school buses than did retrofit technologies. Although current retrofit systems reduce children's exposure while waiting to board at a bus station, retrofitting by itself does not protect children satisfactorily from in-cabin particle exposures. Turning on the bus engine increased in-cabin UFP levels significantly only when the wind blew from the bus' tailpipe toward its hood with its windows open. This indicated that wind direction and window position are significant factors determining how much self-released tailpipe emissions may penetrate into the bus cabin. The use of an air purifier was found to remove in-cabin particles by up to 50% which might be an alternative short-to-medium term strategy to protect children's health.

An improved criterion for new particle formation in diverse atmospheric environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Kuang

2010-09-01

Full Text Available A dimensionless theory for new particle formation (NPF was developed, using an aerosol population balance model incorporating recent developments in nucleation rates and measured particle growth rates. Based on this theoretical analysis, it was shown that a dimensionless parameter L_Γ, characterizing the ratio of the particle scavenging loss rate to the particle growth rate, exclusively determined whether or not NPF would occur on a particular day. This parameter determines the probability that a nucleated particle will grow to a detectable size before being lost by coagulation with the pre-existing aerosol. Cluster-cluster coagulation was shown to contribute negligibly to this survival probability under conditions pertinent to the atmosphere. Data acquired during intensive measurement campaigns in Tecamac (MILAGRO, Atlanta (ANARChE, Boulder, and Hyytiälä (QUEST II, QUEST IV, and EUCAARI were used to test the validity of L_Γ as an NPF criterion. Measurements included aerosol size distributions down to 3 nm and gas-phase sulfuric acid concentrations. The model was applied to seventy-seven NPF events and nineteen non-events (characterized by growth of pre-existing aerosol without NPF measured in diverse environments with broad ranges in sulfuric acid concentrations, ultrafine number concentrations, aerosol surface areas, and particle growth rates (nearly two orders of magnitude. Across this diverse data set, a nominal value of L_Γ=0.7 was found to determine the boundary for the occurrence of NPF, with NPF occurring when L_Γ<0.7 and being suppressed when L_Γ>0.7. Moreover, nearly 45% of measured L_Γ values associated with NPF fell in the relatively narrow range of 0.1<L_Γ<0.3.

Preparation and pattern recognition of metallic Ni ultrafine powders by electroless plating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, H.J.; Zhang, H.T.; Wu, X.W.; Wang, Z.L.; Jia, Q.L.; Jia, X.L.

2006-01-01

Using hydrazine hydrate as reductant, metallic Ni ultrafine powders were prepared from NiSO 4 aqueous solution by electroless plating method. The factors including concentration of NiSO 4 , bathing temperature, ratio of hydrazine hydrate to NiSO 4 , the pH of the solution, etc., on influence of the yield and average particle size of metallic Ni ultrafine powders were studied in detail. X-ray powders diffraction patterns show that the nickel powders are cubic crystallite. The average crystalline size of the ultrafine nickel powders is about 30 nm. The dielectric and magnetic loss of ultrafine Ni powders-paraffin wax composites were measured by the rectangle waveguide method in the range 8.2-12.4 GHz. The factors for Ni ultrafine powders preparation are optimized by computer pattern recognition program based on principal component analysis, the optimum factors regions with higher yield of metallic Ni ultrafine powders are indicated by this way

Occupational exposure to ultrafine particles among airport employees--combining personal monitoring and global positioning system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Karina Lauenborg; Thygesen, Lau Caspar; Schipperijn, Jasper

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) has been linked to cardiovascular and lung diseases. Combustion of jet fuel and diesel powered handling equipment emit UFP resulting in potentially high exposure levels among employees working at airports. High levels of UFP have been reported...... at several airports, especially on the apron, but knowledge on individual exposure profiles among different occupational groups working at an airport is lacking. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare personal exposure to UFP among five different occupational groups working at Copenhagen Airport (CPH......). METHOD: 30 employees from five different occupational groups (baggage handlers, catering drivers, cleaning staff and airside and landside security) at CPH were instructed to wear a personal monitor of particle number concentration in real time and a GPS device. The measurements were carried out on 8 days...

Production of ultrafine zinc powder from wastes containing zinc by electrowinning in alkaline solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhao Youcai

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Production of ultrafine zinc powder from industrial wastes by electrowinning in alkaline solution was studied. Stainless steel and magnesium electrodes were used as anode and cathode, respectively. Morphology, size distribution and composition of the Zn particles were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy, Laser Particle Size Analyzer, and Inductive Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometer. The required composition of the electrolyte for ultrafine particles was found to be 25-35 g/L Zn, 200-220 g/L NaOH and 20-40 mg/L Pb. The optimal conditions were a current density of 1000-1200 A/m² and an electrolyte temperature of 30-40 °C. The results indicated that the lead additive exerted a beneficial effect on the refining of the particles, by increasing the cathodic polarization. Through this study, ultrafine zinc powder with a size distribution of around 10 μm could be produced, and considerably high current efficiencies (97-99 % were obtained.

Morphology of Nano and Micro Fiber Structures in Ultrafine Particles Filtration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimmer, Dusan; Vincent, Ivo; Fenyk, Jan; Petras, David; Zatloukal, Martin; Sambaer, Wannes; Zdimal, Vladimir

2011-01-01

Selected procedures permitting to prepare homogeneous nanofibre structures of the desired morphology by employing a suitable combination of variables during the electrospinning process are presented. A comparison (at the same pressure drop) was made of filtration capabilities of planar polyurethane nanostructures formed exclusively by nanofibres, space polycarbonate nanostructures having bead spacers, structures formed by a combination of polymethyl methacrylate micro- and nanofibres and polypropylene meltblown microstructures, through which ultrafine particles of ammonium sulphate 20-400 nm in size were filtered. The structures studied were described using a new digital image analysis technique based on black and white images obtained by scanning electron microscopy. More voluminous structures modified with distance microspheres and having a greater thickness and mass per square area of the material, i.e. structures possessing better mechanical properties, demanded so much in nanostructures, enable preparation of filters having approximately the same free volume fraction as flat nanofibre filters but an increased effective fibre surface area, changed pore size morphology and, consequently, a higher filter quality.

Determinants of spikes in ultrafine particle concentration whilst commuting by bus

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Shanon; Dirks, Kim N.; Salmond, Jennifer A.; Xie, Shanju

2015-07-01

This paper examines concentration of ultrafine particles (UFPs) based on data collected using high-resolution UFP monitors whilst travelling by bus during rush hour along three different urban routes in Auckland, New Zealand. The factors influencing in-bus UFP concentration were assessed using a combination of spatial, statistical and GIS analysis techniques to determine both spatial and temporal variability. Results from 68 bus trips showed that concentrations varied more within a route than between on a given day, despite differences in urban morphology, land use and traffic densities between routes. A number of trips were characterised by periods of very rapid increases in UFPs (concentration 'spikes'), followed by slow declines. Trips which recorded at least one spike (an increase of greater than 10,000 pt/cm3) resulted in significantly higher mean concentrations. Spikes in UFPs were significantly more likely to occur when travelling at low speeds and when passengers were alighting and boarding at bus stops close to traffic light intersections.

Workplace Measurements of Ultrafine Particles-A Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Viitanen, Anna-Kaisa; Uuksulainen, Sanni; Koivisto, Antti J; Hämeri, Kaarle; Kauppinen, Timo

2017-08-01

Workers are exposed to ultrafine particles (UFP) in a number of occupations. In order to summarize the current knowledge regarding occupational exposure to UFP (excluding engineered nanoparticles), we gathered information on UFP concentrations from published research articles. The aim of our study was to create a basis for future epidemiological studies that treat UFP as an exposure factor. The literature search found 72 publications regarding UFP measurements in work environments. These articles covered 314 measurement results and tabled concentrations. Mean concentrations were compared to typical urban UFP concentration level, which was considered non-occupational background concentration. Mean concentrations higher than the typical urban UFP concentration were reported in 240 workplace measurements. The results showed that workers' exposure to UFP may be significantly higher than their non-occupational exposure to background concentration alone. Mean concentrations of over 100 times the typical urban UFP concentration were reported in welding and metal industry. However, according to the results of the review, measurements of the UFP in work environments are, to date, too limited and reported too heterogeneous to allow us to draw general conclusions about workers' exposure. Harmonization of measurement strategies is essential if we are to generate more reliable and comparable data in the future. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Frequent ultrafine particle formation and growth in Canadian Arctic marine and coastal environments

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Douglas B.; Burkart, Julia; Chang, Rachel Y.-W.; Lizotte, Martine; Boivin-Rioux, Aude; Blais, Marjolaine; Mungall, Emma L.; Boyer, Matthew; Irish, Victoria E.; Massé, Guillaume; Kunkel, Daniel; Tremblay, Jean-Éric; Papakyriakou, Tim; Bertram, Allan K.; Bozem, Heiko; Gosselin, Michel; Levasseur, Maurice; Abbatt, Jonathan P. D.

2017-11-01

The source strength and capability of aerosol particles in the Arctic to act as cloud condensation nuclei have important implications for understanding the indirect aerosol-cloud effect within the polar climate system. It has been shown in several Arctic regions that ultrafine particle (UFP) formation and growth is a key contributor to aerosol number concentrations during the summer. This study uses aerosol number size distribution measurements from shipboard expeditions aboard the research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen in the summers of 2014 and 2016 throughout the Canadian Arctic to gain a deeper understanding of the drivers of UFP formation and growth within this marine boundary layer. UFP number concentrations (diameter > 4 nm) in the range of 101-104 cm-3 were observed during the two seasons, with concentrations greater than 103 cm-3 occurring more frequently in 2016. Higher concentrations in 2016 were associated with UFP formation and growth, with events occurring on 41 % of days, while events were only observed on 6 % of days in 2014. Assessment of relevant parameters for aerosol nucleation showed that the median condensation sink in this region was approximately 1.2 h-1 in 2016 and 2.2 h-1 in 2014, which lie at the lower end of ranges observed at even the most remote stations reported in the literature. Apparent growth rates of all observed events in both expeditions averaged 4.3 ± 4.1 nm h-1, in general agreement with other recent studies at similar latitudes. Higher solar radiation, lower cloud fractions, and lower sea ice concentrations combined with differences in the developmental stage and activity of marine microbial communities within the Canadian Arctic were documented and help explain differences between the aerosol measurements made during the 2014 and 2016 expeditions. These findings help to motivate further studies of biosphere-atmosphere interactions within the Arctic marine environment to explain the production of UFP and their growth to sizes

Pollutants transport and atmospheric variability of CO2 over Siberia: contribution of airborne measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paris, J.D.

2008-12-01

The work presented here intends to characterize the variations of atmospheric concentrations of CO 2 , CO, O 3 and ultrafine particles, over a large scale aircraft transect above Siberia, during three intensive YAK-AEROSIB campaigns in April 2006, September 2006 and August 2007, respectively. Pollutant and greenhouse gases distribution in this poorly studied region is needed to model atmospheric long range transport. I show here that CO concentrations at the time of the campaigns is broadly affected by (1) advection of Chinese pollutants through baro-clinic perturbations, (2) advection (diffuse or not) of European pollutants at various altitudes, (3) and of biomass burning from Central Asia. This set of factors is analyzed through a novel statistical technique based on clustering of backward transport simulated by the FLEXPART Lagrangian model. Large observed CO 2 gradients in summer are matched against vertical mixing in GCM simulated CO 2 . At last I present ultrafine particle measurements, and a possible nucleation summer maximum in the clean, continental mid-troposphere. (author)

Alterations in welding process voltage affect the generation of ultrafine particles, fume composition, and pulmonary toxicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Antonini, James M; Keane, Michael; Chen, Bean T; Stone, Samuel; Roberts, Jenny R; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Andrews, Ronnee N; Frazer, David G; Sriram, Krishnan

2011-12-01

The goal was to determine if increasing welding voltage changes the physico-chemical properties of the fume and influences lung responses. Rats inhaled 40 mg/m³ (3 h/day × 3 days) of stainless steel (SS) welding fume generated at a standard voltage setting of 25 V (regular SS) or at a higher voltage (high voltage SS) of 30 V. Particle morphology, size and composition were characterized. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed at different times after exposures to assess lung injury. Fumes collected from either of the welding conditions appeared as chain-like agglomerates of nanometer-sized primary particles. High voltage SS welding produced a greater number of ultrafine-sized particles. Fume generated by high voltage SS welding was higher in manganese. Pulmonary toxicity was more substantial and persisted longer after exposure to the regular SS fume. In summary, a modest raise in welding voltage affected fume size and elemental composition and altered the temporal lung toxicity profile.

Short-term effects of ultrafine particles on daily mortality by primary vehicle exhaust versus secondary origin in three Spanish cities.

Science.gov (United States)

Tobías, Aurelio; Rivas, Ioar; Reche, Cristina; Alastuey, Andrés; Rodríguez, Sergio; Fernández-Camacho, Rocío; Sánchez de la Campa, Ana M; de la Rosa, Jesús; Sunyer, Jordi; Querol, Xavier

2018-02-01

Evidence on the short-term effects of ultrafine particles (with diameterorigin of UFP determines their short-term effect on human health. BC is possibly the better parameter to evaluate the health effects of particulate vehicle exhaust emissions, although in areas influenced by domestic solid fuel combustion this should also be taken into account. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

ULTRAFINE PARTICLE DEPOSITION IN HEALTHY SUBJECTS VS. PATIENTS WTH COPD

Science.gov (United States)

Individuals affected with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have increased susceptibility to adverse health effects from exposure to particulate air pollution. The dosimetry of ultrafine aerosols (diameter # 0.1 :m) is not well characterized in the healthy or diseas...

Expert elicitation on ultrafine particles: likelihood of health effects and causal pathways

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brunekreef Bert

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Exposure to fine ambient particulate matter (PM has consistently been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The relationship between exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP and health effects is less firmly established. If UFP cause health effects independently from coarser fractions, this could affect health impact assessment of air pollution, which would possibly lead to alternative policy options to be considered to reduce the disease burden of PM. Therefore, we organized an expert elicitation workshop to assess the evidence for a causal relationship between exposure to UFP and health endpoints. Methods An expert elicitation on the health effects of ambient ultrafine particle exposure was carried out, focusing on: 1 the likelihood of causal relationships with key health endpoints, and 2 the likelihood of potential causal pathways for cardiac events. Based on a systematic peer-nomination procedure, fourteen European experts (epidemiologists, toxicologists and clinicians were selected, of whom twelve attended. They were provided with a briefing book containing key literature. After a group discussion, individual expert judgments in the form of ratings of the likelihood of causal relationships and pathways were obtained using a confidence scheme adapted from the one used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Results The likelihood of an independent causal relationship between increased short-term UFP exposure and increased all-cause mortality, hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, aggravation of asthma symptoms and lung function decrements was rated medium to high by most experts. The likelihood for long-term UFP exposure to be causally related to all cause mortality, cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity and lung cancer was rated slightly lower, mostly medium. The experts rated the likelihood of each of the six identified possible causal pathways separately. Out of these

Unhealthy diet and ultrafine carbon black particles induce senescence and disease associated phenotypic changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Büchner, Nicole; Ale-Agha, Niloofar; Jakob, Sascha; Sydlik, Ulrich; Kunze, Kerstin; Unfried, Klaus; Altschmied, Joachim; Haendeler, Judith

2013-01-01

Diet and pollution are environmental factors known to compromise "healthy aging" of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The molecular consequences of this permanent burden in these cells are still unknown. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of unhealthy diet on aging-related signaling pathways of human, primary cardiovascular cells and of airborne particles on lung epithelial and human endothelial cells. Nutrition health reports have shown that the diet in industrialized countries contains more than 100mg/dl low density lipoprotein (LDL) and a high fraction of added sugars, especially fructose. Several studies demonstrated that ultrafine particles can enter the circulation and thus may interact with endothelial cells directly. Both, dietary compounds and pollution derived particles, have been shown to increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases. To simulate an unhealthy diet, we supplemented cell culture media of human primary endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes with LDL and replaced 1/3 of glucose with fructose. We observed hypertrophy in cardiomyocytes, enhanced proliferation in smooth muscle cells and increased senescence, loss of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and increased nuclear FoxO3A in endothelial cells. With respect to pollution we have used ultrafine carbon black particles (ufCB), one of the major constituents of industrial and exhaust emissions, in concentrations our lungs and vessels are constantly exposed to. These concentrations of ufCB increased reactive oxygen species in lung epithelial and vascular endothelial cells and reduced the S-NO content, a marker for NO-bioavailability, in endothelial cells. NO increases activation of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT), an enzyme essential for telomere maintenance. TERT is required for proper endothelial cell function and is inactivated by Src kinase under conditions of oxidative stress. ufCB significantly increased Src kinase activation and reduced

Technical solutions for reducing indoor residential exposures to ultrafine particles from second-hand cigarette smoke infiltration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Afshari, Alireza; Ardkapan, Siamak Rahimi; Bergsøe, Niels Christian

2011-01-01

was carried out in the field in a multi-storey building and cardboard and plastic foil of polyethylene were used for sealing the entire wooden floor in the receiving flat. Another technical solution examined was a novel air circulating ductwork. The efficiency of the novel air circulating ductwork...... in which smoke infiltrates from one flat to another and also to examine technical solutions for preventing or reducing infiltration of ultrafine particles from the source flat to the receiving flat. One of the technical solutions examined was sealing of the floor in the receiving flat. The study...

Response of spontaneously hypertensive rats to inhalation of fine and ultrafine particles from traffic: experimental controlled study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dormans Jan AMA

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many epidemiological studies have shown that mass concentrations of ambient particulate matter (PM are associated with adverse health effects in the human population. Since PM is still a very crude measure, this experimental study has explored the role of two distinct size fractions: ultrafine (3 to 3613 μg/m3 for fCAP and from 269μg/m3 to 556 μg/m3 for u+fCAP. Results Ammonium, nitrate, and sulphate ions accounted for 56 ± 16% of the total fCAP mass concentrations, but only 17 ± 6% of the u+fCAP mass concentrations. Unambiguous particle uptake in alveolar macrophages was only seen after u+fCAP exposures. Neither fCAP nor u+fCAP induced significant changes of cytotoxicity or inflammation in the lung. However, markers of oxidative stress (heme oxygenase-1 and malondialdehyde were affected by both fCAP and u+fCAP exposure, although not always significantly. Additional analysis revealed heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1 levels that followed a nonmonotonic function with an optimum at around 600 μg/m3 for fCAP. As a systemic response, exposure to u+fCAP and fCAP resulted in significant decreases of the white blood cell concentrations. Conclusion Minor pulmonary and systemic effects are observed after both fine and ultrafine + fine PM exposure. These effects do not linearly correlate with the CAP mass. A greater component of traffic CAP and/or a larger proportion ultrafine PM does not strengthen the absolute effects.

Analysis of the chemical composition of ultrafine particles from two domestic solid biomass fired room heaters under simulated real-world use

Science.gov (United States)

Ozgen, Senem; Becagli, Silvia; Bernardoni, Vera; Caserini, Stefano; Caruso, Donatella; Corbella, Lorenza; Dell'Acqua, Manuela; Fermo, Paola; Gonzalez, Raquel; Lonati, Giovanni; Signorini, Stefano; Tardivo, Ruggero; Tosi, Elisa; Valli, Gianluigi; Vecchi, Roberta; Marinovich, Marina

2017-02-01

Two common types of wood (beech and fir) were burned in commercial pellet (11.1 kW) and wood (8.2 kW) stoves following a combustion cycle simulating the behavior of a real-world user. Ultrafine particulate matter (UFP, dp pellets and wood UFP samples, where high TC levels characterize the wood log combustion and potassium salts are dominant in every pellet sample. Crucial aspects determining the UFP composition in the wood stove experiments are critical situations in terms of available oxygen (a lack or an excess of combustion air) and high temperatures. Whereas for the automatically controlled pellets stove local situations (e.g., hindered air-fuel mixing due to heaps of pellets on the burner pot) determine the emission levels and composition. Wood samples contain more potentially carcinogenic PAHs with respect to pellets samples. Some diagnostic ratios related to PAH isomers and anhydrosugars compiled from experimental UFP data in the present study and compared to literature values proposed for the emission source discrimination for atmospheric aerosol, extend the evaluation usually limited to higher particle size fractions also to UFP.

Preservation of amorphous ultrafine material: A proposed proxy for slip during recent earthquakes on active faults.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirono, Tetsuro; Asayama, Satoru; Kaneki, Shunya; Ito, Akihiro

2016-11-09

The criteria for designating an "Active Fault" not only are important for understanding regional tectonics, but also are a paramount issue for assessing the earthquake risk of faults that are near important structures such as nuclear power plants. Here we propose a proxy, based on the preservation of amorphous ultrafine particles, to assess fault activity within the last millennium. X-ray diffraction data and electron microscope observations of samples from an active fault demonstrated the preservation of large amounts of amorphous ultrafine particles in two slip zones that last ruptured in 1596 and 1999, respectively. A chemical kinetic evaluation of the dissolution process indicated that such particles could survive for centuries, which is consistent with the observations. Thus, preservation of amorphous ultrafine particles in a fault may be valuable for assessing the fault's latest activity, aiding efforts to evaluate faults that may damage critical facilities in tectonically active zones.

Semi-quantitative characterisation of ambient ultrafine aerosols resulting from emissions of coal fired power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinkley, J.T.; Bridgman, H.A.; Buhre, B.J.P.; Gupta, R.P.; Nelson, P.F.; Wall, T.F.

2008-01-01

Emissions from coal fired power stations are known to be a significant anthropogenic source of fine atmospheric particles, both through direct primary emissions and secondary formation of sulfate and nitrate from emissions of gaseous precursors. However, there is relatively little information available in the literature regarding the contribution emissions make to the ambient aerosol, particularly in the ultrafine size range. In this study, the contribution of emissions to particles smaller than 0.3 μm in the ambient aerosol was examined at a sampling site 7 km from two large Australian coal fired power stations equipped with fabric filters. A novel approach was employed using conditional sampling based on sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) as an indicator species, and a relatively new sampler, the TSI Nanometer Aerosol Sampler. Samples were collected on transmission electron microscope (TEM) grids and examined using a combination of TEM imaging and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis for qualitative chemical analysis. The ultrafine aerosol in low SO 2 conditions was dominated by diesel soot from vehicle emissions, while significant quantities of particles, which were unstable under the electron beam, were observed in the high SO 2 samples. The behaviour of these particles was consistent with literature accounts of sulfate and nitrate species, believed to have been derived from precursor emissions from the power stations. A significant carbon peak was noted in the residues from the evaporated particles, suggesting that some secondary organic aerosol formation may also have been catalysed by these acid seed particles. No primary particulate material was observed in the minus 0.3 μm fraction. The results of this study indicate the contribution of species more commonly associated with gas to particle conversion may be more significant than expected, even close to source

Physicochemical characteristics and occupational exposure to coarse, fine and ultrafine particles during building refurbishment activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Azarmi, Farhad; Kumar, Prashant, E-mail: p.kumar@surrey.ac.uk, E-mail: prashant.kumar@cantab.net; Mulheron, Mike [University of Surrey, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (United Kingdom); Colaux, Julien L.; Jeynes, Chris [University of Surrey, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Ion Beam Centre (United Kingdom); Adhami, Siavash; Watts, John F. [University of Surrey, The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (United Kingdom)

2015-08-15

Understanding of the emissions of coarse (PM{sub 10} ≤10 μm), fine (PM{sub 2.5} ≤2.5 μm) and ultrafine particles (UFP <100 nm) from refurbishment activities and their dispersion into the nearby environment is of primary importance for developing efficient risk assessment and management strategies in the construction and demolition industry. This study investigates the release, occupational exposure and physicochemical properties of particulate matter, including UFPs, from over 20 different refurbishment activities occurring at an operational building site. Particles were measured in the 5–10,000-nm-size range using a fast response differential mobility spectrometer and a GRIMM particle spectrometer for 55 h over 8 days. The UFPs were found to account for >90 % of the total particle number concentrations and <10 % of the total mass concentrations released during the recorded activities. The highest UFP concentrations were 4860, 740, 650 and 500 times above the background value during wall-chasing, drilling, cementing and general demolition activities, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ion beam analysis were used to identify physicochemical characteristics of particles and attribute them to probable sources considering the size and the nature of the particles. The results confirm that refurbishment activities produce significant levels (both number and mass) of airborne particles, indicating a need to develop appropriate regulations for the control of occupational exposure of operatives undertaking building refurbishment.

Ultrafine particles from diesel engines induce vascular oxidative stress via JNK activation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rongsong; Ning, Zhi; Cui, Jeffery; Khalsa, Bhavraj; Ai, Lisong; Takabe, Wakako; Beebe, Tyler; Majumdar, Rohit; Sioutas, Constantinos; Hsiai, Tzung

2009-03-15

Exposure to particulate air pollution is linked to increased incidences of cardiovascular diseases. Ambient ultrafine particles (UFP) from diesel vehicle engines have been shown to be proatherogenic in ApoE knockout mice and may constitute a major cardiovascular risk in humans. We posited that circulating nano-sized particles from traffic pollution sources induce vascular oxidative stress via JNK activation in endothelial cells. Diesel UFP were collected from a 1998 Kenworth truck. Intracellular superoxide assay revealed that these UFP dose-dependently induced superoxide (O(2)(-)) production in human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC). Flow cytometry showed that UFP increased MitoSOX red intensity specific for mitochondrial superoxide. Protein carbonyl content was increased by UFP as an indication of vascular oxidative stress. UFP also up-regulated heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and tissue factor (TF) mRNA expression, and pretreatment with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine significantly decreased their expression. Furthermore, UFP transiently activated JNK in HAEC. Treatment with the JNK inhibitor SP600125 and silencing of both JNK1 and JNK2 with siRNA inhibited UFP-stimulated O(2)(-) production and mRNA expression of HO-1 and TF. Our findings suggest that JNK activation plays an important role in UFP-induced oxidative stress and stress response gene expression.

Deposition of ultrafine aerosols in F344/N rat nasal casts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Y S; Hansen, G K; Su, Y F; Yeh, H C; Morgan, K T [Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)

1988-12-01

Determination of regional respiratory deposition of inhaled aerosols is critical for evaluation of the health effects of air pollutants. Information on deposition of larger particles (> 0.02 {mu}m) in the nasal passages of laboratory animals is available; the deposition fraction increases with increasing particle size. Little information on ultrafine particles less than 0.2 {mu}m is available. Molds (models) were prepared from replica casts of the nasal passages of F344/N rats, using clear casting plastic. Total deposition of ultrafine aerosols in these casts was then determined using a unidirectional flow system. Measured pressure drops in the casts were a function of flow rate to the power of 1.4-1.6, indicating that the flow through the nasal passage was not laminar. Deposition data were obtained from these casts, using monodisperse sodium chloride aerosols with particle size ranging from 0.2 to 0.005 {mu}m, at inspiratory and expiratory flow rates of 200 to 600 cc/min. Similar deposition data were obtained for the three casts studied. The deposition efficiency was greatest for the smallest particles, and decreased with increasing particle size and flow rate, indicating that diffusion was the dominant mechanism for deposition. At an inspiratory flow rate of 400 cc/min, which is comparable to a respiratory minute volume of 200 cc/min for mature male F344/N rats, deposition efficiencies reached 40 and 70% for 0.01 and 0.005 {mu}m particles, respectively. Turbulent diffusion was considered to be the dominant mechanism for deposition of ultrafine particles in the nasal passage. This information is important for understanding the toxicity and carcinogenicity of submicrometer particles, including diesel soot, radon progeny and vapors. (author)

Coal emissions adverse human health effects associated with ultrafine/nano-particles role and resultant engineering controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Marcos L S; Navarro, Orlando G; Crissien, Tito J; Tutikian, Bernardo F; da Boit, Kátia; Teixeira, Elba C; Cabello, Juan J; Agudelo-Castañeda, Dayana M; Silva, Luis F O

2017-10-01

There are multiple elements which enable coal geochemistry: (1) boiler and pollution control system design parameters, (2) temperature of flue gas at collection point, (3) feed coal and also other fuels like petroleum coke, tires and biomass geochemistry and (4) fuel feed particle size distribution homogeneity distribution, maintenance of pulverisers, etc. Even though there is a large number of hazardous element pollutants in the coal-processing industry, investigations on micrometer and nanometer-sized particles including their aqueous colloids formation reactions and their behaviour entering the environment are relatively few in numbers. X-ray diffraction (XRD), High Resolution-Transmission Electron microscopy (HR-TEM)/ (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) EDS/ (selected-area diffraction pattern) SAED, Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM)/EDS and granulometric distribution analysis were used as an integrated characterization techniques tool box to determine both geochemistry and nanomineralogy for coal fly ashes (CFAs) from Brazil´s largest coal power plant. Ultrafine/nano-particles size distribution from coal combustion emissions was estimated during the tests. In addition the iron and silicon content was determined as 54.6% of the total 390 different particles observed by electron bean, results aimed that these two particles represent major minerals in the environment particles normally. These data may help in future investigations to asses human health actions related with nano-particles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterizing the spatial distribution of ambient ultrafine particles in Toronto, Canada: A land use regression model.

Science.gov (United States)

Weichenthal, Scott; Van Ryswyk, Keith; Goldstein, Alon; Shekarrizfard, Maryam; Hatzopoulou, Marianne

2016-01-01

Exposure models are needed to evaluate the chronic health effects of ambient ultrafine particles (bus routes as well as variables for the number of on-street trees, parks, open space, and the length of bus routes within a 100 m buffer. There was no systematic difference between measured and predicted values when the model was evaluated in an external dataset, although the R(2) value decreased (R(2) = 50%). This model will be used to evaluate the chronic health effects of UFPs using population-based cohorts in the Toronto area. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variability in exposure to ambient ultrafine particles in urban schools: Comparative assessment between Australia and Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazaheri, Mandana; Reche, Cristina; Rivas, Ioar; Crilley, Leigh R; Álvarez-Pedrerol, Mar; Viana, Mar; Tobias, Aurelio; Alastuey, Andrés; Sunyer, Jordi; Querol, Xavier; Morawska, Lidia

2016-03-01

Ambient ultrafine particle number concentrations (PNC) have inhomogeneous spatio-temporal distributions and depend on a number of different urban factors, including background conditions and distant sources. This paper quantitatively compares exposure to ambient ultrafine particles at urban schools in two cities in developed countries, with high insolation climatic conditions, namely Brisbane (Australia) and Barcelona (Spain). The analysis used comprehensive indoor and outdoor air quality measurements at 25 schools in Brisbane and 39 schools in Barcelona. PNC modes were analysed with respect to ambient temperature, land use and urban characteristics, combined with the measured elemental carbon concentrations, NOx (Brisbane) and NO2 (Barcelona). The trends and modes of the quantified weekday average daily cycles of ambient PNC exhibited significant differences between the two cities. PNC increases were observed during traffic rush hours in both cases. However, the mid-day peak was dominant in Brisbane schools and had the highest contribution to total PNC for both indoors and outdoors. In Barcelona, the contribution from traffic was highest for ambient PNC, while the mid-day peak had a slightly higher contribution for indoor concentrations. Analysis of the relationships between PNC and land use characteristics in Barcelona schools showed a moderate correlation with the percentage of road network area and an anti-correlation with the percentage of green area. No statistically significant correlations were found for Brisbane. Overall, despite many similarities between the two cities, school-based exposure patterns were different. The main source of ambient PNC at schools was shown to be traffic in Barcelona and mid-day new particle formation in Brisbane. The mid-day PNC peak in Brisbane could have been driven by the combined effect of background and meteorological conditions, as well as other local/distant sources. The results have implications for urban development

Electron microscopy of atmospheric particles

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Po-Fu

Electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (EM/EDS) is a powerful tool for single particle analysis. However, the accuracy with which atmospheric particle compositions can be quantitatively determined by EDS is often hampered by substrate-particle interactions, volatilization losses in the low pressure microscope chamber, electron beam irradiation and use of inaccurate quantitation factors. A pseudo-analytical solution was derived to calculate the temperature rise due to the dissipation of the electron energy on a particle-substrate system. Evaporative mass loss for a spherical cap-shaped sulfuric acid particle resting on a thin film supported by a TEM grid during electron beam impingement has been studied. Measured volatilization rates were found to be in very good agreement with theoretical predictions. The method proposed can also be used to estimate the vapor pressure of a species by measuring the decay of X-ray intensities. Several types of substrates were studied. We found that silver-coated silicon monoxide substrates give carbon detection limits comparable to commercially available substrates. An advantage of these substrates is that the high thermal conductivity of the silver reduces heating due to electron beam impingement. In addition, exposure of sulfuric acid samples to ammonia overnight substantially reduces sulfur loss in the electron beam. Use of size-dependent k-factors determined from particles of known compositions shows promise for improving the accuracy of atmospheric particle compositions measured by EM/EDS. Knowledge accumulated during the course of this thesis has been used to analyze atmospheric particles (Minneapolis, MN) selected by the TDMA and collected by an aerodynamic focusing impactor. 'Less' hygroscopic particles, which do not grow to any measurable extent when humidified to ~90% relative humidity, included chain agglomerates, spheres, flakes, and irregular shapes. Carbon was the predominant element detected in

Assessing and reducing fine and ultrafine particles inside Los Angeles taxis

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Nu; Shu, Shi; Lin, Yan; Zhu, Yifang

2018-05-01

Taxi drivers and passengers are exposed to high levels of traffic-related air pollutants, but their exposures to fine (PM2.5) and ultrafine particles (UFPs) and related mitigation strategies are rarely explored. In this study, UFP and PM2.5 concentrations were monitored concurrently inside and outside of 22 taxis under different ventilation and mitigation conditions. Under realistic working conditions (no mitigation; NM), the average UFP and PM2.5 levels inside taxis were 1.46 × 104 particles/cm3 and 26 μg/m3, respectively. When the taxi ventilation was set to outside air mode and the windows kept closed, in-cabin UFP and PM2.5 concentrations are significantly associated with on-road concentrations, driving speed, and cabin air filter usage. The average in-cabin to on-roadway (I/O) ratios for UFP and PM2.5 were reduced from 0.60 to 0.75 under NM, to 0.47 and 0.52 under the most stringent mitigation strategy of keeping the windows closed and operating a high efficiency cabin air filter (WC + HECA). Among all tested taxi models, Toyota Prius exhibited the lowest UFP and PM2.5 I/O ratios under WC + HECA. Switching cabin air filters from the originally equipped manufacturer filter (OEM) to a HECA filter reduced the UFP and PM2.5 I/O ratios most effectively in Toyota Prius taxis as well.

Air quality in the German-Czech border region: A focus on harmful fractions of PM and ultrafine particles

Science.gov (United States)

Schladitz, Alexander; Leníček, Jan; Beneš, Ivan; Kováč, Martin; Skorkovský, Jiří; Soukup, Aleš; Jandlová, Jana; Poulain, Laurent; Plachá, Helena; Löschau, Gunter; Wiedensohler, Alfred

2015-12-01

A comprehensive air quality study has been carried out at two urban background sites in Annaberg-Buchholz (Germany) and Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic) in the German-Czech border region between January 2012 and June 2014. Special attention was paid to quantify harmful fractions of particulate matter (PM) and ultrafine particle number concentration (UFP) from solid fuel combustion and vehicular traffic. Source type contributions of UFP were quantified by using the daily concentration courses of UFP and nitrogen oxide. Two different source apportionment techniques were used to quantify relative and absolute mass contributions: positive matrix factorization for total PM2.5 and elemental carbon in PM2.5 and chemical mass balance for total PM1 and organic carbon in PM1. Contributions from solid fuel combustion strongly differed between the non-heating period (April-September) and the heating period (October-March). Major sources of solid fuel combustion in this study were wood and domestic coal combustion, while the proportion of industrial coal combustion was low (source of organic carbon ranging from 34% to 43%. Wood combustion was an important source of organic carbon in Annaberg-Buchholz throughout the year. Heavy metals and less volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the accumulation mode were related to solid fuel combustion with enhanced concentrations during the heating period. In contrast, vehicular PAH emissions were allocated to the Aitken mode. Only in Ústí nad Labem a significant contribution of photochemical new particle formation (e.g. from sulfur dioxide) to UFP of almost 50% was observed during noontime. UFPs from traffic emissions (nucleation particles) and primary emitted soot particles dominated at both sites during the rest of the day. The methodology of a combined source apportionment of UFP and PM can be adapted to other regions of the world with similar problems of atmospheric pollution to calculate the relative risk in

Preparation of an ultra-fine, slightly dispersed silver iodide aerosol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poc, Marie-Martine

1973-01-01

A silver iodide aerosol was prepared under clean conditions. The method was to react iodine vapor with a silver aerosol in an inert dry atmosphere and in darkness. Great care was taken to avoid contamination from atmosphere air. The ice nucleating properties of the ultrafine AgI aerosol obtained were studied in a cloud mixing chamber: the aerosol was found to be strangely inactive. (author) [fr

Defect structure of ultrafine MgB2 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bateni, Ali; Somer, Mehmet; Repp, Sergej; Erdem, Emre; Thomann, Ralf; Acar, Selçuk

2014-01-01

Defect structure of MgB 2 bulk and ultrafine particles, synthesized by solid state reaction route, have been investigated mainly by the aid of X-band electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer. Two different amorphous Boron (B) precursors were used for the synthesis of MgB 2 , namely, boron 95 (purity 95%–97%, <1.5 μm) and nanoboron (purity >98.5%, <250 nm), which revealed bulk and nanosized MgB 2 , respectively. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy analysis demonstrate uniform and ultrafine morphology for nanosized MgB 2 in comparison with bulk MgB 2 . Powder X-ray diffraction data show that the concentration of the by-product MgO is significantly reduced when nanoboron is employed as precursor. It is observed that a significant average particle size reduction for MgB 2 can be achieved only by using B particles of micron or nano size. The origin and the role of defect centers were also investigated and the results proved that at nanoscale MgB 2 material contains Mg vacancies. Such vacancies influence the connectivity and the conductivity properties which are crucial for the superconductivity applications

Ultrafine and Fine Particulate Matter Inside and Outside of Mechanically Ventilated Buildings.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Shelly L; Facciola, Nick A; Toohey, Darin; Zhai, John

2017-01-28

The objectives of this study were to measure levels of particulate matter (PM) in mechanically ventilated buildings and to improve understanding of filtration requirements to reduce exposure. With the use of an Ultra High Sensitivity Aerosol Spectrometer and an Aerodyne Mass Spectrometer, ultrafine (0.055-0.1 μm) and fine (0.1-0.7 μm) indoor and outdoor PM was measured as a function of time in an office, a university building, and two elementary schools. Indoor particle levels were highly correlated with outdoor levels. Indoor and outdoor number concentrations in Denver were higher than those in Boulder, with the highest number concentrations occurring during summer and fall. The ratio of indoor-to-outdoor (I/O) PM was weakly but positively correlated with the amount of ventilation provided to the indoor environment, did not vary much with particle size (ranged between 0.48 and 0.63 for the entire size range), and was similar for each period of the week (weekend vs. weekday, night vs. day). Regression analyses showed that ultrafine indoor PM baseline concentrations were higher at night from nighttime infiltration. A lag time was observed between outdoor and indoor measurements. Weekday days had the shortest lag time of 11 min, and weekend nighttime lags when the HVAC was not in use were 50 to 148 min. Indoor-outdoor PM concentration plots showed ultrafine PM was more correlated compared to fine, and especially when the HVAC system was on. Finally, AMS data showed that most of the PM was organic, with occasional nitrate events occurring outdoors. During nitrate events, there were less indoor particles detected, indicating a loss of particulate phase nitrate. The results from this study show that improved filtration is warranted in mechanically ventilated buildings, particularly for ultrafine particles, and that nighttime infiltration is significant depending on the building design.

Concentration levels and source apportionment of ultrafine particles in road microenvironments

Science.gov (United States)

Argyropoulos, G.; Samara, C.; Voutsa, D.; Kouras, A.; Manoli, E.; Voliotis, A.; Tsakis, A.; Chasapidis, L.; Konstandopoulos, A.; Eleftheriadis, K.

2016-03-01

A mobile laboratory unit (MOBILAB) with on-board instrumentation (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer, SMPS; Ambient NOx analyzer) was used to measure size-resolved particle number concentrations (PNCs) of quasi-ultrafine particles (UFPs, 9-372 nm), along with NOx, in road microenvironments. On-road measurements were carried out in and around a large Greek urban agglomeration, the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Area (TMA). Two 2-week measurement campaigns were conducted during the warm period of 2011 and the cold period of 2012. During each sampling campaign, MOBILAB was driven through a 5-day inner-city route and a second 5-day external route covering in total a wide range of districts (urban, urban background, industrial and residential), and road types (major and minor urban roads, freeways, arterial and interurban roads). All routes were conducted during working days, in morning and in afternoon hours under real-world traffic conditions. Spatial classification of MOBILAB measurements involved the assignment of measurement points to location bins defined by the aspect ratio of adjacent urban street canyons (USCs). Source apportionment was further carried out, by applying Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) to particle size distribution data. Apportioned PMF factors were interpreted, by employing a two-step methodology, which involved (a) statistical association of PMF factor contributions with 12 h air-mass back-trajectories ending at the TMA during MOBILAB measurements, and (b) Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) using PMF factor contributions as the dependent variables, while relative humidity, solar radiation flux, and vehicle speed were used as the independent variables. The applied data analysis showed that low-speed cruise and high-load engine operation modes are the two dominant sources of UFPs in most of the road microenvironments in the TMA, with significant contributions from background photochemical processes during the warm period, explaining the reversed

Pulmonary diseases induced by ambient ultrafine and engineered nanoparticles in twenty-first century.

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Tian; Zhu, Yifang; Mu, Lina; Zhang, Zuo-Feng; Liu, Sijin

2016-12-01

Air pollution is a severe threat to public health globally, affecting everyone in developed and developing countries alike. Among different air pollutants, particulate matter (PM), particularly combustion-produced fine PM (PM 2.5 ) has been shown to play a major role in inducing various adverse health effects. Strong associations have been demonstrated by epidemiological and toxicological studies between increases in PM 2.5 concentrations and premature mortality, cardiopulmonary diseases, asthma and allergic sensitization, and lung cancer. The mechanisms of PM-induced toxicological effects are related to their size, chemical composition, lung clearance and retention, cellular oxidative stress responses and pro-inflammatory effects locally and systemically. Particles in the ultrafine range (ambient ultrafine particles have higher toxic potential compared with PM 2.5 . In addition, the rapid development of nanotechnology, bringing ever-increasing production of nanomaterials, has raised concerns about the potential human exposure and health impacts. All these add to the complexity of PM-induced health effects that largely remains to be determined, and mechanistic understanding on the toxicological effects of ambient ultrafine particles and nanomaterials will be the focus of studies in the near future.

Environmentally persistent free radicals amplify ultrafine particle mediated cellular oxidative stress and cytotoxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balakrishna Shrilatha

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Combustion generated particulate matter is deposited in the respiratory tract and pose a hazard to the lungs through their potential to cause oxidative stress and inflammation. We have previously shown that combustion of fuels and chlorinated hydrocarbons produce semiquinone-type radicals that are stabilized on particle surfaces (i.e. environmentally persistent free radicals; EPFRs. Because the composition and properties of actual combustion-generated particles are complex, heterogeneous in origin, and vary from day-to-day, we have chosen to use surrogate particle systems. In particular, we have chosen to use the radical of 2-monochlorophenol (MCP230 as the EPFR because we have previously shown that it forms a EPFR on Cu(IIO surfaces and catalyzes formation of PCDD/F. To understand the physicochemical properties responsible for the adverse pulmonary effects of combustion by-products, we have exposed human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B to MCP230 or the CuO/silica substrate. Our general hypothesis was that the EPFR-containing particle would have greater toxicity than the substrate species. Results Exposure of BEAS-2B cells to our combustion generated particle systems significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS generation and decreased cellular antioxidants resulting in cell death. Resveratrol treatment reversed the decline in cellular glutathione (GSH, glutathione peroxidase (GPx, and superoxide dismutase (SOD levels for both types of combustion-generated particle systems. Conclusion The enhanced cytotoxicity upon exposure to MCP230 correlated with its ability to generate more cellular oxidative stress and concurrently reduce the antioxidant defenses of the epithelial cells (i.e. reduced GSH, SOD activity, and GPx. The EPFRs in MCP230 also seem to be of greater biological concern due to their ability to induce lipid peroxidation. These results are consistent with the oxidizing nature of the CuO/silica ultrafine

Redox Dynamics of Mixed Metal (Mn, Cr, and Fe) Ultrafine Particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nico, Peter S.; Kumfer, Benjamin M.; Kennedy, Ian M.; Anastasio, Cort

2008-08-01

The impact of particle composition on metal oxidation state, and on changes in oxidation state with simulated atmospheric aging, are investigated experimentally in flame-generated nanoparticles containing Mn, Cr, and Fe. The results demonstrate that the initial fraction of Cr(VI) within the particles decreases with increasing total metal concentration in the flame. In contrast, the initial Mn oxidation state was only partly controlled by metal loading, suggesting the importance of other factors. Two reaction pathways, one reductive and one oxidative, were found to be operating simultaneously during simulated atmospheric aging. The oxidative pathway depended upon the presence of simulated sunlight and O{sub 3}, whereas the reductive pathway occurred in the presence of simulated sunlight alone. The reductive pathway appears to be rapid but transient, allowing the oxidative pathway to dominate with longer aging times, i.e. greater than {approx}8 hours. The presence of Mn within the particles enhanced the importance of the oxidative pathway, leading to more net Cr oxidation during aging implying that Mn can mediate oxidation by removal of electrons from other particulate metals.

Method for fluidizing and coating ultrafine particles, device for fluidizing and coating ultrafine particles

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jie; Liu, Yung Y

2015-01-20

The invention provides a method for dispersing particles within a reaction field, the method comprising confining the particles to the reaction field using a standing wave. The invention also provides a system for coating particles, the system comprising a reaction zone; a means for producing fluidized particles within the reaction zone; a fluid to produce a standing wave within the reaction zone; and a means for introducing coating moieties to the reaction zone. The invention also provides a method for coating particles, the method comprising fluidizing the particles, subjecting the particles to a standing wave; and contacting the subjected particles with a coating moiety.

Electrode geometry effects on the collection efficiency of submicron and ultra-fine dust particles in spike-plate electrostatic precipitators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brocilo, D; Podlinski, J; Chang, J S; Mizeraczyk, J; Findlay, R D

2008-01-01

The collection efficiency of electrostatic precipitators for the submicron particles ranging from 0.1 to 1 μm and ultrafine particles smaller than 0. lμm is below the requirements of new PM2.5 emission regulations. In this work, numerical and experimental studies were conducted to examine the effect of discharge and collecting electrode geometries on the ion density and electric field profiles and consequently their effect on the particle surface charge and collection efficiency. The collection efficiency prediction was based on a modified Deutsche's equation after calculation of three dimensional electric field and ion density profiles. Whereas, the particle surface charge was obtained from diffusion and field charging models. Results show that the collection efficiency of fine particles for the spike-type discharge electrode when compared to the conventional wire-type was improved. Experimental validations were conducted on a bench scale electrostatic precipitator for total and partial collection efficiency of particles ranging in size from 0.01 to 20 μm and the results indicated that the model can be effectively applied for prototype design, modification, and scale-up of collecting and discharge electrodes.

Identification and quantification of particle growth channels during new particle formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. R. Pennington

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF is a key source of ambient ultrafine particles that may contribute substantially to the global production of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN. While NPF is driven by atmospheric nucleation, its impact on CCN concentration depends strongly on atmospheric growth mechanisms since the growth rate must exceed the loss rate due to scavenging in order for the particles to reach the CCN size range. In this work, chemical composition measurements of 20 nm diameter particles during NPF in Hyytiälä, Finland, in March–April 2011 permit identification and quantitative assessment of important growth channels. In this work we show the following: (A sulfuric acid, a key species associated with atmospheric nucleation, accounts for less than half of particle mass growth during this time period; (B the sulfate content of a growing particle during NPF is quantitatively explained by condensation of gas-phase sulfuric acid molecules (i.e., sulfuric acid uptake is collision-limited; (C sulfuric acid condensation substantially impacts the chemical composition of preexisting nanoparticles before new particles have grown to a size sufficient to be measured; (D ammonium and sulfate concentrations are highly correlated, indicating that ammonia uptake is driven by sulfuric acid uptake; (E sulfate neutralization by ammonium does not reach the predicted thermodynamic end point, suggesting that a barrier exists for ammonia uptake; (F carbonaceous matter accounts for more than half of the particle mass growth, and its oxygen-to-carbon ratio (~ 0.5 is characteristic of freshly formed secondary organic aerosol; and (G differences in the overall growth rate from one formation event to another are caused by variations in the growth rates of all major chemical species, not just one individual species.

New Ion-Nucleation Mechanism Relevant for the Earth's Atmosphere

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marsh, N.D.; Svensmark, Henrik; Pedersen, Jens Olaf Pepke

Experimental studies of ultra-fine aerosol nucleation in clean atmospheric air, containing trace amounts of ozone, sulphur dioxide, and water vapour suggest that the production rate of critical clusters is sensitive to ionisation. To assess this sensitivity numerical simulations of the initial...... stages of particle coagulation and condensation have been performed and compared with the experimental results. The simulations indicate that a stable distribution of sub 3nm particles exists that cannot be detected using standard techniques for measuring atmospheric aerosol, and that the nucleation rate...... of critical clusters generating this distribution is a function of the number of ions present. This provides a set of boundary conditions, which constrain the properties of a possible microphysical mechanism. The role of ions in the nucleation process of critical clusters provides a source for new aerosol...

Measurements of ultrafine particles and other vehicular pollutants inside school buses in South Texas

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qunfang; Zhu, Yifang

2010-01-01

Increasing evidence has demonstrated toxic effects of vehicular emitted ultrafine particles (UFPs, diameter pollutants, especially UFPs, was measured inside four diesel-powered school buses. Two 1990 and two 2006 model year diesel-powered school buses were selected to represent the age extremes of school buses in service. Each bus was driven on two routine bus runs to study school children's exposure under different transportation conditions in South Texas. The number concentration and size distribution of UFPs, total particle number concentration, PM 2.5, PM 10, black carbon (BC), CO, and CO 2 levels were monitored inside the buses. The average total particle number concentrations observed inside the school buses ranged from 7.3 × 10 3 to 3.4 × 10 4 particles cm -3, depending on engine age and window position. When the windows were closed, the in-cabin air pollutants were more likely due to the school buses' self-pollution. The 1990 model year school buses demonstrated much higher air pollutant concentrations than the 2006 model year ones. When the windows were open, the majority of in-cabin air pollutants came from the outside roadway environment with similar pollutant levels observed regardless of engine ages. The highest average UFP concentration was observed at a bus transfer station where approximately 27 idling school buses were queued to load or unload students. Starting-up and idling generated higher air pollutant levels than the driving state. Higher in-cabin air pollutant concentrations were observed when more students were on board.

Exposure assessment in Beijing, China: biological agents, ultrafine particles, and lead.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Shuofei; Yao, Maosheng

2010-11-01

In this study, air samples were taken using a BioSampler and gelatin filters from six sites in Beijing: office, hospital, student dormitory, train station, subway, and a commercial street. Dust samples were also collected using a surface sampler from the same environments. Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) and Glucatell assays were used to quantify sample endotoxin and (1,3)-β-d-glucan concentration levels, respectively. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the dust mite allergens (Der p 1 and Der f 1). Ultrafine particle and lead concentrations in these sampling sites were also measured using P-Trak and atomic absorption spectrometer, respectively. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and linear regression analysis were used to analyze the concentration data. Higher culturable bacteria (12,639 CFU/m3) and fungi (1,806 CFU/m3) concentrations were observed for the train station and the subway system, respectively. For the rest of sampling sites, their concentrations were comparable to those found in western countries, ranging from 990 to 2,276 CFU/m3 for bacteria, and from 119 to 269 CFU/m3 for fungi. ANOVA analysis indicated that there were statistically significant differences between the culturable bacterial and fungal concentration levels obtained for different sites (p value=0.0001 and 0.0047). As for dust allergens, endotoxin, and (1,3)-β-D-glucan, their concentrations also seemed to be comparable to those found in the developed countries. Airborne allergen concentrations ranged from 16 to 68 ng/m3. The dust-borne allergen concentration was observed to range from 0.063 to 0.327 ng/mg. As for endotoxin, the highest airborne concentration of 25.24 ng/m3 was observed for the commercial street, and others ranged from 0.0427 to 0.1259 ng/m3. And dust-borne endotoxin concentration ranged from 58.83 to 6,427.4 ng/mg. For (1,3)-β-D-glucan, the airborne concentration ranged from 0.02 to 1.2 ng/m3. Linear regression analyses showed that there existed

Atmospheric particle formation in spatially and temporally varying conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lauros, J.

2011-07-01

Atmospheric particles affect the radiation balance of the Earth and thus the climate. New particle formation from nucleation has been observed in diverse atmospheric conditions but the actual formation path is still unknown. The prevailing conditions can be exploited to evaluate proposed formation mechanisms. This study aims to improve our understanding of new particle formation from the view of atmospheric conditions. The role of atmospheric conditions on particle formation was studied by atmospheric measurements, theoretical model simulations and simulations based on observations. Two separate column models were further developed for aerosol and chemical simulations. Model simulations allowed us to expand the study from local conditions to varying conditions in the atmospheric boundary layer, while the long-term measurements described especially characteristic mean conditions associated with new particle formation. The observations show statistically significant difference in meteorological and back-ground aerosol conditions between observed event and non-event days. New particle formation above boreal forest is associated with strong convective activity, low humidity and low condensation sink. The probability of a particle formation event is predicted by an equation formulated for upper boundary layer conditions. The model simulations call into question if kinetic sulphuric acid induced nucleation is the primary particle formation mechanism in the presence of organic vapours. Simultaneously the simulations show that ignoring spatial and temporal variation in new particle formation studies may lead to faulty conclusions. On the other hand, the theoretical simulations indicate that short-scale variations in temperature and humidity unlikely have a significant effect on mean binary water sulphuric acid nucleation rate. The study emphasizes the significance of mixing and fluxes in particle formation studies, especially in the atmospheric boundary layer. The further

Co-formation of hydroperoxides and ultra-fine particles during the reactions of ozone with a complex VOC mixture under simulated indoor conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fan, Z.H.; Weschler, Charles J.; Han, IK

2005-01-01

In this study we examined the co-formation of hydrogen peroxide and other hydroperoxides (collectively presented as H2O2*) as well as submicron particles, including ultra-fine particles (UFP), resulting from the reactions of ozone (O-3) with a complex mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs...... higher than typical indoor levels. When O-3 was added to a 25-m(3) controlled environmental facility (CEF) containing the 23 VOC mixture, both H2O2* and submicron particles were formed. The 2-h average concentration of H2O2* was 1.89 +/- 0.30ppb, and the average total particle number concentration was 46...... to achieve saturated concentrations of the condensable organics. When the 2 terpenes were removed from the O-3/23 VOCs mixture, no H2O2* or particles were formed, indicating that the reactions of O-3 With the two terpenes were the key processes contributing to the formation of H2O2* and submicron particles...

PAH, BTEX, carbonyl compound, black-carbon, NO2 and ultrafine particle dynamometer bench emissions for Euro 4 and Euro 5 diesel and gasoline passenger cars

Science.gov (United States)

Louis, Cédric; Liu, Yao; Tassel, Patrick; Perret, Pascal; Chaumond, Agnès; André, Michel

2016-09-01

Although implementing Diesel particulate filters (DPF) and other novel aftertreatment technologies makes it possible to achieve significant reductions in particle mass emissions, it may induce the release of ultrafine particles and emissions of many other unregulated compounds. This paper focuses on (i) ultrafine particles, black carbon, BTEX, PAH, carbonyl compounds, and NO2 emissions from Euro 4 and Euro 5 Diesel and gasoline passenger cars, (ii) the influence of driving conditions (e.g., cold start, urban, rural and motorway conditions), and (iii) the impact of additive and catalysed DPF devices on vehicle emissions. Chassis dynamometer tests were conducted on four Euro 5 vehicles and two Euro 4 vehicles: gasoline vehicles with and without direct injection system and Diesel vehicles equipped with additive and catalysed particulate filters. The results showed that compared to hot-start cycles, cold-start urban cycles increased all pollutant emissions by a factor of two. The sole exception was NO2, which was reduced by a factor of 1.3-6. Particulate and black carbon emissions from the gasoline engines were significantly higher than those from the Diesel engines equipped with DPF. Moreover, the catalysed DPF emitted about 3-10 times more carbonyl compounds and particles than additive DPF, respectively, during urban driving cycles, while the additive DPF vehicles emitted 2 and 5 times more BTEX and carbonyl compounds during motorway driving cycles. Regarding particle number distribution, the motorway driving cycle induced the emission of particles smaller in diameter (mode at 15 nm) than the urban cold-start cycle (mode at 80-100 nm). The results showed a clear positive correlation between particle, black carbon, and BTEX emissions, and a negative correlation between particles and NO2.

Internal Combustion Engines as the Main Source of Ultrafine Particles in Residential Neighborhoods: Field Measurements in the Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jitka Stolcpartova

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Ultrafine particles (UFP, diameter < 100 nm exposure has already been associated with adverse effects on human health. Spatial distribution of UFP is non-uniform; they concentrate in the vicinity of the source, e.g. traffic, because of their short lifespan. This work investigates spatial distribution of UFP in three areas in the Czech Republic with different traffic load: High traffic (Prague neighborhood—Sporilov, commuter road vicinity (Libeznice, and a small city with only local traffic (Celakovice. Size-resolved measurements of particles in the 5–500 nm range were taken with a particle classifier mounted, along with batteries, GPS and other accessories, on a handcart and pushed around the areas, making one-minute or longer stops at places of interest. Concentrations along main roads were elevated in comparison with places farther from the road; this pattern was observed in all sites, while particle number distributions both close and away from main roads had similar patterns. The absence of larger particles, the relative absence of higher concentrations of particles away from the main roads, and similar number distributions suggest that high particle number concentrations cannot be readily attributed to sources other than internal combustion engines in vehicles and mobile machinery (i.e., mowers and construction machines.

Airborne observations of newly formed boundary layer aerosol particles under cloudy conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Altstädter

2018-06-01

Full Text Available This study describes the appearance of ultrafine boundary layer aerosol particles under classical non-favourable conditions at the research site of TROPOS (Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research. Airborne measurements of meteorological and aerosol properties of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL were repeatedly performed with the unmanned aerial system ALADINA (Application of Light-weight Aircraft for Detecting IN-situ Aerosol during three seasons between October 2013 and July 2015. More than 100 measurement flights were conducted on 23 different days with a total flight duration of 53 h. In 26 % of the cases, maxima of ultrafine particles were observed close to the inversion layer at altitudes between 400 and 600 m and the particles were rapidly mixed vertically and mainly transported downwards during short time intervals of cloud gaps. This study focuses on two measurement days affected by low-level stratocumulus clouds, but different wind directions (NE, SW and minimal concentrations (< 4.6 µg m−3 of SO2, as a common indicator for precursor gases at ground. Taken from vertical profiles, the onset of clouds led to a non-linearity of humidity that resulted in an increased turbulence at the local-scale and caused fast nucleation e.g., but in relation to rapid dilution of surrounding air, seen in sporadic clusters of ground data, so that ultrafine particles disappeared in the verticality. The typical banana shape of new particle formation (NPF and growth was not seen at ground and thus these days might not have been classified as NPF event days by pure surface studies.

Organic condensation: A vital link connecting aerosol formation to climate forcing (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Riipinen, I.; Pierce, J. R.; Yli-Juuti, T.; Nieminen, T.; Häkkinen, S.; Ehn, M.; Junninen, H.; Lehtipalo, K.; Petdjd, T. T.; Slowik, J. G.; Chang, R. Y.; Shantz, N. C.; Abbatt, J.; Leaitch, W. R.; Kerminen, V.; Worsnop, D. R.; Pandis, S. N.; Donahue, N. M.; Kulmala, M. T.

2010-12-01

Aerosol-cloud interactions represent the largest uncertainty in calculations of Earth’s radiative forcing. Number concentrations of atmospheric aerosol particles are in the core of this uncertainty, as they govern the numbers of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and influence the albedo and lifetime of clouds. Aerosols also impair air quality through their adverse effects on atmospheric visibility and human health. The ultrafine fraction ( 100 nm) and enhance the loss of ultrafine particles. Primary organic aerosol (POA) contributes to the large end of the aerosol size distribution, enhancing the scavenging of the ultrafine particles.

Formation of fine particles in co-combustion of coal and solid recovered fuel in a pulverized coal-fired power station

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Hao; Pedersen, Anne Juul; Glarborg, Peter

2011-01-01

showed an ultrafine mode centered at approximately 0.1 μm. Compared with coal combustion, co-combustion of coal and SRF increased the formation of submicron particles, especially ultrafine particles below 0.2 μm. The morphology of the particles indicated that supermicron particles were primarily formed...... by the melting of minerals. The ultrafine particles were generated through nucleation and coagulation of vaporized inorganic species, while for the particles in between supermicron and ultrafine particles, condensation of vaporized species or aggregation of nucleates on the existing spherical submicron particles...... appear to be an important formation mechanism. The elemental composition of the particles from coal combustion showed that S and Ca were significantly enriched in ultrafine particles and P was also enriched considerably. However, compared with supermicron particles, the contents of Al, Si and K were...

Measuring Mass-Based Hygroscopicity of Atmospheric Particles through in situ Imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piens, Dominique` Y.; Kelly, Stephen T.; Harder, Tristan; Petters, Markus D.; O' Brien, Rachel; Wang, Bingbing; Teske, Ken; Dowell, Pat; Laskin, Alexander; Gilles, Mary K.

2016-04-18

Quantifying how atmospheric particles interact with water vapor is critical for understanding the effects of aerosols on climate. We present a novel method to measure the mass-based hygroscopicity of particles while characterizing their elemental and carbon functional group compositions. Since mass-based hygroscopicity is insensitive to particle geometry, it is advantageous for probing the hygroscopic behavior of atmospheric particles, which can have irregular morphologies. Combining scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX), scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) analysis, and in situ STXM humidification experiments, this method was validated using laboratory-generated, atmospherically relevant particles. Then, the hygroscopicity and elemental composition of 15 complex atmospheric particles were analyzed by leveraging quantification of C, N, and O from STXM, and complementary elemental quantification from SEM/EDX. We found three types of hygroscopic responses, and correlated high hygroscopicity with Na and Cl content. The mixing state determined for 158 particles broadly agreed with those of the humidified particles, indicating the potential to infer the atmospheric hygroscopic behavior from a selected subset of particles. These methods offer unique quantitative capabilities to characterize and correlate the hygroscopicity and chemistry of individual submicron atmospheric particles.

Influence of Ultrafine 2CaO·SiO₂ Powder on Hydration Properties of Reactive Powder Concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Hongfang; Li, Zishanshan; Memon, Shazim Ali; Zhang, Qiwu; Wang, Yaocheng; Liu, Bing; Xu, Weiting; Xing, Feng

2015-09-17

In this research, we assessed the influence of an ultrafine 2CaO·SiO₂ powder on the hydration properties of a reactive powder concrete system. The ultrafine powder was manufactured through chemical combustion method. The morphology of ultrafine powder and the development of hydration products in the cement paste prepared with ultrafine powder were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mineralogical composition were determined by X-ray diffraction, while the heat release characteristics up to the age of 3 days were investigated by calorimetry. Moreover, the properties of cementitious system in fresh and hardened state (setting time, drying shrinkage, and compressive strength) with 5% ordinary Portland cement replaced by ultrafine powder were evaluated. From SEM micrographs, the particle size of ultrafine powder was found to be up to several hundred nanometers. The hydration product started formulating at the age of 3 days due to slow reacting nature of belitic 2CaO·SiO₂. The initial and final setting times were prolonged and no significant difference in drying shrinkage was observed when 5% ordinary Portland cement was replaced by ultrafine powder. Moreover, in comparison to control reactive powder concrete, the reactive powder concrete containing ultrafine powder showed improvement in compressive strength at and above 7 days of testing. Based on above, it can be concluded that the manufactured ultrafine 2CaO·SiO₂ powder has the potential to improve the performance of a reactive powder cementitious system.

The Radiation Synthesis of Ultra-Fine Powdered Carboxylated Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (UFCSBR) and Property of Nylon 6/ UFCSBR Blends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, L.

2006-01-01

A serial of novel ultra-fine powdered carboxylated styrene-butadiene rubber (UFCSBR) were prepared by using radiation crosslinking and spray drying method. Thereafter, these powdered rubber particles were used as toughener of nylon 6.The radiation synthesis of ultra-fine powdered rubbers were studied, moreover, the mechanical and thermal property of nylon 6/UFCSBR blends were investigated. Finally, the toughening mechanism of nylon 6 modified with ultra-fine rubber particles was discussed. The UFCSBR could be dispersed well in nylon 6 as individual particles with a diameter of 150 nm by using melt blending. The Nylon 6/UFCSBR (80/20) blend possesses higher toughness and higher thermal stability than Nylon 6/POE-g-MAH (which is most often used elastomer in toughening nylon now). The deformation mechanism of nylon 6/UFCSBR blends includes shear deformation of nylon 6 and the formation of elongated rubber particles in matrix. In addition, the UFCSBR has good interfacial compatibility with nylon 6. Therefore, the nylon 6/UFCSBR blends with good mechanical performance could be prepared in this work

MEMS-based silicon cantilevers with integrated electrothermal heaters for airborne ultrafine particle sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Wasisto, Hutomo Suryo; Merzsch, Stephan; Waag, Andreas; Peiner, Erwin

2013-05-01

The development of low-cost and low-power MEMS-based cantilever sensors for possible application in hand-held airborne ultrafine particle monitors is described in this work. The proposed resonant sensors are realized by silicon bulk micromachining technology with electrothermal excitation, piezoresistive frequency readout, and electrostatic particle collection elements integrated and constructed in the same sensor fabrication process step of boron diffusion. Built-in heating resistor and full Wheatstone bridge are set close to the cantilever clamp end for effective excitation and sensing, respectively, of beam deflection. Meanwhile, the particle collection electrode is located at the cantilever free end. A 300 μm-thick, phosphorus-doped silicon bulk wafer is used instead of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) as the starting material for the sensors to reduce the fabrication costs. To etch and release the cantilevers from the substrate, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) cryogenic dry etching is utilized. By controlling the etching parameters (e.g., temperature, oxygen content, and duration), cantilever structures with thicknesses down to 10 - 20 μm are yielded. In the sensor characterization, the heating resistor is heated and generating thermal waves which induce thermal expansion and further cause mechanical bending strain in the out-of-plane direction. A resonant frequency of 114.08 +/- 0.04 kHz and a quality factor of 1302 +/- 267 are measured in air for a fabricated rectangular cantilever (500x100x13.5 μm3). Owing to its low power consumption of a few milliwatts, this electrothermal cantilever is suitable for replacing the current external piezoelectric stack actuator in the next generation of the miniaturized cantilever-based nanoparticle detector (CANTOR).

Particle pollution changes the atmospheric circulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kristjansson, Jon Egill; Iversen, Trond; Kirkevaag, Alf; Seland, Oeyvind; Debernard, Jens; Roeed, Lars Petter

2002-01-01

Industrial emissions and combustion of fossil fuels create large amounts of sulfate- and carbon containing soot particles. These mix with natural particles to change the natural aerosols. Such anthropogenic changes in the aerosols may have a great impact on the climate of the earth. Altered properties of the aerosols may change the atmosphere's absorption and reflection of solar radiation and contribute to heating or cooling. This is the direct effect. Changes in the properties of aerosols may also affect the number and size of recently formed cloud droplets. This may change the ability of the clouds to reflect solar radiation and to produce precipitation. This is the indirect effect. Recent research at the University of Oslo shows that anthropogenic particles significantly change the atmospheric circulation, in particular in the tropics, but also at European latitudes

Magnetic Particles Are Found In The Martian Atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

1976-01-01

The dark bullseye pattern seen at the top of Viking l's camera calibration chart indicates the presence of magnetic particles in the fine dust in the Martian atmosphere. A tiny magnet is mounted at that spot to catch wind-borne magnetic particles. The particles may have been tossed into the atmosphere surrounding the spacecraft at the time of landing and during the digging and delivery of the Mars soil sample by the surface sampler scoop. This picture was taken August 4.

Charging and coagulation of radioactive and nonradioactive particles in the atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yong-ha; Yiacoumi, Sotira

2016-01-01

Charging and coagulation influence one another and impact the particle charge and size distributions in the atmosphere. However, few investigations to date have focused on the coagulation kinetics of atmospheric particles accumulating charge. This study presents three approaches to include mutual effects of charging and coagulation on the microphysical evolution of atmospheric particles such as radioactive particles. The first approach employs ion balance, charge balance, and a bivariate population balance model (PBM) to comprehensively calculate both charge accumulation and coagulation rates of particles. The second approach involves a much simpler description of charging, and uses a monovariate PBM and subsequent effects of charge on particle coagulation. The third approach is further simplified assuming that particles instantaneously reach their steady-state charge distributions. It is found that compared to the other two approaches, the first approach can accurately predict time-dependent changes in the size and charge distributions of particles over a wide size range covering from the free molecule to continuum regimes. The other two approaches can reliably predict both charge accumulation and coagulation rates for particles larger than about 0.04 micrometers and atmospherically relevant conditions. These approaches are applied to investigate coagulation kinetics of particles accumulating charge in a radioactive neutralizer, the urban atmosphere, and an atmospheric system containing radioactive particles. Limitations of the approaches are discussed.

Relationships of outdoor and indoor ultrafine particles at residences downwind of a major international border crossing in Buffalo, NY.

Science.gov (United States)

McAuley, T R; Fisher, R; Zhou, X; Jaques, P A; Ferro, A R

2010-08-01

During winter 2006, indoor and outdoor ultrafine particle (UFP) size distribution measurements for particles with diameters from 5.6 to 165 nm were taken at five homes in a neighborhood directly adjacent to the Peace Bridge Complex (PBC), a major international border crossing connecting Buffalo, New York to Fort Erie, Ontario. Monitoring with 1-s time resolution was conducted for several hours at each home. Participants were instructed to keep all external windows and doors closed and to refrain from cooking, smoking, or other activity that may result in elevating the indoor UFP number concentration. Although the construction and age for the homes were similar, indoor-to-outdoor comparisons indicate that particle infiltration rates varied substantially. Overall, particle concentrations indoors were lower and less variable than particle concentrations outdoors, with average indoor-outdoor ratios ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 (mean 0.34) for particles between 5.6 and 165 nm in diameter. With no indoor sources, the average indoor-outdoor ratios were lowest (0.2) for 20-nm particles, higher (0.3) for particles <10 nm, and highest (0.5) for particles 70-165 nm. This study provides insight into the penetration of UFP into homes and the resulting change in particle size distributions as particles move indoors near a major diesel traffic source. Although people spend most of their time in their homes, exposure estimates for epidemiological studies are generally determined using ambient concentrations. The findings of this study will contribute to improved size-resolved UFP exposure estimates for near roadway exposure assessments and epidemiological studies.

Reduction of exposure to ultrafine particles by kitchen exhaust hoods: the effects of exhaust flow rates, particle size, and burner position.

Science.gov (United States)

Rim, Donghyun; Wallace, Lance; Nabinger, Steven; Persily, Andrew

2012-08-15

Cooking stoves, both gas and electric, are one of the strongest and most common sources of ultrafine particles (UFP) in homes. UFP have been shown to be associated with adverse health effects such as DNA damage and respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. This study investigates the effectiveness of kitchen exhaust hoods in reducing indoor levels of UFP emitted from a gas stove and oven. Measurements in an unoccupied manufactured house monitored size-resolved UFP (2 nm to 100 nm) concentrations from the gas stove and oven while varying range hood flow rate and burner position. The air change rate in the building was measured continuously based on the decay of a tracer gas (sulfur hexafluoride, SF(6)). The results show that range hood flow rate and burner position (front vs. rear) can have strong effects on the reduction of indoor levels of UFP released from the stove and oven, subsequently reducing occupant exposure to UFP. Higher range hood flow rates are generally more effective for UFP reduction, though the reduction varies with particle diameter. The influence of the range hood exhaust is larger for the back burner than for the front burner. The number-weighted particle reductions for range hood flow rates varying between 100 m(3)/h and 680 m(3)/h range from 31% to 94% for the front burner, from 54% to 98% for the back burner, and from 39% to 96% for the oven. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Ultrafine 2CaO·SiO2 Powder on Hydration Properties of Reactive Powder Concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongfang Sun

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In this research, we assessed the influence of an ultrafine 2CaO·SiO2 powder on the hydration properties of a reactive powder concrete system. The ultrafine powder was manufactured through chemical combustion method. The morphology of ultrafine powder and the development of hydration products in the cement paste prepared with ultrafine powder were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, mineralogical composition were determined by X-ray diffraction, while the heat release characteristics up to the age of 3 days were investigated by calorimetry. Moreover, the properties of cementitious system in fresh and hardened state (setting time, drying shrinkage, and compressive strength with 5% ordinary Portland cement replaced by ultrafine powder were evaluated. From SEM micrographs, the particle size of ultrafine powder was found to be up to several hundred nanometers. The hydration product started formulating at the age of 3 days due to slow reacting nature of belitic 2CaO·SiO2. The initial and final setting times were prolonged and no significant difference in drying shrinkage was observed when 5% ordinary Portland cement was replaced by ultrafine powder. Moreover, in comparison to control reactive powder concrete, the reactive powder concrete containing ultrafine powder showed improvement in compressive strength at and above 7 days of testing. Based on above, it can be concluded that the manufactured ultrafine 2CaO·SiO2 powder has the potential to improve the performance of a reactive powder cementitious system.

Formation of bands of ultrafine beryllium particles during rapid solidification of Al-Be alloys: Modeling and direct observations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elmer, J.W.; Tanner, L.E.; Smith, P.M.; Wall, M.A.; Aziz, M.J.

1994-01-01

Rapid solidification of dilute hyper-eutectic and monotectic alloys sometimes produces a dispersion of ultrafine randomly-oriented particles that lie in arrays parallel to the advancing solidification front. The authors characterize this effect in Al-Be where Be-rich particles with diameters on the order of 10 nm form in arrays spaced approximately 25 nm apart, and they present a model of macroscopically steady state but microscopically oscillatory motion of the solidification front to explain this unusual microstructure. The proposed mechanism involves; (i) the build-up of rejected solute in a diffusional boundary layer which slows down the growing crystal matrix, (2) the boundary layer composition entering a metastable liquid miscibility gap, (3) homogeneous nucleation of solute rich liquid droplets in the boundary layer, and crystallization of these droplets, and (4) growth of the matrix past the droplets and its reformation into a planar interface. The size of the Be-rich particles is limited by the beryllium supersaturation in the diffusional boundary layer. A numerical model was developed to investigate this solidification mechanism, and the results of the model are in good agreement with experimental observations of rapidly solidified Al-5 at.% Be

Applicability of a two-step laser desorption-ionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer for determination of chemical composition of ultrafine aerosol particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laitinen, T.

2013-11-01

This thesis is based on the construction of a two-step laser desorption-ionization aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (laser AMS), which is capable of measuring 10 to 50 nm aerosol particles collected from urban and rural air at-site and in near real time. The operation and applicability of the instrument was tested with various laboratory measurements, including parallel measurements with filter collection/chromatographic analysis, and then in field experiments in urban environment and boreal forest. Ambient ultrafine aerosol particles are collected on a metal surface by electrostatic precipitation and introduced to the time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) with a sampling valve. Before MS analysis particles are desorbed from the sampling surface with an infrared laser and ionized with a UV laser. The formed ions are guided to the TOF-MS by ion transfer optics, separated according to their m/z ratios, and detected with a micro channel plate detector. The laser AMS was used in urban air studies to quantify the carbon cluster content in 50 nm aerosol particles. Standards for the study were produced from 50 nm graphite particles, suspended in toluene, with 72 hours of high power sonication. The results showed the average amount of carbon clusters (winter 2012, Helsinki, Finland) in 50 nm particles to be 7.2% per sample. Several fullerenes/fullerene fragments were detected during the measurements. In boreal forest measurements, the laser AMS was capable of detecting several different organic species in 10 to 50 nm particles. These included nitrogen-containing compounds, carbon clusters, aromatics, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and oxygenated hydrocarbons. A most interesting event occurred during the boreal forest measurements in spring 2011 when the chemistry of the atmosphere clearly changed during snow melt. On that time concentrations of laser AMS ions m/z 143 and 185 (10 nm particles) increased dramatically. Exactly at the same time, quinoline concentrations

Comparison between particulate matter and ultrafine particle emission by electronic and normal cigarettes in real-life conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruprecht, Ario Alberto; De Marco, Cinzia; Pozzi, Paolo; Munarini, Elena; Mazza, Roberto; Angellotti, Giorgia; Turla, Francesca; Boffi, Roberto

2014-01-01

Electronic cigarettes may be safer than conventional cigarettes as they generate less indoor pollution in terms of particulate matter (PM); however, recent findings in experimental conditions demonstrated that secondhand exposure to PM may be expected from e-cigarette smoking. The aim of the present study was to investigate the emission of PM generated by e-cigarettes and normal cigarettes under real-life conditions. Real-time measurement and comparison of PM and ultrafine particles (UFP) generated by electronic cigarettes with and without nicotine and by normal cigarettes in a 50 m3 office of an Italian comprehensive cancer center was performed. PM mass as PM1, PM2.5, PM7, PM10, total suspended particles (TSP) in μg/m³ and UFP in number of particles per cubic centimeter from 10 to 1,000 nanometers were measured. Outdoor concentrations were measured contemporaneously to compensate for urban background changes. Regardless of their nicotine content, e-cigarettes generated lower PM levels than conventional cigarettes. Notably, nicotine-enriched e-cigarettes produced lower PM levels than their nicotine-free counterparts. E-cigarettes appear to generate less indoor pollution than normal cigarettes and may therefore be safer. Further studies are required to investigate the long-term health-related effects of secondhand e-cigarette exposure.

The composition of nucleation and Aitken modes particles during coastal nucleation events: evidence for marine secondary organic contribution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Vaattovaara

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Newly-formed nanometer-sized particles have been observed at coastal and marine environments world wide. Organic species have so far not been detected in those newly-formed nucleation mode particles. In this study, we applied the ultrafine organic tandem differential mobility analyzer method to study the possible existence of an organic fraction in recently formed coastal nucleation mode particles (d<20 nm at the Mace Head research station. Furthermore, effects of those nucleation events on potential cloud condensation nuclei were studied. The coastal events were typical for the Mace Head region and they occurred at low tide conditions during efficient solar radiation and enhanced biological activity in spring 2002. Additionally, a pulse height analyzer ultrafine condensation particle counter technique was used to study the composition of newly-formed particles formed in low tide conditions during a lower biological activity in October 2002. The overall results of the ultrafine organic tandem differential mobility analyzer and the pulse height analyzer ultrafine condensation particle counter measurements indicate that those coastally/marinely formed nucleation mode particles include a remarkable fraction of secondary organic products, beside iodine oxides, which are likely to be responsible for the nucleation. During clean marine air mass conditions, the origin of those secondary organic oxidation compounds can be related to marine coast and open ocean biota and thus a major fraction of the organics may originate from biosynthetic production of alkenes such as isoprene and their oxidation driven by iodine radicals, hydroxyl radicals, acid catalysis, and ozone during efficient solar radiation. During modified marine conditions, also anthropogenic secondary organic compounds may contribute to the nucleation mode organic mass, in addition to biogenic secondary organic compounds. Thus, the ultrafine organic tandem differential mobility analyzer

Remote measurement of atmospheric pollutants

Science.gov (United States)

Allario, F.; Hoell, J.; Seals, R. K.

1979-01-01

The concentration and vertical distribution of atmospheric ammonia and ozone are remotely sensed, using dual-C02-laser multichannel infrared Heterodyne Spectrometer (1HS). Innovation makes atmospheric pollution measurements possible with nearly-quantum-noise-limited sensitivity and ultrafine spectral resolution.

Examining Model Atmospheric Particles Inside and Out

Science.gov (United States)

Wingen, L. M.; Zhao, Y.; Fairhurst, M. C.; Perraud, V. M.; Ezell, M. J.; Finlayson-Pitts, B. J.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric particles scatter incoming solar radiation and act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), thereby directly and indirectly affecting the earth's radiative balance and reducing visibility. These atmospheric particles may not be uniform in composition. Differences in the composition of a particle's outer surface from its core can arise during particle growth, (photo)chemical aging, and exchange of species with the gas phase. The nature of the surface on a molecular level is expected to impact growth mechanisms as well as their ability to act as CCN. Model laboratory particle systems are explored using direct analysis in real time-mass spectrometry (DART-MS), which is sensitive to surface composition, and contrasted with average composition measurements using high resolution, time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometry (HR-ToF-AMS). Results include studies of the heterogeneous reactions of amines with solid dicarboxylic acid particles, which are shown to generate aminium dicarboxylate salts at the particle surface, leaving an unreacted core. Combination of both mass spectrometric techniques reveals a trend in reactivity of C3-C7 dicarboxylic acids with amines and allows calculation of the DART probe depth into the particles. The results of studies on additional model systems that are currently being explored will also be reported.

Ultrafine coal classification using 150 mm gMax cyclone circuits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Honaker, R.Q.; Boaten, F.; Luttrell, G.H. [University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Dept. of Mineral Engineering

2007-11-15

A two-stage classification circuit using 150 mm diameter gMax cyclones was installed and evaluated in a coal preparation plant in an effort to achieve a clean coal product without the use of froth flotation. Particle size separations of around 37 {mu}m were achieved while limiting ultrafine bypass to less than 10% in the circuit underflow stream. As a result, approximately 81% of the ash-bearing material in the circuit feed was rejected to the circuit overflow stream. The feed ash content was reduced from around 50% to values in the range of 22-30% in the circuit underflow stream with a mass recovery of about 30%. Further reductions in the coarse product ash content were limited due to the particle density effect and the remaining presence of a significant quantity of high-ash slime material in the coarse product. The typical D{sub 50} for the coal particles was 40 {mu} m while the estimated value for mineral matter was 17 {mu} m. Based on the findings of the study, the use of classification to recover a low-ash, coarse fraction in the feed of a fine coal circuit is limited by the density effect regardless of the ability to eliminate ultrafine bypass.

Decomposition of Atmospheric Aerosol Phase Function by Particle Size and Morphology via Single Particle Scattering Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Aptowicz, K. B.; Pan, Y.; Martin, S.; Fernandez, E.; Chang, R.; Pinnick, R. G.

2013-12-01

We report upon an experimental approach that provides insight into how particle size and shape affect the scattering phase function of atmospheric aerosol particles. Central to our approach is the design of an apparatus that measures the forward and backward scattering hemispheres (scattering patterns) of individual atmospheric aerosol particles in the coarse mode range. The size and shape of each particle is discerned from the corresponding scattering pattern. In particular, autocorrelation analysis is used to differentiate between spherical and non-spherical particles, the calculated asphericity factor is used to characterize the morphology of non-spherical particles, and the integrated irradiance is used for particle sizing. We found the fraction of spherical particles decays exponentially with particle size, decreasing from 11% for particles on the order of 1 micrometer to less than 1% for particles over 5 micrometer. The average phase functions of subpopulations of particles, grouped by size and morphology, are determined by averaging their corresponding scattering patterns. The phase functions of spherical and non-spherical atmospheric particles are shown to diverge with increasing size. In addition, the phase function of non-spherical particles is found to vary little as a function of the asphericity factor.

Oxidation Products of Biogenic Emissions Contribute to Nucleation of Atmospheric Particles

CERN Document Server

Riccobono, Francesco; Baltensperger, Urs; Worsnop, Douglas R; Curtius, Joachim; Carslaw, Kenneth S; Wimmer, Daniela; Wex, Heike; Weingartner, Ernest; Wagner, Paul E; Vrtala, Aron; Viisanen, Yrjö; Vaattovaara, Petri; Tsagkogeorgas, Georgios; Tomé, Antonio; Stratmann, Frank; Stozhkov, Yuri; Spracklen, Dominick V; Sipilä, Mikko; Praplan, Arnaud P; Petäjä, Tuukka; Onnela, Antti; Nieminen, Tuomo; Mathot, Serge; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Laaksonen, Ari; Kvashin, Alexander N.; Kürten, Andreas; Kupc, Agnieszka; Keskinen, Helmi; Kajos, Maija; Junninen, Heikki; Hansel, Armin; Franchin, Alessandro; Flagan, Richard C; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Duplissy, Jonathan; Dunne, Eimear M; Downard, Andrew; David, André; Breitenlechner, Martin; Bianchi, Federico; Amorim, Antonio; Almeida, João; Rondo, Linda; Ortega, Ismael K; Dommen, Josef; Scott, Catherine E; Vrtala, Aron; Santos, Filipe D; Schallhart, Simon; Seinfeld, John H; Sipila, Mikko; Donahue, Neil M; Kirkby, Jasper; Kulmala, Markku

2014-01-01

Atmospheric new-particle formation affects climate and is one of the least understood atmospheric aerosol processes. The complexity and variability of the atmosphere has hindered elucidation of the fundamental mechanism of new-particle formation from gaseous precursors. We show, in experiments performed with the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets) chamber at CERN, that sulfuric acid and oxidized organic vapors at atmospheric concentrations reproduce particle nucleation rates observed in the lower atmosphere. The experiments reveal a nucleation mechanism involving the formation of clusters containing sulfuric acid and oxidized organic molecules from the very first step. Inclusion of this mechanism in a global aerosol model yields a photochemically and biologically driven seasonal cycle of particle concentrations in the continental boundary layer, in good agreement with observations.

Lung cancer risk of airborne particles for Italian population

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buonanno, G., E-mail: buonanno@unicas.it [Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Via Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino, FR (Italy); International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street 2, 4001 Brisbane, Qld. (Australia); Giovinco, G., E-mail: giovinco@unicas.it [Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Via Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino, FR (Italy); Morawska, L., E-mail: morawska@qut.edu.au [International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street 2, 4001 Brisbane, Qld. (Australia); Stabile, L., E-mail: stabile@unicas.it [Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Via Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino, FR (Italy)

2015-10-15

Airborne particles, including both ultrafine and supermicrometric particles, contain various carcinogens. Exposure and risk-assessment studies regularly use particle mass concentration as dosimetry parameter, therefore neglecting the potential impact of ultrafine particles due to their negligible mass compared to supermicrometric particles. The main purpose of this study was the characterization of lung cancer risk due to exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and some heavy metals associated with particle inhalation by Italian non-smoking people. A risk-assessment scheme, modified from an existing risk model, was applied to estimate the cancer risk contribution from both ultrafine and supermicrometric particles. Exposure assessment was carried out on the basis of particle number distributions measured in 25 smoke-free microenvironments in Italy. The predicted lung cancer risk was then compared to the cancer incidence rate in Italy to assess the number of lung cancer cases attributed to airborne particle inhalation, which represents one of the main causes of lung cancer, apart from smoking. Ultrafine particles are associated with a much higher risk than supermicrometric particles, and the modified risk-assessment scheme provided a more accurate estimate than the conventional scheme. Great attention has to be paid to indoor microenvironments and, in particular, to cooking and eating times, which represent the major contributors to lung cancer incidence in the Italian population. The modified risk assessment scheme can serve as a tool for assessing environmental quality, as well as setting up exposure standards for particulate matter. - Highlights: • Lung cancer risk for non-smoking Italian population due to particle inhalation. • The average lung cancer risk for Italian population is equal to 1.90×10{sup −2}. • Ultrafine particle is the aerosol metric mostly contributing to lung cancer risk. • B(a)P is the main (particle-bounded) compound

Lung cancer risk of airborne particles for Italian population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buonanno, G.; Giovinco, G.; Morawska, L.; Stabile, L.

2015-01-01

Airborne particles, including both ultrafine and supermicrometric particles, contain various carcinogens. Exposure and risk-assessment studies regularly use particle mass concentration as dosimetry parameter, therefore neglecting the potential impact of ultrafine particles due to their negligible mass compared to supermicrometric particles. The main purpose of this study was the characterization of lung cancer risk due to exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and some heavy metals associated with particle inhalation by Italian non-smoking people. A risk-assessment scheme, modified from an existing risk model, was applied to estimate the cancer risk contribution from both ultrafine and supermicrometric particles. Exposure assessment was carried out on the basis of particle number distributions measured in 25 smoke-free microenvironments in Italy. The predicted lung cancer risk was then compared to the cancer incidence rate in Italy to assess the number of lung cancer cases attributed to airborne particle inhalation, which represents one of the main causes of lung cancer, apart from smoking. Ultrafine particles are associated with a much higher risk than supermicrometric particles, and the modified risk-assessment scheme provided a more accurate estimate than the conventional scheme. Great attention has to be paid to indoor microenvironments and, in particular, to cooking and eating times, which represent the major contributors to lung cancer incidence in the Italian population. The modified risk assessment scheme can serve as a tool for assessing environmental quality, as well as setting up exposure standards for particulate matter. - Highlights: • Lung cancer risk for non-smoking Italian population due to particle inhalation. • The average lung cancer risk for Italian population is equal to 1.90×10 −2 . • Ultrafine particle is the aerosol metric mostly contributing to lung cancer risk. • B(a)P is the main (particle-bounded) compound contributing

Oxidation products of biogenic emissions contribute to nucleation of atmospheric particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Riccobono, Francesco; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Scott, Catherine E; Dommen, Josef; Ortega, Ismael K; Rondo, Linda; Almeida, João; Amorim, Antonio; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; David, André; Downard, Andrew; Dunne, Eimear M; Duplissy, Jonathan; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Flagan, Richard C; Franchin, Alessandro; Hansel, Armin; Junninen, Heikki; Kajos, Maija; Keskinen, Helmi; Kupc, Agnieszka; Kürten, Andreas; Kvashin, Alexander N; Laaksonen, Ari; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mathot, Serge; Nieminen, Tuomo; Onnela, Antti; Petäjä, Tuukka; Praplan, Arnaud P; Santos, Filipe D; Schallhart, Simon; Seinfeld, John H; Sipilä, Mikko; Spracklen, Dominick V; Stozhkov, Yuri; Stratmann, Frank; Tomé, Antonio; Tsagkogeorgas, Georgios; Vaattovaara, Petri; Viisanen, Yrjö; Vrtala, Aron; Wagner, Paul E; Weingartner, Ernest; Wex, Heike; Wimmer, Daniela; Carslaw, Kenneth S; Curtius, Joachim; Donahue, Neil M; Kirkby, Jasper; Kulmala, Markku; Worsnop, Douglas R; Baltensperger, Urs

2014-05-16

Atmospheric new-particle formation affects climate and is one of the least understood atmospheric aerosol processes. The complexity and variability of the atmosphere has hindered elucidation of the fundamental mechanism of new-particle formation from gaseous precursors. We show, in experiments performed with the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets) chamber at CERN, that sulfuric acid and oxidized organic vapors at atmospheric concentrations reproduce particle nucleation rates observed in the lower atmosphere. The experiments reveal a nucleation mechanism involving the formation of clusters containing sulfuric acid and oxidized organic molecules from the very first step. Inclusion of this mechanism in a global aerosol model yields a photochemically and biologically driven seasonal cycle of particle concentrations in the continental boundary layer, in good agreement with observations. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

PIXE analysis of atmospheric aerosol and hydrometeor particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groeneveld, K.O.; Hofmann, D.; Georgii, H.W.

1993-01-01

Atmospheric aerosol and hydrometeor particles act decisively on our weather, climate and thereby on all living conditions on Earth. Particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) analysis has been demonstrated to be an extremely valuable tool for quantitative and qualitative elemental analysis of aerosol particles and hydrometeors. Reliability and detection limits of PIXE are determined, including comparison with other techniques. Aerosol particles are collected on a global scale in ground stations, or by ships and by planes. Correlation between wind direction and elemental composition of atmospheric aerosols, elemental particle size distributions of the tropospheric aerosol, aerosol elemental composition in particle size fractions in the case of long range transport, transport pathways of pollution aerosol, and trace element content precipitation are discussed. Hydrometeors were studied in the form of rain, snow, fog, dew and frost. The time dependence of the melting process of snow was studied in detail, in particular the washout phenomena of impurity ions. (orig.)

Mixtures of Berkson and classical covariate measurement error in the linear mixed model: Bias analysis and application to a study on ultrafine particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Deffner, Veronika; Küchenhoff, Helmut; Breitner, Susanne; Schneider, Alexandra; Cyrys, Josef; Peters, Annette

2018-03-13

The ultrafine particle measurements in the Augsburger Umweltstudie, a panel study conducted in Augsburg, Germany, exhibit measurement error from various sources. Measurements of mobile devices show classical possibly individual-specific measurement error; Berkson-type error, which may also vary individually, occurs, if measurements of fixed monitoring stations are used. The combination of fixed site and individual exposure measurements results in a mixture of the two error types. We extended existing bias analysis approaches to linear mixed models with a complex error structure including individual-specific error components, autocorrelated errors, and a mixture of classical and Berkson error. Theoretical considerations and simulation results show, that autocorrelation may severely change the attenuation of the effect estimations. Furthermore, unbalanced designs and the inclusion of confounding variables influence the degree of attenuation. Bias correction with the method of moments using data with mixture measurement error partially yielded better results compared to the usage of incomplete data with classical error. Confidence intervals (CIs) based on the delta method achieved better coverage probabilities than those based on Bootstrap samples. Moreover, we present the application of these new methods to heart rate measurements within the Augsburger Umweltstudie: the corrected effect estimates were slightly higher than their naive equivalents. The substantial measurement error of ultrafine particle measurements has little impact on the results. The developed methodology is generally applicable to longitudinal data with measurement error. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A PEMS study of the emissions of gaseous pollutants and ultrafine particles from gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Cheng; Lou, Diming; Hu, Zhiyuan; Feng, Qian; Chen, Yiran; Chen, Changhong; Tan, Piqiang; Yao, Di

2013-10-01

On-road emission measurements of gasoline- and diesel-fueled vehicles were conducted by a portable emission measurement system (PEMS) in Shanghai, China. Horiba OBS 2200 and TSI EEPS 3090 were employed to detect gaseous and ultrafine particle emissions during the tests. The driving-based emission factors of gaseous pollutants and particle mass and number were obtained on various road types. The average NOx emission factors of the diesel bus, diesel car, and gasoline car were 8.86, 0.68, and 0.17 g km-1, all of which were in excess of their emission limits. The particle number emission factors were 7.06 × 1014, 6.08 × 1014, and 1.57 × 1014 km-1, generally higher than the results for similar vehicle types reported in the previous studies. The size distributions of the particles emitted from the diesel vehicles were mainly concentrated in the accumulation mode, while those emitted from the gasoline car were mainly distributed in the nucleation mode. Both gaseous and particle emission rates exhibit significant correlations with the change in vehicle speed and power demand. The lowest emission rates for each vehicle type were produced during idling. The highest emission rates for each vehicle type were generally found in high-VSP bins. The particle number emission rates of the gasoline car show the strongest growth trend with increasing VSP and speed. The particle number emission for the gasoline car increased by 3 orders of magnitude from idling to the highest VSP and driving speed conditions. High engine power caused by aggressive driving or heavy loads is the main contributor to high emissions for these vehicles in real-world situations.

Estimate of main local sources to ambient ultrafine particle number concentrations in an urban area

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Md Mahmudur; Mazaheri, Mandana; Clifford, Sam; Morawska, Lidia

2017-09-01

Quantifying and apportioning the contribution of a range of sources to ultrafine particles (UFPs, D oil refineries, and seaport) sources to the total ambient particle number concentration (PNC) in a busy, inner-city area in Brisbane, Australia using Bayesian statistical modelling and other exploratory tools. The Bayesian model was trained on the PNC data on days where NP formations were known to have not occurred, hourly traffic counts, solar radiation data, and smooth daily trend. The model was applied to apportion and quantify the contribution of NP formations and local traffic and non-traffic sources to UFPs. The data analysis incorporated long-term measured time-series of total PNC (D ≥ 6 nm), particle number size distributions (PSD, D = 8 to 400 nm), PM2.5, PM10, NOx, CO, meteorological parameters and traffic counts at a stationary monitoring site. The developed Bayesian model showed reliable predictive performances in quantifying the contribution of NP formation events to UFPs (up to 4 × 104 particles cm- 3), with a significant day to day variability. The model identified potential NP formation and no-formations days based on PNC data and quantified the sources contribution to UFPs. Exploratory statistical analyses show that total mean PNC during the middle of the day was up to 32% higher than during peak morning and evening traffic periods, which were associated with NP formation events. The majority of UFPs measured during the peak traffic and NP formation periods were between 30-100 nm and smaller than 30 nm, respectively. To date, this is the first application of Bayesian model to apportion different sources contribution to UFPs, and therefore the importance of this study is not only in its modelling outcomes but in demonstrating the applicability and advantages of this statistical approach to air pollution studies.

Chemical characterization of atmospheric particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, F.

2002-01-01

In the characterisation of complex environmental materials such as atmospheric particulate matter, analytical specificity is required to account for the many dimensions of information present in the sample. These dimensions include size, morphology, elemental composition, inorganic and organic chemical speciation, all to be performed on either single particles or on the population (or bulk sample) basis. Various techniques were developed for such measurements, including a number of bulk analysis procedures, methodologies for microscopical analysis of individual particles, and a variety of procedures for organic/inorganic chemical speciation. (author)

Particle precipitation: How the spectrum fit impacts atmospheric chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Wissing, J. M.; Nieder, H.; Yakovchouk, O. S.; Sinnhuber, M.

2016-11-01

Particle precipitation causes atmospheric ionization. Modeled ionization rates are widely used in atmospheric chemistry/climate simulations of the upper atmosphere. As ionization rates are based on particle measurements some assumptions concerning the energy spectrum are required. While detectors measure particles binned into certain energy ranges only, the calculation of a ionization profile needs a fit for the whole energy spectrum. Therefore the following assumptions are needed: (a) fit function (e.g. power-law or Maxwellian), (b) energy range, (c) amount of segments in the spectral fit, (d) fixed or variable positions of intersections between these segments. The aim of this paper is to quantify the impact of different assumptions on ionization rates as well as their consequences for atmospheric chemistry modeling. As the assumptions about the particle spectrum are independent from the ionization model itself the results of this paper are not restricted to a single ionization model, even though the Atmospheric Ionization Module OSnabrück (AIMOS, Wissing and Kallenrode, 2009) is used here. We include protons only as this allows us to trace changes in the chemistry model directly back to the different assumptions without the need to interpret superposed ionization profiles. However, since every particle species requires a particle spectrum fit with the mentioned assumptions the results are generally applicable to all precipitating particles. The reader may argue that the selection of assumptions of the particle fit is of minor interest, but we would like to emphasize on this topic as it is a major, if not the main, source of discrepancies between different ionization models (and reality). Depending on the assumptions single ionization profiles may vary by a factor of 5, long-term calculations may show systematic over- or underestimation in specific altitudes and even for ideal setups the definition of the energy-range involves an intrinsic 25% uncertainty for the

Aerosol particle mixing state, refractory particle number size distributions and emission factors in a polluted urban environment: Case study of Metro Manila, Philippines

Science.gov (United States)

Kecorius, Simonas; Madueño, Leizel; Vallar, Edgar; Alas, Honey; Betito, Grace; Birmili, Wolfram; Cambaliza, Maria Obiminda; Catipay, Grethyl; Gonzaga-Cayetano, Mylene; Galvez, Maria Cecilia; Lorenzo, Genie; Müller, Thomas; Simpas, James B.; Tamayo, Everlyn Gayle; Wiedensohler, Alfred

2017-12-01

Ultrafine soot particles (black carbon, BC) in urban environments are related to adverse respiratory and cardiovascular effects, increased cases of asthma and premature deaths. These problems are especially pronounced in developing megacities in South-East Asia, Latin America, and Africa, where unsustainable urbanization ant outdated environmental protection legislation resulted in severe degradation of urban air quality in terms of black carbon emission. Since ultrafine soot particles do often not lead to enhanced PM10 and PM2.5 mass concentration, the risks related to ultrafine particle pollution may therefore be significantly underestimated compared to the contribution of secondary aerosol constituents. To increase the awareness of the potential toxicological relevant problems of ultrafine black carbon particles, we conducted a case study in Metro Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Here, we present a part of the results from a detailed field campaign, called Manila Aerosol Characterization Experiment (MACE, 2015). Measurements took place from May to June 2015 with the focus on the state of mixing of aerosol particles. The results were alarming, showing the abundance of externally mixed refractory particles (soot proxy) at street site with a maximum daily number concentration of approximately 15000 #/cm3. That is up to 10 times higher than in cities of Western countries. We also found that the soot particle mass contributed from 55 to 75% of total street site PM2.5. The retrieved refractory particle number size distribution appeared to be a superposition of 2 ultrafine modes at 20 and 80 nm with a corresponding contribution to the total refractory particle number of 45 and 55%, respectively. The particles in the 20 nm mode were most likely ash from metallic additives in lubricating oil, tiny carbonaceous particles and/or nucleated and oxidized organic polymers, while bigger ones (80 nm) were soot agglomerates. To the best of the authors' knowledge, no other

Magnetic Hysteresis in Nanocomposite Films Consisting of a Ferromagnetic AuCo Alloy and Ultrafine Co Particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Federico Chinni

2017-06-01

Full Text Available One fundamental requirement in the search for novel magnetic materials is the possibility of predicting and controlling their magnetic anisotropy and hence the overall hysteretic behavior. We have studied the magnetism of Au:Co films (~30 nm thick with concentration ratios of 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2, grown by magnetron sputtering co-deposition on natively oxidized Si substrates. They consist of a AuCo ferromagnetic alloy in which segregated ultrafine Co particles are dispersed (the fractions of Co in the AuCo alloy and of segregated Co increase with decreasing the Au:Co ratio. We have observed an unexpected hysteretic behavior characterized by in-plane anisotropy and crossed branches in the loops measured along the hard magnetization direction. To elucidate this phenomenon, micromagnetic calculations have been performed for a simplified system composed of two exchange-coupled phases: a AuCo matrix surrounding a Co cluster, which represents an aggregate of particles. The hysteretic features are qualitatively well reproduced provided that the two phases have almost orthogonal anisotropy axes. This requirement can be plausibly fulfilled assuming a dominant magnetoelastic character of the anisotropy in both phases. The achieved conclusions expand the fundamental knowledge on nanocomposite magnetic materials, offering general guidelines for tuning the hysteretic properties of future engineered systems.

Source apportionment of fine (PM1.8) and ultrafine (PM0.1) airborne particulate matter during a severe winter pollution episode.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleeman, Michael J; Riddle, Sarah G; Robert, Michael A; Jakober, Chris A; Fine, Phillip M; Hays, Michael D; Schauer, James J; Hannigan, Michael P

2009-01-15

Size-resolved samples of airborne particulate matter (PM) collected during a severe winter pollution episode at three sites in the San Joaquin Valley of California were extracted with organic solvents and analyzed for detailed organic compounds using GC-MS. Six particle size fractions were characterized with diameter (Dp) < 1.8 microm; the smallest size fraction was 0.056 < Dp < 0.1 microm which accounts for the majority of the mass in the ultrafine (PM0.1) size range. Source profiles for ultrafine particles developed during previous studies were applied to the measurements at each sampling site to calculate source contributions to organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) concentrations. Ultrafine EC concentrations ranged from 0.03 microg m(-3) during the daytime to 0.18 microg m(-3) during the nighttime. Gasoline fuel, diesel fuel, and lubricating oil combustion products accounted for the majority of the ultrafine EC concentrations, with relatively minor contributions from biomass combustion and meat cooking. Ultrafine OC concentrations ranged from 0.2 microg m(-3) during the daytime to 0.8 microg m(-3) during the nighttime. Wood combustion was found to be the largest source of ultrafine OC. Meat cooking was also identified as a significant potential source of PM0.1 mass but further study is required to verify the contributions from this source. Gasoline fuel, diesel fuel, and lubricating oil combustion products made minor contributions to PM0.1 OC mass. Total ultrafine particulate matter concentrations were dominated by contributions from wood combustion and meat cooking during the current study. Future inhalation exposure studies may wish to target these sources as potential causes of adverse health effects.

Seasonal variations of ultra-fine and submicron aerosols in Taipei, Taiwan: implications for particle formation processes in a subtropical urban area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. C. Cheung

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to investigate the seasonal variations in the physicochemical properties of atmospheric ultra-fine particles (UFPs, d ≤ 100 nm and submicron particles (PM1, d ≤ 1 µm in an east Asian urban area, which are hypothesized to be affected by the interchange of summer and winter monsoons. An observation experiment was conducted at TARO (Taipei Aerosol and Radiation Observatory, an urban aerosol station in Taipei, Taiwan, from October 2012 to August 2013. The measurements included the mass concentration and chemical composition of UFPs and PM1, as well as the particle number concentration (PNC and the particle number size distribution (PSD with size range of 4–736 nm. The results indicated that the mass concentration of PM1 was elevated during cold seasons with a peak level of 18.5 µg m−3 in spring, whereas the highest concentration of UFPs was measured in summertime with a mean of 1.64 µg m−3. Moreover, chemical analysis revealed that the UFPs and PM1 were characterized by distinct composition; UFPs were composed mostly of organics, whereas ammonium and sulfate were the major constituents of PM1. The seasonal median of total PNCs ranged from 13.9  ×  103 cm−3 in autumn to 19.4  ×  103 cm−3 in spring. Median concentrations for respective size distribution modes peaked in different seasons. The nucleation-mode PNC (N4 − 25 peaked at 11.6  ×  103 cm−3 in winter, whereas the Aitken-mode (N25 − 100 and accumulation-mode (N100 − 736 PNC exhibited summer maxima at 6.0  ×  103 and 3.1  ×  103 cm−3, respectively. The change in PSD during summertime was attributed to the enhancement in the photochemical production of condensable organic matter that, in turn, contributed to the growth of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. In addition, clear photochemical production of particles was observed, mostly in the summer season

Characterizing ultrafine particles and other air pollutants in and around school buses.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Yifang; Zhang, Qunfang

2014-03-01

Increasing evidence has demonstrated toxic effects of ultrafine particles (UFP*, diameter emissions from idling school buses to air pollutant levels in and around school buses under different scenarios; 3. Retrofit tests to evaluate the performance of two retrofit systems, a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) muffler and a crankcase filtration system (CFS), on reducing tailpipe emissions and in-cabin air pollutant concentrations under idling and driving conditions; and 4. High efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter air purifier tests to evaluate the effectiveness of in-cabin filtration. In total, 24 school buses were employed to cover a wide range of school buses commonly used in the United States. Real-time air quality measurements included particle number concentration (PNC), fine and UFP size distribution in the size range 7.6-289 nm, PM2.5 mass concentration, black carbon (BC) concentration, and carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. For in-cabin measurements, instruments were placed on a platform secured to the rear seats inside the school buses. For all other tests, a second set of instruments was deployed to simultaneously measure the ambient air pollutant levels. For tailpipe emission measurements, the exhaust was diluted and then measured by instruments identical to those used for the in-cabin measurements. The results show that when driving on roads, in-cabin PNC, fine and UFP size distribution, PM2.5, BC, and CO varied by engine age, window position, driving speed, driving route, and operating conditions. Emissions from idling school buses increased the PNC close to the tailpipe by a factor of up to 26.0. Under some circumstances, tailpipe emissions of idling school buses increased the in-cabin PNC by factors ranging from 1.2 to 5.8 in the 10-30 nm particle size range. Retrofit systems significantly reduced the tailpipe emissions of idling school buses. With both DOC and CFS installed, PNC in tailpipe emissions dropped by 20

Beyond PM2.5: The role of ultrafine particles on adverse health effects of air pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Rui; Hu, Bin; Liu, Ying; Xu, Jianxun; Yang, Guosheng; Xu, Diandou; Chen, Chunying

2016-12-01

Air pollution constitutes the major threat to human health, whereas their adverse impacts and underlying mechanisms of different particular matters are not clearly defined. Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are high related to the anthropogenic emission sources, i.e. combustion engines and power plants. Their composition, source, typical characters, oxidative effects, potential exposure routes and health risks were thoroughly reviewed. UFPs play a major role in adverse impacts on human health and require further investigations in future toxicological research of air pollution. Unlike PM2.5, UFPs may have much more impacts on human health considering loads of evidences emerging from particulate matters and nanotoxicology research fields. The knowledge of nanotoxicology contributes to the understanding of toxicity mechanisms of airborne UFPs in air pollution. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Air Pollution, edited by Wenjun Ding, Andrew J. Ghio and Weidong Wu. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A method for detecting the presence of organic fraction in nucleation mode sized particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Vaattovaara

2005-01-01

Full Text Available New particle formation and growth has a very important role in many climate processes. However, the overall knowlegde of the chemical composition of atmospheric nucleation mode (particle diameter, d<20 nm and the lower end of Aitken mode particles (d≤50 nm is still insufficient. In this work, we have applied the UFO-TDMA (ultrafine organic tandem differential mobility analyzer method to shed light on the presence of an organic fraction in the nucleation mode size class in different atmospheric environments. The basic principle of the organic fraction detection is based on our laboratory UFO-TDMA measurements with organic and inorganic compounds. Our laboratory measurements indicate that the usefulness of the UFO-TDMA in the field experiments would arise especially from the fact that atmospherically the most relevant inorganic compounds do not grow in subsaturated ethanol vapor, when particle size is 10 nm in diameter and saturation ratio is about 86% or below it. Furthermore, internally mixed particles composed of ammonium bisulfate and sulfuric acid with sulfuric acid mass fraction ≤33% show no growth at 85% saturation ratio. In contrast, 10 nm particles composed of various oxidized organic compounds of atmospheric relevance are able to grow in those conditions. These discoveries indicate that it is possible to detect the presence of organics in atmospheric nucleation mode sized particles using the UFO-TDMA method. In the future, the UFO-TDMA is expected to be an important aid to describe the composition of atmospheric newly-formed particles.

Aspects of airborne particles and radiation in the atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hidy, G.M.

1975-01-01

There are two major ways that thermal radiation may interact with airborne particles in the Earth's atmosphere. The first is a classical problem in which the radiation balance is influenced by scattering and absorption from haze or aerosol layers in the atmosphere. Absorption is generally believed to have a minor effect on attenuation of radiation compared with scattering. In the visible and infrared, scattering by submicron sized particles can have a substantial influence on the balance of radiation in the atmosphere. Considerable interest in this question has developed recently with the assessment of the global impact of air pollution in the lower atmosphere and of exhaust emissions from aircraft flying in the stratosphere. In the first part of this review, the physics of atmospheric aerosol scattering is summarized, and the current status of observational knowledge is examined to identify areas of greatest uncertainty. The second way the radiation is involved in aerosols lies in the production in the atmosphere. Until recently, evidence for airborne particle production by atmospheric photochemistry was quite ambiguous. However, with the advent of results from several new field experiments the role of photochemistry in the generation of aerosol precursors from traces of such gases as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and olefinic hydrocarbons is much better understood. The remaining part of this paper is devoted to the discussion of several new observations that indicate the complicated nature of photochemical aerosol formation in the polluted and non-polluted atmosphere

Determination of permeability of ultra-fine cupric oxide aerosol through military filters and protective filters

Science.gov (United States)

Kellnerová, E.; Večeřa, Z.; Kellner, J.; Zeman, T.; Navrátil, J.

2018-03-01

The paper evaluates the filtration and sorption efficiency of selected types of military combined filters and protective filters. The testing was carried out with the use of ultra-fine aerosol containing cupric oxide nanoparticles ranging in size from 7.6 nm to 299.6 nm. The measurements of nanoparticles were carried out using a scanning mobility particle sizer before and after the passage through the filter and a developed sampling device at the level of particle number concentration approximately 750000 particles·cm-3. The basic parameters of permeability of ultra-fine aerosol passing through the tested material were evaluated, in particular particle size, efficiency of nanoparticle capture by filter, permeability coefficient and overall filtration efficiency. Results indicate that the military filter and particle filters exhibited the highest aerosol permeability especially in the nanoparticle size range between 100–200 nm, while the MOF filters had the highest permeability in the range of 200 to 300 nm. The Filter Nuclear and the Health and Safety filter had 100% nanoparticle capture efficiency and were therefore the most effective. The obtained measurement results have shown that the filtration efficiency over the entire measured range of nanoparticles was sufficient; however, it was different for particular particle sizes.

A practice of ultra-fine tailings disposal as filling material in a gold mine.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, D Q; Liu, L; Yao, Z L; Song, K I-I L; Lao, D Z

2017-07-01

A practice of cemented backfill technology with ultra-fine tailings in a gold mine was comprehensively presented, and a series of tests were conducted in accordance with the peculiar properties of ultra-fine tailings and the mining technology conditions. The test results show that, the tailings from Shuiyindong Gold Mine have a great grinding fineness, with the average particle diameter 22.03 μm, in which the ultra-fine particles with the diameter below 20 μm occupying 66.13%. The analysis results of chemical components of tailings indicate that the content of SiO 2 is relatively low, i.e., 33.08%, but the total content of CaO, MgO and Al 2 O 3 is relatively high i.e., 36.5%. After the settlement of 4-6 h, the tailing slurry with the initial concentration of 40% has the maximum settling concentration of 54.692%, and the corresponding maximum settling unit weight is 1.497 g/cm 3 . During the field application, the ultra-fine tailings and PC32.5 cement were mixed with the cement-tailings ratios of 1:3-1:8, and the slurry concentration of 50 wt% was prepared. Using the slurry pump, the prepared cemented backfill slurries flowed into the goaf, and then the strength of the cemented backfill body met the mining technique requirements in Shuiyindong Gold Mine, where the ore body has a smooth occurrence, with the average thickness of approximately 2 m and the inclination angle ranging from 5 to 10°. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

'Hot' particles in the atmosphere (Vilnius, 1986)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lujanas, V.; Shpirkauskaite, N.

1992-01-01

After the Chernobyl accident in the atmosphere above Vilnius the alpha-and beta- 'hot' particles were discovered. The amount of particles and their size were measured by the alpha-radiography. After the exposition of nuclear plates the 'auroras' of the beta hot particles were of the size 0.37-22.2 μm. The change in time of the beta- 'hot' particles amount in the ground level air from the 25th of April to the 9th of May, 1986 was given. The amount of this particles deposited in the adult man respiratory tract was calculated. The energy of the discovered 8 'hot' alpha-particles ranged from 4.2 to 6.6 MeV. All the samples in which alpha- 'hot' particles found were taken in anticyclone conditions. (author). 1 tab., 1 ref

Direct evidence for coastal iodine particles from Laminaria macroalgae – linkage to emissions of molecular iodine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. McFiggans

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Renewal of ultrafine aerosols in the marine boundary layer may lead to repopulation of the marine distribution and ultimately determine the concentration of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN. Thus the formation of nanometre-scale particles can lead to enhanced scattering of incoming radiation and a net cooling of the atmosphere. The recent demonstration of the chamber formation of new particles from the photolytic production of condensable iodine-containing compounds from diiodomethane (CH2I2, (O'Dowd et al., 2002; Kolb, 2002; Jimenez et al., 2003a; Burkholder and Ravishankara, 2003, provides an additional mechanism to the gas-to-particle conversion of sulphuric acid formed in the photo-oxidation of dimethylsulphide for marine aerosol repopulation. CH2I2 is emitted from seaweeds (Carpenter et al., 1999, 2000 and has been suggested as an initiator of particle formation. We demonstrate here for the first time that ultrafine iodine-containing particles are produced by intertidal macroalgae exposed to ambient levels of ozone. The particle composition is very similar both to those formed in the chamber photo-oxidation of diiodomethane and in the oxidation of molecular iodine by ozone. The particles formed in all three systems are similarly aspherical. When small, those formed in the molecular iodine system swell only moderately when exposed to increased humidity environments, and swell progressively less with increasing size; this behaviour occurs whether they are formed in dry or humid environments, in contrast to those in the CH2I2 system. Direct coastal boundary layer observations of molecular iodine, ultrafine particle production and iodocarbons are reported. Using a newly measured molecular iodine photolysis rate, it is shown that, if atomic iodine is involved in the observed particle bursts, it is of the order of at least 1000 times more likely to result from molecular iodine photolysis than diiodomethane photolysis. A hypothesis for molecular

The atmosphere as particle detector

Science.gov (United States)

Stanev, Todor

1990-01-01

The possibility of using an inflatable, gas-filled balloon as a TeV gamma-ray detector on the moon is considered. By taking an atmosphere of Xenon gas there, or by extracting it on the moon, a layman's detector design is presented. In spite of its shortcomings, the exercise illustrates several of the novel features offered by particle physics on the moon.

Nuclear microprobe investigation of the penetration of ultrafine zinc oxide into human skin affected by atopic dermatitis

Science.gov (United States)

Szikszai, Z.; Kertész, Zs.; Bodnár, E.; Borbíró, I.; Angyal, A.; Csedreki, L.; Furu, E.; Szoboszlai, Z.; Kiss, Á. Z.; Hunyadi, J.

2011-10-01

Skin penetration is one of the potential routes for nanoparticles to gain access into the human body. Ultrafine metal oxides, such as titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are widely used in cosmetic and health products like sunscreens. These oxides are potent UV filters and the particle size smaller than 200 nm makes the product more transparent compared to formulations containing coarser particles. The present study continues the work carried out in the frame of the NANODERM: “Quality of skin as a barrier to ultrafine particles” European project and complements our previous investigations on human skin with compromised barrier function. Atopic dermatitis (a type of eczema) is an inflammatory, chronically relapsing, non-contagious skin disease. It is very common in children but may occur at any age. The exact cause of atopic dermatitis is unknown, but is likely due to a combination of impaired barrier function together with a malfunction in the body's immune system. In this study, skin samples were obtained from two patients suffering from atopic dermatitis. Our results indicate that the ultrafine zinc oxide particles, in a hydrophobic basis gel with an application time of 2 days or 2 weeks, have penetrated deeply into the stratum corneum in these patients. On the other hand, penetration into the stratum spinosum was not observed even in the case of the longer application time.

Characterization of SiC based composite materials by the infiltration of ultra-fine SiC particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J.K.; Lee, S.P.; Byun, J.H.

2010-01-01

The fabrication route of SiC materials by the complex compound of ultra-fine SiC particles and oxide additive materials has been investigated. Especially, the effect of additive composition ratio on the characterization of SiC materials has been examined. The characterization of C/SiC composites reinforced with plain woven carbon fabrics was also investigated. The fiber preform for C/SiC composites was prepared by the infiltration of complex mixture into the carbon fabric structure. SiC based composite materials were fabricated by a pressure assisted liquid phase sintering process. SiC materials possessed a good density higher than about 3.0 Mg/m 3 , accompanying the creation of secondary phase by the chemical reaction of additive materials. C/SiC composites also represented a dense morphology in the intra-fiber bundle region, even if this material had a sintered density lower than that of monolithic SiC materials. The flexural strength of SiC materials was greatly affected by the composition ratio of additive materials.

On the unification of aircraft ultrafine particle emission data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaercher, B.; Busen, R. [DLR Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Wessling (Germany). Inst. fuer Physik der Atmosphaere; Turco, R.P.; Yu Fangqun [California Univ., Los Angeles, CA (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences; Danilin, M.Y.; Weisenstein, D.K. [Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc., Cambridge, MA (United States); Miake-Lye, R.C. [Aerodyne Research, Inc., Billerica, MA (United States)

2000-03-01

To predict the environmental impacts of future commercial aviation, intensive studies have been launched to measure the properties and effects of aircraft emissions. These observations have revealed an extremely wide variance with respect to the number and sizes of the particles produced in the exhaust plumes. Aircraft aerosol ultimately contributes to the population of cloud-forming nuclei, and may lead to significant global radiative and chemical perturbations. In this paper, recent discoveries are coordinated and unified in the form of a physically consistent plume aerosol model that explains most of the observational variance. Using this new approach, it is now practical to carry out reliable global atmospheric simulations of aircraft effects, as demonstrated by a novel assessment of the perturbation of the stratospheric aerosol layer by a supersonic aircraft fleet. (orig.)

Reduction of atmospheric fine particle level by restricting the idling vehicles around a sensitive area.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yen-Yi; Lin, Sheng-Lun; Yuan, Chung-Shin; Lin, Ming-Yeng; Chen, Kang-Shin

2018-07-01

Atmospheric particles are a major problem that could lead to harmful effects on human health, especially in densely populated urban areas. Chiayi is a typical city with very high population and traffic density, as well as being located at the downwind side of several pollution sources. Multiple contributors for PM 2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≥2.5 μm) and ultrafine particles cause complicated air quality problems. This study focused on the inhibition of local emission sources by restricting the idling vehicles around a school area and evaluating the changes in surrounding atmospheric PM conditions. Two stationary sites were monitored, including a background site on the upwind side of the school and a campus site inside the school, to monitor the exposure level, before and after the idling prohibition. In the base condition, the PM 2.5  mass concentrations were found to increase 15% from the background, whereas the nitrate (NO 3 - ) content had a significant increase at the campus site. The anthropogenic metal contents in PM 2.5 were higher at the campus site than the background site. Mobile emissions were found to be the most likely contributor to the school hot spot area by chemical mass balance modeling (CMB8.2). On the other hand, the PM 2.5 in the school campus fell to only 2% after idling vehicle control, when the mobile source contribution reduced from 42.8% to 36.7%. The mobile monitoring also showed significant reductions in atmospheric PM 2.5 , PM 0.1 , polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and black carbon (BC) levels by 16.5%, 33.3%, 48.0%, and 11.5%, respectively. Consequently, the restriction of local idling emission was proven to significantly reduce PM and harmful pollutants in the hot spots around the school environment. The emission of idling vehicles strongly affects the levels of particles and relative pollutants in near-ground air around a school area. The PM 2.5 mass concentration at a campus site increased from

Indoor particulate pollution in fitness centres with emphasis on ultrafine particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Slezakova, Klara; Peixoto, Cátia; Oliveira, Marta; Delerue-Matos, Cristina; Pereira, Maria do Carmo; Morais, Simone

2018-02-01

Fitness centres (FC) represent a unique indoor microenvironment. Exercising on regular basis provides countless health benefits and improves overall well-being, but if these facilities have poor indoor air quality, the respective exercisers might be subjected to some adverse risks. Considering the limited existent data, this work aimed to evaluate particulate pollution (PM 10, PM 2.5 , and ultrafine particles - UFP) in indoor air of FC and to estimate the respective risks for occupants (both staff and exercising subjects). Sampling was conducted during 40 consecutive days of May-June 2014 in general fitness areas, studios and classrooms (for group activities) of four different fitness centres (FC1-FC4) situated within Oporto metropolitan area, Portugal. The results showed that across the four FC, PM 10 ranged between 5 and 1080 μg m -3 with median concentrations (15-43 μg m -3 ) fulfilling the limit (50 μg m -3 ) of Portuguese legislation in all FC. PM 2.5 (medians 5-37 μg m -3 ; range 5-777 μg m -3 ) exceeded thresholds of 25 μg m -3 at some FC, indicating potential risks for the respective occupants; naturally ventilated FC exhibited significantly higher PM ranges (p exercising. These results indicate that even short-term physical activity (or more specifically its intensity) might strongly influence the daily inhalation dose. Finally, women exhibited 1.2 times higher UFPs intake than men thus suggesting the need for future gender-specific studies assessing UFP exposure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular understanding of sulphuric acid-amine particle nucleation in the atmosphere

CERN Document Server

Almeida, João; Kürten, Andreas; Ortega, Ismael K; Kupiainen-Määttä, Oona; Praplan, Arnaud P; Adamov, Alexey; Amorim, Antonio; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; David, André; Dommen, Josef; Donahue, Neil M; Downard, Andrew; Dunne, Eimear; Duplissy, Jonathan; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Flagan, Richard C; Franchin, Alessandro; Guida, Roberto; Hakala, Jani; Hansel, Armin; Heinritzi, Martin; Henschel, Henning; Jokinen, Tuija; Junninen, Heikki; Kajos, Maija; Kangasluoma, Juha; Keskinen, Helmi; Kupc, Agnieszka; Kurtén, Theo; Kvashin, Alexander N; Laaksonen, Ari; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Leiminger, Markus; Leppä, Johannes; Loukonen, Ville; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mathot, Serge; McGrath, Matthew J; Nieminen, Tuomo; Olenius, Tinja; Onnela, Antti; Petäjä, Tuukka; Riccobono, Francesco; Riipinen, Ilona; Rissanen, Matti; Rondo, Linda; Ruuskanen, Taina; Santos, Filipe D; Sarnela, Nina; Schallhart, Simon; Schnitzhofer, Ralf; Seinfeld, John H; Simon, Mario; Sipilä, Mikko; Stozhkov, Yuri; Stratmann, Frank; Tomé, Antonio; Tröstl, Jasmin; Tsagkogeorgas, Georgios; Vaattovaara, Petri; Viisanen, Yrjo; Virtanen, Annele; Vrtala, Aron; Wagner, Paul E; Weingartner, Ernest; Wex, Heike; Williamson, Christina; Wimmer, Daniela; Ye, Penglin; Yli-Juuti, Taina; Carslaw, Kenneth S; Kulmala, Markku; Curtius, Joachim; Baltensperger, Urs; Vehkamaki, Hanna; Kirkby, Jasper

2013-01-01

Nucleation of aerosol particles from trace atmospheric vapours is thought to provide up to half of global cloud condensation nuclei. Aerosols can cause a net cooling of climate by scattering sunlight and by leading to smaller but more numerous cloud droplets, which makes clouds brighter and extends their lifetimes. Atmospheric aerosols derived from human activities are thought to have compensated for a large fraction of the warming caused by greenhouse gases. However, despite its importance for climate, atmospheric nucleation is poorly understood. Recently, it has been shown that sulphuric acid and ammonia cannot explain particle formation rates observed in the lower atmosphere. It is thought that amines may enhance nucleation, but until now there has been no direct evidence for amine ternary nucleation under atmospheric conditions. Here we use the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) chamber at CERN and find that dimethylamine above three parts per trillion by volume can enhance particle formation rates ...

Observations of linear dependence between sulfate and nitrate in atmospheric particles

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Lingdong; Yang, Yiwei; Zhang, Shuanqin; Zhao, Xi; Du, Huanhuan; Fu, Hongbo; Zhang, Shicheng; Cheng, Tiantao; Yang, Xin; Chen, Jianmin; Wu, Dui; Shen, Jiandong; Hong, Shengmao; Jiao, Li

2014-01-01

Hourly measurements of water-soluble inorganic ionic species in ambient atmospheric particles were conducted at Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou sampling sites in China during the period of 2009-2011. The relation between sulfate and nitrate in particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) was examined based on these measurements. Results showed that the mass fraction of sulfate was strongly negatively correlated with that of nitrate in atmospheric particles on most of the sampling days, especially when sulfate and nitrate made up the vast majority of the total soluble anions and cations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+) made a small contribution to the total water-soluble ions, revealing that the formation mechanisms of sulfate and nitrate in the atmosphere are highly correlated, and there exists a significant negative correlation trend between sulfate and nitrate mass fractions in the atmospheric particles. We found that local meteorological conditions presented opposite influences on the mass fractions of sulfate and nitrate. Further analysis indicated that the two mass fractions were modulated by the neutralizing level of atmospheric aerosols, and the negative correlation could be found in acidic atmospheric particles. Strong negative correlation was usually observed on clear days, hazy days, foggy days, and respirable particulate air pollution days, whereas poor negative correlation was often observed during cloud, rain, snow, dust storm, and suspended dust events. The results can help to better understand the formation mechanisms of atmospheric sulfate and nitrate during air pollution episodes and to better explain field results of atmospheric chemistry concerning sulfate and nitrate.

Mixing state of particles with secondary species by single particle aerosol mass spectrometer in an atmospheric pollution event

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Lingling; Chen, Jinsheng

2016-04-01

Single particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS) was used to characterize size distribution, chemical composition, and mixing state of particles in an atmospheric pollution event during 20 Oct. - 5 Nov., 2015 in Xiamen, Southeast China. A total of 533,012 particle mass spectra were obtained and clustered into six groups, comprising of industry metal (4.5%), dust particles (2.6%), carbonaceous species (70.7%), K-Rich particles (20.7%), seasalt (0.6%) and other particles (0.9%). Carbonaceous species were further divided into EC (70.6%), OC (28.5%), and mixed ECOC (0.9%). There were 61.7%, 58.3%, 4.0%, and 14.6% of particles internally mixed with sulfate, nitrate, ammonium and C2H3O, respectively, indicating that these particles had undergone significant aging processing. Sulfate was preferentially mixed with carbonaceous particles, while nitrate tended to mix with metal-containing and dust particles. Compared to clear days, the fractions of EC-, metal- and dust particles remarkably increased, while the fraction of OC-containing particles decreased in pollution days. The mixing state of particles, excepted for OC-containing particles with secondary species was much stronger in pollution days than that in clear days, which revealed the significant influence of secondary particles in atmospheric pollution. The different activity of OC-containing particles might be related to their much smaller aerodynamic diameter. These results could improve our understanding of aerosol characteristics and could be helpful to further investigate the atmospheric process of particles.

Contributions of Organic Sources to Atmospheric Aerosol Particle Concentrations and Growth

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, L. M.

2017-12-01

Organic molecules are important contributors to aerosol particle mass and number concentrations through primary emissions as well as secondary growth in the atmosphere. New techniques for measuring organic aerosol components in atmospheric particles have improved measurements of this contribution in the last 20 years, including Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy Near Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (STXM-NEXAFS), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and High-Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometry (AMS). STXM-NEXAFS individual aerosol particle composition illustrated the variety of morphology of organic components in marine aerosols, the inherent relationships between organic composition and shape, and the links between atmospheric aerosol composition and particles produced in smog chambers. This type of single particle microscopy has also added to size distribution measurements by providing evidence of how surface-controlled and bulk-controlled processes contribute to the growth of particles in the atmosphere. FTIR analysis of organic functional groups are sufficient to distinguish combustion, marine, and terrestrial organic particle sources and to show that each of those types of sources has a surprisingly similar organic functional group composition over four different oceans and four different continents. Augmenting the limited sampling of these off-line techniques with side-by-side inter-comparisons to online AMS provides complementary composition information and consistent quantitative attribution to sources (despite some clear method differences). Single-particle AMS techniques using light scattering and event trigger modes have now also characterized the types of particles found in urban, marine, and ship emission aerosols. Most recently, by combining with off-line techniques, single particle composition measurements have separated and quantified the contributions of organic, sulfate and salt components from ocean biogenic and sea spray

Influence of external mass transfer limitation on apparent kinetic parameters of penicillin G acylase immobilized on nonporous ultrafine silica particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kheirolomoom, Azadeh; Khorasheh, Farhad; Fazelinia, Hossein

2002-01-01

Immobilization of enzymes on nonporous supports provides a suitable model for investigating the effect of external mass transfer limitation on the reaction rate in the absence of internal diffusional resistance. In this study, deacylation of penicillin G was investigated using penicillin acylase immobilized on ultrafine silica particles. Kinetic studies were performed within the low-substrate-concentration region, where the external mass transfer limitation becomes significant. To predict the apparent kinetic parameters and the overall effectiveness factor, knowledge of the external mass transfer coefficient, k(L)a, is necessary. Although various correlations exist for estimation of k(L)a, in this study, an optimization scheme was utilized to obtain this coefficient. Using the optimum values of k(L)a, the initial reaction rates were predicted and found to be in good agreement with the experimental data.

Inverse problem for particle size distributions of atmospheric aerosols using stochastic particle swarm optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan Yuan; Yi Hongliang; Shuai Yong; Wang Fuqiang; Tan Heping

2010-01-01

As a part of resolving optical properties in atmosphere radiative transfer calculations, this paper focuses on obtaining aerosol optical thicknesses (AOTs) in the visible and near infrared wave band through indirect method by gleaning the values of aerosol particle size distribution parameters. Although various inverse techniques have been applied to obtain values for these parameters, we choose a stochastic particle swarm optimization (SPSO) algorithm to perform an inverse calculation. Computational performances of different inverse methods are investigated and the influence of swarm size on the inverse problem of computation particles is examined. Next, computational efficiencies of various particle size distributions and the influences of the measured errors on computational accuracy are compared. Finally, we recover particle size distributions for atmospheric aerosols over Beijing using the measured AOT data (at wavelengths λ=0.400, 0.690, 0.870, and 1.020 μm) obtained from AERONET at different times and then calculate other AOT values for this band based on the inverse results. With calculations agreeing with measured data, the SPSO algorithm shows good practicability.

Mathematical modeling of atmospheric fine particle-associated primary organic compound concentrations

Science.gov (United States)

Rogge, Wolfgang F.; Hildemann, Lynn M.; Mazurek, Monica A.; Cass, Glen R.; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.

1996-08-01

An atmospheric transport model has been used to explore the relationship between source emissions and ambient air quality for individual particle phase organic compounds present in primary aerosol source emissions. An inventory of fine particulate organic compound emissions was assembled for the Los Angeles area in the year 1982. Sources characterized included noncatalyst- and catalyst-equipped autos, diesel trucks, paved road dust, tire wear, brake lining dust, meat cooking operations, industrial oil-fired boilers, roofing tar pots, natural gas combustion in residential homes, cigarette smoke, fireplaces burning oak and pine wood, and plant leaf abrasion products. These primary fine particle source emissions were supplied to a computer-based model that simulates atmospheric transport, dispersion, and dry deposition based on the time series of hourly wind observations and mixing depths. Monthly average fine particle organic compound concentrations that would prevail if the primary organic aerosol were transported without chemical reaction were computed for more than 100 organic compounds within an 80 km × 80 km modeling area centered over Los Angeles. The monthly average compound concentrations predicted by the transport model were compared to atmospheric measurements made at monitoring sites within the study area during 1982. The predicted seasonal variation and absolute values of the concentrations of the more stable compounds are found to be in reasonable agreement with the ambient observations. While model predictions for the higher molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are in agreement with ambient observations, lower molecular weight PAH show much higher predicted than measured atmospheric concentrations in the particle phase, indicating atmospheric decay by chemical reactions or evaporation from the particle phase. The atmospheric concentrations of dicarboxylic acids and aromatic polycarboxylic acids greatly exceed the contributions that

Molecular understanding of sulphuric acid-amine particle nucleation in the atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, João; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Kürten, Andreas; Ortega, Ismael K; Kupiainen-Määttä, Oona; Praplan, Arnaud P; Adamov, Alexey; Amorim, Antonio; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; David, André; Dommen, Josef; Donahue, Neil M; Downard, Andrew; Dunne, Eimear; Duplissy, Jonathan; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Flagan, Richard C; Franchin, Alessandro; Guida, Roberto; Hakala, Jani; Hansel, Armin; Heinritzi, Martin; Henschel, Henning; Jokinen, Tuija; Junninen, Heikki; Kajos, Maija; Kangasluoma, Juha; Keskinen, Helmi; Kupc, Agnieszka; Kurtén, Theo; Kvashin, Alexander N; Laaksonen, Ari; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Leiminger, Markus; Leppä, Johannes; Loukonen, Ville; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mathot, Serge; McGrath, Matthew J; Nieminen, Tuomo; Olenius, Tinja; Onnela, Antti; Petäjä, Tuukka; Riccobono, Francesco; Riipinen, Ilona; Rissanen, Matti; Rondo, Linda; Ruuskanen, Taina; Santos, Filipe D; Sarnela, Nina; Schallhart, Simon; Schnitzhofer, Ralf; Seinfeld, John H; Simon, Mario; Sipilä, Mikko; Stozhkov, Yuri; Stratmann, Frank; Tomé, Antonio; Tröstl, Jasmin; Tsagkogeorgas, Georgios; Vaattovaara, Petri; Viisanen, Yrjo; Virtanen, Annele; Vrtala, Aron; Wagner, Paul E; Weingartner, Ernest; Wex, Heike; Williamson, Christina; Wimmer, Daniela; Ye, Penglin; Yli-Juuti, Taina; Carslaw, Kenneth S; Kulmala, Markku; Curtius, Joachim; Baltensperger, Urs; Worsnop, Douglas R; Vehkamäki, Hanna; Kirkby, Jasper

2013-10-17

Nucleation of aerosol particles from trace atmospheric vapours is thought to provide up to half of global cloud condensation nuclei. Aerosols can cause a net cooling of climate by scattering sunlight and by leading to smaller but more numerous cloud droplets, which makes clouds brighter and extends their lifetimes. Atmospheric aerosols derived from human activities are thought to have compensated for a large fraction of the warming caused by greenhouse gases. However, despite its importance for climate, atmospheric nucleation is poorly understood. Recently, it has been shown that sulphuric acid and ammonia cannot explain particle formation rates observed in the lower atmosphere. It is thought that amines may enhance nucleation, but until now there has been no direct evidence for amine ternary nucleation under atmospheric conditions. Here we use the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets) chamber at CERN and find that dimethylamine above three parts per trillion by volume can enhance particle formation rates more than 1,000-fold compared with ammonia, sufficient to account for the particle formation rates observed in the atmosphere. Molecular analysis of the clusters reveals that the faster nucleation is explained by a base-stabilization mechanism involving acid-amine pairs, which strongly decrease evaporation. The ion-induced contribution is generally small, reflecting the high stability of sulphuric acid-dimethylamine clusters and indicating that galactic cosmic rays exert only a small influence on their formation, except at low overall formation rates. Our experimental measurements are well reproduced by a dynamical model based on quantum chemical calculations of binding energies of molecular clusters, without any fitted parameters. These results show that, in regions of the atmosphere near amine sources, both amines and sulphur dioxide should be considered when assessing the impact of anthropogenic activities on particle formation.

Rapid preparation of ultrafine BaSO{sub 3} by SO{sub 2} storage material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Fei; Sha, Feng; Qiao, Xian Shu; Zhao, Tian Xiang; Guo, Bo; Zhang, Jian Bin [College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Huhhot (Korea, Republic of)

2017-01-15

In this work, a green and efficient process was developed for the preparation of ultrafine BaSO{sub 3} with layered nanostructure surface via the reaction of BaCl{sub 2} with a SO{sub 2} storage material (SO{sub 2}SM) at room temperature. The absorption of SO{sub 2} with equimolar ethylenediamine (EDA) and ethylene glycol (EG) afforded SO{sub 2}SM, which not only offered alkyl sulfite but also released EDA and EG that served as efficient surfactants to promote the formation of BaSO{sub 3} with spherical morphology and porous structure in the process of synthesis of ultrafine BaSO{sub 3}. The factors affecting the morphology and size of BaSO{sub 3} particle were assessed by investigating the effects of SO{sub 2}SM concentration, BaCl{sub 2} concentration, stirring time and speed. It was found that a higher SO{sub 2}SM concentration led to a higher degree of supersaturation, and the particle size of BaSO{sub 3} could be reduced by increasing SO{sub 2}SM concentration. Moreover, under the identified optimal reaction conditions, ultrafine BaSO{sub 3} was obtained with an average diameter of 450 nm. In addition, a plausible formation process of BaSO{sub 3} was proposed to explain the observed reaction results. Overall, the developed process in this work provides an efficient method for the capture, utilization, and conversion of SO{sub 2} into a valuable chemical.

Evaluation of Multi-Year Continuous Measurements of Ultrafine Particles at Two Near-Road Stations in Toronto, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Y.; Sofowote, U.; Debosz, J.; Munoz, T.; Whitelaw, C.

2013-12-01

Particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than 100 nanometre (nm) are referred to as ultrafine particles (UFPs). Relative to fine and course particles, UFPs have greater potential to be suspended in air for a longer time and absorb toxic chemicals due to their larger surface areas per unit mass. UFPs could penetrate deep into the respiratory or cardiovascular systems and pose adverse health effects. In urban environments, primary sources of UFPs are from road traffic emissions and account for most of the total particle numbers. Controls on UPFs rely on better understanding of their emission sources and environmental behaviour. Ontario Ministry of the Environment have monitored UFPs since 2010 at two near-road stations in Toronto by using TSI 3031 UFP monitors. The two monitoring stations are approximately 20-30 meters adjacent to major arterial roads with over 20,000 vehicles per day. UFPs concentrations were monitored using six size channels: 20-30nm, 30-50nm, 50-70nm, 70-100nm, 100-200nm, and 200-450nm. Data are collected at time intervals of 11 or 15 minutes and averaged hourly. Concurrent measurements include wind speeds, wind directions, and concentrations of other air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and black carbon. Data influenced by road-side traffic emissions were filtered by wind direction within 45° of normal to the road and wind speed greater than 1 m/s. Number concentrations were found higher for particles with sizes of 20-30nm and 30-50nm than for other sizes of UFPs. The observed particle number distributions are generally consistent with the theoretical understanding of particle nuclei mode and accumulation mode. During the day, for UFPs with sizes of 20-30nm and 30-50nm, elevated number concentrations were observed in morning traffic hours and to a less extent in the late afternoon. The elevated UFPs number concentrations coincided with nitrogen oxides and black carbon. Moreover, higher number concentrations were found on weekdays than

Measured performance of filtration and ventilation systems for fine and ultrafine particles and ozone in an unoccupied modern California house

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singer, Brett C. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Delp, William W. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Black, Douglas R. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Walker, Iain S. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2016-12-01

This study evaluated nine ventilation and filtration systems in an unoccupied 2006 house located 250m downwind of the I-80 freeway in Sacramento, California. Systems were evaluated for reducing indoor concentrations of outdoor particles in summer and fall/winter, ozone in summer, and particles from stir-fry cooking. Air exchange rate was measured continuously. Energy use was estimated for year-round operation in California. Exhaust ventilation without enhanced filtration produced indoor PM_2.5 that was 70% lower than outdoors. Supply ventilation with MERV13 filtration provided slightly less protection whereas supply MERV16 filtration reduced PM_2.55 by 97-98% relative to outdoors. Supply filtration systems used little energy but provided no benefits for indoor-generated particles. Systems with MERV13-16 filters in the recirculating heating and cooling unit (FAU) operating continuously or 20 min/h reduced PM_2.5 by 93-98%. Across all systems, removal percentages were higher for ultrafine particles and lower for black carbon, relative to PM_2.5. Indoor ozone was 3-4% of outdoors for all systems except an electronic air cleaner that produced ozone. Filtration via the FAU or portable filtration units lowered PM_2.5 by 25-75% when operated over the hour following cooking. The energy for year-round operation of FAU filtration with an efficient blower motor was estimated at 600 kWh/year.

Ultrafine luminescent structures through nanoparticle self-assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prabhakaran, K; Goetzinger, S; Shafi, K V P M; Mazzei, A; Schietinger, S; Benson, O

2006-01-01

We report the fabrication of ultrafine structures consisting of regular arrays of nanoemitters through the self-assembly of luminescent nanoparticles on a silicon wafer. Nanoparticles of yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) doped with Eu 3+ ions were synthesized by a sonochemical technique. These particles, suspended in ethanol, are introduced onto a pre-patterned silicon wafer, covered with a thin oxide layer. On annealing the sample in an ultrahigh-vacuum chamber, the nanoparticles self-assemble along the pattern. We demonstrate this 'chemical lithography' by assembling the nanoparticles along a variety of patterns. We believe that such self-organized nanopatterning of functional structures is important for the realization of nanodevices

Outdoor fine and ultrafine particle measurements at six bus stops with smoking on two California arterial highways--results of a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ott, Wayne R; Acevedo-Bolton, Viviana; Cheng, Kai-Chung; Jiang, Ruo-Ting; Klepeis, Neil E; Hildemann, Lynn M

2014-01-01

As indoor smoking bans have become widely adopted, some U.S. communities are considering restricting smoking outdoors, creating a need for measurements of air pollution near smokers outdoors. Personal exposure experiments were conducted with four to five participants at six sidewalk bus stops located 1.5-3.3 m from the curb of two heavily traveled California arterial highways with 3300-5100 vehicles per hour. At each bus stop, a smoker in the group smoked a cigarette. Gravimetrically calibrated continuous monitors were used to measure fine particle concentrations (aerodynamic diameter bus stop, ultrafine particles (UFP), wind speed, temperature, relative humidity, and traffic counts were also measured. For 13 cigarette experiments, the mean PM2.5 personal exposure of the nonsmoker seated 0.5 m from the smoker during a 5-min cigarette ranged from 15 to 153 microg/m3. Of four persons seated on the bench, the smoker received the highest PM2.5 breathing-zone exposure of 192 microg/m3. There was a strong proximity effect: nonsmokers at distances 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 m from the smoker received mean PM2.5 personal exposures of 59, 40, and 28 microg/m3, respectively, compared with a background level of 1.7 microg/m3. Like the PM2.5 concentrations, UFP concentrations measured 0.5 m from the smoker increased abruptly when a cigarette started and decreased when the cigarette ended, averaging 44,500 particles/cm3 compared with the background level of 7200 particles/cm3. During nonsmoking periods, the UFP background concentrations showed occasional peaks due to traffic, whereas PM2.5 background concentrations were extremely low. The results indicate that a single cigarette smoked outdoors at a bus stop can cause PM2.5 and UFP concentrations near the smoker that are 16-35 and 6.2 times, respectively, higher than the background concentrations due to cars and trucks on an adjacent arterial highway. Rules banning smoking indoors have been widely adopted in the United States and in

Sorption activity investigation of ultrafine powders of high temperature melting point compounds in atmospheric pressure conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudneva, V.V.

2006-01-01

A study is made in saturation with gas in the air for ultradispersed chromium carbonitride and boride powders synthesized in a nitrogen plasma jet according to three variants: from elements, from oxides, from chromium trichloride. It is established that in the air on temperature increasing the powders adsorb considerable amounts of oxygen and water vapor. This results in surface oxidation of powder particles and a loss in specific combination of properties. Preliminary vacuum heat treatment is shown to decrease sharply the rate of atmospheric gas adsorption. The quantity of adsorbed gases is dependent on a carbon monoxide concentration in a particle surface layer and the availability of adsorption centers. The number of such centers in the layer can be controlled by vacuum heat treatment conditions. The interaction of the powders with atmospheric gases is concluded to be of adsorption-diffusion nature [ru

Iodine-mediated coastal particle formation: an overview of the Reactive Halogens in the Marine Boundary Layer (RHaMBLe Roscoff coastal study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. McFiggans

2010-03-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a summary of the measurements made during the heavily-instrumented Reactive Halogens in the Marine Boundary Layer (RHaMBLe coastal study in Roscoff on the North West coast of France throughout September 2006. It was clearly demonstrated that iodine-mediated coastal particle formation occurs, driven by daytime low tide emission of molecular iodine, I₂, by macroalgal species fully or partially exposed by the receding waterline. Ultrafine particle concentrations strongly correlate with the rapidly recycled reactive iodine species, IO, produced at high concentrations following photolysis of I₂. The heterogeneous macroalgal I₂ sources lead to variable relative concentrations of iodine species observed by path-integrated and in situ measurement techniques.

Apparent particle emission fluxes were associated with an enhanced apparent depositional flux of ozone, consistent with both a direct O₃ deposition to macroalgae and involvement of O₃ in iodine photochemistry and subsequent particle formation below the measurement height. The magnitude of the particle formation events was observed to be greatest at the lowest tides with the highest concentrations of ultrafine particles growing to the largest sizes, probably by the condensation of anthropogenically-formed condensable material. At such sizes the particles should be able to act as cloud condensation nuclei at reasonable atmospheric supersaturations.

Pesticides in the atmosphere: a comparison of gas-particle partitioning and particle size distribution of legacy and current-use pesticides

Science.gov (United States)

Degrendele, C.; Okonski, K.; Melymuk, L.; Landlová, L.; Kukučka, P.; Audy, O.; Kohoutek, J.; Čupr, P.; Klánová, J.

2016-02-01

This study presents a comparison of seasonal variation, gas-particle partitioning, and particle-phase size distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and current-use pesticides (CUPs) in air. Two years (2012/2013) of weekly air samples were collected at a background site in the Czech Republic using a high-volume air sampler. To study the particle-phase size distribution, air samples were also collected at an urban and rural site in the area of Brno, Czech Republic, using a cascade impactor separating atmospheric particulates according to six size fractions. Major differences were found in the atmospheric distribution of OCPs and CUPs. The atmospheric concentrations of CUPs were driven by agricultural activities while secondary sources such as volatilization from surfaces governed the atmospheric concentrations of OCPs. Moreover, clear differences were observed in gas-particle partitioning; CUP partitioning was influenced by adsorption onto mineral surfaces while OCPs were mainly partitioning to aerosols through absorption. A predictive method for estimating the gas-particle partitioning has been derived and is proposed for polar and non-polar pesticides. Finally, while OCPs and the majority of CUPs were largely found on fine particles, four CUPs (carbendazim, isoproturon, prochloraz, and terbuthylazine) had higher concentrations on coarse particles ( > 3.0 µm), which may be related to the pesticide application technique. This finding is particularly important and should be further investigated given that large particles result in lower risks from inhalation (regardless the toxicity of the pesticide) and lower potential for long-range atmospheric transport.

[Relationship between atmospheric particles and rain water chemistry character].

Science.gov (United States)

Huo, Ming-Qun; Sun, Qian; Xie, Peng; Bai, Yu-Hua; Liu, Zhao-Rong; Li, Ji-Long; Lu, Si-Hua

2009-11-01

Rain and atmospheric particle samples were collected in the rural area of Taian and Shenzhen in 2007, respectively. Rain sampling was carried out during the precipitation process and several samples were got from the beginning of one precipitation to the end. The chemical character changes during precipitation and the changes of concentration of particles before and after rain were studied in this research to understand the contribution of particles on the rain chemical character and the rain-out effect for particles. The volume-weighted mean pH of rainwater in Taian was 5.97 and the total concentration of ions was 1 187.96 microeq x L(-1). The mass concentration of PM10 in Taian was 131.76 microg/m3 and that of PM2.5 was 103.84 microg/m3. The volume-weighted mean pH of rainwater in Shenzhen was 4.72 and the total concentration of ions was 175.89 microeq x L(-1). The mass concentration of PM10 in Shenzhen was 56.66 microg/m3 and that of PM2.5 was 41.52 microg/m3. During precipitation process pH and ion concentration of rain decrease and it is shown the neutralizing effect happens. The difference between rainwater of Taian and Shenzhen is due to cloud water acidity, atmospheric particles character and atmospheric acid-basic gases concentration. The clean-up effect of Na+ and Ca2+ by rain is high and which of NH4+ and NO3- is low. The clean-up effect for mass concentration, ions concentration and element concentration of particles by rain are significant.

Synthesis and characterization of ultrafine well-dispersed magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Z.L.; Wang, H.B.; Lu, Q.H.; Du, G.H.; Peng, L.; Du, Y.Q.; Zhang, S.M.; Yao, K.L.

2004-01-01

Ultrafine well-dispersed magnetic nanoparticles were directly prepared in aqueous solution using controlled coprecipitation method. The structure, size, size distributions and magnetic properties of the magnetic nanoparticles, characterized by TEM, XRD and VSM, indicated the formation of single domain nanoparticles with average size smaller than 5 nm. The magnetic nanoparticles show superparamagnetism and a lower saturation magnetization is found as a consequence of smaller particle size. The relevant conditions for obtaining these magnetic colloids are discussed and the so-prepared magnetic nanoparticles are stable in a wide pH range

Contribution of various microenvironments to the daily personal exposure to ultrafine particles: Personal monitoring coupled with GPS tracking

Science.gov (United States)

Bekö, Gabriel; Kjeldsen, Birthe Uldahl; Olsen, Yulia; Schipperijn, Jasper; Wierzbicka, Aneta; Karottki, Dorina Gabriela; Toftum, Jørn; Loft, Steffen; Clausen, Geo

2015-06-01

Exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) may have adverse health effects. Central monitoring stations do not represent the personal exposure to UFP accurately. Few studies have previously focused on personal exposure to UFP. Sixty non-smoking residents living in Copenhagen, Denmark were asked to carry a backpack equipped with a portable monitor, continuously recording particle number concentrations (PN), in order to measure the real-time individual exposure over a period of ˜48 h. A GPS logger was carried along with the particle monitor and allowed us to estimate the contribution of UFP exposure occurring in various microenvironments (residence, during active and passive transport, other indoor and outdoor environments) to the total daily exposure. On average, the fractional contribution of each microenvironment to the daily integrated personal exposure roughly corresponded to the fractions of the day the subjects spent in each microenvironment. The home environment accounted for 50% of the daily personal exposure. Indoor environments other than home or vehicles contributed with ˜40%. The highest median UFP concentration was obtained during passive transport (vehicles). However, being in transit or outdoors contributed 5% or less to the daily exposure. Additionally, the subjects recorded in a diary the periods when they were at home. With this approach, 66% of the total daily exposure was attributable to the home environment. The subjects spent 28% more time at home according to the diary, compared to the GPS. These results may indicate limitations of using diaries, but also possible inaccuracy and miss-classification in the GPS data.

Ultrafine PEG-coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles formulated by hydrophobic surfactant-assisted one-pot synthesis for biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Chih-Hang; Wang, Yu-Chao; Huang, Hsin-Ying; Wu, Li-Chen; Yang, Chung-Shi

2011-05-06

A novel method was developed for the one-pot synthesis of ultrafine poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (PLGA NPs), using an emulsion solvent evaporation formulation method. Using either cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or poly(ethylene glycol)-distearyl phosphoethanolamine (PEGPE) as an oily emulsifier during the emulsion process, produced PLGA particle sizes of less than 50 nm, constituting a breakthrough in emulsion formulation methods. The yield of ultrafine PLGA NPs increased with PEGPE/PLGA ratio, reaching a plateau at around 85%, when the PEGPE/PLGA ratio reached 3:1. The PEGPE-PLGA NPs exhibited high drug loading content, reduced burst release, good serum stability, and enhanced cell uptake rate compared with traditional PLGA NPs. Sub-50 nm diameter PEG-coated ultrafine PLGA NPs show great potential for in vivo drug delivery systems.

Pesticides in the atmosphere: a comparison of gas-particle partitioning and particle size distribution of legacy and current-use pesticides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Degrendele

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This study presents a comparison of seasonal variation, gas-particle partitioning, and particle-phase size distribution of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs and current-use pesticides (CUPs in air. Two years (2012/2013 of weekly air samples were collected at a background site in the Czech Republic using a high-volume air sampler. To study the particle-phase size distribution, air samples were also collected at an urban and rural site in the area of Brno, Czech Republic, using a cascade impactor separating atmospheric particulates according to six size fractions. Major differences were found in the atmospheric distribution of OCPs and CUPs. The atmospheric concentrations of CUPs were driven by agricultural activities while secondary sources such as volatilization from surfaces governed the atmospheric concentrations of OCPs. Moreover, clear differences were observed in gas-particle partitioning; CUP partitioning was influenced by adsorption onto mineral surfaces while OCPs were mainly partitioning to aerosols through absorption. A predictive method for estimating the gas-particle partitioning has been derived and is proposed for polar and non-polar pesticides. Finally, while OCPs and the majority of CUPs were largely found on fine particles, four CUPs (carbendazim, isoproturon, prochloraz, and terbuthylazine had higher concentrations on coarse particles ( >  3.0 µm, which may be related to the pesticide application technique. This finding is particularly important and should be further investigated given that large particles result in lower risks from inhalation (regardless the toxicity of the pesticide and lower potential for long-range atmospheric transport.

Short-term exposure to PM 10, PM 2.5, ultrafine particles and CO 2 for passengers at an intercity bus terminal

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yu-Hsiang; Chang, Hsiao-Peng; Hsieh, Cheng-Ju

2011-04-01

The Taipei Bus Station is the main transportation hub for over 50 bus routes to eastern, central, and southern Taiwan. Daily traffic volume at this station is about 2500 vehicles, serving over 45,000 passengers daily. The station is a massive 24-story building housing a bus terminal, a business hotel, a shopping mall, several cinemas, offices, private residential suites, and over 900 parking spaces. However, air quality inside this bus terminal is a concern as over 2500 buses are scheduled to run daily. This study investigates the PM 10, PM 2.5, UFP and CO 2 levels inside and outside the bus terminal. All measurements were taken between February and April 2010. Measurement results show that coarse PM inside the bus terminal was resuspended by the movement of large numbers of passengers. The fine and ultrafine PM in the station concourse were from outside vehicles. Moreover, fine and ultrafine PM at waiting areas were exhausted directly from buses in the building. The CO 2 levels at waiting areas were likely elevated by bus exhaust and passengers exhaling. The PM 10, PM 2.5 and CO 2 levels at the bus terminal were lower than Taiwan's EPA suggested standards for indoor air quality. However, UFP levels at the bus terminal were significantly higher than those in the urban background by about 10 times. Therefore, the effects of UFPs on the health of passengers and workers must be addressed at this bus terminal since the levels of UFPs are higher than >1.0 × 10 5 particles cm -3.

Regions of open water and melting sea ice drive new particle formation in North East Greenland.

Science.gov (United States)

Dall Osto, M; Geels, C; Beddows, D C S; Boertmann, D; Lange, R; Nøjgaard, J K; Harrison, Roy M; Simo, R; Skov, H; Massling, A

2018-04-17

Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) and growth significantly influences the indirect aerosol-cloud effect within the polar climate system. In this work, the aerosol population is categorised via cluster analysis of aerosol number size distributions (9-915 nm, 65 bins) taken at Villum Research Station, Station Nord (VRS) in North Greenland during a 7 year record (2010-2016). Data are clustered at daily averaged resolution; in total, we classified six categories, five of which clearly describe the ultrafine aerosol population, one of which is linked to nucleation events (up to 39% during summer). Air mass trajectory analyses tie these frequent nucleation events to biogenic precursors released by open water and melting sea ice regions. NPF events in the studied regions seem not to be related to bird colonies from coastal zones. Our results show a negative correlation (r = -0.89) between NPF events and sea ice extent, suggesting the impact of ultrafine Arctic aerosols is likely to increase in the future, given the likely increased sea ice melting. Understanding the composition and the sources of Arctic aerosols requires further integrated studies with joint multi-component ocean-atmosphere observation and modelling.

Analyses on the formation of atmospheric particles and stabilized sulphuric acid clusters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paasonen, P.

2012-11-01

Aerosol particles have various effects on our life. They affect the visibility and have diverse health effects, but are also applied in various applications, from drug inhalators to pesticides. Additionally, aerosol particles have manifold effects on the Earths' radiation budget and thus on the climate. The strength of the aerosol climate effect is one of the factors causing major uncertainties in the global climate models predicting the future climate change. Aerosol particles are emitted to atmosphere from various anthropogenic and biogenic sources, but they are also formed from precursor vapours in many parts of the world in a process called atmospheric new particle formation (NPF). The uncertainties in aerosol climate effect are partly due to the current lack of knowledge of the mechanisms governing the atmospheric NPF. It is known that gas phase sulphuric acid most certainly plays an important role in atmospheric NPF. However, also other vapours are needed in NPF, but the exact roles or even identities of these vapours are currently not exactly known. In this thesis I present some of the recent advancements in understanding of the atmospheric NPF in terms of the roles of the participating vapours and the meteorological conditions. Since direct measurements of new particle formation rate in the initial size scale of the formed particles (below 2 nm) are so far infrequent in both spatial and temporal scales, indirect methods are needed. The work presented on the following pages approaches the NPF from two directions: by analysing the observed formation rates of particles after they have grown to sizes measurable with widely applied instruments (2 nm or larger), and by measuring and modelling the initial sulphuric acid cluster formation. The obtained results can be summarized as follows. (1) The observed atmospheric new particle formation rates are typically connected with sulphuric acid concentration to the power close to two. (2) Also other compounds, most

A parametric comparative study of electrocoagulation and coagulation using ultrafine quartz suspensions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiliç, Mehtap Gülsün; Hoşten, Cetin; Demirci, Sahinde

2009-11-15

This paper attempts to compare electrocoagulation using aluminum anodes and stainless steel cathodes with conventional coagulation by aluminum sulfate dosing on aqueous suspensions of ultrafine quartz. Several key parameters affecting the efficiency of electrocoagulation and coagulation were investigated with laboratory scale experiments in search of optimal parameter values. Optimal values of the parameters were determined on the basis of the efficiency of turbidity removal from ultrafine quartz suspensions. The parameters investigated in the study were suspension pH, electrical potential, current density, electrocoagulation time, and aluminum dosage. A comparison between electrocoagulation and coagulation was made on the basis of total dissolved aluminum, revealing that electrocoagulation and coagulation were equally effective at the same aluminum dosage for the removal of quartz particles from suspensions. Coagulation, however, was more effective in a wider pH range (pH 6-9) than electrocoagulation which yielded optimum effectiveness in a relatively narrower pH range around 9, where, in both methods, these pH values corresponded to near-zero zeta potentials of quartz particles. Furthermore, experimental results confirmed that electrocoagulation could display some pH buffering capacity. The kinetics of electrocoagulation was very fast (<10 min) in approaching a residual turbidity, which could be modeled with a second-order rate equation.

Ultrafine grained steels processed by equal channel angular pressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Dong Hyuk; Park, Kyung-Tae

2005-01-01

Recent development of ultrafine grained (UFG) low carbon steels by using equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) and their room temperature tensile properties are reviewed, focusing on the strategies overcoming their inherent mechanical drawbacks. In addition to ferrite grain refinement, when proper post heat treatments are imposed, carbon atom dissolution from pearlitic cementite during ECAP can be utilized for microstructural modification such as uniform distribution of nano-sized cementite particles or microalloying element carbides inside UFG ferrite grains and fabrication of UFG ferrite/martensite dual phase steel. The utilization of nano-sized particles is effective on improving thermal stability of UFG low carbon ferrite/pearlite steel but less effective on improving its tensile properties. By contrast, UFG ferrite/martensite dual phase steel exhibits an excellent combination of ultrahigh strength, large uniform elongation and extensive strain hardenability

Unraveling the atomic structure of ultrafine iron clusters

KAUST Repository

Wang, Hongtao; Li, Kun; Yao, Yingbang; Wang, Qingxiao; Cheng, Yingchun; Schwingenschlö gl, Udo; Zhang, Xixiang; Yang, Wei

2012-01-01

Unraveling the atomic structures of ultrafine iron clusters is critical to understanding their size-dependent catalytic effects and electronic properties. Here, we describe the stable close-packed structure of ultrafine Fe clusters for the first

Atmospheric fate and transport of fine volcanic ash: Does particle shape matter?

Science.gov (United States)

White, C. M.; Allard, M. P.; Klewicki, J.; Proussevitch, A. A.; Mulukutla, G.; Genareau, K.; Sahagian, D. L.

2013-12-01

Volcanic ash presents hazards to infrastructure, agriculture, and human and animal health. In particular, given the economic importance of intercontinental aviation, understanding how long ash is suspended in the atmosphere, and how far it is transported has taken on greater importance. Airborne ash abrades the exteriors of aircraft, enters modern jet engines and melts while coating interior engine parts causing damage and potential failure. The time fine ash stays in the atmosphere depends on its terminal velocity. Existing models of ash terminal velocities are based on smooth, quasi-spherical particles characterized by Stokes velocity. Ash particles, however, violate the various assumptions upon which Stokes flow and associated models are based. Ash particles are non-spherical and can have complex surface and internal structure. This suggests that particle shape may be one reason that models fail to accurately predict removal rates of fine particles from volcanic ash clouds. The present research seeks to better parameterize predictive models for ash particle terminal velocities, diffusivity, and dispersion in the atmospheric boundary layer. The fundamental hypothesis being tested is that particle shape irreducibly impacts the fate and transport properties of fine volcanic ash. Pilot studies, incorporating modeling and experiments, are being conducted to test this hypothesis. Specifically, a statistical model has been developed that can account for actual volcanic ash size distributions, complex ash particle geometry, and geometry variability. Experimental results are used to systematically validate and improve the model. The experiments are being conducted at the Flow Physics Facility (FPF) at UNH. Terminal velocities and dispersion properties of fine ash are characterized using still air drop experiments in an unconstrained open space using a homogenized mix of source particles. Dispersion and sedimentation dynamics are quantified using particle image

Two-step sintering of ultrafine-grained barium cerate proton conducting ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Siwei; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Lingling; Brinkman, Kyle; Chen, Fanglin

2013-01-01

Ultra-fine grained dense BaZr 0.1 Ce 0.7 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3−δ (BZCYYb) ceramics have been successfully prepared via a two-step sintering method. Co-precipitation method has been adopted to prepare nano-sized BZCYYb precursors with an average particle size of 30 nm. By controlling the sintering profile, an average grain size of 184 nm was obtained for dense BZCYYb ceramics via the two-step sintering method, compared to 445 nm for the conventional sintered samples. The two-step sintered BZCYYb samples showed less impurity and an enhanced electrical conductivity compared with the conventional sintered ones. Further, the two-step sintering method was applied to fabricate anode supported solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) using BZCYYb as the electrolyte, resulting in dense ultrafine-grained electrolyte membranes and porous anode substrates with fine particles. Due to the reduced ohmic as well as polarization resistances, the maximum power output of the cells fabricated from the two-step sintering method reached 349 mW m −2 at 700 °C, significantly improved from 172 mW cm −2 for the conventional sintered cells, suggesting that two-step sintering method is very promising for optimizing the microstructure and thus enhancing the electrochemical performances for barium cerate based proton-conducting SOFCs.

Modeling of particle mixing in the atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Shupeng

2015-01-01

This thesis presents a newly developed size-composition resolved aerosol model (SCRAM), which is able to simulate the dynamics of externally-mixed particles in the atmosphere, and evaluates its performance in three-dimensional air-quality simulations. The main work is split into four parts. First, the research context of external mixing and aerosol modelling is introduced. Secondly, the development of the SCRAM box model is presented along with validation tests. Each particle composition is defined by the combination of mass-fraction sections of its chemical components or aggregates of components. The three main processes involved in aerosol dynamic (nucleation, coagulation, condensation/ evaporation) are included in SCRAM. The model is first validated by comparisons with published reference solutions for coagulation and condensation/evaporation of internally-mixed particles. The particle mixing state is investigated in a 0-D simulation using data representative of air pollution at a traffic site in Paris. The relative influence on the mixing state of the different aerosol processes and of the algorithm used to model condensation/evaporation (dynamic evolution or bulk equilibrium between particles and gas) is studied. Then, SCRAM is integrated into the Polyphemus air quality platform and used to conduct simulations over Greater Paris during the summer period of 2009. This evaluation showed that SCRAM gives satisfactory results for both PM2.5/PM10 concentrations and aerosol optical depths, as assessed from comparisons to observations. Besides, the model allows us to analyze the particle mixing state, as well as the impact of the mixing state assumption made in the modelling on particle formation, aerosols optical properties, and cloud condensation nuclei activation. Finally, two simulations are conducted during the winter campaign of MEGAPOLI (Megacities: Emissions, urban, regional and Global Atmospheric Pollution and climate effects, and Integrated tools for

Measurements of the effect of humidity on radio-aerosol penetration through ultrafine capillaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cullen, C.

1996-08-01

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of humidity on radio-aerosol penetration through ultrafine capillaries. A number of tests were conducted at relative humidities of 20%, 50%, and 80%, with sampling times of 20, 40, and 60 min. The radio-aerosol consisted of polystyrene particles with a diameter of 0.1 microm. The ultrafine capillaries had a diameter of 250 microm. The data from these tests varied significantly. These results made the identification of radio-aerosol penetration trends inconclusive. The standard deviation for all penetration data ranged from 3% to 30%. The results of this study suggest that a better control of the experimental parameters was needed to obtain more accurate data from experiments associated with radio-aerosol penetration in the presence of moisture. The experimental parameters that may have contributed to the wide variance of data, include aerosol flow, radio-aerosol generation, capillary characteristics, humidity control, and radiation measurements. It was the uncertainty of these parameters that contributed to the poor data which made conclusive deductions about radio-aerosol penetration dependence on humidity difficult. The application of this study is to ultrafine leaks resulting from stress fractures in high-level nuclear waste transportation casks under accident scenarios

Contact efflorescence as a pathway for crystallization of atmospherically relevant particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Ryan D; Lance, Sara; Gordon, Joshua A; Ushijima, Shuichi B; Tolbert, Margaret A

2015-12-29

Inadequate knowledge of the phase state of atmospheric particles represents a source of uncertainty in global climate and air quality models. Hygroscopic aqueous inorganic particles are often assumed to remain liquid throughout their atmospheric lifetime or only (re)crystallize at low relative humidity (RH) due to the kinetic limitations of efflorescence (salt crystal nucleation and growth from an aqueous solution). Here we present experimental observations of a previously unexplored heterogeneous nucleation pathway that we have termed "contact efflorescence," which describes efflorescence initiated by an externally located solid particle coming into contact with the surface of a metastable aqueous microdroplet. This study demonstrates that upon a single collision, contact efflorescence is a pathway for crystallization of atmospherically relevant aqueous particles at high ambient RH (≤80%). Soluble inorganic crystalline particles were used as contact nuclei to induce efflorescence of aqueous ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4], sodium chloride (NaCl), and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), with efflorescence being observed in several cases close to their deliquescence RH values (80%, 75%, and 62%, respectively). To our knowledge, these observations represent the highest reported efflorescence RH values for microdroplets of these salts. These results are particularly important for considering the phase state of NH4NO3, where the contact efflorescence RH (∼20-60%) is in stark contrast to the observation that NH4NO3 microdroplets do not homogeneously effloresce, even when exposed to extremely arid conditions (<1% RH). Considering the occurrence of particle collisions in the atmosphere (i.e., coagulation), these observations of contact efflorescence challenge many assumptions made about the phase state of inorganic aerosol.

Particle motion in atmospheric boundary layers of Mars and Earth

Science.gov (United States)

White, B. R.; Iversen, J. D.; Greeley, R.; Pollack, J. B.

1975-01-01

To study the eolian mechanics of saltating particles, both an experimental investigation of the flow field around a model crater in an atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel and numerical solutions of the two- and three-dimensional equations of motion of a single particle under the influence of a turbulent boundary layer were conducted. Two-dimensional particle motion was calculated for flow near the surfaces of both Earth and Mars. For the case of Earth both a turbulent boundary layer with a viscous sublayer and one without were calculated. For the case of Mars it was only necessary to calculate turbulent boundary layer flow with a laminar sublayer because of the low values of friction Reynolds number; however, it was necessary to include the effects of slip flow on a particle caused by the rarefied Martian atmosphere. In the equations of motion the lift force functions were developed to act on a single particle only in the laminar sublayer or a corresponding small region of high shear near the surface for a fully turbulent boundary layer. The lift force functions were developed from the analytical work by Saffman concerning the lift force acting on a particle in simple shear flow.

Global atmospheric particle formation from CERN CLOUD measurements

CERN Document Server

Dunne, E M; Kurten, A; Almeida, J; Duplissy, J; Williamson, C; Ortega, I K; Pringle, K J; Adamov, A; Baltensperger, U; Barmet, P; Benduhn, F; Bianchi, F; Breitenlechner, M; Clarke, A; Curtius, J; Dommen, J; Donahue, N M; Ehrhart, S; Flagan, R C; Franchin, A; Guida, R; Hakala, J; Hansel, A; Heinritzi, M; Jokinen, T; Kangasluoma, J; Kirkby, J; Kulmala, M; Kupc, A; Lawler, M J; Lehtipalo, K; Makhmutov, V; Mann, G; Mathot, S; Merikanto, J; Miettinen, P; Nenes, A; Onnela, A; Rap, A; Reddington, C L S; Riccobono, F; Richards, N A D; Rissanen, M P; Rondo, L; Sarnela, N; Schobesberger, S; Sengupta, K; Simon, M; Sipila, M; Smith, J N; Stozkhov, Y; Tome, A; Trostl, J; Wagner, P E; Wimmer, D; Winkler, P M; Worsnop, D R; Carslaw, K S

2016-01-01

Fundamental questions remain about the origin of newly formed atmospheric aerosol particles because data from laboratory measurements have been insufficient to build global models. In contrast, gas-phase chemistry models have been based on laboratory kinetics measurements for decades. Here we build a global model of aerosol formation using extensive laboratory-measured nucleation rates involving sulfuric acid, ammonia, ions and organic compounds. The simulations and a comparison with atmospheric observations show that nearly all nucleation throughout the present-day atmosphere involves ammonia or biogenic organic compounds in addition to sulfuric acid. A significant fraction of nucleation involves ions, but the relatively weak dependence on ion concentrations indicates that for the processes studied variations in cosmic ray intensity do not significantly affect climate via nucleation in the present-day atmosphere.

Turbulent transport of large particles in the atmospheric boundary layer

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, D. H.; Chamecki, M.

2017-12-01

To describe the transport of heavy dust particles in the atmosphere, assumptions must typically be made in order to connect the micro-scale emission processes with the larger-scale atmospheric motions. In the context of numerical models, this can be thought of as the transport process which occurs between the domain bottom and the first vertical grid point. For example, in the limit of small particles (both low inertia and low settling velocity), theory built upon Monin-Obukhov similarity has proven effective in relating mean dust concentration profiles to surface emission fluxes. For increasing particle mass, however, it becomes more difficult to represent dust transport as a simple extension of the transport of a passive scalar due to issues such as the crossing trajectories effect. This study focuses specifically on the problem of large particle transport and dispersion in the turbulent boundary layer by utilizing direct numerical simulations with Lagrangian point-particle tracking to determine under what, if any, conditions the large dust particles (larger than 10 micron in diameter) can be accurately described in a simplified Eulerian framework. In particular, results will be presented detailing the independent contributions of both particle inertia and particle settling velocity relative to the strength of the surrounding turbulent flow, and consequences of overestimating surface fluxes via traditional parameterizations will be demonstrated.

Elementos traço em material particulado atmosférico de uma região agroindustrial do sudeste do Brasil Trace elements in atmospheric particulate matter from an agro-industrial region in southeastern Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrícia Lopes de Oliveira

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Trace element concentrations were measured in atmospheric particulate matter collected in 2009 and 2010, in a Brazilian region influenced by pre-harvest burning of sugar cane crops. For coarse particles, high concentrations of Al, Fe, K and Ca suggested that re-suspended soil dust was the main source of aerosol trace elements, subsequently confirmed by XRD analysis. High levels of K, Zn, As, Cd and Pb were found in fine particles, confirming the contribution of biomass burning and vehicle emissions, whereas Na, Al, K, Fe and Zn were the representative elements in ultrafine particles, influenced by a diversity of sources.

Organic Nitrogen in Atmospheric Drops and Particles: Concentrations, (Limited) Speciation, and Chemical Transformations

Science.gov (United States)

Anastasio, C.; Zhang, Q.

2003-12-01

While quite a bit is known of the concentrations, speciation, and chemistry of inorganic forms of nitrogen in the atmosphere, the same cannot be said for organic forms. Despite this, there is growing evidence that organic N (ON) is ubiquitous in the atmosphere, especially in atmospheric condensed phases such as fog/cloud drops and aerosol particles. Although the major compounds that make up organic N are generally unknown, as are the sources of these compounds, it is clear that there are significant fluxes of ON between the atmosphere and ecosystems. It also appears that organic N can have significant effects in both spheres. The goal of our recent work in this area has been to better describe the atmospheric component of the biogeochemistry of organic nitrogen. Based on particle, gas, and fogwater samples from Northern California we have made three major findings: 1) Organic N represents a significant component, approximately 20%, of the total atmospheric N loading in these samples. This is broadly consistent with studies from other locations. 2) Amino compounds, primarily as combined amino acids, account for approximately 20% of the measured ON in our condensed phase samples. Given the properties of amino acids, these compounds could significantly affect the chemical and physical properties of atmospheric particles. 3) Organic nitrogen in atmospheric particles and drops is transformed to inorganic forms - primarily ammonium, nitrate, and nitrogen oxides (NOx) - during exposure to sunlight and/or ozone. These chemical reactions likely increase the bioavailability of the condensed phase nitrogen pool and enhance its biological effects after deposition to ecosystems.

Extruded Al-Al2O3 composites formed in situ during consolidation of ultrafine Al powders: Effect of the powder surface area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balog, Martin; Simancik, Frantisek; Walcher, Martin; Rajner, Walter; Poletti, Cecilia

2011-01-01

Highlights: → 25 gas atomised Al 99.5% powders with particle size 2 O 3 dispersoids. → Compacts showed good thermal stability due to grain pinning of Al 2 O 3 dispersoids. - Abstract: Twenty-five samples of commercially available, gas-atomised Al (99.5%) powders with particle sizes 2 O 3 composites formed in situ during extrusion. The effect of particle size, surface area, oxygen content and atomisation atmosphere of the powder on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the extruded compacts were studied by Brunauer, Emmett, Teller (BET) analysis, hot gas extraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and tensile tests. Thermal stability of the compacts and the individual strengthening mechanisms operating in the compacts were discussed. It was found that the properties of the compacts stemmed from the extraordinary grain boundary strengthening effect of the ultrafine-grained compacts due to their microstructures. The efficiency of the grain boundary strengthening was significantly enhanced by the presence of nano-metric Al 2 O 3 dispersoids introduced in situ. The strength of the compacts was closely related to the surface area of the powder particles. In addition, the entrapped gasses and chemically bonded humidity had a negative effect on the mechanical properties of the compacts.

On the Effects of Atmospheric Particles Contamination and Humidity on Tin Corrosion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

D’Angelo, L.; Verdingovas, V.; Ferrero, L.

2017-01-01

The effects of hygroscopic atmospheric particles are investigated in relation to the corrosion of tin. Surface insulation resistance test boards were directly contaminated both with ambient particles sampled in the field at Milan, Italy, and with pure saline particles generated in the laboratory....... An innovative particle deposition device was used to uniformly coat circular spots on to the test board surfaces. Deliquescence and crystallization of the water-soluble compounds were detected by observing the impedance response to varying relative humidity (RH) conditions with a gradual and continuous ramps....... The effects of the adsorption/desorption kinetics and of the temperature on the deliquescence and crystallization RH values were also investigated. Leakage current measurements at 5-V dc highlighted the ability of atmospheric particles to promote corrosion and electrochemical migration at RH levels far below...

On the formation of sulphuric acid – amine clusters in varying atmospheric conditions and its influence on atmospheric new particle formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. K. Ortega

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Sulphuric acid is a key component in atmospheric new particle formation. However, sulphuric acid alone does not form stable enough clusters to initiate particle formation in atmospheric conditions. Strong bases, such as amines, have been suggested to stabilize sulphuric acid clusters and thus participate in particle formation. We modelled the formation rate of clusters with two sulphuric acid and two amine molecules (JA2B2 at varying atmospherically relevant conditions with respect to concentrations of sulphuric acid ([H2SO4], dimethylamine ([DMA] and trimethylamine ([TMA], temperature and relative humidity (RH. We also tested how the model results change if we assume that the clusters with two sulphuric acid and two amine molecules would act as seeds for heterogeneous nucleation of organic vapours (other than amines with higher atmospheric concentrations than sulphuric acid. The modelled formation rates JA2B2 were functions of sulphuric acid concentration with close to quadratic dependence, which is in good agreement with atmospheric observations of the connection between the particle formation rate and sulphuric acid concentration. The coefficients KA2B2 connecting the cluster formation rate and sulphuric acid concentrations as JA2B2=KA2B2[H2SO4]2 turned out to depend also on amine concentrations, temperature and relative humidity. We compared the modelled coefficients KA2B2 with the corresponding coefficients calculated from the atmospheric observations (Kobs from environments with varying temperatures and levels of anthropogenic influence. By taking into account the modelled behaviour of JA2B2 as a function of [H2SO4], temperature and RH, the atmospheric particle formation rate was reproduced more closely than with the traditional semi-empirical formulae based on sulphuric acid concentration only. The formation rates of clusters with two sulphuric acid and two amine molecules with different amine compositions (DMA or TMA or one of both had

Novel Ultrafine Fibrous Poly(tetrafluoroethylene Hollow Fiber Membrane Fabricated by Electrospinning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qinglin Huang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Novel poly(tetrafluoroethylene (PTFE hollow fiber membranes were successfully fabricated by electrospinning, with ultrafine fibrous PTFE membranes as separation layers, while a porous glassfiber braided tube served as the supporting matrix. During this process, PTFE/poly(vinylalcohol (PVA ultrafine fibrous membranes were electrospun while covering the porous glassfiber braided tube; then, the nascent PTFE/PVA hollow fiber membrane was obtained. In the following sintering process, the spinning carrier PVA decomposed; meanwhile, the ultrafine fibrous PTFE membrane shrank inward so as to further integrate with the supporting matrix. Therefore, the ultrafine fibrous PTFE membranes had excellent interface bonding strength with the supporting matrix. Moreover, the obtained ultrafine fibrous PTFE hollow fiber membrane exhibited superior performances in terms of strong hydrophobicity (CA > 140°, high porosity (>70%, and sharp pore size distribution. The comprehensive properties indicated that the ultrafine fibrous PTFE hollow fiber membranes could have potentially useful applications in membrane contactors (MC, especially membrane distillation (MD in harsh water environments.

Particle size distribution of mainstream tobacco and marijuana smoke. Analysis using the electrical aerosol analyzer.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, P J; Wilson, J D; Hiller, F C

1989-07-01

Accurate measurement of cigarette smoke particle size distribution is important for estimation of lung deposition. Most prior investigators have reported a mass median diameter (MMD) in the size range of 0.3 to 0.5 micron, with a small geometric standard deviation (GSD), indicating few ultrafine (less than 0.1 micron) particles. A few studies, however, have suggested the presence of ultrafine particles by reporting a smaller count median diameter (CMD). Part of this disparity may be due tot he inefficiency to previous sizing methods in measuring ultrafine size range, to evaluate size distribution of smoke from standard research cigarettes, commercial filter cigarettes, and from marijuana cigarettes with different delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol contents. Four 35-cm3, 2-s puffs were generated at 60-s intervals, rapidly diluted, and passed through a charge neutralizer and into a 240-L chamber. Size distribution for six cigarettes of each type was measured, CMD and GSD were determined from a computer-generated log probability plot, and MMD was calculated. The size distribution parameters obtained were similar for all cigarettes tested, with an average CMD of 0.1 micron, a MMD of 0.38 micron, and a GSD of 2.0. The MMD found using the EAA is similar to that previously reported, but the CMD is distinctly smaller and the GSD larger, indicating the presence of many more ultrafine particles. These results may explain the disparity of CMD values found in existing data. Ultrafine particles are of toxicologic importance because their respiratory tract deposition is significantly higher than for particles 0.3 to 0.5 micron and because their large surface area facilitates adsorption and delivery of potentially toxic gases to the lung.

Electrochemically Formed Ultrafine Metal Oxide Nanocatalysts for High-Performance Lithium–Oxygen Batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Bin; Yan, Pengfei; Xu, Wu; Zheng, Jianming; He, Yang; Luo, Langli; Bowden, Mark E.; Wang, Chong-Min; Zhang, Ji-Guang

2016-08-10

Lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battery has an extremely high theoretical specific energy density as compared with conventional energy storage systems. However, practical application of Li-O2 battery system still faces significant challenges, especially its poor cyclability. In this work, we report a new approach to synthesis ultrafine metal oxide nanocatalysts through an electrochemical pre-lithiation process. This process reduces the size of NiCo2O4 (NCO) particles from 20~30 nm to a uniformly distributed domain of ~ 2 nm and largely improved their catalytic activity. Structurally, the pre-lithiated NCO NWs are featured by ultrafine NiO/CoO nanoparticles, which show high stability during prolonged cycles in terms of morphology and the particle size, therefore maintaining an excellent catalytic effect to oxygen reduction and evolution reactions. Li-O2 battery using this catalyst has demonstrated an initial capacity of 29,280 mAh g-1 and has retained a stable capacity of over 1,000 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles based on the weight of NCO active material. Direct in-situ TEM observation conclusively reveals the lithiation/delithiation process of as-prepared NCO NWs, clarifying the NCO/Li electrochemical reaction mechanism that can be extended to other transition-metal oxides and providing the in depth understandings on the catalysts and battery chemistries of other ternary transition-metal oxides.

Comparisons of Traffic-Related Ultrafine Particle Number Concentrations Measured in Two Urban Areas by Central, Residential, and Mobile Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Matthew C; Hudda, Neelakshi; Naumova, Elena N; Levy, Jonathan I; Brugge, Doug; Durant, John L

2017-11-01

Traffic-related ultrafine particles (UFP; monitoring strategies upon which the models are based have varied between studies. Our study compares particle number concentrations (PNC; a proxy for UFP) measured by three different monitoring approaches (central-site, short-term residential-site, and mobile on-road monitoring) in two study areas in metropolitan Boston (MA, USA). Our objectives were to quantify ambient PNC differences between the three monitoring platforms, compare the temporal patterns and the spatial heterogeneity of PNC between the monitoring platforms, and identify factors that affect correlations across the platforms. We collected >12,000 hours of measurements at the central sites, 1,000 hours of measurements at each of 20 residential sites in the two study areas, and >120 hours of mobile measurements over the course of ~1 year in each study area. Our results show differences between the monitoring strategies: mean one-minute PNC on-roads were higher (64,000 and 32,000 particles/cm 3 in Boston and Chelsea, respectively) compared to central-site measurements (23,000 and 19,000 particles/cm 3 ) and both were higher than at residences (14,000 and 15,000 particles/cm 3 ). Temporal correlations and spatial heterogeneity also differed between the platforms. Temporal correlations were generally highest between central and residential sites, and lowest between central-site and on-road measurements. We observed the greatest spatial heterogeneity across monitoring platforms during the morning rush hours (06:00-09:00) and the lowest during the overnight hours (18:00-06:00). Longer averaging times (days and hours vs. minutes) increased temporal correlations (Pearson correlations were 0.69 and 0.60 vs. 0.39 in Boston; 0.71 and 0.61 vs. 0.45 in Chelsea) and reduced spatial heterogeneity (coefficients of divergence were 0.24 and 0.29 vs. 0.33 in Boston; 0.20 and 0.27 vs. 0.31 in Chelsea). Our results suggest that combining stationary and mobile monitoring may lead

Comparisons of traffic-related ultrafine particle number concentrations measured in two urban areas by central, residential, and mobile monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Matthew C.; Hudda, Neelakshi; Naumova, Elena N.; Levy, Jonathan I.; Brugge, Doug; Durant, John L.

2017-11-01

Traffic-related ultrafine particles (UFP; strategies upon which the models are based have varied between studies. Our study compares particle number concentrations (PNC; a proxy for UFP) measured by three different monitoring approaches (central-site, short-term residential-site, and mobile on-road monitoring) in two study areas in metropolitan Boston (MA, USA). Our objectives were to quantify ambient PNC differences between the three monitoring platforms, compare the temporal patterns and the spatial heterogeneity of PNC between the monitoring platforms, and identify factors that affect correlations across the platforms. We collected >12,000 h of measurements at the central sites, 1000 h of measurements at each of 20 residential sites in the two study areas, and >120 h of mobile measurements over the course of ∼1 year in each study area. Our results show differences between the monitoring strategies: mean 1 min PNC on-roads were higher (64,000 and 32,000 particles/cm3 in Boston and Chelsea, respectively) compared to central-site measurements (23,000 and 19,000 particles/cm3) and both were higher than at residences (14,000 and 15,000 particles/cm3). Temporal correlations and spatial heterogeneity also differed between the platforms. Temporal correlations were generally highest between central and residential sites, and lowest between central-site and on-road measurements. We observed the greatest spatial heterogeneity across monitoring platforms during the morning rush hours (06:00-09:00) and the lowest during the overnight hours (18:00-06:00). Longer averaging times (days and hours vs. minutes) increased temporal correlations (Pearson correlations were 0.69 and 0.60 vs. 0.39 in Boston; 0.71 and 0.61 vs. 0.45 in Chelsea) and reduced spatial heterogeneity (coefficients of divergence were 0.24 and 0.29 vs. 0.33 in Boston; 0.20 and 0.27 vs. 0.31 in Chelsea). Our results suggest that combining stationary and mobile monitoring may lead to improved characterization of

Ultrafine-grained porous titanium and porous titanium/magnesium composites fabricated by space holder-enabled severe plastic deformation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qi, Yuanshen, E-mail: yuanshen.qi@monash.edu [Centre for Advanced Hybrid Materials, Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Contreras, Karla G. [Monash Institute of Medical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Jung, Hyun-Do [Liquid Processing & Casting Technology R& D Group, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Incheon 406-840 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyoun-Ee [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Advanced Institutes of Convergence Technology, Seoul National University, Gwanggyo, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 443-270 (Korea, Republic of); Lapovok, Rimma [Centre for Advanced Hybrid Materials, Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Estrin, Yuri, E-mail: yuri.estrin@monash.edu [Centre for Advanced Hybrid Materials, Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Laboratory of Hybrid Nanostructured Materials, NUST MISiS, Moscow 119490 (Russian Federation)

2016-02-01

Compaction of powders by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) using a novel space holder method was employed to fabricate metallic scaffolds with tuneable porosity. Porous Ti and Ti/Mg composites with 60% and 50% percolating porosity were fabricated using powder blends with two kinds of sacrificial space holders. The high compressive strength and good ductility of porous Ti and porous Ti/Mg obtained in this way are believed to be associated with the ultrafine grain structure of the pore walls. To understand this, a detailed electron microscopy investigation was employed to analyse the interface between Ti/Ti and Ti/Mg particles, the grain structures in Ti particles and the topography of pore surfaces. It was found that using the proposed compaction method, high quality bonding between particles was obtained. Comparing with other powder metallurgy methods to fabricate Ti with an open porous structure, where thermal energy supplied by a laser beam or high temperature sintering is essential, the ECAP process conducted at a relatively low temperature of 400 °C was shown to produce unique properties. - Highlights: • Porous Ti and porous Ti/Mg composite scaffolds were fabricated successfully. • Space holder-enabled severe plastic deformation was first used in this application. • Silicon particles as sacrificial space holders were used for the first time. • Ultrafine-grained microstructure and good bonding between particles were obtained. • Good preosteoblast cell response to as-manufactured porous Ti was achieved.

Removal of ultrafine particles from indoor environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ardkapan, Siamak Rahimi

in a CFD simulation or if particles are considered of one single size, a deviation from reality may occur. It was concluded that an ozone generating air cleaning technology may increase the level of ozone to a level that exceeds the allowed level of 120 μgm-3 according to Air Quality Guidelines for Europe...... effect on the removal effectiveness in a room with a displacement airflow pattern. According to the simulation study of particle dispersion in a room, it was concluded that the location of a particle source has impact on the UFP concentration profile in the room....

Evidence for the role of organics in aerosol particle formation under atmospheric conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metzger, A.; Dommen, J.; Duplissy, J.; Prevot, A.S.H.; Weingartner, E.; Baltensperger, U.; Verheggen, B.; Riipinen, I.; Kulmala, M.; Spracklen, D.V.; Carslaw, K.S.

2010-01-01

New particle formation in the atmosphere is an important parameter in governing the radiative forcing of atmospheric aerosols. However, detailed nucleation mechanisms remain ambiguous, as laboratory data have so far not been successful in explaining atmospheric nucleation. We investigated the formation of new particles in a smog chamber simulating the photochemical formation of H2SO4 and organic condensable species. Nucleation occurs at H2SO4 concentrations similar to those found in the ambient atmosphere during nucleation events. The measured particle formation rates are proportional to the product of the concentrations of H2SO4 and an organic molecule. This suggests that only one H2SO4 molecule and one organic molecule are involved in the rate-limiting step of the observed nucleation process. Parameterizing this process in a global aerosol model results in substantially better agreement with ambient observations compared to control runs.

Global atmospheric particle formation from CERN CLOUD measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunne, Eimear M; Gordon, Hamish; Kürten, Andreas; Almeida, João; Duplissy, Jonathan; Williamson, Christina; Ortega, Ismael K; Pringle, Kirsty J; Adamov, Alexey; Baltensperger, Urs; Barmet, Peter; Benduhn, Francois; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; Clarke, Antony; Curtius, Joachim; Dommen, Josef; Donahue, Neil M; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Flagan, Richard C; Franchin, Alessandro; Guida, Roberto; Hakala, Jani; Hansel, Armin; Heinritzi, Martin; Jokinen, Tuija; Kangasluoma, Juha; Kirkby, Jasper; Kulmala, Markku; Kupc, Agnieszka; Lawler, Michael J; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mann, Graham; Mathot, Serge; Merikanto, Joonas; Miettinen, Pasi; Nenes, Athanasios; Onnela, Antti; Rap, Alexandru; Reddington, Carly L S; Riccobono, Francesco; Richards, Nigel A D; Rissanen, Matti P; Rondo, Linda; Sarnela, Nina; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Sengupta, Kamalika; Simon, Mario; Sipilä, Mikko; Smith, James N; Stozkhov, Yuri; Tomé, Antonio; Tröstl, Jasmin; Wagner, Paul E; Wimmer, Daniela; Winkler, Paul M; Worsnop, Douglas R; Carslaw, Kenneth S

2016-12-02

Fundamental questions remain about the origin of newly formed atmospheric aerosol particles because data from laboratory measurements have been insufficient to build global models. In contrast, gas-phase chemistry models have been based on laboratory kinetics measurements for decades. We built a global model of aerosol formation by using extensive laboratory measurements of rates of nucleation involving sulfuric acid, ammonia, ions, and organic compounds conducted in the CERN CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets) chamber. The simulations and a comparison with atmospheric observations show that nearly all nucleation throughout the present-day atmosphere involves ammonia or biogenic organic compounds, in addition to sulfuric acid. A considerable fraction of nucleation involves ions, but the relatively weak dependence on ion concentrations indicates that for the processes studied, variations in cosmic ray intensity do not appreciably affect climate through nucleation in the present-day atmosphere. Copyright © 2016, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Fundamentals of fast reduction of ultrafine iron ore at low temperature

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Pei Zhao; Peimin Guo

2008-01-01

Fundamentals on the fast reduction of ultrafine iron ore at low temperature, including characterization of ultrafine ore, de- oxidation thermodynamics of stored-energy ultrafine ore, kinetics of iron ore deoxidation, and deoxidation mechanism, etc., and a new ironmaking process are presented in this article. Ultrafine ore concentrate with a high amount of stored energy can be produced by mechanical milling, and can be dcoxidated fast below 700℃ by either the coal-based or gas-based process. This novel process has some advantages over others: high productivity, low energy consumption, and environmental friendliness.

Adiabatic shear localization in ultrafine grained 6061 aluminum alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Bingfeng, E-mail: biw009@ucsd.edu [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego (United States); State Key Laboratory for Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan (China); Key Lab of Nonferrous Materials, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Ma, Rui; Zhou, Jindian [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Li, Zezhou; Zhao, Shiteng [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego (United States); Huang, Xiaoxia [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

2016-10-15

Localized shear is an important mode of deformation; it leads to catastrophic failure with low ductility, and occurs frequently during high strain-rate deformation. The hat-shaped specimen has been successfully used to generate shear bands under controlled shock-loading tests. The microstructure in the forced shear band was characterized by optical microscopy, microhardness, and transmission electron microscopy. The true flow stress in the shear region can reach 800 MPa where the strain is about 2.2. The whole shear localization process lasts for about 100 μs. The shear band is a long and straight band distinguished from the matrix by boundaries. It can be seen that the grains in the boundary of the shear band are highly elongated along the shear direction and form the elongated cell structures (0.2 µm in width), and the core of the shear band consists of a number of recrystallized equiaxed grains with 0.2−0.3 µm in diameters, and the second phase particles distribute in the boundary of the ultrafine equiaxed new grains. The calculated temperature in the shear band can reach about 667 K. Finally, the formation of the shear band in the ultrafine grained 6061 aluminum alloy and its microstructural evolution are proposed.

High Spatial Resolution of Atmospheric Particle Mixing State and Its Links to Particle Evolution in a Metropolitan Area

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Q.; Gu, P.; Li, H.; Robinson, E. S.; Apte, J.; Sullivan, R. C.; Robinson, A. L.; Presto, A. A.; Donahue, N.

2017-12-01

Traditional air quality studies in urban areas have mostly relied on very few monitoring locations either at urban background sites or at roadside sites.However, air pollution is highly complex and dynamic and will undergo complicated transformations. Therefore, results from one or two monitoring sites may not be sufficient to address the spatial gradients of pollutants and their evolution after atmosphere processing on a local scale. Our study, as part of the Center for Air, Climate, and Energy Solutions, performed stratified mobile sampling of atmospheric particulate matter with high spatial resolution to address intra-city variability of atmospheric particle composition and mixing state. A suite of comprehensive real-time instrumentations including a state-of-the-art aerosol mass spectrometer with single particle measurement capability are deployed on the mobile platform. Our sampling locations covered a wide variety of places with substantial differences in emissions and land use types including tunnels, inter-state highways, commercial areas, residential neighborhood, parks, as well as locations upwind and downwind of the city center. Our results show that particles from traffic emissions and restaurant cookings are two major contributors to fresh particles in the urban environment. In addition, there are large spatial variabilities of source-specific particles and we identify the relevant physicochemical processes governing transformation of particle composition, size and mixing state. We also combine our results with demographic data to study population exposure to particles of specific sources. This work will help evaluate the performance of existing modeling tools for air quality and population exposure studies.

Source contributions to atmospheric fine carbon particle concentrations

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew Gray, H.; Cass, Glen R.

A Lagrangian particle-in-cell air quality model has been developed that facilitates the study of source contributions to atmospheric fine elemental carbon and fine primary total carbon particle concentrations. Model performance was tested using spatially and temporally resolved emissions and air quality data gathered for this purpose in the Los Angeles area for the year 1982. It was shown that black elemental carbon (EC) particle concentrations in that city were dominated by emissions from diesel engines including both on-highway and off-highway applications. Fine primary total carbon particle concentrations (TC=EC+organic carbon) resulted from the accumulation of small increments from a great variety of emission source types including both gasoline and diesel powered highway vehicles, stationary source fuel oil and gas combustion, industrial processes, paved road dust, fireplaces, cigarettes and food cooking (e.g. charbroilers). Strategies for black elemental carbon particle concentration control will of necessity need to focus on diesel engines, while controls directed at total carbon particle concentrations will have to be diversified over a great many source types.

The atmospheric chemistry of Po-218: Technical report for the period March 1, 1987 to August 31, 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hopke, P.K.

1987-01-01

The chemical and physical properties of 218 Po immediately following its formation from 222 Rn decay are important in determining its behavior in indoor atmospheres and plays a major part in determining its potential health effects. In 88% of the decays, a singly charged, positive ion of 218 Po is obtained at the end of its recoil path. The modes of neutralization, small ion recombination, electron transfer, and electron scavenging are reviewed. In typical indoor air, the ion will be rapidly neutralized by transfer of electrons from lower ionization potential gases such as NO 2 . The neutral molecule can then become incorporated in ultrafine particles formed by the radiolytic processes in the recoil path. The evidence for these particles is presented

Dewatering behaviour of ultrafine hard coal particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fischer, D.; Alizadeh, A.; Simonis, W.

1986-03-01

With decreasing particle diameter distribution the dewatering behaviour of coal gets increasingly complicated. A correlation between final moisture and content of particles below 25..mu..m in the course of centrifuging can be verified. This behaviour of the particles below 25..mu..m can be explained by the great specific surface, on the one hand, and by the distribution of the surface charge density, on the other hand. The charge density depends on the type of coal, on the minerals content and their make-up, as well as on the characteristics of the surrounding medium. The surface charge can be measured indirectly. Varying electrophoretic mobilities of the particles are observed in dependence on the type of raw material. In the neutral pH-range, minerals have a negative surface charge, while coal has a positive one. By way of adding reagents it is possible to invert the negative charges with complicated dewatering characteristics into positive charges. A similar influence will be exerted by changing the pH-value. 6 references.

Atmospheric fate of oil matter adsorbed on sea salt particles under UV light

Science.gov (United States)

Vaitilingom, M.; Avij, P.; Huang, H.; Valsaraj, K. T.

2014-12-01

The presence of liquid petroleum hydrocarbons at the sea water surface is an important source of marine pollution. An oil spill in sea-water will most likely occur due to an involuntary accident from tankers, offshore platforms, etc. However, a large amount of oil is also deliberately spilled in sea-water during the clean-out process of tank vessels (e.g. for the Mediterranean Sea, 490,000 tons/yr). Moreover, the pollution caused by an oil spill does not only affect the aquatic environment but also is of concern for the atmospheric environment. A portion of the oil matter present at the sea-water surface is transported into the atmosphere viaevaporation and adsorption at the surface of sea spray particles. Few studies are related to the presence of oil matter in airborne particles resulting from their adsorption on sea salt aerosols. We observed that the non-volatile oil matter was adsorbed at the surface of sea-salt crystals (av. size of 1.1 μm). Due to their small size, these particles can have a significant residence time in the atmosphere. The hydrocarbon matter adsorbed at the surface of these particles can also be transformed by catalyzers present in the atmosphere (i.e. UV, OH, O3, ...). In this work, we focused on the photo-oxidation rates of the C16 to C30alkanes present in these particles. We utilized a bubble column reactor, which produced an abundance of small sized bubbles. These bubbles generated droplets upon bursting at the air-salt water interface. These droplets were then further dried up and lifted to the top of the column where they were collected as particles. These particles were incubated in a controlled reactor in either dark conditions or under UV-visible light. The difference of alkane content analyzed by GC-MS between the particles exposed to UV or the particles not exposed to UV indicated that up to 20% in mass was lost after 20 min of light exposure. The degradation kinetics varied for each range of alkanes (C16-20, C21-25, C26

Physico-chemical properties and biological effects of diesel and biomass particles

KAUST Repository

Longhin, Eleonora; Gualtieri, Maurizio; Capasso, Laura; Bengalli, Rossella; Mollerup, Steen; Holme, Jø rn A.; Ø vrevik, Johan; Casadei, Simone; Di Benedetto, Cristiano; Parenti, Paolo; Camatini, Marina

2016-01-01

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. Diesel combustion and solid biomass burning are the major sources of ultrafine particles (UFP) in urbanized areas. Cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, including lung cancer, are possible outcomes of combustion particles

Health effects of exhaust particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pihlava, T.; Uuppo, M.; Niemi, S.

2013-11-01

This report introduces general information about diesel particles and their health effects. The purpose of this report is to introduce particulate matter pollution and present some recent studies made regarding the health effects of particulate matter. The aim is not to go very deeply into the science, but instead to keep the text understandable for the average layman. Particulate matter is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets. These small particles are made up of a number of components that include for example acids, such as nitrates and sulphates, as well as organic chemicals, metals and dust particles from the soil. Particulate matter comes from several sources, such as transportation emissions, industrial emissions, forest fires, cigarette smoke, volcanic ash and climate variations. Particles are divided into coarse particles with diameters less than 10 ..m, fine particles with diameters smaller than 2.5 ..m and ultra-fine particles with diameters less than 0.1 ..m. The particulate matter in diesel exhaust gas is a highly complex mixture of organic, inorganic, solid, volatile and partly volatile compounds. Many of these particles do not form until they reach the air. Many carcinogenic compounds have been found in diesel exhaust gas and it is considered carcinogenic to humans. Particulate matter can cause several health effects, such as premature death in persons with heart or lung disease, cancer, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function and an increase in respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing. It is estimated that in Finland about 1300 people die prematurely due to particles and the economic loss in the EU due to the health effects of particles can be calculated in the billions. Ultra-fine particles are considered to be the most harmful to human health. Ultrafine particles usually make the most of their quantity and surface area

Biocompatible and Biodegradable Ultrafine Nanoparticles of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate-co-Methacrylic Acid Prepared via Semicontinuous Heterophase Polymerization: Kinetics and Product Characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henned Saade

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Ultrafine nanoparticles, less than 10 nm in mean diameter, of the FDA approved copolymer methyl methacrylate- (MMA- co-methacrylic acid (MAA, 2/1 (mol/mol, were prepared. The method used for the preparation of these particles stabilized in a latex containing around 11% solids includes the dosing of the monomers mixture on a micellar solution preserving monomer starved conditions. It is thought that the operation at these conditions combined with the hydrophilicity of MMA and MAA units favors the formation of ultrafine particles; the propagation reaction carried out within so small compartments renders copolymer chains rich in syndiotactic units very likely as consequence of the restricted movements of the end propagation of the chains. Because of their biocompatibility and biodegradability as well as their extremely small size these nanoparticles could be used as vehicles for improved drug delivery in the treatment of chronic-degenerative diseases.

Electrochemical behavior of copper metal core/oxide shell ultra-fine particles on mercury electrodes in aqueous dispersions

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Korshunov, A.; Heyrovský, Michael

2009-01-01

Roč. 629, 1-2 (2009), s. 23-29 ISSN 0022-0728 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/07/1195; GA AV ČR IAA400400806 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40400503 Keywords : ultrafine copper powders * surface oxide layers * aqueous dispersions * voltammetry * Hg electrodes Subject RIV: CG - Electrochemistry Impact factor: 2.580, year: 2007

Shrinkage of Newly Formed Particles in an Urban Environment

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Škrabalová, Lenka; Zíková, Naděžda; Ždímal, Vladimír

2015-01-01

Roč. 15, č. 4 (2015), s. 1313-1324 ISSN 1680-8584 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP209/11/1342 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : aerosol dynamics * ultrafine particles * particle shrinkage Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 2.393, year: 2015

Studies on composite solid propellant with tri-modal ammonium perchlorate containing an ultrafine fraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K.V. Suresh Babu

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Composite solid propellant is prepared using tri-modal Ammonium perchlorate (AP containing coarse, fine and ultrafine fractions of AP with average particle size (APS 340, 40 and 5 μm respectively, in various compositions and their rheological, mechanical and burn rate characteristics are evaluated. The optimum combination of AP coarse to fine to ultrafine weight fraction was obtained by testing of series of propellant samples by varying the AP fractions at fixed solid loading. The concentration of aluminium was maintained constant throughout the experiments for ballistics requirement. The propellant formulation prepared using AP with coarse to fine to ultrafine ratio of 67:24:9 has lowest viscosity for the propellant paste and highest tensile strength due to dense packing as supported by the literature. A minimum modulus value was also observed at 9 wt. % of ultrafine AP concentration indicates the maximum solids packing density at this ratio of AP fractions. The burn rate is evaluated at different pressures to obtain pressure exponent. Incorporation of ultrafine fraction of AP in propellant increased burn rate without adversely affecting the pressure exponent. Higher solid loading propellants are prepared by increased AP concentration from 67 to 71 wt. % using AP with coarse to fine to ultrafine ratio of 67:24:9. Higher solid content up to 89 wt. % was achieved and hence increased solid motor performance. The unloading viscosity showed a trend with increased AP content and the propellant couldn't able to cast beyond 71 wt. % of AP. Mechanical properties were also studied and from the experiments noticed that % elongation decreased with increased AP content from 67 to 71 wt.%, whereas tensile strength and modulus increased. Burn rate increased with increased AP content and observed that pressure exponent also increased and it is high for the propellant containing with 71 wt.% of AP due to increased oxidiser to fuel ratio. Catalysed

LIGHT MICROSCOPY DETECTION OF NANOSCALE PARTICLE INTERNALIZATION BY HUMAN LUNG CELLS

Science.gov (United States)

RATIONALE. Ultrafine particulate matter (PM) is reported to be more strongly correlated with adverse health effects relative to larger particle size fractions. These epidemiological findings are supported by toxicological studies suggesting that particle size is inversely associa...

Heterogeneous condensation for submicronic particles abatement

OpenAIRE

Tammaro, Marco

2010-01-01

It is now well established that the emission of sub-micrometric particulate matter entrained in flue gases of industry and vehicles exhausts, is one of the most critical treats for human health because of the toxicological effects of ultrafine particles on the respiratory system and their ability to cross alveoli’s membranes reaching the circulatory system too. Albeit this scenario, the traditional particle abatement devices are mainly designed and optimised to treat particles larger tha...

Preparation of ultrafine poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) fibres via ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The ultrafine poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (NaPSS) fibres have been prepared for the first time by electrospinning. The spinning solutions (NaPSS aqueous solutions) in varied concentrations were studied for electrospinning into ultrafine fibres. The results indicated that the smooth fibre could be formed when the ...

Longitudinal associations of long-term exposure to ultrafine particles with blood pressure and systemic inflammation in Puerto Rican adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Corlin, Laura; Woodin, Mark; Hart, Jaime E; Simon, Matthew C; Gute, David M; Stowell, Joanna; Tucker, Katherine L; Durant, John L; Brugge, Doug

2018-04-05

Few longitudinal studies have examined the association between ultrafine particulate matter (UFP, particles blood pressure and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP, a biomarker of systemic inflammation). Residential annual average UFP exposure (measured as particle number concentration, PNC) was assigned using a model accounting for spatial and temporal trends. We also adjusted PNC values for participants' inhalation rate to obtain the particle inhalation rate (PIR) as a secondary exposure measure. Multilevel linear models with a random intercept for each participant were used to examine the association of UFP with blood pressure and hsCRP. Overall, in adjusted models, an inter-quartile range increase in PNC was associated with increased hsCRP (β = 6.8; 95% CI = - 0.3, 14.0%) but not with increased systolic blood pressure (β = 0.96; 95% CI = - 0.33, 2.25 mmHg), pulse pressure (β = 0.70; 95% CI = - 0.27, 1.67 mmHg), or diastolic blood pressure (β = 0.55; 95% CI = - 0.20, 1.30 mmHg). There were generally stronger positive associations among women and never smokers. Among men, there were inverse associations of PNC with systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure. In contrast to the primary findings, an inter-quartile range increase in the PIR was positively associated with systolic blood pressure (β = 1.03; 95% CI = 0.00, 2.06 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (β = 1.01; 95% CI = 0.36, 1.66 mmHg), but not with pulse pressure or hsCRP. We observed that exposure to PNC was associated with increases in measures of CVD risk markers, especially among certain sub-populations. The exploratory PIR exposure metric should be further developed.

Mass Spectrometry of Single Particles Levitated in an Electrodynamic Balance: Applications to Laboratory Atmospheric Chemistry Research

Science.gov (United States)

Birdsall, A.; Krieger, U. K.; Keutsch, F. N.

2017-12-01

Dynamic changes to atmospheric aerosol particle composition (e.g., originating from evaporation/condensation, oxidative aging, or aqueous-phase chemical reactions) impact particle properties with importance for understanding particle effects on climate and human health. These changes can take place over the entire lifetime of an atmospheric particle, which can extend over multiple days. Previous laboratory studies of such processes have included analyzing single particles suspended in a levitation device, such as an electrodynamic balance (EDB), an optical levitator, or an acoustic trap, using optical detection techniques. However, studying chemically complex systems can require an analytical method, such as mass spectrometry, that provides more molecular specificity. Existing work coupling particle levitation with mass spectrometry is more limited and largely has consisted of acoustic levitation of millimeter-sized droplets.In this work an EDB has been coupled with a custom-built ionization source and commercial time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MS) as a platform for laboratory atmospheric chemistry research. Single charged particles (radius 10 μm) have been injected into an EDB, levitated for an arbitrarily long period of time, and then transferred to a vaporization-corona discharge ionization region for MS analysis. By analyzing a series of particles of identical composition, residing in the controlled environment of the EDB for varying times, we can trace the chemical evolution of a particle over hours or days, appropriate timescales for understanding transformations of atmospheric particles.To prove the concept of our EDB-MS system, we have studied the evaporation of particles consisting of polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules of mixed chain lengths, used as a benchmark system. Our system can quantify the composition of single particles (see Figure for sample spectrum of a single PEG-200 particle: PEG parent ions labeled with m/z, known PEG fragment ions

Magnetic characteristics of ultrafine Fe particles reduced from uniform iron oxide particles

Science.gov (United States)

Bridger, K.; Watts, J.; Tadros, M.; Xiao, Gang; Liou, S. H.; Chien, C. L.

1987-04-01

Uniform, cubic 0.05-μm iron oxide particles were formed by forced hydrolysis of ferric perchlorate. These particles were reduced to α-Fe by heating in hydrogen at temperatures between 300 and 500 °C. The effect of reduction temperature and various prereduction treatments on the microstructure of the iron particles will be discussed. Complete reduction to α-Fe was established by 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. Magnetic measurements on epoxy and polyurethane films containing these particles with various mass fractions gave coercivities as high as 1000 Oe. The relationship between the magnetic measurements and the microstructure will be discussed. Na2SiO3 is found to be the best coating material for the process of reducing iron oxide particles to iron.

Submicron and ultrafine grained hardmetals for microdrills and metal cutting inserts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gille, G.; Szesny, B.; Dreyer, K.; Berg, H. van den; Schidt, J.; Gestrich, T.; Leitner, G.

2001-01-01

Although round tools as carbide drills and mills are dominating by far the application of submicron and ultrafine hardmetals the consumption for PCB microdrills had the strongest growth rate over the last decade. This paper deals with the latest developments of ultrafine hardmetals and their application for PCB microdrills and metal cutting inserts. Based on optimized processing and properties such as hardness, hot hardness, toughness, strength and wear resistance a new generation of microdrills is presented. In particular the failure probability of the microdrills could be considerably reduced and the number of drilling strokes was nearly doubled. Combining improved pressing behavior with proper doping and optimized processing new applications of submicron and ultrafine hardmetals could be obtained by using complex shaped metal cutting inserts. Apart from these application examples the paper gives some insight into fundamental investigations an sintering and properties of ultrafine hardmetals and shows in particular the influence of milling, doping and sintering an the properties of ultrafine hardmetals. The paper also presents a new ultrafine WC grade showing a 0.1 μm WC intercept of a sintered WC - 10 wt % Co structure and a hardness of HV 30 = 2050 for a 1 wt % mixed VC/Cr 3 C 2 doping. (author)

Effects of energetic particle precipitation on the atmospheric electric circuit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reagan, J.B.; Meyerott, R.E.; Evans, J.E.; Imhof, W.L.; Joiner, R.G.

1983-01-01

The solar particle event (SPE) of August 1972 is one of the largest that has occurred in the last 20 years. Since it is so well documented, it can serve as a good example of a major perturbation to the atmospheric electric system. In this paper, ion production rates and conductivities from the ground to 80 km at the peak intensity of the event on August 4 and for 30, 35, and 40 km for the 6-day duration of the event are presented. At the peak of the event, the proton and electron precipitation currents, the ohmic current, and the vertical electric field are calculated inside the polar cap. The particle precipitation currents at this time greatly exceed the normal air earth current at altitudes above 30 km and produce reversals in the vertical electric field at 28 km and above. Calculations are presented of the vertical electric field at altitudes near 30 km where balloon measurements were made. Good agreement between the calculated and the measured vertical electric field verifies our ability to calculate disturbed conductivities at these altitudes from satellite measurements of proton spectra incident on the atmosphere. Despite the fact that at the peak of the event the vertical electric field near 30 km was shorted out by the solar particles and that the current carried by the solar particles exceeded the fair weather air-earth current density in the stratosphere by large factors, it is concluded that the largest effect of an SPE of this magnitude on the atmospheric electric circuit is due to the Forbush decrease in the galactic cosmic ray flux rather than to the large increase in solar proton flux

Nuclear microprobe analysis and source apportionment of individual atmospheric aerosol particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artaxo, P.; Rabello, M.L.C.; Watt, F.; Grime, G.; Swietlicki, E.

1993-01-01

In atmospheric aerosol reserach, one key issue is to determine the sources of the airborne particles. Bulk PIXE analysis coupled with receptor modeling provides a useful, but limited view of the aerosol sources influencing one particular site or sample. The scanning nuclear microprobe (SNM) technique is a microanalytical technique that gives unique information on individual aerosol particles. In the SNM analyses a 1.0 μm size 2.4 MeV proton beam from the Oxford SNM was used. The trace elements with Z>11 were measured by the particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method with detection limits in the 1-10 ppm range. Carbon, nitrogen and oxygen are measured simultaneously using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). Atmospheric aerosol particles were collected at the Brazilian Antarctic Station and at biomass burning sites in the Amazon basin tropical rain forest in Brazil. In the Antarctic samples, the sea-salt aerosol particles were clearly predominating, with NaCl and CaSO 4 as major compounds with several trace elements as Al, Si, P, K, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, Sr, and Pb. Factor analysis of the elemental data showed the presence of four components: 1) Soil dust particles; 2) NaCl particles; 3) CaSO 4 with Sr; and 4) Br and Mg. Strontium, observed at 20-100 ppm levels, was always present in the CaSO 4 particles. The hierarchical cluster procedure gave results similar to the ones obtained through factor analysis. For the tropical rain forest biomass burning aerosol emissions, biogenic particles with a high organic content dominate the particle population, while K, P, Ca, Mg, Zn, and Si are the dominant elements. Zinc at 10-200 ppm is present in biogenic particles rich in P and K. The quantitative aspects and excellent detection limits make SNM analysis of individual aerosol particles a very powerful analytical tool. (orig.)

Emission, distribution and health effects of ultrafine particles by road traffic; Emissies, verspreiding en gezondheidseffecten van ultrafijnstof door wegverkeer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keuken, M.; Wilmink, I.; Tromp, P.; De Kluizenaar, Y.

2009-02-15

Epidemiological studies show that living in the vicinity of busy traffic routes is detrimental to health. This study quantifies the issue of ultrafine particles (UFPs). The results can be used to support technological and mobility policies for reducing exposure to UFPs. The study was conducted in three work packages: (1) WP1: emissions, distribution and health effects of UFPs by road traffic and curbing options; (2) WP2: exposure and toxicology of UFPs near the source; (3) WP3: shaping, testing and dissemination of a thorough TNO vision on the UFP theme. [Dutch] Epidemiologisch onderzoek wijst uit dat wonen nabij drukke verkeerswegen schadelijk is voor de gezondheid. In deze studie wordt het probleem van ultrafijne (UF) deeltjes gekwantificeerd en op basis daarvan kan het technologie- en mobiliteitsbeleid voor vermindering van de blootstelling aan UF worden ondersteund. Het UF-onderzoek (UFO) is uitgevoerd in drie werkpakketten: (1) WP1: emissies, verspreiding en gezondheidseffecten van UF door het wegverkeer en de mogelijkheden die te beperken; (2) WP2: blootstelling en toxicologie van UF nabij de bron; (3) WP3: vormen, toetsen en uitdragen van een gedegen TNO visie op het thema UF.

Global atmospheric particle formation from CERN CLOUD measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Dunne, Eimear M.; Gordon, Hamish; Carslaw, Kenneth S.

2017-04-01

New particle formation (or nucleation) is acknowledged as a significant source of climate-relevant aerosol throughout the atmosphere. However, performing atmospherically relevant nucleation experiments in a laboratory setting is extremely challenging. As a result, until now, the parameterisations used to represent new particle formation in global aerosol models were largely based on in-situ observations or theoretical nucleation models, and usually only represented the binary H2SO4-H2O system. Several different chemicals can affect particle formation rates, even at extremely low trace concentrations, which are technically challenging to measure directly. Nucleation rates also respond to environmental changes in e.g. temperature in a highly non-linear fashion. The CERN CLOUD experiment was designed to provide the most controlled and accurate nucleation rate measurements to date, over the full range of free tropospheric temperatures and down to sulphuric acid concentrations of the order of 105 cm-3. We will present a parameterisation of inorganic nucleation rates for use in global models, based on these measurements, which includes four separate nucleation pathways: binary neutral, binary ion-induced, ternary neutral, and ternary ion-induced. Both inorganic and organic nucleation parameterisations derived from CLOUD measurements have been implemented in the GLOMAP global aerosol model. The parameterisations depend on temperature and on concentrations of sulphuric acid, ammonia, organic vapours, and ions. One of CLOUD's main original goals was to determine the sensitivity of atmospheric aerosol to changes in the nucleation rate over a solar cycle. We will show that, in a present-day atmosphere, the changes in climate-relevant aerosol (in the form of cloud-level cloud condensation nuclei) over a solar cycle are on average about 0.1%, with local changes of less than 1%. In contrast, anthropogenic changes in ammonia since pre-industrial times were estimated to have a

Simultaneous coastal measurements of ozone deposition fluxes and iodine-mediated particle emission fluxes with subsequent CCN formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. D. Whitehead

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Here we present the first observations of simultaneous ozone deposition fluxes and ultrafine particle emission fluxes over an extensive infra-littoral zone. Fluxes were measured by the eddy covariance technique at the Station Biologique de Roscoff, on the coast of Brittany, north-west France. This site overlooks a very wide (3 km littoral zone controlled by very deep tides (9.6 m exposing extensive macroalgae beds available for significant iodine mediated photochemical production of ultrafine particles. The aspect at the Station Biologique de Roscoff provides an extensive and relatively flat, uniform fetch within which micrometeorological techniques may be utilized to study links between ozone deposition to macroalgae (and sea water and ultrafine particle production.

Ozone deposition to seawater at high tide was significantly slower (v_d[O₃]=0.302±0.095 mm s⁻¹ than low tidal deposition. A statistically significant difference in the deposition velocities to macroalgae at low tide was observed between night time (v_d[O₃]=1.00±0.10 mm s⁻¹ and daytime (v_d[O₃]=2.05±0.16 mm s⁻¹ when ultrafine particle formation results in apparent particle emission. Very high emission fluxes of ultrafine particles were observed during daytime periods at low tides ranging from 50 000 particles cm⁻² s⁻¹ to greater than 200 000 particles cm⁻² s⁻¹ during some of the lowest tides. These emission fluxes exhibited a significant relationship with particle number concentrations comparable with previous observations at another location. Apparent particle growth rates were estimated to be in the range 17–150 nm h⁻¹ for particles in the size range 3–10 nm. Under certain conditions, particle growth may be inferred to continue to greater than 120 nm over tens

submitter The effect of acid–base clustering and ions on the growth of atmospheric nano-particles

CERN Document Server

Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Kontkanen, Jenni; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Jokinen, Tuija; Sarnela, Nina; Kürten, Andreas; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Franchin, Alessandro; Nieminen, Tuomo; Riccobono, Francesco; Sipilä, Mikko; Yli-Juuti, Taina; Duplissy, Jonathan; Adamov, Alexey; Ahlm, Lars; Almeida, João; Amorim, Antonio; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; Dommen, Josef; Downard, Andrew J; Dunne, Eimear M; Flagan, Richard C; Guida, Roberto; Hakala, Jani; Hansel, Armin; Jud, Werner; Kangasluoma, Juha; Kerminen, Veli-Matti; Keskinen, Helmi; Kim, Jaeseok; Kirkby, Jasper; Kupc, Agnieszka; Kupiainen-Määttä, Oona; Laaksonen, Ari; Lawler, Michael J; Leiminger, Markus; Mathot, Serge; Olenius, Tinja; Ortega, Ismael K; Onnela, Antti; Petäjä, Tuukka; Praplan, Arnaud; Rissanen, Matti P; Ruuskanen, Taina; Santos, Filipe D; Schallhart, Simon; Schnitzhofer, Ralf; Simon, Mario; Smith, James N; Tröstl, Jasmin; Tsagkogeorgas, Georgios; Tomé, António; Vaattovaara, Petri; Vehkamäki, Hanna; Vrtala, Aron E; Wagner, Paul E; Williamson, Christina; Wimmer, Daniela; Winkler, Paul M; Virtanen, Annele; Donahue, Neil M; Carslaw, Kenneth S; Baltensperger, Urs; Riipinen, Ilona; Curtius, Joachim; Worsnop, Douglas R; Kulmala, Markku

2016-01-01

The growth of freshly formed aerosol particles can be the bottleneck in their survival to cloud condensation nuclei. It is therefore crucial to understand how particles grow in the atmosphere. Insufficient experimental data has impeded a profound understanding of nano-particle growth under atmospheric conditions. Here we study nano-particle growth in the CLOUD (Cosmics Leaving OUtdoors Droplets) chamber, starting from the formation of molecular clusters. We present measured growth rates at sub-3 nm sizes with different atmospherically relevant concentrations of sulphuric acid, water, ammonia and dimethylamine. We find that atmospheric ions and small acid-base clusters, which are not generally accounted for in the measurement of sulphuric acid vapour, can participate in the growth process, leading to enhanced growth rates. The availability of compounds capable of stabilizing sulphuric acid clusters governs the magnitude of these effects and thus the exact growth mechanism. We bring these observations into a ...

Particle hygroscopicity during atmospheric new particle formation events: implications for the chemical species contributing to particle growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Wu

2013-07-01

Full Text Available This study examines the hygroscopicity of newly formed particles (diameters range 25–45 nm during two atmospheric new particle formation (NPF events in the German mid-level mountains during the Hill Cap Cloud Thuringia 2010 (HCCT-2010 field experiment. At the end of the NPF event involving clear particle growth, we measured an unusually high soluble particle fraction of 58.5% at 45 nm particle size. The particle growth rate contributed through sulfuric acid condensation only accounts for around 6.5% of the observed growth rate. Estimations showed that sulfuric acid condensation explained, however, only around 10% of that soluble particle fraction. Therefore, the formation of additional water-soluble matter appears imperative to explain the missing soluble fraction. Although direct evidence is missing, we consider water-soluble organics as candidates for this mechanism. For the case with clear growth process, the particle growth rate was determined by two alternative methods based on tracking the mode diameter of the nucleation mode. The mean particle growth rate obtained from the inter-site data comparison using Lagrangian consideration is 3.8 (± 2.6 nm h−1. During the same period, the growth rate calculated based on one site data is 5.0 nm h−1 using log-normal distribution function method. In light of the fact that considerable uncertainties could be involved in both methods, we consider both estimated growth rates consistent.

Radiosynthesis and in vitro evaluation of the polystyrene particles as a promising probe in biomedical sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jianmin; Tan Mingguang; Wu Yuanfang; Zhang Guilin; Li Yan

2005-01-01

Polystyrene particles with precise monodisperse particle size distributions ranging from 20nm to 90μm is now commercially available and it has very useful and versatile applications in many life sciences research fields. A simple direct labeling method was used to synthesis the iodinated ultrafine polystyrene particles. The assay of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) as well as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated the formation of stable covalent bond to aryl group of the polymer particles. The purified radiosynthesis product was incubated with serum of rat, and then evaluated by in vitro stability test. The result showed that radioiodinated ultrafine polystyrene particles were largely unmetablized at 2 hours post-exposure, indicating the potential useful application of this widely used polymer particles as a promising probe in biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences.

Dynamics of space particles and spacecrafts passing by the atmosphere of the Earth.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Vivian Martins; Prado, Antonio Fernando Bertachini de Almeida; Golebiewska, Justyna

2013-01-01

The present research studies the motion of a particle or a spacecraft that comes from an orbit around the Sun, which can be elliptic or hyperbolic, and that makes a passage close enough to the Earth such that it crosses its atmosphere. The idea is to measure the Sun-particle two-body energy before and after this passage in order to verify its variation as a function of the periapsis distance, angle of approach, and velocity at the periapsis of the particle. The full system is formed by the Sun, the Earth, and the particle or the spacecraft. The Sun and the Earth are in circular orbits around their center of mass and the motion is planar for all the bodies involved. The equations of motion consider the restricted circular planar three-body problem with the addition of the atmospheric drag. The initial conditions of the particle or spacecraft (position and velocity) are given at the periapsis of its trajectory around the Earth.

Impact of Diesel Engine Exhaust Gases on Environmental Pollution and Human Health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Mavrin

2004-07-01

Full Text Available Fine particles that can be found in the exhaust gases of dieselengines and have a diameter of 2. 5 !Jl1l and ultra-fine particlesof 0.1 !Jl1l in diameter are mainly products of the combustionprocess. Experiments on animals have proven that theparticulates from the ambient air can cause damage to thelungs and can even end fatally. Therefore, it is necessary to reducethe mass of fine particles in the atmosphere and the numberof ultra-fine particles. Numerous studies of experiments onanimals have proven the toxicity of these particles. The air saturatedby particles resulted in cardio-pulmonary diseases in animalmodels. The epidemiological studies have shown the interdependenceof the increase in mortality and morbidity, especiallyin the elderly and persons suffering from respiratory ailmentsand cardio-vascular diseases. A hypothesis has been setthat the ultra-fine particles cause inflammatory reactions in alveoliand interstitium resulting in the increase of blood coagulationand deterioration of the condition in persons sufferingfrom the problems in cardio-vascular system.

Evaluation and modelling of the size fractionated aerosol particle number concentration measurements nearby a major road in Helsinki - Part I: Modelling results within the LIPIKA project

Science.gov (United States)

Pohjola, M. A.; Pirjola, L.; Karppinen, A.; Härkönen, J.; Korhonen, H.; Hussein, T.; Ketzel, M.; Kukkonen, J.

2007-08-01

A field measurement campaign was conducted near a major road "Itäväylä" in an urban area in Helsinki in 17-20 February 2003. Aerosol measurements were conducted using a mobile laboratory "Sniffer" at various distances from the road, and at an urban background location. Measurements included particle size distribution in the size range of 7 nm-10 μm (aerodynamic diameter) by the Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI) and in the size range of 3-50 nm (mobility diameter) by Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS), total number concentration of particles larger than 3 nm detected by an ultrafine condensation particle counter (UCPC), temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, driving route of the mobile laboratory, and traffic density on the studied road. In this study, we have compared measured concentration data with the predictions of the road network dispersion model CAR-FMI used in combination with an aerosol process model MONO32. For model comparison purposes, one of the cases was additionally computed using the aerosol process model UHMA, combined with the CAR-FMI model. The vehicular exhaust emissions, and atmospheric dispersion and transformation of fine and ultrafine particles was evaluated within the distance scale of 200 m (corresponding to a time scale of a couple of minutes). We computed the temporal evolution of the number concentrations, size distributions and chemical compositions of various particle size classes. The atmospheric dilution rate of particles is obtained from the roadside dispersion model CAR-FMI. Considering the evolution of total number concentration, dilution was shown to be the most important process. The influence of coagulation and condensation on the number concentrations of particle size modes was found to be negligible on this distance scale. Condensation was found to affect the evolution of particle diameter in the two smallest particle modes. The assumed value of the concentration of condensable organic

Cytocompatible and water stable ultrafine protein fibers for tissue engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Qiuran

This dissertation proposal focuses on the development of cytocompatible and water stable protein ultrafine fibers for tissue engineering. The protein-based ultrafine fibers have the potential to be used for biomedicine, due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, similarity to natural extracellular matrix (ECM) in physical structure and chemical composition, and superior adsorption properties due to their high surface to volume ratio. However, the current technologies to produce the protein-based ultrafine fibers for biomedical applications still have several problems. For instance, the current electrospinning and phase separation technologies generate scaffolds composed of densely compacted ultrafine fibers, and cells can spread just on the surface of the fiber bulk, and hardly penetrate into the inner sections of scaffolds. Thus, these scaffolds can merely emulate the ECM as a two dimensional basement membrane, but are difficult to mimic the three dimensional ECM stroma. Moreover, the protein-based ultrafine fibers do not possess sufficient water stability and strength for biomedical applications, and need modifications such as crosslinking. However, current crosslinking methods are either high in toxicity or low in crosslinking efficiency. To solve the problems mentioned above, zein, collagen, and gelatin were selected as the raw materials to represent plant proteins, animal proteins, and denatured proteins in this dissertation. A benign solvent system was developed specifically for the fabrication of collagen ultrafine fibers. In addition, the gelatin scaffolds with a loose fibrous structure, high cell-accessibility and cell viability were produced by a novel ultralow concentration phase separation method aiming to simulate the structure of three dimensional (3D) ECM stroma. Non-toxic crosslinking methods using citric acid as the crosslinker were also developed for electrospun or phase separated scaffolds from these three proteins, and proved to be

Microstructural evolution and magnetic properties of ultrafine solute-atom particles formed in a Cu75-Ni20-Fe5 alloy on isothermal annealing

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jun-Seop; Takeda, Mahoto; Bae, Dong-Sik

2016-12-01

Microstructural features strongly affect magnetism in nano-granular magnetic materials. In the present work we have investigated the relationship between the magnetic properties and the self-organized microstructure formed in a Cu75-Ni20-Fe5 alloy comprising ferromagnetic elements and copper atoms. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) observations showed that on isothermal annealing at 873 K, nano-scale solute (Fe,Ni)-rich clusters initially formed with a random distribution in the Cu-rich matrix. Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurements revealed that these ultrafine solute clusters exhibited super-spinglass and superparamagnetic states. On further isothermal annealing the precipitates evolved to cubic or rectangular ferromagnetic particles and aligned along the directions of the copper-rich matrix. Electron energy-band calculations based on the first-principle Korringa-Kohn-Rostocker (KKR) method were also implemented to investigate both the electronic structure and the magnetic properties of the alloy. Inputting compositions obtained experimentally by scanning transmission electron microscopy-electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDS) analysis, the KKR calculation confirmed that ferromagnetic precipitates (of moment 1.07μB per atom) formed after annealing for 2 × 104 min. Magneto-thermogravimetric (MTG) analysis determined with high sensitivity the Curie temperatures and magnetic susceptibility above room temperature of samples containing nano-scale ferromagnetic particles.

Spatial and seasonal variations of the chemical, mineralogical and morphological features of quasi-ultrafine particles (PM{sub 0.49}) at urban sites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samara, Constantini, E-mail: csamara@chem.auth.gr [Department of Chemistry, Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Aristotle University, GR-54124 Thessaloniki (Greece); Kantiranis, Nikolaos; Kollias, Panagiotis [Department of Geology, Division of Mineralogy-Petrology-Economic Geology, Aristotle University, GR-54124 Thessaloniki (Greece); Planou, Styliani; Kouras, Athanasios; Besis, Athanasios; Manoli, Evangelia; Voutsa, Dimitra [Department of Chemistry, Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Aristotle University, GR-54124 Thessaloniki (Greece)

2016-05-15

Combining chemical and physical-structural information of particles is a key issue in PM investigations. Chemical, mineralogical, and morphological characterization of quasi-ultrafine particles (PM{sub 0.49}) was carried out at two urban sites of varying traffic-influence (roadside and urban background) in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, during the cold and the warm period of 2013. Bulk analyses of chemical species included organic and elemental carbon (OC, EC), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), ionic species (NO{sub 3}{sup −}, SO{sub 4}{sup 2−}, Cl{sup −}, Na{sup +}, NH{sub 4}{sup +}, K{sup +}, Mg{sup 2+}, Ca{sup 2+}) and trace elements (As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, Zn, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, and Ir). X-ray diffractometry (XRD) was employed for the mineralogical analysis of PM{sub 0.49} in order to identify and quantify amorphous and crystalline phases. In addition, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) was employed for morphological characterization and elemental microanalysis of individual particles. Findings of this work could provide the basis for designing epidemiological and toxicity studies to mitigate population exposure to UFPs. - Highlights: • Chemical, mineralogical, and morphological features of PM{sub 0.49} were investigated. • PM{sub 0.49} levels were highest at the traffic site during wintertime. • PM{sub 0.49} mass was dominated by OM, minerals, EC and secondary ions. • Chemical mass closure showed significant seasonal and spatial variations. • Mineralogical composition was dominated by the organic amorphous phase.

A review of measurement and modelling results of particle atmosphere-surface exchange

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pryor, Sara; Gallagher, M.; Sievering, H.

2008-01-01

Atmosphere-surface exchange represents one mechanism by which atmospheric particle mass and number size distributions are modified. Deposition velocities (upsilon(d)) exhibit a pronounced dependence on surface type, due in part to turbulence structure (as manifest in friction velocity), with minima...... agreement between models and observations is found over less-rough surfaces though those data also imply substantially higher surface collection efficiencies than were originally proposed and are manifest in current models. We review theorized dependencies for particle fluxes, describe and critique model...... of approximately 0.01 and 0.2 cm s(-1) over grasslands and 0.1-1 cm s(-1) over forests. However, as noted over 20 yr ago, observations over forests generally do not support the pronounced minimum of deposition velocity (upsilon(d)) for particle diameters of 0.1-2 mu m as manifest in theoretical predictions. Closer...

Contribution of Arctic seabird-colony ammonia to atmospheric particles and cloud-albedo radiative effect

Science.gov (United States)

Croft, B.; Wentworth, G. R.; Martin, R. V.; Leaitch, W. R.; Murphy, J. G.; Murphy, B. N.; Kodros, J. K.; Abbatt, J. P. D.; Pierce, J. R.

2016-01-01

The Arctic region is vulnerable to climate change and able to affect global climate. The summertime Arctic atmosphere is pristine and strongly influenced by natural regional emissions, which have poorly understood climate impacts related to atmospheric particles and clouds. Here we show that ammonia from seabird-colony guano is a key factor contributing to bursts of newly formed particles, which are observed every summer in the near-surface atmosphere at Alert, Nunavut, Canada. Our chemical-transport model simulations indicate that the pan-Arctic seabird-influenced particles can grow by sulfuric acid and organic vapour condensation to diameters sufficiently large to promote pan-Arctic cloud-droplet formation in the clean Arctic summertime. We calculate that the resultant cooling tendencies could be large (about −0.5 W m−2 pan-Arctic-mean cooling), exceeding −1 W m−2 near the largest seabird colonies due to the effects of seabird-influenced particles on cloud albedo. These coupled ecological–chemical processes may be susceptible to Arctic warming and industrialization. PMID:27845764

Evaluation and modelling of the size fractionated aerosol particle number concentration measurements nearby a major road in Helsinki ─ Part I: Modelling results within the LIPIKA project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Ketzel

2007-08-01

Full Text Available A field measurement campaign was conducted near a major road "Itäväylä" in an urban area in Helsinki in 17–20 February 2003. Aerosol measurements were conducted using a mobile laboratory "Sniffer" at various distances from the road, and at an urban background location. Measurements included particle size distribution in the size range of 7 nm–10 μm (aerodynamic diameter by the Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI and in the size range of 3–50 nm (mobility diameter by Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS, total number concentration of particles larger than 3 nm detected by an ultrafine condensation particle counter (UCPC, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, driving route of the mobile laboratory, and traffic density on the studied road. In this study, we have compared measured concentration data with the predictions of the road network dispersion model CAR-FMI used in combination with an aerosol process model MONO32. For model comparison purposes, one of the cases was additionally computed using the aerosol process model UHMA, combined with the CAR-FMI model. The vehicular exhaust emissions, and atmospheric dispersion and transformation of fine and ultrafine particles was evaluated within the distance scale of 200 m (corresponding to a time scale of a couple of minutes. We computed the temporal evolution of the number concentrations, size distributions and chemical compositions of various particle size classes. The atmospheric dilution rate of particles is obtained from the roadside dispersion model CAR-FMI. Considering the evolution of total number concentration, dilution was shown to be the most important process. The influence of coagulation and condensation on the number concentrations of particle size modes was found to be negligible on this distance scale. Condensation was found to affect the evolution of particle diameter in the two smallest particle modes. The assumed value of the concentration of

Under What Conditions Can Equilibrium Gas-Particle Partitioning Be Expected to Hold in the Atmosphere?

Science.gov (United States)

Mai, Huajun; Shiraiwa, Manabu; Flagan, Richard C; Seinfeld, John H

2015-10-06

The prevailing treatment of secondary organic aerosol formation in atmospheric models is based on the assumption of instantaneous gas-particle equilibrium for the condensing species, yet compelling experimental evidence indicates that organic aerosols can exhibit the properties of highly viscous, semisolid particles, for which gas-particle equilibrium may be achieved slowly. The approach to gas-particle equilibrium partitioning is controlled by gas-phase diffusion, interfacial transport, and particle-phase diffusion. Here we evaluate the controlling processes and the time scale to achieve gas-particle equilibrium as a function of the volatility of the condensing species, its surface accommodation coefficient, and its particle-phase diffusivity. For particles in the size range of typical atmospheric organic aerosols (∼50-500 nm), the time scale to establish gas-particle equilibrium is generally governed either by interfacial accommodation or particle-phase diffusion. The rate of approach to equilibrium varies, depending on whether the bulk vapor concentration is constant, typical of an open system, or decreasing as a result of condensation into the particles, typical of a closed system.

Tight coupling of particle size, number and composition in atmospheric cloud droplet activation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. O. Topping

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The substantial uncertainty in the indirect effect of aerosol particles on radiative forcing in large part arises from the influences of atmospheric aerosol particles on (i the brightness of clouds, exerting significant shortwave cooling with no appreciable compensation in the long wave, and on (ii their ability to precipitate, with implications for cloud cover and lifetime.

Predicting the ambient conditions at which aerosol particles may become cloud droplets is largely reliant on an equilibrium relationship derived by Köhler (1936. However, the theoretical basis of the relationship restricts its application to particles solely comprising involatile compounds and water, whereas a substantial fraction of particles in the real atmosphere will contain potentially thousands of semi-volatile organic compounds in addition to containing semi-volatile inorganic components such as ammonium nitrate.

We show that equilibration of atmospherically reasonable concentrations of organic compounds with a growing particle as the ambient humidity increases has potentially larger implications on cloud droplet formation than any other equilibrium compositional dependence, owing to inextricable linkage between the aerosol composition, a particles size and concentration under ambient conditions.

Whilst previous attempts to account for co-condensation of gases other than water vapour have been restricted to one inorganic condensate, our method demonstrates that accounting for the co-condensation of any number of organic compounds substantially decreases the saturation ratio of water vapour required for droplet activation. This effect is far greater than any other compositional dependence; more so even than the unphysical effect of surface tension reduction in aqueous organic mixtures, ignoring differences in bulk and surface surfactant concentrations.

Carbon supported ultrafine gold phosphorus nanoparticles as highly efficient electrocatalyst for alkaline ethanol oxidation reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Tongfei; Fu, Gengtao; Su, Jiahui; Wang, Yi; Lv, Yinjie; Zou, Xiuyong; Zhu, Xiaoshu; Xu, Lin; Sun, Dongmei; Tang, Yawen

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: We develop a new kind of carbon supported gold-phosphorus (Au-P/C) electrocatalyst by a facile and novel phosphorus reduction method, and demonstrate the Au-P/C is a highly active and stable electrocatalyst for the ethanol oxidation reaction. - Highlights: • Au-P/C catalyst is synthesized by a facile and novel white-phosphorus reduce method. • AuP particles with ultrafine particle-size are uniformly dispersed on carbon support. • Au-P/C catalyst exhibits much higher content of P 0 than reported metal/P catalysts. • Au-P/C catalysts show excellent catalytic properties for ethanol oxidation reaction. - Abstract: Herein, we develop a new kind of carbon supported gold-phosphorus (Au-P/C) electrocatalyst for the alkaline ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). The Au-P/C catalysts with different Au/P ratio (i.e., AuP/C, Au 3 P 2 /C and Au 4 P 3 /C) can be obtained by a facile and novel hot-reflux method with white phosphorus (P 4 ) as reductant and ethanol as solvent. The crystal structure, composition and particle-size of the Au-P/C catalysts are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), etc. The results demonstrate that Au-P/C catalysts present an alloy phase with the high content of P, ultrafine particle-size and high dispersity on carbon support, which results in excellent electrocatalytic activity and stability towards the EOR compared with that of the free-phosphorus Au/C catalyst. In addition, among the various Au-P/C catalysts with different Au/P ratio, the AuP/C sample exhibits the best electrocatalytic performance in comparison with other Au 3 P 2 /C and Au 4 P 3 /C samples.

Investigation of the evolution of atmospheric particles with integration of the stochastic particle-resolved model partmc-mosaic and atmospheric measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Jian

With the recently-developed particle-resolved model PartMC-MOSAIC, the mixing state and other physico-chemical properties of individual aerosol particles can be tracked as the particles undergo aerosol aging processes. However, existing PartMC-MOSAIC applications have mainly been based on idealized scenarios, and a link to real atmospheric measurement has not yet been established. In this thesis, we extend the capability of PartMC-MOSAIC and apply the model framework to three distinct scenarios with different environmental conditions to investigate the physical and chemical aging of aerosols in those environments. The first study is to investigate the evolution of particle mixing state and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activation properties in a ship plume. Comparisons of our results with observations from the QUANTIFY Study in 2007 in the English channel and the Gulf of Biscay showed that the model was able to reproduce the observed evolution of total number concentration and the vanishing of the nucleation mode consisting of sulfate particles. Further process analysis revealed that during the first hour after emission, dilution reduced the total number concentration by four orders of magnitude, while coagulation reduced it by an additional order of magnitude. Neglecting coagulation resulted in an overprediction of more than one order of magnitude in the number concentration of particles smaller than 40 nm at a plume age of 100 s. Coagulation also significantly altered the mixing state of the particles, leading to a continuum of internal mixtures of sulfate and black carbon. The impact of condensation on CCN concentrations depended on the supersaturation threshold at which CCN activity was evaluated. Nucleation was observed to have a limited impact on the CCN concentration in the ship plume we studied, but was sensitive to formation rates of secondary aerosol. For the second study we adapted PartMC to represent the aerosol evolution in an aerosol chamber, with

Spatial variations in ambient ultrafine particle concentrations and the risk of incident prostate cancer: A case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Weichenthal, Scott; Lavigne, Eric; Valois, Marie-France; Hatzopoulou, Marianne; Van Ryswyk, Keith; Shekarrizfard, Maryam; Villeneuve, Paul J; Goldberg, Mark S; Parent, Marie-Elise

2017-07-01

Diesel exhaust contains large numbers of ultrafine particles (UFPs, <0.1µm) and is a recognized human carcinogen. However, epidemiological studies have yet to evaluate the relationship between UFPs and cancer incidence. We conducted a case-control study of UFPs and incident prostate cancer in Montreal, Canada. Cases were identified from all main Francophone hospitals in the Montreal area between 2005 and 2009. Population controls were identified from provincial electoral lists of French Montreal residents and frequency-matched to cases using 5-year age groups. UFP exposures were estimated using a land use regression model. Exposures were assigned to residential locations at the time of diagnosis/recruitment as well as approximately 10-years earlier to consider potential latency between exposure and disease onset. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated per interquartile range (IQR) increase in UFPs (approximately 4000 particles/cm 3 ) using logistic regression models adjusting for individual-level and ecological covariates. Ambient UFP concentrations were associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer (OR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.19) in fully adjusted models when exposures were assigned to residences 10-years prior to diagnosis. This risk estimate increased slightly (OR=1.17, 95% CI; 1.01, 1.35) when modeled as a non-linear natural spline function. A smaller increased risk (OR=1.04, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.11) was observed when exposures were assigned to residences at the time of diagnosis. Exposure to ambient UFPs may increase the risk of prostate cancer. Future studies are needed to replicate this finding as this is the first study to evaluate this relationship. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hygroscopic properties of atmospheric particles emitted during wintertime biomass burning episodes in Athens

Science.gov (United States)

Psichoudaki, Magda; Nenes, Athanasios; Florou, Kalliopi; Kaltsonoudis, Christos; Pandis, Spyros N.

2018-04-01

This study explores the Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) activity of atmospheric particles during intense biomass burning periods in an urban environment. During a one-month campaign in the center of Athens, Greece, a CCN counter coupled with a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and a high resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-AMS) were used to measure the size-resolved CCN activity and composition of the atmospheric aerosols. During the day, the organic fraction of the particles was more than 50%, reaching almost 80% at night, when the fireplaces were used. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis revealed 4 factors with biomass burning being the dominant source after 18:00 until the early morning. The CCN-based overall hygroscopicity parameter κ ranged from 0.15 to 0.25. During the night, when the biomass burning organic aerosol (bbOA) dominated, the hygroscopicity parameter for the mixed organic/inorganic particles was on average 0.16. The hygroscopicity of the biomass-burning organic particles was 0.09, while the corresponding average value for all organic particulate matter during the campaign was 0.12.

Mechanochemical synthesis of ultrafine Ce2S3 powder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuzuki, T.; McCormick, P.G.

1998-01-01

Full text: Rare earth sulphides have been receiving an increasing attraction for various applications including infrared window materials and magneto-optical devices. In particular, Ce 2 S 3 has been under intensive study for use as a red pigment to replace toxic cadmium sulfoselenide. The conventional method for synthesising Ce 2 S 3 is the sulphidization of the element or sesquioxide with hydrogen sulphide gas. However, the method usually requires a high-temperature process (>1000 deg C), and hence coarse particles larger than the optimal size of ∼ 2 S 3 powder by mechanochemical processing using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, BET surface area analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Mechanical milling of the mixture of a cerium salt and an alkali/alkali-earth sulphide powders led to a solid state displacement reaction in a steady-state manner, forming Ce 2 S 3 nanoparticles in a salt by-product matrix. After a simple washing process to remove the salt by-product, ultrafine Ce 2 S 3 particles with sizes of 20 - 200 nm having an orthorhombic structure were obtained. Using a diluent and mechanically alloyed CaS nanoparticles in the starting powder, particles of only a cubic γ-Ce 2 S 3 phase with sizes of 10 - 80 nm were formed

The Particle Number Emission Characteristics of the Diesel Engine with a Catalytic Diesel Particle Filter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Jia Qiang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Due to their adverse health effects and their abundance in urban areas, diesel exhaust ultrafine particles caused by the aftertreatment devices have been of great concern in the past years. An experiment of particles number emissions was carried out on a high-pressure, common rail diesel engine with catalytic diesel particle filter (CDPF to investigate the impact of CDPF on the number emission characteristics of particles. The results indicated that the conversion rates of CDPF is over 97%. The size distributions of particles are bimodal lognormal distributions downstream CDPF at 1400 r/min and 2300 r/min. CDPF has a lower conversion rates on the nucleation mode particles. The geometric number mean diameters of particles downstream CDPF is smaller than that upstream CDPF.

Twinning interactions induced amorphisation in ultrafine silicon grains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Y. [School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Zhang, L.C., E-mail: liangchi.zhang@unsw.edu.au [School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Zhang, Y. [School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology (China)

2016-03-21

Detailed transmission electron microscopy analysis on a severely deformed Al-Si composite material has revealed that partial dislocation slips and deformation twinning are the major plastic deformation carriers in ultrafine silicon grains. This resembles the deformation twinning activities and mechanisms observed in nano-crystalline face-centred-cubic metallic materials. While deformation twinning and amorphisation in Si were thought unlikely to co-exist, it is observed for the first time that excessive twinning and partial dislocation interactions can lead to localised solid state amorphisation inside ultrafine silicon grains.

Microstructure of atmospheric particles revealed by TXM and a new mode of influenza virus transmission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bao, L.M., E-mail: baoliangman@sinap.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Zhang, G.L., E-mail: zhangguilin@sinap.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Lei, Q.T.; Li, Y.; Li, X.L. [Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China); Hwu, Y.K. [Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan (China); Yi, J.M. [Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne 60439 (United States)

2015-09-15

For control of influenza, firstly it is important to find the real virus transmission media. Atmospheric aerosol particles are presumably one of the media. In this study, three typical atmospheric inhaled particles in Shanghai were studied by the synchrotron based transmission X-ray microscopes (TXM). Three dimensional microstructure of the particles reveals that there are many pores contained in, particularly the coal combustion fly particles which may be possible virus carrier. The particles can transport over long distance and cause long-range infections due to its light weight. We suggest a mode which is droplet combining with aerosol mode. By this mode the transmission of global and pandemic influenzas and infection between inland avian far from population and poultry or human living in cities along coast may be explained.

UTILITARIAN OPACITY MODEL FOR AGGREGATE PARTICLES IN PROTOPLANETARY NEBULAE AND EXOPLANET ATMOSPHERES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuzzi, Jeffrey N.; Davis, Sanford S.; Estrada, Paul R.

2014-01-01

As small solid grains grow into larger ones in protoplanetary nebulae, or in the cloudy atmospheres of exoplanets, they generally form porous aggregates rather than solid spheres. A number of previous studies have used highly sophisticated schemes to calculate opacity models for irregular, porous particles with sizes much smaller than a wavelength. However, mere growth itself can affect the opacity of the medium in far more significant ways than the detailed compositional and/or structural differences between grain constituents once aggregate particle sizes exceed the relevant wavelengths. This physics is not new; our goal here is to provide a model that provides physical insight and is simple to use in the increasing number of protoplanetary nebula evolution and exoplanet atmosphere models appearing in recent years, yet quantitatively captures the main radiative properties of mixtures of particles of arbitrary size, porosity, and composition. The model is a simple combination of effective medium theory with small-particle closed-form expressions, combined with suitably chosen transitions to geometric optics behavior. Calculations of wavelength-dependent emission and Rosseland mean opacity are shown and compared with Mie theory. The model's fidelity is very good in all comparisons we have made except in cases involving pure metal particles or monochromatic opacities for solid particles with sizes comparable to the wavelength

Organic condensation: a vital link connecting aerosol formation to cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations

Science.gov (United States)

Riipinen, I.; Pierce, J. R.; Yli-Juuti, T.; Nieminen, T.; Häkkinen, S.; Ehn, M.; Junninen, H.; Lehtipalo, K.; Petäjä, T.; Slowik, J.; Chang, R.; Shantz, N. C.; Abbatt, J.; Leaitch, W. R.; Kerminen, V.-M.; Worsnop, D. R.; Pandis, S. N.; Donahue, N. M.; Kulmala, M.

2011-04-01

Atmospheric aerosol particles influence global climate as well as impair air quality through their effects on atmospheric visibility and human health. Ultrafine (<100 nm) particles often dominate aerosol numbers, and nucleation of atmospheric vapors is an important source of these particles. To have climatic relevance, however, the freshly nucleated particles need to grow in size. We combine observations from two continental sites (Egbert, Canada and Hyytiälä, Finland) to show that condensation of organic vapors is a crucial factor governing the lifetimes and climatic importance of the smallest atmospheric particles. We model the observed ultrafine aerosol growth with a simplified scheme approximating the condensing species as a mixture of effectively non-volatile and semi-volatile species, demonstrate that state-of-the-art organic gas-particle partitioning models fail to reproduce the observations, and propose a modeling approach that is consistent with the measurements. We find that roughly half of the mass of the condensing mass needs to be distributed proportional to the aerosol surface area (thus implying that the condensation is governed by gas-phase concentration rather than the equilibrium vapour pressure) to explain the observed aerosol growth. We demonstrate the large sensitivity of predicted number concentrations of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) to these interactions between organic vapors and the smallest atmospheric nanoparticles - highlighting the need for representing this process in global climate models.

Synthesis of alumina powder with seeds by Pechini Method using O2 as calcination atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salem, R.E.P.; Guilherme, K.A.; Chinelatto, A.S.A.; Chinelatto, A. L.

2012-01-01

Alumina is a very investigated material due to its excellent refractory characteristics and mechanical properties. Its alpha phase, the most stable one, has a formation temperature of about 1200 ° C. Due to its high temperature of formation, many researches have been trying to reduce it through addition of seeds of alpha phase in chemical processes of synthesis. This work aims to synthesize ultrafine powders of alpha-alumina by the Pechini method with seeding, and using an O 2 atmosphere in the pre-calcination (500 ° C) and calcination (1000 ° C and 1100° C) steps. The resulting powders were characterized through X-ray diffractometry, infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results were compared with samples calcined on ai. It was verified that the presence of oxygen in the calcination atmosphere favored the elimination of residual carbon from the precursor powders, forthcoming from the great amount of organic material used on the synthesis, modifying its morphology and favoring reduction of particle size. (author)

Sources of sub-micrometre particles near a major international airport

Science.gov (United States)

Masiol, Mauro; Harrison, Roy M.; Vu, Tuan V.; Beddows, David C. S.

2017-10-01

The international airport of Heathrow is a major source of nitrogen oxides, but its contribution to the levels of sub-micrometre particles is unknown and is the objective of this study. Two sampling campaigns were carried out during warm and cold seasons at a site close to the airfield (1.2 km). Size spectra were largely dominated by ultrafine particles: nucleation particles ( strategies are applied successfully.

Scattering of aerosol particles by a Hermite-Gaussian beam in marine atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Qingqing; Cheng, Mingjian; Guo, Lixin; Li, Jiangting; Yan, Xu; Liu, Songhua

2017-07-01

Based on the complex-source-point method and the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory, the scattering properties and polarization of aerosol particles by a Hermite-Gaussian (HG) beam in marine atmosphere is investigated. The influences of beam mode, beam width, and humidity on the scattered field are analyzed numerically. Results indicate that when the number of HG beam modes u (v) increase, the radar cross section of aerosol particles alternating appears at maximum and minimum values in the forward and backward scattering, respectively, because of the special petal-shaped distribution of the HG beam. The forward and backward scattering of aerosol particles decreases with the increase in beam waist. When beam waist is less than the radius of the aerosol particle, a minimum value is observed in the forward direction. The scattering properties of aerosol particles by the HG beam are more sensitive to the change in relative humidity compared with those by the plane wave and the Gaussian beam (GB). The HG beam shows superiority over the plane wave and the GB in detecting changes in the relative humidity of marine atmosphere aerosol. The effects of relative humidity on the polarization of the HG beam have been numerically analyzed in detail.

Application of an Ultrafine Shearing Method for the Extraction of C-Phycocyanin from Spirulina platensis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianfeng Yu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Cell disruption is an important step during the extraction of C-phycocyanin from Spirulina platensis. An ultrafine shearing method is introduced and combined with soaking and ultrasonication to disrupt the cell walls of S. platensis efficiently and economically. Five kinds of cell disruption method, including soaking, ultrasonication, freezing-thawing, soaking-ultrafine shearing and soaking-ultrafine shearing-ultrasonication were applied to break the cell walls of S. platensis. The effectiveness of cell breaking was evaluated based on the yield of the C-phycocyanin. The results show that the maximum C-phycocyanin yield was 9.02%, achieved by the soaking-ultrafine shearing-ultrasonication method, followed by soaking (8.43%, soaking-ultrafine shearing (8.89%, freezing and thawing (8.34%, and soaking-ultrasonication (8.62%. The soaking-ultrafine shearing-ultrasonication method is a novel technique for breaking the cell walls of S. platensis for the extraction of C-phycocyanin.

The role of low-volatility organic compounds in initial particle growth in the atmosphere

CERN Document Server

Tröstl, Jasmin; Gordon, Hamish; Heinritzi, Martin; Yan, Chao; Molteni, Ugo; Ahlm, Lars; Frege, Carla; Bianchi, Federico; Wagner, Robert; Simon, Mario; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Williamson, Christina; Craven, Jill S; Duplissy, Jonathan; Adamov, Alexey; Almeida, Joao; Bernhammer, Anne-Kathrin; Breitenlechner, Martin; Brilke, Sophia; Dias, Antònio; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Flagan, Richard C; Franchin, Alessandro; Fuchs, Claudia; Guida, Roberto; Gysel, Martin; Hansel, Armin; Hoyle, Christopher R; Jokinen, Tuija; Junninen, Heikki; Kangasluoma, Juha; Keskinen, Helmi; Kim, Jaeseok; Krapf, Manuel; Kürten, Andreas; Laaksonen, Ari; Lawler, Michael; Leiminger, Markus; Mathot, Serge; Möhler, Ottmar; Nieminen, Tuomo; Onnela, Antti; Petäjä, Tuukka; Piel, Felix M; Miettinen, Pasi; Rissanen, Matti P; Rondo, Linda; Sarnela, Nina; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Sengupta, Kamalika; Sipilä, Mikko; Smith, James; Steiner, Gerhard; Tomè, Antònio; Virtanen, Annele; Wagner, Andrea C; Weingartner, Ernest; Wimmer, Daniela; Winkler, Paul M; Ye, Penglin; Carslaw, Kenneth S; Curtius, Joachim; Dommen, Josef; Kirkby, Jasper; Kulmala, Markku; Riipinen, Ilona; Worsnop, Douglas R; Donahue, Neil M; Baltensperger, Urs

2016-01-01

About half of present-day cloud condensation nuclei originate from atmospheric nucleation, frequently appearing as a burst of new particles near midday. Atmospheric observations show that the growth rate of new particles often accelerates when the diameter of the particles is between one and ten nanometres. In this critical size range, new particles are most likely to be lost by coagulation with pre-existing particles, thereby failing to form new cloud condensation nuclei that are typically 50 to 100 nanometres across. Sulfuric acid vapour is often involved in nucleation but is too scarce to explain most subsequent growth, leaving organic vapours as the most plausible alternative, at least in the planetary boundary layer. Although recent studies predict that low-volatility organic vapours contribute during initial growth, direct evidence has been lacking. The accelerating growth may result from increased photolytic production of condensable organic species in the afternoon, and the presence of a possible Kelv...

Soot, organics, and ultrafine ash from air- and oxy-fired coal combustion

KAUST Repository

Andersen, Myrrha E.

2016-10-19

Pulverized bituminous coal was burned in a 10. W externally heated entrained flow furnace under air-combustion and three oxy-combustion inlet oxygen conditions (28, 32, and 36%). Experiments were designed to produce flames with practically relevant stoichiometric ratios (SR. =1.2-1.4) and constant residence times (2.3. s). Size-classified fly ash samples were collected, and measurements focused on the soot, elemental carbon (EC), and organic carbon (OC) composition of the total and ultrafine (<0.6. μm) fly ash. Results indicate that although the total fly ash carbon, as measured by loss on ignition, was always acceptably low (<2%) with all three oxy-combustion conditions lower than air-combustion, the ultrafine fly ash for both air-fired and oxy-fired combustion conditions consists primarily of carbonaceous material (50-95%). Carbonaceous components on particles <0.6. μm measured by a thermal optical method showed that large fractions (52-93%) consisted of OC rather than EC, as expected. This observation was supported by thermogravimetric analysis indicating that for the air, 28% oxy, and 32% oxy conditions, 14-71% of this material may be OC volatilizing between 100. C and 550. C with the remaining 29-86% being EC/soot. However, for the 36% oxy condition, OC may comprise over 90% of the ultrafine carbon with a much smaller EC/soot contribution. These data were interpreted by considering the effects of oxy-combustion on flame attachment, ignition delay, and soot oxidation of a bituminous coal, and the effects of these processes on OC and EC emissions. Flame aerodynamics and inlet oxidant composition may influence emissions of organic hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) from a bituminous coal. During oxy-coal combustion, judicious control of inlet oxygen concentration and placement may be used to minimize organic HAP and soot emissions.

Fabrication and characterization of dual-functional ultrafine composite fibers with phase-change energy storage and luminescence properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Xi, Peng; Zhao, Tianxiang; Xia, Lei; Shu, Dengkun; Ma, Menjiao; Cheng, Bowen

2017-01-09

Ultrafine composite fibers consisting of a thermoplastic polyurethane solid-solid phase-change material and organic lanthanide luminescent materials were prepared through a parallel electrospinning technique as an innovative type of ultrafine, dual-functional fibers containing phase-change and luminescent properties. The morphology and structure, thermal energy storage, and luminescent properties of parallel electrospun ultrafine fibers were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the parallel electrospun ultrafine fibers possessed the desired morphologies with smaller average fiber diameters than those of traditional mixed electrospun ultrafine fibers. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that the parallel electrospun ultrafine fibers were composed of two parts. Polymeric phase-change materials, which can be directly produced and spun, were used to provide temperature stability, while a mixture of polymethyl methacrylate and an organic lanthanide complex acted as the luminescent unit. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and luminescence measurements indicated that the unique structure of the parallel electrospun ultrafine fibers provides the products with good thermal energy storage and luminescence properties. The fluorescence intensity and the phase-change enthalpy values of the ultrafine fibers prepared by parallel electrospinning were respectively 1.6 and 2.1 times those of ultrafine fibers prepared by mixed electrospinning.

Detection of Ultrafine Anaphase Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bizard, Anna H; Nielsen, Christian F; Hickson, Ian D

2018-01-01

Ultrafine anaphase bridges (UFBs) are thin DNA threads linking the separating sister chromatids in the anaphase of mitosis. UFBs are thought to form when topological DNA entanglements between two chromatids are not resolved prior to anaphase onset. In contrast to other markers of defective...

Spatial and temporal variation of sources contributing to quasi-ultrafine particulate matter PM0.36 in Augsburg, Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Fengxia; Schnelle-Kreis, Jürgen; Cyrys, Josef; Wolf, Kathrin; Karg, Erwin; Gu, Jianwei; Orasche, Jürgen; Abbaszade, Gülcin; Peters, Annette; Zimmermann, Ralf

2018-08-01

to study the sources contributing to quasi-ultrafine particle (UFP) organic carbon and the spatial temporal variability of the sources. 24h quasi-UFP (particulate matter quasi-UFP vary among sites and source types and show source-specific characteristics. Therefore, caution should be taken when using one monitor site measurement to assess human exposure in health effect studies of quasi-UFP. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[A technological study on the extraction of ultra-fine powder of Panax notoginsen].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yaohai; Huang, Mingqing; Zeng, Huifang; Guo, Wei; Xi, Ping

2005-12-01

To investigate the extraction of ultra-fine powder Panax notoginsen. The extraction rate of ginseng saponin Rg1, Re, Rb1, notoginseng saponin R1 and filtrated time were determined by alcoholic and aqueous extraction of Panax notoginsen in tablet, coarse powder, ultra-fine powder and recostitution granules of ultra-fine powder. The filtered time of ultra-fine powder of Panax notoginsen extraction and that of the tablet of Panax notoginsen extraction were similar, while the extraction rates of various saponins of it were high. The method of aqueous extrction in ltra-fine powder of Panax notoginsen is easy in filtrationer, higher in extraction rate of Panax notoginsen and lower in production cost.

Preparation of ultrafine iron particles by chemical vapor deposition of Fe(CO) sub 5. Fe(CO) sub 5 wo gebryo to suru kiso kagaku hanno ni yoru tetsuchobiryushi no seisei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sawada, Y; Kageyama, Y. (Mitsubishi Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)): Iwata, M. (Nagoya University, Nagoya (Japan). Faculty of Engineering)

1991-11-10

An ultrafine iron particle preparing process was developed, which wses gaseous phase pyrolysis in magnetic field of iron pentacarbonyl, Fe(CO){sub 5}, based on the fact that Fe(CO){sub 5} has peculiar characters that its boiling point is as low as 103{degree}C, and starts decomposing in a low temperature zone of 100{degree}C or lower. Vaporizing and introducing into a reactor an fe(CO){sub 5}, andPyrolyzing it at 200-600{degree}C while being diluted with nitrogen and applied with a magnetic field produced uitrafine iron particles of a necklace-like chain comprisinh primary particles having diameter of 15 to 25 nm with 10 to 40 of them linked in a straight chain. It was found that the specific surface area is 30-50 m{sup 2}/g, with the diameter converted from the specific surface area being relatively close to the average diameter obtained from TEM photograph, and that the particle has few pores. Magnetically the iron powder has a coercivity of 123-131 KA/m and a specific saturation magnetization of 120-140 Am{sup 2}/kg, and is expected to be applied as a high density magnetic recording medium. 5 refs.,8 figs., 3 tabs.

A novel film-pore-surface diffusion model to explain the enhanced enzyme adsorption of corn stover pretreated by ultrafine grinding.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Haiyan; Chen, Longjian; Lu, Minsheng; Li, Junbao; Han, Lujia

2016-01-01

Ultrafine grinding is an environmentally friendly pretreatment that can alter the degree of polymerization, the porosity and the specific surface area of lignocellulosic biomass and can, thus, enhance cellulose hydrolysis. Enzyme adsorption onto the substrate is a prerequisite for the enzymatic hydrolysis process. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the enzyme adsorption properties of corn stover pretreated by ultrafine grinding. The ultrafine grinding pretreatment was executed on corn stover. The results showed that ultrafine grinding pretreatment can significantly decrease particle size [from 218.50 μm of sieve-based grinding corn stover (SGCS) to 17.45 μm of ultrafine grinding corn stover (UGCS)] and increase the specific surface area (SSA), pore volume (PV) and surface composition (SSA: from 1.71 m(2)/g of SGCS to 2.63 m(2)/g of UGCS, PV: from 0.009 cm(3)/g of SGCS to 0.024 m(3)/g of UGCS, cellulose surface area: from 168.69 m(2)/g of SGCS to 290.76 m(2)/g of UGCS, lignin surface area: from 91.46 m(2)/g of SGCS to 106.70 m(2)/g of UGCS). The structure and surface composition changes induced by ultrafine grinding increase the enzyme adsorption capacity from 2.83 mg/g substrate of SGCS to 5.61 mg/g substrate of UGCS. A film-pore-surface diffusion model was developed to simultaneously predict the enzyme adsorption kinetics of both the SGCS and UGCS. Satisfactory predictions could be made with the model based on high R (2) and low RMSE values (R (2) = 0.95 and RMSE = 0.16 mg/g for the UGCS, R (2) = 0.93 and RMSE = 0.09 mg/g for the SGCS). The model was further employed to analyze the rate-limiting steps in the enzyme adsorption process. Although both the external-film and internal-pore mass transfer are important for enzyme adsorption on the SGCS and UGCS, the UGCS has a lower internal-pore resistance compared to the SGCS. Ultrafine grinding pretreatment can enhance the enzyme adsorption onto corn stover by altering structure and

Features of ultrafine-grained structure forming in Zr-1Nb alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stepanova, Ekaterina N.; Prosolov, Konstantin A. [National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Grabovetskaya, Galina P.; Mishin, Ivan P. [Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk (Russian Federation)

2013-07-01

Ultrafine-grained structure forming by the method combined reversible hydrogenation and hot pressing in Zr-1Nb alloy was investigated. Preliminary hydrogenation to concentrations of (0.14–0.4) % at 873 K is found to lead to yield strength decreasing in Zr-1Nb alloy during hot pressing by 1,5–2 times. During uniaxial compression at (70–72) % under isothermal conditions at a temperature of 873 K in Zr-1Nb alloy, hydrogenated to concentration of 0.22 %, homogeneous ultrafine grained structure with an average grain size of 0,4 P m was formed. Key words: zirconium alloy, ultrafine-grained structure, hydrogen.

[Ultra-Fine Pressed Powder Pellet Sample Preparation XRF Determination of Multi-Elements and Carbon Dioxide in Carbonate].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiao-li; An, Shu-qing; Xu, Tie-min; Liu, Yi-bo; Zhang, Li-juan; Zeng, Jiang-ping; Wang, Na

2015-06-01

The main analysis error of pressed powder pellet of carbonate comes from particle-size effect and mineral effect. So in the article in order to eliminate the particle-size effect, the ultrafine pressed powder pellet sample preparation is used to the determination of multi-elements and carbon-dioxide in carbonate. To prepare the ultrafine powder the FRITSCH planetary Micro Mill machine and tungsten carbide media is utilized. To conquer the conglomeration during the process of grinding, the wet grinding is preferred. The surface morphology of the pellet is more smooth and neat, the Compton scatter effect is reduced with the decrease in particle size. The intensity of the spectral line is varied with the change of the particle size, generally the intensity of the spectral line is increased with the decrease in the particle size. But when the particle size of more than one component of the material is decreased, the intensity of the spectral line may increase for S, Si, Mg, or decrease for Ca, Al, Ti, K, which depend on the respective mass absorption coefficient . The change of the composition of the phase with milling is also researched. The incident depth of respective element is given from theoretical calculation. When the sample is grounded to the particle size of less than the penetration depth of all the analyte, the effect of the particle size on the intensity of the spectral line is much reduced. In the experiment, when grounded the sample to less than 8 μm(d95), the particle-size effect is much eliminated, with the correction method of theoretical α coefficient and the empirical coefficient, 14 major, minor and trace element in the carbonate can be determined accurately. And the precision of the method is much improved with RSD element, the fluorescence yield is low and the interference is serious. With the manual multi-layer crystal PX4, coarse collimator, empirical correction, X-ray spectrometer can be used to determine the carbon dioxide in the carbonate

Nuclear fuel particles in the environment - characteristics, atmospheric transport and skin doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poellaenen, R.

2002-05-01

In the present thesis, nuclear fuel particles are studied from the perspective of their characteristics, atmospheric transport and possible skin doses. These particles, often referred to as 'hot' particles, can be released into the environment, as has happened in past years, through human activities, incidents and accidents, such as the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986. Nuclear fuel particles with a diameter of tens of micrometers, referred to here as large particles, may be hundreds of kilobecquerels in activity and even an individual particle may present a quantifiable health hazard. The detection of individual nuclear fuel particles in the environment, their isolation for subsequent analysis and their characterisation are complicated and require well-designed sampling and tailored analytical methods. In the present study, the need to develop particle analysis methods is highlighted. It is shown that complementary analytical techniques are necessary for proper characterisation of the particles. Methods routinely used for homogeneous samples may produce erroneous results if they are carelessly applied to radioactive particles. Large nuclear fuel particles are transported differently in the atmosphere compared with small particles or gaseous species. Thus, the trajectories of gaseous species are not necessarily appropriate for calculating the areas that may receive large particle fallout. A simplified model and a more advanced model based on the data on real weather conditions were applied in the case of the Chernobyl accident to calculate the transport of the particles of different sizes. The models were appropriate in characterising general transport properties but were not able to properly predict the transport of the particles with an aerodynamic diameter of tens of micrometers, detected at distances of hundreds of kilometres from the source, using only the current knowledge of the source term. Either the effective release height has been higher

Particle size-dependent radical generation from wildland fire smoke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leonard, Stephen S.; Castranova, Vince; Chen, Bean T.; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Hoover, Mark; Piacitelli, Chris; Gaughan, Denise M.

2007-01-01

Firefighting, along with construction, mining and agriculture, ranks among the most dangerous occupations. In addition, the work environment of firefighters is unlike that of any other occupation, not only because of the obvious physical hazards but also due to the respiratory and systemic health hazards of smoke inhalation resulting from combustion. A significant amount of research has been devoted to studying municipal firefighters; however, these studies may not be useful in wildland firefighter exposures, because the two work environments are so different. Not only are wildland firefighters exposed to different combustion products, but their exposure profiles are different. The combustion products wildland firefighters are exposed to can vary greatly in characteristics due to the type and amount of material being burned, soil conditions, temperature and exposure time. Smoke inhalation is one of the greatest concerns for firefighter health and it has been shown that the smoke consists of a large number of particles. These smoke particles contain intermediates of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen free radicals, which may pose a potential health risk. Our investigation looked into the involvement of free radicals in smoke toxicity and the relationship between particle size and radical generation. Samples were collected in discrete aerodynamic particle sizes from a wildfire in Alaska, preserved and then shipped to our laboratory for analysis. Electron spin resonance was used to measure carbon-centered as well as hydroxyl radicals produced by a Fenton-like reaction with wildfire smoke. Further study of reactive oxygen species was conducted using analysis of cellular H 2 O 2 generation, lipid peroxidation of cellular membranes and DNA damage. Results demonstrate that coarse size-range particles contained more carbon radicals per unit mass than the ultrafine particles; however, the ultrafine particles generated more ·OH radicals in the acellular Fenton-like reaction. The

Evaluation of methods for the physical characterization of the fine particle emissions from two residential wood combustion appliances

Science.gov (United States)

Kinsey, John S.; Kariher, Peter H.; Dong, Yuanji

The fine particle emissions from a U. S. certified non-catalytic wood stove and a zero-clearance fireplace burning Quercus rubra L. (northern red oak) and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir) cordwood each at two different moisture levels were determined. Emission testing was performed using both time-integrated and continuous instrumentation for total particle mass, particle number, particle size distribution, and fixed combustion gases using an atmospheric wind tunnel, full-flow laboratory dilution tunnel, and dilution stack sampler with a comparison made between the three dilution systems and two sampling filter types. The total mass emission factors (EFs) for all dilution systems and filter media are extremely variable ranging from fireplace emissions burning wet oak averaged 11 g kg -1. A substantial number of ultrafine particles in the accumulation size range were also observed during all tests as determined by an Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI) and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer. The PM-2.5 (particles ≤2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter) fractions determined from the ELPI electrometer data ranged from 93 to 98% (mass) depending on appliance type as reported previously by Hays et al. (Aerosol Science, 34, 1061, 2003).

Gas-particle partitioning of atmospheric aerosols: interplay of physical state, non-ideal mixing and morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiraiwa, Manabu; Zuend, Andreas; Bertram, Allan K; Seinfeld, John H

2013-07-21

Atmospheric aerosols, comprising organic compounds and inorganic salts, play a key role in air quality and climate. Mounting evidence exists that these particles frequently exhibit phase separation into predominantly organic and aqueous electrolyte-rich phases. As well, the presence of amorphous semi-solid or glassy particle phases has been established. Using the canonical system of ammonium sulfate mixed with organics from the ozone oxidation of α-pinene, we illustrate theoretically the interplay of physical state, non-ideality, and particle morphology affecting aerosol mass concentration and the characteristic timescale of gas-particle mass transfer. Phase separation can significantly affect overall particle mass and chemical composition. Semi-solid or glassy phases can kinetically inhibit the partitioning of semivolatile components and hygroscopic growth, in contrast to the traditional assumption that organic compounds exist in quasi-instantaneous gas-particle equilibrium. These effects have significant implications for the interpretation of laboratory data and the development of improved atmospheric air quality and climate models.

Gas/particle partitioning behaviour of azaarenes in an urban atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, H Y; Preston, M R

1997-01-01

The gas/particle partitioning of azaarenes in the Liverpool urban atmosphere was measured from May 1995 to April 1996. This period included one of the hottest summers and coldest winters recorded in the UK. The changes of the relative proportions of particulate and vapour phases showed a strong seasonal variation in which over 80% of azaarene compounds are associated with the particles in the winter and over 60% of azaarene compounds exist as vapour phase during the summer. The results are fitted into a gas/particle partitioning equation. Calculated vapour pressures, vaporization and desorption enthalpies are also given. Azaarene partitioning behaviour is modelled at a variety of aerosol concentrations and over a temperature range which includes normal ambient temperatures. It is hypothesised that three ring azaarene species are more likely to undergo changes in the relative proportions of particle and vapour phase material than either two or four ring compounds.

超细涂料色浆对电泳漆涂装性能的影响%Influence of Ultrafine Colour Paste of Electrophoretic Coating on the Performance of Finishing Process

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

冒海燕; 王潮霞

2012-01-01

通过超声法制备了超细涂料色浆,并将其应用到阴极电泳漆中.考察了超细化前后涂料色浆的平均粒径、Zeta电位的变化,比较分析了超细涂料色浆与普通涂料色浆用于阴极电泳漆时漆液稳定性、漆膜沉积量、颜色深度、外观的区别.实验结果表明:超细涂料色浆的平均粒径仅为196 nm,Zeta电位为30 mV且分布均匀.用超细涂料色浆配制的电泳漆液具有较高的离心稳定性.相比于含普通涂料色浆的阴极电泳漆,含有超细涂料色浆的阴极电泳漆的漆膜的电沉积量稍高,而且更加均匀、平整、细腻.%The ultrafine colour paste, which was used in cathodic electrophoretic paint, was prepared via ultrasonic method. The average particle size and zeta potential of the ultrafine paint was discussed. The differences of the cathodic electrophoretic paint containing ultrafine colour paste or common colour paste, in stability of bath, deposition amount, color depth and appearance of film were analysised and compared. The results showed that the average particle size of the ultrafine colour paste was only 1% nm and Zeta potential 30 mV. The bath containing ultrafine colour paste had larger centrifugal stability. The deposite amount of the film with ultrafine colour paste was higher and the appearance was better and smoother than those of film with common colorant.

A system for aerodynamically sizing ultrafine environmental radioactive particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olawoyin, L.

1995-09-01

The unattached environmental radioactive particles/clusters, produced mainly by 222 Rn in indoor air, are usually few nanometers in size. The inhalation of these radioactive clusters can lead to deposition of radioactivity on the mucosal surface of the tracheobronchial tree. The ultimate size of the cluster together with the flow characteristics will determine the depositional site in the human lung and thus, the extent of damage that can be caused. Thus, there exists the need for the determination of the size of the radioactive clusters. However, the existing particle measuring device have low resolution in the sub-nanometer range. In this research, a system for the alternative detection and measurement of the size of particles/cluster in the less than 2 nm range have been developed. The system is a one stage impactor which has a solid state spectrometer as its impaction plate. It's major feature is the nozzle-to-plate separation, L. The particle size collected changes with L and thus, particle size spectroscopy is achieved by varying L. The number of collected particles is determined by alpha spectroscopy. The size-discriminating ability of the system was tested with laboratory generated radon particles and it was subsequently used to characterize the physical (size) changes associated with the interaction of radon progeny with water vapor and short chain alcohols in various support gases. The theory of both traditional and high velocity jet impactors together with the design and evaluation of the system developed in this study are discussed in various chapters of this dissertation. The major results obtained in the course of the study are also presented

A system for aerodynamically sizing ultrafine environmental radioactive particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olawoyin, L.

1995-09-01

The unattached environmental radioactive particles/clusters, produced mainly by {sup 222}Rn in indoor air, are usually few nanometers in size. The inhalation of these radioactive clusters can lead to deposition of radioactivity on the mucosal surface of the tracheobronchial tree. The ultimate size of the cluster together with the flow characteristics will determine the depositional site in the human lung and thus, the extent of damage that can be caused. Thus, there exists the need for the determination of the size of the radioactive clusters. However, the existing particle measuring device have low resolution in the sub-nanometer range. In this research, a system for the alternative detection and measurement of the size of particles/cluster in the less than 2 nm range have been developed. The system is a one stage impactor which has a solid state spectrometer as its impaction plate. It`s major feature is the nozzle-to-plate separation, L. The particle size collected changes with L and thus, particle size spectroscopy is achieved by varying L. The number of collected particles is determined by alpha spectroscopy. The size-discriminating ability of the system was tested with laboratory generated radon particles and it was subsequently used to characterize the physical (size) changes associated with the interaction of radon progeny with water vapor and short chain alcohols in various support gases. The theory of both traditional and high velocity jet impactors together with the design and evaluation of the system developed in this study are discussed in various chapters of this dissertation. The major results obtained in the course of the study are also presented.

Measurements and predictors of on-road ultrafine particle concentrations and associated pollutants in Los Angeles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fruin, S. [California Air Resources Board, Sacramento (United States); University of Southern California, Los Angeles (United States). Keck School of Medicine, Department of Preventive Medicine; Westerdahl, D.; Sax, T. [California Air Resources Board, Sacramento (United States); Sioutas, C. [University of Southern California, Los Angeles (United States). Civil and Environmental Engineering; Fine, P.M. [University of Southern California, Los Angeles (United States). Civil and Environmental Engineering; South Coast Air Quality Management District, Diamond Bar, CA (United States)

2008-01-15

Motor vehicles are the dominant source of oxides of nitrogen (NO{sub x}), particulate matter(PM), and certain air toxics (e.g., benzene, 1,3-butadiene) in urban areas. On roadways, motor vehicle-related pollutant concentrations are typically many times higher than ambient concentrations. Due to high air exchange rates typical of moving vehicles, this makes time spent in vehicles on roadways a major source of exposure. This paper presents on-road measurements for Los Angeles freeways and arterial roads taken from a zero-emission electric vehicle outfitted with real-time instruments. The objective was to characterize air pollutant concentrations on roadways and identify the factors associated with the highest concentrations. Our analysis demonstrated that on freeways, concentrations of ultrafine particles (UFPs), black carbon, nitric oxide, and PM-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PM-PAH) are generated primarily by diesel-powered vehicles, despite the relatively low fraction ({approx}6%) of diesel-powered vehicles on Los Angeles freeways. However, UFP concentrations on arterial roads appeared to be driven primarily by proximity to gasoline-powered vehicles undergoing hard accelerations. Concentrations were roughly one-third of those on freeways. By using a multiple regression model for the freeway measurements, we were able to explain 60-70% of the variability in concentrations of UFP, black carbon, nitric oxide, and PM-PAH using measures of diesel truck density and hour of day (as an indicator of wind speed). Freeway concentrations of these pollutants were also well correlated wth readily available annual average daily truck counts, potentially allowing improved population exposure estimates for epidemiology studies. Based on these roadway measurements and average driving time, it appears that 33-45% of total UFP exposure for Los Angeles residents occurs due to time spent traveling in vehicles. (author)

Measurements and predictors of on-road ultrafine particle concentrations and associated pollutants in Los Angeles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fruin, S.; Sioutas, C.

2008-01-01

Motor vehicles are the dominant source of oxides of nitrogen (NO x ), particulate matter(PM), and certain air toxics (e.g., benzene, 1,3-butadiene) in urban areas. On roadways, motor vehicle-related pollutant concentrations are typically many times higher than ambient concentrations. Due to high air exchange rates typical of moving vehicles, this makes time spent in vehicles on roadways a major source of exposure. This paper presents on-road measurements for Los Angeles freeways and arterial roads taken from a zero-emission electric vehicle outfitted with real-time instruments. The objective was to characterize air pollutant concentrations on roadways and identify the factors associated with the highest concentrations. Our analysis demonstrated that on freeways, concentrations of ultrafine particles (UFPs), black carbon, nitric oxide, and PM-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PM-PAH) are generated primarily by diesel-powered vehicles, despite the relatively low fraction (∼6%) of diesel-powered vehicles on Los Angeles freeways. However, UFP concentrations on arterial roads appeared to be driven primarily by proximity to gasoline-powered vehicles undergoing hard accelerations. Concentrations were roughly one-third of those on freeways. By using a multiple regression model for the freeway measurements, we were able to explain 60-70% of the variability in concentrations of UFP, black carbon, nitric oxide, and PM-PAH using measures of diesel truck density and hour of day (as an indicator of wind speed). Freeway concentrations of these pollutants were also well correlated wth readily available annual average daily truck counts, potentially allowing improved population exposure estimates for epidemiology studies. Based on these roadway measurements and average driving time, it appears that 33-45% of total UFP exposure for Los Angeles residents occurs due to time spent traveling in vehicles. (author)

Measurements and predictors of on-road ultrafine particle concentrations and associated pollutants in Los Angeles

Science.gov (United States)

Fruin, S.; Westerdahl, D.; Sax, T.; Sioutas, C.; Fine, P. M.

Motor vehicles are the dominant source of oxides of nitrogen (NO x), particulate matter (PM), and certain air toxics (e.g., benzene, 1,3-butadiene) in urban areas. On roadways, motor vehicle-related pollutant concentrations are typically many times higher than ambient concentrations. Due to high air exchange rates typical of moving vehicles, this makes time spent in vehicles on roadways a major source of exposure. This paper presents on-road measurements for Los Angeles freeways and arterial roads taken from a zero-emission electric vehicle outfitted with real-time instruments. The objective was to characterize air pollutant concentrations on roadways and identify the factors associated with the highest concentrations. Our analysis demonstrated that on freeways, concentrations of ultrafine particles (UFPs), black carbon, nitric oxide, and PM-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PM-PAH) are generated primarily by diesel-powered vehicles, despite the relatively low fraction (˜6%) of diesel-powered vehicles on Los Angeles freeways. However, UFP concentrations on arterial roads appeared to be driven primarily by proximity to gasoline-powered vehicles undergoing hard accelerations. Concentrations were roughly one-third of those on freeways. By using a multiple regression model for the freeway measurements, we were able to explain 60-70% of the variability in concentrations of UFP, black carbon, nitric oxide, and PM-PAH using measures of diesel truck density and hour of day (as an indicator of wind speed). Freeway concentrations of these pollutants were also well correlated with readily available annual average daily truck counts, potentially allowing improved population exposure estimates for epidemiology studies. Based on these roadway measurements and average driving time, it appears that 33-45% of total UFP exposure for Los Angeles residents occurs due to time spent traveling in vehicles.

Laboratory Simulations of Haze Formation in the Atmospheres of Super-Earths and Mini-Neptunes: Particle Color and Size Distribution

Science.gov (United States)

He, Chao; Hörst, Sarah M.; Lewis, Nikole K.; Yu, Xinting; Moses, Julianne I.; Kempton, Eliza M.-R.; McGuiggan, Patricia; Morley, Caroline V.; Valenti, Jeff A.; Vuitton, Véronique

2018-03-01

Super-Earths and mini-Neptunes are the most abundant types of planets among the ∼3500 confirmed exoplanets, and are expected to exhibit a wide variety of atmospheric compositions. Recent transmission spectra of super-Earths and mini-Neptunes have demonstrated the possibility that exoplanets have haze/cloud layers at high altitudes in their atmospheres. However, the compositions, size distributions, and optical properties of these particles in exoplanet atmospheres are poorly understood. Here, we present the results of experimental laboratory investigations of photochemical haze formation within a range of planetary atmospheric conditions, as well as observations of the color and size of produced haze particles. We find that atmospheric temperature and metallicity strongly affect particle color and size, thus altering the particles’ optical properties (e.g., absorptivity, scattering, etc.); on a larger scale, this affects the atmospheric and surface temperature of the exoplanets, and their potential habitability. Our results provide constraints on haze formation and particle properties that can serve as critical inputs for exoplanet atmosphere modeling, and guide future observations of super-Earths and mini-Neptunes with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope.

Effects of sintering atmosphere and initial particle size on sintering of gadolinia-doped ceria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batista, Rafael Morgado

2014-01-01

The effects of the sintering atmosphere and initial particle size on the sintering of ceria containing 10 mol% gadolinia (GdO 1.5 ) were systematically investigated. The main physical parameter was the specific surface area of the initial powders. Nanometric powders with three different specific surface areas were utilized, 210 m 2 /g, 36,2 m 2 /g e 7,4 m 2 /g. The influence on the densification, and micro structural evolution were evaluated. The starting sintering temperature was verified to decrease with increasing on the specific surface area of raw powders. The densification was accelerated for the materials with smaller particle size. Sintering paths for crystallite growth were obtained. Master sintering curves for gadolinium-doped ceria were constructed for all initial powders. A computational program was developed for this purpose. The results for apparent activation energy showed noticeable dependence with specific surface area. In this work, the apparent activation energy for densification increased with the initial particle size of powders. The evolution of the particle size distributions on non isothermal sintering was investigated by WPPM method. It was verified that the grain growth controlling mechanism on gadolinia doped ceria is the pore drag for initial stage and beginning of intermediate stage. The effects of the sintering atmosphere on the stoichiometry deviation of ceria, densification, microstructure evolution, and electrical conductivity were analyzed. Inert, oxidizing, and reducing atmospheres were utilized on this work. Deviations on ceria stoichiometry were verified on the bulk materials. The deviation verified was dependent of the specific surface area and sintering atmosphere. Higher reduction potential atmospheres increase Ce 3+ bulk concentration after sintering. Accelerated grain growth and lower electrical conductivities were verified when reduction reactions are significantly present on sintering. (author)

In vivo deposition of ultrafine aerosols in human nasal and oral airways

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yeh, Hsu-Chi; Swift, D.L. [John Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD (United States); Simpson, S.Q. [Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)] [and others

1995-12-01

The extrathoracic airways, including the nasal passage, oral passage, pharynx, and larynx, are the first targets for inhaled particles and provide an important defense for the lung. Understanding the deposition efficiency of the nasal and oral passages is therefore crucial for assessing doses of inhaled particles to the extrathoracic airways and the lung. Significant inter-subject variability in nasal deposition has been shown in recent studies by Rasmussen, T.R. et al, using 2.6 {mu}m particles in 10 human subjects and in our preliminary studies using 0.004-0.15 {mu}m particles in four adult volunteers. No oral deposition was reported in either of these studies. Reasons for the intersubject variations have been frequently attributed to the geometry of the nasal passages. The aims of the present study were to measure in vivo the nasal airway dimensions and the deposition of ultrafine aerosols in both the nasal and oral passages, and to determine the relationship between nasal airway dimensions and aerosol deposition. A statistical procedure incorporated with the diffusion theory was used to model the dimensional features of the nasal airways which may be responsible for the biological variability in particle deposition. In summary, we have correlated deposition of particles in the size range of 0.004 to 0.15 {mu}m with the nasal dimensions of each subject.

In vivo deposition of ultrafine aerosols in human nasal and oral airways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeh, Hsu-Chi; Swift, D.L.; Simpson, S.Q.

1995-01-01

The extrathoracic airways, including the nasal passage, oral passage, pharynx, and larynx, are the first targets for inhaled particles and provide an important defense for the lung. Understanding the deposition efficiency of the nasal and oral passages is therefore crucial for assessing doses of inhaled particles to the extrathoracic airways and the lung. Significant inter-subject variability in nasal deposition has been shown in recent studies by Rasmussen, T.R. et al, using 2.6 μm particles in 10 human subjects and in our preliminary studies using 0.004-0.15 μm particles in four adult volunteers. No oral deposition was reported in either of these studies. Reasons for the intersubject variations have been frequently attributed to the geometry of the nasal passages. The aims of the present study were to measure in vivo the nasal airway dimensions and the deposition of ultrafine aerosols in both the nasal and oral passages, and to determine the relationship between nasal airway dimensions and aerosol deposition. A statistical procedure incorporated with the diffusion theory was used to model the dimensional features of the nasal airways which may be responsible for the biological variability in particle deposition. In summary, we have correlated deposition of particles in the size range of 0.004 to 0.15 μm with the nasal dimensions of each subject

On the dynamics of fine aerosols artificially produced. Application to the atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perrin, Marie-Line

1980-01-01

We take advantage of the developments of a new method of measurement, using a diffusion battery, to analyse the evolution of ultra-fine particles generated as a result of gas-phase reactions (radiolysis and photolysis). The evolution of aerosols instantaneously produced by radiolysis of gaseous impurities is studied and a theoretical model from the coagulation equation's resolution is shown to well describe the phenomena. Experiments with aerosols continuously produced by photo-oxidation of SO 2 show the effect of the condensable molecules production rate and the preexisting aerosol, on the subsequent growth of the primary embryos. Different theoretical models are qualitatively and quantitatively verified. Our experiments are then extended to 'in situ' measurements in urban and marine atmospheres, and in every case, we quantitatively determine the importance of each intervening process, namely nucleation, coagulation and condensation. (author) [fr

Evidence of weak ferromagnetism in chromium(III) oxide particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vazquez-Vazquez, Carlos; Banobre-Lopez, Manuel; Lopez-Quintela, M.A.; Hueso, L.E.; Rivas, J.

2004-01-01

The low temperature (4< T(K)<350) magnetic properties of chromium(III) oxide particles have been studied. A clear evidence of the presence of weak ferromagnetism is observed below 250 K. The magnetisation curves as a function of the applied field show coercive fields due to the canted antiferromagnetism of the particles. Around 55 K a maximum is observed in the zero-field-cooled curves; this maximum can be assumed as a blocking temperature, similarly to ultrafine ferromagnetic particles

Optical properties, morphology and elemental composition of atmospheric particles at T1 supersite on MILAGRO campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Carabali, G.; Mamani-Paco, R.; Castro, T.; Peralta, O.; Herrera, E.; Trujillo, B.

2012-03-01

Atmospheric particles were sampled at T1 supersite during MILAGRO campaign, in March 2006. T1 was located at the north of Mexico City (MC). Aerosol sampling was done by placing copper grids for Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) on the last five of an 8-stage MOUDI cascade impactor. Samples were obtained at different periods to observe possible variations on morphology. Absorption and scattering coefficients, as well as particle concentrations (0.01-3 μm aerodynamic diameter) were measured simultaneously using a PSAP absorption photometer, a portable integrating nephelometer, and a CPC particle counter. Particle images were acquired at different magnifications using a CM 200 Phillips TEM-EDAX system, and then calculated the border-based fractal dimension. Also, Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) was used to determine the elemental composition of particles. The morphology of atmospheric particles for two aerodynamic diameters (0.18 and 1.8 μm) was compared using border-based fractal dimension to relate it to the other particle properties, because T1-generated particles have optical, morphological and chemical properties different from those transported by the MC plume. Particles sampled under MC pollution influence showed not much variability, suggesting that more spherical particles (border-based fractal dimension close to 1.0) are more common in larger sizes (d50 = 1.8 μm), which may be attributed to aerosol aging and secondary aerosol formation. Between 06:00 and 09:00 a.m., smaller particles (d50 = 0.18 μm) had more irregular shapes resulting in higher border-based fractal dimensions (1.2-1.3) for samples with more local influence. EDS analysis in d50 = 0.18 μm particles showed high contents of carbonaceous material, Si, Fe, K, and Co. Perhaps, this indicates an impact from industrial and vehicle emissions on atmospheric particles at T1.

Catching Comet's Particles in the Earth's Atmosphere by Using Balloons

Science.gov (United States)

Potashko, Oleksandr; Viso, Michel

The project is intended to catch cometary particles in the atmosphere by using balloons. The investigation is based upon knowledge that the Earth crosses the comet’s tails during the year. One can catch these particles at different altitudes in the atmosphere. So, we will be able to gradually advance in the ability to launch balloons from low to high altitudes and try to catch particles from different comet tails. The maximum altitude that we have to reach is 40 km. Both methods - distance observation and cometary samples from mission Stardust testify to the presence of organic components in comet’s particles. It would be useful to know more details about this organic matter for astrobiology; besides, the factor poses danger to the Earth. Moreover, it is important to prove that it is possible to get fundamental scientific results at low cost. In the last 5 years launching balloons has become popular and this movement looks like hackers’ one - as most of them occur without launch permission to airspace. The popularity of ballooning is connected with low cost of balloon, GPS unit, video recording unit. If you use iPhone, you have a light solution with GPS, video, picture and control function in one unit. The price of balloon itself begins from $50; it depends on maximum altitude, payload weight and material. Many university teams realized balloon launching and reached even stratosphere at an altitude of 33 km. But most of them take only video and picture. Meanwhile, it is possible to carry out scientific experiments by ballooning, for example to collect comet particles. There is rich experience at the moment of the use of mineral, chemical and isotopic analysis techniques and data of the comet’s dust after successful landing of StarDust capsule with samples in 2006. Besides, we may use absolutely perfect material to catch particles in the atmosphere, which was used by cosmic missions such as Stardust and Japanese Hayabusa. As to balloon launches, we could use

Occupational exposures and chronic kidney disease: Possible associations with endotoxin and ultrafine particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sponholtz, Todd R; Sandler, Dale P; Parks, Christine G; Applebaum, Katie M

2016-01-01

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) carries a high public health burden yet there is limited research on occupational factors, which are examined in this retrospective case-control study. Newly diagnosed cases of CKD (n = 547) and controls (n = 508) from North Carolina provided detailed work histories in telephone interviews. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). There was heterogeneity in the association of CKD and agricultural work, with crop production associated with increased risk and work with livestock associated with decreased risk. Work with cutting/cooling/lubricating oils was associated with a reduced risk. CKD risk was increased for working in dusty conditions. CKD risk was reduced in subjects with occupational exposures previously reported to involve endotoxin exposure. Further, exposure to dusty conditions was consistently associated with increased risk of glomerulonephritis across industry, suggesting that research on CKD and ultrafine particulates is needed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Explaining the spatiotemporal variation of fine particle number concentrations over Beijing and surrounding areas in an air quality model with aerosol microphysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xueshun; Wang, Zifa; Li, Jie; Chen, Huansheng; Hu, Min; Yang, Wenyi; Wang, Zhe; Ge, Baozhu; Wang, Dawei

2017-01-01

In this study, a three-dimensional air quality model with detailed aerosol microphysics (NAQPMS + APM) was applied to simulate the fine particle number size distribution and to explain the spatiotemporal variation of fine particle number concentrations in different size ranges over Beijing and surrounding areas in the haze season (Jan 15 to Feb 13 in 2006). Comparison between observations and the simulation indicates that the model is able to reproduce the main features of the particle number size distribution. The high number concentration of total particles, up to 26600 cm −3 in observations and 39800 cm −3 in the simulation, indicates the severity of pollution in Beijing. We find that primary particles with secondary species coating and secondary particles together control the particle number size distribution. Secondary particles dominate particle number concentration in the nucleation mode. Primary and secondary particles together determine the temporal evolution and spatial pattern of particle number concentration in the Aitken mode. Primary particles dominate particle number concentration in the accumulation mode. Over Beijing and surrounding areas, secondary particles contribute at least 80% of particle number concentration in the nucleation mode but only 10–20% in the accumulation mode. Nucleation mode particles and accumulation mode particles are anti-phased with each other. Nucleation or primary emissions alone could not explain the formation of the particle number size distribution in Beijing. Nucleation has larger effects on ultrafine particles while primary particles emissions are efficient in producing large particles in the accumulation mode. Reduction in primary particle emissions does not always lead to a decrease in the number concentration of ultrafine particles. Measures to reduce fine particle pollution in terms of particle number concentration may be different from those addressing particle mass concentration. - Highlights: �

Toward Quantifying the Mass-Based Hygroscopicity of Individual Submicron Atmospheric Aerosol Particles with STXM/NEXAFS and SEM/EDX

Science.gov (United States)

Yancey Piens, D.; Kelly, S. T.; OBrien, R. E.; Wang, B.; Petters, M. D.; Laskin, A.; Gilles, M. K.

2014-12-01

The hygroscopic behavior of atmospheric aerosols influences their optical and cloud-nucleation properties, and therefore affects climate. Although changes in particle size as a function of relative humidity have often been used to quantify the hygroscopic behavior of submicron aerosol particles, it has been noted that calculations of hygroscopicity based on size contain error due to particle porosity, non-ideal volume additivity and changes in surface tension. We will present a method to quantify the hygroscopic behavior of submicron aerosol particles based on changes in mass, rather than size, as a function of relative humidity. This method results from a novel experimental approach combining scanning transmission x-ray microscopy with near-edge x-ray absorption fine spectroscopy (STXM/NEXAFS), as well as scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) on the same individual particles. First, using STXM/NEXAFS, our methods are applied to aerosol particles of known composition ‒ for instance ammonium sulfate, sodium bromide and levoglucosan ‒ and validated by theory. Then, using STXM/NEXAFS and SEM/EDX, these methods are extended to mixed atmospheric aerosol particles collected in the field at the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility at the Southern Great Planes sampling site in Oklahoma, USA. We have observed and quantified a range of hygroscopic behaviors which are correlated to the composition and morphology of individual aerosol particles. These methods will have implications for parameterizing aerosol mixing state and cloud-nucleation activity in atmospheric models.

Seasonal variation of fractionated sea-salt particles on the Antarctic coast

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, K.; Osada, K.; Yabuki, M.; Yamanouchi, T.

2012-09-01

Aerosol sampling was conducted at Syowa Station, Antarctica (coastal station) in 2004-2006. SO42-depletion by mirabilite precipitation was identified from April through November. The fractionated sea-salt particles were distributed in ultrafine- coarse modes. Molar ratios of Mg2+/Na+ and K+/Na+ were higher than in bulk seawater ratio during winter-spring. The Mg2+/Na+ ratio in aerosols greatly exceeded the upper limit in the case only with mirabilite precipitation. The temperature dependence of Mg2+/Na+ ratio strongly suggested that higher ratios of Mg2+/Na+ and K+/Na+ were associated with sea-salt fractionation by precipitation of mirabilite at -9°C, hydrohalite at ca. -23°C and other salts such as ikaite at ca. -5°C and gypsum at ca. -22°C during winter-spring. Mg-salts with lower deliquescence relative humidity can be enriched gradually in the fractionated sea-salt particles. Results suggests that sea-salt fractionation can alter aerosol hygroscopicity and atmospheric chemistry in polar regions.

A marine biogenic source of atmospheric ice-nucleating particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, T. W.; Ladino, L. A.; Alpert, Peter A.; Breckels, M. N.; Brooks, I. M.; Browse, J.; Burrows, Susannah M.; Carslaw, K. S.; Huffman, J. A.; Judd, C.; Kilthau, W. P.; Mason, R. H.; McFiggans, Gordon; Miller, L. A.; Najera, J.; Polishchuk, E. A.; Rae, S.; Schiller, C. L.; Si, M.; Vergara Temprado, J.; Whale, Thomas; Wong, J P S; Wurl, O.; Yakobi-Hancock, J. D.; Abbatt, JPD; Aller, Josephine Y.; Bertram, Allan K.; Knopf, Daniel A.; Murray, Benjamin J.

2015-09-09

The formation of ice in clouds is facilitated by the presence of airborne ice nucleating particles1,2. Sea spray is one of the major global sources of atmospheric particles, but it is unclear to what extent these particles are capable of nucleating ice3–11. Here we show that material in the sea surface microlayer, which is enriched in surface active organic material representative of that found in sub-micron sea- spray aerosol12–21, nucleates ice under conditions that occur in mixed-phase clouds and high-altitude ice clouds. The ice active material is likely biogenic and is less than ~0.2 ?m in size. We also show that organic material (exudate) released by a common marine diatom nucleates ice when separated from cells and propose that organic material associated with phytoplankton cell exudates are a candidate for the observed ice nucleating ability of the microlayer samples. By combining our measurements with global model simulations of marine organic aerosol, we show that ice nucleating particles of marine origin are dominant in remote marine environments, such as the Southern Ocean, the North Pacific and the North Atlantic.

Experimental evidence for the role of ions in particle nucleation under atmospheric conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svensmark, Henrik; Pedersen, Jens Olaf Pepke; Marsh, N.D.

2007-01-01

Experimental studies of aerosol nucleation in air, containing trace amounts of ozone, sulphur dioxide and water vapour at concentrations relevant for the Earth's atmosphere, are reported. The production of new aerosol particles is found to be proportional to the negative ion density and yields...... nucleation rates of the order of 0.1 1 cm(-3) s(-1). This suggests that the ions are active in generating an atmospheric reservoir of small thermodynamically stable clusters, which are important for nucleation processes in the atmosphere and ultimately for cloud formation....

Properties of submicron particles in Atmospheric Brown Clouds

Science.gov (United States)

Adushkin, V. V.; Chen, B. B.; Dubovskoi, A. N.; Friedrich, F.; Pernik, L. M.; Popel, S. I.; Weidler, P. G.

2010-05-01

The Atmospheric Brown Clouds (ABC) is an important problem of this century. Investigations of last years and satellite data show that the ABC (or brown gas, smog, fog) cover extensive territories including the whole continents and oceans. The brown gas consists of a mixture of particles of anthropogenic sulfates, nitrates, organic origin, black carbon, dust, ashes, and also natural aerosols such as sea salt and mineral dust. The brown color is a result of absorption and scattering of solar radiation by the anthropogenic black carbon, ashes, the particles of salt dust, and nitrogen dioxide. The investigation of the ABC is a fundamental problem for prevention of degradation of the environment. At present in the CIS in-situ investigations of the ABC are carried out on Lidar Station Teplokluchenka (Kyrgyz Republic). Here, we present the results of experimental investigation of submicron (nanoscale) particles originating from the ABC and the properties of the particles. Samples of dust precipitating from the ABC were obtained at the area of Lidar Station Teplokluchenka as well as scientific station of the Russian Academy of Sciences near Bishkek. The data for determination of the grain composition were obtained with the aid of the scanning electron microscopes JEOL 6460 LV and Philips XL 30 FEG. Analysis of the properties of the particles was performed by means of the X-ray diffraction using diffractometer Siemens D5000. The images of the grains were mapped. The investigation allows us to get (after the image processing) the grain composition within the dust particle size range of 60 nm to 700 μm. Distributions of nano- and microscale particles in sizes were constructed using Rozin-Rammler coordinates. Analysis of the distributions shows that the ABC contain submicron (nanoscale) particles; 2) at higher altitudes the concentration of the submicron (nanoscale) particles in the ABC is higher than at lower altitudes. The chemical compositions of the particles are shown to

Nuclear fuel particles in the environment - characteristics, atmospheric transport and skin doses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poellaenen, R

2002-05-01

In the present thesis, nuclear fuel particles are studied from the perspective of their characteristics, atmospheric transport and possible skin doses. These particles, often referred to as 'hot' particles, can be released into the environment, as has happened in past years, through human activities, incidents and accidents, such as the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986. Nuclear fuel particles with a diameter of tens of micrometers, referred to here as large particles, may be hundreds of kilobecquerels in activity and even an individual particle may present a quantifiable health hazard. The detection of individual nuclear fuel particles in the environment, their isolation for subsequent analysis and their characterisation are complicated and require well-designed sampling and tailored analytical methods. In the present study, the need to develop particle analysis methods is highlighted. It is shown that complementary analytical techniques are necessary for proper characterisation of the particles. Methods routinely used for homogeneous samples may produce erroneous results if they are carelessly applied to radioactive particles. Large nuclear fuel particles are transported differently in the atmosphere compared with small particles or gaseous species. Thus, the trajectories of gaseous species are not necessarily appropriate for calculating the areas that may receive large particle fallout. A simplified model and a more advanced model based on the data on real weather conditions were applied in the case of the Chernobyl accident to calculate the transport of the particles of different sizes. The models were appropriate in characterising general transport properties but were not able to properly predict the transport of the particles with an aerodynamic diameter of tens of micrometers, detected at distances of hundreds of kilometres from the source, using only the current knowledge of the source term. Either the effective release height has

Superior H2 production by hydrophilic ultrafine Ta2O5 engineered covalently on graphene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, Lin; Zhu, Shenmin; Shi, Dian; Chen, Yixin; Yin, Chao; Li, Yao; Zhang, Di; Ma, Jun; Chen, Zhixin

2014-01-01

A H 2 O 2 -mediated hydrothermal method was developed for the fabrication of hydrophilic Ta 2 O 5 /graphene composite. The composite shows a superior H 2 productivity, up to 30 mmol g −1 h −1 when used as a photocatalyst for water splitting, corresponding to an apparent quantum efficiency of 33.8% at 254 nm. This superior performance is due to the hydrophilic nature of the composite and more importantly due to the ultrafine Ta 2 O 5 nanoparticles (about 4.0 ± 1.5 nm) which are covalently bonded with the conductive graphene. The hydrophilic property of the composite is attributed to the use of H 2 O 2 in the hydrothermal process. The ultrafine size of the Ta 2 O 5 particles which are covalently bonded with the graphene sheets is attributed to the use of sonication in the synthesis process. Furthermore, the hydrophilic Ta 2 O 5 /Gr composite is durable, which is beneficial to long term photocatalysis. The strategy reported here provides a new approach to designing photocatalysts with superior performance for H 2 production. (papers)

Source reconciliation of atmospheric gas-phase and particle-phase pollutants during a severe photochemical smog episode.

Science.gov (United States)

Schauer, James J; Fraser, Matthew P; Cass, Glen R; Simoneit, Bernd R T

2002-09-01

A comprehensive organic compound-based receptor model is developed that can simultaneously apportion the source contributions to atmospheric gas-phase organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, fine particle organic compounds, and fine particle mass. The model is applied to ambient data collected at four sites in the south coast region of California during a severe summertime photochemical smog episode, where the model determines the direct primary contributions to atmospheric pollutants from 11 distinct air pollution source types. The 11 sources included in the model are gasoline-powered motor vehicle exhaust, diesel engine exhaust, whole gasoline vapors, gasoline headspace vapors, organic solvent vapors, whole diesel fuel, paved road dust, tire wear debris, meat cooking exhaust, natural gas leakage, and vegetative detritus. Gasoline engine exhaust plus whole gasoline vapors are the predominant sources of volatile organic gases, while gasoline and diesel engine exhaust plus diesel fuel vapors dominate the emissions of semivolatile organic compounds from these sources during the episode studied at all four air monitoring sites. The atmospheric fine particle organic compound mass was composed of noticeable contributions from gasoline-powered motor vehicle exhaust, diesel engine exhaust, meat cooking, and paved road dust with smaller but quantifiable contributions from vegetative detritus and tire wear debris. In addition, secondary organic aerosol, which is formed from the low-vapor pressure products of gas-phase chemical reactions, is found to be a major source of fine particle organic compound mass under the severe photochemical smog conditions studied here. The concentrations of secondary organic aerosol calculated in the present study are compared with previous fine particle source apportionment results for less intense photochemical smog conditions. It is shown that estimated secondary organic aerosol concentrations correlate fairly well with the

Arctic sea ice melt leads to atmospheric new particle formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dall Osto, M; Beddows, D C S; Tunved, P; Krejci, R; Ström, J; Hansson, H-C; Yoon, Y J; Park, Ki-Tae; Becagli, S; Udisti, R; Onasch, T; O Dowd, C D; Simó, R; Harrison, Roy M

2017-06-12

Atmospheric new particle formation (NPF) and growth significantly influences climate by supplying new seeds for cloud condensation and brightness. Currently, there is a lack of understanding of whether and how marine biota emissions affect aerosol-cloud-climate interactions in the Arctic. Here, the aerosol population was categorised via cluster analysis of aerosol size distributions taken at Mt Zeppelin (Svalbard) during a 11 year record. The daily temporal occurrence of NPF events likely caused by nucleation in the polar marine boundary layer was quantified annually as 18%, with a peak of 51% during summer months. Air mass trajectory analysis and atmospheric nitrogen and sulphur tracers link these frequent nucleation events to biogenic precursors released by open water and melting sea ice regions. The occurrence of such events across a full decade was anti-correlated with sea ice extent. New particles originating from open water and open pack ice increased the cloud condensation nuclei concentration background by at least ca. 20%, supporting a marine biosphere-climate link through sea ice melt and low altitude clouds that may have contributed to accelerate Arctic warming. Our results prompt a better representation of biogenic aerosol sources in Arctic climate models.

Particle concentration and flux dynamics in the atmospheric boundary layer as the indicator of formation mechanism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauros, J.; Sogachev, Andrey; Smolander, S.

2011-01-01

the atmospheric boundary layer during nucleation event days shows a highly dynamical picture, where particle formation is coupled with chemistry and turbulent transport. We have demonstrated the suitability of our turbulent mixing scheme in reproducing the most important characteristics of particle dynamics...... within the boundary layer. Deposition and particle flux simulations show that deposition affects noticeably only the smallest particles...

Arsenic speciation in total contents and bioaccessible fractions in atmospheric particles related to human intakes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Minjuan; Chen, Xunwen; Zhao, Yinge; Yu Chan, Chuen; Wang, Wei; Wang, Xuemei; Wong, Ming Hung

2014-01-01

Speciation of inorganic trivalent arsenicals (iAs III ), inorganic pentavalent arsenicals (iAs V ), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) in total arsenic (As) content and its bioaccessible fractions contained in road dust, household air-conditioning (AC) filter dust and PM 2.5 was investigated. Inorganic As, especially iAs V , was observed as the dominant species. Physiologically based extraction test (PBET), an in-vitro gastrointestinal method, was used to estimate the oral As bioaccessibility in coarse particles and the species present in the oral bioaccessible fraction. A composite lung simulating serum was used to mimic the pulmonary condition to extract the respiratory bioaccessible As and its species in PM 2.5 . Reduction of iAs V to iAs III occurred in both in-vitro gastrointestinal and lung simulating extraction models. The inorganic As species was the exclusive species for absorption through ingestion and inhalation of atmospheric particles, which was an important exposure route to inorganic As, in addition to drinking water and food consumption. - Highlights: • Inorganic As species was the predominant species in dust and airborne particles. • Existence of iAs III in dust and airborne particles increases human health risks. • Reduction from iAs V to iAs III occurred through in-vitro gastrointestinal model. • Reduction from iAs V to iAs III occurred in the simulating pulmonary region. • Atmospheric particles were important exposure sources of inorganic As. - Atmospheric particles are important exposure sources of inorganic As, of which the bioaccessibility is dependent on the extraction phases and models used

Indoor particle levels in small- and medium-sized commercial buildings in California.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiangmei May; Apte, Michael G; Bennett, Deborah H

2012-11-20

This study monitored indoor and outdoor particle concentrations in 37 small and medium commercial buildings (SMCBs) in California with three buildings sampled on two occasions, resulting in 40 sampling days. Sampled buildings included offices, retail establishments, restaurants, dental offices, and hair salons, among others. Continuous measurements were made for both ultrafine and fine particulate matter as well as black carbon inside and outside of the building. Integrated PM(2.5), PM(2.5-10), and PM(10) samples were also collected inside and outside the building. The majority of the buildings had indoor/outdoor (I/O) particle concentration ratios less than 1.0, indicating that contributions from indoor sources are less than removal of outdoor particles. However, some of the buildings had I/O ratios greater than 1, indicating significant indoor particle sources. This was particularly true of restaurants, hair salons, and dental offices. The infiltration factor was estimated from a regression analysis of indoor and outdoor concentrations for each particle size fraction, finding lower values for ultrafine and coarse particles than for submicrometer particles, as expected. The I/O ratio of black carbon was used as a relative measure of the infiltration factor of particles among buildings, with a geometric mean of 0.62. The contribution of indoor sources to indoor particle levels was estimated for each building.

Controlled synthesis of uniform ultrafine CuO nanowires as anode material for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Fei; Tao Weizhe; Zhao Mingshu; Xu Minwei; Yang Shengchun; Sun Zhanbo; Wang Liqun; Song Xiaoping

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The ultrafine CuO nanowires were controlled synthesized by a simple solution route. → CuO nanowires exhibit high capacity, superior cyclability and improved rate capability. → Voltage-capacity curves show larger extra reversible reactions at low potentials in CuO nanowires. → CV curves show lower over-potential in CuO nanowires. - Abstract: A simple solution route is used to synthesize ultrafine Cu(OH) 2 nanowires by restraining the morphology transformation of early formed 1D nanostructure. The obtained ultrafine nanowires can be well preserved at a low temperature structure transformation in solid state. As anode material for lithium-ion batteries, the ultrafine CuO nanowires exhibit high reversible capacity, superior cycling performance and improved rate capability. The improved electrochemical properties of CuO nanowires are ascribed to their ultrafine size which lead to the reduced over-potential, extra reversible reactions at low potentials and improved interface performance between the electrode and electrolyte.

Martensitic Transformation in Ultrafine-Grained Stainless Steel AISI 304L Under Monotonic and Cyclic Loading

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heinz Werner Höppel

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The monotonic and cyclic deformation behavior of ultrafine-grained metastable austenitic steel AISI 304L, produced by severe plastic deformation, was investigated. Under monotonic loading, the martensitic phase transformation in the ultrafine-grained state is strongly favored. Under cyclic loading, the martensitic transformation behavior is similar to the coarse-grained condition, but the cyclic stress response is three times larger for the ultrafine-grained condition.

Carbon Particles in Airway Macrophage as a Surrogate Marker in the Early Detection of Lung Diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NK Kalappanavar

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Background: It has been shown that inhalation of carbonaceous particulate matter may impair lung function in children. Objective: Using the carbon content of airway macrophages as a marker of individual exposure to particulate matter derived from fossil fuel, we sought direct evidence for this association. Methods: 300 children from puffed rice industrial areas and 300 children from population living in green zone were selected randomly. Airway macrophages were obtained from healthy children through sputum induction, and the grading of ultrafine carbon particles in airway macrophages was measured. Pulmonary function was also measured by spirometry. Results: Pulmonary function tests showed that in industrial area 42.6% and 20.3% of children had moderate obstructive airway disease and restrictive airway disease, respectively. In the green zone area, 7% of children had obstructive airway disease and 6% had restrictive airway disease. Evaluation of airway macrophages for ultrafine carbon particles revealed that in industrial area there were ultrafine carbon particles of grade 2 in 23% of subjects and grade 3 in 8.33% of individuals with obstructive airway disease. In the green zone area, the rates were 1.67% and 0.7%, respectively. Conclusion: The study provides a first evidence of the strong association between air pollution and development of airway diseases. Carbon particles in the sputum can be used as a marker for air pollution.

The effects of solar particle events on the middle atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackman, C.H.; Douglass, A.R.; Meade, P.E.

1989-01-01

Solar particle events (SPEs) have been investigated since the late 1960's for possible effects on the middle atmosphere. Solar protons from SPEs produce ionizations, dissociations, dissociative ionizations, and excitations in the middle atmosphere. The production of HO(x) and NO(x) and their subsequent effects on ozone can also be computed using energy deposition and photochemical models. The effects of SPE-produced HO(x) species on the odd nitrogen abundance of the middle atmosphere as well as the SPE-produced long term effects on ozone. Model computations indicate fairly good agreement with ozone data for the SPE-induced ozone depletion caused by NO(y) species connected with the August 1972 SPE. The model computations indicate that NO(y) will not be substantially changed over a solar cycle by SPEs. The changes are mainly at high latitudes and are on time scales of several months, after which the NO(y) drifts back to its ambient levels

Ozonation of isoproturon adsorbed on silica particles under atmospheric conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Pflieger, Maryline; Grgić, Irena; Kitanovski, Zoran

2012-12-01

The results on heterogeneous ozonation of a phenylurea pesticide, isoproturon, under atmospheric conditions are presented for the first time in the present study. The study was carried out using an experimental device previously adopted and validated for the heterogeneous reactivity of organics toward ozone (Pflieger et al., 2011). Isoproturon was adsorbed on silica particles via a liquid-to-solid equilibrium with a load far below a monolayer (0.02% by weight/surface coverage of 0.5%). The rate constants were estimated by measuring the consumption of the organic (dark, T = 26 °C, RH isoproturon on the aerosol surface does not affect the kinetics of ozonation, indicating that both compounds are adsorbed on different surface sites of silica particles.

Management of atmospheric pollutants from waste incineration processes: the case of Bozen.

Science.gov (United States)

Ragazzi, Marco; Tirler, Werner; Angelucci, Giulio; Zardi, Dino; Rada, Elena Cristina

2013-03-01

This article presents the case study of a waste incinerator located in a region rich in natural and environmental resources, and close to the city of Bozen, where there are about 100,000 inhabitants. Local authorities paid special attention to the effect of the plant on human health and the surrounding environment. Indeed, among the measures adopted to control the emissions, in 2003 an automatic sampling system was installed specifically to monitor polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) emissions during the complete operation time of the plant. The continuous sampling system was coupled directly to aerosol spectrometers for the determination of fine and ultra-fine particles in the emissions of the plant. The measurement results suggest that the waste incineration plant of Bozen is not a significant source of PCDD/F, or fine and ultra-fine particles. Immission measurements from other monitoring systems confirmed these results.

Extruded Al-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} composites formed in situ during consolidation of ultrafine Al powders: Effect of the powder surface area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Balog, Martin, E-mail: martin.balog@savba.sk [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava (Slovakia); Simancik, Frantisek [Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava (Slovakia); Walcher, Martin; Rajner, Walter [NMD - New Materials Development GmbH, St. Pantaleon (Austria); Poletti, Cecilia [Institute of Materials Science and Welding, Graz University of Technology, Kopernikusgasse 24/I, A8010 Graz (Austria)

2011-11-25

Highlights: {yields} 25 gas atomised Al 99.5% powders with particle size <10 {mu}m were hot extruded. {yields} The strength of compacts was closely related to powder surface area. {yields} Grain boundary strengthening was enhanced by the presence of in situ Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} dispersoids. {yields} Compacts showed good thermal stability due to grain pinning of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} dispersoids. - Abstract: Twenty-five samples of commercially available, gas-atomised Al (99.5%) powders with particle sizes <10 {mu}m were hot extruded into Al-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} composites formed in situ during extrusion. The effect of particle size, surface area, oxygen content and atomisation atmosphere of the powder on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the extruded compacts were studied by Brunauer, Emmett, Teller (BET) analysis, hot gas extraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and tensile tests. Thermal stability of the compacts and the individual strengthening mechanisms operating in the compacts were discussed. It was found that the properties of the compacts stemmed from the extraordinary grain boundary strengthening effect of the ultrafine-grained compacts due to their microstructures. The efficiency of the grain boundary strengthening was significantly enhanced by the presence of nano-metric Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} dispersoids introduced in situ. The strength of the compacts was closely related to the surface area of the powder particles. In addition, the entrapped gasses and chemically bonded humidity had a negative effect on the mechanical properties of the compacts.

Enhanced radiation tolerance of ultrafine grained Fe–Cr–Ni alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, C.; Yu, K.Y.; Lee, J.H.; Liu, Y.; Wang, H.; Shao, L.; Maloy, S.A.; Hartwig, K.T.; Zhang, X.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Ultrafine grained Fe-Cr-Ni alloy was processed by equal channel angular pressing technique. ► The overall Helium bubble density and dislocation loop density were reduced by grain refinement. ► The ultrafine grained microstructure alleviated radiation-induced hardening. - Abstract: The evolutions of microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe–14Cr–16Ni (wt.%) alloy subjected to Helium ion irradiations were investigated. Equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) process was used to significantly reduce the average grain size from 700 μm to 400 nm. At a peak fluence level of 5.5 displacement per atom (dpa), helium bubbles, 0.5–2 nm in diameter, were observed in both coarse-grained (CG) and ultrafine grained (UFG) alloy. The density of He bubbles, dislocation loops, as well as radiation hardening were reduced in the UFG Fe–Cr–Ni alloy comparing to those in its CG counterpart. The results imply that radiation tolerance in bulk metals can be effectively enhanced by refinement of microstructures.

Development of ultra-fine grained W-TiC and their mechanical properties for fusion applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurishita, H. [International Research Center for Nuclear Materials Science, Institute for Materials Research (IMR), Tohoku University, Oarai, Ibaraki 311-1313 (Japan)]. E-mail: kurishi@imr.tohoku.ac.jp; Amano, Y. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Kobayashi, S. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Nakai, K. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Arakawa, H. [International Research Center for Nuclear Materials Science, Institute for Materials Research (IMR), Tohoku University, Oarai, Ibaraki 311-1313 (Japan); Hiraoka, Y. [Okayama University of Science, 1-1 Ridai-cho, Okayama 700-0005 (Japan); Takida, T. [A.L.M.T. Corp., 2 Iwase-koshi-machi, Toyama 931-8371 (Japan); Takebe, K. [A.L.M.T. Corp., 2 Iwase-koshi-machi, Toyama 931-8371 (Japan); Matsui, H. [International Research Center for Nuclear Materials Science, Institute for Materials Research (IMR), Tohoku University, Oarai, Ibaraki 311-1313 (Japan)

2007-08-01

Effects of neutron irradiation on microstructural evolution and radiation hardening were examined for fine-grained W-0.3 wt%TiC (grain size of 0.9 {mu}m) and commercially available pure W (20 {mu}m). Both materials were neutron irradiated at 563 K to 9 x 10{sup 23} n/m{sup 2} (E > 1 MeV) in the Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR). Post-irradiation examinations showed that the microstructural changes and the degree of hardening due to irradiation were significantly reduced for fine-grained W-0.3TiC compared with pure W, demonstrating the significance of grain refinement to improve radiation resistance. In order to develop ultra-fine grained W-TiC compacts with nearly full densification, the fabrication process was modified, so that W-(0.3-0.7)%TiC with 0.06-0.2 {mu}m grain size and 99% of relative density was fabricated. The achievable grain refinement depended on TiC content and milling atmosphere. The three-point bending fracture strength at room temperature for ultra-fine grained W-TiC compacts of powder milled in H{sub 2} reached approximately 1.6-2 GPa for composition near 0.5%TiC.

On spin-canting in maghemite particles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linderoth, Søren; Hendriksen, Peter Vang; Bødker, F.

1994-01-01

The degree of alignment of the magnetic moments of Fe3+ ions in ultrafine maghemite particles has been studied in samples with induced magnetic texture. The textured samples were prepared by freezing ferrofluids, containing 7.5 nm maghemite particles, in a magnetic field. Mössbauer spectroscopy...... studies of the textured samples in large magnetic fields demonstrate that the lack of full alignment is not an effect of large magnetic anisotropy, as suggested recently, but that the effect is rather due to canting of individual spins. Journal of Applied Physics is copyrighted by The American Institute...

Pulmonary Delivery of an Ultra-Fine Oxytocin Dry Powder Formulation: Potential for Treatment of Postpartum Haemorrhage in Developing Countries

OpenAIRE

Prankerd, Richard J.; Nguyen, Tri-Hung; Ibrahim, Jibriil P.; Bischof, Robert J.; Nassta, Gemma C.; Olerile, Livesey D.; Russell, Adrian S.; Meiser, Felix; Parkington, Helena C.; Coleman, Harold A.; Morton, David A. V.; McIntosh, Michelle P.

2013-01-01

Oxytocin is recommended by the World Health Organisation as the most effective uterotonic for the prevention and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage. The requirement for parenteral administration by trained healthcare providers and the need for the drug solution to be maintained under cold-chain storage limit the use of oxytocin in the developing world. In this study, a spray-dried ultrafine formulation of oxytocin was developed with an optimal particle size diameter (1-5 µm) to facilitate ae...

Air pollution upregulates endothelial cell procoagulant activity via ultrafine particle-induced oxidant signaling and tissue factor expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Snow, S J; Cheng, W; Wolberg, A S; Carraway, M S

2014-07-01

Air pollution exposure is associated with cardiovascular events triggered by clot formation. Endothelial activation and initiation of coagulation are pathophysiological mechanisms that could link inhaled air pollutants to vascular events. Here we investigated the underlying mechanisms of increased endothelial cell procoagulant activity following exposure to soluble components of ultrafine particles (soluble UF). Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) were exposed to soluble UF and assessed for their ability to trigger procoagulant activity in platelet-free plasma. Exposed HCAEC triggered earlier thrombin generation and faster fibrin clot formation, which was abolished by an anti-tissue factor (TF) antibody, indicating TF-dependent effects. Soluble UF exposure increased TF mRNA expression without compensatory increases in key anticoagulant proteins. To identify early events that regulate TF expression, we measured endothelial H2O2 production following soluble UF exposure and identified the enzymatic source. Soluble UF exposure increased endothelial H2O2 production, and antioxidants attenuated UF-induced upregulation of TF, linking the procoagulant responses to reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Chemical inhibitors and RNA silencing showed that NOX-4, an important endothelial source of H2O2, was involved in UF-induced upregulation of TF mRNA. These data indicate that soluble UF exposure induces endothelial cell procoagulant activity, which involves de novo TF synthesis, ROS production, and the NOX-4 enzyme. These findings provide mechanistic insight into the adverse cardiovascular effects associated with air pollution exposure. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Toxicological Sciences 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Mineralogy and origin of atmospheric particles in the industrial area of Huelva (SW Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Bernabé, J. M.; Carretero, M. I.; Galán, E.

The mineralogy of atmospheric particles at the confluence of the Tinto and Odiel rivers, south of Huelva (a highly industrialized city in the SW Spain), was characterized in view to identify source origins. In spite of the small amount of sample collected, mineralogical characterization was performed by X-ray diffraction, polarized light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with EDS analysis system, using an adequate sample preparation methodology. Sedimentable (SP) and aerosols particles were sampled an one-week basis every two months for one year. Quartz, calcite and feldspars were found to be the major minerals in both fractions, and phyllosilicates, dolomite and gypsum were also identified in lower content. Minor mineral particles included barite, apatite, sphalerite and pyrite. SEM studies revealed the additional presence of chalcopyrite in both SP and aerosols, and of chalcocite-covellite, halite and sylvite in the latter. Siderite, hematite and ankerite were only detected in the SP fraction. The concentrations of the previous minerals increased in summer by effect of the limited rain and the resulting scarcity of atmosphere washing. Non-mineral particles detected by SEM in SP and aerosol fractions included spherical, biological and compositionally complex particles. The main source of mineral particles was found to be the soil suspension in addition to the metallurgical and fertilizer production industries in the area.

Source apportionment of aerosol particles at a European air pollution hot spot using particle number size distributions and chemical composition.

Science.gov (United States)

Leoni, Cecilia; Pokorná, Petra; Hovorka, Jan; Masiol, Mauro; Topinka, Jan; Zhao, Yongjing; Křůmal, Kamil; Cliff, Steven; Mikuška, Pavel; Hopke, Philip K

2018-03-01

Ostrava in the Moravian-Silesian region (Czech Republic) is a European air pollution hot spot for airborne particulate matter (PM), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and ultrafine particles (UFPs). Air pollution source apportionment is essential for implementation of successful abatement strategies. UFPs or nanoparticles of diameter hot-spot including nanoparticles, Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) was applied to highly time resolved particle number size distributions (NSD, 14 nm-10 μm) and PM 0.09-1.15 chemical composition. Diurnal patterns, meteorological variables, gaseous pollutants, organic markers, and associations between the NSD factors and chemical composition factors were used to identify the pollution sources. The PMF on the NSD reveals two factors in the ultrafine size range: industrial UFPs (28%, number mode diameter - NMD 45 nm), industrial/fresh road traffic nanoparticles (26%, NMD 26 nm); three factors in the accumulation size range: urban background (24%, NMD 93 nm), coal burning (14%, volume mode diameter - VMD 0.5 μm), regional pollution (3%, VMD 0.8 μm) and one factor in the coarse size range: industrial coarse particles/road dust (2%, VMD 5 μm). The PMF analysis of PM 0.09-1.15 revealed four factors: SIA/CC/BB (52%), road dust (18%), sinter/steel (16%), iron production (16%). The factors in the ultrafine size range resolved with NSD have a positive correlation with sinter/steel production and iron production factors resolved with chemical composition. Coal combustion factor resolved with NSD has moderate correlation with SIA/CC/BB factor. The organic markers homohopanes correlate with coal combustion and the levoglucosan correlates with urban background. The PMF applications to NSD and chemical composition datasets are complementary. PAHs in PM 1 were found to be associated with coal combustion factor. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treatment of airborne asbestos and asbestos-like microfiber particles using atmospheric microwave air plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Averroes, A., E-mail: aulia.a.aa@m.titech.ac.jp [Department of Chemical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552 (Japan); Sekiguchi, H. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552 (Japan); Sakamoto, K. [Street Design Corporation, 6-9-30 Shimo odanaka, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 211-0041 (Japan)

2011-11-15

Highlights: {yields} We use atmospheric microwave air plasma to treat ceramic fiber and stainless fiber as asbestos alike micro fiber particle. {yields} Spheroidization of certain type of ceramic fiber and stainless fiber particle. {yields} The evaluation of the treated particles by the fiber vanishing rate. {yields} Good fiber vanishing rate is observed for fiber particle with diameter below 10 {mu}m. {yields} The treatment of pure asbestos and a suggestion of the use of this method for the treatment airborne asbestos. - Abstract: Atmospheric microwave air plasma was used to treat asbestos-like microfiber particles that had two types of ceramic fiber and one type of stainless fiber. The treated particles were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The experiment results showed that one type of ceramic fiber (Alumina:Silica = 1:1) and the stainless fiber were spheroidized, but the other type of ceramic fiber (Alumina:Silica = 7:3) was not. The conversion of the fibers was investigated by calculating the equivalent diameter, the aspect ratio, and the fiber content ratio. The fiber content ratio in various conditions showed values near zero. The relationship between the normalized fiber vanishing rate and the energy needed to melt the particles completely per unit surface area of projected particles, which is defined as {eta}, was examined and seen to indicate that the normalized fiber vanishing rate decreased rapidly with the increase in {eta}. Finally, some preliminary experiments for pure asbestos were conducted, and the analysis via XRD and phase-contrast microscopy (PCM) showed the availability of the plasma treatment.

Treatment of airborne asbestos and asbestos-like microfiber particles using atmospheric microwave air plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Averroes, A.; Sekiguchi, H.; Sakamoto, K.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → We use atmospheric microwave air plasma to treat ceramic fiber and stainless fiber as asbestos alike micro fiber particle. → Spheroidization of certain type of ceramic fiber and stainless fiber particle. → The evaluation of the treated particles by the fiber vanishing rate. → Good fiber vanishing rate is observed for fiber particle with diameter below 10 μm. → The treatment of pure asbestos and a suggestion of the use of this method for the treatment airborne asbestos. - Abstract: Atmospheric microwave air plasma was used to treat asbestos-like microfiber particles that had two types of ceramic fiber and one type of stainless fiber. The treated particles were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The experiment results showed that one type of ceramic fiber (Alumina:Silica = 1:1) and the stainless fiber were spheroidized, but the other type of ceramic fiber (Alumina:Silica = 7:3) was not. The conversion of the fibers was investigated by calculating the equivalent diameter, the aspect ratio, and the fiber content ratio. The fiber content ratio in various conditions showed values near zero. The relationship between the normalized fiber vanishing rate and the energy needed to melt the particles completely per unit surface area of projected particles, which is defined as η, was examined and seen to indicate that the normalized fiber vanishing rate decreased rapidly with the increase in η. Finally, some preliminary experiments for pure asbestos were conducted, and the analysis via XRD and phase-contrast microscopy (PCM) showed the availability of the plasma treatment.

Atmospheric data over a solar cycle: no connection between galactic cosmic rays and new particle formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Kulmala

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Aerosol particles affect the Earth's radiative balance by directly scattering and absorbing solar radiation and, indirectly, through their activation into cloud droplets. Both effects are known with considerable uncertainty only, and translate into even bigger uncertainties in future climate predictions. More than a decade ago, variations in galactic cosmic rays were suggested to closely correlate with variations in atmospheric cloud cover and therefore constitute a driving force behind aerosol-cloud-climate interactions. Later, the enhancement of atmospheric aerosol particle formation by ions generated from cosmic rays was proposed as a physical mechanism explaining this correlation. Here, we report unique observations on atmospheric aerosol formation based on measurements at the SMEAR II station, Finland, over a solar cycle (years 1996–2008 that shed new light on these presumed relationships. Our analysis shows that none of the quantities related to aerosol formation correlates with the cosmic ray-induced ionisation intensity (CRII. We also examined the contribution of ions to new particle formation on the basis of novel ground-based and airborne observations. A consistent result is that ion-induced formation contributes typically significantly less than 10% to the number of new particles, which would explain the missing correlation between CRII and aerosol formation. Our main conclusion is that galactic cosmic rays appear to play a minor role for atmospheric aerosol formation events, and so for the connected aerosol-climate effects as well.

Contribution from biogenic organic compounds to particle growth during the 2010 BEACHON-ROCS campaign in a Colorado temperate needleleaf forest

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhou, L.; Gierens, R.; Sogachev, Andrey

2015-01-01

of the oxidation products of monoterpenes and 2-Methyl-3-buten-2-ol (MBO). Monoterpene oxidation products are shown to influence the nighttime particle loadings significantly, while their concentrations are insufficient to grow the particles during the day. The growth of ultrafine particles in the daytime appears...

Ultra-Fine Friction Grinding of Sunflower Kernels – Thereof Tahini and Halva Production and Rheological Characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emil RACOLŢA

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Tahini is a paste obtained by milling the roasted sunflower kernel. Usually, a time and energy consuming two-steps process is involved, a three-roll refiner and a beating machine. The aim of this work was to identify and test a milling process for roasted sunflower kernels with lower time and energy consumption. Different particle size sunflower tahini and halva samples were produced by Ultra-Fine Friction Grinding machine Masuko Sangyo “Supermasscolloider” MKCA6-2 and compared to standard technology. The rheological properties of tahini and textural parameters of halva were assessed. Rheological analysis revealed that all tahini samples produced by “Supermasscolloider” showed a different viscosity profile, as compared to control, the sample milled with the gap set at 100µm being the most viscous and the one at 200µm being the most fluid. When testing the halva samples texture, the sample obtained from the tahini milled at 200µm was clearly highlighted as having the lowest hardness values, while the other samples showed similar texture profiles. The feasibility of using an Ultra-Fine Friction Grinding machine for obtaining sunflower tahini and thereof halva with improved textural properties, was assessed successfully.

Characteristics of aerosol particles and trace gases in ship exhaust plumes

Science.gov (United States)

Drewnick, F.; Diesch, J.; Borrmann, S.

2011-12-01

-sulfur fuel, the chemical submicron aerosol fraction is mainly composed of hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) species. These include PAHs that are adsorbed onto the high number of ultrafine particles. Nevertheless, the chemical composition, typical particle sizes as well as emitted gaseous components vary substantially dependent on the engine or ship type, engine operation condition and fuel mixture. This results in cargo vessels compared to tankers, passenger ships and river boats being the largest polluters influencing the Elbe shipping lane areas by high amounts of NOx, SO2, CO2, PAH, BC and ultrafine particulate matter. The tropospheric ozone chemistry in this area is also substantially affected particularly due to the increasing number of Elbe-passing ships. As onshore regions can be influenced by aged shipping plumes, trajectory pathways and transportation times were examined. As a consequence of the plumes' aging, variations of the organic fraction of the mass spectral fingerprints were found. Eyring, V. et al. (2010), Atmospheric Environment, 44, 4735-4771.

Understanding the synergistic effect and the main factors influencing the enzymatic hydrolyzability of corn stover at low enzyme loading by hydrothermal and/or ultrafine grinding pretreatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Haiyan; Li, Junbao; Huang, Guangqun; Yang, Zengling; Han, Lujia

2018-05-26

A thorough assessment of the microstructural changes and synergistic effects of hydrothermal and/or ultrafine grinding pretreatment on the subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis of corn stover was performed in this study. The mechanism of pretreatment was elucidated by characterizing the particle size, specific surface area (SSA), pore volume (PV), average pore size, cellulose crystallinity (CrI) and surface morphology of the pretreated samples. In addition, the underlying relationships between the structural parameters and final glucose yields were elucidated, and the relative significance of the factors influencing enzymatic hydrolyzability were assessed by principal component analysis (PCA). Hydrothermal pretreatment at a lower temperature (170 °C) combined with ultrafine grinding achieved a high glucose yield (80.36%) at a low enzyme loading (5 filter paper unit (FPU)/g substrate) which is favorable. The relative significance of structural parameters in enzymatic hydrolyzability was SSA > PV > average pore size > CrI/cellulose > particle size. PV and SSA exhibited logarithmic correlations with the final enzymatic hydrolysis yield. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Particle deposition and clearance of atmospheric particles in the human respiratory tract during LACE 98

Science.gov (United States)

Bundke, U.; Hänel, G.

2003-04-01

During the LACE 98footnote{Lindenberg Aerosol Characterization Experiment, (Germany) 1998} experiment microphysical, chemical and optical properties of atmospheric particles were measured by several groups. (Bundke et al.). The particle deposition and clearance of the particles in the human respiratory tract was calculated using the ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) deposition and clearance model (ICRP 1994). Particle growth as function of relative humidity outside the body was calculated from measurement data using the model introduced by Bundke et al.. Particle growth inside the body was added using a non-equilibrium particle growth model. As a result of the calculations, time series of the total dry particle mass and -size distribution were obtained for all compartments of the human respiratory tract defined by ICRP 1994. The combined ICRP deposition and clearance model was initialized for different probationers like man, woman, children of different ages and several circumstances like light work, sitting, sleeping etc. Keeping the conditions observed during LACE 98 constant a approximation of the aerosol burdens of the different compartments was calculated up to 4 years of exposure and compared to the results from Snipes et al. for the "Phoenix" and "Philadelphia" aerosol. References: footnotesize{ Bundke, U. et al.,it{Aerosol Optical Properties during the Lindenberg Aerosol Characterization Experiment (LACE 98)} ,10.1029/2000JD000188, JGR, 2002 ICRP,it{Human Respiratory Tract Model for Radiological Protection, Bd. ICRP Publication 66}, Annals of the ICRP, 24,1-3, Elsevier Science, Ocford, 1994 Snipes et al. ,it{The 1994 ICRP66 Human Respiratory Tract Model as a Tool for predicting Lung Burdens from Exposure to Environmental Aerosols}, Appl. Occup. Environ. Hyg., 12, 547-553,1997}

Exposure to ultrafine particles in different transport modes in the city of Rome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grana, Mario; Toschi, Nicola; Vicentini, Laura; Pietroiusti, Antonio; Magrini, Andrea

2017-01-01

There is evidence of adverse health impacts from human exposure to particulate air pollution, including increased rates of respiratory and cardiovascular illness, hospitalizations, and pre-mature mortality. Most recent hypotheses assign an important role to ultrafine particles (UFP) (<0.1 μm) and to associated transition metals (in particular Fe). In a large city like Rome, where many active people spend more than one hour per day in private or public transportation, it may be important to evaluate the level of exposure to harmful pollutants which occurs during urban travelling. In this context, the aim of this work was to examine the relative contribution of different transport modes to total daily exposure. We performed experimental measurements during both morning and evening traffic peak hours throughout the winter season (December 2013–March 2014), for a total of 98 trips. Our results suggest that the lowest UFP exposures are experienced by underground train commuters, with an average number concentration of 14 134 cm −3 , and are largely a reflection of the routes being at greater distance from vehicular traffic. Motorcyclists experienced significantly higher average concentrations (73 168 cm −3 ) than all other exposure classes, and this is most likely a result of the presence of high-concentration and short-duration peaks which do not occur when the same routes are traveled by car. UFP concentrations in subway train environments were found to be comparable to urban background levels. Still, in underground trains we found the highest values of PM 10 mass concentration with a maximum value of 422 μg/m 3 . PM 10 concentration in trains was found to be four and two times higher than what was measured in car and motorbike trips, respectively. Transport mode contribution to total integrated UFP daily exposure was found to be 16.3%–20.9% while travelling by car, 28.7% for motorbike trips, and 8.7% for subway trips. Due to lower exposure times

Epitaxial deposition of silver ultrafine nano-clusters on defect-free surfaces of HOPG-derived few-layer graphene in a UHV multi-chamber by in-situ STM, ex-situ XPS and ab initio calculations

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ndlovu, GF

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The growth of three-dimensional ultra-fine spherical nano-particles of silver on few layers of graphene derived from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite in ultra-high vacuum were characterized using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM...

A new and superior ultrafine cementitious grout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahrens, E.H.

1997-01-01

Sealing fractures in nuclear waste repositories concerns all programs investigating deep burial as a means of disposal. Because the most likely mechanism for contaminant migration is by dissolution and movement through groundwater, sealing programs are seeking low-viscosity sealants that are chemically, mineralogically, and physically compatible with the host rock. This paper presents the results of collaborative work directed by Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and supported by Whiteshell Laboratories, operated by Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd. The work was undertaken in support of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP), an underground nuclear waste repository located in a salt formation east of Carlsbad, NM. This effort addresses the technology associated with long-term isolation of nuclear waste in a natural salt medium. The work presented is part of the WIPP plugging and sealing program, specifically the development and optimization of an ultrafine cementitious grout that can be injected to lower excessive, strain-induced hydraulic conductivity in the fractured rock termed the Disturbed Rock Zone (DRZ) surrounding underground excavations. Innovative equipment and procedures employed in the laboratory produced a usable cement-based grout; 90% of the particles were smaller than 8 microns and the average particle size was 4 microns. The process involved simultaneous wet pulverization and mixing. The grout was used for a successful in situ test underground at the WIPP. Injection of grout sealed microfractures as small as 6 microns (and in one rare instance, 3 microns) and lowered the gas transmissivity of the DRZ by up to three orders of magnitude. Following the WIPP test, additional work produced an improved version of the grout containing particles 90% smaller than 5 microns and averaging 2 microns. This grout will be produced in dry form, ready for the mixer

Elemental composition of aerosol particles from two atmospheric monitoring stations in the Amazon Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Artaxo, P.; Gerab, F.; Rabello, M.L.C.

1993-01-01

One key region for the study of processes that are changing the composition of the global atmosphere is the Amazon Basin tropical rain forest. The high rate of deforestation and biomass burning is emitting large amounts of gases and fine-mode aerosol particles to the global atmosphere. Two background monitoring stations are operating continuously measuring aerosol composition, at Cuiaba, and Serra do Navio. Fine- and coarse-mode aerosol particles are being collected using stacked filter units. Particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) was used to measure concentrations of up to 21 elements: Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Zr, and Pb. The elemental composition was measured at the new PIXE facility from the University of Sao Paulo, using a dedicated 5SDH tandem Pelletron nuclear accelerator. Absolute principal factor analysis (APFA) has derived absolute elemental source profiles. At the Serra do Navio sampling site a very clean background aerosol is being observed. Biogenic aerosol dominates the fine-mode mass concentration, with the presence of K, P, S, Cl, Zn, Br, and FPM. Three components dominate the aerosol composition: Soil dust particles, the natural biogenic release by the forest, and a marine aerosol component. At the Cuiaba site, during the dry season, a strong component of biomass burning is observed. An aerosol mass concentration up to 120 μg/m 3 was measured. APFA showed three components: Soil dust (Al, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe), biomass burning (soot, FPM, K, Cl) and natural biogenic particles (K, S, Ca, Mn, Zn). The fine-mode biogenic component of both sites shows remarkable similarities, although the two sampling sites are 3000 km apart. Several essential plant nutrients like P, K, S, Ca, Ni and others are transported in the atmosphere as a result of biomass burning processes. (orig.)

Single particle characterization, source apportionment, and aging effects of ambient aerosols in Southern California

Science.gov (United States)

Shields, Laura Grace

Composed of a mixture of chemical species and phases and existing in a variety of shapes and sizes, atmospheric aerosols are complex and can have serious influence on human health, the environment, and climate. In order to better understand the impact of aerosols on local to global scales, detailed measurements on the physical and chemical properties of ambient particles are essential. In addition, knowing the origin or the source of the aerosols is important for policymakers to implement targeted regulations and effective control strategies to reduce air pollution in their region. One of the most ground breaking techniques in aerosol instrumentation is single particle mass spectrometry (SPMS), which can provide online chemical composition and size information on the individual particle level. The primary focus of this work is to further improve the ability of one specific SPMS technique, aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ATOFMS), for the use of identifying the specific origin of ambient aerosols, which is known as source apportionment. The ATOFMS source apportionment method utilizes a library of distinct source mass spectral signatures to match the chemical information of the single ambient particles. The unique signatures are obtained in controlled source characterization studies, such as with the exhaust emissions of heavy duty diesel vehicles (HDDV) operating on a dynamometer. The apportionment of ambient aerosols is complicated by the chemical and physical processes an individual particle can undergo as it spends time in the atmosphere, which is referred to as "aging" of the aerosol. Therefore, the performance of the source signature library technique was investigated on the ambient dataset of the highly aged environment of Riverside, California. Additionally, two specific subsets of the Riverside dataset (ultrafine particles and particles containing trace metals), which are known to cause adverse health effects, were probed in greater detail. Finally

Use of plastic scintillators for particle density measuring and their influence in the characterization of extensive atmospheric showers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biral, A.R.P.; Chinellato, J.A.; Fauth, A.C.; Kemp, E.; Oliveira, M.A. Leigui de; Manganote, E.J.T.; Nogima, H.; Rigitano, R.C.; Santos, L.G. dos; Silva, E.L.F.; Silva, N. Mengoti; Souza Junior, M.C.; Tamura, E.; Turtelli Junior, A.

1994-01-01

The use of plastic scintillators for particle density measuring and their influence in the characterization of extensive atmospheric showers has been studied.Using a experimental system coupled with a plastic scintillator detector with a 'streamer' tubes module, single muon events were selected through tracks rebuilding. The influence of those distributions in the determination of particle density and extensive atmospheric showers fundamental parameters were also studied. 10 refs., 2 figs

Ignition of a Combustible Atmosphere by Incandescent Carbon Wear Particles

Science.gov (United States)

Buckley, Donald H.; Swikert, Max A.; Johnson, Robert L.

1960-01-01

A study was made to determine whether carbon wear particles from carbon elements in sliding contact with a metal surface were sufficiently hot to cause ignition of a combustible atmosphere. In some machinery, electric potential differences and currents may appear at the carbon-metal interface. For this reason the effect of these voltages and currents on the ability of carbon wear particles to cause ignition was evaluated. The test specimens used in the investigation were carbon vanes taken from a fuel pump and flat 21-inch-diameter 2 metal disks (440-C stainless steel) representing the pump housing. During each experiment a vane was loaded against a disk with a 0.5-pound force, and the disk was rotated to give a surface speed of 3140 feet per minute. The chamber of the apparatus that housed the vane and the disk was filled with a combustible mixture of air and propane. Various voltages and amperages were applied across the vane-disk interface. Experiments were conducted at temperatures of 75, 350, 400, and 450 F. Fires were produced by incandescent carbon wear particles obtained at conditions of electric potential as low as 106 volts and 0.3 ampere at 400 F. Ignitions were obtained only with carbon wear particles produced with an electric potential across the carbon-vane-disk interface. No ignitions were obtained with carbon wear particles produced in the absence of this potential; also, the potential difference produced no ignitions in the absence of carbon wear particles. A film supplement showing ignition by incandescent wear particles is available.

Fatigue mechanisms in ultrafine-grained copper

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lukáš, Petr; Kunz, Ludvík; Svoboda, Milan

2009-01-01

Roč. 47, č. 1 (2009), s. 1-9 ISSN 0023-432X R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) 1QS200410502 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : ultrafine-grained copper * effect of purity * effect of temperature Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 1.345, year: 2007

The size distribution of marine atmospheric aerosol with regard to primary biological aerosol particles over the South Atlantic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Matthias-Maser, Sabine; Brinkmann, Jutta; Schneider, Wilhelm

The marine atmosphere is characterized by particles which originate from the ocean and by those which reached the air by advection from the continent. The bubble-burst mechanism produces both sea salt as well as biological particles. The following article describes the determination of the size distribution of marine aerosol particles with special emphasis on the biological particles. Th data were obtained on three cruises with the German Research Vessel "METEOR" crossing the South Atlantic Ocean. The measurements showed that biological particles amount to 17% in number and 10% in volume concentration. Another type of particle became obvious in the marine atmosphere, the biologically contaminated particle, i.e. particles which consist partly (approximately up to one-third) of biological matter. Their concentration in the evaluated size class ( r>2 μm) is higher than the concentration of the pure biological particles. The concentrations vary over about one to two orders of magnitude during all cruises.

Dispersion of aerosol particles in the free atmosphere using ensemble forecasts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Haszpra

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The dispersion of aerosol particle pollutants is studied using 50 members of an ensemble forecast in the example of a hypothetical free atmospheric emission above Fukushima over a period of 2.5 days. Considerable differences are found among the dispersion predictions of the different ensemble members, as well as between the ensemble mean and the deterministic result at the end of the observation period. The variance is found to decrease with the particle size. The geographical area where a threshold concentration is exceeded in at least one ensemble member expands to a 5–10 times larger region than the area from the deterministic forecast, both for air column "concentration" and in the "deposition" field. We demonstrate that the root-mean-square distance of any particle from its own clones in the ensemble members can reach values on the order of one thousand kilometers. Even the centers of mass of the particle cloud of the ensemble members deviate considerably from that obtained by the deterministic forecast. All these indicate that an investigation of the dispersion of aerosol particles in the spirit of ensemble forecast contains useful hints for the improvement of risk assessment.

Sub-micron particle number size distribution characteristics at two urban locations in Leicester

Science.gov (United States)

Hama, Sarkawt M. L.; Cordell, Rebecca L.; Kos, Gerard P. A.; Weijers, E. P.; Monks, Paul S.

2017-09-01

The particle number size distribution (PNSD) of atmospheric particles not only provides information about sources and atmospheric processing of particles, but also plays an important role in determining regional lung dose. Owing to the importance of PNSD in understanding particulate pollution two short-term campaigns (March-June 2014) measurements of sub-micron PNSD were conducted at two urban background locations in Leicester, UK. At the first site, Leicester Automatic Urban Rural Network (AURN), the mean number concentrations of nucleation, Aitken, accumulation modes, the total particles, equivalent black carbon (eBC) mass concentrations were 2002, 3258, 1576, 6837 # cm-3, 1.7 μg m-3, respectively, and at the second site, Brookfield (BF), were 1455, 2407, 874, 4737 # cm-3, 0.77 μg m-3, respectively. The total particle number was dominated by the nucleation and Aitken modes, with both consisting of 77%, and 81% of total number concentrations at AURN and BF sites, respectively. This behaviour could be attributed to primary emissions (traffic) of ultrafine particles and the temporal evolution of mixing layer. The size distribution at the AURN site shows bimodal distribution at 22 nm with a minor peak at 70 nm. The size distribution at BF site, however, exhibits unimodal distribution at 35 nm. This study has for the first time investigated the effect of Easter holiday on PNSD in UK. The temporal variation of PNSD demonstrated a good degree of correlation with traffic-related pollutants (NOX, and eBC at both sites). The meteorological conditions, also had an impact on the PNSD and eBC at both sites. During the measurement period, the frequency of NPF events was calculated to be 13.3%, and 22.2% at AURN and BF sites, respectively. The average value of formation and growth rates of nucleation mode particles were 1.3, and 1.17 cm-3 s-1 and 7.42, and 5.3 nm h-1 at AURN, and BF sites, respectively. It can suggested that aerosol particles in Leicester originate mainly

In-situ studies on volatile jet exhaust particle emissions - impacts of fuel sulfur content and environmental conditions on nuclei-mode aerosols

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schroeder, F.; Baumann, R.; Petzold, A.; Busen, R.; Schulte, P.; Fiebig, M. [DLR Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V., Wessling (Germany). Inst. fuer Physik der Atmosphaere; Brock, C.A. [Denver Univ., CO (United States). Dept. of Engineering

2000-02-01

In-situ measurements of ultrafine aerosol particle emissions were performed at cruise altitudes behind the DLR ATTAS research jet (RR M45H M501 engines) and a B737-300 aircraft (CFM56-3B1 engines). Measurements were made 0.15-20 seconds after emission as the source aircraft burned fuel with sulfur contents (FSC) of 2.6, 56 or 118 mg kg{sup -1}. Particle size distributions of from 3 to 60 nm diameter were determined using CN-counters with varying lower size detection limits. Volatile particle concentrations in the aircraft plumes strongly increased as diameter decreased toward the sizes of large molecular clusters, illustrating that apparent particle emissions are extremely sensitive to the smallest particle size detectable by the instrument used. Environmental conditions and plume age alone could influence the number of detected ultrafine (volatile) aerosols within an order of magnitude, as well. The observed volatile particle emissions decreased nonlinearly as FSC decreased to 60 mg kg{sup -1}, reaching minimum values of about 2 x 10{sup 17} kg{sup -1} and 2 x 10{sup 16} kg{sup -1} for particles >3 nm and >5 nm, respectively. Volatile particle emissions did not change significantly as FSCs were further reduced below 60 mg kg{sup -1}. Volatile particle emissions did not differ significantly between the two studied engine types. In contrast, soot particle emissions from the modern CFM56-3B1 engines were 4-5 times less (4 x 10{sup 14} kg{sup -1}) than from the older RR M45H M501 engines (1.8 x 10{sup 15} kg{sup -1}). Contrail processing has been identified as an efficient sink/quenching parameter for ultrafine particles and reduces the remaining interstitial aerosol by factors 2-10 depending on particle size.

The link between atmospheric radicals and newly formed particles at a spruce forest site in Germany

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bonn, B.; Bourtsoukidis, E.; Sun, T. S.

2014-01-01

It has been claimed for more than a century that atmospheric new particle formation is primarily influenced by the presence of sulfuricacid. However, the activation process of sulfuric acid related clusters into detectable particles is still an unresolved topic. In this study we focus onthe PARAD...

Optical properties, morphology and elemental chemical composition of atmospheric particles at T1 supersite on MILAGRO campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Carabali, G.; Mamani-Paco, R.; Castro, T.; Peralta, O.; Herrera, E.; Trujillo, B.

2011-05-01

Atmospheric particles were sampled at T1 supersite (19°43' N latitude, 98°58' W longitude, and 2340 m above sea level) during MILAGRO campaign. T1 was located at the north of Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). Aerosol sampling was done by placing transmission electron microscope (TEM) copper grids on the last 5 stages of an 8-stage MOUDI cascade impactor (d50 = 1.8, 1.0, 0.56, 0.32, and 0.18 μm). Samples were obtained at morning (06:00-09:00), noon (11:00-14:00), afternoon (16:00-19:00) and evening (21:00-24:00) local time. Absorption and scattering coefficients, and particles concentration (0.01-3 μm aerodynamic diameter) were measured simultaneously using a PASP absorption photometer (operated at 550 nm), a portable integrating nephelometer (at 530 nm) and a CNI particle counter. TEM images of particles were acquired at different magnifications using a CM 200 Phillips TEM-EDAX system. The morphology of atmospheric particles for two aerodynamic diameters (0.18 and 1.8 μm) was compared using border-based fractal dimension. Particles sampled under Mexico City pollution influence showed not much variability, suggesting the presence of more compact particles in smaller sizes (d50 = 1.8 μm) at the site. The presence of higher numbers of compact particles can be attributed to aerosol aging and secondary aerosol formation, among others. Under early morning conditions, smaller particles (d50 = 0.18 μm) had more irregular features resulting in a higher average fractal dimension. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) was used to determine the elemental composition of particles. EDS analysis in particles with d50 = 0.18 μm showed a higher content of carbonaceous material and relevant amounts of Si, Fe, K, and Co. This may indicate an impact from industrial and vehicle's emissions on atmospheric particles.

Enhanced protective properties of epoxy/polyaniline-camphorsulfonate nanocomposite coating on an ultrafine-grained metallic surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pour-Ali, Sadegh; Kiani-Rashid, Alireza; Babakhani, Abolfazl; Davoodi, Ali

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Preparing mild steel surface with ultrafine grains by wire brushing process. • Performance of a smart coating on micro- and nano-crystalline surfaces. • Corrosion evaluation, surface analysis and ac/dc electrochemical measurements. • Ultrafine surface grains improve protective behavior of epoxy/PANI-CSA coating. - Abstract: An ultrafine-grained surface layer on mild steel substrate with average grain size of 77 nm was produced through wire brushing process. Surface grain size was determined through transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. This substrate was coated with epoxy and an in situ synthesized epoxy/polyaniline-camphorsulfonate (epoxy/PANI-CSA) nanocomposite. The corrosion behavior was studied by open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization and impedance measurements. Results of electrochemical tests evidenced the enhanced protective properties of epoxy/PANI-CSA coating on the substrate with ultrafine-grained surface.