Particle size distribution of the radon progeny and ambient aerosols in the Underground Tourist Route "Liczyrzepa" Mine in Kowary Adit

Science.gov (United States)

Wołoszczuk, Katarzyna; Skubacz, Krystian

2018-01-01

Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection, in cooperation with Central Mining Institute performed measurements of radon concentration in air, potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC), particle size distribution of the radon progeny and ambient aerosols in the Underground Tourist-Educational Route "Liczyrzepa" Mine in Kowary Adit. A research study was developed to investigate the appropriate dose conversion factors for short-lived radon progeny. The particle size distribution of radon progeny was determined using Radon Progeny Particle Size Spectrometer (RPPSS). The device allows to receive the distribution of PAEC in the particle size range from 0.6 nm to 2494 nm, based on their activity measured on 8 stages composed of impaction plates or diffusion screens. The measurements of the ambient airborne particle size distribution were performed in the range from a few nanometres to about 20 micrometres using Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS) spectrometer and the Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer Spectrometer (SMPS).

An experimental technique for the direct measurement of N2O5 reactivity on ambient particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. H. Bertram

2009-06-01

Full Text Available An experimental approach for the direct measurement of trace gas reactivity on ambient aerosol particles has been developed. The method utilizes a newly designed entrained aerosol flow reactor coupled to a custom-built chemical ionization mass spectrometer. The experimental method is described via application to the measurement of the N2O5 reaction probability, γ (N2O5. Laboratory investigations on well characterized aerosol particles show that measurements of γ (N2O5 observed with this technique are in agreement with previous observations, using conventional flow tube methods, to within ±20% at atmospherically relevant particle surface area concentrations (0–1000 μm2 cm−3. Uncertainty in the measured γ (N2O5 is discussed in the context of fluctuations in potential ambient biases (e.g., temperature, relative humidity and trace gas loadings. Under ambient operating conditions we estimate a single-point uncertainty in γ (N2O5 that ranges between ± (1.3×10-2 + 0.2×γ (N2O5, and ± (1.3×10-3 + 0.2×γ (N2O5 for particle surface area concentrations of 100 to 1000 μm2 cm−3, respectively. Examples from both laboratory investigations and field observations are included alongside discussion of future applications for the reactivity measurement and optimal deployment locations and conditions.

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

Effect of biomass open burning on particulate matter and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentration levels and PAH dry deposition in ambient air.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Jui C; Shen, Yun H; Li, Hsing W; Chang, Shun S; Wang, Lin C; Chang-Chien, Guo P

2011-01-01

The objectives of the present study were to investigate particulate matter (PM) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in ambient air during rice straw open burning and non-open burning periods. In the ambient air of a rice field, the mean PM concentration during and after an open burning event were 1828 and 102 μg m⁻³, respectively, which demonstrates that during a rice field open burning event, the PM concentration in the ambient air of rice field is over 17 times higher than that of the non-open burning period. During an open burning event, the mean total PAH and total toxic equivalence (BaP(eq)) concentrations in the ambient air of a rice field were 7206 ng m⁻³ and 10.3 ng m⁻³, respectively, whereas after the open burning event, they were 376 ng m⁻³ and 1.50 ng m⁻³, respectively. Open burning thus increases total PAH and total BaP(eq) concentrations by 19-fold and 6.8-fold, respectively. During a rice straw open burning event, in the ambient air of a rice field, the mean dry deposition fluxes of total PAHs and total BaP(eq) were 1222 μg m⁻² day⁻¹ and 4.80 μg m⁻² day⁻¹, respectively, which are approximately 60- and 3-fold higher than those during the non-open burning period, respectively. During the non-open burning period, particle-bound PAHs contributed 79.2-84.2% of total dry deposition fluxes (gas + particle) of total PAHs. However, an open burning event increases the contribution to total PAH dry deposition by particle-bound PAHs by up to 85.9-95.5%. The results show that due to the increased amount of PM in the ambient air resulting from rice straw open burning, particle-bound PAHs contributed more to dry deposition fluxes of total PAHs than they do during non-open burning periods. The results show that biomass (rice straw) open burning is an important PAH emission source that significantly increases both PM and PAH concentration levels and PAH dry deposition in ambient air.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the Ambient Air Of Concentration Unit of Sar-Cheshmeh Copper Complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faghihi-Zrandi, A.; Akhgar, M. R.

2016-01-01

Air pollutants including gases, vapors and particles, are emitted from different sources. Volatile organic compounds are the most important pollutants in the ambient air of industries. The present study was carried out to identify and measurement of volatile organic compounds in concentration unit of Sar-Cheshmeh Copper Complex. In this study, sampling of the volatile organic compounds was done by using activated charcoal tube. To identify and measure these compounds gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy were used. Thirteen volatile organic compounds were identified in the ambient air of concentration unit. Among these compounds, the mean value and maximum concentration of isopropyl alcohol and nonane were 255, 640 μg/m3 and 1577, 14400 μg/m3, respectively. By using SPSS software and independent sample t- test, showed that there were no significant difference between mean value concentration of isopropyl alcohol and nonane in the ambient air and TLV values of these compounds (isopropyl alcohol; 200 ppm and nonane; 200 ppm) (P >0.05).

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.

Contribution of road traffic to ambient fine particle concentrations (PM{sub 10}) in Switzerland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hueglin, Ch.; Devos, W.; Gehrig, R.; Hofer, P.; Kobler, J. [Swiss Federal Laboratoires for Materials Testing and Research, EMPA, Dubendorf (Switzerland); Stahel, W.A. [Seminar for Statistics, ETH Zurich (Switzerland); Baltensperger, U. [Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Monn, Ch. [Institute for Hygiene and Applied Physiology, ETH Zurich (Switzerland)

2000-07-01

A multivariate receptor model was applied to estimate the contribution of road traffic to ambient levels of fine particles (PM{sub 10}) at different locations in Switzerland. At two roadside sites with heavy local traffic, the road traffic was found to account for 46% and 64% of PM{sub 10}. At an urban background site, the estimated average road traffic contribution was 34%, whereas a slightly higher value was obtained at a suburban site (36%). This results are in good agreement with the findings of a recent study, where a conceptually different approach (dispersion modelling) was applied. (authors)

Particle size distribution of the radon progeny and ambient aerosols in the Underground Tourist Route “Liczyrzepa” Mine in Kowary Adit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wołoszczuk Katarzyna

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Central Laboratory for Radiological Protection, in cooperation with Central Mining Institute performed measurements of radon concentration in air, potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC, particle size distribution of the radon progeny and ambient aerosols in the Underground Tourist-Educational Route “Liczyrzepa” Mine in Kowary Adit. A research study was developed to investigate the appropriate dose conversion factors for short-lived radon progeny. The particle size distribution of radon progeny was determined using Radon Progeny Particle Size Spectrometer (RPPSS. The device allows to receive the distribution of PAEC in the particle size range from 0.6 nm to 2494 nm, based on their activity measured on 8 stages composed of impaction plates or diffusion screens. The measurements of the ambient airborne particle size distribution were performed in the range from a few nanometres to about 20 micrometres using Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS spectrometer and the Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer Spectrometer (SMPS.

Iron solubility related to particle sulfur content in source emission and ambient fine particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Oakes, M; Ingall, E D; Lai, B; Shafer, M M; Hays, M D; Liu, Z G; Russell, A G; Weber, R J

2012-06-19

The chemical factors influencing iron solubility (soluble iron/total iron) were investigated in source emission (e.g., biomass burning, coal fly ash, mineral dust, and mobile exhaust) and ambient (Atlanta, GA) fine particles (PM2.5). Chemical properties (speciation and mixing state) of iron-containing particles were characterized using X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and micro-X-ray fluorescence measurements. Bulk iron solubility (soluble iron/total iron) of the samples was quantified by leaching experiments. Major differences were observed in iron solubility in source emission samples, ranging from low solubility (iron solubility did not correspond to silicon content or Fe(II) content. However, source emission and ambient samples with high iron solubility corresponded to the sulfur content observed in single particles. A similar correspondence between bulk iron solubility and bulk sulfate content in a series of Atlanta PM2.5 fine particle samples (N = 358) further supported this trend. In addition, results of linear combination fitting experiments show the presence of iron sulfates in several high iron solubility source emission and ambient PM2.5 samples. These results suggest that the sulfate content (related to the presence of iron sulfates and/or acid-processing mechanisms by H(2)SO(4)) of iron-containing particles is an important proxy for iron solubility.

2011 NATA - Risks and Annual Ambient Concentrations

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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This dataset includes the modeled annual ambient concentrations and risks at the census tract level for the 2011 National Air Toxics Assessment. All concentrations...

Effects of ambient oxygen concentration on soot temperature and concentration for biodiesel and diesel spray combustion

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Ji

2015-06-01

Ambient oxygen concentration, a key variable directly related to exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) levels in diesel engines, plays a significant role in particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. The utilization of biodiesel in diesel engines has been investigated over the last decades for its renewable characteristics and lower emissions compared to diesel. In an earlier work, we demonstrated that the soot temperature and concentration of biodiesel were lower than diesel under regular diesel engine conditions without EGR. Soot concentration was quantified by a parameter called KL factor. As a continuous effort, this paper presents an experimental investigation of the ambient oxygen concentration on soot temperature and KL factor during biodiesel and diesel spray combustion. The experiment was implemented in a constant volume chamber system, where the ambient oxygen concentration varied from 21 to 10% and the ambient temperature was kept to 1,000 K. A high speed two-color pyrometry technique was used to measure transient soot temperature and the KL factor of the spray flame. The soot temperature of biodiesel is found to be lower than that of diesel under the same conditions, which follows the same trend from our previous results found when the ambient temperature changes to 21% oxygen conditions. A reduction in ambient oxygen concentration generally reduces the soot temperature for both fuels. However, this is a complicated effect on soot processes as the change of oxygen concentration greatly affects the balance between soot formation and oxidation. The KL factor is observed to be the highest at 12% O2 for diesel and 18% O2 for biodiesel, respectively. On the other hand, the 10% O2 condition shows the lowest KL factor for both fuels. These results can provide quantitative experimental evidences to optimize the ambient oxygen concentration for diesel engines using different fuels for better emissions characteristics. © 2014 American Society of

Comprehensive particle characterization of modern gasoline and diesel passenger cars at low ambient temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Mathis, Urs; Mohr, Martin; Forss, Anna-Maria

Particle measurements were performed in the exhaust of five light-duty vehicles (Euro-3) at +23, -7, and -20 °C ambient temperatures. The characterization included measurements of particle number, active surface area, number size distribution, and mass size distribution. We investigated two port-injection spark-ignition (PISI) vehicles, a direct-injection spark-ignition (DISI) vehicle, a compressed ignition (CI) vehicle with diesel particle filter (DPF), and a CI vehicle without DPF. To minimize sampling effects, particles were directly sampled from the tailpipe with a novel porous tube diluter at controlled sampling parameters. The diluted exhaust was split into two branches to measure either all or only non-volatile particles. Effect of ambient temperature was investigated on particle emission for cold and warmed-up engine. For the gasoline vehicles and the CI vehicle with DPF, the main portion of particle emission was found in the first minutes of the driving cycle at cold engine start. The particle emission of the CI vehicle without DPF was hardly affected by cold engine start. For the PISI vehicles, particle number emissions were superproportionally increased in the diameter size range from 0.1 to 0.3 μm during cold start at low ambient temperature. Based on the particle mass size distribution, the DPF removed smaller particles ( dpefficiently than larger particles ( dp>0.5μm). No significant effect of ambient temperature was observed when the engine was warmed up. Peak emission of volatile nanoparticles only took place at specific conditions and was poorly repeatable. Nucleation of particles was predominately observed during or after strong acceleration at high speed and during regeneration of the DPF.

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.

Size distribution of chemical elements and their source apportionment in ambient coarse, fine, and ultrafine particles in Shanghai urban summer atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Lü, Senlin; Zhang, Rui; Yao, Zhenkun; Yi, Fei; Ren, Jingjing; Wu, Minghong; Feng, Man; Wang, Qingyue

2012-01-01

Ambient coarse particles (diameter 1.8-10 microm), fine particles (diameter 0.1-1.8 microm), and ultrafine particles (diameter Source apportionment of the chemical elements was analyzed by means of an enrichment factor method. Our results showed that the average mass concentrations of coarse particles, fine particles and ultrafine particles in the summer air were 9.38 +/- 2.18, 8.82 +/- 3.52, and 2.02 +/- 0.41 microg/m3, respectively. The mass percentage of the fine particles accounted for 51.47% in the total mass of PM10, indicating that fine particles are the major component in the Shanghai ambient particles. SEM/EDX results showed that the coarse particles were dominated by minerals, fine particles by soot aggregates and fly ashes, and ultrafine particles by soot particles and unidentified particles. SRXRF results demonstrated that crustal elements were mainly distributed in the coarse particles, while heavy metals were in higher proportions in the fine particles. Source apportionment revealed that Si, K, Ca, Fe, Mn, Rb, and Sr were from crustal sources, and S, Cl, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, and Pb from anthropogenic sources. Levels of P, V, Cr, and Ni in particles might be contributed from multi-sources, and need further investigation.

Methods for estimating on-site ambient air concentrations at disposal sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, S.T.

1987-01-01

Currently, Gaussian type dispersion modeling and point source approximation are combined to estimate the ambient air concentrations of pollutants dispersed downwind of an areawide emission source, using the approach of virtual point source approximation. This Gaussian dispersion modeling becomes less accurate as the receptor comes closer to the source, and becomes inapplicable for the estimation of on-site ambient air concentrations at disposal sites. Partial differential equations are solved with appropriate boundary conditions for use in estimating the on-site concentrations in the ambient air impacted by emissions from an area source such as land disposal sites. Two variations of solution techniques are presented, and their predictions are compared

Harmonisation of nanoparticle concentration measurements using GRIMM and TSI scanning mobility particle sizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Manish; Sapra, B. K.; Khan, Arshad; Tripathi, S. N.; Shamjad, P. M.; Gupta, Tarun; Mayya, Y. S.

2012-01-01

Regional studies focusing on the role of atmospheric nanoparticles in climate change have gained impetus in the last decade. Several multi-institutional studies involving measurement of nanoparticles with several kinds of instruments are on the rise. It is important to harmonize these measurements as the instruments may work on different techniques or principles and are developed by different manufacturers. Scanning mobility particle sizers (SMPS) are often used to measure size distribution of nanoparticles in the airborne phase. Two such commercially available instruments namely, GRIMM and TSI-SMPS have been compared for ambient and laboratory generated conditions. A stand-alone condensation particle counter (CPC) of TSI make was used as a reference for particle concentration measurements. The consistency of the results in terms of mean size and geometric standard deviation was seen to be excellent for both the SMPSs, with GRIMM always showing slightly (approximately 10 %) lower mean size. The integrated number concentration from GRIMM-SMPS was seen to be closer to stand-alone reference CPC compared to TSI-SMPS, for an ambient overnight comparison. However, a concentration-dependent response, i.e. the variations between the two instruments increasing with the concentration, was observed and possible reasons for this have been suggested. A separate experiment was performed for studying the modifying effect of diffusion dryer and sheath air dryer on the measured aerosol size spectra. A significant hygroscopic growth was noted when diffusion dryer was attached to one of the SMPS. The introduction of sheath air dryer in GRIMM-SMPS produced a significant shift towards lower mean size. These results have been compared and discussed with the recent inter-comparison results to strengthen and harmonize the measurement protocols.

Harmonisation of nanoparticle concentration measurements using GRIMM and TSI scanning mobility particle sizers

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Manish; Sapra, B. K.; Khan, Arshad; Tripathi, S. N.; Shamjad, P. M.; Gupta, Tarun; Mayya, Y. S.

2012-12-01

Regional studies focusing on the role of atmospheric nanoparticles in climate change have gained impetus in the last decade. Several multi-institutional studies involving measurement of nanoparticles with several kinds of instruments are on the rise. It is important to harmonize these measurements as the instruments may work on different techniques or principles and are developed by different manufacturers. Scanning mobility particle sizers (SMPS) are often used to measure size distribution of nanoparticles in the airborne phase. Two such commercially available instruments namely, GRIMM and TSI-SMPS have been compared for ambient and laboratory generated conditions. A stand-alone condensation particle counter (CPC) of TSI make was used as a reference for particle concentration measurements. The consistency of the results in terms of mean size and geometric standard deviation was seen to be excellent for both the SMPSs, with GRIMM always showing slightly (approximately 10 %) lower mean size. The integrated number concentration from GRIMM-SMPS was seen to be closer to stand-alone reference CPC compared to TSI-SMPS, for an ambient overnight comparison. However, a concentration-dependent response, i.e. the variations between the two instruments increasing with the concentration, was observed and possible reasons for this have been suggested. A separate experiment was performed for studying the modifying effect of diffusion dryer and sheath air dryer on the measured aerosol size spectra. A significant hygroscopic growth was noted when diffusion dryer was attached to one of the SMPS. The introduction of sheath air dryer in GRIMM-SMPS produced a significant shift towards lower mean size. These results have been compared and discussed with the recent inter-comparison results to strengthen and harmonize the measurement protocols.

PM4 crystalline silica emission factors and ambient concentrations at aggregate-producing sources in California.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, John R; Brozell, Todd T; Rea, Charles; Boraston, Geoff; Hayden, John

2009-11-01

The California Construction and Industrial Minerals Association and the National Stone, Sand, & Gravel Association have sponsored tests at three sand and gravel plants in California to compile crystalline silica emission factors for particulate matter (PM) of aerodynamic diameter of 4 microm or less (PM4) and ambient concentration data. This information is needed by industrial facilities to evaluate compliance with the Chronic Reference Exposure Level (REL) for ambient crystalline silica adopted in 2005 by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. The REL applies to PM4 respirable PM. Air Control Techniques, P.C. sampled for PM4 crystalline silica using a conventional sampler for PM of aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 microm or less (PM2.5), which met the requirements of 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 50, Appendix L. The sample flow rate was adjusted to modify the 50% cut size to 4 microm instead of 2.5 microm. The filter was also changed to allow for crystalline silica analyses using National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Method 7500. The particle size-capture efficiency curve for the modified Appendix L instrument closely matched the performance curve of NIOSH Method 0600 for PM4 crystalline silica and provided a minimum detection limit well below the levels attainable with NIOSH Method 0600. The results of the tests indicate that PM4 crystalline silica emissions range from 0.000006 to 0.000110 lb/t for screening operations, tertiary crushers, and conveyor transfer points. The PM4 crystalline silica emission factors were proportional to the crystalline silica content of the material handled in the process equipment. Measured ambient concentrations ranged from 0 (below detectable limit) to 2.8 microg/m3. All values measured above 2 microg/m3 were at locations upwind of the facilities being tested. The ambient PM4 crystalline silica concentrations measured during this study were below the California REL of 3 microg/m3

Concentration and Size Distribution of Particulate Matter in a Broiler House Ambient Air

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismael Rodrigues Amador

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric particulate matter (PM is an important constituent of ambient air. The determination of its concentration and size distribution in different environments is essential because of its ability to penetrate deeply into animal and human respiratory tract. In this study, air sampling was performed in a broiler house to estimate the concentration and size distribution of PM emitted along with its activities. Low-vol impactor (< 10 mm, cyclones (< 2.5 e < 1.0 mm, and Sioutas cascade impactor (> 2.5; 1.0 – 2.5; 0.50 – 1.0; 0.25 – 0.50; < 0.25 mm connected with membrane pumps were used. PM10 showed high concentration (209 - 533 mg m-3. PM2.5 and PM1.0 initially showed relatively low concentration (20.8 and 16.0 mg m-3 respectively with significantly increasing levels (412.9 and 344.8 mg m-3 respectively during the samplings. It was also possible to observe the contribution of fine particles. This was evidenced by the high correlation between PM2.5 and PM1.0 and by the profile of particle distribution in the Sioutas sampler. PM concentration levels are considered excessively high, with great potential to affect animal and human health. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v8i3.847 

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

Hanford 200 East Area ambient NO/sub x/ concentrations, February 1968 through February 1969

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramsdell, J.V.

1981-09-01

Ambient concentrations of oxides of nitrogen (NO/sub x/) were measured in the vicinity of the 200 East Area of Hanford from late February 1968 through February 1969. This report contains an analysis of the complete set to document the ambient NO/sub x/ concentrations during time periods when the Purex Plant was emitting NO/sub x/. It is not intended to represent either current ambient NO/sub x/ concentrations or concentrations during Purex Plant operation in the future. However, it does provide a reference for use in comparison of ambient NO/sub x/ concentrations during future periods of Purex emissions with those occurring in past periods. It is also of interest to compare the annual average concentrations estimated from the measurements with the national primary ambient air quality standard for NO 2 , which is 50 parts per billion (ppb) annual arithmetic mean

Beijing ambient particle exposure accelerates atherosclerosis in ApoE knockout mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tian; Jia, Guang; Wei, Yongjie; Li, Jiucun

2013-11-25

Air pollution is associated with significant adverse health effects including increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However research on the cardiovascular effect of "real-world" exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) in susceptible animal model is very limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between Beijing ambient particle exposure and the atherosclerosis development in the apolipoprotein E knockout mice (ApoE(-/-) mice). Two parallel exposure chambers were used for whole body exposure among ApoE knockout mice. One of the chambers was supplied with untreated ambient air (PM group) and the other chamber was treated with ambient air filtered by high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter (FA group). Twenty mice were divided into two groups and exposed to ambient PM (n=10 for PM group) or filtered air (n=10 for FA group) for two months from January 18th to March 18th, 2010. During the exposure, the mass concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 in the two chambers were continuously monitored. Additionally, a receptor source apportionment model of chemical mass balance using 19 organic tracers was applied to determine the contributions of sources on the PM2.5 in terms of natural gas, diesel vehicle, gasoline vehicle, coal burning, vegetable debris, biomass burning and cooking. At the end of the two-month exposure, biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation and lipid metabolism in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) and blood samples were determined and the plaque area on the aortic endothelium was quantified. In the experiment, the concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in PM chamber were 99.45μg/m(3) and 61.0μg/m(3) respectively, while PM2.5 in FA chamber was 17.6μg/m(3). Source apportionment analysis by organic tracers showed that gasoline vehicle (39.9%) and coal burning (24.3%) emission were the two major sources contributing to the mass concentration of PM2.5 in Beijing. Among the ApoE knockout mice, the PM group were significantly

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

Time-series analysis for ambient concentrations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez-Manteiga, W.; Prada-Sanchez, J.M.; Cao, R.; Garcia-Jurado, I.; Febrero-Bande, M.; Lucas-Dominguez, T. (Santiago de Compostela University, Santiago de Compostela (Spain). Dept. of Statistics and Operations Research)

1993-02-01

In this paper a dynamic system is presented which has been implemented to predict, every 5 min, the ambient concentrations of SO[sub 2] in the neighbourhood of a power station run by ENDESA, the National Electricity Company of Spain, in As Pontes. This prediction task is very important in order to prevent a high ground-level of concentration of SO[sub 2]. For forecasting a mixed model is used which has a parametric component and a nonparametric one. Confidence intervals are also constructed for future observations using bootstrap and classical techniques. 4 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.

Influence of ambient (outdoor) sources on residential indoor and personal PM2.5 concentrations: analyses of RIOPA data.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Qing Yu; Turpin, Barbara J; Korn, Leo; Weisel, Clifford P; Morandi, Maria; Colome, Steven; Zhang, Junfeng Jim; Stock, Thomas; Spektor, Dalia; Winer, Arthur; Zhang, Lin; Lee, Jong Hoon; Giovanetti, Robert; Cui, William; Kwon, Jaymin; Alimokhtari, Shahnaz; Shendell, Derek; Jones, Jennifer; Farrar, Corice; Maberti, Silvia

2005-01-01

The Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Air (RIOPA) study was designed to investigate residential indoor, outdoor and personal exposures to several classes of air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, carbonyls and fine particles (PM2.5). Samples were collected from summer, 1999 to spring, 2001 in Houston (TX), Los Angeles (CA) and Elizabeth (NJ). Indoor, outdoor and personal PM2.5 samples were collected at 212 nonsmoking residences, 162 of which were sampled twice. Some homes were chosen due to close proximity to ambient sources of one or more target analytes, while others were farther from sources. Median indoor, outdoor and personal PM2.5 mass concentrations for these three sites were 14.4, 15.5 and 31.4 microg/m3, respectively. The contributions of ambient (outdoor) and nonambient sources to indoor and personal concentrations were quantified using a single compartment box model with measured air exchange rate and a random component superposition (RCS) statistical model. The median contribution of ambient sources to indoor PM2.5 concentrations using the mass balance approach was estimated to be 56% for all study homes (63%, 52% and 33% for California, New Jersey and Texas study homes, respectively). Reasonable variations in model assumptions alter median ambient contributions by less than 20%. The mean of the distribution of ambient contributions across study homes agreed well for the mass balance and RCS models, but the distribution was somewhat broader when calculated using the mass balance model with measured air exchange rates.

Effects of ambient oxygen concentration on soot temperature and concentration for biodiesel and diesel spray combustion

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Ji; Jing, Wei; Roberts, William L.; Fang, Tiegang

2015-01-01

during biodiesel and diesel spray combustion. The experiment was implemented in a constant volume chamber system, where the ambient oxygen concentration varied from 21 to 10% and the ambient temperature was kept to 1,000 K. A high speed two-color

Determinants of black carbon, particle mass and number concentrations in London transport microenvironments

Science.gov (United States)

Rivas, Ioar; Kumar, Prashant; Hagen-Zanker, Alex; Andrade, Maria de Fatima; Slovic, Anne Dorothee; Pritchard, John P.; Geurs, Karst T.

2017-07-01

We investigated the determinants of personal exposure concentrations of commuters' to black carbon (BC), ultrafine particle number concentrations (PNC), and particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5 and PM10) in different travel modes. We quantified the contribution of key factors that explain the variation of the previous pollutants in four commuting routes in London, each covered by four transport modes (car, bus, walk and underground). Models were performed for each pollutant, separately to assess the effect of meteorology (wind speed) or ambient concentrations (with either high spatial or temporal resolution). Concentration variations were mainly explained by wind speed or ambient concentrations and to a lesser extent by route and period of the day. In multivariate models with wind speed, the wind speed was the common significant predictor for all the pollutants in the above-ground modes (i.e., car, bus, walk); and the only predictor variable for the PM fractions. Wind speed had the strongest effect on PM during the bus trips, with an increase in 1 m s-1 leading to a decrease in 2.25, 2.90 and 4.98 μg m-3 of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10, respectively. PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations in car trips were better explained by ambient concentrations with high temporal resolution although from a single monitoring station. On the other hand, ambient concentrations with high spatial coverage but lower temporal resolution predicted better the concentrations in bus trips, due to bus routes passing through streets with a high variability of traffic intensity. In the underground models, wind speed was not significant and line and type of windows on the train explained 42% of the variation of PNC and 90% of all PM fractions. Trains in the district line with openable windows had an increase in concentrations of 1 684 cm-3 for PNC and 40.69 μg m-3 for PM2.5 compared with trains that had non-openable windows. The results from this work can be used to target efforts to reduce personal exposures of

In situ formation and spatial variability of particle number concentration in a European megacity

Science.gov (United States)

Pikridas, M.; Sciare, J.; Freutel, F.; Crumeyrolle, S.; von der Weiden-Reinmüller, S.-L.; Borbon, A.; Schwarzenboeck, A.; Merkel, M.; Crippa, M.; Kostenidou, E.; Psichoudaki, M.; Hildebrandt, L.; Engelhart, G. J.; Petäjä, T.; Prévôt, A. S. H.; Drewnick, F.; Baltensperger, U.; Wiedensohler, A.; Kulmala, M.; Beekmann, M.; Pandis, S. N.

2015-09-01

Ambient particle number size distributions were measured in Paris, France, during summer (1-31 July 2009) and winter (15 January to 15 February 2010) at three fixed ground sites and using two mobile laboratories and one airplane. The campaigns were part of the Megacities: Emissions, urban, regional and Global Atmospheric POLlution and climate effects, and Integrated tools for assessment and mitigation (MEGAPOLI) project. New particle formation (NPF) was observed only during summer on approximately 50 % of the campaign days, assisted by the low condensation sink (about 10.7 ± 5.9 × 10-3 s-1). NPF events inside the Paris plume were also observed at 600 m altitude onboard an aircraft simultaneously with regional events identified on the ground. Increased particle number concentrations were measured aloft also outside of the Paris plume at the same altitude, and were attributed to NPF. The Paris plume was identified, based on increased particle number and black carbon concentration, up to 200 km away from the Paris center during summer. The number concentration of particles with diameters exceeding 2.5 nm measured on the surface at the Paris center was on average 6.9 ± 8.7 × 104 and 12.1 ± 8.6 × 104 cm-3 during summer and winter, respectively, and was found to decrease exponentially with distance from Paris. However, further than 30 km from the city center, the particle number concentration at the surface was similar during both campaigns. During summer, one suburban site in the NE was not significantly affected by Paris emissions due to higher background number concentrations, while the particle number concentration at the second suburban site in the SW increased by a factor of 3 when it was downwind of Paris.

Size-Resolved Characterization of Particles and Fibers Released during Abrasion of Fiber-Reinforced Composite in a Workplace Influenced by Ambient Background Sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kling, Kirsten I.; Levin, Marcus; Jensen, Alexander C. O.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate the use of high-to low-resolution microscopy and particle chemical analysis during normal vacuum and cryo-conditions to identify the nature and relative abundances of process-generated particles and fibers from sanding of a glass and carbon fiber epoxy layer-composite in a workplace...... influenced by both indoor and ambient background sources. The study suggests that a proper exposure characterization requires multiple techniques covering wide size ranges to reach a conclusion. Besides a rise in number concentration due to release of particles during the sanding, a significant contribution...

Pressure drop in packed beds of spherical particles at ambient and elevated air temperatures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pešić Radojica

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was the experimental investigation of the particle friction factor for air flow through packed bed of particles at ambient and elevated temperatures. The experiments were performed by measuring the pressure drop across the packed bed, heated to the desired temperature by hot air. Glass spherical particles of seven different diameters were used. The temperature range of the air flowing through the packed bed was from 20ºC to 350ºC and the bed voidages were from 0.3574 to 0.4303. The obtained results were correlated using a number of available literature correlations. The overall best fit of all of the experimental data was obtained using Ergun [1] equation, with mean absolute deviation of 10.90%. Ergun`s equation gave somewhat better results in correlating the data at ambient temperature with mean absolute deviation of 9.77%, while correlation of the data at elevated temperatures gave mean absolute deviation of 12.38%. The vast majority of the correlations used gave better results when applied to ambient temperature data than to the data at elevated temperatures. Based on the results obtained, Ergun [1] equation is proposed for friction factor calculation both at ambient and at elevated temperatures. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. ON172022

[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.

Thermodynamics of strongly coupled repulsive Yukawa particles in ambient neutralizing plasma: Thermodynamic instability and the possibility of observation in fine particle plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Totsuji, Hiroo

2008-01-01

The thermodynamics is analyzed for a system composed of particles with hard cores, interacting via the repulsive Yukawa potential (Yukawa particulates), and neutralizing ambient (background) plasma. An approximate equation of state is given with proper account of the contribution of ambient plasma and it is shown that there exists a possibility for the total isothermal compressibility of Yukawa particulates and ambient plasma to diverge when the coupling between Yukawa particulates is sufficiently strong. In this case, the system undergoes a transition into separated phases with different densities and we have a critical point for this phase separation. Examples of approximate phase diagrams related to this transition are given. It is emphasized that the critical point can be in the solid phase and we have the possibility to observe a solid-solid phase separation. The applicability of these results to fine particle plasmas is investigated. It is shown that, though the values of the characteristic parameters are semiquantitative due to the effects not described by this model, these phenomena are expected to be observed in fine particle plasmas, when approximately isotropic bulk systems are realized with a very strong coupling between fine particles.

Thermodynamics of strongly coupled repulsive Yukawa particles in ambient neutralizing plasma: Thermodynamic instability and the possibility of observation in fine particle plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Totsuji, Hiroo

2008-07-01

The thermodynamics is analyzed for a system composed of particles with hard cores, interacting via the repulsive Yukawa potential (Yukawa particulates), and neutralizing ambient (background) plasma. An approximate equation of state is given with proper account of the contribution of ambient plasma and it is shown that there exists a possibility for the total isothermal compressibility of Yukawa particulates and ambient plasma to diverge when the coupling between Yukawa particulates is sufficiently strong. In this case, the system undergoes a transition into separated phases with different densities and we have a critical point for this phase separation. Examples of approximate phase diagrams related to this transition are given. It is emphasized that the critical point can be in the solid phase and we have the possibility to observe a solid-solid phase separation. The applicability of these results to fine particle plasmas is investigated. It is shown that, though the values of the characteristic parameters are semiquantitative due to the effects not described by this model, these phenomena are expected to be observed in fine particle plasmas, when approximately isotropic bulk systems are realized with a very strong coupling between fine particles.

The concentrations of ambient Burkholderia pseudomallei during typhoon season in endemic area of melioidosis in Taiwan.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya-Lei Chen

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Melioidosis is a severe bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei with a high case-fatality rate. Epidemiological and animal studies show the possibility of inhalation transmission. However, no B. pseudomallei concentrations in ambient air have been researched. Here, we developed a method to quantify ambient B. pseudomallei and then measured concentrations of ambient B. pseudomallei during the typhoon season and the non-typhoon season to determine the factors influencing ambient B. pseudomallei levels. METHODS: We quantified ambient B. pseudomallei by using a filter/real-time qPCR method in the Zoynan Region in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan. Twenty-four hour samples were collected at a sampling rate of 20 L/min every day from June 11 to December 21, 2012 including during the typhoon season (June to September and reference season (October to December. RESULTS: We successfully developed a filtration/real-time qPCR method to quantify ambient B. pseudomallei. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing concentrations of ambient B. pseudomallei. Ambient B. pseudomallei were only detected during the typhoon season when compared to the reference season. For the typhoons affecting the Zoynan Region, the positive rates of ambient B. pseudomallei were very high at 80% to 100%. During June to December, rainfall was positively correlated with ambient B. pseudomallei with a statistical significance. Sediment at a nearby pond significantly influenced the concentration of ambient B. pseudomallei. During the typhoon month, the typhoon was positively correlated with ambient B. pseudomallei whereas wind speed was reversely correlated with ambient B. pseudomallei. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest the possibility of transmission of B. pseudomallei via inhalation during the typhoon season.

The concentrations of ambient Burkholderia pseudomallei during typhoon season in endemic area of melioidosis in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ya-Lei; Yen, Yu-Chuan; Yang, Chun-Yuh; Lee, Min Sheng; Ho, Chi-Kung; Mena, Kristina D; Wang, Peng-Yau; Chen, Pei-Shih

2014-01-01

Melioidosis is a severe bacterial infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei with a high case-fatality rate. Epidemiological and animal studies show the possibility of inhalation transmission. However, no B. pseudomallei concentrations in ambient air have been researched. Here, we developed a method to quantify ambient B. pseudomallei and then measured concentrations of ambient B. pseudomallei during the typhoon season and the non-typhoon season to determine the factors influencing ambient B. pseudomallei levels. We quantified ambient B. pseudomallei by using a filter/real-time qPCR method in the Zoynan Region in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan. Twenty-four hour samples were collected at a sampling rate of 20 L/min every day from June 11 to December 21, 2012 including during the typhoon season (June to September) and reference season (October to December). We successfully developed a filtration/real-time qPCR method to quantify ambient B. pseudomallei. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing concentrations of ambient B. pseudomallei. Ambient B. pseudomallei were only detected during the typhoon season when compared to the reference season. For the typhoons affecting the Zoynan Region, the positive rates of ambient B. pseudomallei were very high at 80% to 100%. During June to December, rainfall was positively correlated with ambient B. pseudomallei with a statistical significance. Sediment at a nearby pond significantly influenced the concentration of ambient B. pseudomallei. During the typhoon month, the typhoon was positively correlated with ambient B. pseudomallei whereas wind speed was reversely correlated with ambient B. pseudomallei. Our data suggest the possibility of transmission of B. pseudomallei via inhalation during the typhoon season.

Effect of environmental dust particles on laser textured yttria-stabilized zirconia surface in humid air ambient

Science.gov (United States)

Yilbas, B. S.; Ali, H.; Al-Sharafi, A.; Al-Sulaiman, F.; Karatas, C.

2018-05-01

Zirconium nitride is used as a selective surface for concentrated solar heating applications and one of the methods to form a zirconium nitride is texturing of zirconia surface by a high intensity laser beam under high pressure nitrogen gas environment. Laser texturing also provides hydrophobic surface characteristics via forming micro/nano pillars at the surface; however, environmental dust settlement on textured surface influences the surface characteristics significantly. In the present study, laser texturing of zirconia surface and effects of the dust particles on the textured surface in a humid air ambient are investigated. Analytical tools are used to assess the morphological changes on the laser textured surface prior and after the dust settlement in the humid air ambient. It is found that laser textured surface has hydrophobic characteristics. The mud formed during condensate of water on the dust particles alters the characteristics of the laser textured surface. The tangential force required to remove the dry mud from the textured surface remains high; in which case, the dried liquid solution at the mud-textured surface interface is responsible for the strong adhesion of the dry mud on the textured surface. The textured surface becomes hydrophilic after the dry mud was removed from the surface by a desalinated water jet.

Particle-bound Dechlorane Plus and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in ambient air around Shanghai, China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu Zhiqiang [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environment and Resources, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Liao Ru' e [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environment and Resources, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 (China); Li Huiru, E-mail: huiruli@gig.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environment and Resources, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Mo Ligui [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environment and Resources, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 (China); Zeng Xiangying; Sheng Guoying; Fu Jiamo [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environment and Resources, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2011-10-15

In present study, atmospheric particles from Shanghai, the biggest city and the most important industrial base in China, were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and Dechlorane Plus (DP). Concentrations of {Sigma}{sub 20}PBDEs and DP both exhibited the changing trend of industrial area > urban areas. Jiading District had the highest levels of particulate PBDEs and DP with values of 744 {+-} 152 pg/m{sup 3} and 5.48 {+-} 1.28 pg/m{sup 3}, respectively. Compared with similar data in other areas of the world, PBDEs in Shanghai were at medium pollution level, while DP was at lower level, which reflected their different production and use in Shanghai. The results from multiple linear regression analysis suggested that deca-BDE mixture was the most important contributor of particulate PBDEs in Shanghai. The fractions of anti-DP showed no significant differences to those of the technical mixtures (p > 0.05), which suggested that no obviously stereoselective process occurred in ambient air around Shanghai. - Highlights: > Atmospheric PBDEs of Shanghai were at moderate levels and dominated by BDE-209. > Particulate DP was low even Shanghai is not far from the DP manufacturing factory. > DP showed no obviously stereoselective process in air particles from Shanghai. > Significant positive correlation was found between particulate PBDEs and PBDD/Fs. - The moderate PBDEs levels with deca-BDE being the most important contributor and low DP levels in ambient air around Shanghai reflected their different usage in this area.

Particle-bound Dechlorane Plus and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in ambient air around Shanghai, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Zhiqiang; Liao Ru'e; Li Huiru; Mo Ligui; Zeng Xiangying; Sheng Guoying; Fu Jiamo

2011-01-01

In present study, atmospheric particles from Shanghai, the biggest city and the most important industrial base in China, were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and Dechlorane Plus (DP). Concentrations of Σ 20 PBDEs and DP both exhibited the changing trend of industrial area > urban areas. Jiading District had the highest levels of particulate PBDEs and DP with values of 744 ± 152 pg/m 3 and 5.48 ± 1.28 pg/m 3 , respectively. Compared with similar data in other areas of the world, PBDEs in Shanghai were at medium pollution level, while DP was at lower level, which reflected their different production and use in Shanghai. The results from multiple linear regression analysis suggested that deca-BDE mixture was the most important contributor of particulate PBDEs in Shanghai. The fractions of anti-DP showed no significant differences to those of the technical mixtures (p > 0.05), which suggested that no obviously stereoselective process occurred in ambient air around Shanghai. - Highlights: → Atmospheric PBDEs of Shanghai were at moderate levels and dominated by BDE-209. → Particulate DP was low even Shanghai is not far from the DP manufacturing factory. → DP showed no obviously stereoselective process in air particles from Shanghai. → Significant positive correlation was found between particulate PBDEs and PBDD/Fs. - The moderate PBDEs levels with deca-BDE being the most important contributor and low DP levels in ambient air around Shanghai reflected their different usage in this area.

Two-Step Single Particle Mass Spectrometry for On-Line Monitoring of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Bound to Ambient Fine Particulate Matter

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, R.; Bente, M.; Sklorz, M.

2007-12-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are formed as trace products in combustion processes and are emitted to the atmosphere. Larger PAH have low vapour pressure and are predominantly bound to the ambient fine particulate matter (PM). Upon inhalation, PAH show both, chronic human toxicity (i.e. many PAH are potent carcinogens) as well as acute human toxicity (i.e. inflammatory effects due to oxi-dative stress) and are discussed to be relevant for the observed health effect of ambient PM. Therefore a better understanding of the occurrence, dynamics and particle size dependence of particle bound-PAH is of great interest. On-line aerosol mass spectrometry in principle is the method of choice to investigate the size resolved changes in the chemical speciation of particles as well the status of internal vs. external mixing of chemical constituents. However the present available aerosol mass spectrometers (ATOFMS and AMS) do not allow detection of PAH from ambient air PM. In order to allow a single particle based monitoring of PAH from ambient PM a new single particle laser ionisation mass spectrometer was built and applied. The system is based on ATOFMS principle but uses a two- step photo-ionization. A tracked and sized particle firstly is laser desorbed (LD) by a IR-laser pulse (CO2-laser, λ=10.2 μm) and subsequently the released PAH are selectively ionized by an intense UV-laser pulse (ArF excimer, λ=248 nm) in a resonance enhanced multiphoton ionisation process (REMPI). The PAH-ions are detected in a time of flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS). A virtual impactor enrichment unit is used to increase the detection frequency of the ambient particles. With the current inlet system particles from about 400 nm to 10 μm are accessible. Single particle based temporal profiles of PAH containing particles ion (size distribution and PAH speciation) have been recorded in Oberschleissheim, Germany from ambient air. Furthermore profiles of relevant emission sources (e

Measurement of airborne concentrations of tire and road wear particles in urban and rural areas of France, Japan, and the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Panko, Julie M.; Chu, Jennifer; Kreider, Marisa L.; Unice, Ken M.

2013-06-01

In addition to industrial facilities, fuel combustion, forest fires and dust erosion, exhaust and non-exhaust vehicle emissions are an important source of ambient air respirable particulate matter (PM10). Non-exhaust vehicle emissions are formed from wear particles of vehicle components such as brakes, clutches, chassis and tires. Although the non-exhaust particles are relatively minor contributors to the overall ambient air particulate load, reliable exposure estimates are few. In this study, a global sampling program was conducted to quantify tire and road wear particles (TRWP) in the ambient air in order to understand potential human exposures and the overall contribution of these particles to the PM10. The sampling was conducted in Europe, the United States and Japan and the sampling locations were selected to represent a variety of settings including both rural and urban core; and within each residential, commercial and recreational receptors. The air samples were analyzed using validated chemical markers for rubber polymer based on a pyrolysis technique. Results indicated that TRWP concentrations in the PM10 fraction were low with averages ranging from 0.05 to 0.70 μg m-3, representing an average PM10 contribution of 0.84%. The TRWP concentration in air was associated with traffic load and population density, but the trend was not statistically significant. Further, significant differences across days were not observed. This study provides a robust dataset to understand potential human exposures to airborne TRWP.

Secondary organic aerosols: Formation potential and ambient data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barthelmie, R.J.; Pryor, S.C.

1997-01-01

Organic aerosols comprise a significant fraction of the total atmospheric particle loading and are associated with radiative forcing and health impacts. Ambient organic aerosol concentrations contain both a primary and secondary component. Herein, fractional aerosol coefficients (FAC) are used...... in conjunction with measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOC) to predict the formation potential of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) in the Lower Fraser Valley (LEV) of British Columbia. The predicted concentrations of SOA show reasonable accord with ambient aerosol measurements and indicate considerable...

Applications of particle induced X-ray emission analysis to ambient aerosol studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lannefors, H.

1982-01-01

The characteristics of Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) analysis in conjunction with different ambient aerosol samplers have been studied. Correction factors have been calculated for homogeneous and inhomogeneous rural and urban aerosol samples. The Nuclepore two stage filter sampler provided the most useful combination of the resolution and particle size fractionation in urban, rural and remote environments. The PIXE-analysis technique in combination with different samplers was employed in aerosol composition studies in rural and remote environments. Particular emphasis was laid on studies of aerosol long range transport. Based on air mass trajectory analysis and aerosol composition measurements the foreign contribution in southern Sweden was estimated to be 70 - 80% for S and Pb but only 30 - 50% for V and Ni. The spatial and temporal extension of a long range transport episode was studied using high time resolution continuous filter samplers in a network in southern Sweden. The variation in the concentration levels of sulphur agreed well with changes in the air mass history. Arctic summer elemental concentration levels as measured during the Swedish YMER-80 icebreaker expedition were typically one order of magnitude lower than Arctic winter levels. The combination of chemical information, optical properties and size distribution data supports the hypothesis of long range transport of air pollution into the Arctic especially during the winter. This takes place during the winter season because the Polar front is further south making conditions for long range transport up to the Arctic more favourable. (Auth.)

Brominated flame retardants in the urban atmosphere of Northeast China: Concentrations, temperature dependence and gas-particle partitioning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qi, Hong; Li, Wen-Long; Liu, Li-Yan; Song, Wei-Wei; Ma, Wan-Li, E-mail: mawanli002@163.com; Li, Yi-Fan, E-mail: ijrc_pts_paper@yahoo.com

2014-09-01

57 pairs of air samples (gas and particle phases) were collected using a high volume air sampler in a typical city of Northeast China. Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) including 13 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, including BDEs 17, 28, 47, 49, 66, 85, 99, 100, 138, 153, 154, 183, and 209) and 9 alternative BFRs (p-TBX, PBBZ, PBT, PBEB, DPTE, HBBZ, γ-HBCD, BTBPE, and DBDPE) were analyzed. The annual average total concentrations of the 13 PBDEs and the 9 alternative BFRs were 69 pg/m{sup 3} and 180 pg/m{sup 3}, respectively. BDE 209 and γ-HBCD were the dominant congeners, according to the one-year study. The partial pressure of BFRs in the gas phase was significantly correlated with the ambient temperature, except for BDE 85, γ-HBCD and DBDPE, indicating the important influence of ambient temperature on the behavior of BFRs in the atmosphere. It was found that the gas–particle partitioning coefficients (logK{sub p}) for most low molecular weight BFRs were highly temperature dependent as well. Gas–particle partitioning coefficients (logK{sub p}) also correlated with the sub-cooled liquid vapor pressure (logP{sub L}{sup o}). Our results indicated that absorption into organic matter is the main control mechanism for the gas–particle partitioning of atmospheric PBDEs. - Highlights: • Both PBDEs and alternative BFRs were analyzed in the atmosphere of Northeast China. • Partial pressure of BFRs was significantly correlated with the ambient temperature. • A strong temperature dependence of gas-particle partitioning was found. • Absorption into organic matter was the control mechanism for G-P partitioning.

Effects of ambient oxygen concentration on biodiesel and diesel spray combustion under simulated engine conditions

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Ji

2013-08-01

This study investigates the effect of ambient oxygen concentration on biodiesel and diesel spray combustion under simulated compression-ignition engine conditions in a constant-volume chamber. The apparent heat release rate (AHRR) is calculated based on the measured pressure. High-speed imaging of OH* chemiluminescence and natural luminosity (NL) is employed to visualize the combustion process. Temporally and spatially resolved NL and OH* contour plots are obtained. The result indicates that AHRR depends monotonically on the ambient oxygen concentration for both fuels. A lower oxygen concentration yields a slower AHRR increase rate, a lower peak AHRR value, but a higher AHRR value during the burn-out stage when compared with higher ambient oxygen concentration conditions. OH* chemiluminescence and NL contours indicate that biodiesel may experience a longer premixed-combustion duration. The 18% ambient O2 condition works better for biodiesel than diesel in reducing soot luminosity. With 12% O2, diesel combustion is significantly degraded. However, both fuels experience low temperature combustion at 10% O2. These results may imply that biodiesel is able to achieve the desired lower soot production under a moderate oxygen level with higher combustion efficiency, while diesel needs to be burned under very low ambient oxygen concentration for low soot production. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of ambient oxygen concentration on biodiesel and diesel spray combustion under simulated engine conditions

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Ji; Jing, Wei; Roberts, William L.; Fang, Tiegang

2013-01-01

This study investigates the effect of ambient oxygen concentration on biodiesel and diesel spray combustion under simulated compression-ignition engine conditions in a constant-volume chamber. The apparent heat release rate (AHRR) is calculated based on the measured pressure. High-speed imaging of OH* chemiluminescence and natural luminosity (NL) is employed to visualize the combustion process. Temporally and spatially resolved NL and OH* contour plots are obtained. The result indicates that AHRR depends monotonically on the ambient oxygen concentration for both fuels. A lower oxygen concentration yields a slower AHRR increase rate, a lower peak AHRR value, but a higher AHRR value during the burn-out stage when compared with higher ambient oxygen concentration conditions. OH* chemiluminescence and NL contours indicate that biodiesel may experience a longer premixed-combustion duration. The 18% ambient O2 condition works better for biodiesel than diesel in reducing soot luminosity. With 12% O2, diesel combustion is significantly degraded. However, both fuels experience low temperature combustion at 10% O2. These results may imply that biodiesel is able to achieve the desired lower soot production under a moderate oxygen level with higher combustion efficiency, while diesel needs to be burned under very low ambient oxygen concentration for low soot production. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

A land use regression model for ambient ultrafine particles in Montreal, Canada: A comparison of linear regression and a machine learning approach.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2016-04-01

Existing evidence suggests that ambient ultrafine particles (UFPs) (regression model for UFPs in Montreal, Canada using mobile monitoring data collected from 414 road segments during the summer and winter months between 2011 and 2012. Two different approaches were examined for model development including standard multivariable linear regression and a machine learning approach (kernel-based regularized least squares (KRLS)) that learns the functional form of covariate impacts on ambient UFP concentrations from the data. The final models included parameters for population density, ambient temperature and wind speed, land use parameters (park space and open space), length of local roads and rail, and estimated annual average NOx emissions from traffic. The final multivariable linear regression model explained 62% of the spatial variation in ambient UFP concentrations whereas the KRLS model explained 79% of the variance. The KRLS model performed slightly better than the linear regression model when evaluated using an external dataset (R(2)=0.58 vs. 0.55) or a cross-validation procedure (R(2)=0.67 vs. 0.60). In general, our findings suggest that the KRLS approach may offer modest improvements in predictive performance compared to standard multivariable linear regression models used to estimate spatial variations in ambient UFPs. However, differences in predictive performance were not statistically significant when evaluated using the cross-validation procedure. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review: The Use of Real-Time Fluorescence Instrumentation to Monitor Ambient Primary Biological Aerosol Particles (PBAP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehael J. Fennelly

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP encompass many particle types that are derived from several biological kingdoms. These aerosol particles can be composed of both whole living units such as pollen, bacteria, and fungi, as well as from mechanically formed particles, such as plant debris. They constitute a significant proportion of the overall atmospheric particle load and have been linked with adverse health issues and climatic effects on the environment. Traditional methods for their analysis have focused on the direct capture of PBAP before subsequent laboratory analysis. These analysis types have generally relied on direct optical microscopy or incubation on agar plates, followed by time-consuming microbiological investigation. In an effort to address some of these deficits, real-time fluorescence monitors have come to prominence in the analysis of PBAP. These instruments offer significant advantages over traditional methods, including the measurement of concentrations, as well as the potential to simultaneously identify individual analyte particles in real-time. Due to the automated nature of these measurements, large data sets can be collected and analyzed with relative ease. This review seeks to highlight and discuss the extensive literature pertaining to the most commonly used commercially available real-time fluorescence monitors (WIBS, UV-APS and BioScout. It discusses the instruments operating principles, their limitations and advantages, and the various environments in which they have been deployed. The review provides a detailed examination of the ambient fluorescent aerosol particle concentration profiles that are obtained by these studies, along with the various strategies adopted by researchers to analyze the substantial data sets the instruments generate. Finally, a brief reflection is presented on the role that future instrumentation may provide in revolutionizing this area of atmospheric research.

Ambient aerosol concentrations of sugars and sugar-alcohols at four different sites in Norway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. E. Yttri

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Sugars and sugar-alcohols are demonstrated to be important constituents of the ambient aerosol water-soluble organic carbon fraction, and to be tracers for primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP. In the present study, levels of four sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose, trehalose and three sugar-alcohols (arabitol, inositol, mannitol in ambient aerosols have been quantified using a novel HPLC/HRMS-TOF (High Performance Liquid Chromatography in combination with High Resolution Mass Spectrometry – Time of Flight method to assess the contribution of PBAP to PM>sub>10 and PM_2.5. Samples were collected at four sites in Norway at different times of the year in order to reflect the various contributing sources and the spatial and seasonal variation of the selected compounds.

Sugars and sugar-alcohols were present at all sites investigated, underlining the ubiquity of these highly polar organic compounds. The highest concentrations were reported for sucrose, reaching a maximum concentration of 320 ng m⁻³ in PM₁₀ and 55 ng m⁻³ in PM_2.5. The mean concentration of sucrose was up to 10 times higher than fructose, glucose and the dimeric sugar trehalose. The mean concentrations of the sugar-alcohols were typically lower, or equal, to that of the monomeric sugars and trehalose. Peak concentrations of arabitol and mannitol did not exceed 30 ng m⁻³ in PM₁₀, and for PM_2.5 all concentrations were below 6 ng m⁻³.

Sugars and sugar-alcohols were associated primarily with coarse aerosols except during wintertime at the suburban site in Elverum, where a shift towards sub micron aerosols was observed. It is proposed that this shift was due to the intensive use of wood burning for residential heating at this site during winter, confirmed by high concurrent concentrations of levoglucosan. Elevated concentrations of sugars in PM₂

Simulation of concentration distribution of urban particles under wind

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yanghou; Yang, Hangsheng

2018-02-01

The concentration of particulate matter in the air is too high, which seriously affects people’s health. The concentration of particles in densely populated towns is also high. Understanding the distribution of particles in the air helps to remove them passively. The concentration distribution of particles in urban streets is simulated by using the FLUENT software. The simulation analysis based on Discrete Phase Modelling (DPM) of FLUENT. Simulation results show that the distribution of the particles is caused by different layout of buildings. And it is pointed out that in the windward area of the building and the leeward sides of the high-rise building are the areas with high concentration of particles. Understanding the concentration of particles in different areas is also helpful for people to avoid and reduce the concentration of particles in high concentration areas.

Workplace aerosol mass concentration measurement using optical particle counters.

Science.gov (United States)

Görner, Peter; Simon, Xavier; Bémer, Denis; Lidén, Göran

2012-02-01

Direct-reading aerosol measurement usually uses the optical properties of airborne particles to detect and measure particle concentration. In the case of occupational hygiene, mass concentration measurement is often required. Two aerosol monitoring methods are based on the principle of light scattering: optical particle counting (OPC) and photometry. The former analyses the light scattered by a single particle, the latter by a cloud of particles. Both methods need calibration to transform the quantity of scattered light detected into particle concentration. Photometers are simpler to use and can be directly calibrated to measure mass concentration. However, their response varies not only with aerosol concentration but also with particle size distribution, which frequently contributes to biased measurement. Optical particle counters directly measure the particle number concentration and particle size that allows assessment of the particle mass provided the particles are spherical and of known density. An integrating algorithm is used to calculate the mass concentration of any conventional health-related aerosol fraction. The concentrations calculated thus have been compared with simultaneous measurements by conventional gravimetric sampling to check the possibility of field OPC calibration with real workplace aerosols with a view to further monitoring particle mass concentration. Aerosol concentrations were measured in the food industry using the OPC GRIMM® 1.108 and the CIP 10-Inhalable and CIP 10-Respirable (ARELCO®) aerosol samplers while meat sausages were being brushed and coated with calcium carbonate. Previously, the original OPC inlet had been adapted to sample inhalable aerosol. A mixed aerosol of calcium carbonate and fungi spores was present in the workplace. The OPC particle-size distribution and an estimated average particle density of both aerosol components were used to calculate the mass concentration. The inhalable and respirable aerosol fractions

Feasibility of using low-cost portable particle monitors for measurement of fine and coarse particulate matter in urban ambient air.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Inkyu; Symanski, Elaine; Stock, Thomas H

2017-03-01

Exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) is known as a significant risk factor for mortality and morbidity due to cardiorespiratory causes. Owing to increased interest in assessing personal and community exposures to PM, we evaluated the feasibility of employing a low-cost portable direct-reading instrument for measurement of ambient air PM exposure. A Dylos DC 1700 PM sensor was collocated with a Grimm 11-R in an urban residential area of Houston Texas. The 1-min averages of particle number concentrations for sizes between 0.5 and 2.5 µm (small size) and sizes larger than 2.5 µm (large size) from a DC 1700 were compared with the 1-min averages of PM 2.5 (aerodynamic size less than 2.5 µm) and coarse PM (aerodynamic size between 2.5 and 10 µm) concentrations from a Grimm 11-R. We used a linear regression equation to convert DC 1700 number concentrations to mass concentrations, utilizing measurements from the Grimm 11-R. The estimated average DC 1700 PM 2.5 concentration (13.2 ± 13.7 µg/m 3 ) was similar to the average measured Grimm 11-R PM 2.5 concentration (11.3 ± 15.1 µg/m 3 ). The overall correlation (r 2 ) for PM 2.5 between the DC 1700 and Grimm 11-R was 0.778. The estimated average coarse PM concentration from the DC 1700 (5.6 ± 12.1 µg/m 3 ) was also similar to that measured with the Grimm 11-R (4.8 ± 16.5 µg/m 3 ) with an r 2 of 0.481. The effects of relative humidity and particle size on the association between the DC 1700 and the Grimm 11-R results were also examined. The calculated PM mass concentrations from the DC 1700 were close to those measured with the Grimm 11-R when relative humidity was less than 60% for both PM 2.5 and coarse PM. Particle size distribution was more important for the association of coarse PM between the DC 1700 and Grimm 11-R than it was for PM 2.5 . The performance of a low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensor was evaluated in an urban residential area. Both PM 2.5 and coarse PM (PM 10-2.5 ) mass concentrations

Uncertainty associated with the gravimetric measurement of particulate matter concentration in ambient air.

Science.gov (United States)

Lacey, Ronald E; Faulkner, William Brock

2015-07-01

This work applied a propagation of uncertainty method to typical total suspended particulate (TSP) sampling apparatus in order to estimate the overall measurement uncertainty. The objectives of this study were to estimate the uncertainty for three TSP samplers, develop an uncertainty budget, and determine the sensitivity of the total uncertainty to environmental parameters. The samplers evaluated were the TAMU High Volume TSP Sampler at a nominal volumetric flow rate of 1.42 m3 min(-1) (50 CFM), the TAMU Low Volume TSP Sampler at a nominal volumetric flow rate of 17 L min(-1) (0.6 CFM) and the EPA TSP Sampler at the nominal volumetric flow rates of 1.1 and 1.7 m3 min(-1) (39 and 60 CFM). Under nominal operating conditions the overall measurement uncertainty was found to vary from 6.1x10(-6) g m(-3) to 18.0x10(-6) g m(-3), which represented an uncertainty of 1.7% to 5.2% of the measurement. Analysis of the uncertainty budget determined that three of the instrument parameters contributed significantly to the overall uncertainty: the uncertainty in the pressure drop measurement across the orifice meter during both calibration and testing and the uncertainty of the airflow standard used during calibration of the orifice meter. Five environmental parameters occurring during field measurements were considered for their effect on overall uncertainty: ambient TSP concentration, volumetric airflow rate, ambient temperature, ambient pressure, and ambient relative humidity. Of these, only ambient TSP concentration and volumetric airflow rate were found to have a strong effect on the overall uncertainty. The technique described in this paper can be applied to other measurement systems and is especially useful where there are no methods available to generate these values empirically. This work addresses measurement uncertainty of TSP samplers used in ambient conditions. Estimation of uncertainty in gravimetric measurements is of particular interest, since as ambient particulate

Variation of indoor radon concentration and ambient dose equivalent rate in different outdoor and indoor environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stojanovska, Zdenka; Janevik, Emilija; Taleski, Vaso [Goce Delcev University, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Stip (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of); Boev, Blazo [Goce Delcev University, Faculty of Natural and Technical Sciences, Stip (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of); Zunic, Zora S. [University of Belgrade, Institute of Nuclear Sciences ' ' Vinca' ' , Belgrade (Serbia); Ivanova, Kremena; Tsenova, Martina [National Center of Radiobiology and Radiation Protection, Sofia (Bulgaria); Ristova, Mimoza [University in Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematic, Institute of Physics, Skopje (Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of); Ajka, Sorsa [Croatian Geological Survey, Zagreb (Croatia); Bossew, Peter [German Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Berlin (Germany)

2016-05-15

Subject of this study is an investigation of the variations of indoor radon concentration and ambient dose equivalent rate in outdoor and indoor environments of 40 dwellings, 31 elementary schools and five kindergartens. The buildings are located in three municipalities of two, geologically different, areas of the Republic of Macedonia. Indoor radon concentrations were measured by nuclear track detectors, deployed in the most occupied room of the building, between June 2013 and May 2014. During the deploying campaign, indoor and outdoor ambient dose equivalent rates were measured simultaneously at the same location. It appeared that the measured values varied from 22 to 990 Bq/m{sup 3} for indoor radon concentrations, from 50 to 195 nSv/h for outdoor ambient dose equivalent rates, and from 38 to 184 nSv/h for indoor ambient dose equivalent rates. The geometric mean value of indoor to outdoor ambient dose equivalent rates was found to be 0.88, i.e. the outdoor ambient dose equivalent rates were on average higher than the indoor ambient dose equivalent rates. All measured can reasonably well be described by log-normal distributions. A detailed statistical analysis of factors which influence the measured quantities is reported. (orig.)

Particle size- and concentration-dependent separation of magnetic nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Witte, Kerstin, E-mail: witte@micromod.de [University of Rostock, Institute of Physics, Albert-Einstein-Str. 23, 18059 Rostock (Germany); Micromod Partikeltechnologie GmbH, Friedrich-Barnewitz-Str. 4, 18119 Rostock (Germany); Müller, Knut; Grüttner, Cordula; Westphal, Fritz [Micromod Partikeltechnologie GmbH, Friedrich-Barnewitz-Str. 4, 18119 Rostock (Germany); Johansson, Christer [Acreo Swedish ICT AB, 40014 Göteborg (Sweden)

2017-04-01

Small magnetic nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution are of great interest for several biomedical applications. When the size of the particles decreases, the magnetic moment of the particles decreases. This leads to a significant increase in the separation time by several orders of magnitude. Therefore, in the present study the separation processes of bionized nanoferrites (BNF) with different sizes and concentrations were investigated with the commercial Sepmag Q system. It was found that an increasing initial particle concentration leads to a reduction of the separation time for large nanoparticles due to the higher probability of building chains. Small nanoparticles showed exactly the opposite behavior with rising particle concentration up to 0.1 mg(Fe)/ml. For higher iron concentrations the separation time remains constant and the measured Z-average decreases in the supernatant at same time intervals. At half separation time a high yield with decreasing hydrodynamic diameter of particles can be obtained using higher initial particle concentrations. - Highlights: • Size dependent separation processes of multicore nanoparticles. • Concentration dependent separation processes of multicore nanoparticles. • Increasing separation time with rising concentrations for small particles. • Large particles show typical cooperative magnetophoresis behavior.

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.

Seasonal Variability of Concentration and Air Quality of Ambient Particulate Matter in Sosnowiec City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jolanta Cembrzyńska

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Exposing the population to more than standard concentration of particulate matter (PM is a crucial factor shaping the public health on urbanized areas both in Europe and Poland. In most cases, exceeded air quality standards relate to the winter period, in which there has been the greatest amount. Many studies have indicated, that exposure to PM can cause adverse health effects. Human exposure especially to fine particles (with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm, causes risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, due to daily mortality and hospital admissions. Various types of epidemiological studies have indicated, that ambient air pollution is responsible for increasing risk of lung cancer. For this reason, in 2013 The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC classified outdoor air pollution and particulate matter as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1.

Wintertime Ambient Ammonia Concentrations in Northern Utah's Urban Valleys

Science.gov (United States)

Hammond, I. A.; Martin, R. S.; Silva, P.; Baasandorj, M.

2017-12-01

Many of the population centers in northern Utah are currently classified as non-attainment or serious non-attainment, Wasatch Front, for PM2.5 and previous studies have shown ammonium nitrate to often be the largest contributor to the particulate mass. Furthermore, measurements have shown several of the Wasatch Front cities and Cache Valley (UT/ID) consistently recorded some of the highest ambient ammonia (NH3) concentrations in the continental United States. As a part of the multi-organization 2017 Utah Winter Fine Particulate Study real-time NH3 concentrations were monitored in the Cache Valley at the Logan, UT site, collocated at an EPA sampling trailer near the Utah State University (USU) campus. A Picarro model G2508 was to used collect 5-sec averaged concentrations of NH3, carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) from January 16th to February 14th, 2017. Parts of three inversion events, wherein the PM2.5 concentrations approached or exceeded the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, were captured during the sampling period, including a 10-day event from January 25th to February 4th. Concentrations of all three of the observed species showed significant accumulation during the events, with NH3 concentrations ranging from below the detection limit (70 ppb. Preliminary analysis suggested the temporal NH3 changes tracked the increase in PM2.5 throughout the inversion events; however, a one-day period of NH3 depletion during the main inversion event was observed while PM2.5 continued to increase. Additionally, a network of passive NH3 samplers (Ogawa Model 3300) were arrayed at 25 sites throughout the Cache Valley and at 11 sites located along the Wasatch Front. These networks sampled for three 7-day periods, during the same study time frame. Ion chromatographic (IC) analyses of the sample pads are not yet finalized; however, preliminary results show concentrations in the tens of ppb and seemingly spatially correlate with previous studies showing elevated

Concentration and size distribution of particles in abstracted groundwater.

Science.gov (United States)

van Beek, C G E M; de Zwart, A H; Balemans, M; Kooiman, J W; van Rosmalen, C; Timmer, H; Vandersluys, J; Stuyfzand, P J

2010-02-01

Particle number concentrations have been counted and particle size distributions calculated in groundwater derived by abstraction wells. Both concentration and size distribution are governed by the discharge rate: the higher this rate the higher the concentration and the higher the proportion of larger particles. However, the particle concentration in groundwater derived from abstraction wells, with high groundwater flow velocities, is much lower than in groundwater from monitor wells, with minimal flow velocities. This inconsistency points to exhaustion of the particle supply in the aquifer around wells due to groundwater abstraction for many years. The particle size distribution can be described with the help of a power law or Pareto distribution. Comparing the measured particle size distribution with the Pareto distribution shows that particles with a diameter >7 microm are under-represented. As the particle size distribution is dependent on the flow velocity, so is the value of the "Pareto" slope beta. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ambient measurements of biological aerosol particles near Killarney, Ireland: a comparison between real-time fluorescence and microscopy techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Healy, D. A.; Huffman, J. A.; O'Connor, D. J.; Pöhlker, C.; Pöschl, U.; Sodeau, J. R.

2014-08-01

Primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs) can contribute significantly to the coarse particle burden in many environments. PBAPs can thus influence climate and precipitation systems as cloud nuclei and can spread disease to humans, animals, and plants. Measurement data and techniques for PBAPs in natural environments at high time- and size resolution are, however, sparse, and so large uncertainties remain in the role that biological particles play in the Earth system. In this study two commercial real-time fluorescence particle sensors and a Sporewatch single-stage particle impactor were operated continuously from 2 August to 2 September 2010 at a rural sampling location in Killarney National Park in southwestern Ireland. A cascade impactor was operated periodically to collect size-resolved particles during exemplary periods. Here we report the first ambient comparison of a waveband integrated bioaerosol sensor (WIBS-4) with a ultraviolet aerodynamic particle sizer (UV-APS) and also compare these real-time fluorescence techniques with results of fluorescence and optical microscopy of impacted samples. Both real-time instruments showed qualitatively similar behavior, with increased fluorescent bioparticle concentrations at night, when relative humidity was highest and temperature was lowest. The fluorescent particle number from the FL3 channel of the WIBS-4 and from the UV-APS were strongly correlated and dominated by a 3 μm mode in the particle size distribution. The WIBS FL2 channel exhibited particle modes at approx. 1 and 3 μm, and each was correlated with the concentration of fungal spores commonly observed in air samples collected at the site (ascospores, basidiospores, Ganoderma spp.). The WIBS FL1 channel exhibited variable multimodal distributions turning into a broad featureless single mode after averaging, and exhibited poor correlation with fungal spore concentrations, which may be due to the detection of bacterial and non-biological fluorescent

Nanotip analysis for dielectrophoretic concentration of nanosized viral particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeo, Woon-Hong; Lee, Hyun-Boo; Kim, Jong-Hoon; Lee, Kyong-Hoon; Chung, Jae-Hyun

2013-05-10

Rapid and sensitive detection of low-abundance viral particles is strongly demanded in health care, environmental control, military defense, and homeland security. Current detection methods, however, lack either assay speed or sensitivity, mainly due to the nanosized viral particles. In this paper, we compare a dendritic, multi-terminal nanotip ('dendritic nanotip') with a single terminal nanotip ('single nanotip') for dielectrophoretic (DEP) concentration of viral particles. The numerical computation studies the concentration efficiency of viral particles ranging from 25 to 100 nm in radius for both nanotips. With DEP and Brownian motion considered, when the particle radius decreases by two times, the concentration time for both nanotips increases by 4-5 times. In the computational study, a dendritic nanotip shows about 1.5 times faster concentration than a single nanotip for the viral particles because the dendritic structure increases the DEP-effective area to overcome the Brownian motion. For the qualitative support of the numerical results, the comparison experiment of a dendritic nanotip and a single nanotip is conducted. Under 1 min of concentration time, a dendritic nanotip shows a higher sensitivity than a single nanotip. When the concentration time is 5 min, the sensitivity of a dendritic nanotip for T7 phage is 10(4) particles ml(-1). The dendritic nanotip-based concentrator has the potential for rapid identification of viral particles.

Nanotip analysis for dielectrophoretic concentration of nanosized viral particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeo, Woon-Hong; Lee, Hyun-Boo; Kim, Jong-Hoon; Chung, Jae-Hyun; Lee, Kyong-Hoon

2013-01-01

Rapid and sensitive detection of low-abundance viral particles is strongly demanded in health care, environmental control, military defense, and homeland security. Current detection methods, however, lack either assay speed or sensitivity, mainly due to the nanosized viral particles. In this paper, we compare a dendritic, multi-terminal nanotip (‘dendritic nanotip’) with a single terminal nanotip (‘single nanotip’) for dielectrophoretic (DEP) concentration of viral particles. The numerical computation studies the concentration efficiency of viral particles ranging from 25 to 100 nm in radius for both nanotips. With DEP and Brownian motion considered, when the particle radius decreases by two times, the concentration time for both nanotips increases by 4–5 times. In the computational study, a dendritic nanotip shows about 1.5 times faster concentration than a single nanotip for the viral particles because the dendritic structure increases the DEP-effective area to overcome the Brownian motion. For the qualitative support of the numerical results, the comparison experiment of a dendritic nanotip and a single nanotip is conducted. Under 1 min of concentration time, a dendritic nanotip shows a higher sensitivity than a single nanotip. When the concentration time is 5 min, the sensitivity of a dendritic nanotip for T7 phage is 10 4 particles ml −1 . The dendritic nanotip-based concentrator has the potential for rapid identification of viral particles. (paper)

Numerical investigation of the effect of particle concentration on particle measurement by digital holography

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Huafeng; Zhou, Binwu; Wu, Xuecheng; Wu, Yingchun; Gao, Xiang; Gréhan, Gérard; Cen, Kefa

2014-04-01

Digital holography plays a key role in particle field measurement, and appears to be a strong contender as the next-generation technology for diagnostics of 3D particle field. However, various recording parameters, such as the recording distance, the particle size, the wavelength, the size of the CCD chip, the pixel size and the particle concentration, will affect the results of the reconstruction, and may even determine the success or failure of a measurement. This paper presents a numerical investigation on the effect of particle concentration, the volume depth to evaluate the capability of digital holographic microscopy. Standard particles holograms with all known recording parameters are numerically generated by using a common procedure based on Lorenz-Mie scattering theory. Reconstruction of those holograms are then performed by a wavelet-transform based method. Results show that the reconstruction efficiency decreases quickly until particle concentration reaches 50×104 (mm-3), and decreases linearly with the increase of particle concentration from 50 × 104 (mm-3) to 860 × 104 (mm-3) in the same volume. The first half of the line waves larger than the second half. It also indicates that the increase of concentration leads the rise in average diameter error and z position error of particles. Besides, the volume depth also plays a key role in reconstruction.

Characterization of PM2.5 particles originating from a modern waste incineration plant by factor analysis of chemical data, mass and black carbon in ambient aerosol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aboh, J. K.; Henriksson, Dag; Laursen, Jens

2006-01-01

are subject to restrictions are well below the allowed limits as stated by Swedish and European standards. The aim of the present work is to study the particle pollutants with emphasis on PM2.5 in the ambient air and to identify the specific contribution from the new incineration plant. Many different sources...... contribute to PM2.5 in urban air. Thus, the general problem is to characterise and identify the particle pollution, which can be attributed to gases and/or particles emitted by the waste incineration plant. For this reason aerosol samples, PM2.5, were collected and analyzed for concentrations of twenty...

Sensor-less control of the methanol concentration of direct methanol fuel cells at varying ambient temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, Myung-Gi; Mehmood, Asad; Ha, Heung Yong

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A new algorithm is proposed for the sensor-less control of methanol concentration. • Two different strategies are used depending on the ambient temperatures. • Energy efficiency of the DMFC system has been improved by using the new algorithm. - Abstract: A new version of an algorithm is used to control the methanol concentration in the feed of DMFC systems without using methanol sensors under varying ambient temperatures. The methanol concentration is controlled indirectly by controlling the temperature of the DMFC stack, which correlates well with the methanol concentration. Depending on the ambient temperature relative to a preset reference temperature, two different strategies are used to control the stack temperature: either reducing the cooling rate of the methanol solution passing through an anode-side heat exchanger; or, lowering the pumping rate of the pure methanol to the depleted feed solution. The feasibility of the algorithm is evaluated using a DMFC system that consists of a 200 W stack and the balance of plant (BOP). The DMFC system includes a sensor-less methanol controller that is operated using a LabView system as the central processing unit. The algorithm is experimentally confirmed to precisely control the methanol concentration and the stack temperature at target values under an environment of varying ambient temperatures

Xanthoria parietina as a monitor of ground-level ambient ammonia concentrations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Henrik Brinkmann; Berthelsen, Kasper; Andersen, Helle Vibeke

2010-01-01

Total nitrogen in transplanted and in situ lichen thalli of Xanthoria parietina were related to ambient ammonia air concentrations measured with passive ALPHA (Adapted Low-cost Passive High Absorption) diffusion samplers in Denmark. Transplants and ALPHA samplers were exposed four months in a tra...

Measurements of ice nucleating particle concentrations at 242 K in the free troposphere

Science.gov (United States)

Lacher, L.; Lohmann, U.; Boose, Y.; Zipori, A.; Herrmann, E.; Bukowiecki, N.; Steinbacher, M.; Gute, E.; Kanji, Z. A.

2017-12-01

Clouds containing ice play an important role in the Earth's system, but some fundamental knowledge on their formation and further development is still missing. The phase change from vapor or liquid to ice in the atmosphere can occur heterogeneously in the presence of ice nucleating particles (INPs) at temperatures warmer, and supersaturations lower than required for homogeneous freezing. Only a small fraction of particles in an environment relevant for the occurrence of ice- and mixed-phase clouds are INPs, and their identification and quantification remains challenging. We measure INP concentrations with the ETH Horizontal Ice Nucleation Chamber (HINC) at the High Altitude Research Station Jungfraujoch (JFJ) during several field campaigns in different seasons and years. The measurements are performed at 242 K and above water saturation, representing ice- and mixed-phase clouds conditions. Due to its elevation of 3580 m a.s.l. the site encounters mostly free tropospheric conditions, and is influenced by boundary layer injections up to 80% of the time in summer. JFJ regularly encounters Saharan dust events and receives air masses of marine origin, which can both occur within the free troposphere. Our measurements show that INP concentrations in the free troposphere do not follow a seasonal cycle. They are remarkably constant, with concentrations from 0.5 - 8 L-1 (interquartile range), which compares well to measurements performed under the same conditions at another location within the free troposphere, the Izaña Atmospheric Research Station in Tenerife. At JFJ, correlations with parameters of physical properties of ambient particles, meteorology and air mass characteristics do not show a single best estimator to predict INP concentrations, emphasizing the complexity of ice nucleation in the free troposphere. Increases in INP concentrations of a temporary nature were observed in the free troposphere during Saharan dust events and marine air mass influence, which

Measurement of ambient aerosols in northern Mexico City by single particle mass spectrometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. C. Moffet

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Continuous ambient measurements with aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ATOFMS were made in an industrial/residential section in the northern part of Mexico City as part of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area-2006 campaign (MCMA-2006. Results are presented for the period of 15–27 March 2006. The submicron size mode contained both fresh and aged biomass burning, aged organic carbon (OC mixed with nitrate and sulfate, elemental carbon (EC, nitrogen-organic carbon, industrial metal, and inorganic NaK inorganic particles. Overall, biomass burning and aged OC particle types comprised 40% and 31%, respectively, of the submicron mode. In contrast, the supermicron mode was dominated by inorganic NaK particle types (42% which represented a mixture of dry lake bed dust and industrial NaK emissions mixed with soot. Additionally, aluminosilicate dust, transition metals, OC, and biomass burning contributed to the supermicron particles. Early morning periods (2–6 a.m. showed high fractions of inorganic particles from industrial sources in the northeast, composed of internal mixtures of Pb, Zn, EC and Cl, representing up to 73% of the particles in the 0.2–3μm size range. A unique nitrogen-containing organic carbon (NOC particle type, peaking in the early morning hours, was hypothesized to be amines from local industrial emissions based on the time series profile and back trajectory analysis. A strong dependence on wind speed and direction was observed in the single particle types that were present during different times of the day. The early morning (3:30–10 a.m. showed the greatest contributions from industrial emissions. During mid to late mornings (7–11 a.m., weak northerly winds were observed along with the most highly aged particles. Stronger winds from the south picked up in the late morning (after 11 a.m., resulting in a decrease in the concentrations of the major aged particle types and an increase in the number fraction of fresh

Formation of nitro-PAHs from the heterogeneous reaction of ambient particle-bound PAHs with NO3/N2O5

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, K.; Jariyasopit, N.; Simonich, S. L.; Atkinson, R.; Arey, J.

2012-12-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their nitrated derivatives (nitro-PAHs) have been shown to be mutagenic in bacterial and mammalian assays and are classified as probable human carcinogens. Semi-volatile PAHs partition between the gas and particulate phases, depending on their liquid-phase vapor pressures and ambient temperatures. These PAHs have been extensively measured in ambient particulate matter and can ultimately undergo long-range transport from source regions (e.g., China to the western USA) (1). During transport these particle-bound PAHs may undergo reaction with NO3/N2O5 to form nitro-PAH derivatives. Previous studies of heterogeneous nitration of PAHs have used particles composed of graphite, diesel soot, and wood smoke (2-4). This study investigates the heterogeneous formation of nitro-PAHs from ambient particle-bound PAHs from Beijing, China and sites located within the Los Angeles air basin. These ambient particle samples, along with filters coated with isotopically labeled PAHs, were exposed to a mix of NO2/NO3/N2O5 in a 7000 L Teflon chamber, with analysis focused on the heterogeneous formation of molecular weight 247 and 273 nitro-PAHs. The heterogeneous formation of certain nitro-PAHs (including1-nitropyrene and 1- and 2-nitrotriphenylene) was observed for some, but not all, ambient samples. Formation of nitro-PAHs typically formed through gas-phase reactions (2-nitrofluoranthene and 2-nitropyrene) was not observed. The effect of particle age and local photochemical conditions during sampling on the degree of nitration in environmental chamber reactions, as well as ambient implications, will be presented. 1. Primbs, T.; Simonich, S.; Schmedding, D.; Wilson, G.; Jaffe, D.; Takami, A.; Kato, S.; Hatakeyama, S.; Kajii, Y. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2007, 41, 3551-3558. 2. Esteve, W.; Budzinski, H.; Villenave, E. Atmospheric Environment 2004, 38, 6063-6072. 3. Nguyen, M.; Bedjanian, Y.; Guilloteau, A. Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry 2009, 62

Baseline ambient gaseous ammonia concentrations in the Four Corners area and eastern Oklahoma, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Sather, Mark E; Mathew, Johnson; Nguyen, Nghia; Lay, John; Golod, George; Vet, Robert; Cotie, Joseph; Hertel, Terry; Aaboe, Erik; Callison, Ryan; Adam, Jacque; Keese, Danielle; Freise, Jeremy; Hathcoat, April; Sakizzie, Brenda; King, Michael; Lee, Chris; Oliva, Sylvia; San Miguel, George; Crow, Leon; Geasland, Frank

2008-11-01

Ambient ammonia monitoring using Ogawa passive samplers was conducted in the Four Corners area and eastern Oklahoma, USA during 2007. The resulting data will be useful in the multipollutant management of ozone, nitrogen oxides, and visibility (atmospheric regional haze) in the Four Corners area, an area with growing oil/gas production and increasing coal-based power plant construction. The passive monitoring data also add new ambient ammonia concentration information for the U.S. and will be useful to scientists involved in present and future visibility modeling exercises. Three week integrated passive ammonia samples were taken at five sites in the Four Corners area and two sites in eastern Oklahoma from December, 2006 through December, 2007 (January, 2008 for two sites). Results show significantly higher regional background ammonia concentrations in eastern Oklahoma (1.8 parts per billion (ppb) arithmetic mean) compared to the Four Corners area (0.2 ppb arithmetic mean). Annual mean ammonia concentrations for all Four Corners area sites for the 2007 study ranged from 0.2 ppb to 1.5 ppb. Peak ambient ammonia concentrations occurred in the spring and summer in both areas. The passive samplers deployed at the Stilwell, Oklahoma site compared favorably with other passive samplers and a continuous ammonia monitoring instrument.

Concentration and size distribution of particles in abstracted groundwater

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Beek, C.G.E.M.; de Zwart, A.H.; Balemans, M.; Kooiman, J.W.; van Rosmalen, C.; Timmer, H.; Vandersluys, J.; Stuijfzand, P.J.

2010-01-01

Particle number concentrations have been counted and particle size distributions calculated in groundwater derived by abstraction wells. Both concentration and size distribution are governed by the discharge rate: the higher this rate the higher the concentration and the higher the proportion of

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

Characterization of ambient particles size in workplace of manufacturing physical fitness equipments

Science.gov (United States)

LIN, Chih-Chung; CHEN, Mei-Ru; CHANG, Sheng-Lang; LIAO, Wei-Heng; CHEN, Hsiu-Ling

2014-01-01

The manufacturing of fitness equipment involves several processes, including the cutting and punching of iron tubes followed by welding. Welding operations produce hazardous gases and particulate matter, which can enter the alveolar, resulting in adverse health effects. This study sought to verify the particle size distribution and exposure concentrations of atmospheric air samples in various work areas of a fitness equipment manufacturing industry. Observed particle concentrations are presented by area and in terms of relative magnitude: painting (15.58 mg/m3) > automatic welding (0.66 mg/m3) > manual welding (0.53 mg/m3) > punching (0.18 mg/m3) > cutting (0.16 mg/m3). The concentrations in each of the five work areas were Cinh>Cthor>Cresp. In all areas except the painting area, extra-fine particles produced by welding at high temperatures, and further those coagulated to form larger particles. This study observed bimodal distribution in the size of welding fume in the ranges of 0.7–1 µm and 15–21 µm. Meanwhile, the mass concentrations of particles with different sizes were not consistent across work areas. In the painting area, the mass concentration was higher in Chead>Cth>Calv, but in welding areas, it was found that Calv>Chead>Cth. Particles smaller than 1µm were primarily produced by welding. PMID:25327301

Individual aerosol particles in ambient and updraft conditions below convective cloud bases in the Oman mountain region

Science.gov (United States)

Semeniuk, T. A.; Bruintjes, R. T.; Salazar, V.; Breed, D. W.; Jensen, T. L.; Buseck, P. R.

2014-03-01

An airborne study of cloud microphysics provided an opportunity to collect aerosol particles in ambient and updraft conditions of natural convection systems for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Particles were collected simultaneously on lacey carbon and calcium-coated carbon (Ca-C) TEM grids, providing information on particle morphology and chemistry and a unique record of the particle's physical state on impact. In total, 22 particle categories were identified, including single, coated, aggregate, and droplet types. The fine fraction comprised up to 90% mixed cation sulfate (MCS) droplets, while the coarse fraction comprised up to 80% mineral-containing aggregates. Insoluble (dry), partially soluble (wet), and fully soluble particles (droplets) were recorded on Ca-C grids. Dry particles were typically silicate grains; wet particles were mineral aggregates with chloride, nitrate, or sulfate components; and droplets were mainly aqueous NaCl and MCS. Higher numbers of droplets were present in updrafts (80% relative humidity (RH)) compared with ambient conditions (60% RH), and almost all particles activated at cloud base (100% RH). Greatest changes in size and shape were observed in NaCl-containing aggregates (>0.3 µm diameter) along updraft trajectories. Their abundance was associated with high numbers of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and cloud droplets, as well as large droplet sizes in updrafts. Thus, compositional dependence was observed in activation behavior recorded for coarse and fine fractions. Soluble salts from local pollution and natural sources clearly affected aerosol-cloud interactions, enhancing the spectrum of particles forming CCN and by forming giant CCN from aggregates, thus, making cloud seeding with hygroscopic flares ineffective in this region.

Particle interactions in concentrated suspensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mondy, L.A.; Graham, A.L.; Abbott, J.R.; Brenner, H.

1993-01-01

An overview is presented of research that focuses on slow flows of suspensions in which colloidal and inertial effects are negligibly small. The authors describe nuclear magnetic resonance imaging experiments to quantitatively measure particle migration occurring in concentrated suspensions undergoing a flow with a nonuniform shear rate. These experiments address the issue of how the flow field affects the microstructure of suspensions. In order to understand the local viscosity in a suspension with such a flow-induced, spatially varying concentration, one must know how the viscosity of a homogeneous suspension depends on such variables as solids concentration and particle orientation. The authors suggest the technique of falling ball viscometry, using small balls, as a method to determine the effective viscosity of a suspension without affecting the original microstructure significantly. They also describe data from experiments in which the detailed fluctuations of a falling ball's velocity indicate the noncontinuum nature of the suspension and may lead to more insights into the effects of suspension microstructure on macroscopic properties. Finally, they briefly describe other experiments that can be performed in quiescent suspensions (in contrast to the use of conventional shear rotational viscometers) in order to learn more about boundary effects in concentrated suspensions

Real-time characterization of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient aerosols and from motor-vehicle exhaust

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Polidori

2008-03-01

Full Text Available A photo-electric aerosol sensor, a diffusion charger, an Aethalometer, and a continuous particle counter were used along with other real-time instruments to characterize the particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (p-PAH content, and the physical/chemical characteristics of aerosols collected a in Wilmington (CA near the Los Angeles port and close to 2 major freeways, and b at a dynamometer testing facility in downtown Los Angeles (CA, where 3 diesel trucks were tested. In Wilmington, the p-PAH, surface area, particle number, and "black" carbon concentrations were 4-8 times higher at 09:00–11:00 a.m. than between 17:00 and 18:00 p.m., suggesting that during rush hour traffic people living in that area are exposed to a higher number of diesel combustion particles enriched in p-PAH coatings. Dynamometer tests revealed that the p-PAH emissions from the "baseline" truck (no catalytic converter were up to 200 times higher than those from the 2 vehicles equipped with advanced emission control technologies, and increased when the truck was accelerating. In Wilmington, integrated filter samples were collected and analyzed to determine the concentrations of the most abundant p-PAHs. A correlation between the total p-PAH concentration (μg/m³ and the measured photo-electric aerosol sensor signal (fA was also established. Estimated ambient p-PAH concentrations (Average=0.64 ng/m³; Standard deviation=0.46 ng/m³ were in good agreement with those reported in previous studies conducted in Los Angeles during a similar time period. Finally, we calculated the approximate theoretical lifetime (70 years per 24-h/day lung-cancer risk in the Wilmington area due to inhalation of multi-component p-PAHs and "black" carbon. Our results indicate that the lung-cancer risk is highest during rush hour traffic and lowest in the afternoon, and that the genotoxic risk of the considered p-PAHs does not seem to contribute to a significant

Multisite study of particle number concentrations in urban air.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Roy M; Jones, Alan M

2005-08-15

Particle number concentration data are reported from a total of eight urban site locations in the United Kingdom. Of these, six are central urban background sites, while one is an urban street canyon (Marylebone Road) and another is influenced by both a motorway and a steelworks (Port Talbot). The concentrations are generally of a similar order to those reported in the literature, although higher than those in some of the other studies. Highest concentrations are at the Marylebone Road site and lowest are at the Port Talbot site. The central urban background locations lie somewhere between with concentrations typically around 20 000 cm(-3). A seasonal pattern affects all sites, with highest concentrations in the winter months and lowest concentrations in the summer. Data from all sites show a diurnal variation with a morning rush hour peak typical of an anthropogenic pollutant. When the dilution effects of windspeed are accounted for, the data show little directionality at the central urban background sites indicating the influence of sources from all directions as might be expected if the major source were road traffic. At the London Marylebone Road site there is high directionality driven by the air circulation in the street canyon, and at the Port Talbot site different diurnal patterns are seen for particle number count and PM10 influenced by emissions from road traffic (particle number count) and the steelworks (PM10) and local meteorological factors. Hourly particle number concentrations are generally only weakly correlated to NO(x) and PM10, with the former showing a slightly closer relationship. Correlations between daily average particle number count and PM10 were also weak. Episodes of high PM10 concentration in summer typically show low particle number concentrations consistent with transport of accumulation mode secondary aerosol, while winter episodes are frequently associated with high PM10 and particle number count arising from poor dispersion of

Combustion characteristics of water-insoluble elemental and organic carbon in size selected ambient aerosol particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Wittmaack

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Combustion of elemental carbon (EC and organic carbon (OC contained in ambient aerosol matter was explored using scanning electron microscopy (SEM in combination with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX. To ease identification of the particles of interest and to avoid or at least reduce interaction with simultaneously sampled inorganic oxides and salts, the approach used in this work differed in two ways from commonly applied procedures. First, rather than using a mixture of particles of vastly different sizes, as in PM10 or PM2.5, aerosol matter was collected in a 5-stage impactor. Second, the water soluble fraction of the collected matter was removed prior to analysis. Diesel soot particles, which appeared in the well-known form of chain-type aggregates, constituted the major fraction of EC. In contrast, OC containing particles were observed in a variety of shapes, including a sizable amount of bioaerosol matter appearing mostly in the size range above about 1 µm. During heating in ambient air for 1h, diesel soot particles were found to be stable up to 470°C, but complete combustion occurred in a narrow temperature interval between about 480 and 510°C. After diesel soot combustion, minute quantities of 'ash' were observed in the form of aggregated tiny particles with sizes less than 10 nm. These particles could be due to elemental or oxidic contaminants of diesel soot. Combustion of OC was observed over a wide range of temperatures, from well below 200°C to at least 500°C. Incompletely burnt bioaerosol matter was still found after heating to 600°C. The results imply that the EC fraction in aerosol matter can be overestimated significantly if the contribution of OC to a thermogram is not well separated.

Comparison of sources of submicron particle number concentrations measured at two sites in Rochester, NY.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasumba, John; Hopke, Philip K; Chalupa, David C; Utell, Mark J

2009-09-01

Sources contributing to the submicron particles (100-470 nm) measured between January 2002 and December 2007 at two different New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) sites in Rochester, NY were identified and apportioned using a bilinear receptor model, positive matrix factorization (PMF). Measurements of aerosol size distributions and number concentrations for particles in the size range of 10-500 nm have been made since December 2001 to date in Rochester. The measurements are being made using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) consisting of a DMA and a CPC (TSI models 3071 and 3010, respectively). From December 2001 to March 2004, particle measurements were made at the NYS DEC site in downtown Rochester, but it was moved to the eastside of Rochester in May 2004. Each measurement period was divided into three seasons i.e., winter (December, January, and February), summer (June, July, and August), and the transitional periods (March, April, May, September, October, and November) so as to avoid experimental uncertainty resulting from too large season-to-season variability in ambient temperature and solar photon intensity that would lead to unstable/non-stationary size distributions. Therefore, the seasons were analyzed independently for possible sources. Ten sources were identified at both sites and these include traffic, nucleation, residential/commercial heating, industrial emissions, secondary nitrate, ozone- rich secondary aerosol, secondary sulfate, regionally transported aerosol, and a mixed source of nucleation and traffic. These results show that the measured total outdoor particle number concentrations in Rochester generally vary with similar temporal patterns, suggesting that the central monitoring site data can be used to estimate outdoor exposure in other parts of the city.

Variations of aerosol size distribution, chemical composition and optical properties from roadside to ambient environment: A case study in Hong Kong, China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian; Ning, Zhi; Shen, Zhenxing; Li, Guoliang; Zhang, Junke; Lei, Yali; Xu, Hongmei; Sun, Jian; Zhang, Leiming; Westerdahl, Dane; Gali, Nirmal Kumar; Gong, Xuesong

2017-10-01

This study investigated the ;roadside-to-ambient; evolution of particle physicochemical and optical properties in typical urban atmospheres of Hong Kong through collection of chemically-resolved PM2.5 data and PM2.5 size distribution at a roadside and an ambient site. Roadside particle size distribution showed typical peaks in the nuclei mode (30-40 nm) while ambient measurements peaked in the Aitken mode (50-70 nm), revealing possible condensation and coagulation growth of freshly emitted particles during aging processes. Much higher levels of anthropogenic chemical components, i.e. nitrate, sulfate, ammonium, organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC), but lower levels of OC/EC and secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA)/EC ratios appeared in roadside than ambient particles. The high OC/EC and SIA/EC ratios in ambient particles implied high contributions from secondary aerosols. Black carbon (BC), a strong light absorbing material, showed large variations in optical properties when mixed with other inorganic and organic components. Particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (p-PAHs), an indicator of brown carbon (BrC), showed significant UV-absorbing ability. The average BC and p-PAHs concentrations were 3.8 and 87.6 ng m-3, respectively, at the roadside, but were only 1.5 and 18.1 ng m-3 at the ambient site, suggesting BC and p-PAHs concentrations heavily driven by traffic emissions. In contrast, PM2.5 UV light absorption coefficients (babs-BrC,370nm) at the ambient site (4.2 Mm-1) and at the roadside site (4.1 Mm-1) were similar, emphasizing that particle aging processes enhanced UV light-absorbing properties, a conclusion that was also supported by the finding that the Absorption Ångström coefficient (AAC) value at UV wavelengths (AAC_UV band) at the ambient site were ∼1.7 times higher than that at the roadside. Both aqueous reaction and photochemically produced secondary organic aerosol (SOA) for ambient aerosols contributed to the peak values of babs

Measurement of particulate concentrations produced during bulk material handling at the Tarragona harbor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Artinano, B.; Gomez-Moreno, F.J.; Pujadas, M.; Moreno, N.; Alastuey, A.; Querol, X.; Martin, F.; Guerra, A.; Luaces, J.A.; Basora, J. [CIEMAT, Madrid (Spain)

2007-09-15

Bulk material handling can be a significant source of particles in harbor areas. The atmospheric impact of a number of loading/unloading activities of diverse raw materials has been assessed from continuous measurements of ambient particle concentrations recorded close to the emission sources. Two experimental campaigns have been carried out in the Tarragona port to document the impact of specific handling operations and bulk materials. Dusty bulk materials such as silica-manganese powder, tapioca, coal, clinker and lucerne were dealt with during the experiments. The highest impacts on ambient particle concentrations were recorded during handling of clinker. For this material and silica-manganese powder, high concentrations were recorded in the fine grain size ({lt}2.5 {mu}m). The lowest impacts on particulate matter concentrations were recorded during handling of tapioca and lucerne, mainly in the coarse grain size (2-5-10 {mu} m). The effectiveness of several emission abatement measures, such as ground watering to diminish coal particle resuspension, was demonstrated to reduce ambient concentrations by up to two orders of magnitude. The importance of other good practices in specific handling operations, such as controlling the height of the shovel discharge, was also evidenced by these experiments. The results obtained can be further utilized as a useful experimental database for emission factor estimations.

Technical comments on EPA`s proposed revisions to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for particulate matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lipfert, F.W.

1997-03-01

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new ambient air quality standards specifically for fine particulate matter, regulating concentrations of particles with median aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 {mu}m (PM{sub 2.5}). Two new standards have been proposed: a maximum 24-hr concentration that is intended to protect against acute health effects, and an annual concentration limit that is intended to protect against longer-term health effects. EPA has also proposed a slight relaxation of the 24-hr standard for inhalable particles (PM{sub 10}), by allowing additional exceedances each year. Fine particles are currently being indirectly controlled by means of regulations for PM{sub 10} and TSP, under the Clean Air Act of 1970 and subsequent amendments. Although routine monitoring of PM{sub 2.5} is rare and data are sparse, the available data indicate that ambient concentrations have been declining at about 6% per year under existing regulations.

Correlated particle dynamics in concentrated quasi-two-dimensional suspensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diamant, H; Cui, B; Lin, B; Rice, S A

2005-01-01

We investigate theoretically and experimentally how the hydrodynamically correlated lateral motion of particles in a suspension confined between two surfaces is affected by the suspension concentration. Despite the long range of the correlations (decaying as 1/r 2 with the inter-particle distance r), the concentration effect is present only at short inter-particle distances for which the static pair correlation is nonuniform. This is in sharp contrast with the effect of hydrodynamic screening in unconfined suspensions, where increasing the concentration changes the prefactor of the large-distance correlation

Field evaluation of a new particle concentrator- electrostatic precipitator system for measuring chemical and toxicological properties of particulate matter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pakbin Payam

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A newly designed electrostatic precipitator (ESP in tandem with Versatile Aerosol Concentration Enrichment System (VACES was developed by the University of Southern California to collect ambient aerosols on substrates appropriate for chemical and toxicological analysis. The laboratory evaluation of this sampler is described in a previous paper. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the new VACES-ESP system in the field by comparing the chemical characteristics of the PM collected in the ESP to those of reference samplers operating in parallel. Results The field campaign was carried out in the period from August, 2007 to March, 2008 in a typical urban environment near downtown Los Angeles. Each sampling set was restricted to 2–3 hours to minimize possible sampling artifacts in the ESP. The results showed that particle penetration increases and ozone concentration decreases with increasing sampling flow rate, with highest particle penetration observed between 100 nm and 300 nm. A reference filter sampler was deployed in parallel to the ESP to collect concentration-enriched aerosols, and a MOUDI sampler was used to collect ambient aerosols. Chemical analysis results showed very good agreement between the ESP and MOUDI samplers in the concentrations of trace elements and inorganic ions. The overall organic compound content of PM collected by the ESP, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, hopanes, steranes, and alkanes, was in good agreement with that of the reference sampler, with an average ESP -to -reference concentration ratio of 1.07 (± 0.38. While majority of organic compound ratios were close to 1, some of the semi-volatile organic species had slightly deviated ratios from 1, indicating the possibility of some sampling artifacts in the ESP due to reactions of PM with ozone and radicals generated from corona discharge, although positive and negative sampling artifacts in the

Particle analysis on concentrated particle suspensions by transmission fluctuation spectrometry with band-pass filters: part 2. Experimental results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Yamin; Shen, Jianqi; Cai, Xiaoshu; Riebel, Ulrich

2010-01-01

Transmission fluctuation spectrometry (TFS), as a new method of online and real-time particle analysis developed in recent years, can measure the particle size distribution and particle concentration simultaneously. In the preceding paper, high concentration effects on the TFS using band-pass filters were investigated by numerical simulation, and empirical expressions to correct the effects were obtained. This paper presents a study on the TFS measurements in which the particle concentration varies in a very wide dynamic range. Finally, reasonable results on both the particle size distribution and particle concentration are obtained by introducing empirical corrections into the inversion algorithm

Determination of respirable-sized crystalline silica in different ambient environments in the United Kingdom with a mobile high flow rate sampler utilising porous foams to achieve the required particle size selection

Science.gov (United States)

Stacey, Peter; Thorpe, Andrew; Roberts, Paul; Butler, Owen

2018-06-01

Inhalation of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) can cause diseases including silicosis and cancer. Levels of RCS close to an emission source are measured but little is known about the wider ambient exposure from industry emissions or natural sources. The aim of this work is to report the RCS concentrations obtained from a variety of ambient environments using a new mobile respirable (PM4) sampler. A mobile battery powered high flow rate (52 L min-1) sampler was developed and evaluated for particulate aerosol sampling employing foams to select the respirable particle size fraction. Sampling was conducted in the United Kingdom at site boundaries surrounding seven urban construction and demolition and five sand quarry sites. These are compared with data from twelve urban aerosol samples and from repeat measurements from a base line study at a single rural site. The 50% particle size penetration (d50) through the foam was 4.3 μm. Over 85% of predict bias values were with ±10% of the respirable convention, which is based on a log normal curve. Results for RCS from all construction and quarry activities are generally low with a 95 th percentile of 11 μg m-3. Eighty percent of results were less than the health benchmark value of 3 μg m-3 used in some states in America for ambient concentrations. The power cutting of brick and the largest demolition activities gave the highest construction levels. Measured urban background RCS levels were typically below 0.3 μg m-3 and the median RCS level, at a rural background location, was 0.02 μg m-3. These reported ambient RCS concentrations may provide useful baseline values to assess the wider impact of fugitive, RCS containing, dust emissions into the wider environment.

Opposing effects of particle pollution, ozone, and ambient temperature on arterial blood pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Barbara; Luttmann-Gibson, Heike; Cohen, Allison; Zanobetti, Antonella; de Souza, Celine; Foley, Christopher; Suh, Helen H; Coull, Brent A; Schwartz, Joel; Mittleman, Murray; Stone, Peter; Horton, Edward; Gold, Diane R

2012-02-01

Diabetes increases the risk of hypertension and orthostatic hypotension and raises the risk of cardiovascular death during heat waves and high pollution episodes. We examined whether short-term exposures to air pollution (fine particles, ozone) and heat resulted in perturbation of arterial blood pressure (BP) in persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We conducted a panel study in 70 subjects with T2DM, measuring BP by automated oscillometric sphygmomanometer and pulse wave analysis every 2 weeks on up to five occasions (355 repeated measures). Hourly central site measurements of fine particles, ozone, and meteorology were conducted. We applied linear mixed models with random participant intercepts to investigate the association of fine particles, ozone, and ambient temperature with systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial BP in a multipollutant model, controlling for season, meteorological variables, and subject characteristics. An interquartile increase in ambient fine particle mass [particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5)] and in the traffic component black carbon in the previous 5 days (3.54 and 0.25 μg/m3, respectively) predicted increases of 1.4 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0, 2.9 mmHg] and 2.2 mmHg (95% CI: 0.4, 4.0 mmHg) in systolic BP (SBP) at the population geometric mean, respectively. In contrast, an interquartile increase in the 5-day mean of ozone (13.3 ppb) was associated with a 5.2 mmHg (95% CI: -8.6, -1.8 mmHg) decrease in SBP. Higher temperatures were associated with a marginal decrease in BP. In subjects with T2DM, PM was associated with increased BP, and ozone was associated with decreased BP. These effects may be clinically important in patients with already compromised autoregulatory function.

Hybrid electrokinetics for separation, mixing, and concentration of colloidal particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sin, Mandy L Y; Shimabukuro, Yusuke; Wong, Pak Kin

2009-01-01

The advent of nanotechnology has facilitated the preparation of colloidal particles with adjustable sizes and the control of their size-dependent properties. Physical manipulation, such as separation, mixing, and concentration, of these colloidal particles represents an essential step for fully utilizing their potential in a wide spectrum of nanotechnology applications. In this study, we investigate hybrid electrokinetics, the combination of dielectrophoresis and electrohydrodynamics, for active manipulation of colloidal particles ranging from nanometers to micrometers in size. A concentric electrode configuration, which is optimized for generating electrohydrodynamic flow, has been designed to elucidate the effectiveness of hybrid electrokinetics and define the operating regimes for different microfluidic operations. The results indicate that the relative importance of electrohydrodynamics increases with decreasing particle size as predicted by a scaling analysis and that electrohydrodynamics is pivotal for manipulating nanoscale particles. Using the concentric electrodes, we demonstrate separation, mixing, and concentration of colloidal particles by adjusting the relative strengths of different electrokinetic phenomena. The effectiveness of hybrid electrokinetics indicates its potential to serve as a generic technique for active manipulation of colloidal particles in various nanotechnology applications.

Source apportionment of ambient particle number concentrations in central Los Angeles using positive matrix factorization (PMF

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. H. Sowlat

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In this study, the positive matrix factorization (PMF receptor model (version 5.0 was used to identify and quantify major sources contributing to particulate matter (PM number concentrations, using PM number size distributions in the range of 13 nm to 10 µm combined with several auxiliary variables, including black carbon (BC, elemental and organic carbon (EC/OC, PM mass concentrations, gaseous pollutants, meteorological, and traffic counts data, collected for about 9 months between August 2014 and 2015 in central Los Angeles, CA. Several parameters, including particle number and volume size distribution profiles, profiles of auxiliary variables, contributions of different factors in different seasons to the total number concentrations, diurnal variations of each of the resolved factors in the cold and warm phases, weekday/weekend analysis for each of the resolved factors, and correlation between auxiliary variables and the relative contribution of each of the resolved factors, were used to identify PM sources. A six-factor solution was identified as the optimum for the aforementioned input data. The resolved factors comprised nucleation, traffic 1, traffic 2 (with a larger mode diameter than traffic 1 factor, urban background aerosol, secondary aerosol, and soil/road dust. Traffic sources (1 and 2 were the major contributor to PM number concentrations, collectively making up to above 60 % (60.8–68.4 % of the total number concentrations during the study period. Their contribution was also significantly higher in the cold phase compared to the warm phase. Nucleation was another major factor significantly contributing to the total number concentrations (an overall contribution of 17 %, ranging from 11.7 to 24 %, with a larger contribution during the warm phase than in the cold phase. The other identified factors were urban background aerosol, secondary aerosol, and soil/road dust, with relative contributions of approximately 12�

Preferrential Concentration of Particles in Protoplanetary Nebula Turbulence

Science.gov (United States)

Hartlep, Thomas; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N.

2015-01-01

Preferential concentration in turbulence is a process that causes inertial particles to cluster in regions of high strain (in-between high vorticity regions), with specifics depending on their stopping time or Stokes number. This process is thought to be of importance in various problems including cloud droplet formation and aerosol transport in the atmosphere, sprays, and also in the formation of asteroids and comets in protoplanetary nebulae. In protoplanetary nebulae, the initial accretion of primitive bodies from freely-floating particles remains a problematic subject. Traditional growth-by-sticking models encounter a formidable "meter-size barrier" [1] in turbulent nebulae. One scenario that can lead directly from independent nebula particulates to large objects, avoiding the problematic m-km size range, involves formation of dense clumps of aerodynamically selected, typically mm-size particles in protoplanetary turbulence. There is evidence that at least the ordinary chondrite parent bodies were initially composed entirely of a homogeneous mix of such particles generally known as "chondrules" [2]. Thus, while it is arcane, turbulent preferential concentration acting directly on chondrule size particles are worthy of deeper study. Here, we present the statistical determination of particle multiplier distributions from numerical simulations of particle-laden isotopic turbulence, and a cascade model for modeling turbulent concentration at lengthscales and Reynolds numbers not accessible by numerical simulations. We find that the multiplier distributions are scale dependent at the very largest scales but have scale-invariant properties under a particular variable normalization at smaller scales.

Behavior and source characteristic of PCBS in urban ambient air of Yokohama, Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyoung-Soo; Masunaga, Shigeki

2005-01-01

To understand the behavior and sources of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in ambient air, gaseous and particulate phase concentrations were measured at Yokohama City, Japan, during March 2002 and February 2003. The concentration of total PCB and TEQ ranged from 62 to 250 pg/m 3 and from 2 to 14 fgTEQ/m 3 , respectively. The gas-particle partition coefficient (K p ) was obtained as a function of temperature. The relationship between the partition coefficient and the sub-cooled liquid vapor pressure (P L ) was also established (coefficients of determination for log K p versus log P L plot were >0.76, except for three samples). As a result, the partition ratio of gaseous and particulate phase PCBs can be estimated for an arbitrary temperature. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the source identification of PCBs in ambient air. The concentrations of 122 congeners between tetra-CBs and deca-CB were used as input variables, and three PCs with eigenvalue more than 10 were obtained. The principal component 1 (PC 1) accounted for 43.4% of the total variance, and was interpreted as volatilization from PCB products and/or sites polluted by PCBs. The concentrations of PCB congeners were strongly related with PC 1 which showed high correlation with temperature. PC 2 accounted for 22.3%, and was interpreted as PCBs from incineration sources, while PC 3 accounted for 10.8%, but could not be interpreted. - The relationship between the gas-particle partition coefficient (K p ) and sub-cooled liquid vapor pressure was estimated using gaseous and particle phase concentration in ambient air, and was estimated source apportionment of PCBs

Particle-bound Dechlorane Plus and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in ambient air around Shanghai, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Zhiqiang; Liao, Ru'e; Li, Huiru; Mo, Ligui; Zeng, Xiangying; Sheng, Guoying; Fu, Jiamo

2011-10-01

In present study, atmospheric particles from Shanghai, the biggest city and the most important industrial base in China, were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and Dechlorane Plus (DP). Concentrations of ∑(20)PBDEs and DP both exhibited the changing trend of industrial area > urban areas. Jiading District had the highest levels of particulate PBDEs and DP with values of 744 ± 152 pg/m(3) and 5.48 ± 1.28 pg/m(3), respectively. Compared with similar data in other areas of the world, PBDEs in Shanghai were at medium pollution level, while DP was at lower level, which reflected their different production and use in Shanghai. The results from multiple linear regression analysis suggested that deca-BDE mixture was the most important contributor of particulate PBDEs in Shanghai. The fractions of anti-DP showed no significant differences to those of the technical mixtures (p > 0.05), which suggested that no obviously stereoselective process occurred in ambient air around Shanghai. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Saharan Dust Particle Size And Concentration Distribution In Central Ghana

Science.gov (United States)

Sunnu, A. K.

2010-12-01

A.K. Sunnu*, G. M. Afeti* and F. Resch+ *Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Kumasi, Ghana. E-mail: albertsunnu@yahoo.com +Laboratoire Lepi, ISITV-Université du Sud Toulon-Var, 83162 La Valette cedex, France E-mail: resch@univ-tln.fr Keywords: Atmospheric aerosol; Saharan dust; Particle size distributions; Particle concentrations. Abstract The Saharan dust that is transported and deposited over many countries in the West African atmospheric environment (5°N), every year, during the months of November to March, known locally as the Harmattan season, have been studied over a 13-year period, between 1996 and 2009, using a location at Kumasi in central Ghana (6° 40'N, 1° 34'W) as the reference geographical point. The suspended Saharan dust particles were sampled by an optical particle counter, and the particle size distributions and concentrations were analysed. The counter gives the total dust loads as number of particles per unit volume of air. The optical particle counter used did not discriminate the smoke fractions (due to spontaneous bush fires during the dry season) from the Saharan dust. Within the particle size range measured (0.5 μm-25 μm.), the average inter-annual mean particle diameter, number and mass concentrations during the northern winter months of January and February were determined. The average daily number concentrations ranged from 15 particles/cm3 to 63 particles/cm3 with an average of 31 particles/cm3. The average daily mass concentrations ranged from 122 μg/m3 to 1344 μg/m3 with an average of 532 μg/m3. The measured particle concentrations outside the winter period were consistently less than 10 cm-3. The overall dust mean particle diameter, analyzed from the peak representative Harmattan periods over the 13-year period, ranged from 0.89 μm to 2.43 μm with an average of 1.5 μm ± 0.5. The particle size distributions exhibited the typical distribution pattern for

Gravitational settling of a highly concentrated system of solid spherical particles

Science.gov (United States)

Arkhipov, V. A.; Usanina, A. S.

2017-09-01

In the present paper, we report on the results of an experimental study of the process of gravity sedimentation of a cloud of monodispersed solid spherical particles with initial volume concentration C > 0.03, which was performed in a wide range of Reynolds numbers. An analytical estimate of the settling regimes of spherical particle clouds is presented. A new method for creating a spherical particle cloud with a high concentration of particles is proposed. A qualitative picture of the settling process of a highly concentrated particle cloud under gravity is revealed. A criterial dependence for the drag coefficient of a sedimenting spherical particle cloud as an entity is obtained.

Factors affecting the concentration of outdoor particles indoors: Existing data and data needs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKone, T.E.; Thatcher, T.L.; Fisk, W.J.; Sextro, R.G.; Sohn, M.D.; Delp, W.W.; Riley, W.J.

2002-01-01

Accurate characterization of particle concentrations indoors is critical to exposure assessments. It is estimated that indoor particle concentrations depend strongly on outdoor concentrations. For health scientists, knowledge of the factors that control the relationship of indoor particle concentrations to outdoor levels is particularly important. In this paper, we identify and evaluate sources of data for those factors that affect the transport to and concentration of outdoor particles indoors. To achieve this goal, we (i) identify and assemble relevant information on how particle behavior during air leakage, HVAC operation, and particle filtration effects indoor particle concentration; (ii) review and evaluate the assembled information to distinguish data that are directly relevant to specific estimates of particle transport from those that are only indirectly useful; and (iii) provide a synthesis of the currently available information on building air-leakage parameters and their effect on indoor particle matter concentrations

Detection of biological particles in ambient air using Bio-Aerosol Mass Spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McJimpsey, E L; Steele, P T; Coffee, K R; Fergenson, D P; Riot, V J; Woods, B W; Gard, E E; Frank, M; Tobias, H J; Lebrilla, C

2006-01-01

The Bio-Aerosol Mass Spectrometry (BAMS) system is an instrument used for the real time detection and identification of biological aerosols. Particles are drawn from the atmosphere directly into vacuum and tracked as they scatter light from several continuous wave lasers. After tracking, the fluorescence of individual particles is excited by a pulsed 266nm or 355nm laser. Molecules from those particles with appropriate fluorescence properties are subsequently desorbed and ionized using a pulsed 266nm laser. Resulting ions are analyzed in a dual polarity mass spectrometer. During two field deployments at the San Francisco International Airport, millions of ambient particles were analyzed and a small but significant fraction were found to have fluorescent properties similar to Bacillus spores and vegetative cells. Further separation of non-biological background particles from potential biological particles was accomplished using laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. This has been shown to enable some level of species differentiation in specific cases, but the creation and observation of higher mass ions is needed to enable a higher level of specificity across more species. A soft ionization technique, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is being investigated for this purpose. MALDI is particularly well suited for mass analysis of biomolecules since it allows for the generation of molecular ions from large mass compounds that would fragment under normal irradiation. Some of the initial results from a modified BAMS system utilizing this technique are described

Number Size Distribution of Ambient Particles in a Typical Urban Site: The First Polish Assessment Based on Long-Term (9 Months Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krzysztof Klejnowski

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This work presents results from the long-term measurements of particle number carried out at an urban background station in Zabrze, Poland. Ambient particles with aerodynamic diameters of between 28 nm and 10 μm were investigated by means of a DEKATI thirteen-stage electrical low pressure impactor (ELPI. The particle number-size distribution was bimodal, whilst its density function had the local maxima in the aerodynamic diameter intervals 0.056–0.095 μm and 0.157–0.263 μm. The average particle number in winter was nearly twice as high as in summer. The greatest number concentrations in winter were those of the particles with diameters of between 0.617 and 2.41 μm, that is, the anthropogenic particles from fossil fuel combustion. Approximately 99% of the particles observed in Zabrze had aerodynamic diameters ≤1 μm—they may have originated from the combustion of biomass, liquid, and gaseous fuels in domestic stoves or in car engines. The daily variation of particle number was similar for both seasons—the highest values were observed in the morning (traffic rush hour and in the afternoon/late evening (traffic and house heating emissions. An additional maximum (0.028–0.056 μm observed in the early afternoon in summer was due to the intensive formation of new PM particles from gas precursors.

Simulated reaction of formaldehyde and ambient atmospheric particulate matter using a chamber

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yueyue Chen; Jia Liu; Jing Shang; Tong Zhu

2017-01-01

The reaction of HCHO with Beijing winter's real ambient particulate matter (PM) inside a 3.3 m3 Teflon Chamber was conducted in this study.NO2,O3 and H2O gases were removed from the ambient aerosol before entering into the chamber.The decays of HCHO were monitored (acetylacetone spectrophotometry method) during the reactions at different PM number concentrations (Na) and relative humidities (RHs),and the formed particulate formate was detected by IC and XPS techniques.The results showed that when RH was 10％-15％,the decay rate of HCHO in the chamber was higher with the existence of PM from relatively clean days (with number concentration (Na) ＜ 200,000 particle/L,0.35-22.5 μm) compared to dirty days (Na ＞ 200,000 particle/L,0.35-22.5 μm).When RH increased to 30％-45％,PM can hardly have significant influences on the decay of HCHO.The formations of formate on the reacted PM were consistent with the HCHO decay rates at different ambient PM Na and RH conditions.This is a first study related to the "real" ambient PM reacted with HCHO and suggested that in the clean and low RH days,PM could be an effective medium for the conversion of HCHO to formate.

Laboratory and modeling studies on the effects of water and soot emissions and ambient conditions on the properties of contrail ice particles in the jet regime

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.-W. Wong

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Contrails and contrail-induced cirrus clouds are identified as the most uncertain components in determining aviation impacts on global climate change. Parameters affecting contrail ice particle formation immediately after the engine exit plane (< 5 s in plume age may be critical to ice particle properties used in large-scale models predicting contrail radiative forcing. Despite this, detailed understanding of these parametric effects is still limited. In this paper, we present results from recent laboratory and modeling studies conducted to investigate the effects of water and soot emissions and ambient conditions on near-field formation of contrail ice particles and ice particle properties. The Particle Aerosol Laboratory (PAL at the NASA Glenn Research Center and the Aerodyne microphysical parcel model for contrail ice particle formation were employed. Our studies show that exhaust water concentration has a significant impact on contrail ice particle formation and properties. When soot particles were introduced, ice particle formation was observed only when exhaust water concentration was above a critical level. When no soot or sulfuric acid was introduced, no ice particle formation was observed, suggesting that ice particle formation from homogeneous nucleation followed by homogeneous freezing of liquid water was unfavorable. Soot particles were found to compete for water vapor condensation, and higher soot concentrations emitted into the chamber resulted in smaller ice particles being formed. Chamber conditions corresponding to higher cruising altitudes were found to favor ice particle formation. The microphysical model captures trends of particle extinction measurements well, but discrepancies between the model and the optical particle counter measurements exist as the model predicts narrower ice particle size distributions and ice particle sizes nearly a factor of two larger than measured. These discrepancies are likely due to particle

Applications of Ground-based Mobile Atmospheric Monitoring: Real-time Characterization of Source Emissions and Ambient Concentrations

Science.gov (United States)

Goetz, J. Douglas

Gas and particle phase atmospheric pollution are known to impact human and environmental health as well as contribute to climate forcing. While many atmospheric pollutants are regulated or controlled in the developed world uncertainty still remains regarding the impacts from under characterized emission sources, the interaction of anthropogenic and naturally occurring pollution, and the chemical and physical evolution of emissions in the atmosphere, among many other uncertainties. Because of the complexity of atmospheric pollution many types of monitoring have been implemented in the past, but none are capable of perfectly characterizing the atmosphere and each monitoring type has known benefits and disadvantages. Ground-based mobile monitoring with fast-response in-situ instrumentation has been used in the past for a number of applications that fill data gaps not possible with other types of atmospheric monitoring. In this work, ground-based mobile monitoring was implemented to quantify emissions from under characterized emission sources using both moving and portable applications, and used in a novel way for the characterization of ambient concentrations. In the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania two mobile platforms were used to estimate emission rates from infrastructure associated with the production and transmission of natural gas using two unique methods. One campaign investigated emissions of aerosols, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), methane, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon dioxide (CO 2) from natural gas wells, well development practices, and compressor stations using tracer release ratio methods and a developed fenceline tracer release correction factor. Another campaign investigated emissions of methane from Marcellus Shale gas wells and infrastructure associated with two large national transmission pipelines using the "Point Source Gaussian" method described in the EPA OTM-33a. During both campaigns ambient concentrations

Ambient concentrations and personal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in an urban community with mixed sources of air pollution

Science.gov (United States)

ZHU, XIANLEI; FAN, ZHIHUA (TINA); WU, XIANGMEI; JUNG, KYUNG HWA; OHMAN-STRICKLAND, PAMELA; BONANNO, LINDA J.; LIOY, PAUL J.

2014-01-01

Assessment of the health risks resulting from exposure to ambient polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) is limited by a lack of environmental exposure data among the general population. This study characterized personal exposure and ambient concentrations of PAH in the Village of Waterfront South (WFS), an urban community with many mixed sources of air toxics in Camden, New Jersey, and CopeWood/Davis Streets (CDS), an urban reference area located ~1 mile east of WFS. A total of 54 and 53 participants were recruited from non-smoking households in WFS and CDS, respectively. In all, 24-h personal and ambient air samples were collected simultaneously in both areas on weekdays and weekends during summer and winter. The ambient PAH concentrations in WFS were either significantly higher than or comparable to those in CDS, indicating the significant impact of local sources on PAH pollution in WFS. Analysis of diagnostic ratios and correlation suggested that diesel truck traffic, municipal waste combustion and industrial combustion were the major sources in WFS. In such an area, ambient air pollution contributed significantly to personal PAH exposure, explaining 44–96% of variability in personal concentrations. This study provides valuable data for examining the impact of local ambient PAH pollution on personal exposure and therefore potential health risks associated with environmental PAH pollution. PMID:21364704

Tritium concentration in ambient air around Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Srinivas S Kamath

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Tritium (3H is one of the important long-lived radioisotopes in the gaseous effluent from nuclear power plants. In this article, we present the results of 3H monitoring in ambient air samples around the Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant, on the West Coast of India. Air samples were collected by moisture condensation method and the 3H concentration was determined by liquid scintillation spectrometry. The 3H concentration in the 2.3–15 km zone of the power plant varied in the range of <0.04–6.64 Bq m−3 with a median of 0.67 Bq m−3. The samples collected from the 2.3–5 km zone of the power plant exhibit marginally higher concentration when compared to the 5–10 km and 10–15 km zones, which is as expected. The values observed in the present study for Kaiga region are similar to those reported from other nuclear power plants, both within India and other parts of the world.

Projecting future summer mortality due to ambient ozone concentration and temperature changes

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jae Young; Lee, Soo Hyun; Hong, Sung-Chul; Kim, Ho

2017-05-01

Climate change is known to affect the human health both directly by increased heat stress and indirectly by altering environments, particularly by altering the rate of ambient ozone formation in the atmosphere. Thus, the risks of climate change may be underestimated if the effects of both future temperature and ambient ozone concentrations are not considered. This study presents a projection of future summer non-accidental mortality in seven major cities of South Korea during the 2020s (2016-2025) and 2050s (2046-2055) considering changes in temperature and ozone concentration, which were predicted by using the HadGEM3-RA model and Integrated Climate and Air Quality Modeling System, respectively. Four Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios (RCP 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5) were considered. The result shows that non-accidental summer mortality will increase by 0.5%, 0.0%, 0.4%, and 0.4% in the 2020s, 1.9%, 1.5%, 1.2%, and 4.4% in the 2050s due to temperature change compared to the baseline mortality during 2001-2010, under RCP 2.6, 4.5, 6.0, and 8.5, respectively, whereas the mortality will increase by 0.0%, 0.5%, 0.0%, and 0.5% in the 2020s, and 0.2%, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% in the 2050s due to ozone concentration change. The projection result shows that the future summer morality in South Korea is increased due to changes in both temperature and ozone, and the magnitude of ozone-related increase is much smaller than that of temperature-related increase, especially in the 2050s.

Regulation of cytokine production in human alveolar macrophages and airway epithelial cells in response to ambient air pollution particles: Further mechanistic studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, Susanne; Mundandhara, Sailaja; Devlin, Robert B.; Madden, Michael

2005-01-01

In order to better understand how ambient air particulate matter (PM) affect lung health, the two main airway cell types likely to interact with inhaled particles, alveolar macrophages (AM) and airway epithelial cells have been exposed to particles in vitro and followed for endpoints of inflammation, and oxidant stress. Separation of Chapel Hill PM 10 into fine and coarse size particles revealed that the main proinflammatory response (TNF, IL-6, COX-2) in AM was driven by material present in the coarse PM, containing 90-95% of the stimulatory material in PM10. The particles did not affect expression of hemoxygenase-1 (HO-1), a sensitive marker of oxidant stress. Primary cultures of normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE) also responded to the coarse fraction with higher levels of IL-8 and COX-2, than induced by fine or ultrafine PM. All size PM induced oxidant stress in NHBE, while fine PM induced the highest levels of HO-1 expression. The production of cytokines in AM by both coarse and fine particles was blocked by the toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist E5531 involved in the recognition of LPS and Gram negative bacteria. The NHBE were found to recognize coarse and fine PM through TLR2, a receptor with preference for recognition of Gram positive bacteria. Compared to ambient PM, diesel PM induced only a minimal cytokine response in both AM and NHBE. Instead, diesel suppressed LPS-induced TNF and IL-8 release in AM. Both coarse and fine ambient air PM were also found to inhibit LPS-induced TNF release while silica, volcanic ash or carbon black had no inhibitory effect. Diesel particles did not affect cytokine mRNA induction nor protein accumulation but interfered with the release of cytokine from the cells. Ambient coarse and fine PM, on the other hand, inhibited both mRNA induction and protein production. Exposure to coarse and fine PM decreased the expression of TLR4 in the macrophages. Particle-induced decrease in TLR4 and hyporesponsiveness to LPS

Modeling the dependency of radon concentration levels inside ancient Egyptian tombs on the ambient temperature variations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metwally, S.M.; Abo-Elmagdb, M.; Salamaa, E.

2007-01-01

Radon concentration inside partially closed places like dwellings, caves and tombs, depends on many parameters. Some parameters are known quantitatively as radon exhalation rate for walls, decay constant, surface to volume ratio and outdoor concentration while other parameters as ventilation rate is in common known qualitatively due to useless of traditional methods (tracer gases) in many places as ancient Egyptian tombs. This work introduces a derived mathematical model to evaluate the sensitivity of radon concentration levels inside single sided opening places as ancient Egyptian tombs on the ambient temperature differences. The obtained formula for the natural ventilation rate depends on the indoor and outdoor temperature difference and the geometrical dimensions of the doorway. The effects of in and out flow mixing, air viscosity, streamline contraction, swirling flow and turbulence, were taken into consideration in terms of an empirical correction factor. According UNSCEAR reports, the exhalation rate Φ=C ra λ rn fρ s (1-ε)L; C ra the effective radium content, λ rn decay constant, f emanation fraction, ρ s soil grain density, ε porosity and L diffusion length, these are approximately static parameters but the variability of ambient temperature introduces a source of energy of fluctuating strength to radon atoms in rocks which controls the flow rate and the ambient content of radon. Therefore, the change of outdoor and indoor temperature difference causes fluctuation of value and direction of volume flow rate in such places consequently causes the daily variation and on average the seasonal variation of radon concentration. Therefore according to the present model, the daily accurate expectation of radon concentrations inside ancient Egyptian tombs, require precise measurements of indoor and outdoor temperatures

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.

Determination of particle concentrations in multitemperature plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richley, E.; Tuma, D.T.

1982-01-01

The use of the multitemperature Saha equation (MSE) of Prigogine 1 and Patapov 2 for calculating particle concentrations in plasmas is shown to be an invalid procedure. Errors greater than one order of magnitude in the electron density in high-pressure argon and nitrogen electric arc plasmas can be easily incurred by using the multitemperature Saha equation. The alternative kinetic method for calculating concentrations is shown to be based on firm concepts. Simpliying procedures and computational techniques for calculating concentrations with the kinetic method are illustrated with examples

Low ambient temperature elevates plasma triiodothyronine concentrations while reducing digesta mean retention time and methane yield in sheep.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, M C; McFarlane, J R; Hegarty, R S

2015-06-01

Ruminant methane yield (MY) is positively correlated with mean retention time (MRT) of digesta. The hormone triiodothyronine (T3 ), which is negatively correlated with ambient temperature, is known to influence MRT. It was hypothesised that exposing sheep to low ambient temperatures would increase plasma T3 concentration and decrease MRT of digesta within the rumen of sheep, resulting in a reduction of MY. To test this hypothesis, six Merino sheep were exposed to two different ambient temperatures (cold treatment, 9 ± 1 °C; warm control 26 ± 1 °C). The effects on MY, digesta MRT, plasma T3 concentration, CO2 production, DM intake, DM digestibility, change in body weight (BW), rumen volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, estimated microbial protein output, protozoa abundance, wool growth, water intake, urine output and rectal temperature were studied. Cold treatment resulted in a reduction in MY (p < 0.01); digesta MRT in rumen (p < 0.01), hindgut (p = 0.01) and total digestive tract (p < 0.01); protozoa abundance (p < 0.05); and water intake (p < 0.001). Exposure to cold temperature increased plasma T3 concentration (p < 0.05), CO2 production (p = 0.01), total VFA concentrations (p = 0.03) and estimated microbial output from the rumen (p = 0.03). The rate of wool growth increased (p < 0.01) due to cold treatment, but DM intake, DM digestibility and BW change were not affected. The results suggest that exposure of sheep to cold ambient temperatures reduces digesta retention time in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to a reduction in enteric methane yield. Further research is warranted to determine whether T3 could be used as an indirect selection tool for genetic selection of low enteric methane-producing ruminants. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Tire-tread and bitumen particle concentrations in aerosol and soil samples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fauser, Patrik; Tjell, Jens Christian; Mosbæk, Hans

2002-01-01

% of the mass of airborne particulate tire debris have aerodynamic diameters smaller than 1 mum. The mean aerodynamic diameter is about I gm for the bitumen particles. This size range enables the possibility for far range transport and inhalation by humans. Soil concentrations in the vicinity of a highway...... indicate an approximate exponential decrease with increasing distance from the road. Constant values are reached after about 5 m for the tire particles and 10 m for the bitumen particles. Concentrations in soil that has not been touched for at least 30 years show a decrease in tire concentration...

Personal and ambient PM2.5 exposure assessment in the city of Agra

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Habil

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Human exposure to fine particles can have significant harmful effects on the respiratory and cardiovascular system. To investigate daily exposure characteristics to PM2.5 with ambient concentrations in an urban environment, a personal exposure measurements were conducted for school children, office workers and at their residents, in the city of Taj ‘Agra’, India. In order to account for all the sources of particulate matter exposure, measurements on several different days during December 2013 to February 2014 were carried out. Personal environment monitors (PEM and APM 550 were used to measure PM2.5 concentration. The research findings provide insight into possible sources and their interaction with human activities in modifying the human exposure levels. Keywords: Personal exposure, PM2.5, Ambient concentration, Correlation analysis, Health effects

A measurement of summertime dry deposition of ambient air particulates and associated metallic pollutants in Central Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Guor-Cheng; Chiang, Hung-Che; Chen, Yu-Cheng; Xiao, You-Fu; Wu, Chia-Ming; Kuo, Yu-Chen

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study is to characterize metallic elements associated with atmospheric particulate matter in the dry deposition plate, total suspended particulate, fine particles, and coarse particles at Taichung Harbor and Gong Ming Junior High School (airport) in central Taiwan at a sampling site from June 2013 to August 2013. The results indicated that: (1) the average concentrations of the metallic elements Cr and Cd were highest at the Gong Ming Junior High School (airport), and the average concentrations of the metallic elements Ni, Cu, and Pb were highest at the Taichung Harbor sampling site. (2) The high smelting industry density and export/import rate of heavily loaded cargos were the main reasons leading to these findings. (3) The average metallic element dry deposition and metallic element PM(2.5-10) all followed the order of Pb > Cr > Cu > Ni > Cd at the two sampling sites. However, the average metallic elements Cu and Pb were found to have the highest dry deposition velocities and concentrations in PM(2.5) for the two sampling sites in this study. (4) The correlation coefficients of ambient air particle dry deposition and concentration with wind speed at the airport were higher than those from the harbor sampling site. The wind and broad open spaces at Taichung Airport were the possible reasons for the increasing correlation coefficients for ambient air particle concentration and dry deposition with wind speed at the Taichung Airport sampling site.

Proposed Pathophysiologic Framework to Explain Some Excess Cardiovascular Death Associated with Ambient Air Particle Pollution: Insights for Public Health Translation

Science.gov (United States)

The paper proposes a pathophysiologic framework to explain the well-established epidemiological association between exposure to ambient air particle pollution and premature cardiovascular mortality, and offers insights into public health solutions that extend beyond regularory en...

Effect of Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation on Carcass Characteristics of Lambs Fed Concentrate Diets at Different Ambient Temperature Levels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Demba B. Jallow

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of ambient temperatures on carcass characteristics of lambs fed concentrate diets with or without NaHCO3 supplementation. A slaughter study was carried on 12 male Black Belly Barbados lambs randomly drawn from a growth trial (35 weeks. The lambs were divided into four equal groups and allotted in a 2×2 factorial design. The lambs were allotted at random to two dietary treatments of a basal diet (35:65 roughage:concentrate or basal diet supplemented with 4% NaHCO3 at different ambient temperatures (20°C and 30°C in an environment controlled chamber for 10 days. Lambs were slaughtered for carcass evaluation at about 262 days of age (245 days of growth trial, 7 days adaptation and 10 days of experimental period. Ambient temperature had significant (p0.05 effects on pH, and water holding capacity on both muscles. These results indicated that NaHCO3 supplementation at low ambient temperatures had caused an increase in carcass characteristics leading to significant effect on meat quality.

Modeling the dependency of radon concentration levels inside ancient Egyptian tombs on the ambient temperature variations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metwally, S M; Abo-Elmagdb, M [Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, Ain Shams University, P. O. Box 11566, Cairo (Egypt); Salamaa, E [National Institute for Standard, Radiation Measurements Department, Cairo (Egypt)

2007-06-15

Radon concentration inside partially closed places like dwellings, caves and tombs, depends on many parameters. Some parameters are known quantitatively as radon exhalation rate for walls, decay constant, surface to volume ratio and outdoor concentration while other parameters as ventilation rate is in common known qualitatively due to useless of traditional methods (tracer gases) in many places as ancient Egyptian tombs. This work introduces a derived mathematical model to evaluate the sensitivity of radon concentration levels inside single sided opening places as ancient Egyptian tombs on the ambient temperature differences. The obtained formula for the natural ventilation rate depends on the indoor and outdoor temperature difference and the geometrical dimensions of the doorway. The effects of in and out flow mixing, air viscosity, streamline contraction, swirling flow and turbulence, were taken into consideration in terms of an empirical correction factor. According UNSCEAR reports, the exhalation rate {phi}=C{sub ra}{lambda}{sub rn} f{rho}{sub s}(1-{epsilon})L; C{sub ra} the effective radium content, {lambda}{sub rn} decay constant, f emanation fraction, {rho}{sub s} soil grain density, {epsilon} porosity and L diffusion length, these are approximately static parameters but the variability of ambient temperature introduces a source of energy of fluctuating strength to radon atoms in rocks which controls the flow rate and the ambient content of radon. Therefore, the change of outdoor and indoor temperature difference causes fluctuation of value and direction of volume flow rate in such places consequently causes the daily variation and on average the seasonal variation of radon concentration. Therefore according to the present model, the daily accurate expectation of radon concentrations inside ancient Egyptian tombs, require precise measurements of indoor and outdoor temperatures.

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.

Occurrence and Concentrations of Toxic VOCs in the Ambient Air of Gumi, an Electronics-Industrial City in Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sung-Ok Baek

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to characterize the occurrence and concentrations of a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs including aliphatic, aromatic, halogenated, nitrogenous, and carbonyl compounds, in the ambient air of Gumi City, where a large number of electronics industries are found. Two field monitoring campaigns were conducted for a one year period in 2003/2004 and 2010/2011 at several sampling sites in the city, representing industrial, residential and commercial areas. More than 80 individual compounds were determined in this study, and important compounds were then identified according to their abundance, ubiquity and toxicity. The monitoring data revealed toluene, trichloroethylene and acetaldehyde to be the most significant air toxics in the city, and their major sources were mainly industrial activities. On the other hand, there was no clear evidence of an industrial impact on the concentrations of benzene and formaldehyde in the ambient air of the city. Overall, seasonal variations were not as distinct as locational variations in the VOCs concentrations, whereas the within-day variations showed a typical pattern of urban air pollution, i.e., increase in the morning, decrease in the afternoon, and an increase again in the evening. Considerable decreases in the concentrations of VOCs from 2003 to 2011 were observed. The reductions in the ambient concentrations were confirmed further by the Korean PRTR data in industrial emissions within the city. Significant decreases in the concentrations of benzene and acetaldehyde were also noted, whereas formaldehyde appeared to be almost constant between the both campaigns. The decreased trends in the ambient levels were attributed not only to the stricter regulations for VOCs in Korea, but also to the voluntary agreement of major companies to reduce the use of organic solvents. In addition, a site planning project for an eco-friendly industrial complex is believed to play a contributory

Cloud Condensation Nuclei Particle Counter (CCN) Instrument Handbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uin, Janek [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2016-04-01

The Cloud Condensation Nuclei Counter—CCN (Figure 1) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility instrument for measuring the concentration of aerosol particles that can act as cloud condensation nuclei [1, 2]. The CCN draws the sample aerosol through a column with thermodynamically unstable supersaturated water vapor that can condense onto aerosol particles. Particles that are activated, i.e., grown larger in this process, are counted (and sized) by an Optical Particle Counter (OPC). Thus, activated ambient aerosol particle number concentration as a function of supersaturation is measured. Models CCN-100 and CCN-200 differ only in the number of humidifier columns and related subsystems: CCN-100 has one column and CCN-200 has two columns along with dual flow systems and electronics.

Fine particle number and mass concentration measurements in urban Indian households.

Science.gov (United States)

Mönkkönen, P; Pai, P; Maynard, A; Lehtinen, K E J; Hämeri, K; Rechkemmer, P; Ramachandran, G; Prasad, B; Kulmala, M

2005-07-15

Fine particle number concentration (D(p)>10 nm, cm(-3)), mass concentrations (approximation of PM(2.5), microg m(-3)) and indoor/outdoor number concentration ratio (I/O) measurements have been conducted for the first time in 11 urban households in India, 2002. The results indicate remarkable high indoor number and mass concentrations and I/O number concentration ratios caused by cooking. Besides cooking stoves that used liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or kerosene as the main fuel, high indoor concentrations can be explained by poor ventilation systems. Particle number concentrations of more than 300,000 cm(-3) and mass concentrations of more than 1000 microg m(-3) were detected in some cases. When the number and mass concentrations during cooking times were statistically compared, a correlation coefficient r>0.50 was observed in 63% of the households. Some households used other fuels like wood and dung cakes along with the main fuel, but also other living activities influenced the concentrations. In some areas, outdoor combustion processes had a negative impact on indoor air quality. The maximum concentrations observed in most cases were due to indoor combustion sources. Reduction of exposure risk and health effects caused by poor indoor air in urban Indian households is possible by improving indoor ventilation and reducing penetration of outdoor particles.

Indoor particle dynamics in a school office: determination of particle concentrations, deposition rates and penetration factors under naturally ventilated conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cong, X C; Zhao, J J; Jing, Z; Wang, Q G; Ni, P F

2018-05-09

Recently, the problem of indoor particulate matter pollution has received much attention. An increasing number of epidemiological studies show that the concentration of atmospheric particulate matter has a significant effect on human health, even at very low concentrations. Most of these investigations have relied upon outdoor particle concentrations as surrogates of human exposures. However, considering that the concentration distribution of the indoor particulate matter is largely dependent on the extent to which these particles penetrate the building and on the degree of suspension in the indoor air, human exposures to particles of outdoor origin may not be equal to outdoor particle concentration levels. Therefore, it is critical to understand the relationship between the particle concentrations found outdoors and those found in indoor micro-environments. In this study, experiments were conducted using a naturally ventilated office located in Qingdao, China. The indoor and outdoor particle concentrations were measured at the same time using an optical counter with four size ranges. The particle size distribution ranged from 0.3 to 2.5 μm, and the experimental period was from April to September, 2016. Based on the experimental data, the dynamic and mass balance model based on time was used to estimate the penetration rate and deposition rate at air exchange rates of 0.03-0.25 h -1 . The values of the penetration rate and deposition velocity of indoor particles were determined to range from 0.45 to 0.82 h -1 and 1.71 to 2.82 m/h, respectively. In addition, the particulate pollution exposure in the indoor environment was analyzed to estimate the exposure hazard from indoor particulate matter pollution, which is important for human exposure to particles and associated health effects. The conclusions from this study can serve to provide a better understanding the dynamics and behaviors of airborne particle entering into buildings. And they will also highlight

Evaluation and Comparison of Chemiluminescence and UV Photometric Methods for Measuring Ozone Concentrations in Ambient Air

Science.gov (United States)

The current Federal Reference Method (FRM) for measuring concentrations of ozone in ambient air is based on the dry, gas-phase, chemiluminescence reaction between ethylene (C2H4) and any ozone (O3) that may be p...

Contribution from indoor sources to particle number and mass concentrations in residential houses

Science.gov (United States)

He, Congrong; Morawska, Lidia; Hitchins, Jane; Gilbert, Dale

As part of a large study investigating indoor air in residential houses in Brisbane, Australia, the purpose of this work was to quantify emission characteristics of indoor particle sources in 15 houses. Submicrometer particle number and approximation of PM 2.5 concentrations were measured simultaneously for more than 48 h in the kitchen of all the houses by using a condensation particle counter (CPC) and a photometer (DustTrak), respectively. In addition, characterizations of particles resulting from cooking conducted in an identical way in all the houses were measured by using a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS), an aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) and a DustTrak. All the events of elevated particle concentrations were linked to indoor activities using house occupants diary entries, and catalogued into 21 different types of indoor activities. This enabled quantification of the effect of indoor sources on indoor particle concentrations as well as quantification of emission rates from the sources. For example, the study found that frying, grilling, stove use, toasting, cooking pizza, cooking, candle vaporizing eucalyptus oil and fan heater use, could elevate the indoor submicrometer particle number concentration levels by more than five times, while PM 2.5 concentrations could be up to 3, 30 and 90 times higher than the background levels during smoking, frying and grilling, respectively.

Influential parameters on particle concentration and size distribution in the mainstream of e-cigarettes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuoco, F.C.; Buonanno, G.; Stabile, L.; Vigo, P.

2014-01-01

Electronic cigarette-generated mainstream aerosols were characterized in terms of particle number concentrations and size distributions through a Condensation Particle Counter and a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer spectrometer, respectively. A thermodilution system was also used to properly sample and dilute the mainstream aerosol. Different types of electronic cigarettes, liquid flavors, liquid nicotine contents, as well as different puffing times were tested. Conventional tobacco cigarettes were also investigated. The total particle number concentration peak (for 2-s puff), averaged across the different electronic cigarette types and liquids, was measured equal to 4.39 ± 0.42 × 10 9 part. cm −3 , then comparable to the conventional cigarette one (3.14 ± 0.61 × 10 9 part. cm −3 ). Puffing times and nicotine contents were found to influence the particle concentration, whereas no significant differences were recognized in terms of flavors and types of cigarettes used. Particle number distribution modes of the electronic cigarette-generated aerosol were in the 120–165 nm range, then similar to the conventional cigarette one. -- Highlights: • High particle number concentrations measured in e-cigarettes' mainstream aerosol. • Particle concentrations were higher than conventional tobacco cigarette ones. • Nicotine content and puffing times influenced particle concentrations. • Flavoring and type of cigarette did not affect the particle number concentration. • Particle number distribution mode of e-cigarette aerosol was equal to 120–165 nm. -- The mainstream aerosol generated by electronic cigarettes was characterized and the effect of each operating parameter was evaluated: results were similar to conventional cigarette ones

Concentrating small particles in protoplanetary disks through the streaming instability

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, C.-C.; Johansen, A.; Carrera, D.

2017-10-01

Laboratory experiments indicate that direct growth of silicate grains via mutual collisions can only produce particles up to roughly millimeters in size. On the other hand, recent simulations of the streaming instability have shown that mm/cm-sized particles require an excessively high metallicity for dense filaments to emerge. Using a numerical algorithm for stiff mutual drag force, we perform simulations of small particles with significantly higher resolutions and longer simulation times than in previous investigations. We find that particles of dimensionless stopping time τs = 10-2 and 10-3 - representing cm- and mm-sized particles interior of the water ice line - concentrate themselves via the streaming instability at a solid abundance of a few percent. We thus revise a previously published critical solid abundance curve for the regime of τs ≪ 1. The solid density in the concentrated regions reaches values higher than the Roche density, indicating that direct collapse of particles down to mm sizes into planetesimals is possible. Our results hence bridge the gap in particle size between direct dust growth limited by bouncing and the streaming instability.

Extinction of polarized light in ferrofluids with different magnetic particle concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Socoliuc, V.; Popescu, L.B.

2012-01-01

The magnetic field intensity and nanoparticle concentration dependence of the polarized light extinction in a ferrofluid made of magnetite particles stabilized with technical grade oleic acid dispersed in transformer oil was experimentally investigated. The magnetically induced optical anisotropy, i.e. the dichroism divided by concentration, was found to decrease with increasing sample concentration from 2% to 8%. The magnetically induced change in the optical extinction of light polarized at 54.74 o with respect to the magnetic field direction was found to be positive for the less concentrated sample (2%) and negative for the samples with 4% and 8% magnetic nanoparticle concentrations, the more negative the higher the concentration and field intensity. Based on the theoretically proven fact that the particle orientation mechanism has no effect on the extinction of light polarized at 54.74 o with respect to the field direction, we analyzed the experimental findings in the frames of the agglomeration and long-range pair correlations theories for the magnetically induced optical anisotropy in ferrofluids. We developed a theoretical model in the approximation of single scattering for the optical extinction coefficient of a ferrofluid with magnetically induced particle agglomeration. The model predicts the existence of a polarization independent component of the optical extinction coefficient that is experimentally measurable at 54.74 o polarization angle. The change in the optical extinction of light polarized at 54.74 o is positive if only the formation of straight n-particle chains is considered and may become negative in the hypothesis that the longer chains degenerate to more isotropic structures (polymer-like coils, globules or bundles of chains). The model for the influence on the light absorption of the long-range pair correlations, published elsewhere, predicts that the change in the optical extinction of light polarized at 54.74 o is always negative, the more

Measurement of particle size distribution and mass concentration of nuclear fuel aerosols

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pickering, S.

1982-01-01

The particle size distribution and particle mass concentration of a nuclear fuel aerosol is measured by admitting the aerosol into a vertically-extending container, positioning an alpha particle detector within the container so that its window is horizontal and directed vertically, stopping the admission of aerosol into the container, detecting the alpha-activity of the particles of the aerosol sedimenting onto the detector window (for example in a series of equal time intervals until a constant level is reached), and converting the alpha-activity measurements into particle size distribution and/or particle mass concentration measurements. The detector is attached to a pivotted arm and by raising a counterweight can be lowered from the container for cleaning. (author)

Changes in concentration and (delta) 13C value of dissolved CH4, CO2 and organic carbon in rice paddies under ambient and elevated concentrations of atmospheric CO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiguo Cheng; Yagi, Kazuyuki; Sakai, Hidemitsu; Hua Xu; Kobayashi, Kazuhiko

2005-01-01

Changes in concentration and (delta) 13 C value of dissolved CH 4 , CO 2 and organic carbon (DOC) in floodwater and soil solution from a Japanese rice paddy were studied under ambient and elevated concentrations of atmospheric CO 2 in controlled environment chambers. The concentrations of dissolved CH 4 in floodwater increased with rice growth (with some fluctuation), while the concentrations of CO 2 remained between 2.9 to 4.4 and 4.2 to 5.8 μg C mL -1 under conditions of ambient and elevated CO 2 concentration, respectively. The amount of CH 4 dissolved in soil solution under elevated CO 2 levels was significantly lower than under ambient CO 2 in the tillering stage, implying that the elevated CO 2 treatment accelerated CH 4 oxidation during the early stage of growth. However, during later stages of growth, production of CH 4 increased and the amount of CH 4 dissolved in soil solution under elevated CO 2 levels was, on average, greater than that under ambient CO 2 conditions. Significant correlation existed among the (delta) 13 C values of dissolved CH 4 , CO 2 , and DOC in floodwater (except for the samples taken immediately after pulse feeding with 13 C enriched CO 2 ), indicating that the origins and cycling of CH 4 , CO 2 and DOC were related. There were also significant correlations among the (delta) 13 C values of CH 4 , CO 2 and DOC in the soil solution. The turnover rate of CO 2 in soil solution was most rapid in the panicle formation stage of rice growth and that of CH 4 fastest in the grain filling stage. (Author)

Ice-nucleating particle concentrations unaffected by urban air pollution in Beijing, China

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jie; Wu, Zhijun; Augustin-Bauditz, Stefanie; Grawe, Sarah; Hartmann, Markus; Pei, Xiangyu; Liu, Zirui; Ji, Dongsheng; Wex, Heike

2018-03-01

Exceedingly high levels of PM2.5 with complex chemical composition occur frequently in China. It has been speculated whether anthropogenic PM2.5 may significantly contribute to ice-nucleating particles (INP). However, few studies have focused on the ice-nucleating properties of urban particles. In this work, two ice-nucleating droplet arrays have been used to determine the atmospheric number concentration of INP (NINP) in the range from -6 to -25 °C in Beijing. No correlations between NINP and either PM2.5 or black carbon mass concentrations were found, although both varied by more than a factor of 30 during the sampling period. Similarly, there were no correlations between NINP and either total particle number concentration or number concentrations for particles with diameters > 500 nm. Furthermore, there was no clear difference between day and night samples. All these results indicate that Beijing air pollution did not increase or decrease INP concentrations in the examined temperature range above values observed in nonurban areas; hence, the background INP concentrations might not be anthropogenically influenced as far as urban air pollution is concerned, at least in the examined temperature range.

Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and inorganic constituents in ambient surface soils, Chicago, Illinois: 2001-2002

Science.gov (United States)

Kay, R.T.; Arnold, T.L.; Cannon, W.F.; Graham, D.

2008-01-01

Samples of ambient surface soils were collected from 56 locations in Chicago, Illinois, using stratified random sampling techniques and analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds and inorganic constituents. PAHs appear to be derived primarily from combustion of fossil fuels and may be affected by proximity to industrial operations, but do not appear to be substantially affected by the organic carbon content of the soil, proximity to nonindustrial land uses, or proximity to a roadway. Atmospheric settling of particulate matter appears to be an important mechanism for the placement of PAH compounds into soils. Concentrations of most inorganic constituents are affected primarily by soil-forming processes. Concentrations of lead, arsenic, mercury, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, molybdenum, zinc, and selenium are elevated in ambient surface soils in Chicago in comparison to the surrounding area, indicating anthropogenic sources for these elements in Chicago soils. Concentrations of calcium and magnesium in Chicago soils appear to reflect the influence of the carbonate bedrock parent material on the chemical composition of the soil, although the effects of concrete and road fill cannot be discounted. Concentrations of inorganic constituents appear to be largely unaffected by the type of nearby land use. Copyright ?? Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

A hazard to health? Fine particles arouse worldwide interest

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karas, J; Oesch, P

1998-07-01

The most recent studies show that particles contained in the air that we breathe may have harmful effects on the health of asthmatics, children and old people in particular. Particle material found in ambient air is formed by emissions resulting from traffic, industry and other use of fuels. Nature`s own sources also have a significant effect on particle concentrations. The mechanisms by which fine particles may produce negative health effects are so far unknown. At present it is therefore impossible to assess the effects of emissions of fine particles resulting, for instance, from the use of fossil fuels

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.

Effects of types of ventilation system on indoor particle concentrations in residential buildings.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, J S; Jee, N-Y; Jeong, J-W

2014-12-01

The objective of this study was to quantify the influence of ventilation systems on indoor particle concentrations in residential buildings. Fifteen occupied, single-family apartments were selected from three sites. The three sites have three different ventilation systems: unbalanced mechanical ventilation, balanced mechanical ventilation, and natural ventilation. Field measurements were conducted between April and June 2012, when outdoor air temperatures were comfortable. Number concentrations of particles, PM2.5 and CO2 , were continuously measured both outdoors and indoors. In the apartments with natural ventilation, I/O ratios of particle number concentrations ranged from 0.56 to 0.72 for submicron particles, and from 0.25 to 0.60 for particles larger than 1.0 μm. The daily average indoor particle concentration decreased to 50% below the outdoor level for submicron particles and 25% below the outdoor level for fine particles, when the apartments were mechanically ventilated. The two mechanical ventilation systems reduced the I/O ratios by 26% for submicron particles and 65% for fine particles compared with the natural ventilation. These results showed that mechanical ventilation can reduce exposure to outdoor particles in residential buildings. Results of this study confirm that mechanical ventilation with filtration can significantly reduce indoor particle levels compared with natural ventilation. The I/O ratios of particles substantially varied at the naturally ventilated apartments because of the influence of variable window opening conditions and unsteadiness of wind flow on the penetration of outdoor air particles. For better prediction of the exposure to outdoor particles in naturally ventilated residential buildings, it is important to understand the penetration of outdoor particles with variable window opening conditions. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

How comparable are size-resolved particle number concentrations from different instruments?

Science.gov (United States)

Hornsby, K. E.; Pryor, S. C.

2012-12-01

The need for comparability of particle size resolved measurements originates from multiple drivers including: (i) Recent suggestions that air quality standards for particulate matter should migrate from being mass-based to incorporating number concentrations. This move would necessarily be predicated on measurement comparability which is absolutely critical to compliance determination. (ii) The need to quantify and diagnose causes of variability in nucleation and growth rates in nano-particle experiments conducted in different locations. (iii) Epidemiological research designed to identify key parameters in human health responses to fine particle exposure. Here we present results from a detailed controlled laboratory instrument inter-comparison experiment designed to investigate data comparability in the size range of 2.01-523.3 nm across a range of particle composition, modal diameter and absolute concentration. Particle size distributions were generated using a TSI model 3940 Aerosol Generation System (AGS) diluted using zero air, and sampled using four TSI Scanning Mobility Particle Spectrometer (SMPS) configurations and a TSI model 3091 Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPS). The SMPS configurations used two Electrostatic Classifiers (EC) (model 3080) attached to either a Long DMA (LDMA) (model 3081) or a Nano DMA (NDMA) (model 3085) plumbed to either a TSI model 3025A Butanol Condensed Particle Counting (CPC) or a TSI model 3788 Water CPC. All four systems were run using both high and low flow conditions, and were operated with both the internal diffusion loss and multiple charge corrections turned on. The particle compositions tested were sodium chloride, ammonium nitrate and olive oil diluted in ethanol. Particles of all three were generated at three peak concentration levels (spanning the range observed at our experimental site), and three modal particle diameters. Experimental conditions were maintained for a period of 20 minutes to ensure experimental

Scattering by a plane-parallel layer with high concentration of optically soft particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loiko, Valery A.; Berdnik, Vladimir V.

2009-01-01

A method describing light propagation in a plane-parallel light-scattering layer with large concentration of homogeneous particles is developed. It is based on the radiative transfer equation and the doubling method. The interference approximation is used to take into account collective scattering effects. Spectral dependence of transmitted light for a layer of nonabsorbing optically soft particles with subwavelength-sized particles is investigated. At small volume concentration of the particles the weak spectral dependences of wave exponents for coherently transmitted and diffuse light are observed. It is shown that in a layer with large volume concentration of the subwavelength-sized particles the wave exponent can exceed considerably the value of four, which takes place for the Rayleigh particles. The dependence of wave exponents for coherently transmitted and diffuse light on the refractive index and concentration of particles is investigated in detail. Multiple scattering of light results in the reduction of the exponent. The quantitative results are presented and discussed. It is shown that there is a range of wavelengths where the negative values of the wave exponent at the regime of multiple scattering are implemented.

Gas-phase naphthalene concentration data recovery in ambient air and its relevance as a tracer of sources of volatile organic compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Uria-Tellaetxe, Iratxe; Navazo, Marino; de Blas, Maite; Durana, Nieves; Alonso, Lucio; Iza, Jon

2016-04-01

Despite the toxicity of naphthalene and the fact that it is a precursor of atmospheric photooxidants and secondary aerosol, studies on ambient gas-phase naphthalene are generally scarce. Moreover, as far as we are concerned, this is the first published one using long-term hourly ambient gas-phase naphthalene concentrations. In this work, it has been also demonstrated the usefulness of ambient gas-phase naphthalene to identify major sources of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in complex scenarios. Initially, in order to identify main benzene emission sources, hourly ambient measurements of 60 VOC were taken during a complete year together with meteorological data in an urban/industrial area. Later, due to the observed co-linearity of some of the emissions, a procedure was developed to recover naphthalene concentration data from recorded chromatograms to use it as a tracer of the combustion and distillation of petroleum products. The characteristic retention time of this compound was determined comparing previous GC-MS and GC-FID simultaneous analysis by means of relative retention times, and its concentration was calculated by using relative response factors. The obtained naphthalene concentrations correlated fairly well with ethene (r = 0.86) and benzene (r = 0.92). Besides, the analysis of daily time series showed that these compounds followed a similar pattern, very different from that of other VOC, with minimum concentrations at day-time. This, together with the results from the assessment of the meteorological dependence pointed out a coke oven as the major naphthalene and benzene emitting sources in the study area.

Acoustic concentration of particles in fluid flow

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Michael D.; Kaduchak, Gregory

2010-11-23

An apparatus for acoustic concentration of particles in a fluid flow includes a substantially acoustically transparent membrane and a vibration generator that define a fluid flow path therebetween. The fluid flow path is in fluid communication with a fluid source and a fluid outlet and the vibration generator is disposed adjacent the fluid flow path and is capable of producing an acoustic field in the fluid flow path. The acoustic field produces at least one pressure minima in the fluid flow path at a predetermined location within the fluid flow path and forces predetermined particles in the fluid flow path to the at least one pressure minima.

Acoustic concentration of particles in fluid flow

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Michael W.; Kaduchak, Gregory

2017-08-15

Disclosed herein is a acoustic concentration of particles in a fluid flow that includes a substantially acoustically transparent membrane and a vibration generator that define a fluid flow path therebetween. The fluid flow path is in fluid communication with a fluid source and a fluid outlet and the vibration generator is disposed adjacent the fluid flow path and is capable of producing an acoustic field in the fluid flow path. The acoustic field produces at least one pressure minima in the fluid flow path at a predetermined location within the fluid flow path and forces predetermined particles in the fluid flow path to the at least one pressure minima.

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.

Sampling and chemical analysis by TXRF of size-fractionated ambient aerosols and emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

John, A.C.; Kuhlbusch, T.A.J.; Fissan, H.; Schmidt, K.-G-; Schmidt, F.; Pfeffer, H.-U.; Gladtke, D.

2000-01-01

Results of recent epidemiological studies led to new European air quality standards which require the monitoring of particles with aerodynamic diameters ≤ 10 μm (PM 10) and ≤ 2.5 μm (PM 2.5) instead of TSP (total suspended particulate matter). As these ambient air limit values will be exceeded most likely at several locations in Europe, so-called 'action plans' have to be set up to reduce particle concentrations, which requires information about sources and processes of PMx aerosols. For chemical characterization of the aerosols, different samplers were used and total reflection x-ray fluorescence analysis (TXRF) was applied beside other methods (elemental and organic carbon analysis, ion chromatography, atomic absorption spectrometry). For TXRF analysis, a specially designed sampling unit was built where the particle size classes 10-2.5 μm and 2.5-1.0 μm were directly impacted on TXRF sample carriers. An electrostatic precipitator (ESP) was used as a back-up filter to collect particles <1 μm directly on a TXRF sample carrier. The sampling unit was calibrated in the laboratory and then used for field measurements to determine the elemental composition of the mentioned particle size fractions. One of the field campaigns was carried out at a measurement site in Duesseldorf, Germany, in November 1999. As the composition of the ambient aerosols may have been influenced by a large construction site directly in the vicinity of the station during the field campaign, not only the aerosol particles, but also construction material was sampled and analyzed by TXRF. As air quality is affected by natural and anthropogenic sources, the emissions of particles ≤ 10 μm and ≤ 2.5 μm, respectively, have to be determined to estimate their contributions to the so called coarse and fine particle modes of ambient air. Therefore, an in-stack particle sampling system was developed according to the new ambient air quality standards. This PM 10/PM 2.5 cascade impactor was

Atmospheric concentrations and phase partitioning of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Izmir, Turkey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Demircioglu, Eylem; Odabasi, Mustafa [Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir (Turkey); Sofuoglu, Aysun [Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, Gulbahce-Urla (Turkey)

2011-04-15

Ambient air polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) samples were collected at a suburban (n = 63) and at an urban site (n = 14) in Izmir, Turkey. Average gas-phase total PAH (sum {sub 14}PAH) concentrations were 23.5 ng m{sup -3} for suburban and 109.7 ng m{sup -3} for urban sites while average particle-phase total PAH concentrations were 12.3 and 34.5 ng m{sup -3} for suburban and urban sites, respectively. Higher ambient PAH concentrations were measured in the gas-phase and sum {sub 14}PAH concentrations were dominated by lower molecular weight PAHs. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the meteorological parameters were effective on ambient PAH concentrations. Emission sources of particle-phase PAHs were investigated using a diagnostic plot of fluorene (FLN)/(fluorine + pyrene; PY) versus indeno[1,2,3-cd]PY/(indeno[1,2,3-cd]PY + benzo[g,h,i]perylene) and several diagnostic ratios. These approaches have indicated that traffic emissions (petroleum combustion) were the dominant PAH sources at both sites for summer and winter seasons. Experimental gas-particle partition coefficients (K{sub P}) were compared to the predictions of octanol-air (K{sub OA}) and soot-air (K{sub SA}) partition coefficient models. The correlations between experimental and modeled K{sub P} values were significant (r{sup 2} = 0.79 and 0.94 for suburban and urban sites, respectively, p < 0.01). Octanol-based absorptive partitioning model predicted lower partition coefficients especially for relatively volatile PAHs. However, overall there was a relatively good agreement between the measured K{sub P} and soot-based model predictions. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Transcriptome Profiling of the Lungs Reveals Molecular Clock Genes Expression Changes after Chronic Exposure to Ambient Air Particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pengcheng Song

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The symptoms of asthma, breathlessness, insomnia, etc. all have relevance to pulmonary rhythmic disturbances. Epidemiology and toxicology studies have demonstrated that exposure to ambient air particles can result in pulmonary dysfunction. However, there are no data directly supporting a link between air pollution and circadian rhythm disorder. In the present study, we found that breathing highly polluted air resulted in changes of the molecular clock genes expression in lung by transcriptome profiling analyses in a rodent model. Compared to those exposed to filtered air, in both pregnant and offspring rats in the unfiltered group, key clock genes (Per1, Per2, Per3, Rev-erbα and Dbp expression level decreased and Bmal1 expression level increased. In both rat dams and their offspring, after continuous exposure to unfiltered air, we observed significant histologic evidence for both perivascular and peribronchial inflammation, increased tissue and systemic oxidative stress in the lungs. Our results suggest that chronic exposure to particulate matter can induce alterations of clock genes expression, which could be another important pathway for explaining the feedbacks of ambient particle exposure in addition to oxidative stress and inflammation.

Sources and transformations of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Mexico City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. C. Marr

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Understanding sources, concentrations, and transformations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs in the atmosphere is important because of their potent mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. The measurement of particle-bound PAHs by three different methods during the Mexico City Metropolitan Area field campaign in April 2003 presents a unique opportunity for characterization of these compounds and intercomparison of the methods. The three methods are (1 collection and analysis of bulk samples for time-integrated gas- and particle-phase speciation by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry; (2 aerosol photoionization for fast detection of PAHs on particles' surfaces; and (3 aerosol mass spectrometry for fast analysis of size and chemical composition. This research represents the first time aerosol mass spectrometry has been used to measure ambient PAH concentrations and the first time that fast, real-time methods have been used to quantify PAHs alongside traditional filter-based measurements in an extended field campaign. Speciated PAH measurements suggest that motor vehicles and garbage and wood burning are important sources in Mexico City. The diurnal concentration patterns captured by aerosol photoionization and aerosol mass spectrometry are generally consistent. Ambient concentrations of particle-phase PAHs typically peak at ~110 ng m-3 during the morning rush hour and rapidly decay due to changes in source activity patterns and dilution as the boundary layer rises, although surface-bound PAH concentrations decay faster. The more rapid decrease in surface versus bulk PAH concentrations during the late morning suggests that freshly emitted combustion-related particles are quickly coated by secondary aerosol material in Mexico City's atmosphere and may also be transformed by heterogeneous reactions.

Long-term trends in California mobile source emissions and ambient concentrations of black carbon and organic aerosol.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Brian C; Goldstein, Allen H; Harley, Robert A

2015-04-21

A fuel-based approach is used to assess long-term trends (1970-2010) in mobile source emissions of black carbon (BC) and organic aerosol (OA, including both primary emissions and secondary formation). The main focus of this analysis is the Los Angeles Basin, where a long record of measurements is available to infer trends in ambient concentrations of BC and organic carbon (OC), with OC used here as a proxy for OA. Mobile source emissions and ambient concentrations have decreased similarly, reflecting the importance of on- and off-road engines as sources of BC and OA in urban areas. In 1970, the on-road sector accounted for ∼90% of total mobile source emissions of BC and OA (primary + secondary). Over time, as on-road engine emissions have been controlled, the relative importance of off-road sources has grown. By 2010, off-road engines were estimated to account for 37 ± 20% and 45 ± 16% of total mobile source contributions to BC and OA, respectively, in the Los Angeles area. This study highlights both the success of efforts to control on-road emission sources, and the importance of considering off-road engine and other VOC source contributions when assessing long-term emission and ambient air quality trends.

Genetic variation and control of chloroplast pigment concentrations in Picea rubens, Picea mariana and their hybrids. I. Ambient and elevated [CO2] environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Major, J.E.; Barsi, D.C.; Mosseler, A.; Campbell, M.

2007-01-01

A significant decline has been noted in the red spruce component of the Acadian forest region in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States as a result of excessive harvesting, acid rain, and global warming. Two experiments were performed to acquire benchmark adaptive traits for information from a red spruce (RS) (Picea rubens Sargand) and black spruce (BS) (P. mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) genetic complex grown in ambient carbon dioxide concentration ([CO 2 ]). The first experiment involved RS-BS seed sources from across the RS geographical range, while the second experiment involved an intra- and interspecific controlled-cross experiment to determine if RS and BS have unique chloroplast pigment concentrations and traits that reflect adaptations to different ecological niches. The objective was to determine species origin and hybrid variations in chloroplast pigment concentrations; examine the effect of elevated [CO 2 ] on chloroplast pigments; determine the inheritance of chloroplast pigments and examine the relationship of chloroplast pigment concentrations of trees grown at ambient [CO 2 ] with productivity traits and nitrogen concentrations. The traits related to light-energy processing have pronounced ecological implications for plant health. Results from the species origin experiment showed that total chlorophyll concentration was about 15 per cent higher in ambient [CO 2 ] than in elevated [CO 2 ]. In ambient [CO 2 ], BS populations had 11 per cent higher total chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations than RS populations. Results from the controlled-cross experiment showed that families with a hybrid index of 25 per cent RS had the highest total chlorophyll concentrations, and families with hybrid indices of 75 and 100 had the lowest amounts. A predominant male effect for chlorophyll concentration was noted. In ambient and elevated [CO 2 ] environments, crosses with BS males had 10.6 and 17.6 per cent higher total chlorophyll concentrations than crosses

COOKING-RELATED PARTICLE CONCENTRATIONS MEASURED IN AN OCCUPIED TOWNHOME IN RESTON, VA

Science.gov (United States)

In non-smoking households, cooking is one of the most significant sources of indoor particles. To date, there are limited data available regarding indoor particle concentrations generated by different types of cooking. To increase the knowledge base associated with particles ...

Particle size distribution and composition in a mechanically ventilated school building during air pollution episodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, J L; Larson, R R; Eskelson, E; Wood, E M; Veranth, J M

2008-10-01

Particle count-based size distribution and PM(2.5) mass were monitored inside and outside an elementary school in Salt Lake City (UT, USA) during the winter atmospheric inversion season. The site is influenced by urban traffic and the airshed is subject to periods of high PM(2.5) concentration that is mainly submicron ammonium and nitrate. The school building has mechanical ventilation with filtration and variable-volume makeup air. Comparison of the indoor and outdoor particle size distribution on the five cleanest and five most polluted school days during the study showed that the ambient submicron particulate matter (PM) penetrated the building, but indoor concentrations were about one-eighth of outdoor levels. The indoor:outdoor PM(2.5) mass ratio averaged 0.12 and particle number ratio for sizes smaller than 1 microm averaged 0.13. The indoor submicron particle count and indoor PM(2.5) mass increased slightly during pollution episodes but remained well below outdoor levels. When the building was occupied the indoor coarse particle count was much higher than ambient levels. These results contribute to understanding the relationship between ambient monitoring station data and the actual human exposure inside institutional buildings. The study confirms that staying inside a mechanically ventilated building reduces exposure to outdoor submicron particles. This study supports the premise that remaining inside buildings during particulate matter (PM) pollution episodes reduces exposure to submicron PM. New data on a mechanically ventilated institutional building supplements similar studies made in residences.

Differences in airborne particle and gaseous concentrations in urban air between weekdays and weekends

Science.gov (United States)

Morawska, L.; Jayaratne, E. R.; Mengersen, K.; Jamriska, M.; Thomas, S.

Airborne particle number concentrations and size distributions as well as CO and NO x concentrations monitored at a site within the central business district of Brisbane, Australia were correlated with the traffic flow rate on a nearby freeway with the aim of investigating differences between weekday and weekend pollutant characteristics. Observations over a 5-year monitoring period showed that the mean number particle concentration on weekdays was (8.8±0.1)×10 3 cm -3 and on weekends (5.9±0.2)×10 3 cm -3—a difference of 47%. The corresponding mean particle number median diameters during weekdays and weekends were 44.2±0.3 and 50.2±0.2 nm, respectively. The differences in mean particle number concentration and size between weekdays and weekends were found to be statistically significant at confidence levels of over 99%. During a 1-year period of observation, the mean traffic flow rate on the freeway was 14.2×10 4 and 9.6×10 4 vehicles per weekday and weekend day, respectively—a difference of 48%. The mean diurnal variations of the particle number and the gaseous concentrations closely followed the traffic flow rate on both weekdays and weekends (correlation coefficient of 0.86 for particles). The overall conclusion, as to the effect of traffic on concentration levels of pollutant concentration in the vicinity of a major road (about 100 m) carrying traffic of the order of 10 5 vehicles per day, is that about a 50% increase in traffic flow rate results in similar increases of CO and NO x concentrations and a higher increase of about 70% in particle number concentration.

Concentrations and Sources of Airborne Particles in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Licina, Dusan; Bhangar, Seema; Brooks, Brandon; Baker, Robyn; Firek, Brian; Tang, Xiaochen; Morowitz, Michael J.; Banfield, Jillian F.; Nazaroff, William W.

2016-01-01

Premature infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have underdeveloped immune systems, making them susceptible to adverse health consequences from air pollutant exposure. Little is known about the sources of indoor airborne particles that contribute to the exposure of premature infants in the NICU environment. In this study, we monitored the spatial and temporal variations of airborne particulate matter concentrations along with other indoor environmental parameters and human occupancy. The experiments were conducted over one year in a private-style NICU. The NICU was served by a central heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system equipped with an economizer and a high-efficiency particle filtration system. The following parameters were measured continuously during weekdays with 1-min resolution: particles larger than 0.3 μm resolved into 6 size groups, CO2 level, dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity, and presence or absence of occupants. Altogether, over sixteen periods of a few weeks each, measurements were conducted in rooms occupied with premature infants. In parallel, a second monitoring station was operated in a nearby hallway or at the local nurses’ station. The monitoring data suggest a strong link between indoor particle concentrations and human occupancy. Detected particle peaks from occupancy were clearly discernible among larger particles and imperceptible for submicron (0.3–1 μm) particles. The mean indoor particle mass concentrations averaged across the size range 0.3–10 μm during occupied periods was 1.9 μg/m3, approximately 2.5 times the concentration during unoccupied periods (0.8 μg/m3). Contributions of within-room emissions to total PM10 mass in the baby rooms averaged 37–81%. Near-room indoor emissions and outdoor sources contributed 18–59% and 1–5%, respectively. Airborne particle levels in the size range 1–10 μm showed strong dependence on human activities, indicating the importance of indoor

Concentrations and Sources of Airborne Particles in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dusan Licina

Full Text Available Premature infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs have underdeveloped immune systems, making them susceptible to adverse health consequences from air pollutant exposure. Little is known about the sources of indoor airborne particles that contribute to the exposure of premature infants in the NICU environment. In this study, we monitored the spatial and temporal variations of airborne particulate matter concentrations along with other indoor environmental parameters and human occupancy. The experiments were conducted over one year in a private-style NICU. The NICU was served by a central heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC system equipped with an economizer and a high-efficiency particle filtration system. The following parameters were measured continuously during weekdays with 1-min resolution: particles larger than 0.3 μm resolved into 6 size groups, CO2 level, dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity, and presence or absence of occupants. Altogether, over sixteen periods of a few weeks each, measurements were conducted in rooms occupied with premature infants. In parallel, a second monitoring station was operated in a nearby hallway or at the local nurses' station. The monitoring data suggest a strong link between indoor particle concentrations and human occupancy. Detected particle peaks from occupancy were clearly discernible among larger particles and imperceptible for submicron (0.3-1 μm particles. The mean indoor particle mass concentrations averaged across the size range 0.3-10 μm during occupied periods was 1.9 μg/m3, approximately 2.5 times the concentration during unoccupied periods (0.8 μg/m3. Contributions of within-room emissions to total PM10 mass in the baby rooms averaged 37-81%. Near-room indoor emissions and outdoor sources contributed 18-59% and 1-5%, respectively. Airborne particle levels in the size range 1-10 μm showed strong dependence on human activities, indicating the importance of indoor

Modeling the effects of reformulated gasoline usages on ambient concentrations of ozone and five air toxics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ligocki, M.P.; Schulhof, R.R.; Jackson, R.E.; Jimenez, M.M.; Atkinson, D.

1993-01-01

The use of reformulated gasolines to reduce motor-vehicle-related hydrocarbon emissions has been mandated by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments for nine severely polluted urban areas. Using a version of the Urban Airshed Model that includes explicit representation of five motor-vehicle-related air toxics, the effects of reformulated gasoline usage on ambient ozone and toxics concentrations were simulated. Simulations were conducted for two urban areas. Baltimore-Washington and Houston, for the year 1995. Additional simulation were conducted for Baltimore-Washington including winter and 1999 scenarios. In the Baltimore-Washington areas, the 1995 Federal reformulated gasoline scenario produce reductions of 1.1 percent in simulated peak ozone and 2.7 percent in the areal extent of simulated ozone exceedances. Simulated ozone reductions were much smaller in Houston. In the reformulated gasoline simulations, secondary formulation of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde was reduced, and decreases in ambient benzene and polycyclic organic matter (POM) concentrations were simulated. Larger reductions in ozone and toxics concentrations were simulated for reformulated gasolines meeting California Phase II standards than for those meeting Federal standards. The effects of reductions in motor-vehicle-related nitrogen oxides (NO x ) emissions, alone and in combination with hydrocarbon reductions, were also examined

Spatial & temporal variations of PM10 and particle number concentrations in urban air.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Christer; Norman, Michael; Gidhagen, Lars

2007-04-01

The size of particles in urban air varies over four orders of magnitude (from 0.001 microm to 10 microm in diameter). In many cities only particle mass concentrations (PM10, i.e. particles tires and traction sand on streets during winter; up to 90% of the locally emitted PM10 may be due to road abrasion. PM10 emissions and concentrations, but not PNC, at kerbside are controlled by road moisture. Annual mean urban background PM10 levels are relatively uniformly distributed over the city, due to the importance of long range transport. For PNC local sources often dominate the concentrations resulting in large temporal and spatial gradients in the concentrations. Despite these differences in the origin of PM10 and PNC, the spatial gradients of annual mean concentrations due to local sources are of equal magnitude due to the common source, namely traffic. Thus, people in different areas experiencing a factor of 2 different annual PM10 exposure due to local sources will also experience a factor of 2 different exposure in terms of PNC. This implies that health impact studies based solely on spatial differences in annual exposure to PM10 may not separate differences in health effects due to ultrafine and coarse particles. On the other hand, health effect assessments based on time series exposure analysis of PM10 and PNC, should be able to observe differences in health effects of ultrafine particles versus coarse particles.

Explaining global surface aerosol number concentrations in terms of primary emissions and particle formation

Science.gov (United States)

Spracklen, D. V.; Carslaw, K. S.; Merikanto, J.; Mann, G. W.; Reddington, C. L.; Pickering, S.; Ogren, J. A.; Andrews, E.; Baltensperger, U.; Weingartner, E.; Boy, M.; Kulmala, M.; Laakso, L.; Lihavainen, H.; Kivekäs, N.; Komppula, M.; Mihalopoulos, N.; Kouvarakis, G.; Jennings, S. G.; O'Dowd, C.; Birmili, W.; Wiedensohler, A.; Weller, R.; Gras, J.; Laj, P.; Sellegri, K.; Bonn, B.; Krejci, R.; Laaksonen, A.; Hamed, A.; Minikin, A.; Harrison, R. M.; Talbot, R.; Sun, J.

2010-05-01

We synthesised observations of total particle number (CN) concentration from 36 sites around the world. We found that annual mean CN concentrations are typically 300-2000 cm-3 in the marine boundary layer and free troposphere (FT) and 1000-10 000 cm-3 in the continental boundary layer (BL). Many sites exhibit pronounced seasonality with summer time concentrations a factor of 2-10 greater than wintertime concentrations. We used these CN observations to evaluate primary and secondary sources of particle number in a global aerosol microphysics model. We found that emissions of primary particles can reasonably reproduce the spatial pattern of observed CN concentration (R2=0.46) but fail to explain the observed seasonal cycle (R2=0.1). The modeled CN concentration in the FT was biased low (normalised mean bias, NMB=-88%) unless a secondary source of particles was included, for example from binary homogeneous nucleation of sulfuric acid and water (NMB=-25%). Simulated CN concentrations in the continental BL were also biased low (NMB=-74%) unless the number emission of anthropogenic primary particles was increased or a mechanism that results in particle formation in the BL was included. We ran a number of simulations where we included an empirical BL nucleation mechanism either using the activation-type mechanism (nucleation rate, J, proportional to gas-phase sulfuric acid concentration to the power one) or kinetic-type mechanism (J proportional to sulfuric acid to the power two) with a range of nucleation coefficients. We found that the seasonal CN cycle observed at continental BL sites was better simulated by BL particle formation (R2=0.3) than by increasing the number emission from primary anthropogenic sources (R2=0.18). The nucleation constants that resulted in best overall match between model and observed CN concentrations were consistent with values derived in previous studies from detailed case studies at individual sites. In our model, kinetic and activation

Contribution of ship traffic to aerosol particle concentrations downwind of a major shipping lane

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kivekäs, N.; Massling, Andreas; Grythe, H.

2014-01-01

at a remote location. We studied the particle number concentration (12 to 490 nm in diameter), the mass concentration (12 to 150 nm in diameter) and number and volume size distribution of aerosol particles in ship plumes for a period of 4.5 months at Hovsore, a coastal site on the western coast of Jutland...... in Denmark. During episodes of western winds, the site is about 50 km downwind of a major shipping lane and the plumes are approximately 1 hour old when they arrive at the site. We have used a sliding percentile-based method for separating the plumes from the measured background values and to calculate...... the ship plume contribution to the total particle number and PM0.15 mass concentration (mass of particles below 150 nm in diameter, converted from volume assuming sphericity) at the site. The method is not limited to particle number or volume concentration, but can also be used for different chemical...

Radon in indoor concentrations and indoor concentrations of metal dust particles in museums and other public buildings.

Science.gov (United States)

Carneiro, G L; Braz, D; de Jesus, E F; Santos, S M; Cardoso, K; Hecht, A A; Dias da Cunha, Moore K

2013-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the public and occupational exposure to radon and metal-bearing particles in museums and public buildings located in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For this study, four buildings were selected: two historic buildings, which currently house an art gallery and an art museum; and two modern buildings, a chapel and a club. Integrated radon concentration measurements were performed using passive radon detectors with solid state nuclear track detector-type Lexan used as nuclear track detector. Air samplers with a cyclone were used to collect the airborne particle samples that were analyzed by the particle-induced X-ray emission technique. The average unattached-radon concentrations in indoor air in the buildings were above 40 Bq/m(3), with the exception of Building D as measured in 2009. The average radon concentrations in indoor air in the four buildings in 2009 were below the recommended reference level by World Health Organization (100 Bq/m(3)); however, in 2011, the average concentrations of radon in Buildings A and C were above this level, though lower than 300 Bq/m(3). The average concentrations of unattached radon were lower than 148 Bq/m(3) (4pCi/L), the USEPA level recommended to take action to reduce the concentrations of radon in indoor air. The unattached-radon average concentrations were also lower than the value recommended by the European Union for new houses. As the unattached-radon concentrations were below the international level recommended to take action to reduce the radon concentration in air, it was concluded that during the period of sampling, there was low risk to human health due to the inhalation of unattached radon in these four buildings.

The particle concentration effect on magnetic resonance linewidth for magnetic liquids with chain aggregates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marin, C.N.

2002-01-01

Based on the assumption of particle chains formation within a magnetic liquid, computer simulation of the magnetic resonance line is presented. The dependence on particle concentration within a magnetic liquid of magnetic resonance linewidth is analyzed. The computer simulation demonstrates that the particles chaining has an important effect on the enlargement of the magnetic resonance line. Increasing the particle concentration within magnetic liquid leads to an increase in the linewidth. The agreement with some experimental findings is discussed

Characterization of selenium in ambient aerosols and primary emission sources.

Science.gov (United States)

De Santiago, Arlette; Longo, Amelia F; Ingall, Ellery D; Diaz, Julia M; King, Laura E; Lai, Barry; Weber, Rodney J; Russell, Armistead G; Oakes, Michelle

2014-08-19

Atmospheric selenium (Se) in aerosols was investigated using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) microscopy. These techniques were used to determine the oxidation state and elemental associations of Se in common primary emission sources and ambient aerosols collected from the greater Atlanta area. In the majority of ambient aerosol and primary emission source samples, the spectroscopic patterns as well as the absence of elemental correlations suggest Se is in an elemental, organic, or oxide form. XRF microscopy revealed numerous Se-rich particles, or hotspots, accounting on average for ∼16% of the total Se in ambient aerosols. Hotspots contained primarily Se(0)/Se(-II). However, larger, bulk spectroscopic characterizations revealed Se(IV) as the dominant oxidation state in ambient aerosol, followed by Se(0)/Se(-II) and Se(VI). Se(IV) was the only observed oxidation state in gasoline, diesel, and coal fly ash, while biomass burning contained a combination of Se(0)/Se(-II) and Se(IV). Although the majority of Se in aerosols was in the most toxic form, the Se concentration is well below the California Environmental Protection Agency chronic exposure limit (∼20000 ng/m(3)).

LACK OF EFFECT OF AGE AND ANTIOXIDANT DEPLETION ON RESPIRATORY RESPONSES TO CONCENTRATED AMBIENT PARTICULATES (CAPS) IN RATS

Science.gov (United States)

2003 AAR PM MeetingParticulate Matter: Atmospheric Sciences,Exposure and the Fourth Colloquium on PM and Human HealthLACK OF EFFECT OF AGE AND ANTIOXIDANT DEPLETION ON RESPIRATORY RESPONSES TO CONCENTRATED AMBIENT PARTICULATES (CAPs) IN RATS. JA Dye, LC Walsh, C...

Long-term exposure to ambient ultrafine particles and respiratory disease incidence in in Toronto, Canada: a cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Weichenthal, Scott; Bai, Li; Hatzopoulou, Marianne; Van Ryswyk, Keith; Kwong, Jeffrey C; Jerrett, Michael; van Donkelaar, Aaron; Martin, Randall V; Burnett, Richard T; Lu, Hong; Chen, Hong

2017-06-19

Little is known about the long-term health effects of ambient ultrafine particles (respiratory disease incidence. In this study, we examined the relationship between long-term exposure to ambient UFPs and the incidence of lung cancer, adult-onset asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Our study cohort included approximately 1.1 million adults who resided in Toronto, Canada and who were followed for disease incidence between 1996 and 2012. UFP exposures were assigned to residential locations using a land use regression model. Random-effect Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) describing the association between ambient UFPs and respiratory disease incidence adjusting for ambient fine particulate air pollution (PM 2.5 ), NO 2 , and other individual/neighbourhood-level covariates. In total, 74,543 incident cases of COPD, 87,141 cases of asthma, and 12,908 cases of lung cancer were observed during follow-up period. In single pollutant models, each interquartile increase in ambient UFPs was associated with incident COPD (HR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.09) but not asthma (HR = 1.00, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.01) or lung cancer (HR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.03). Additional adjustment for NO 2 attenuated the association between UFPs and COPD and the HR was no longer elevated (HR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.98, 1.03). PM 2.5 and NO 2 were each associated with increased incidence of all three outcomes but risk estimates for lung cancer were sensitive to indirect adjustment for smoking and body mass index. In general, we did not observe clear evidence of positive associations between long-term exposure to ambient UFPs and respiratory disease incidence independent of other air pollutants. Further replication is required as few studies have evaluated these relationships.

Sensitive indicators of Stipa bungeana response to precipitation under ambient and elevated CO2 concentration

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Yaohui; Zhou, Guangsheng; Jiang, Yanling; Wang, Hui; Xu, Zhenzhu

2018-02-01

Precipitation is a primary environmental factor in the semiarid grasslands of northern China. With increased concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases, precipitation regimes will change, and high-impact weather events may be more common. Currently, many ecophysiological indicators are known to reflect drought conditions, but these indicators vary greatly among species, and few studies focus on the applicability of these drought indicators under high CO2 conditions. In this study, five precipitation levels (- 30%, - 15%, control, + 15%, and + 30%) were used to simulate the effects of precipitation change on 18 ecophysiological characteristics in Stipa bungeana, including leaf area, plant height, leaf nitrogen (N), and chlorophyll content, among others. Two levels of CO2 concentration (ambient, 390 ppm; 550 ppm) were used to simulate the effects of elevated CO2 on these drought indicators. Using gray relational analysis and phenotypic plasticity analysis, we found that total leaf area or leaf number (morphology), leaf water potential or leaf water content (physiology), and aboveground biomass better reflected the water status of S. bungeana under ambient and elevated CO2 than the 13 other analyzed variables. The sensitivity of drought indicators changed under the elevated CO2 condition. By quantifying the relationship between precipitation and the five most sensitive indicators, we found that the thresholds of precipitation decreased under elevated CO2 concentration. These results will be useful for objective monitoring and assessment of the occurrence and development of drought events in S. bungeana grasslands.

Relation of whole blood carboxyhemoglobin concentration to ambient carbon monoxide exposure estimated using regression.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudra, Carole B; Williams, Michelle A; Sheppard, Lianne; Koenig, Jane Q; Schiff, Melissa A; Frederick, Ihunnaya O; Dills, Russell

2010-04-15

Exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) and other ambient air pollutants is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. While there are several methods of estimating CO exposure, few have been evaluated against exposure biomarkers. The authors examined the relation between estimated CO exposure and blood carboxyhemoglobin concentration in 708 pregnant western Washington State women (1996-2004). Carboxyhemoglobin was measured in whole blood drawn around 13 weeks' gestation. CO exposure during the month of blood draw was estimated using a regression model containing predictor terms for year, month, street and population densities, and distance to the nearest major road. Year and month were the strongest predictors. Carboxyhemoglobin level was correlated with estimated CO exposure (rho = 0.22, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.15, 0.29). After adjustment for covariates, each 10% increase in estimated exposure was associated with a 1.12% increase in median carboxyhemoglobin level (95% CI: 0.54, 1.69). This association remained after exclusion of 286 women who reported smoking or being exposed to secondhand smoke (rho = 0.24). In this subgroup, the median carboxyhemoglobin concentration increased 1.29% (95% CI: 0.67, 1.91) for each 10% increase in CO exposure. Monthly estimated CO exposure was moderately correlated with an exposure biomarker. These results support the validity of this regression model for estimating ambient CO exposures in this population and geographic setting.

Brachial artery responses to ambient pollution, temperature, and humidity in people with type 2 diabetes: a repeated-measures study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zanobetti, Antonella; Luttmann-Gibson, Heike; Horton, Edward S; Cohen, Allison; Coull, Brent A; Hoffmann, Barbara; Schwartz, Joel D; Mittleman, Murray A; Li, Yongsheng; Stone, Peter H; de Souza, Celine; Lamparello, Brooke; Koutrakis, Petros; Gold, Diane R

2014-03-01

Extreme weather and air pollution are associated with increased cardiovascular risk in people with diabetes. In a population with diabetes, we conducted a novel assessment of vascular brachial artery responses both to ambient pollution and to weather (temperature and water vapor pressure, a measure of humidity). Sixty-four 49- to 85-year-old Boston residents with type 2 diabetes completed up to five study visits (279 repeated measures). Brachial artery diameter (BAD) was measured by ultrasound before and after brachial artery occlusion [i.e., flow-mediated dilation (FMD)] and before and after nitroglycerin-mediated dilation (NMD). Ambient concentrations of fine particulate mass (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon, particle number, and sulfate were measured at our monitoring site; ambient concentrations of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone were obtained from state monitors. Particle exposure in the home and during each trip to the clinic (home/trip exposure) was measured continuously and as a 5-day integrated sample. We used linear models with fixed effects for participants, adjusting for date, season, temperature, and water vapor pressure on the day of each visit, to estimate associations between our outcomes and interquartile range increases in exposure. Baseline BAD was negatively associated with particle pollution, including home/trip-integrated BC (-0.02 mm; 95% CI: -0.04, -0.003, for a 0.28 μg/m3 increase in BC), OC (-0.08 mm; 95% CI: -0.14, -0.03, for a 1.61 μg/m3 increase) as well as PM2.5, 5-day average ambient PM2.5, and BC. BAD was positively associated with ambient temperature and water vapor pressure. However, exposures were not consistently associated with FMD or NMD. Brachial artery diameter, a predictor of cardiovascular risk, decreased in association with particle pollution and increased in association with ambient temperature in our study population of adults with type 2 diabetes. Zanobetti A, Luttmann

Temporal Variation of Ambient PM10 Concentration within an Urban-Industrial Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Yoon-Keaw; Noor, Norazian Mohamed; Izzah Mohamad Hashim, Nur

2018-03-01

PM10 concentration in the ambient air has been reported to be the main pollutant affecting human health, particularly in the urban areas. This research is conducted to study the variation of PM10 concentration at the three urban-industrial areas in Malaysia, namely Shah Alam, Kuala Terengganu and Melaka. In addition, the association and correlation between PM10 concentration and other air pollutants will be distinguished. Five years interval dataset (2008-2012) consisting of PM10, SOX, NOX and O3 concentrations and other weather parameters such as wind speed, humidity and temperature were obtained from Department of Environment, Malaysia. Shah Alam shows the highest average of PM10 concentration with the value of 62.76 μg/m3 in June, whereas for Kuala Terengganu was 59.29 μg/m3 in February and 46.61 μg/m3 in August for Melaka. Two peaks were observed from the time series plot using the averaged monthly PM10 concentration. First peak occurs when PM10 concentration rises from January to February and the second peak is reached in June and remain high for the next two consecutive months for Shah Alam and Kuala Terengganu. Meanwhile the second peak for Melaka is only achieved in August as a result of the transboundary of smoke from forest fires in the Sumatra region during dry season from May to September. Both of the pollutants can be sourced from rapid industrial activities at Shah Alam. PM10 concentration is strongly correlated with carbon monoxide concentration in Kuala Terengganu and Melaka with value of r2 = 0.1725 and 0.2744 respectively. High carbon monoxide and PM10 concentration are associated with burning of fossil fuel from increased number of vehicles at these areas.

Fluidized bed combustion of single coal char particles at high CO{sub 2} concentration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scala, F.; Chirone, R. [CNR, Naples (Italy)

2010-12-15

Combustion of single coal char particles was studied at 850{sup o}C in a lab-scale fluidized bed at high CO{sub 2} concentration, typical of oxyfiring conditions. The burning rate of the particles was followed as a function of time by continuously measuring the outlet CO and O{sub 2} concentrations. Some preliminary evaluations on the significance of homogeneous CO oxidation in the reactor and of carbon gasification by CO{sub 2} in the char were also carried out. Results showed that the carbon burning rate increases with oxygen concentration and char particle size. The particle temperature is approximately equal to that of the bed up to an oxygen concentration of 2%, but it is considerably higher for larger oxygen concentrations. Both CO{sub 2} gasification of char and homogeneous CO oxidation are not negligible. The gasification reaction rate is slow and it is likely to be controlled by intrinsic kinetics. During purely gasification conditions the extent of carbon loss due to particle attrition by abrasion (estimated from the carbon mass balance) appears to be much more important than under combustion conditions.

Estimation of inhaled airborne particle number concentration by subway users in Seoul, Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Minhae; Park, Sechan; Namgung, Hyeong-Gyu; Kwon, Soon-Bark

2017-01-01

Exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) causes several diseases in the human body. The smaller particles, which have relatively large surface areas, are actually more harmful to the human body since they can penetrate deeper parts of the lungs or become secondary pollutants by bonding with other atmospheric pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides. The purpose of this study is to present the number of PM inhaled by subway users as a possible reference material for any analysis of the hazards to the human body arising from the inhalation of such PM. Two transfer stations in Seoul, Korea, which have the greatest number of users, were selected for this study. For 0.3–0.422 μm PM, particle number concentration (PNC) was highest outdoors but decreased as the tester moved deeper underground. On the other hand, the PNC between 1 and 10 μm increased as the tester moved deeper underground and showed a high number concentration inside the subway train as well. An analysis of the particles to which subway users are actually exposed to (inhaled particle number), using particle concentration at each measurement location, the average inhalation rate of an adult, and the average stay time at each location, all showed that particles sized 0.01–0.422 μm are mostly inhaled from the outdoor air whereas particles sized 1–10 μm are inhaled as the passengers move deeper underground. Based on these findings, we expect that the inhaled particle number of subway users can be used as reference data for an evaluation of the hazards to health caused by PM inhalation. - Highlights: • Size-dependent aerosol number was measured along the path of subway user. • Particles less than 0.4 μm were inhaled in outdoor but less so as deeper underground. • Coarse particles were inhaled significantly as users moved deeper underground. - We estimated the inhaled aerosol number concentration depending on particle size along the path of subway users.

Effects of ambient temperature and oxygen concentration on diesel spray combustion using a single-nozzle injector in a constant volume combustion chamber

KAUST Repository

Jing, Wei

2013-09-02

This work investigates the effects of ambient conditions on diesel spray combustion in an optically accessible, constant volume chamber using a single-nozzle fuel injector. The ambient O2 concentration was varied between five discrete values from 10% to 21% and three different ambient temperatures (800 K, 1000 K, and 1200 K). These conditions simulate different exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) levels and ambient temperatures in diesel engines. Both conventional diesel combustion and low temperature combustion (LTC) modes were observed under these conditions. A transient analysis and a quasi-steady state analysis are employed in this article. The transient analysis focuses on the flame development from beginning to the end, illustrating how the flame structure changes during this process; the quasi-steady state analysis focuses on the stable flame structure. The transient analysis was conducted using high-speed imaging of both OH* chemiluminescence and natural luminosity (NL). In addition, three different images were acquired using an ICCD camera, corresponding to OH* chemiluminescence, narrow-band flame emission at 430 nm (Band A) and at 470 nm (Band B), and were used to investigate the quasi-steady state combustion process. From the transient analysis, it was found that the NL signal becomes stronger and confined to narrow regions when the temperature and O2 concentration increase during the development of flame. The OH* intensity is much lower for the 10% ambient O2 and 800 K conditions compared to the higher temperatures and O2 levels. This implies the occurrence of LTC under these conditions. Results from the quasi-steady combustion stage indicate that high-temperature reactions effectively oxidize the soot in the downstream locations where only OH* signal is observed. In addition, an area was calculated for each spectral region, and results show that the area of Band A and Band B emissions in these images is larger than the area of OH* emissions at the lower O2

Effects of ambient temperature and oxygen concentration on diesel spray combustion using a single-nozzle injector in a constant volume combustion chamber

KAUST Repository

Jing, Wei; Roberts, William L.; Fang, Tiegang

2013-01-01

This work investigates the effects of ambient conditions on diesel spray combustion in an optically accessible, constant volume chamber using a single-nozzle fuel injector. The ambient O2 concentration was varied between five discrete values from 10% to 21% and three different ambient temperatures (800 K, 1000 K, and 1200 K). These conditions simulate different exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) levels and ambient temperatures in diesel engines. Both conventional diesel combustion and low temperature combustion (LTC) modes were observed under these conditions. A transient analysis and a quasi-steady state analysis are employed in this article. The transient analysis focuses on the flame development from beginning to the end, illustrating how the flame structure changes during this process; the quasi-steady state analysis focuses on the stable flame structure. The transient analysis was conducted using high-speed imaging of both OH* chemiluminescence and natural luminosity (NL). In addition, three different images were acquired using an ICCD camera, corresponding to OH* chemiluminescence, narrow-band flame emission at 430 nm (Band A) and at 470 nm (Band B), and were used to investigate the quasi-steady state combustion process. From the transient analysis, it was found that the NL signal becomes stronger and confined to narrow regions when the temperature and O2 concentration increase during the development of flame. The OH* intensity is much lower for the 10% ambient O2 and 800 K conditions compared to the higher temperatures and O2 levels. This implies the occurrence of LTC under these conditions. Results from the quasi-steady combustion stage indicate that high-temperature reactions effectively oxidize the soot in the downstream locations where only OH* signal is observed. In addition, an area was calculated for each spectral region, and results show that the area of Band A and Band B emissions in these images is larger than the area of OH* emissions at the lower O2

Single particle characterization using a light scattering module coupled to a time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, E. S.; Onasch, T. B.; Canagaratna, M.; Jayne, J. T.; Kimmel, J.; Yu, X.-Y.; Alexander, M. L.; Worsnop, D. R.; Davidovits, P.

2008-12-01

We present the first single particle results obtained using an Aerodyne time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer coupled with a light scattering module (LS-ToF-AMS). The instrument was deployed at the T1 ground site approximately 40 km northeast of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) as part of the MILAGRO field study in March of 2006. The instrument was operated as a standard AMS from 12-30 March, acquiring average chemical composition and size distributions for the ambient aerosol, and in single particle mode from 27-30 March. Over a 75-h sampling period, 12 853 single particle mass spectra were optically triggered, saved, and analyzed. The correlated optical and chemical detection allowed detailed examination of single particle collection and quantification within the LS-ToF-AMS. The single particle data enabled the mixing states of the ambient aerosol to be characterized within the context of the size-resolved ensemble chemical information. The particulate mixing states were examined as a function of sampling time and most of the particles were found to be internal mixtures containing many of the organic and inorganic species identified in the ensemble analysis. The single particle mass spectra were deconvolved, using techniques developed for ensemble AMS data analysis, into HOA, OOA, NH4NO3, (NH4)2SO4, and NH4Cl fractions. Average single particle mass and chemistry measurements are shown to be in agreement with ensemble MS and PTOF measurements. While a significant fraction of ambient particles were internal mixtures of varying degrees, single particle measurements of chemical composition allowed the identification of time periods during which the ambient ensemble was externally mixed. In some cases the chemical composition of the particles suggested a likely source. Throughout the full sampling period, the ambient ensemble was an external mixture of combustion-generated HOA particles from local sources (e.g. traffic), with number concentrations peaking

Analysis of PM10, PM2.5, and PM2 5-10 concentrations in Santiago, Chile, from 1989 to 2001.

Science.gov (United States)

Koutrakis, Petros; Sax, Sonja N; Sarnat, Jeremy A; Coull, Brent; Demokritou, Phil; Oyola, Pedro; Garcia, Javier; Gramsch, Ernesto

2005-03-01

Daily particle samples were collected in Santiago, Chile, at four urban locations from January 1, 1989, through December 31, 2001. Both fine PM with da Ambient Air Quality Standards and the European Union concentration limits. Mean PM2.5 levels during the cold season (April through September) were more than twice as high as those observed in the warm season (October through March); whereas coarse particle levels were similar in both seasons. PM concentration trends were investigated using regression models, controlling for site, weekday, month, wind speed, temperature, and RH. Results showed that PM2.5 concentrations decreased substantially, 52% over the 12-year period (1989-2000), whereas PM2.5-10 concentrations increased by approximately 50% in the first 5 years and then decreased by a similar percentage over the following 7 years. These decreases were evident even after controlling for significant climatic effects. These results suggest that the pollution reduction programs developed and implemented by the Comisión Nacional del Medio Ambiente (CONAMA) have been effective in reducing particle levels in the Santiago Metropolitan region. However, particle levels remain high and it is thus imperative that efforts to improve air quality continue.

Explaining global surface aerosol number concentrations in terms of primary emissions and particle formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. V. Spracklen

2010-05-01

Full Text Available We synthesised observations of total particle number (CN concentration from 36 sites around the world. We found that annual mean CN concentrations are typically 300–2000 cm⁻³ in the marine boundary layer and free troposphere (FT and 1000–10 000 cm⁻³ in the continental boundary layer (BL. Many sites exhibit pronounced seasonality with summer time concentrations a factor of 2–10 greater than wintertime concentrations. We used these CN observations to evaluate primary and secondary sources of particle number in a global aerosol microphysics model. We found that emissions of primary particles can reasonably reproduce the spatial pattern of observed CN concentration (R²=0.46 but fail to explain the observed seasonal cycle (R²=0.1. The modeled CN concentration in the FT was biased low (normalised mean bias, NMB=−88% unless a secondary source of particles was included, for example from binary homogeneous nucleation of sulfuric acid and water (NMB=−25%. Simulated CN concentrations in the continental BL were also biased low (NMB=−74% unless the number emission of anthropogenic primary particles was increased or a mechanism that results in particle formation in the BL was included. We ran a number of simulations where we included an empirical BL nucleation mechanism either using the activation-type mechanism (nucleation rate, J, proportional to gas-phase sulfuric acid concentration to the power one or kinetic-type mechanism (J proportional to sulfuric acid to the power two with a range of nucleation coefficients. We found that the seasonal CN cycle observed at continental BL sites was better simulated by BL particle formation (R²=0.3 than by increasing the number emission from primary anthropogenic sources (R²=0.18. The nucleation constants that resulted in best overall match between model and observed CN concentrations were

Profiling quinones in ambient air samples collected from the Athabasca region (Canada).

Science.gov (United States)

Wnorowski, Andrzej; Charland, Jean-Pierre

2017-12-01

This paper presents new findings on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon oxidation products-quinones that were collected in ambient air samples in the proximity of oil sands exploration. Quinones were characterized for their diurnal concentration variability, phase partitioning, and molecular size distribution. Gas-phase (GP) and particle-phase (PM) ambient air samples were collected separately in the summer; a lower quinone content was observed in the PM samples from continuous 24-h sampling than from combined 12-h sampling (day and night). The daytime/nocturnal samples demonstrated that nighttime conditions led to lower concentrations and some quinones not being detected. The highest quinone levels were associated with wind directions originating from oil sands exploration sites. The statistical correlation with primary pollutants directly emitted from oil sands industrial activities indicated that the bulk of the detected quinones did not originate directly from primary emission sources and that quinone formation paralleled a reduction in primary source NO x levels. This suggests a secondary chemical transformation of primary pollutants as the origin of the determined quinones. Measurements of 19 quinones included five that have not previously been reported in ambient air or in Standard Reference Material 1649a/1649b and seven that have not been previously measured in ambient air in the underivatized form. This is the first paper to report on quinone characterization in secondary organic aerosols originating from oil sands activities, to distinguish chrysenequinone and anthraquinone positional isomers in ambient air, and to report the requirement of daylight conditions for benzo[a]pyrenequinone and naphthacenequinone to be present in ambient air. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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.

The variation of particle gas-borne concentration with time in a gas cooled reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reed, J.; Hall, D.; Reeks, M.W.

1985-01-01

If volatile fission products are released from fuel during a reactor fault, a significant fraction could become attached to small particles also present in the coolant. In such circumstances the retention of those particles by the reactor circuit will limit the level of gas-borne particle concentration and hence be important in reducing the potential release of fission product activity to the atmosphere. Clearly the retention of particles will be influenced by both the deposition and resuspension of particles from surfaces exposed to the coolant flow. In this paper we consider deposition and resuspension but pay particular attention to the role of resuspension, which in the past has been given little consideration. A recently developed model for the resuspension of small particles by a turbulent flow is outlined. Traditionally, resuspension has been interpreted as a force balance between the aerodynamic removal forces and the surface adhesive forces. In contrast, this new approach embodies an energy balance criterion for particle resuspension. Furthermore, the stochastic nature of this new model has shown that resuspension can be sub-divided into two regimes: (i) initial resuspension (resuspension occurring in times less than a second) which reduces the net deposition of particles to a surface; and (ii) longer term resuspension (resuspension after 1 second) which determines the asymptotic decay of particle gas-borne concentration. It is seen that the asymptotic decay varies almost inversely as the decay time. Force balance models are unsuccessful in accounting for the experimentally observed longer term resuspension. We show that a Volterra integro-differential equation best describes the variation of particle gas-borne concentration with time in a recirculating gas flow such as a gas cooled reactor. It is seen that the longer term resuspension has a major influence in the final decay of particle concentration. (author)

The variation of particle gas-borne concentration with time in a gas cooled reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reed, J; Hall, D; Reeks, M W [Central Electricity Generating Board, Berkeley Nuclear Laboratories (United Kingdom)

1985-07-01

If volatile fission products are released from fuel during a reactor fault, a significant fraction could become attached to small particles also present in the coolant. In such circumstances the retention of those particles by the reactor circuit will limit the level of gas-borne particle concentration and hence be important in reducing the potential release of fission product activity to the atmosphere. Clearly the retention of particles will be influenced by both the deposition and resuspension of particles from surfaces exposed to the coolant flow. In this paper we consider deposition and resuspension but pay particular attention to the role of resuspension, which in the past has been given little consideration. A recently developed model for the resuspension of small particles by a turbulent flow is outlined. Traditionally, resuspension has been interpreted as a force balance between the aerodynamic removal forces and the surface adhesive forces. In contrast, this new approach embodies an energy balance criterion for particle resuspension. Furthermore, the stochastic nature of this new model has shown that resuspension can be sub-divided into two regimes: (i) initial resuspension (resuspension occurring in times less than a second) which reduces the net deposition of particles to a surface; and (ii) longer term resuspension (resuspension after 1 second) which determines the asymptotic decay of particle gas-borne concentration. It is seen that the asymptotic decay varies almost inversely as the decay time. Force balance models are unsuccessful in accounting for the experimentally observed longer term resuspension. We show that a Volterra integro-differential equation best describes the variation of particle gas-borne concentration with time in a recirculating gas flow such as a gas cooled reactor. It is seen that the longer term resuspension has a major influence in the final decay of particle concentration. (author)

Soot measurements for diesel and biodiesel spray combustion under high temperature highly diluted ambient conditions

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Ji

2014-11-01

This paper presents the soot temperature and KL factor for biodiesel, namely fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and diesel fuel combustion in a constant volume chamber using a two-color technique. The KL factor is a parameter for soot concentration, where K is an absorption coefficient and proportional to the number density of soot particles, L is the geometric thickness of the flame along the optical detection axis, and KL factor is proportional to soot volume fraction. The main objective is to explore a combustion regime called high-temperature and highly-diluted combustion (HTHDC) and compare it with the conventional and low-temperature combustion (LTC) modes. The three different combustion regimes are implemented under different ambient temperatures (800 K, 1000 K, and 1400 K) and ambient oxygen concentrations (10%, 15%, and 21%). Results are presented in terms of soot temperature and KL factor images, time-resolved pixel-averaged soot temperature, KL factor, and spatially integrated KL factor over the soot area. The time-averaged results for these three regimes are compared for both diesel and biodiesel fuels. Results show complex combined effects of the ambient temperature and oxygen concentration, and that two-color temperature for the HTHDC mode at the 10% oxygen level can actually be lower than the conventional mode. Increasing ambient oxygen and temperature increases soot temperature. Diesel fuel results in higher soot temperature than biodiesel for all three regimes. Results also show that diesel and biodiesel fuels have very different burning and sooting behavior under the three different combustion regimes. For diesel fuel, the HTHDC regime offers better results in terms of lower soot than the conventional and LTC regimes, and the 10% O2, 1400 K ambient condition shows the lowest soot concentration while maintaining a moderate two-color temperature. For biodiesel, the 15% O2, 800 K ambient condition shows some advantages in terms of reducing soot

Aerobyologic monitoring in urban and extra urban areas : analysis of airborne fungal particle concentration; Indagini aerobiologiche in ambiente urbano ed extraurbano componente fungina aerodiffusa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bari, A. [ENEA, Saluggia (Italy). Centro Ricerche Energia; Caramiello, R.; Fossa, V.; Potenza, A. [Turin Univ. (Italy), Dip. di Biologia Vegetale

1995-12-01

In the environmental monitoring studies carried out by ENEA (Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment) a research about air quality of Turin and Saluggia (VC) has started in collaboration with the University of Turin. This research concerns the study of pollen and airborne fungal particle concentrations in the atmosphere. In the last few years the interest in airborne spores and hyphal fragments has increased. Indeed these particles play a very important role in allergic reactions, in several other human diseases, and in plant pathology. The incidence and the risk of infections by airborne fungal spores are correlated to the general climate and to the local micro climatic conditions; a complete aerosporological knowledge can be in many cases a useful indicator for infection risks. In this study the concentrations of airborne fungal spores in two different stations (urban station, Turin; and rural station, Saluggia (VC)) has been evaluated and compared, only for the year 1992, in order to verify the influence of climatic conditions and of floristic and vegetational aspects. In order to establish the correlations between the climate and the airborne fungal data, the results of aerosporogical analysis, relative to the Turin station, are reported. This investigation cover a six year period, three of which under standard climatic conditions and three with considerable peculiarities. A comparative evaluation of the efficiency in the collection of aerobiological particles (pollen and spores) by natural traps (mosses) has been attempted in Saluggia. The results obtained by this palinological analysis have been compared with the composition of the local flora and the data monitored by a spore-trap (volumetric pollen trap) positioned on the roof of a building in the ENEA Research Center of Saluggia.

Personal carbon monoxide exposures of preschool children in Helsinki, Finland - comparison to ambient air concentrations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alm, S.; Mukala, K.; Tittanen, P.; Jantunen, M.J. [KTL National Public Health Institute, Kuopio (Finland). Dept. of Environmental Health

2001-07-01

The associations of personal carbon monoxide (CO) exposures with ambient air CO concentrations measured at fixed monitoring sites, were studied among 194 children aged 3-6yr in four downtown and four suburban day-care centers in Helsinki, Finland. Each child carried a personal CO exposure monitor between 1 and 4 times for a time period of between 20 and 24h. CO concentrations at two fixed monitoring sites were measured simultaneously. The CO concentrations measured at the fixed monitoring sites were usually lower (mean maximum 8-h concentration: 0.9 and 2.6mgm{sup -3}) than the personal CO exposure concentrations (mean maximum 8-h concentration: 3.3mgm{sup -3}).The fixed site CO concentrations were poor predictors of the personal CO exposure concentrations. However, the correlations between the personal CO exposure and the fixed monitoring site CO concentrations increased (-0.03 -- -0.12 to 0.13-0.16) with increasing averaging times from 1 to 8h. Also, the fixed monitoring site CO concentrations explained the mean daily or weekly personal CO exposures of a group of simultaneously measured children better than individual exposure CO concentrations. This study suggests that the short-term CO personal exposure of children cannot be meaningfully assessed using fixed monitoring sites. (author)

[Are inhaled dust particles harmful for our lungs?].

Science.gov (United States)

Brändli, O

1996-12-14

Particles with diameters ranging from less than 0.02 to more than 100 microns and in concentration up to 120 micrograms/m3 daily average TSP (total suspended particles) are measurable in the air of Swiss cities and responsible for the decrease of visibility on the Swiss Plateau and south of the Alps. The particle size shows a typical distribution: the coarse particles (> 2.5 microns mass median diameter) are mostly of natural origin (plants, pollen, earth particles) and are deposited in the upper airways. The fine particles (PM2.5 annual concentrations of 14-53 micrograms/m3 TSP or 10-33 micrograms/m3 PM10, well below the national standard (annual mean TSP 70 micrograms/m3) have been measured in rural and urban areas. Even at these concentrations an increase in respiratory symptoms and a decrease in lung function, without evidence for a "safe" threshold, have been observed in the Swiss study of air pollution and lung diseases in adults (SAPALDIA). Although the noxious effects of the particles cannot be clearly separated from the effect of other pollutants (e.g. NOx, SO2, ozone) in complex pollutant mixtures, the emission standards and national standards for ambient air should be revised, in particular by adding a standard for fine particles (e.g. PM10 or PM2.5).

Analysis of ambient SO2 concentrations and winds in the complex surrounding of a thermal power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mlakar, P.

2004-01-01

SO 2 pollution is still a significant problem in Slovenia, especially around large thermal power plants (TPPs), like the one at Sostanj. The Sostanj TPP is the exclusive source of SO 2 in the area and is therefore a perfect example for air pollution studies. In order to understand air pollution around the Sostanj TPP in detail, some analyses of emissions and ambient concentrations of SO 2 at six automated monitoring stations in the surrounding of the TPP were made. The data base from 1991 to 1993 was used when there were no desulfurization plants in operations. Statistical analyses of the influence of the emissions from the three TPP stacks at different measuring points were made. The analyses prove that the smallest stack (100 m) mainly pollutes villages and towns near the TPP within a radius of a few kilometers. The medium stack's (150 m) influence is noticed at shorter as well as at longer distances up to more than ten kilometers. The highest stack (230 m) pollutes mainly at longer distances, where the plume reaches the higher hills. Detailed analyses of ambient SO 2 concentrations were made. They show the temporal and spatial distribution of different classes of SO 2 concentrations from very low to alarming values. These analyses show that pollution patterns at a particular station remain the same if observed on a yearly basis, but can vary very much if observed on a monthly basis, mainly because of different weather patterns. Therefore the winds in the basin (as the most important feature influencing air pollution dispersion) were further analysed in detail to find clusters of similar patterns. For cluster analysis of ground-level winds patterns in the basin around the Sostanj Thermal Power Plant, the Kohonen neural network and Leaders' method were used. Furthermore the dependence of ambient SO 2 concentrations on the clusters obtained was analysed. The results proved that effective cluster analysis can be a useful tool for compressing a huge wind data base in

Analysis of ambient SO 2 concentrations and winds in the complex surroundings of a thermal power plant

Science.gov (United States)

Mlakar, P.

2004-11-01

SO2 pollution is still a significant problem in Slovenia, especially around large thermal power plants (TPPs), like the one at Šoštanj. The Šoštanj TPP is the exclusive source of SO2 in the area and is therefore a perfect example for air pollution studies. In order to understand air pollution around the Šoštanj TPP in detail, some analyses of emissions and ambient concentrations of SO2 at six automated monitoring stations in the surroundings of the TPP were made. The data base from 1991 to 1993 was used when there were no desulfurisation plants in operation. Statistical analyses of the influence of the emissions from the three TPP stacks at different measuring points were made. The analyses prove that the smallest stack (100 m) mainly pollutes villages and towns near the TPP within a radius of a few kilometres. The medium stack's (150 m) influence is noticed at shorter as well as at longer distances up to more than ten kilometres. The highest stack (230 m) pollutes mainly at longer distances, where the plume reaches the higher hills. Detailed analyses of ambient SO2 concentrations were made. They show the temporal and spatial distribution of different classes of SO2 concentrations from very low to alarming values. These analyses show that pollution patterns at a particular station remain the same if observed on a yearly basis, but can vary very much if observed on a monthly basis, mainly because of different weather patterns. Therefore the winds in the basin (as the most important feature influencing air pollution dispersion) were further analysed in detail to find clusters of similar patterns. For cluster analysis of ground-level winds patterns in the basin around the Šoštanj Thermal Power Plant, the Kohonen neural network and Leaders' method were used. Furthermore, the dependence of ambient SO2 concentrations on the clusters obtained was analysed. The results proved that effective cluster analysis can be a useful tool for compressing a huge wind data base

Magnetofluidic concentration and separation of non-magnetic particles using two magnet arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Hejazian, Majid

2016-01-01

The present paper reports the use of diluted ferrofluid and two arrays of permanent magnets for the size-selective concentration of non-magnetic particles. The micro magnetofluidic device consists of a straight channels sandwiched between two arrays of permanent magnets. The permanent magnets create multiple capture zones with minimum magnetic field strength along the channel. The complex interaction between magnetic forces and hydrodynamic force allows the device to operate in different regimes suitable for concentration of non-magnetic particles with small difference in size. Our experimental results show that non-magnetic particles with diameters of 3.1 μm and 4.8 μm can be discriminated and separated with this method. The results from this study could be used as a guide for the design of size-sensitive separation devices for particle and cell based on negative magnetophoresis. PMID:27478527

Number concentrations of solid particles from the spinning top aerosol generator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitchell, J.P.

1983-02-01

A spinning top aerosol generator has been used to generate monodisperse methylene blue particles in the size range from 0.6 to 6 μm. The number concentrations of these aerosols have been determined by means of an optical particle counter and compared with the equivalent measurements obtained by filter collection and microscopy. (author)

An Evaluation of Uncertainty Associated to Analytical Measurements of Selected Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds in Ambient Air; Estudio sobre las Incertidumbres Asociadas al Metodo de Determinacion de PAC's Seleccionados en Muestras de Aire Ambiente

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barrado, A. I.; Garcia, S.; Perez, R. M.

2013-06-01

This paper presents an evaluation of uncertainty associated to analytical measurement of eighteen polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in ambient air by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC/FD). The study was focused on analyses of PM{sub 1}0, PM{sub 2}.5 and gas phase fractions. Main analytical uncertainty was estimated for eleven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), four nitro polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) and two hydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) based on the analytical determination, reference material analysis and extraction step. Main contributions reached 15-30% and came from extraction process of real ambient samples, being those for nitro- PAHs the highest (20-30%). Range and mean concentration of PAC mass concentrations measured in gas phase and PM{sub 1}0/PM{sub 2}.5 particle fractions during a full year are also presented. Concentrations of OH-PAHs were about 2-4 orders of magnitude lower than their parent PAHs and comparable to those sparsely reported in literature. (Author) 7 refs.

Effect of precursor concentration and spray pyrolysis temperature upon hydroxyapatite particle size and density.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Jung Sang; Lee, Jeong-Cheol; Rhee, Sang-Hoon

2016-02-01

In the synthesis of hydroxyapatite powders by spray pyrolysis, control of the particle size was investigated by varying the initial concentration of the precursor solution and the pyrolysis temperature. Calcium phosphate solutions (Ca/P ratio of 1.67) with a range of concentrations from 0.1 to 2.0 mol/L were prepared by dissolving calcium nitrate tetrahydrate and diammonium hydrogen phosphate in deionized water and subsequently adding nitric acid. Hydroxyapatite powders were then synthesized by spray pyrolysis at 900°C and at 1500°C, using these calcium phosphate precursor solutions, under the fixed carrier gas flow rate of 10 L/min. The particle size decreased as the precursor concentration decreased and the spray pyrolysis temperature increased. Sinterability tests conducted at 1100°C for 1 h showed that the smaller and denser the particles were, the higher the relative densities were of sintered hydroxyapatite disks formed from these particles. The practical implication of these results is that highly sinterable small and dense hydroxyapatite particles can be synthesized by means of spray pyrolysis using a low-concentration precursor solution and a high pyrolysis temperature under a fixed carrier gas flow rate. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Particle Size Affects Concentration-Dependent Cytotoxicity of Chitosan Nanoparticles towards Mouse Hematopoietic Stem Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaki, S. S. O.; Ibrahim, M. N.; Katas, H.

2015-01-01

Chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) have been extensively applied in medical and pharmaceutical fields as promising drug delivery systems. Despite that, the safety of CSNPs remains inadequate and needs further investigation, particularly on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). CSNPs were prepared by ionic gelation method and later were characterized for their physical characteristics (particle size and zeta potential). Cytotoxicity of CSNPs was assessed by MTT assay. Particle size was highly influenced by chitosan concentration and molecular weight (medium and high molecular weight (MMW and HMW)). Higher chitosan concentration and molecular weight produced larger nanoparticles. Zeta potential of CSNPs was not significantly affected by chitosan concentrations and molecular weights used in the present study. MMW had a better stability than HMW CSNPs as their particle size and zeta potential were not significantly altered after autoclaving. Cytotoxicity of CSNPs was influenced by zeta potential and particle size. On the other hand, chitosan concentration and molecular weight indirectly influenced cytotoxicity by affecting particle size and zeta potential of CSNPs. In conclusion, cytotoxicity of CSNPs was mainly attributed to their physical characteristics and this opens a strategy to ensure the safety of CSNPs applications in stem cell technology.

Particle number concentration, size distribution and chemical composition during haze and photochemical smog episodes in Shanghai.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuemei; Chen, Jianmin; Cheng, Tiantao; Zhang, Renyi; Wang, Xinming

2014-09-01

The aerosol number concentration and size distribution as well as size-resolved particle chemical composition were measured during haze and photochemical smog episodes in Shanghai in 2009. The number of haze days accounted for 43%, of which 30% was severe (visibilitysmog episodes, about 5.89 times and 4.29 times those of clean days. The particle volume concentration and surface concentration in haze, photochemical smog and clean days were 102, 49, 15μm(3)/cm(3) and 949, 649, 206μm(2)/cm(3), respectively. As haze events got more severe, the number concentration of particles smaller than 50nm decreased, but the particles of 50-200nm and 0.5-1μm increased. The diurnal variation of particle number concentration showed a bimodal pattern in haze days. All soluble ions were increased during haze events, of which NH4(+), SO4(2-) and NO3(-) increased greatly, followed by Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+) and Cl(-). These ions were very different in size-resolved particles during haze and photochemical smog episodes. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Variability of sub-micrometer particle number size distributions and concentrations in the Western Mediterranean regional background

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Cusack

2013-02-01

Full Text Available This study focuses on the daily and seasonal variability of particle number size distributions and concentrations, performed at the Montseny (MSY regional background station in the western Mediterranean from October 2010 to June 2011. Particle number concentrations at MSY were shown to be within range of various other sites across Europe reported in literature, but the seasonality of the particle number size distributions revealed significant differences. The Aitken mode is the dominant particle mode at MSY, with arithmetic mean concentrations of 1698 cm3, followed by the accumulation mode (877 cm−3 and the nucleation mode (246 cm−3. Concentrations showed a strong seasonal variability with large increases in particle number concentrations observed from the colder to warmer months. The modality of median size distributions was typically bimodal, except under polluted conditions when the size distribution was unimodal. During the colder months, the daily variation of particle number size distributions are strongly influenced by a diurnal breeze system, whereby the Aitken and accumulation modes vary similarly to PM1 and BC mass concentrations, with nocturnal minima and sharp day-time increases owing to the development of a diurnal mountain breeze. Under clean air conditions, high levels of nucleation and lower Aitken mode concentrations were measured, highlighting the importance of new particle formation as a source of particles in the absence of a significant condensation sink. During the warmer months, nucleation mode concentrations were observed to be relatively elevated both under polluted and clean conditions due to increased photochemical reactions, with enhanced subsequent growth owing to elevated concentrations of condensable organic vapours produced from biogenic volatile organic compounds, indicating that nucleation at MSY does not exclusively occur under clean air conditions. Finally, mixing of air masses between polluted and non

Reduction of PM emissions from specific sources reflected on key components concentrations of ambient PM10

Science.gov (United States)

Minguillon, M. C.; Querol, X.; Monfort, E.; Alastuey, A.; Escrig, A.; Celades, I.; Miro, J. V.

2009-04-01

The relationship between specific particulate emission control and ambient levels of some PM10 components (Zn, As, Pb, Cs, Tl) was evaluated. To this end, the industrial area of Castellón (Eastern Spain) was selected, where around 40% of the EU glazed ceramic tiles and a high proportion of EU ceramic frits (middle product for the manufacture of ceramic glaze) are produced. The PM10 emissions from the ceramic processes were calculated over the period 2000 to 2007 taking into account the degree of implementation of corrective measures throughout the study period. Abatement systems (mainly bag filters) were implemented in the majority of the fusion kilns for frit manufacture in the area as a result of the application of the Directive 1996/61/CE, leading to a marked decrease in PM10 emissions. On the other hand, ambient PM10 sampling was carried out from April 2002 to July 2008 at three urban sites and one suburban site of the area and a complete chemical analysis was made for about 35 % of the collected samples, by means of different techniques (ICP-AES, ICP-MS, Ion Chromatography, selective electrode and elemental analyser). The series of chemical composition of PM10 allowed us to apply a source contribution model (Principal Component Analysis), followed by a multilinear regression analysis, so that PM10 sources were identified and their contribution to bulk ambient PM10 was quantified on a daily basis, as well as the contribution to bulk ambient concentrations of the identified key components (Zn, As, Pb, Cs, Tl). The contribution of the sources identified as the manufacture and use of ceramic glaze components, including the manufacture of ceramic frits, accounted for more than 65, 75, 58, 53, and 53% of ambient Zn, As, Pb, Cs and Tl levels, respectively (with the exception of Tl contribution at one of the sites). The important emission reductions of these sources during the study period had an impact on ambient key components levels, such that there was a high

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.

Aging of combustion particles in the atmosphere - results from a field study in Zuerich

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burtscher, H.; Leonardi, A.; Steiner, D.; Baltensperger, U.; Weber, A.

1993-01-01

At different locations in Zurich (urban and suburban area) ambient aerosol has been measured by a variety of methods. Total mass concentration, black carbon mass concentration, size distribution, Fuchs surface and photoelectric charging of particles (as a measure for the PAH concentration) have been determined. As a reference for 'fresh' aerosol, measurements have also been carried out in a car parking garage. By comparing the data obtained at different locations and different times of the day aging processes can be investigated. All measured signals show significant peaks during the rush-hours, indicating that the majority of the particles arise from automotive traffic. Aging is expressed by decreasing number concentrations, increasing diameter (coagulation) and decreasing black carbon and PAH content of the particles. The decrease in PAH and black carbon fraction may be due to mixing of the aerosol with non-combustion particles or by condensation of material from the gas phase on the particle; the decrease in PAH concentration may also be due to degradation of the PAHs. 11 refs., 6 figs

Intracerebral haemorrhage associated with hourly concentration of ambient particulate matter: case-crossover analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamazaki, S; Nitta, H; Ono, M; Green, J; Fukuhara, S

2007-01-01

To examine the association of hourly time lagged concentration of ambient particulate matter and death due to stroke. Mortality data for five years (January 1990 to December 1994) were obtained from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan. Data were used only if the deceased was 65 years old or older at the time of death, if death was attributed to intracerebral haemorrhage or ischaemic stroke, and if the deceased lived in one of 13 major urban areas. Hourly mean concentrations of PM7, NO2, and photochemical oxidants were measured at monitoring stations in the 13 areas. Time stratified case-crossover analysis was used to examine the data for evidence of triggering stroke mortality. The 1-hour mean concentration of PM7 measured about 2 hours before death was associated with the risk of death due to intracerebral haemorrhage from April to September (odds ratio = 2.40, 95% CI 1.48 to 3.89, for exposure to PM7 of more than 200 microg/m3 (threshold)). The higher risk was independent of the 24-hour mean concentration of PM7. PM7 was not associated with death due to ischaemic stroke. Transiently high concentrations of PM7 are associated with death due to intracerebral haemorrhage. Air quality standards or guidelines for particulate matter should be based not only on 24-hour mean concentrations, but also on hourly data.

Intracerebral haemorrhage associated with hourly concentration of ambient particulate matter: case‐crossover analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Yamazaki, S; Nitta, H; Ono, M; Green, J; Fukuhara, S

2007-01-01

Aims To examine the association of hourly time lagged concentration of ambient particulate matter and death due to stroke. Methods Mortality data for five years (January 1990 to December 1994) were obtained from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan. Data were used only if the deceased was 65 years old or older at the time of death, if death was attributed to intracerebral haemorrhage or ischaemic stroke, and if the deceased lived in one of 13 major urban areas. Hourly mean concentrations of PM7, NO2, and photochemical oxidants were measured at monitoring stations in the 13 areas. Time stratified case‐crossover analysis was used to examine the data for evidence of triggering stroke mortality. Results The 1‐hour mean concentration of PM7 measured about 2 hours before death was associated with the risk of death due to intracerebral haemorrhage from April to September (odds ratio = 2.40, 95% CI 1.48 to 3.89, for exposure to PM7 of more than 200 μg/m3 (threshold)). The higher risk was independent of the 24‐hour mean concentration of PM7. PM7 was not associated with death due to ischaemic stroke. Conclusions Transiently high concentrations of PM7 are associated with death due to intracerebral haemorrhage. Air quality standards or guidelines for particulate matter should be based not only on 24‐hour mean concentrations, but also on hourly data. PMID:16847037

Using monosaccharide anhydrides to estimate the impact of wood combustion on fine particles in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saarnio, K.; Saarikoski, S. [Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki (Finland); Niemi, J.V. [HSY Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority, Helsinki (Finland)

2012-11-01

The spatiotemporal variation of ambient particles under the influence of biomass burning emissions was studied in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area (HMA) in selected periods during 2005-2009. Monosaccharide anhydrides (MAs; levoglucosan, mannosan and galactosan), commonly known biomass burning tracers, were used to estimate the wood combustion contribution to local particulate matter (PM) concentration levels at three urban background sites close to the city centre, and at three suburban sites influenced by local small-scale wood combustion. In the cold season (October-March), the mean MAs concentrations were 115-225 ng m{sup -3} and 83-98 ng m{sup -} {sup 3}at the suburban and urban sites, respectively. In the warm season, the mean MAs concentrations were low (19-78 ng m{sup -3}), excluding open land fire smoke episodes (222-378 ng m{sup -}3{sup )}. Regionally distributed wood combustion particles raised the levels over the whole HMA while particles from local wood combustion sources raised the level at suburban sites only. The estimated average contribution of wood combustion to fine particles (PM{sub 2.5}) ranged from 18% to 29% at the urban sites and from 31% to 66% at the suburban sites in the cold season. The PM measurements from ambient air and combustion experiments showed that the proportions of the three MAs can be utilised to separate the wildfire particles from residential wood combustion particles. (orig.)

Optical sensor technology for simultaneous measurement of particle speed and concentration of micro sized particles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Casper; Han, Anpan; Kristensen, Martin

2013-01-01

Experimental characterization of a sensor technology that can measure particle speed and concentration simultaneously in liquids and gases is presented here. The basic sensor principle is based on an optical element that shapes a light beam into well-defined fringes. The technology can be described...

An Evaluation of Uncertainty Associated to Analytical Measurements of Selected Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds in Ambient Air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barrado, A. I.; Garcia, S.; Perez, R. M.

2013-01-01

This paper presents an evaluation of uncertainty associated to analytical measurement of eighteen polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in ambient air by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC/FD). The study was focused on analyses of PM 1 0, PM 2 .5 and gas phase fractions. Main analytical uncertainty was estimated for eleven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), four nitro polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (nitro-PAHs) and two hydroxy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) based on the analytical determination, reference material analysis and extraction step. Main contributions reached 15-30% and came from extraction process of real ambient samples, being those for nitro- PAHs the highest (20-30%). Range and mean concentration of PAC mass concentrations measured in gas phase and PM 1 0/PM 2 .5 particle fractions during a full year are also presented. Concentrations of OH-PAHs were about 2-4 orders of magnitude lower than their parent PAHs and comparable to those sparsely reported in literature. (Author)

Landfills as sources of polyfluorinated compounds, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and musk fragrances to ambient air

Science.gov (United States)

Weinberg, Ingo; Dreyer, Annekatrin; Ebinghaus, Ralf

2011-02-01

In order to investigate landfills as sources of polyfluorinated compounds (PFCs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and synthetic musk fragrances to the atmosphere, air samples were simultaneously taken at two landfills (one active and one closed) and two reference sites using high volume air samplers. Contaminants were accumulated on glass fiber filters (particle phase) and PUF/XAD-2/PUF cartridges (gas phase), extracted by methyl-tert butyl ether/acetone (neutral PFCs), methanol (ionic PFCs) or hexane/acetone (PBDEs, musk fragrances), and detected by GC-MS (neutral PFCs, PBDEs, musk fragrances) or HPLC-MS/MS (ionic PFCs). Total concentrations ranged from 84 to 706 pg m -3 (volatile PFCs, gas phase), from fragrances, gas + particle phase) and from 1 to 11 pg m -3 (PBDEs, gas + particle phase). Observed sum concentrations of PFCs and synthetic musk fragrances and partly PBDE concentrations were elevated at landfill sites compared to corresponding reference sites. Concentrations determined at the active landfill were higher than those of the inactive landfill. Overall, landfills can be regarded as a source of synthetic musk fragrances, several PFCs and potentially of PBDEs to ambient air.

Determination of particles concentration in Black Sea waters from spectral beam attenuation coefficient

Science.gov (United States)

Korchemkina, E. N.; Latushkin, A. A.; Lee, M. E.

2017-11-01

The methods of determination of concentration and scattering by suspended particles in seawater are compared. The methods considered include gravimetric measurements of the mass concentration of suspended matter, empirical and analytical calculations based on measurements of the light beam attenuation coefficient (BAC) in 4 spectral bands, calculation of backscattering by particles using satellite measurements in the visible spectral range. The data were obtained in two cruises of the R/V "Professor Vodyanitsky" in the deep-water part of the Black Sea in July and October 2016., Spatial distribution of scattering by marine particles according to satellite data is in good agreement with the contact measurements.

Estimation of inhaled airborne particle number concentration by subway users in Seoul, Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Minhae; Park, Sechan; Namgung, Hyeong-Gyu; Kwon, Soon-Bark

2017-12-01

Exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) causes several diseases in the human body. The smaller particles, which have relatively large surface areas, are actually more harmful to the human body since they can penetrate deeper parts of the lungs or become secondary pollutants by bonding with other atmospheric pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides. The purpose of this study is to present the number of PM inhaled by subway users as a possible reference material for any analysis of the hazards to the human body arising from the inhalation of such PM. Two transfer stations in Seoul, Korea, which have the greatest number of users, were selected for this study. For 0.3-0.422 μm PM, particle number concentration (PNC) was highest outdoors but decreased as the tester moved deeper underground. On the other hand, the PNC between 1 and 10 μm increased as the tester moved deeper underground and showed a high number concentration inside the subway train as well. An analysis of the particles to which subway users are actually exposed to (inhaled particle number), using particle concentration at each measurement location, the average inhalation rate of an adult, and the average stay time at each location, all showed that particles sized 0.01-0.422 μm are mostly inhaled from the outdoor air whereas particles sized 1-10 μm are inhaled as the passengers move deeper underground. Based on these findings, we expect that the inhaled particle number of subway users can be used as reference data for an evaluation of the hazards to health caused by PM inhalation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ambient air sampling of organic pollutants and heavy metals within the EU/93/AIR/22 PHARE Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kocan, A.

1997-01-01

Within the framework of the project the concentrations of eight heavy metals, vapour mercury, seven polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin's, ten polychlordibenzofuran congeners, eighteen polychlorinated biphenyls, two chlorinated pesticides (hexachlorobenzene, p,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDT), fourteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, forty-two volatile organic compounds, total suspended particles were analysed. The morphology characterization of collected airborne particles and bioassays aimed at the evaluation of the mutagenic potency of pollutants present in collected air were also performed. Ambient air heavy metals were caught on cellulose filters using the same type of the sampler used for semi-volatile compounds sampling and analysed by atomic spectrometry. Vapour mercury was trapped on gold sand packed in a tube through which about 280 L of ambient air during 24 hours were drawn. On-site analysis was performed by an atomic fluorescence analyzer. Inhalable air particles, i.e particles less than 10 μm in diameter were collected by a sampler equipped with a cascade impactor fractionating into five size fractions involving respirable (<3 μm) fractions. The morphology and composition of the respirable fractions was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis

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.

Concentrations and size distributions of fine aerosol particles measured at roof level in urban zone

Science.gov (United States)

Despiau, S.; Croci, D.

2007-05-01

During the experimental Field Experiments to Constrain Models of Atmospheric Pollution and Transport of Emissions (ESCOMPTE) campaign in June-July 2001, concentrations and size distributions of fine particles (14-722 nm) were measured at roof level in downtown Marseille (France). Part of the campaign was dedicated to the study of aerosol behavior in relation to strong photochemical events (which were identified as "IOP" days) and their regional modeling. The analysis of the concentration variations and the evolution of average diurnal size distribution showed that an "IOP day" is not characterized by a specific concentration or its variation, nor by a specific evolution of the average size distribution. The morning traffic rush is detected at roof level by a net increase in particle concentration over the whole size range measured, indicating a production of ultrafine particles by the traffic but also the raising to roof level of particles of the accumulation mode. The increase is observed about 1 hour after the traffic peak at street level, which is characterized by strong increases in NOx and CO concentrations. The corresponding flux of particles at roof level has been estimated around 3 × 104 cm-2 s-1. A specific signature characterized by a strong and rapid burst of concentration (factor 2 to 4 in 15 min) of particles between 25 and 50 nm, independent of the traffic source, has been detected on six occasions during the campaign. These events occur systematically around noon, in cases of strong radiation, low relative humidity, and common wind direction. Despite the high-diameter value of these particles, it is suggested that they could result from a specific "secondary aerosol process" event involving ozone, biogenic, and/or anthropogenic gas precursors like iodine and VOCs.

Decreasing particle number concentrations in a warming atmosphere and implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Yu

2012-03-01

Full Text Available New particle formation contributes significantly to the number concentration of condensation nuclei (CN as well as cloud CN (CCN, a key factor determining aerosol indirect radiative forcing of the climate system. Using a physics-based nucleation mechanism that is consistent with a range of field observations of aerosol formation, it is shown that projected increases in global temperatures could significantly inhibit new particle, and CCN, formation rates worldwide. An analysis of CN concentrations observed at four NOAA ESRL/GMD baseline stations since the 1970s and two other sites since 1990s reveals long-term decreasing trends that are consistent in sign with, but are larger in magnitude than, the predicted temperature effects. The possible reasons for larger observed long-term CN reductions at remote sites are discussed. The combined effects of rising temperatures on aerosol nucleation rates and other chemical and microphysical processes may imply substantial decreases in future tropospheric particle abundances associated with global warming, delineating a potentially significant feedback mechanism that increases Earth's climate sensitivity to greenhouse gas emissions. Further research is needed to quantify the magnitude of such a feedback process.

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.

ANALYSIS OF RESPIRATORY DEPOSITION OF INHALED PARTICLES FOR DIFFERENT DOSE METRICS: COMPARISON OF NUMBER, SURFACE AREA AND MASS DOSE OF TYPICAL AMBIENT BI-MODAL AEROSOLS

Science.gov (United States)

ANALYSIS OF RESPIRATORY DEPOSITION OF INHALED PARTICLES FOR DIFFERENT DOSE METRICS: COMPARISON OF NUMBER, SURFACE AREA AND MASS DOSE OF TYPICAL AMBIENT BI-MODAL AEROSOLS.Chong S. Kim, SC. Hu*, PA Jaques*, US EPA, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, ...

Ambient Ozone Concentrations and the Risk of Perforated and Nonperforated Appendicitis: A Multicity Case-Crossover Study

Science.gov (United States)

Tanyingoh, Divine; Dixon, Elijah; Johnson, Markey; Wheeler, Amanda J.; Myers, Robert P.; Bertazzon, Stefania; Saini, Vineet; Madsen, Karen; Ghosh, Subrata; Villeneuve, Paul J.

2013-01-01

Background: Environmental determinants of appendicitis are poorly understood. Past work suggests that air pollution may increase the risk of appendicitis. Objectives: We investigated whether ambient ground-level ozone (O3) concentrations were associated with appendicitis and whether these associations varied between perforated and nonperforated appendicitis. Methods: We based this time-stratified case-crossover study on 35,811 patients hospitalized with appendicitis from 2004 to 2008 in 12 Canadian cities. Data from a national network of fixed-site monitors were used to calculate daily maximum O3 concentrations for each city. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate city-specific odds ratios (ORs) relative to an interquartile range (IQR) increase in O3 adjusted for temperature and relative humidity. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to derive a pooled risk estimate. Stratified analyses were used to estimate associations separately for perforated and nonperforated appendicitis. Results: Overall, a 16-ppb increase in the 7-day cumulative average daily maximum O3 concentration was associated with all appendicitis cases across the 12 cities (pooled OR = 1.07; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.13). The association was stronger among patients presenting with perforated appendicitis for the 7-day average (pooled OR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.36) when compared with the corresponding estimate for nonperforated appendicitis [7-day average (pooled OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.09)]. Heterogeneity was not statistically significant across cities for either perforated or nonperforated appendicitis (p > 0.20). Conclusions: Higher levels of ambient O3 exposure may increase the risk of perforated appendicitis. PMID:23842601

The role of dust storms in total atmospheric particle concentrations at two sites in the western U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Neff, Jason C.; Reynolds, Richard L.; Munson, Seth M.; Fernandez, Daniel; Belnap, Jayne

2013-01-01

Mineral aerosols are produced during the erosion of soils by wind and are a common source of particles (dust) in arid and semiarid regions. The size of these particles varies widely from less than 2 µm to larger particles that can exceed 50 µm in diameter. In this study, we present two continuous records of total suspended particle (TSP) concentrations at sites in Mesa Verde and Canyonlands National Parks in Colorado and Utah, USA, respectively, and compare those values to measurements of fine and coarse particle concentrations made from nearby samplers. Average annual concentrations of TSP at Mesa Verde were 90 µg m−3 in 2011 and at Canyonlands were 171 µg m−3 in 2009, 113 µg m−3 in 2010, and 134 µg m−3 in 2011. In comparison, annual concentrations of fine (diameter of 2.5 µm and below) and coarse (2.5–10 µm diameter) particles at these sites were below 10 µg m−3 in all years. The high concentrations of TSP appear to be the result of regional dust storms with elevated concentrations of particles greater than 10 µm in diameter. These conditions regularly occur from spring through fall with 2 week mean TSP periodically in excess of 200 µg m−3. Measurement of particles on filters indicates that the median particle size varies between approximately 10 µm in winter and 40 µm during the spring. These persistently elevated concentrations of large particles indicate that regional dust emission as dust storms and events are important determinants of air quality in this region.

Air pollution dry deposition: radioisotopes as particles and volatiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1981-01-01

This study focuses on determining volcanic ash and ambient airborne solids concentrations at various sampling sites subsequent to the Mt. St. Helens' eruption in order to develop an experimental basis for models predicting removal of airborne particles and gases by dry deposition onto outdoor surfaces. In addition, deposition rates were determined using dual tracer techniques in the field and in a wind tunnel in the laboratory

Chemical characterisation of fine particles from biomass burning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saarnio, K.

2013-10-15

Biomass burning has lately started to attract attention because there is a need to decrease the carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels. Biomass is considered as CO{sub 2} neutral fuel. However, the burning of biomass is one of the major sources of fine particles both at the local and global scale. In addition to the use of biomass as a fuel for heat energy production, biomass burning emissions can be caused, e.g. by slash-and-burn agriculture and wild open-land fires. Indeed, the emissions from biomass burning are crucially important for the assessment of the potential impacts on global climate and local air quality and hence on human health. The chemical composition of fine particles has a notable influence on these impacts. The overall object of this thesis was to gain knowledge on the chemistry of fine particles that originate from biomass burning as well as on the contribution of biomass burning emissions to the ambient fine particle concentrations. For this purpose novel analytical methods were developed and tested in this thesis. Moreover, the thesis is based on ambient aerosol measurements that were carried out in six European countries at 12 measurement sites during 2002-2011. Additionally, wood combustion experiments were conducted in a laboratory. The measurements included a wide range of techniques: filter and impactor samplings, offline chemical analyses (chromatographic and mass spectrometric techniques, thermal-optical method), and online measurements of particles' physical properties and chemical composition (incl. particle number and mass concentrations and size distributions, concentrations of carbonaceous components, water-soluble ions, and tracer compounds). This thesis presents main results of different studies aimed towards chemical characterisation of fine particle emissions from biomass burning. It was found that wood combustion had a significant influence on atmospheric fine particle concentrations in

Primary standard for the number concentration of liquid-borne particles in the 10 to 20 µm diameter range

Science.gov (United States)

Sakaguchi, T.; Ehara, K.

2011-02-01

The national primary standard for the number concentration of liquid-borne particles in the 10 to 20 µm diameter range has been developed at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan. The standard consists of a total number counting type flow cytometer (T-FCM) and an electronic balance. The T-FCM is a commercial flow cytometer modified so that the total number of particles in an aqueous suspension sampled in a test tube can be counted, and the electronic balance is used to determine the mass of the suspension. This standard is intended to be used for calibrating commercial standard suspensions of monodisperse polystyrene latex (PSL) particles. The measurand in the calibration is the mass-based number concentration (the particle number in a unit mass of a suspension), and the calibration capability covers the concentration range from 5 × 102 to 2 × 106 particles g-1. When the concentration of the suspension is higher than 2 × 103 particles g-1, the suspension is first diluted to about 1 × 103 particles g-1 to suppress the coincidence loss in particle counting by the T-FCM. The validity of the calibration with the T-FCM was examined by comparison with an independent method in which a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to determine the number concentration of particles deposited on a silicon wafer. For a suspension of 10 µm PSL particles with a concentration of approximately 1 × 106 particles g-1, the concentration values determined by the T-FCM and SEM methods were 1.042 × 106 and 1.035 × 106 particles g-1, respectively: The difference was less than 0.7%. The relative expanded uncertainty of the measurement by the T-FCM method with the coverage factor k = 2 was 4.4%.

Bioaerosol collection and concentration for microseparations-based detectors.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cummings, Eric B. (Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA); Ellis, C. R. Bowe (Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA); Kanouff, Michael P. (Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA); Rader, Daniel John; Wally, Karl (Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA)

2005-03-01

The ability to detect Weapons of Mass Destruction biological agents rapidly and sensitively is vital to homeland security, spurring development of compact detection systems at Sandia and elsewhere. One such system is Sandia's microseparations-based pChemLab. Many bio-agents are serious health threats even at extremely low concentrations. Therefore, a universal challenge for detection systems is the efficient collection and selective transport of highly diffuse bio-agents against the enormous background of benign particles and species ever present in the ambient environment. We have investigated development of a ''front end'' system for the collection, preconcentration, and selective transport of aerosolized biological agents from dilute (1-10 active particles per liter of air) atmospheric samples, to ultimate concentrations of {approx}20 active particles per microliter of liquid, for interface with microfluidic-based analyses and detection systems. Our approach employs a Sandia-developed aerosol particle-focusing microseparator array to focus size-selected particles into a mating microimpinger array of open microfluidic transport channels. Upon collection (i.e., impingement, submergence, and liquid suspension), microfluidic dielectrophoretic particle concentrators and sorters can be employed to further concentrate and selectively transport bio-agent particles to the sample preparation stages of microfluidic analyses and detection systems. This report documents results in experimental testing, modeling and analysis, component design, and materials fabrication critical to establishing proof-of-principle for this collection ''front end''. Outstanding results have been achieved for the aerodynamic microseparator, and for the post-collection dielectrophoretic concentrator and sorter. Results have been obtained for the microimpinger, too, but issues of particle-trapping by surface tension in liquid surfaces have proven

Reactions and mass spectra of complex particles using Aerosol CIMS

Science.gov (United States)

Hearn, John D.; Smith, Geoffrey D.

2006-12-01

Aerosol chemical ionization mass spectrometry (CIMS) is used both on- and off-line for the analysis of complex laboratory-generated and ambient particles. One of the primary advantages of Aerosol CIMS is the low degree of ion fragmentation, making this technique well suited for investigating the reactivity of complex particles. To demonstrate the usefulness of this "soft" ionization, particles generated from meat cooking were reacted with ozone and the composition was monitored as a function of reaction time. Two distinct kinetic regimes were observed with most of the oleic acid in these particles reacting quickly but with 30% appearing to be trapped in the complex mixture. Additionally, detection limits are measured to be sufficiently low (100-200 ng/m3) to detect some of the more abundant constituents in ambient particles, including sulfate, which is measured in real-time at 1.2 [mu]g/m3. To better characterize complex aerosols from a variety of sources, a novel off-line collection method was also developed in which non-volatile and semi-volatile organics are desorbed from particles and concentrated in a cold U-tube. Desorption from the U-tube followed by analysis with Aerosol CIMS revealed significant amounts of nicotine in cigarette smoke and levoglucosan in oak and pine smoke, suggesting that this may be a useful technique for monitoring particle tracer species. Additionally, secondary organic aerosol formed from the reaction of ozone with R-limonene and volatile organics from orange peel were analyzed off-line showing large molecular weight products (m/z > 300 amu) that may indicate the formation of oligomers. Finally, mass spectra of ambient aerosol collected offline reveal a complex mixture of what appears to be highly processed organics, some of which may contain nitrogen.

A splitting integration scheme for the SPH simulation of concentrated particle suspensions

Science.gov (United States)

Bian, Xin; Ellero, Marco

2014-01-01

Simulating nearly contacting solid particles in suspension is a challenging task due to the diverging behavior of short-range lubrication forces, which pose a serious time-step limitation for explicit integration schemes. This general difficulty limits severely the total duration of simulations of concentrated suspensions. Inspired by the ideas developed in [S. Litvinov, M. Ellero, X.Y. Hu, N.A. Adams, J. Comput. Phys. 229 (2010) 5457-5464] for the simulation of highly dissipative fluids, we propose in this work a splitting integration scheme for the direct simulation of solid particles suspended in a Newtonian liquid. The scheme separates the contributions of different forces acting on the solid particles. In particular, intermediate- and long-range multi-body hydrodynamic forces, which are computed from the discretization of the Navier-Stokes equations using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method, are taken into account using an explicit integration; for short-range lubrication forces, velocities of pairwise interacting solid particles are updated implicitly by sweeping over all the neighboring pairs iteratively, until convergence in the solution is obtained. By using the splitting integration, simulations can be run stably and efficiently up to very large solid particle concentrations. Moreover, the proposed scheme is not limited to the SPH method presented here, but can be easily applied to other simulation techniques employed for particulate suspensions.

Ambient air quality of karachi city as reflected by atmospheric particulate matter (PM/sub 10/) concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hashmi, D.R.; Shareef, A.

2016-01-01

The present study examines the variation of ambient aerosol (PM/sub 10/) concentrations in Karachi, city. Samples were collected from ten different locations, representative of urban background, residential, traffic and industrial areas from 2007 to 2011. At each location, PM/sub 10/) was measured continuously from 08:00 am to 06:00 pm at local time. The maximum 10 h average particulate matter (PM/sub 10/) mass concentrations were found at Tibet Centre (440.1 mg/m/sup 3/) and minimum at PCSIR Campus (21.7 mg/m/sup 3/) during 2008. A rising trend during 2008 may be due to the civil works for bridges and extension of roads at different locations in Karachi. The results also suggest that urban traffic and industrial areas appeared to have higher PM/sub 10/) concentration than residential and background areas. (author)

Concentration Measurements of Suspended Load using ADV with Influence of the Particle Size

Science.gov (United States)

Schwarzwälder, Kordula

2017-04-01

ADV backscatter data can be used under certain conditions to gain information about the concentrations of suspended loads. This was shown in many studies before (Fugate and Friedrichs 2002; Chanson et al 2008; Ha et al. 2009). This paper reports on a pre-study to investigate the influence of particle size on concentration measurements for suspended sediment load with ADV. The study was conducted in a flume in the Oskar-von-Miller-Institute using fresh water from a river including the natural suspended load. The ADV used in the experiments was a Vectrino Profiler (Nortek). In addition water samples were taken for TSS and TOC. For the measurements a surge was generated in the flume to ensure that also particles of larger size will be present in the water phase. The measurements and samples were taken during the whole surge event. Therefore we were able to find a good correlation between the backscatter data of the ADV and the TSS as well as TOC results. For the decreasing part of the flow event the concentration of TOC in the suspended load of the water phase is decreasing much slower than the TSS and results in a damped decrease of the backscatter values. This means that the results for concentration measurements might be slightly influenced by the size of the particles. Further evaluations of measurements conducted with a LISST SL (Sequoia) will be investigated to show the trend of the particle sizes during this process and fortify this result. David C. Fugate, Carl T. Friedrichs, Determining concentration and fall velocity of estuarine particle populations using ADV, OBS and LISST, Continental Shelf Research, Volume 22, Issues 11-13, 2002 H.K. Ha, W.-Y. Hsu, J.P.-Y. Maa, Y.Y. Shao, C.W. Holland, Using ADV backscatter strength for measuring suspended cohesive sediment concentration, Continental Shelf Research, Volume 29, Issue 10, 2009 Hubert Chanson, Maiko Takeuchi, Mark Trevethan, Using turbidity and acoustic backscatter intensity as surrogate measures of

Atherogenic lipoprotein particle size and concentrations and the effect of pravastatin in children with familial hypercholesterolemia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Graaf, Anouk; Rodenburg, Jessica; Vissers, Maud N.; Hutten, Barbara A.; Wiegman, Albert; Trip, Mieke D.; Stroes, Erik S. G.; Wijburg, Frits A.; Otvos, James D.; Kastelein, John J. P.

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine lipoprotein particle concentrations and size in children with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) and investigate the effect of pravastatin therapy on these measures. STUDY DESIGN: Lipoprotein particle concentrations and sizes were examined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)

Particle emissions from compressed natural gas engines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ristovski, Z.D.; Morawska, L.; Hitchins, J.; Thomas, S.; Greenaway, C.; Gilbert, D.

2000-01-01

This paper presents the results of measurements conducted to determine particle and gas emissions from two large compressed natural gas (CNG) spark ignition (SI) engines. Particle size distributions in the range from 0.01-30 μm, and gas composition were measured for five power settings of the engines: 35, 50, 65, 80 and 100% of full power. Particle emissions in the size range between 0.5 and 30 μm, measured by the aerodynamic particle sizer (APS), were very low at a level below two particles cm -3 . These concentrations were comparable with average ambient concentration, and were not considered in the succeeding analysis. Both engines produce significant amounts of particles in the size range between 0.015 and 0.7 μm, measured by the scanning mobility particle size (SMPS). Maximum number of concentrations of about 1 x 10 7 particles cm -3 were very similar for both engines. The CMDs were in the range between 0.020 and 0.060 μm. The observed levels of particulate emission are in terms of number of the same order as emissions from heavy duty diesel engines (Morawska et al., Environ. Sci. Tech. 32, 2033-2042). On the other hand, emissions of CO and NO x of 5.53 and 3.33 g k W h -1 , respectively, for one of the tested engines, were considerably lower than set by the standards. According to the specifications for the gas emissions, provided by the US EPA (US EPA, 1997), this engine can be considered as a 'low-emission' engine, although emissions of submicrometer particles are of the same order as heavy-duty vehicles. (Author)

Suspended particle and drug ingredient concentrations in hospital dispensaries and implications for pharmacists' working environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Inaba, Ryoichi; Hioki, Atsushi; Kondo, Yoshihiro; Nakamura, Hiroki; Nakamura, Mitsuhiro

2016-03-01

The aim of this study was to assess the present status of working environments for pharmacists, including the concentrations of suspended particles and suspended drug ingredients in dispensaries. We conducted a survey on the work processes and working environment in 15 hospital dispensaries, and measured the concentrations of suspended particles and suspended drug ingredients using digital dust counter and high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), respectively. Of 25 types of powdered drugs that were frequently handled in the 15 dispensaries surveyed, 11 could be quantitatively determined. The amounts of suspended particles were relatively high, but below the reference value, in three dispensaries without dust collectors. The sedative-hypnotic drug zopiclone was detected in the suspended particles at one dispensary that was not equipped with dust collectors, and the antipyretic and analgesic drug acetaminophen was detected in two dispensaries equipped with dust collectors. There was no correlation between the daily number of prescriptions containing powdered drugs and the concentration of suspended particles in dispensaries. On the basis of the suspended particle concentrations measured, we concluded that dust collectors were effective in these dispensaries. However, suspended drug ingredients were detected also in dispensaries with dust collectors. These results suggest that the drug dust control systems of individual dispensaries should be properly installed and managed.

In-vehicle measurement of ultrafine particles on compressed natural gas, conventional diesel, and oxidation-catalyst diesel heavy-duty transit buses.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammond, Davyda; Jones, Steven; Lalor, Melinda

2007-02-01

Many metropolitan transit authorities are considering upgrading transit bus fleets to decrease ambient criteria pollutant levels. Advancements in engine and fuel technology have lead to a generation of lower-emission buses in a variety of fuel types. Dynamometer tests show substantial reductions in particulate mass emissions for younger buses (vehicle particle number concentration measurements on conventional diesel, oxidation-catalyst diesel and compressed natural gas transit buses are compared to estimate relative in-vehicle particulate exposures. Two primary consistencies are observed from the data: the CNG buses have average particle count concentrations near the average concentrations for the oxidation-catalyst diesel buses, and the conventional diesel buses have average particle count concentrations approximately three to four times greater than the CNG buses. Particle number concentrations are also noticeably affected by bus idling behavior and ventilation options, such as, window position and air conditioning.

Study of temporal variation in ambient air quality during Diwali festival in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, D P; Gadi, Ranu; Mandal, T K; Dixit, C K; Singh, Khem; Saud, T; Singh, Nahar; Gupta, Prabhat K

2010-10-01

The variation in air quality was assessed from the ambient concentrations of various air pollutants [total suspended particle (TSP), particulate matter festival, post-Diwali, and foggy day (October, November, and December), Delhi (India), from 2002 to 2007. The extensive use of fireworks was found to be related to short-term variation in air quality. During the festival, TSP is almost of the same order as compared to the concentration at an industrial site in Delhi in all the years. However, the concentrations of PM(10), SO(2), and NO(2) increased two to six times during the Diwali period when compared to the data reported for an industrial site. Similar trend was observed when the concentrations of pollutants were compared with values obtained for a typical foggy day each year in December. The levels of these pollutants observed during Diwali were found to be higher due to adverse meteorological conditions, i.e., decrease in 24 h average mixing height, temperature, and wind speed. The trend analysis shows that TSP, PM(10), NO(2), and SO(2) concentration increased just before Diwali and reached to a maximum concentration on the day of the festival. The values gradually decreased after the festival. On Diwali day, 24-h values for TSP and PM(10) in all the years from 2002 to 2007 and for NO(2) in 2004 and 2007 were found to be higher than prescribed limits of National Ambient Air Quality Standards and exceptionally high (3.6 times) for PM(10) in 2007. These results indicate that fireworks during the Diwali festival affected the ambient air quality adversely due to emission and accumulation of TSP, PM(10), SO(2), and NO(2).

PCDD/F and PCB multi-media ambient concentrations, congener patterns and occurrence in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon (Etang de Thau, France)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro-Jimenez, J. [European Commission-DG Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability(IES), TP 290, Via Enrico Fermi, 1. 21020 Ispra (Vatican City State, Holy See,) (Italy)], E-mail: javier.castro-jimenez@jrc.it; Deviller, G.; Ghiani, M.; Loos, R.; Mariani, G.; Skejo, H.; Umlauf, G.; Wollgast, J. [European Commission-DG Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability(IES), TP 290, Via Enrico Fermi, 1. 21020 Ispra (Vatican City State, Holy See,) (Italy); Laugier, T. [Ifremer, Laboratory of Environmental Resources, Bd Jean Monnet, BP 171, 34203 Sete Cedex (France); Heas-Moisan, K.; Leaute, F.; Munschy, C.; Tixier, C.; Tronczynski, J. [Ifremer, Laboratory of Biogeochemistry of Organic Contaminants, BP 21105, 44311 Nantes Cedex 3 (France)

2008-11-15

Ambient concentrations, congener patterns and multi-media distribution of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were determined in air, water, sediment and mussels in a semi-enclosed marine ecosystem (Thau lagoon, France). {sigma}2,3,7,8-PCDD/F and {sigma}7ICES PCB air concentrations (0.2-1.4 and 31-57 pg m{sup -3}, respectively) were typical of rural areas. Concentrations in the water column were very low for PCDD/Fs (163-476 fg L{sup -1}) and low for PCBs (138-708 pg L{sup -1}). PCDD/F and PCB concentrations found in surface sediment (0.15-1.6 and 2.5-33 ng g{sup -1} d.w., respectively) and mussel (13-21 pg g{sup -1} d.w. and 10-39 ng g{sup -1} d.w., respectively) were medium levels. PCDD/F congener patterns observed in air, water particulate phase and sediments were similar suggesting direct coupling among these compartments and atmospheric inputs of PCDD/Fs into the lagoon. Conversely, for the same set of samples, similar patterns were not observed for PCBs in the mentioned compartments. - Multi-media ambient concentrations and distribution of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in Thau Lagoon provide insight into the POPs behavior in semi-enclosed marine ecosystems.

Measurement of airborne concentrations of radon-220 daughter products by alpha-particle spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, G.D.; Ryan, M.T.; Perdue, P.T.

1978-01-01

The decay of naturally occurring uranium-238 and thorium-232 produces radon-222 and radon-220 isotopes which can escape into the atmosphere. If these radon gases become concentrated in air, their daughter products may present an inhalation hazard to man. The airborne concentrations of radon-222 can usually be measured very accurately in the presence of normal airborne concentrations of radon-220 and its daughters. In contrast, the measurements of the airborne concentrations of radon-220 daughters are usually complicated by the presence of radon-222 and its daughters even at normally occurring airborne concentrations. The complications involved in these measurements can be overcome in most situations by using an alpha particle spectrometer to distinguish the activity of radon-222 daughters from that due to radon-220 daughters collected on a filter. A practical spectrometer for field measurements of alpha particle activity on a filter is discussed

Exposure to Ultrafine Particles from Ambient Air and Oxidative Stress-Induced DNA Damage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bräuner, Elvira Vaclavik; Forchhammer, Lykke; Møller, Peter

2007-01-01

mononuclear cells (PBMCs) during controlled exposure to urban air particles with assignment of number concentration (NC) to four size modes with average diameters of 12, 23, 57, and 212 nm. DESIGN. Twenty-nine healthy adults participated in a randomized, two-factor cross-over study with or without biking...... exercise for 180 min and with exposure to particles (NC 6169-15362/cm3) or filtered air (NC 91-542/cm3) for 24 hr. METHODS: The levels of DNA strand breaks (SBs), oxidized purines as formamidopyrimidine DNA glycolase (FPG) sites, and activity of 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine-DNA glycosylase (OGG1) in PBMCs were...

Multi-step process for concentrating magnetic particles in waste sludges

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, John L.

1990-01-01

This invention involves a multi-step, multi-force process for dewatering sludges which have high concentrations of magnetic particles, such as waste sludges generated during steelmaking. This series of processing steps involves (1) mixing a chemical flocculating agent with the sludge; (2) allowing the particles to aggregate under non-turbulent conditions; (3) subjecting the mixture to a magnetic field which will pull the magnetic aggregates in a selected direction, causing them to form a compacted sludge; (4) preferably, decanting the clarified liquid from the compacted sludge; and (5) using filtration to convert the compacted sludge into a cake having a very high solids content. Steps 2 and 3 should be performed simultaneously. This reduces the treatment time and increases the extent of flocculation and the effectiveness of the process. As partially formed aggregates with active flocculating groups are pulled through the mixture by the magnetic field, they will contact other particles and form larger aggregates. This process can increase the solids concentration of steelmaking sludges in an efficient and economic manner, thereby accomplishing either of two goals: (a) it can convert hazardous wastes into economic resources for recycling as furnace feed material, or (b) it can dramatically reduce the volume of waste material which must be disposed.

The effects of fluvial transport on radionuclide concentrations on different particle size classes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dyer, F.J.; Olley, J.M.

1998-01-01

This paper reports on the effects of grain abrasion and disaggregation on the distribution of 137 Cs with respect to particle size and the effects this may have on the use of 137 Cs for determining the origin of recent sediment. Cs-137 is a product of above ground nuclear testing and has been deposited on the earth's surface by rainfall. On contact with soil, 137 Cs is strongly adsorbed by soil particles and there is a direct correlation between 137 Cs concentration and decreasing particle size. Rapid adsorption means that 137 Cs is preferentially concentrated in surface soils, and it's subsequent redistribution by physical processes rather than chemical has lead to 137 Cs being widely used to study soil erosion

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: �

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

Primary standard for the number concentration of liquid-borne particles in the 10 to 20 µm diameter range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakaguchi, T; Ehara, K

2011-01-01

The national primary standard for the number concentration of liquid-borne particles in the 10 to 20 µm diameter range has been developed at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Japan. The standard consists of a total number counting type flow cytometer (T-FCM) and an electronic balance. The T-FCM is a commercial flow cytometer modified so that the total number of particles in an aqueous suspension sampled in a test tube can be counted, and the electronic balance is used to determine the mass of the suspension. This standard is intended to be used for calibrating commercial standard suspensions of monodisperse polystyrene latex (PSL) particles. The measurand in the calibration is the mass-based number concentration (the particle number in a unit mass of a suspension), and the calibration capability covers the concentration range from 5 × 10 2 to 2 × 10 6 particles g −1 . When the concentration of the suspension is higher than 2 × 10 3 particles g −1 , the suspension is first diluted to about 1 × 10 3 particles g −1 to suppress the coincidence loss in particle counting by the T-FCM. The validity of the calibration with the T-FCM was examined by comparison with an independent method in which a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to determine the number concentration of particles deposited on a silicon wafer. For a suspension of 10 µm PSL particles with a concentration of approximately 1 × 10 6 particles g −1 , the concentration values determined by the T-FCM and SEM methods were 1.042 × 10 6 and 1.035 × 10 6 particles g −1 , respectively: The difference was less than 0.7%. The relative expanded uncertainty of the measurement by the T-FCM method with the coverage factor k = 2 was 4.4%

Wintertime hygroscopicity and volatility of ambient urban aerosol particles

Science.gov (United States)

Enroth, Joonas; Mikkilä, Jyri; Németh, Zoltán; Kulmala, Markku; Salma, Imre

2018-04-01

Hygroscopic and volatile properties of atmospheric aerosol particles with dry diameters of (20), 50, 75, 110 and 145 nm were determined in situ by using a volatility-hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyser (VH-TDMA) system with a relative humidity of 90 % and denuding temperature of 270 °C in central Budapest during 2 months in winter 2014-2015. The probability density function of the hygroscopic growth factor (HGF) showed a distinct bimodal distribution. One of the modes was characterised by an overall mean HGF of approximately 1.07 (this corresponds to a hygroscopicity parameter κ of 0.033) independently of the particle size and was assigned to nearly hydrophobic (NH) particles. Its mean particle number fraction was large, and it decreased monotonically from 69 to 41 % with particle diameter. The other mode showed a mean HGF increasing slightly from 1.31 to 1.38 (κ values from 0.186 to 0.196) with particle diameter, and it was attributed to less hygroscopic (LH) particles. The mode with more hygroscopic particles was not identified. The probability density function of the volatility GF (VGF) also exhibited a distinct bimodal distribution with an overall mean VGF of approximately 0.96 independently of the particle size, and with another mean VGF increasing from 0.49 to 0.55 with particle diameter. The two modes were associated with less volatile (LV) and volatile (V) particles. The mean particle number fraction for the LV mode decreased from 34 to 21 % with particle diameter. The bimodal distributions indicated that the urban atmospheric aerosol contained an external mixture of particles with a diverse chemical composition. Particles corresponding to the NH and LV modes were assigned mainly to freshly emitted combustion particles, more specifically to vehicle emissions consisting of large mass fractions of soot likely coated with or containing some water-insoluble organic compounds such as non-hygroscopic hydrocarbon-like organics. The hygroscopic

Size-tunable silver nanoparticles synthesized by using aminopolycarboxylic acids at ambient-temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malkar, Vishwabharati V.; Chadha, R.; Biswas, N.; Mukherjee, T.; Kapoor, S.

2009-01-01

Full text: Stable aqueous sols of silver nanoparticles are prepared by using various aminopolycarboxylic acids as stabilizing agents at ambient temperature. The precursor silver perchlorate is reduced using γ radiations. Interestingly, it was observed that size of silver nanoparticles obtained could be tuned using various aminopolycarboxylic acids of varying carboxylic acid groups The silver sols synthesized by this method were stable for months and particles obtained were monodisperse in almost all cases. Particle formation was observed at equimolar concentration of silver and aminopolycarboxylic acids. The stabilization of particles even in the absence of any polymer indicates that the adsorption of aminopolycarboxylic acids on silver particle is a spontaneous process. The adsorbed aminopolycarboxylic acids can saturate the residual valence force of the silver atom on the particle surface by coordinating with unoccupied orbital. Adsorption of aminopolycarboxylic acids does not lead to any change in surface plasmon band of silver nanoparticles; this indicates that anions in the double layer on the colloidal particle have different chemical properties from the free anions. Synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible spectrophotometer, X-ray Diffraction, Dynamic Light Scattering and Transmission Electron Microscope

Size evolution of ultrafine particles: Differential signatures of normal and episodic events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joshi, Manish; Khan, Arshad; Anand, S.; Sapra, B.K.

2016-01-01

The effect of fireworks on the aerosol number characteristics of atmosphere was studied for an urban mega city. Measurements were made at 50 m height to assess the local changes around the festival days. Apart from the increase in total number concentration and characteristic accumulation mode, short-term increase of ultrafine particle concentration was noted. Total number concentration varies an order of magnitude during the measurement period in which peak occurs at a frequency of approximately one per day. On integral scale, it seems not possible to distinguish an episodic (e.g. firework bursting induced aerosol emission) and a normal (ambient atmospheric changes) event. However these events could be differentiated on the basis of size evolution analysis around number concentration peaks. The results are discussed relative to past studies and inferences are drawn towards aerosol signatures of firework bursting. The short-term burst in ultrafine particle concentration can pose an inhalation hazard. - Highlights: • Effect of firework emissions on atmospheric aerosol characteristics was studied. • Significant increase in ultrafine particle concentration was observed during firework bursting. • Size distribution evolution analysis of number concentration peaks has been performed. • Differential signatures of normal and episodic event were noted. - Notable increase in ultrafine particle concentration during firework bursting was seen. Normal and episodic event could be differentiated on the basis of size evolution analysis.

Air quality more extensive monitoring of particulates pollution but concentrations must be reduced by 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ba, M.; Colosio, J.

2000-09-01

Most epidemiological data point to a link between the concentrations of particles measured in the ambient air and the effects of air pollution on human health. Particulates emitted by road traffic and industry are among the most harmful; they carry serious risks. The particulate monitoring network and legislation on the issue are constantly changing. In France, the number of monitoring stations has more than doubled in recent years. EC Directive 1999/30/EC of 22 April 1999 sets limit values for concentrations of particulates in ambient air to be complied with at certain given dates. In France, while the concentrations measured in urban areas with over 100 000 inhabitants are below the limit values set by the Directive for today, they are significantly higher than those to be complied with by 1 January 2005. (author)

Power law relation between particle concentrations and their sizes in the blood plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirichenko, M N; Chaikov, L L; Zaritskii, A R

2016-01-01

This work is devoted to the investigation of sizes and concentrations of particles in blood plasma by dynamic light scattering (DLS). Blood plasma contains many different proteins and their aggregates, microparticles and vesicles. Their sizes, concentrations and shapes can give information about donor's health. Our DLS study of blood plasma reveals unexpected dependence: with increasing of the particle sizes r (from 1 nm up to 1 μm), their concentrations decrease as r -4 (almost by 12 orders). We found also that such dependence was repeated for model solution of fibrinogen and thrombin with power coefficient is -3,6. We believe that this relation is a fundamental law of nature that shows interaction of proteins (and other substances) in biological liquids. (paper)

Wintertime hygroscopicity and volatility of ambient urban aerosol particles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Enroth

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Hygroscopic and volatile properties of atmospheric aerosol particles with dry diameters of (20, 50, 75, 110 and 145 nm were determined in situ by using a volatility–hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyser (VH-TDMA system with a relative humidity of 90 % and denuding temperature of 270 °C in central Budapest during 2 months in winter 2014–2015. The probability density function of the hygroscopic growth factor (HGF showed a distinct bimodal distribution. One of the modes was characterised by an overall mean HGF of approximately 1.07 (this corresponds to a hygroscopicity parameter κ of 0.033 independently of the particle size and was assigned to nearly hydrophobic (NH particles. Its mean particle number fraction was large, and it decreased monotonically from 69 to 41 % with particle diameter. The other mode showed a mean HGF increasing slightly from 1.31 to 1.38 (κ values from 0.186 to 0.196 with particle diameter, and it was attributed to less hygroscopic (LH particles. The mode with more hygroscopic particles was not identified. The probability density function of the volatility GF (VGF also exhibited a distinct bimodal distribution with an overall mean VGF of approximately 0.96 independently of the particle size, and with another mean VGF increasing from 0.49 to 0.55 with particle diameter. The two modes were associated with less volatile (LV and volatile (V particles. The mean particle number fraction for the LV mode decreased from 34 to 21 % with particle diameter. The bimodal distributions indicated that the urban atmospheric aerosol contained an external mixture of particles with a diverse chemical composition. Particles corresponding to the NH and LV modes were assigned mainly to freshly emitted combustion particles, more specifically to vehicle emissions consisting of large mass fractions of soot likely coated with or containing some water-insoluble organic compounds such as non

Detectors for alpha particles and X-rays operating in ambient air in pulse counting mode or/and with gas amplification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charpak, G; Benaben, P; Breuil, P; Peskov, V

2008-01-01

Ionization chambers working in ambient air in current detection mode are attractive due to their simplicity and low cost and are widely used in several applications such as smoke detection, dosimetry, therapeutic beam monitoring and so on. The aim of this work was to investigate if gaseous detectors can operate in ambient air in pulse counting mode as well as with gas amplification which potentially offers the highest possible sensitivity in applications like alpha particle detection or high energy X-ray photon or electron detection. To investigate the feasibility of this method two types of open- end gaseous detectors were build and successfully tested. The first one was a single wire or multiwire cylindrical geometry detector operating in pulse mode at a gas gain of one (pulse ionization chamber). This detector was readout by a custom made wide -band charge sensitive amplifier able to deal with slow induced signals generated by slow motion of negative and positive ions. The multiwire detector was able to detect alpha particles with an efficiency close to 22%. The second type of an alpha detector was an innovative GEM-like detector with resistive electrodes operating in air in avalanche mode at high gas gains (up to 10 4 ). This detector can also operate in a cascaded mode or being combined with other detectors, for example with MICROMEGAS. This detector was readout by a conventional charge -sensitive amplifier and was able to detect alpha particles with 100% efficiency. This detector could also detect X-ray photons or fast electrons. A detailed comparison between these two detectors is given as well as a comparison with commercially available alpha detectors. The main advantages of gaseous detectors operating in air in a pulse detection mode are their simplicity, low cost and high sensitivity. One of the possible applications of these new detectors is alpha particle background monitors which, due to their low cost can find wide application not only in houses, but

Height profile of particle concentration in an aeolian saltating cloud: A wind tunnel investigation by PIV MSD

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Zhibao; Wang, Hongtao; Zhang, Xiaohang; Ayrault, Michael

2003-10-01

Attempt is made to define the particle concentration in an aeolian saltating cloud and its variation with height using artificial spherical quartz sand in a wind tunnel. The height profiles of the relative particle concentration in aeolian saltating cloud at three wind velocities were detected by the state of the art PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) MSD (Mie Scattering Diffusion) technique, and converted to actual concentration based on sand transport rate and the variation with height of velocity of the saltating cloud. The particle concentration was found to decay exponentially with height and to increase with wind velocity. It decayed more rapidly when the wind velocity decreased. The volume/volume concentration in the near-surface layer was at the order of 10-4. The results obtained by PIV MSD technique were in good agreement with those derived from the sand flux and velocity profiles, the former being about 15% greater than the later.

Ambient fine particulate matter in China: Its negative impacts and possible countermeasures.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Zihan; Chen, Tingjia; Chen, Jiang; Qi, Xiaofei

2018-03-01

In recent decades, China has experienced rapid economic development accompanied by increasing concentrations of ambient PM 2.5 , particulate matter of less than 2.5 μm in diameter. PM 2.5 is now believed to be a carcinogen, causing higher lung cancer risks and generating losses to the economy and society. This meta-analysis evaluates the losses generated by ambient PM 2.5 in Suzhou from 2014 to 2016 and predicts losses at different concentrations. Estimations of total losses in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Dalian, and Xiamen are also presented, with a total national loss in 2015. The authors then demonstrate that lowering ambient PM 2.5 concentrations would be a realistic way for China to reduce the evaluated social losses in the short term. Possible legal measures are listed for lowering ambient PM 2.5 concentrations. The present findings quantify the economic effects of ambient PM 2.5 due to the increased incidence rate and mortality rate of lung cancer. Lowering ambient PM 2.5 concentrations would be the most realistic way for China to reduce tghe evaluated social losses in the short term. Possible legal measures for lowering ambient PM 2.5 concentrations to reduce the total losses are identified.

Analysis of Air Particles Around Site Plan of Gold Mining, North Sumatera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gatot-Suhariyono; Erizal-Tanjung

2004-01-01

Analysis of air particles around site plan of gold mining, North Sumatra has been conducted. Air particles of TSP (Total Suspended Particulate), which has maximum diameter around 45 μm (PM 2.5 ) was sampled in four places using impactor cascade. The measurement results indicate that concentration of TSP and PM 10 /PM 2.5 were in site plan center of mining smaller than quality standard of ambient air (PP RI no. 41/1999), while the concentration in areas of around it was on the contrary. The concentration in areas of around the mining was not because of air particle from in site plan center of mining. Based on regulatory of BAPEDAL head no. Kep-107/BAPEDAL/11/1997, concentration of PM 10 /PM 2.5 and TSP in site plan center of mining is in moderate category, while in areas of around the mining are in unhealthy category. Unhealthy category affects decrease at view distance and happened dust defilement everywhere, while moderate category is only happened degradation of view distance. (author)

Mass and elemental concentrations of air bone particles at Kuala Lumpur site in 2000 to 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul Khalik Wood; Mohd Suhaimi Hamzah; Shamsiah Abdul Rahman

2008-01-01

Atmospheric Pollution due to air bone particle is a major concern to many cities in the Southeast Asian region, including Kuala Lumpur. Within the last six years air particulate samples have been collected from a site in Kuala Lumpur and measured for their PM10, PM2.5 and elemental concentrations. The results showed that the daily PM10 (<10μ diameter) concentrations were generally acceptable but the values occasionally very high, especially during the haze episodes. The PM10 annual average values were just below the national set standard and these values were mostly contributed by the fine particles (<2μ diameter) concentration. The annual average for PM2.5 (fine particle) concentrations over the past few years were considerably high where elemental carbon, sulfur and potassium were the main components. (Author)

Particle Acceleration, Magnetic Field Generation in Relativistic Shocks

Science.gov (United States)

Nishikawa, Ken-Ichi; Hardee, P.; Hededal, C. B.; Richardson, G.; Sol, H.; Preece, R.; Fishman, G. J.

2005-01-01

Shock acceleration is an ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, two-streaming instability, and the Weibel instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. Using a 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (REMP) code, we have investigated particle acceleration associated with a relativistic jet front propagating through an ambient plasma with and without initial magnetic fields. We find only small differences in the results between no ambient and weak ambient parallel magnetic fields. Simulations show that the Weibel instability created in the collisionless shock front accelerates particles perpendicular and parallel to the jet propagation direction. New simulations with an ambient perpendicular magnetic field show the strong interaction between the relativistic jet and the magnetic fields. The magnetic fields are piled up by the jet and the jet electrons are bent, which creates currents and displacement currents. At the nonlinear stage, the magnetic fields are reversed by the current and the reconnection may take place. Due to these dynamics the jet and ambient electron are strongly accelerated in both parallel and perpendicular directions.

Otolith Sr concentration analyzed by PIXE in Ariake estuary-dependent sea bass juveniles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohta, Taro; Arai, Nobuaki; Tanaka, Masaru; Yoshida, Koji

1997-01-01

Japanese sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus) is a typical euryhaline marine fish and frequently migrates from salt to freshwater environments during early life stages. We hypothesized that strontium concentrations in the otolith could be a useful index to examine freshwater entry because of its lower concentration in freshwater. Otoliths of Japanese sea bass juveniles collected in the Chikugo river and estuary were analyzed by Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) to see relationship between strontium concentration and ambient salinity. Strontium concentrations in otoliths of sea bass juveniles are significantly lower in the river samples than in brackish water samples. (author)

Patterns and sources of particle-phase aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban and rural sites of western Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Kalaitzoglou, Maria; Terzi, Eleni; Samara, Constantini

Particle-bound aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs and PAHs, respectively) were determined in the ambient air of the Eordea basin, in western Greece, where intensive coal burning for power generation takes place. Thirteen PAHs, n-alkanes (C 14-C 35), hopanes, and isoprenoid hydrocarbons (pristane and phytane) were determined in the total suspended particles collected from the atmosphere of four sites within the basin receiving potential impacts from various sources, such as fly ash, coal mining, automobile traffic, domestic heating, and agricultural or refuse burning. The same organic species were also determined in the fly ash generated in power stations, and in particulate emissions from open burning of biomass (dry corn leaves) and refuse burning. Organic particle sources were resolved using concentration diagnostic ratios and factor analysis (FA). A multivariate statistical receptor model (Absolute Principal Component Analysis, APCA) was finally employed to estimate the contribution of identified sources to the measured concentrations of organic pollutants. Four major sources for ambient PAHs and AHs were identified displaying variable contribution in different sites: (a) fossil fuel combustion, (b) biogenic emissions, (c) refuse burning, and (d) oil residues. Fuel combustion was the major source of ambient PAHs and an important source of n-alkanes in the range C 21-C 28. Oil residues were found to be the major source of low molecular weight n-alkanes (particularly the C 14-C 16), and an important source of pristane, phytane and UCM. Biogenic sources were primarily responsible for the high molecular weight n-alkanes explaining almost the entire concentration levels of homologues >C 32. Biomass burning was particularly important for the C 23-C 26n-alkanes. Despite the vicinity of certain sampling sites to power stations, coal fly ash was not identifiable as a source for ambient PAHs and AHs.

Preferential Concentration Of Solid Particles In Turbulent Horizontal Circular Pipe Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jaehee; Yang, Kyung-Soo

2017-11-01

In particle-laden turbulent pipe flow, turbophoresis can lead to a preferential concentration of particles near the wall. To investigate this phenomenon, one-way coupled Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) has been performed. Fully-developed turbulent pipe flow of the carrier fluid (air) is at Reτ = 200 based on the pipe radius and the mean friction velocity, whereas the Stokes numbers of the particles (solid) are St+ = 0.1 , 1 , 10 based on the mean friction velocity and the kinematic viscosity of the fluid. The computational domain for particle simulation is extended along the axial direction by duplicating the domain of the fluid simulation. By doing so, particle statistics in the spatially developing region as well as in the fully-developed region can be obtained. Accumulation of particles has been noticed at St+ = 1 and 10 mostly in the viscous sublayer, more intensive in the latter case. Compared with other authors' previous results, our results suggest that drag force on the particles should be computed by using an empirical correlation and a higher-order interpolation scheme even in a low-Re regime in order to improve the accuracy of particle simulation. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) (No. 2015R1A2A2A01002981).

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...

Exposure to dust and particle-associated 1-nitropyrene of drivers of diesel-powered equipment in underground mining.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheepers, P T J; Micka, V; Muzyka, V; Anzion, R; Dahmann, D; Poole, J; Bos, R P

2003-07-01

A field study was conducted in two mines in order to determine the most suitable strategy for ambient exposure assessment in the framework of a European study aimed at validation of biological monitoring approaches for diesel exhaust (BIOMODEM). Exposure to dust and particle-associated 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) was studied in 20 miners of black coal by the long wall method (Czech Republic) and in 20 workers in oil shale mining by the room and pillar method (Estonia). The study in the oil shale mine was extended to include 100 workers in a second phase (main study). In each mine half of the study population worked underground as drivers of diesel-powered trains (black coal) and excavators (oil shale). The other half consisted of workers occupied in various non-diesel production assignments. Exposure to diesel exhaust was studied by measurement of inhalable and respirable dust at fixed locations and by personal air sampling of respirable dust. The ratio of geometric mean inhalable to respirable dust concentration was approximately two to one. The underground/surface ratio of respirable dust concentrations measured at fixed locations and in the breathing zones of the workers was 2-fold or greater. Respirable dust was 2- to 3-fold higher in the breathing zone than at fixed sampling locations. The 1-NP content in these dust fractions was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry and ranged from 0.003 to 42.2 ng/m(3) in the breathing zones of the workers. In mine dust no 1-NP was detected. In both mines 1-NP was observed to be primarily associated with respirable particles. The 1-NP concentrations were also higher underground than on the surface (2- to 3-fold in the coal mine and 10-fold or more in the oil shale mine). Concentrations of 1-NP in the breathing zones were also higher than at fixed sites (2.5-fold in the coal mine and 10-fold in the oil shale mine). For individual exposure assessment personal air sampling is preferred over air sampling

Pro-inflammatory effects and oxidative stress in lung macrophages and epithelial cells induced by ambient particulate matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michael, S.; Montag, M.; Dott, W.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare the toxicological effects of different source-related ambient PM10 samples in regard to their chemical composition. In this context we investigated airborne PM from different sites in Aachen, Germany. For the toxicological investigation human alveolar epithelial cells (A549) and murine macrophages (RAW264.7) were exposed from 0 to 96 h to increasing PM concentrations (0–100 μg/ml) followed by analyses of cell viability, pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress responses. The chemical analysis of these particles indicated the presence of 21 elements, water-soluble ions and PAHs. The toxicological investigations of the PM10 samples demonstrated a concentration- and time-dependent decrease in cell viability and an increase in pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. -- Highlights: ► The study compares the toxicological effects of different source-related particles with regard to their chemical composition. ► The chemical characterization of the coarse particles revealed clear differences in elemental, TC and PAH composition. ► Equal mass concentrations of urban traffic and rural PM caused different toxicological responses. ► The observations confirm the hypothesis that particle composition, as well as origin, influence the PM-induced toxicity. -- The toxicological responses of lung epithelial cells and macrophages differ significantly after an exposure to equal mass concentrations of urban traffic and rural PM

Evaluation of correlating factors between 238U concentration measured in fine and course atmospheric particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peixoto, Claudia Marques; Jacomino, Vanusa Maria Feliciano; Barreto, Alberto Avelar; Dias, Vagner Silva; Dias, Fabiana Ferrari

2009-01-01

Air quality is ever more important in function of the enormous proportion of human actions that have affected the environment over the last two centuries. Particulate material is one among many pollutants that can cause great risk to human health and the environment. It can be classified as: Total Suspended Particles (TSP), defined simply as particles with less than 50 μm aerodynamic diameter (one group of these particles can be inhaled and may cause health problems, while others may unfavorably affect the population's quality of life, interfering in environmental conditions and impairing normal community activities); and Inhalable Particles (PM 10 ), defined as those particles with less than 10 μm aerodynamic diameter. These particles penetrate the respiratory system and can reach pulmonary alveoli due to their small size, causing serious health damage. The Nuclear Technology Development Center (CDTN) has monitored air quality around its installations since 2000. CDTN's Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) includes monitoring radioactivity levels contained in atmospheric TSP. In order to optimize its program, CDTN is carrying out a study to estimate the correlation between concentrations of particulate material measured in TSP and those measured in PM 10 , PI 2.5 and PI 1 , as well as determination of activity concentration for each controlled radionuclide in all parts. The objective of this study is to present preliminary results and report 238 U activity concentration results. (author)

Size evolution of ultrafine particles: Differential signatures of normal and episodic events.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Manish; Khan, Arshad; Anand, S; Sapra, B K

2016-01-01

The effect of fireworks on the aerosol number characteristics of atmosphere was studied for an urban mega city. Measurements were made at 50 m height to assess the local changes around the festival days. Apart from the increase in total number concentration and characteristic accumulation mode, short-term increase of ultrafine particle concentration was noted. Total number concentration varies an order of magnitude during the measurement period in which peak occurs at a frequency of approximately one per day. On integral scale, it seems not possible to distinguish an episodic (e.g. firework bursting induced aerosol emission) and a normal (ambient atmospheric changes) event. However these events could be differentiated on the basis of size evolution analysis around number concentration peaks. The results are discussed relative to past studies and inferences are drawn towards aerosol signatures of firework bursting. The short-term burst in ultrafine particle concentration can pose an inhalation hazard. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

detected under controlled experimental conditions. Transgenic mice (Apo E -/-), known to have high base line levels of oxidative stress, were exposed by inhalation to well characterized, concentrated ambient air pollution. Morphometric analysis of the CNS indicated unequivocally that the brain is a critical target for PM exposure and implicated oxidative stress as a predisposing factor that links PM exposure and susceptibility to neurodegeneration. Together, these data present evidence for potential translocation of ambient particles on organs distant from the lung and the neurodegenerative consequences of exposure to air pollutants.

Performance of a low-cost methane sensor for ambient concentration measurements in preliminary studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Eugster

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas after CO₂ and contributes to global warming. Its sources are not uniformly distributed across terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and most of the methane flux is expected to stem from hotspots which often occupy a very small fraction of the total landscape area. Continuous time-series measurements of CH₄ concentrations can help identify and locate these methane hotspots. Newer, low-cost trace gas sensors such as the Figaro TGS 2600 can detect CH₄ even at ambient concentrations. Hence, in this paper we tested this sensor under real-world conditions over Toolik Lake, Alaska, to determine its suitability for preliminary studies before placing more expensive and service-intensive equipment at a given locality. A reasonably good agreement with parallel measurements made using a Los Gatos Research FMA 100 methane analyzer was found after removal of the strong sensitivities for temperature and relative humidity. Correcting for this sensitivity increased the absolute accuracy required for in-depth studies, and the reproducibility between two TGS 2600 sensors run in parallel is very good. We conclude that the relative CH₄ concentrations derived from such sensors are sufficient for preliminary investigations in the search of potential methane hotspots.

Radial diffusive sampler for the determination of 8-h ambient ozone concentrations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plaisance, H.; Gerboles, M.; Piechocki, A.; Detimmerman, F.; Saeger, E. de

2007-01-01

The 8-h ozone radial diffusive sampler was evaluated according to the CEN protocol for the validation of diffusive samplers. All the parameters regarding the sampler characteristics were found to be consistent with the requirements of this protocol apart from the blank value, which must be evaluated and subtracted at each sampling. The nominal uptake rate was determined in laboratory conditions. However, the uptake rate depends on the mass uptake, temperature, humidity and on the combination of temperature and humidity. Based on laboratory experiments, an empirical model has been established which improved the agreement between the radial sampler and the reference method. This improvement was observed under several different meteorological and emission conditions of sampling. By using the model equation of uptake rate, the data quality objective of 30% for the expanded uncertainty included in the O 3 European Directive, is easily attained. Therefore, the sampler represents an appropriate indicative method. - A passive sampler has been fully validated for monitoring 8-h ozone concentrations in ambient air

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

Measurement of radon progeny concentrations in air by alpha-particle spectrometey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, G.D.

1975-07-01

A technique is presented for measuring air concentrations of the short-lived progeny of radon-222 by the use of alpha spectrometry. In this technique, the concentration of RaA, RaB, and RaC are calculated from one integral count of the RaA and two integral counts of the RaC' alpha-particle activity collected on a filter with an air sampling device. The influence of air sampling and counting intervals of time on the accuracy of the calculated concentrations is discussed in the report. A computer program is presented for use with this technique. It is written in the BASIC language. The program will calculate the air concentrations of RaA, RaB, and RaC, and will estimate the accuracy in these calculated concentrations. (U.S.)

How do changes in bulk soil organic carbon content affect carbon concentrations in individual soil particle fractions?

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, X. M.; Drury, C. F.; Reynolds, W. D.; Yang, J. Y.

2016-06-01

We test the common assumption that organic carbon (OC) storage occurs on sand-sized soil particles only after the OC storage capacity on silt- and clay-sized particles is saturated. Soil samples from a Brookston clay loam in Southwestern Ontario were analysed for the OC concentrations in bulk soil, and on the clay (<2 μm), silt (2-53 μm) and sand (53-2000 μm) particle size fractions. The OC concentrations in bulk soil ranged from 4.7 to 70.8 g C kg-1 soil. The OC concentrations on all three particle size fractions were significantly related to the OC concentration of bulk soil. However, OC concentration increased slowly toward an apparent maximum on silt and clay, but this maximum was far greater than the maximum predicted by established C sequestration models. In addition, significant increases in OC associated with sand occurred when the bulk soil OC concentration exceeded 30 g C kg-1, but this increase occurred when the OC concentration on silt + clay was still far below the predicted storage capacity for silt and clay fractions. Since the OC concentrations in all fractions of Brookston clay loam soil continued to increase with increasing C (bulk soil OC content) input, we concluded that the concept of OC storage capacity requires further investigation.

Bottom concentrations Determination of particle material in suspension in Medellin City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Echeverri Londono, Carlos Alberto

2000-01-01

The aim of this work is at achieving a better understanding of background concentrations of particle materials in suspension (pst) in Medellin. This will allow certain actions and programs for watching and controlling air pollution in this city. Metals analyzed in particle material were: calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, nickel and lead. Chromium and nickel were not detected in any station and lead was detected in one station only. It is observed that all metals have a large dispersion, excepting total iron in La America and magnesium in point 2 at Belencito, which demonstrates the high temporal variability of these metals in these places. also It is observed that metals do not have a homogenous variation in their breathable fraction (encountered in pm-10) in relation to the total metals (encountered in PST) which is indication of the different sources contribution to the metals concentration and, in general, of PST and PM - 10

Laboratory evaluation of a gasifier particle sampling system using model compounds of different particle morphology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nilsson, Patrik T.; Malik, Azhar; Pagels, Joakim; Lindskog, Magnus; Rissler, Jenny; Gudmundsson, Anders; Bohgard, Mats; Sanati, Mehri [Lund University, Division of Ergonomics and Aerosol Technology, P.O. Box 118, Lund (Sweden)

2011-07-15

The objective of this work was to design and evaluate an experimental setup to be used for field studies of particle formation in biomass gasification processes. The setup includes a high-temperature dilution probe and a denuder to separate solid particles from condensable volatile material. The efficiency of the setup to remove volatile material from the sampled stream and the influence from condensation on particles with different morphologies is presented. In order to study the sampling setup model, aerosols were created with a nebulizer to produce compact and solid KCl particles and a diffusion flame burner to produce agglomerated and irregular soot particles. The nebulizer and soot generator was followed by an evaporation-condensation section where volatile material, dioctylsebacete (DOS), was added to the system as a tar model compound. The model aerosol particles were heated to 200 C to create a system containing both solid particles and volatile organic material in gas phase. The heated aerosol particles were sampled and diluted at the same temperature with the dilution probe. Downstream the probe, the DOS was adsorbed in the denuder. This was achieved by slowly decreasing the temperature of the diluted sample towards ambient level in the denuder. Thereby the supersaturation of organic vapors was reduced which decreased the probability for tar condensation and nucleation of new particles. Both the generation system and the sampling technique gave reproducible results. A DOS collection efficiency of >99% was achieved if the denuder inlet concentration was diluted to less than 1-6 mg/m{sup 3} depending on the denuder flow rate. Concentrations higher than that lead to significant impact on the resulting KCl size distribution. The choice of model compounds was done to study the effect from the particle morphology on the achieved particle characteristics after the sampling setup. When similar amounts of volatile material condensed on soot agglomerates and

The effect of particle size and concentration on the flow properties of a homogeneous slurry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbas, M.A.; Crowe, C.T.

1986-01-01

This paper presents the results of the effects of particle size and concentration on the velocity distribution in the fully developed flow of a homogeneous slurry. The slurry consisted of chloroform and silica gel with matched index of refraction to enable Laser-Doppler anemometry (LDA) measurements through the mixture. Slurries with two particle sizes and solids concentration up to 30% by volume were studied. Measurements were made over a Reynolds number range of 1,200 to 30,000

Photochemical aging of aerosol particles in different air masses arriving at Baengnyeong Island, Korea

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Eunha; Lee, Meehye; Brune, William H.; Lee, Taehyoung; Park, Taehyun; Ahn, Joonyoung; Shang, Xiaona

2018-05-01

Atmospheric aerosol particles are a serious health risk, especially in regions like East Asia. We investigated the photochemical aging of ambient aerosols using a potential aerosol mass (PAM) reactor at Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea during 4-12 August 2011. The size distributions and chemical compositions of aerosol particles were measured alternately every 6 min from the ambient air or through the highly oxidizing environment of a potential aerosol mass (PAM) reactor. Particle size and chemical composition were measured by using the combination of a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). Inside the PAM reactor, O3 and OH levels were equivalent to 4.6 days of integrated OH exposure at typical atmospheric conditions. Two types of air masses were distinguished on the basis of the chemical composition and the degree of aging: air transported from China, which was more aged with a higher sulfate concentration and O : C ratio, and the air transported across the Korean Peninsula, which was less aged with more organics than sulfate and a lower O : C ratio. For both episodes, the particulate sulfate mass concentration increased in the 200-400 nm size range when sampled through the PAM reactor. A decrease in organics was responsible for the loss of mass concentration in 100-200 nm particles when sampled through the PAM reactor for the organics-dominated episode. This loss was especially evident for the m/z 43 component, which represents less oxidized organics. The m/z 44 component, which represents further oxidized organics, increased with a shift toward larger sizes for both episodes. It is not possible to quantify the maximum possible organic mass concentration for either episode because only one OH exposure of 4.6 days was used, but it is clear that SO2 was a primary precursor of secondary aerosol in northeast Asia, especially during long-range transport from China. In addition

Comparison of emission inventory and ambient concentration ratios of CO, NMOG, and NOx in California South Coast Air Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, E.M.; Croes, B.E.; Bennett, C.L.; Lawson, D.R.; Lurmann, F.W.; Main, H.H.

1992-01-01

In the present study, the author performed a top-down validation of the reactive organic gas and carbon monoxide emission inventories for California's South Coast Air Basin by comparing speciation profiles for nonmethane organic gases (NMOG) and ratios of CO/NO x and NMOG/NO x derived from early-morning (0700 to 0800) ambient measurements taken during the 1987 Southern California Air Quality Study with the corresponding ratios and speciation profiles derived from day-specific, hourly, gridded emission inventories. Twenty separate comparisons were considered for each ratio, each representing a different combination of season, emission category, and spatial and temporal averaging of emissions. It was determined that the most appropriate comparison in summer was ambient pollutant ratios with ratios derived from morning on-road motrovehicle emission inventories, and in the fall, ambient ratios with ratios derived from overnight on-road motor vehicle emission inventories with some contribution from overnight stationary-source NO x emission inventories. From these comparisons, the ambient CO/CO x and NMOG/NO x ratios are about 1.5 and 2 to 2.5 times higher, respectively, than the corresponding inventory ratios. On the assumption that inventories of NO x emissions are reasonably correct, these results indicate that on-road motor vehicle CO and NMOG emissions are significantly underestimated. Comparisons of measured CO, NMOG, and NO x concentrations and CO/NO x and NMOG/NO x ratios with air quality model predictions obtained by the California Air Resources Board show similar differences

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

Effects of polyacrylic acid additive on barium sulfate particle morphology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jie; Liu, Dandan; Jiang, Hongkun; Wang, Jun; Jing, Xiaoyan; Chen, Rongrong [Key Laboratory of Superlight Material and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China); Zhu, Wenting [Department of Gastroenterology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin 150081 (China); Han, Shihui [Key Laboratory of Superlight Material and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China); Li, Wanyou [College of Power and Energy Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China); Wei, Hao, E-mail: weihao7512@126.com [Key Laboratory of Superlight Material and Surface Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Material Science and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China); College of Power and Energy Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001 (China)

2016-06-01

In this paper, polyacrylic acid (PAA) was used as a growth modifier to control micron-sized barium sulfate particles via a simple precipitation reaction between sodium sulfate and barium chloride at ambient temperature. The barium sulfate particles were exhibited various morphologies, such as monodisperse spheres, ellipsoids, rose-like aggregates, etc. To better understand the formation mechanisms of the various morphologies of these particles, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed. It was found that the PAA concentration, pH, and Ba{sup 2+} and SO{sub 4}{sup 2−} ions concentrations were the most important parameters controlling the morphology of the BaSO{sub 4} particles. These parameters affected the BaSO{sub 4} morphology by influencing the interactions between the PAA carboxyl groups and inorganic ions and the conformation change of the PAA molecular chains. Moreover, this work attempts to provide a preliminary understanding of the formation of the spherical BaSO{sub 4} particles with the randomly coiled conformation of the polymer. - Highlights: • Polyacrylic acid (PAA) was used as a growth modifier to control micron-sized BaSO{sub 4} particles. • The PAA/BaSO{sub 4} particles were exhibited various morphologies. • Provide a preliminary understanding of the formation mechanism of BaSO{sub 4} particles.

Seasonal variation of atmospheric particle number concentrations, new particle formation and atmospheric oxidation capacity at the high Arctic site Villum Research Station, Station Nord

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Q. T. Nguyen

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This work presents an analysis of the physical properties of sub-micrometer aerosol particles measured at the high Arctic site Villum Research Station, Station Nord (VRS, northeast Greenland, between July 2010 and February 2013. The study focuses on particle number concentrations, particle number size distributions and the occurrence of new particle formation (NPF events and their seasonality in the high Arctic, where observations and characterization of such aerosol particle properties and corresponding events are rare and understanding of related processes is lacking.A clear accumulation mode was observed during the darker months from October until mid-May, which became considerably more pronounced during the prominent Arctic haze months from March to mid-May. In contrast, nucleation- and Aitken-mode particles were predominantly observed during the summer months. Analysis of wind direction and wind speed indicated possible contributions of marine sources from the easterly side of the station to the observed summertime particle number concentrations, while southwesterly to westerly winds dominated during the darker months. NPF events lasting from hours to days were mostly observed from June until August, with fewer events observed during the months with less sunlight, i.e., March, April, September and October. The results tend to indicate that ozone (O3 might be weakly anti-correlated with particle number concentrations of the nucleation-mode range (10–30 nm in almost half of the NPF events, while no positive correlation was observed. Calculations of air mass back trajectories using the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT model for the NPF event days suggested that the onset or interruption of events could possibly be explained by changes in air mass origin. A map of event occurrence probability was computed, indicating that southerly air masses from over the Greenland Sea were more likely linked to those

Highly Localized Acoustic Streaming and Size-Selective Submicrometer Particle Concentration Using High Frequency Microscale Focused Acoustic Fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, David J; Ma, Zhichao; Ai, Ye

2016-05-17

Concentration and separation of particles and biological specimens are fundamental functions of micro/nanofluidic systems. Acoustic streaming is an effective and biocompatible way to create rapid microscale fluid motion and induce particle capture, though the >100 MHz frequencies required to directly generate acoustic body forces on the microscale have traditionally been difficult to generate and localize in a way that is amenable to efficient generation of streaming. Moreover, acoustic, hydrodynamic, and electrical forces as typically applied have difficulty manipulating specimens in the submicrometer regime. In this work, we introduce highly focused traveling surface acoustic waves (SAW) at high frequencies between 193 and 636 MHz for efficient and highly localized production of acoustic streaming vortices on microfluidic length scales. Concentration occurs via a novel mechanism, whereby the combined acoustic radiation and streaming field results in size-selective aggregation in fluid streamlines in the vicinity of a high-amplitude acoustic beam, as opposed to previous acoustic radiation induced particle concentration where objects typically migrate toward minimum pressure locations. Though the acoustic streaming is induced by a traveling wave, we are able to manipulate particles an order of magnitude smaller than possible using the traveling wave force alone. We experimentally and theoretically examine the range of particle sizes that can be captured in fluid streamlines using this technique, with rapid particle concentration demonstrated down to 300 nm diameters. We also demonstrate that locations of trapping and concentration are size-dependent, which is attributed to the combined effects of the acoustic streaming and acoustic forces.

Trace element similarity groups in north Florida Spanish moss: evidence for direct uptake of aerosol particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sheline, J.; Akselsson, R.; Winchester, J.W.

1976-02-20

The elemental composition of 10 samples of Spanish moss Tillandsia usneoides L. collected mainly in forested areas near Tallahassee, Florida, has been compared to the composition of the ambient aerosol particle background in the forest measured as a function of particle size. For forest samples, moss composition is similar to the composition of aerosol particles greater than about 0.5-..mu..m diameter for the elements S, Cl, Ti, V, Fe, Ni, Zn, Br, Pb, and possibly Cu. Elements relatively enriched in the moss fall into two groups, K, Rb, Zr and Ca, Sr, Mn, based on detailed association patterns. No evidence is found for an enrichment, relative to the ambient aerosol, of pollution-derived elements Pb, Br, V, and Ni, although those elements are found at higher concentrations in moss samples from locations nearer roadways or oil-fired power plants. The moss appears to have potential value as an indicator of time average aerosol composition for particles of greater than or equal to 0.5 ..mu..m, except for the enriched elements, which may have longer biological retention times. (auth)

Behaviour of solute and particle markers in the stomach of sheep given a concentrate diet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faichney, G.J.; Griffiths, D.A.

1978-01-01

Fistulated sheep given a concentrate diet were used to study the behaviour of solute ([ 51 Cr]EDTA) and particle ([ 103 Ru]phenanthroline) markers in the stomach under conditions of continuous feeding. An injection of a mixed dose of [ 51 Cr]EDTA and [ 103 Ru]phenanthroline was given into the rumen and the time course of marker concentrations in the rumen and the abomasum was recorded. The curves were analysed on the assumption that the stomach of the sheep could be represented as two mixing compartments (reticulo-rumen and abomasum) and a time delay (omasum). This model provided a very good description of the data. [ 103 Ru]-phenanthroline associated with small particles was retained in the rumen much longer than [ 51 Cr]EDTA. Although exchange of [ 103 Ru] phenanthroline occurred between large and small particle fractions, the results suggested that small particles may have been retained somewhat longer in the rumen than solutes. However, it was clear from the results that the mean retention times for particulate matter in the rumen could not be simply obtained using adsorbable markers. Cyclical fluctuations in the concentration of [ 51 Cr]EDTA in the rumen indicated that there were daily variations in net water flux in the rumen. The presence of protozoa was associated with much shorter retention times of both solutes and particles in the rumen. Protozoa were also associated with reduced rumen volumes. (author)

Omega-3 PUFA concentration by a novel PVDF nano-composite membrane filled with nano-porous silica particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghasemian, Samaneh; Sahari, Mohammad Ali; Barzegar, Mohsen; Ahmadi Gavlighi, Hasan

2017-09-01

In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and nano-porous silica particle were used to fabricate an asymmetric nano-composite membrane. Silica particles enhanced the thermal stability of PVDF/SiO 2 membranes; increasing the decomposition temperature from 371°C to 408°C. Cross sectional morphology showed that silica particles were dispersed in polymer matrix uniformly. However, particle agglomeration was found at higher loading of silica (i.e., 20 by weight%). The separation performance of nano-composite membranes was also evaluated using the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) concentration at a temperature and pressure of 30°C and 4bar, respectively. Silica particle increased the omega-3PUFA concentration from 34.8 by weight% in neat PVDF to 53.9 by weight% in PVDF with 15 by weight% of silica. Moreover, PVDF/SiO 2 nano-composite membranes exhibited enhanced anti-fouling property compared to neat PVDF membrane. Fouling mechanism analysis revealed that complete pore blocking was the predominant mechanism occurring in oil filtration. The concentration of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is important in the oil industries. While the current methods demand high energy consumptions in concentrating the omega-3, membrane separation technology offers noticeable advantages in producing pure omega-3 PUFA. Moreover, concentrating omega-3 via membrane separation produces products in the triacylglycerol form which possess better oxidative stability. In this work, the detailed mechanisms of fouling which limits the performance of membrane separation were investigated. Incorporating silica particles to polymeric membrane resulted in the formation of mixed matrix membrane with improved anti-fouling behaviour compared to the neat polymeric membrane. Hence, the industrial potential of membrane processing to concentrate omega-3 fatty acids is enhanced. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A concentration correction scheme for Lagrangian particle model and its application in street canyon air dispersion modelling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiyang Xia [Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai (China). Department of Engineering Mechanics; Leung, D.Y.C. [The University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong). Department of Mechanical Engineering

2001-07-01

Pollutant dispersion in street canyons with various configurations was simulated by discharging a large number of particles into the computation domain after developing a time-dependent wind field. Trajectory of the released particles was predicted using a Lagrangian particle model developed in an earlier study. A concentration correction scheme, based on the concept of 'visibility', was adopted for the Lagrangian particle model to correct the calculated pollutant concentration field in street canyons. The corrected concentrations compared favourably with those from wind tunnel experiments and a linear relationship between the computed concentrations and wind tunnel data were found. The developed model was then applied to four simulations to test for the suitability of the correction scheme and to study pollutant distribution in street canyons with different configurations. For those cases with obstacles presence in the computation domain, the correction scheme gives more reasonable results compared with the one without using it. Different flow regimes are observed in the street canyons, which depend on building configurations. A counter-clockwise rotating vortex may appear in a two-building case with wind flow from left to right, causing lower pollutant concentration at the leeward side of upstream building and higher concentration at the windward side of downstream building. On the other hand, a stable clockwise rotating vortex is formed in the street canyon with multiple identical buildings, resulting in poor natural ventilation in the street canyon. Moreover, particles emitted in the downstream canyon formed by buildings with large height-to-width ratios will be transported to upstream canyons. (author)

Effects of wind on background particle concentrations at truck freight terminals.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Ronald; Hart, Jaime E; Davis, Mary E; Reaser, Paul; Natkin, Jonathan; Laden, Francine; Garshick, Eric; Smith, Thomas J

2007-01-01

Truck freight terminals are predominantly located near highways and industrial facilities. This proximity to pollution sources, coupled with meteorological conditions and wind patterns, may affect occupational exposures to particles at these work locations. To understand this process, data from an environmental sampling study of particles at U.S. trucking terminals, along with weather and geographic maps, were analyzed to determine the extent to which the transportation of particles from local pollutant sources elevated observed occupational exposures at these locations. To help identify potential upwind sources, wind direction weighted averages and speed measurements were used to construct wind roses that were superimposed on overhead photos of the terminal and examined for upwind source activity. Statistical tests were performed on these "source" and "nonsource" directions to determine whether there were significant differences in observed particle levels between the two groups. Our results provide evidence that nearby upwind pollution sources significantly elevated background concentrations at only a few of the locations sampled, whereas the majority provided little to no evidence of a significant upwind source effect.

Prediction of indoor concentration of 0.5-4 µm particles of outdoor origin in an uninhabited apartment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schneider, T.; Jensen, K.A.; Clausen, P.A.

2004-01-01

Indoor and outdoor particle size distributions, indoor-outdoor pressure difference, indoor air-exchange rate, and meteorological conditions were measured at an uninhabited apartment located in a busy street in Copenhagen during 1-month long fall, winter and spring campaigns. Particle penetration...... was estimated from concentration rebound measurements following HEPA filtering of the indoor air by fitting a simple deterministic model. The model included measured air exchange rates and published surface deposition loss rates. This model was then used to predict indoor particle concentration. The model...

Effect of traffic restriction on atmospheric particle concentrations and their size distributions in urban Lanzhou, Northwestern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Suping; Yu, Ye; Liu, Na; He, Jianjun; Chen, Jinbei

2014-02-01

During the 2012 Lanzhou International Marathon, the local government made a significant effort to improve traffic conditions and air quality by implementing traffic restriction measures. To evaluate the direct effect of these measures on urban air quality, especially particle concentrations and their size distributions, atmospheric particle size distributions (0.5-20 microm) obtained using an aerodynamic particle sizer (model 3321, TSI, USA) in June 2012 were analyzed. It was found that the particle number, surface area and volume concentrations for size range 0.5-10 microm were (15.0 +/- 2.1) cm(-3), (11.8 +/- 2.6) microm2/cm3 and (1.9 +/- 0.6) microm2/cm3, respectively, on the traffic-restricted day (Sunday), which is 63.2%, 53.0% and 47.2% lower than those on a normal Sunday. For number and surface area concentrations, the most affected size range was 0.5-0.7 and 0.5-0.8 microm, respectively, while for volume concentration, the most affected size ranges were 0.5-0.8, 1.7-2.0 and 5.0-5.4 microm. Number and volume concentrations of particles in size range 0.5-1.0 microm correlated well with the number of non-CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) powered vehicles, while their correlation with the number of CNG-powered vehicles was very low, suggesting that reasonable urban traffic controls along with vehicle technology improvements could play an important role in improving urban air quality.

Ultrasonic device for real-time sewage velocity and suspended particles concentration measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Abda, F; Azbaid, A; Ensminger, D; Fischer, S; François, P; Schmitt, P; Pallarès, A

2009-01-01

In the frame of a technological research and innovation network in water and environment technologies (RITEAU, Réseau de Recherche et d'Innovation Technologique Eau et Environnement), our research group, in collaboration with industrial partners and other research institutions, has been in charge of the development of a suitable flowmeter: an ultrasonic device measuring simultaneously the water flow and the concentration of size classes of suspended particles. Working on the pulsed ultrasound principle, our multi-frequency device (1 to 14 MHz) allows flow velocity and water height measurement and estimation of suspended solids concentration. Velocity measurements rely on the coherent Doppler principle. A self developed frequency estimator, so called Spectral Identification method, was used and compared to the classical Pulse-Pair method. Several measurements campaigns on one wastewater collector of the French city of Strasbourg gave very satisfactory results and showed smaller standard deviation values for the Doppler frequency extracted by the Spectral Identification method. A specific algorithm was also developed for the water height measurements. It relies on the water surface acoustic impedance rupture and its peak localisation and behaviour in the collected backscattering data. This algorithm was positively tested on long time measurements on the same wastewater collector. A large part of the article is devoted to the measurements of the suspended solids concentrations. Our data analysis consists in the adaptation of the well described acoustic behaviour of sand to the behaviour of wastewater particles. Both acoustic attenuation and acoustic backscattering data over multiple frequencies are analyzed for the extrapolation of size classes and respective concentrations. Under dry weather conditions, the massic backscattering coefficient and the overall size distribution showed similar evolution whatever the measurement site was and were suggesting a global

Particle Acceleration, Magnetic Field Generation, and Emission in Relativistic Shocks

Science.gov (United States)

Nishikawa, Ken-IchiI.; Hededal, C.; Hardee, P.; Richardson, G.; Preece, R.; Sol, H.; Fishman, G.

2004-01-01

Shock acceleration is an ubiquitous phenomenon in astrophysical plasmas. Plasma waves and their associated instabilities (e.g., the Buneman instability, two-streaming instability, and the Weibel instability) created in the shocks are responsible for particle (electron, positron, and ion) acceleration. Using a 3-D relativistic electromagnetic particle (m) code, we have investigated particle acceleration associated with a relativistic jet front propagating through an ambient plasma with and without initial magnetic fields. We find only small differences in the results between no ambient and weak ambient parallel magnetic fields. Simulations show that the Weibel instability created in the collisionless shock front accelerates particles perpendicular and parallel to the jet propagation direction. New simulations with an ambient perpendicular magnetic field show the strong interaction between the relativistic jet and the magnetic fields. The magnetic fields are piled up by the jet and the jet electrons are bent, which creates currents and displacement currents. At the nonlinear stage, the magnetic fields are reversed by the current and the reconnection may take place. Due to these dynamics the jet and ambient electron are strongly accelerated in both parallel and perpendicular directions.

High concentrations of coarse particles emitted from a cattle feeding operation

Science.gov (United States)

Hiranuma, N.; Brooks, S. D.; Gramann, J.; Auvermann, B. W.

2011-08-01

Housing roughly 10 million head of cattle in the United States alone, open air cattle feedlots represent a significant but poorly constrained source of atmospheric particles. Here we present a comprehensive characterization of physical and chemical properties of particles emitted from a large representative cattle feedlot in the Southwest United States. In the summer of 2008, measurements and samplings were conducted at the upwind and downwind edges of the facility. A series of far-field measurements and samplings was also conducted 3.5 km north of the facility. Two instruments, a GRIMM Sequential Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and a GRIMM Portable Aerosol Spectrometer (PAS), were used to measure particle size distributions over the range of 0.01 to 25 μm diameter. Raman microspectroscopy was used to determine the chemical composition of particles on a single particle basis. Volume size distributions of dust were dominated by coarse mode particles. Twenty-four hour averaged concentrations of PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter of 10 μm or less) were as high as 1200 μg m-3 during the campaign. The primary constituents of the particulate matter were carbonaceous materials, such as humic acid, water soluble organics, and less soluble fatty acids, including stearic acid and tristearin. A significant fraction of the organic particles was present in internal mixtures with salts. Basic characteristics such as size distribution and composition of agricultural aerosols were found to be different than the properties of those found in urban and semi-urban aerosols. Failing to account for such differences may lead to errors in estimates of aerosol effects on local air quality, visibility, and public health.

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.

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.

Aerosol surface area concentration: a governing factor in new particle formation in Beijing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Cai

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The predominating role of aerosol Fuchs surface area, AFuchs, in determining the occurrence of new particle formation (NPF events in Beijing was elucidated in this study. The analysis was based on a field campaign from 12 March to 6 April 2016 in Beijing, during which aerosol size distributions down to  ∼  1 nm and sulfuric acid concentrations were simultaneously monitored. The 26 days were classified into 11 typical NPF days, 2 undefined days, and 13 non-event days. A dimensionless factor, LΓ, characterized by the relative ratio of the coagulation scavenging rate over the condensational growth rate (Kuang et al., 2010, was applied in this work to reveal the governing factors for NPF events in Beijing. The three parameters determining LΓ are sulfuric acid concentration, the growth enhancement factor characterized by contribution of other gaseous precursors to particle growth, Γ, and AFuchs. Different from other atmospheric environments, such as in Boulder and Hyytiälä, the daily-maximum sulfuric acid concentration and Γ in Beijing varied in a narrow range with geometric standard deviations of 1.40 and 1.31, respectively. A positive correlation between the estimated new particle formation rate, J1.5, and sulfuric acid concentration was found with a mean fitted exponent of 2.4. However, the maximum sulfuric acid concentrations on NPF days were not significantly higher (even lower, sometimes than those on non-event days, indicating that the abundance of sulfuric acid in Beijing was high enough to initiate nucleation, but may not necessarily lead to NPF events. Instead, AFuchs in Beijing varied greatly among days with a geometric standard deviation of 2.56, whereas the variabilities of AFuchs in Tecamac, Atlanta, and Boulder were reported to be much smaller. In addition, there was a good correlation between AFuchs and LΓ in Beijing (R2 = 0.88. Therefore, it was AFuchs that fundamentally determined the occurrence of NPF events

The attributable risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to ambient fine particulate pollution among older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Hualiang; Qian, Zhengmin Min; Guo, Yanfei; Zheng, Yang; Ai, Siqi; Hang, Jian; Wang, Xiaojie; Zhang, Lingli; Liu, Tao; Guan, Weijie; Li, Xing; Xiao, Jianpeng; Zeng, Weilin; Xian, Hong; Howard, Steven W; Ma, Wenjun; Wu, Fan

2018-04-01

The linkage between ambient fine particle pollution (PM 2.5 ) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the attributable risk remained largely unknown. This study determined the cross-sectional association between ambient PM 2.5 and prevalence of COPD among adults ≥50 years of age. We surveyed 29,290 participants aged 50 years and above in this study. The annual average concentrations of PM 2.5 derived from satellite data were used as the exposure indicator. A mixed effect model was applied to determine the associations and the burden of COPD attributable to PM 2.5. RESULTS: Among the participants, 1872 (6.39%) were classified as COPD cases. Our analysis observed a threshold concentration of 30 μg/m 3 in the PM 2.5 -COPD association, above which we found a linear positive exposure-response association between ambient PM 2.5 and COPD. The odds ratio (OR) for each 10 μg/m 3 increase in ambient PM 2.5 was 1.21(95% CI: 1.13, 1.30). Stratified analyses suggested that males, older subjects (65 years and older) and those with lower education attainment might be the vulnerable subpopulations. We further estimated that about 13.79% (95% CI: 7.82%, 21.62%) of the COPD cases could be attributable to PM 2.5 levels higher than 30 μg/m 3 in the study population. Our analysis indicates that ambient PM 2.5 exposure could increase the risk of COPD and accounts for a substantial fraction of COPD among the study population. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Particle size fractionation and human exposure of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in indoor dust from Chicago.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Hua; Turyk, Mary; Cali, Salvatore; Dorevitch, Samuel; Erdal, Serap; Li, An

2009-11-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the concentration level, the mass distribution based on dust particle size, and the associated human exposure of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in indoor dust. The total concentration of 13 PBDEs Sigma(13)(BDEs) was found to be 500-6,944 ng/g in indoor dusts, 4,000 ng/g in car interior dust, 260-300 ng/g in outdoor ambient air particles, 30 ng/g in carpet fibers, and as high as 0.5% in carpet padding. Selected dust samples were fractionated based on particle size, and over 80% of the Sigma(13)BDEs were associated with particles exposure of Americans to PBDEs via hand-to-mouth transfer of house dust was estimated under the central tendency exposure and reasonable maximum exposure scenarios. The results suggest that ingestion of PBDE-laden house dust via hand-to-mouth contact is likely a significant exposure pathway, especially for children.

Study on element concentrations in aerosol in ambient air from Phnom Penh, Cambodia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashima, Yuji; Sakai, Haruya; Matsui, Mitsuaki

2004-01-01

In order to accumulate basic information necessary for reduction of suspended particle materials (SPM) in Phnom Penh, various element concentrations were measured with ICP-mass spectrometry and neutron activation analysis, and some their sources were estimated. SPM were collected at a roadside area in the middle of the City (1 point, 11 samples of 24 hours and 14 samples of 7 ∼ 16 hours) and two residence areas (2 points, 13 samples of 24 hours and 1 sample of 16 hours) with membrane filters of air samplers set at the level of 8∼9 m height. For research SPM sources, two kinds of comparative samples were also collected from roadside dust and soil (2 points, 9 samples) and from exhaust deposit of vehicles (bicycle 11, gasoline automobile 7, diesel car 10 samples) and electric generator (6 samples). SPM concentrations measured were 67∼1,000 μg/m 3 (average 410 μg/m 3 ). The concentrations in the roadside area were several times higher than in the residence area. Toxic element concentrations were all higher in roadside with an exception of Cd. The concentrations of Pb was 44 ng/m 3 on the average, amounting to 1/10 of WHO Guidelines. Comparing element concentrations of SPM with those of the soils and deposits, factor analysis using 18 elements including Ba, V, Pb suggests three major sources of soil, vehicle exhaust, and oil burning. (H. Yokoo)

Relationship between rooftop and on-road concentrations of traffic-related pollutants in a busy street canyon: Ambient wind effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwak, Kyung-Hwan; Lee, Sang-Hyun; Seo, Jaemyeong Mango; Park, Seung-Bu; Baik, Jong-Jin

2016-01-01

Rooftop and on-road measurements of O_3, NO_2, NO_x, and CO concentrations were conducted to investigate the relationship between rooftop and on-road concentrations in a busy and shallow street canyon with an aspect ratio of ∼0.3 in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 15 April to 1 May 2014. The median road-to-roof concentration ratios, correlation coefficients between rooftop and on-road concentrations, and temporal variations of rooftop and on-road concentrations are analyzed according to the rooftop wind directions which are two cross-canyon and two along-canyon directions. The analysis results indicate that the relationship is strong when the rooftop is situated on the downwind side rather than on the upwind side. Relative to the cross-canyon wind directions, one of the along-canyon wind directions can more enhance the relationship. A conceptual framework is proposed to explain the effect of ambient wind direction on the relationship between rooftop and on-road concentrations in a street canyon. - One of the along-canyon wind directions can enhance the relationship between rooftop and on-road concentrations of traffic-related pollutants in a busy and shallow street canyon.

Local emission of primary air pollutants and its contribution to wet deposition and concentrations of aerosols and gases in ambient air in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Aikawa, Masahide; Hiraki, Takatoshi; Tomoyose, Nobutaka; Ohizumi, Tsuyoshi; Noguchi, Izumi; Murano, Kentaro; Mukai, Hitoshi

2013-11-01

We studied wet deposition by precipitation and the concentrations of aerosols and gases in ambient air in relation to the primary air pollutants discharged from domestic areas. The concentrations of aerosols and gases were influenced by nearby emissions except for non-sea-salt SO, which is transported long distances. The area facing the Sea of Japan showed much larger wet deposition than other areas, although the domestic emissions of the primary air pollutants there were small and showed a peak in wet deposition from October to March, as distinct from April to September in other areas. We performed the correlation analyses between wet deposition of each component and the product of the concentrations of corresponding aerosols and gases in ambient air and the two-thirds power of the precipitation. From the results, following scavenging processes were suggested. • Sulfate and ammonium were scavenged in precipitation as particulate matter such as (NH4)2SO4 and NH4HSO4. • Nitrate was scavenged mainly in precipitation through gaseous HNO3. • Ammonium was complementarily scavenged in precipitation through aerosols such as (NH4)2SO4 and NH4HSO4 and through gaseous NH3.

Ambient Space and Ambient Sensation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Ulrik

The ambient is the aesthetic production of the sensation of being surrounded. As a concept, 'ambient' is mostly used in relation to the music genre 'ambient music' and Brian Eno's idea of environmental background music. However, the production of ambient sensations must be regarded as a central...... aspect of the aesthetization of modern culture in general, from architecture, transport and urbanized lifeforms to film, sound art, installation art and digital environments. This presentation will discuss the key aspects of ambient aesthetization, including issues such as objectlessness...

High concentrations of coarse particles emitted from a cattle feeding operation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Hiranuma

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Housing roughly 10 million head of cattle in the United States alone, open air cattle feedlots represent a significant but poorly constrained source of atmospheric particles. Here we present a comprehensive characterization of physical and chemical properties of particles emitted from a large representative cattle feedlot in the Southwest United States. In the summer of 2008, measurements and samplings were conducted at the upwind and downwind edges of the facility. A series of far-field measurements and samplings was also conducted 3.5 km north of the facility. Two instruments, a GRIMM Sequential Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS and a GRIMM Portable Aerosol Spectrometer (PAS, were used to measure particle size distributions over the range of 0.01 to 25 μm diameter. Raman microspectroscopy was used to determine the chemical composition of particles on a single particle basis. Volume size distributions of dust were dominated by coarse mode particles. Twenty-four hour averaged concentrations of PM₁₀ (particulate matter with a diameter of 10 μm or less were as high as 1200 μg m⁻³ during the campaign. The primary constituents of the particulate matter were carbonaceous materials, such as humic acid, water soluble organics, and less soluble fatty acids, including stearic acid and tristearin. A significant fraction of the organic particles was present in internal mixtures with salts. Basic characteristics such as size distribution and composition of agricultural aerosols were found to be different than the properties of those found in urban and semi-urban aerosols. Failing to account for such differences may lead to errors in estimates of aerosol effects on local air quality, visibility, and public health.

Gender Disparity in Lung Function Abnormalities among a Population Exposed to Particulate Matter Concentration in Ambient Air in the National Capital Region, India

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Chandrasekharan Nair Kesavachandran

2015-01-01

Conclusions. Since the women in this study were non-smokers, the PM in ambient air can be considered to be the major reason for the decline in lung function. The sources of PM pollutants in the study locations are large scale infrastructural development activities such as building and road construction activities. Narrowed lung airways can alter the airway caliber or resistance and flow rates proportional to the airway radius, especially in smaller airways. The present study suggests the need for policy makers and stake holders to take the necessary steps to identify PM sources and reduce the emissions of PM concentrations in ambient air.

Submicron particle mass concentrations and sources in the Amazonian wet season (AMAZE-08)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Q.; Farmer, D. K.; Rizzo, L. V.; Pauliqueivis, T.; Kuwata, Mikinori; Karl, Thomas G.; Guenther, Alex B.; Allan, James D.; Coe, H.; Andreae, M. O.; Poeschl, U.; Jiminez, J. L.; Artaxo, Paulo; Martin, Scot T.

2015-01-01

Real-time mass spectra of non-refractory component of submicron aerosol particles were recorded in a tropical rainforest in the central Amazon basin during the wet season of 2008, as a part of the Amazonian Aerosol Characterization Experiment (AMAZE-08). Organic components accounted on average for more than 80% of the non-refractory submicron particle mass concentrations during the period of measurements. Ammonium was present in sufficient quantities to halfway neutralize sulfate. In this acidic, isoprene-dominated, low-NOx environment the high-resolution mass spectra as well as mass closures with ion chromatography measurements did not provide evidence for significant contributions of organosulfate species, at least at concentrations above uncertainty levels. Positive-matrix factorization of the time series of particle mass spectra identified four statistical factors to account for the variance of the signal intensities of the organic constituents: a factor HOA having a hydrocarbon-like signature and identified as regional emissions of primary organic material, a factor OOA-1 associated with fresh production of secondary organic material by a mechanism of BVOC oxidation followed by gas-to-particle conversion, a factor OOA-2 consistent with reactive uptake of isoprene oxidation products, especially epoxydiols by acidic particles, and a factor OOA-3 associated with long range transport and atmospheric aging. The OOA-1, -2, and -3 factors had progressively more oxidized signatures. Diameter-resolved mass spectral markers also suggested enhanced reactive uptake of isoprene oxidation products to the accumulation mode for the OOA-2 factor, and such size partitioning can be indicative of in-cloud process. The campaign-average factor loadings were in a ratio of 1.1:1.0 for the OOA-1 compared to the OOA-2 pathway, suggesting the comparable importance of gas-phase compared to particle-phase (including cloud waters) production pathways of secondary organic material during

Emulsion Polymerization of Etyl Acrylate: The Effect of Surfactant, Initiator Concentration and PolymerizationTechnique on Particle Size Distribution

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Nitri Arinda

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Emulsion polymerization was conducted using ethyl acrylate monomer. Theeffect of sodium lauryl sulfate concentration, ammonium persulfate concentration, the various of polymerizationtechniques and feeding time to the conversion, particle size and its distribution were observed. The purpose of thisresearch is to obtain the optimum condition of ethyl acrylate homopolymer with particle size around 100 nm, to get theparticle size distribution monodisperse and to get solid content value of the experiment closed to its theoretical value.The optimum condition then could be applied in shell polymerization of core-shell polymers. The results of the researchshowed that semicontinuous technique obtained optimum sodium lauryl sulfate concentration at 20 CMC (criticalmicelle concentration and ammonium persulfate concentration is 3%. By using batch technique that the biggestparticle size is 123 nm with conversion 95.8% and monodisperse. The shorter of feeding time the more monomer ofethyl acrylate being polymerized, it is showed by the higher conversion up to 94.4% and the bigger particle size is107.9 nm.

Distribution of concentration of coarse particle-water mixture in horizontal smooth pipe

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vlasák, Pavel; Chára, Zdeněk; Konfršt, Jiří; Krupička, Jan

2016-01-01

Roč. 94, č. 6 (2016), s. 1040-1047 ISSN 0008-4034 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP105/10/1574 Institutional support: RVO:67985874 Keywords : coarse particle-water mixture * gamma-ray radiometry * concentration distribution * horizontal conveying Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics Impact factor: 1.356, year: 2016

Distribution of concentration of coarse particle-water mixture in horizontal smooth pipe

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vlasák, Pavel; Chára, Zdeněk; Konfršt, Jiří; Krupička, Jan

2016-01-01

Roč. 94, č. 6 (2016), s. 1040-1047 ISSN 0008-4034 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP105/10/1574 Institutional support: RVO:67985874 Keywords : coarse particle- water mixture * gamma-ray radiometry * concentration distribution * horizontal conveying Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics Impact factor: 1.356, year: 2016

How private vehicle use increases ambient air pollution concentrations at schools during the morning drop-off of children

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Matthew D.; Requia, Weeberb J.

2017-09-01

A child's exposure to environmental pollutants can have life-long health effects. Thus it is critical to understand the potential exposure pathways. In this paper, we examine the increase in ambient PM2.5 concentrations at schools from private vehicle use for dropping children off at school. In North America, students are commonly driven to school in a private vehicle. Additionally, students walk or cycle, or take a school bus. Our vehicle surveys recorded between 23 and 116 personal vehicles at 25 schools, where enrolment ranged from 160 to 765 students. We fit a linear regression model to predict the number of vehicles at schools we did not observe within our study area, which explained 57% of the variation in our surveys. A microsimulation traffic model was created for each of the 86 schools we studied. Outputs from the traffic model were used to determine the emissions generated at each school. PM2.5 emissions varied from 0.14 to 6.38 g. Lastly, we dispersed the emissions produced by private vehicles dropping off students, which are emissions generated by unnecessary trips because students further than walking distance are provided transportation by the school board. At the drop-off location in front of the school, we found ambient concentration increases of at least 5 μg/m3, 10 μg/m3, 25 μg/m3 and 50 μg/m3 during 16.8%, 7.6%, 2.0% and 0.5% of the mornings, respectively. This research was conducted in a medium-sized North American city and should allow transferability to similar cities. We conclude that the use of private vehicles can significantly increase local concentrations, regardless of background conditions.

Temporal-Spatial Ambient Concentrator Estimator (T-SpACE): Hierarchical Bayesian Model Software Used to Estimate Ambient Concentrations of NAAQS Air Pollutants in Support of Health Studies

Science.gov (United States)

To fulfill its mission to protect human health and the environment, EPA has established National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) on six selected air pollutants known as criteria pollutants: ozone (O3); carbon monoxide (CO); lead (Pb); nitrogen dioxide (NO2); sulfur dioxide ...

Long term particle size distribution measurements at Mount Waliguan, a high-altitude site in inland China

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N. Kivekäs

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Particle number size distributions in size range 12–570 nm were measured continuously at Mount Waliguan, a remote mountain-top station in inland China. The station is located at the altitude of 3816 m a.s.l., and some 600–1200 m above the surrounding area. The measurement period lasted from September 2005 to May 2007. The measurements were verified with independent CPC measurements at the same site. The average particle concentration in ambient conditions was 2030 cm⁻³, which is higher than the values measured at similar altitude in other regions of the world. On average, the Aitken mode contributed to roughly half of the particle number concentration. The concentrations were found to be higher during the summer than during the winter. The diurnal variation was also investigated and a clear pattern was found for the nucleation mode during all seasons, so that the nucleation mode particle concentration increased in the afternoon. The same pattern was visible in the Aitken mode during the summer, whereas the accumulation mode did not show any level of diurnal pattern during any season. Excluding the nucleation mode, the average day-time particle concentrations were not significantly higher than those measured at night-time, indicating no systematic pattern of change between planetary boundary layer conditions and free troposphere conditions. In air masses coming from east, the number concentration of particles was higher than in other air masses, which indicates that the air mass might be affected anthropogenic pollution east of the station. Also other factors, such as active new-particle formation, keep aerosol number concentrations high in the area.

Commuter exposure to inhalable, thoracic and alveolic particles in various transportation modes in Delhi.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Pramod; Gupta, N C

2016-01-15

A public health concern is to understand the linkages between specific pollution sources and adverse health impacts. Commuting can be viewed as one of the significant-exposure activity in high-vehicle density areas. This paper investigates the commuter exposure to inhalable, thoracic and alveolic particles in various transportation modes in Delhi, India. Air pollution levels are significantly contributed by automobile exhaust and also in-vehicle exposure can be higher sometime than ambient levels. Motorcycle, auto rickshaw, car and bus were selected to study particles concentration along two routes in Delhi between Kashmere Gate and Dwarka. The bus and auto rickshaw were running on compressed natural gas (CNG) while the car and motorcycle were operated on gasoline fuel. Aerosol spectrometer was employed to measure inhalable, thoracic and alveolic particles during morning and evening rush hours for five weekdays. From the study, we observed that the concentration levels of these particles were greatly influenced by transportation modes. Concentrations of inhalable particles were found higher during morning in auto rickshaw (332.81 ± 90.97 μg/m(3)) while the commuter of bus exhibited higher exposure of thoracic particles (292.23 ± 110.45 μg/m(3)) and car commuters were exposed to maximum concentrations of alveolic particles (222.37 ± 26.56 μg/m(3)). We observed that in evening car commuters experienced maximum concentrations of all sizes of particles among the four commuting modes. Interestingly, motorcycle commuters were exposed to lower levels of inhalable and thoracic particles during morning and evening hours as compared to other modes of transport. The mean values were found greater than the median values for all the modes of transport suggesting that positive skewed distributions are characteristics of naturally occurring phenomenon. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Short-term exposure with high concentrations of pristine microplastic particles leads to immobilisation of Daphnia magna.

Science.gov (United States)

Rehse, Saskia; Kloas, Werner; Zarfl, Christiane

2016-06-01

Recent studies revealed that freshwaters are not only polluted by chemicals, but also by persistent synthetic material like microplastics (plastic particles pollutants or release additives. Although there is rising concern about the pollution of freshwaters by microplastics, knowledge about their potential effects on organisms is limited. For a better understanding of their risks, it is crucial to unravel which characteristics influence their effects on organisms. Analysing effects by the mere particles is the first step before including more complex interactions e.g. with associated chemicals. The aim of this study was to analyse potential physical effects of microplastics on one representative organism for limnic zooplankton (Daphnia magna). We investigated whether microplastics can be ingested and whether their presence causes adverse effects after short-term exposure. Daphnids were exposed for up to 96 h to 1-μm and 100-μm polyethylene particles at concentrations between 12.5 and 400 mg L(-1). Ingestion of 1-μm particles led to immobilisation increasing with dose and time with an EC50 of 57.43 mg L(-1) after 96 h. 100-μm particles that could not be ingested by the daphnids had no observable effects. These results underline that, considering high concentrations, microplastic particles can already induce adverse effects in limnic zooplankton. Although it needs to be clarified if these concentrations can be found in the environment these results are a basis for future impact analysis, especially in combination with associated chemicals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Speciated mercury measurements in ambient air from 2009 to 2011 at a Central European rural background monitoring site

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Weigelt A.

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Since January 2009 highly time-resolved mercury speciation measurements in ambient air are carried out at the Central European German EMEP monitoring station and measurement site of the German Federal Environment Agency “Waldhof“, providing the longest Central European dataset for mercury species. First statistical analyses do not indicate long term trends for the concentrations of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM and particle bound mercury (TPM. A potential increasing trend for reactive gaseous mercury (RGM will have to be verified in the coming years and should be regarded as indicative only at present. A seasonal cycle for TPM could be observed with higher concentrations during winter time. Furthermore a diurnal cycle for RGM is apparent with highest concentrations in the early afternoon.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated with particles in ambient air from urban and industrial areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rehwagen, Martina; Mueller, Andrea; Herbarth, Olf [UFZ-Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle, Department of Human Exposure Research and Epidemiology, Permoserstr. 15, D 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Massolo, Laura; Ronco, Alicia [CIMA Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 8 Calle 47 y 115, 1900 La Plata (Argentina)

2005-09-15

This study takes into consideration an analysis of the chemical polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) profile and its distribution in inhalable and respirable particulate matter in urban and industrial areas in La Plata, Argentina, and Leipzig, Germany. Representative samples from three locations in La Plata (industrial, traffic influenced and control area) and two locations in Leipzig (traffic influenced and control area) were obtained in summer and winter. The sampling of particulate matter was carried out with high volume collectors using cascade impactors to separate six size fractions. PAHs were extracted with hexane through a solid-liquid equilibrium extraction and analysed by HPLC/UV/fluorescence detection. The results showed a PAH seasonal behaviour in both regions, with lower contents in summer and higher ones in winter. Highest concentrations of total PAHs were found in the industrial area in La Plata. The size distribution of particles demonstrates the greater relevance of smaller particles. More than 50% of PAHs were associated with particles of less than 0.49 {mu}m. Moreover, this particle size fraction was associated with traffic, whereas other sources of combustion were related also to particles between 0.49 and 0.95 {mu}m. Considering the ratio of benzo(ghi)perylene (BgP)/benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) as an indicator for traffic influence, it was observed that La Plata City was more affected than Leipzig by the same proportion in summer and in winter. The BgP/InP (indeno(123-cd)pyrene) ratio was lower in winter than in summer in both places and indicates the presence of domestic combustion sources. It is important to point out the significance of using fingerprint compound ratios to identify possible sources of pollution with PAHs bound to particles.

In situ secondary organic aerosol formation from ambient pine forest air using an oxidation flow reactor

Science.gov (United States)

Palm, Brett B.; Campuzano-Jost, Pedro; Ortega, Amber M.; Day, Douglas A.; Kaser, Lisa; Jud, Werner; Karl, Thomas; Hansel, Armin; Hunter, James F.; Cross, Eben S.; Kroll, Jesse H.; Peng, Zhe; Brune, William H.; Jimenez, Jose L.

2016-03-01

An oxidation flow reactor (OFR) is a vessel inside which the concentration of a chosen oxidant can be increased for the purpose of studying SOA formation and aging by that oxidant. During the BEACHON-RoMBAS (Bio-hydro-atmosphere interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, H2O, Organics & Nitrogen-Rocky Mountain Biogenic Aerosol Study) field campaign, ambient pine forest air was oxidized by OH radicals in an OFR to measure the amount of SOA that could be formed from the real mix of ambient SOA precursor gases, and how that amount changed with time as precursors changed. High OH concentrations and short residence times allowed for semicontinuous cycling through a large range of OH exposures ranging from hours to weeks of equivalent (eq.) atmospheric aging. A simple model is derived and used to account for the relative timescales of condensation of low-volatility organic compounds (LVOCs) onto particles; condensational loss to the walls; and further reaction to produce volatile, non-condensing fragmentation products. More SOA production was observed in the OFR at nighttime (average 3 µg m-3 when LVOC fate corrected) compared to daytime (average 0.9 µg m-3 when LVOC fate corrected), with maximum formation observed at 0.4-1.5 eq. days of photochemical aging. SOA formation followed a similar diurnal pattern to monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and toluene+p-cymene concentrations, including a substantial increase just after sunrise at 07:00 local time. Higher photochemical aging (> 10 eq. days) led to a decrease in new SOA formation and a loss of preexisting OA due to heterogeneous oxidation followed by fragmentation and volatilization. When comparing two different commonly used methods of OH production in OFRs (OFR185 and OFR254-70), similar amounts of SOA formation were observed. We recommend the OFR185 mode for future forest studies. Concurrent gas-phase measurements of air after OH oxidation illustrate the decay of primary VOCs, production of small oxidized organic

In situ secondary organic aerosol formation from ambient pine forest air using an oxidation flow reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. B. Palm

2016-03-01

Full Text Available An oxidation flow reactor (OFR is a vessel inside which the concentration of a chosen oxidant can be increased for the purpose of studying SOA formation and aging by that oxidant. During the BEACHON-RoMBAS (Bio-hydro-atmosphere interactions of Energy, Aerosols, Carbon, H2O, Organics & Nitrogen–Rocky Mountain Biogenic Aerosol Study field campaign, ambient pine forest air was oxidized by OH radicals in an OFR to measure the amount of SOA that could be formed from the real mix of ambient SOA precursor gases, and how that amount changed with time as precursors changed. High OH concentrations and short residence times allowed for semicontinuous cycling through a large range of OH exposures ranging from hours to weeks of equivalent (eq. atmospheric aging. A simple model is derived and used to account for the relative timescales of condensation of low-volatility organic compounds (LVOCs onto particles; condensational loss to the walls; and further reaction to produce volatile, non-condensing fragmentation products. More SOA production was observed in the OFR at nighttime (average 3 µg m−3 when LVOC fate corrected compared to daytime (average 0.9 µg m−3 when LVOC fate corrected, with maximum formation observed at 0.4–1.5 eq. days of photochemical aging. SOA formation followed a similar diurnal pattern to monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and toluene+p-cymene concentrations, including a substantial increase just after sunrise at 07:00 local time. Higher photochemical aging (> 10 eq. days led to a decrease in new SOA formation and a loss of preexisting OA due to heterogeneous oxidation followed by fragmentation and volatilization. When comparing two different commonly used methods of OH production in OFRs (OFR185 and OFR254-70, similar amounts of SOA formation were observed. We recommend the OFR185 mode for future forest studies. Concurrent gas-phase measurements of air after OH oxidation illustrate the decay of primary VOCs, production

The composition of ambient and fresh biomass burning aerosols at a savannah site, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minna Aurela

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric aerosols play a key role in climate change, and have adverse effects on human health. Given South Africa�s status as a rapidly-developing country with increasing urbanisation and industrial growth, information on the quality of ambient air is important. In this study, the chemical composition of ambient particles and the particles in fresh biomass burning plumes were studied at a savannah environment in Botsalano, South Africa. The results showed that Botsalano was regularly affected by air masses that had passed over several large point sources. Air masses that had passed over the coal-fired Matimba power station in the Waterberg, or over the platinum group metal smelters in the western Bushveld Igneous Complex, contained high sulfate concentrations in the submicron ranges. These concentrations were 14 to 37 times higher compared with air masses that had passed only over rural areas. Because of the limited nature of this type of data in literature for the interior regions of southern Africa, our report serves as a valuable reference for future studies. In addition, our biomass burning study showed that potassium in the fresh smoke of burning savannah grass was likely to take the form of KCl. Clear differences were found in the ratios for potassium and levoglucosan in the smouldering and flaming phases. Our findings highlight the need for more comprehensive chamber experiments on various fuel types used in southern Africa, to confirm the ratio of important biomass burning tracer species that can be used in source apportionment studies in the future.

Reduced anthropogenic aerosol radiative forcing caused by biogenic new particle formation

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Gordon, Hamish; Sengupta, Kamalika; Rap, Alexandru; Duplissy, Jonathan; Frege, Carla; Williamson, Christina; Heinritzi, Martin; Simon, Mario; Yan, Chao; Almeida, João; Tröstl, Jasmin; Nieminen, Tuomo; Ortega, Ismael K.; Wagner, Robert; Dunne, Eimear M.; Adamov, Alexey; Amorim, Antonio; Bernhammer, Anne-Kathrin; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; Brilke, Sophia; Chen, Xuemeng; Craven, Jill S.; Dias, Antonio; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Fischer, Lukas; Flagan, Richard C.; Franchin, Alessandro; Fuchs, Claudia; Guida, Roberto; Hakala, Jani; Hoyle, Christopher R.; Jokinen, Tuija; Junninen, Heikki; Kangasluoma, Juha; Kim, Jaeseok; Kirkby, Jasper; Krapf, Manuel; Kürten, Andreas; Laaksonen, Ari; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mathot, Serge; Molteni, Ugo; Monks, Sarah A.; Onnela, Antti; Peräkylä, Otso; Piel, Felix; Petäjä, Tuukka; Praplan, Arnaud P.; Pringle, Kirsty J.; Richards, Nigel A. D.; Rissanen, Matti P.; Rondo, Linda; Sarnela, Nina; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Scott, Catherine E.; Seinfeld, John H.; Sharma, Sangeeta; Sipilä, Mikko; Steiner, Gerhard; Stozhkov, Yuri; Stratmann, Frank; Tomé, Antonio; Virtanen, Annele; Vogel, Alexander Lucas; Wagner, Andrea C.; Wagner, Paul E.; Weingartner, Ernest; Wimmer, Daniela; Winkler, Paul M.; Ye, Penglin; Zhang, Xuan; Hansel, Armin; Dommen, Josef; Donahue, Neil M.; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Baltensperger, Urs; Kulmala, Markku; Curtius, Joachim; Carslaw, Kenneth S.

2016-10-01

The magnitude of aerosol radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic emissions depends on the baseline state of the atmosphere under pristine preindustrial conditions. Measurements show that particle formation in atmospheric conditions can occur solely from biogenic vapors. Here, we evaluate the potential effect of this source of particles on preindustrial cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations and aerosol-cloud radiative forcing over the industrial period. Model simulations show that the pure biogenic particle formation mechanism has a much larger relative effect on CCN concentrations in the preindustrial atmosphere than in the present atmosphere because of the lower aerosol concentrations. Consequently, preindustrial cloud albedo is increased more than under present day conditions, and therefore the cooling forcing of anthropogenic aerosols is reduced. The mechanism increases CCN concentrations by 20-100% over a large fraction of the preindustrial lower atmosphere, and the magnitude of annual global mean radiative forcing caused by changes of cloud albedo since 1750 is reduced by 0.22 W m-2 (27%) to -0.60 W m-2. Model uncertainties, relatively slow formation rates, and limited available ambient measurements make it difficult to establish the significance of a mechanism that has its dominant effect under preindustrial conditions. Our simulations predict more particle formation in the Amazon than is observed. However, the first observation of pure organic nucleation has now been reported for the free troposphere. Given the potentially significant effect on anthropogenic forcing, effort should be made to better understand such naturally driven aerosol processes.

Reduced anthropogenic aerosol radiative forcing caused by biogenic new particle formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Hamish; Sengupta, Kamalika; Rap, Alexandru; Duplissy, Jonathan; Frege, Carla; Williamson, Christina; Heinritzi, Martin; Simon, Mario; Yan, Chao; Almeida, João; Tröstl, Jasmin; Nieminen, Tuomo; Ortega, Ismael K; Wagner, Robert; Dunne, Eimear M; Adamov, Alexey; Amorim, Antonio; Bernhammer, Anne-Kathrin; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; Brilke, Sophia; Chen, Xuemeng; Craven, Jill S; Dias, Antonio; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Fischer, Lukas; Flagan, Richard C; Franchin, Alessandro; Fuchs, Claudia; Guida, Roberto; Hakala, Jani; Hoyle, Christopher R; Jokinen, Tuija; Junninen, Heikki; Kangasluoma, Juha; Kim, Jaeseok; Kirkby, Jasper; Krapf, Manuel; Kürten, Andreas; Laaksonen, Ari; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mathot, Serge; Molteni, Ugo; Monks, Sarah A; Onnela, Antti; Peräkylä, Otso; Piel, Felix; Petäjä, Tuukka; Praplan, Arnaud P; Pringle, Kirsty J; Richards, Nigel A D; Rissanen, Matti P; Rondo, Linda; Sarnela, Nina; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Scott, Catherine E; Seinfeld, John H; Sharma, Sangeeta; Sipilä, Mikko; Steiner, Gerhard; Stozhkov, Yuri; Stratmann, Frank; Tomé, Antonio; Virtanen, Annele; Vogel, Alexander Lucas; Wagner, Andrea C; Wagner, Paul E; Weingartner, Ernest; Wimmer, Daniela; Winkler, Paul M; Ye, Penglin; Zhang, Xuan; Hansel, Armin; Dommen, Josef; Donahue, Neil M; Worsnop, Douglas R; Baltensperger, Urs; Kulmala, Markku; Curtius, Joachim; Carslaw, Kenneth S

2016-10-25

The magnitude of aerosol radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic emissions depends on the baseline state of the atmosphere under pristine preindustrial conditions. Measurements show that particle formation in atmospheric conditions can occur solely from biogenic vapors. Here, we evaluate the potential effect of this source of particles on preindustrial cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations and aerosol-cloud radiative forcing over the industrial period. Model simulations show that the pure biogenic particle formation mechanism has a much larger relative effect on CCN concentrations in the preindustrial atmosphere than in the present atmosphere because of the lower aerosol concentrations. Consequently, preindustrial cloud albedo is increased more than under present day conditions, and therefore the cooling forcing of anthropogenic aerosols is reduced. The mechanism increases CCN concentrations by 20-100% over a large fraction of the preindustrial lower atmosphere, and the magnitude of annual global mean radiative forcing caused by changes of cloud albedo since 1750 is reduced by [Formula: see text] (27%) to [Formula: see text] Model uncertainties, relatively slow formation rates, and limited available ambient measurements make it difficult to establish the significance of a mechanism that has its dominant effect under preindustrial conditions. Our simulations predict more particle formation in the Amazon than is observed. However, the first observation of pure organic nucleation has now been reported for the free troposphere. Given the potentially significant effect on anthropogenic forcing, effort should be made to better understand such naturally driven aerosol processes.

Estimating sub-surface dispersed oil concentration using acoustic backscatter response.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuller, Christopher B; Bonner, James S; Islam, Mohammad S; Page, Cheryl; Ojo, Temitope; Kirkey, William

2013-05-15

The recent Deepwater Horizon disaster resulted in a dispersed oil plume at an approximate depth of 1000 m. Several methods were used to characterize this plume with respect to concentration and spatial extent including surface supported sampling and autonomous underwater vehicles with in situ instrument payloads. Additionally, echo sounders were used to track the plume location, demonstrating the potential for remote detection using acoustic backscatter (ABS). This study evaluated use of an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) to quantitatively detect oil-droplet suspensions from the ABS response in a controlled laboratory setting. Results from this study showed log-linear ABS responses to oil-droplet volume concentration. However, the inability to reproduce ABS response factors suggests the difficultly in developing meaningful calibration factors for quantitative field analysis. Evaluation of theoretical ABS intensity derived from the particle size distribution provided insight regarding method sensitivity in the presence of interfering ambient particles. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Socioeconomic disparities and sexual dimorphism in neurotoxic effects of ambient fine particles on youth IQ: A longitudinal analysis.

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Pan Wang

Full Text Available Mounting evidence indicates that early-life exposure to particulate air pollutants pose threats to children's cognitive development, but studies about the neurotoxic effects associated with exposures during adolescence remain unclear. We examined whether exposure to ambient fine particles (PM2.5 at residential locations affects intelligence quotient (IQ during pre-/early- adolescence (ages 9-11 and emerging adulthood (ages 18-20 in a demographically-diverse population (N = 1,360 residing in Southern California. Increased ambient PM2.5 levels were associated with decreased IQ scores. This association was more evident for Performance IQ (PIQ, but less for Verbal IQ, assessed by the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence. For each inter-quartile (7.73 μg/m3 increase in one-year PM2.5 preceding each assessment, the average PIQ score decreased by 3.08 points (95% confidence interval = [-6.04, -0.12] accounting for within-family/within-individual correlations, demographic characteristics, family socioeconomic status (SES, parents' cognitive abilities, neighborhood characteristics, and other spatial confounders. The adverse effect was 150% greater in low SES families and 89% stronger in males, compared to their counterparts. Better understanding of the social disparities and sexual dimorphism in the adverse PM2.5-IQ effects may help elucidate the underlying mechanisms and shed light on prevention strategies.

An evaluation of ambient sulphur dioxide concentrations from passive degassing of the Sulphur Springs, Saint Lucia geothermal system: Implications for human health

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, Erouscilla P.; Beckles, Denise M.; Cox, Leonette; Jackson, Viveka B.; Alexander, Dominic

2015-10-01

Sulphur Springs Park in Saint Lucia is a site of energetic geothermal activity associated with the potentially active Soufrière Volcanic Centre. The Park is one of Saint Lucia's most important tourist attractions, and is marketed as the 'world's only drive-in volcano'. It has an on-site staff of tour guides and vendors, as well as over 200,000 visitors annually. There are also a number of residents living in the areas bordering the Park. Recreational use is made of the geothermal waters for bathing, application of mud masques, and in some cases drinking. As part of the University of the West Indies, Seismic Research Centre's (UWI-SRC's) overall volcano monitoring programme for Saint Lucia, the volcanic emissions at Sulphur Springs (hot springs, mud pools and fumaroles) have been regularly monitored since 2001. In recent years, visitors, staff, and management at the Park have expressed concern about the health effects of exposure to volcanic emissions from the hydrothermal system. In response to this, SRC has expanded its regular geothermal monitoring programme to include a preliminary evaluation of ambient sulphur dioxide (SO2) concentrations in and around the Park, to assess the possible implications for human health. Passive diffusion tubes were used to measure the atmospheric SO2 concentrations at various sites in Sulphur Springs Park (SSP), in the town of Soufrière and in the capital of Castries. Measurements of average monthly ambient SO2 with the passive samplers indicated that during the dry season period of April to July 2014 concentration at sites closest to the main vents at SSP (Group 1), which are routinely used by staff and visitors, frequently exceeded the WHO 10-minute AQG for SO2 of 500 μg/m3. However, for sites that were more distal to the main venting area (Groups 2 and 3), the average monthly ambient SO2 did not exceed the WHO 10-minute AQG for SO2 of 500 μg/m3 during the entire monitoring period. The measured concentrations and dispersion

Fish oil and olive oil supplements attenuate the adverse cardiovascular effects of concentrated ambient air pollution particles exposure in healthy middle-aged adult human volunteers

Science.gov (United States)

Exposure to ambient levels of air pollution increases cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Advanced age is among the factors associated with susceptibility to the adverse effects of air pollution. Dietary fatty acid supplementation has been shown to decrease cardiovascular ris...

Effects of Elevated CO2 Concentration on the Biomasses and Nitrogen Concentrations in the Organs of Sainfoin(Onobrychis viciaefolia Scop.)

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHOU Zheng-chao; SHANGGUAN Zhou-ping

2009-01-01

In forage grasses,the nitrogen concentration is directly related to the nutritional value.The studies examined the hypothesis that global elevation of CO2 concentration probably affects the biomass,nitrogen(N)concentration,and allocation and distribution patterns in the organs of forage grasses.While sainfoin(Onobrychis viciaefolia Scop.)seedlings grew on a low nutrient soil in closed chambers for 90 days,they were exposed to two CO2 concentrations(ambient or ambient+350μmol mol-1 CO2)without adding nutrients to them.After 90 days exposure to CO2,the biomasses of leaves,stems,and roots,and N concentrations and contents of different parts were measured.Compared with the ambient CO2 concentration,the elevated CO2 concentration increased the total dry matter by 25.07%,mainly due to the root and leaf having positive response to the elevated CO2 concentration.However,the elevated CO2 concentration did not change the proportions of the dry matters in different parts and the total plants compared with the ambient CO2 concentration.The elevated CO2 concentration lowered the N concentrations of the plant parts.Because the dry matter was higher,the elevated CO2 concentration had no effect on the N content in the plants compared to the ambient CO2 concentration.The elevated CO2 concentration promoted N allocations of the different parts significantly and increased N allocation of the underground part.The results have confirmed the previous suggestions that the elevated CO2 concentration stimulates plant biomass production and decreases the N concentrations of the plant parts.

Long-term cloud condensation nuclei number concentration, particle number size distribution and chemical composition measurements at regionally representative observatories

Science.gov (United States)

Schmale, Julia; Henning, Silvia; Decesari, Stefano; Henzing, Bas; Keskinen, Helmi; Sellegri, Karine; Ovadnevaite, Jurgita; Pöhlker, Mira L.; Brito, Joel; Bougiatioti, Aikaterini; Kristensson, Adam; Kalivitis, Nikos; Stavroulas, Iasonas; Carbone, Samara; Jefferson, Anne; Park, Minsu; Schlag, Patrick; Iwamoto, Yoko; Aalto, Pasi; Äijälä, Mikko; Bukowiecki, Nicolas; Ehn, Mikael; Frank, Göran; Fröhlich, Roman; Frumau, Arnoud; Herrmann, Erik; Herrmann, Hartmut; Holzinger, Rupert; Kos, Gerard; Kulmala, Markku; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; Nenes, Athanasios; O'Dowd, Colin; Petäjä, Tuukka; Picard, David; Pöhlker, Christopher; Pöschl, Ulrich; Poulain, Laurent; Prévôt, André Stephan Henry; Swietlicki, Erik; Andreae, Meinrat O.; Artaxo, Paulo; Wiedensohler, Alfred; Ogren, John; Matsuki, Atsushi; Yum, Seong Soo; Stratmann, Frank; Baltensperger, Urs; Gysel, Martin

2018-02-01

Aerosol-cloud interactions (ACI) constitute the single largest uncertainty in anthropogenic radiative forcing. To reduce the uncertainties and gain more confidence in the simulation of ACI, models need to be evaluated against observations, in particular against measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Here we present a data set - ready to be used for model validation - of long-term observations of CCN number concentrations, particle number size distributions and chemical composition from 12 sites on 3 continents. Studied environments include coastal background, rural background, alpine sites, remote forests and an urban surrounding. Expectedly, CCN characteristics are highly variable across site categories. However, they also vary within them, most strongly in the coastal background group, where CCN number concentrations can vary by up to a factor of 30 within one season. In terms of particle activation behaviour, most continental stations exhibit very similar activation ratios (relative to particles > 20 nm) across the range of 0.1 to 1.0 % supersaturation. At the coastal sites the transition from particles being CCN inactive to becoming CCN active occurs over a wider range of the supersaturation spectrum. Several stations show strong seasonal cycles of CCN number concentrations and particle number size distributions, e.g. at Barrow (Arctic haze in spring), at the alpine stations (stronger influence of polluted boundary layer air masses in summer), the rain forest (wet and dry season) or Finokalia (wildfire influence in autumn). The rural background and urban sites exhibit relatively little variability throughout the year, while short-term variability can be high especially at the urban site. The average hygroscopicity parameter, κ, calculated from the chemical composition of submicron particles was highest at the coastal site of Mace Head (0.6) and lowest at the rain forest station ATTO (0.2-0.3). We performed closure studies based on κ-Köhler theory

Fluorescent biological aerosol particles measured with the Waveband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor WIBS-4: laboratory tests combined with a one year field study

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E. Toprak

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper bioaerosol measurements conducted with the Waveband Integrated Bioaerosol Sensor mark 4 (WIBS-4 are presented. The measurements comprise aerosol chamber characterization experiments and a one-year ambient measurement period at a semi-rural site in South Western Germany. This study aims to investigate the sensitivity of WIBS-4 to biological and non-biological aerosols and detection of biological particles in the ambient aerosol. Several types of biological and non-biological aerosol samples, including fungal spores, bacteria, mineral dust, ammonium sulphate, combustion soot, and fluorescent polystyrene spheres, were analyzed by WIBS-4 in the laboratory. The results confirm the sensitivity of the ultraviolet light-induced fluorescence (UV-LIF method to biological fluorophores and show the good discrimination capabilities of the two excitation wavelengths/detection wavebands method applied in WIBS-4. However, a weak cross-sensitivity to non-biological fluorescent interferers remains and is discussed in this paper.

All the laboratory studies have been undertaken in order to prepare WIBS-4 for ambient aerosol measurements. According to the one-year ambient aerosol study, number concentration of fluorescent biological aerosol particles (FBAP show strong seasonal and diurnal variability. The highest number concentration of FBAP was measured during the summer term and decreased towards the winter period when colder and drier conditions prevail. Diurnal FBAP concentrations start to increase after sunset and reach maximum values during the late night and early morning hours. On the other hand, the total aerosol number concentration was almost always higher during daytime than during nighttime and a sharp decrease after sunset was observed. There was no correlation observed between the FBAP concentration and the meteorological parameters temperature, precipitation, wind direction and wind speed. However, a clear correlation was

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

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

studies reported such high number concentration of ultrafine refractory particles under ambient conditions. Inverse modeling of emission factors of refractory particle number size distributions revealed that diesel-fed public utility Jeepneys, commonly used for public transportation, are responsible for 94% of total roadside emitted refractory particle mass. The observed results showed that the majority of urban pollution in Metro Manila is dominated by carbonaceous aerosol. This suggests that PM10 or PM2.5 metrics do not fully describe possible health related effects in this kind of urban environments. Extremely high concentrations of ultrafine particles have been and will continue to induce adverse health related effects, because of their potential toxicity. We imply that in megacities, where the major fraction of particulates originates from the transport sector, PM10 or PM2.5 mass concentration should be complemented by legislative measurements of equivalent black carbon mass concentration.

Use of bioindicators and passive sampling devices to evaluate ambient ozone concentrations in north central Pennsylvania

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuska, D.E.; Skelly, J.M.; Ferdinand, J.A.; Stevenson, R.E.; Savage, J.E.; Mulik, J.D.; Hines, A

2003-09-01

Passive samplers and bioindicator plants detect ozone air pollution in north central Pennsylvania. - Ambient concentrations of tropospheric ozone and ozone-induced injury to black cherry (Prunus serotina) and common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) were determined in north central Pennsylvania from 29 May to 5 September 2000 and from 28 May to 18 September 2001. Ogawa passive ozone samplers were utilized within openings at 15 forested sites of which six were co-located with TECO model 49 continuous ozone monitors. A significant positive correlation was observed between the Ogawa passive samplers and the TECO model 49 continuous ozone monitors for the 2000 (r=0.959) and 2001 (r=0.979) seasons. In addition, a significant positive correlation existed in 2000 and 2001 between ozone concentration and elevation (r=0.720) and (r=0.802), respectively. Classic ozone-induced symptoms were observed on black cherry and common milkweed. In 2000, initial injury was observed in early June, whereas for the 2001 season, initial injury was initially observed in late June. During both seasons, injury was noted at most sites by mid- to late-July. Soil moisture potential was measured for the 2001 season and a significant positive relationship (P<0.001) showed that injury to black cherry was a function of cumulative ozone concentrations and available soil moisture.

Use of bioindicators and passive sampling devices to evaluate ambient ozone concentrations in north central Pennsylvania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuska, D.E.; Skelly, J.M.; Ferdinand, J.A.; Stevenson, R.E.; Savage, J.E.; Mulik, J.D.; Hines, A.

2003-01-01

Passive samplers and bioindicator plants detect ozone air pollution in north central Pennsylvania. - Ambient concentrations of tropospheric ozone and ozone-induced injury to black cherry (Prunus serotina) and common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) were determined in north central Pennsylvania from 29 May to 5 September 2000 and from 28 May to 18 September 2001. Ogawa passive ozone samplers were utilized within openings at 15 forested sites of which six were co-located with TECO model 49 continuous ozone monitors. A significant positive correlation was observed between the Ogawa passive samplers and the TECO model 49 continuous ozone monitors for the 2000 (r=0.959) and 2001 (r=0.979) seasons. In addition, a significant positive correlation existed in 2000 and 2001 between ozone concentration and elevation (r=0.720) and (r=0.802), respectively. Classic ozone-induced symptoms were observed on black cherry and common milkweed. In 2000, initial injury was observed in early June, whereas for the 2001 season, initial injury was initially observed in late June. During both seasons, injury was noted at most sites by mid- to late-July. Soil moisture potential was measured for the 2001 season and a significant positive relationship (P<0.001) showed that injury to black cherry was a function of cumulative ozone concentrations and available soil moisture

Evaluating Ice Nucleating Particle Concentrations From Prognostic Dust Minerals in an Earth System Model

Science.gov (United States)

Perlwitz, J. P.; Knopf, D. A.; Fridlind, A. M.; Miller, R. L.; Pérez García-Pando, C.; DeMott, P. J.

2016-12-01

The effect of aerosol particles on the radiative properties of clouds, the so-called, indirect effect of aerosols, is recognized as one of the largest sources of uncertainty in climate prediction. The distribution of water vapor, precipitation, and ice cloud formation are influenced by the atmospheric ice formation, thereby modulating cloud albedo and thus climate. It is well known that different particle types possess different ice formation propensities with mineral dust being a superior ice nucleating particle (INP) compared to soot particles. Furthermore, some dust mineral types are more proficient INP than others, depending on temperature and relative humidity.In recent work, we have presented an improved dust aerosol module in the NASA GISS Earth System ModelE2 with prognostic mineral composition of the dust aerosols. Thus, there are regional variations in dust composition. We evaluated the predicted mineral fractions of dust aerosols by comparing them to measurements from a compilation of about 60 published literature references. Additionally, the capability of the model to reproduce the elemental composition of the simulated dusthas been tested at Izana Observatory at Tenerife, Canary Islands, which is located off-shore of Africa and where frequent dust events are observed. We have been able to show that the new approach delivers a robust improvement of the predicted mineral fractions and elemental composition of dust.In the current study, we use three-dimensional dust mineral fields and thermodynamic conditions, which are simulated using GISS ModelE, to calculate offline the INP concentrations derived using different ice nucleation parameterizations that are currently discussed. We evaluate the calculated INP concentrations from the different parameterizations by comparing them to INP concentrations from field measurements.

Characterisation of sub-micron particle number concentrations and formation events in the western Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Hirsikko

2012-05-01

Full Text Available South Africa holds significant mineral resources, with a substantial fraction of these reserves occurring and being processed in a large geological structure termed the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC. The area is also highly populated by informal, semi-formal and formal residential developments. However, knowledge of air quality and research related to the atmosphere is still very limited in the area. In order to investigate the characteristics and processes affecting sub-micron particle number concentrations and formation events, air ion and aerosol particle size distributions and number concentrations, together with meteorological parameters, trace gases and particulate matter (PM were measured for over two years at Marikana in the heart of the western BIC. The observations showed that trace gas (i.e. SO₂, NO_x, CO and black carbon concentrations were relatively high, but in general within the limits of local air quality standards. The area was characterised by very high condensation sink due to background aerosol particles, PM₁₀ and O₃ concentration. The results indicated that high amounts of Aitken and accumulation mode particles originated from domestic burning for heating and cooking in the morning and evening, while during daytime SO₂-based nucleation followed by the growth by condensation of vapours from industrial, residential and natural sources was the most probable source for large number concentrations of nucleation and Aitken mode particles. Nucleation event day frequency was extremely high, i.e. 86% of the analysed days, which to the knowledge of the authors is the highest frequency ever reported. The air mass back trajectory and wind direction analyses showed that the secondary particle formation was influenced both by local and regional pollution and vapour sources. Therefore, our observation of the annual cycle and magnitude of the particle formation and growth rates during

Aircraft observations and model simulations of concentration and particle size distribution in the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash cloud

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H. F. Dacre

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland emitted a cloud of ash into the atmosphere during April and May 2010. Over the UK the ash cloud was observed by the FAAM BAe-146 Atmospheric Research Aircraft which was equipped with in-situ probes measuring the concentration of volcanic ash carried by particles of varying sizes. The UK Met Office Numerical Atmospheric-dispersion Modelling Environment (NAME has been used to simulate the evolution of the ash cloud emitted by the Eyjafjallajökull volcano during the period 4–18 May 2010. In the NAME simulations the processes controlling the evolution of the concentration and particle size distribution include sedimentation and deposition of particles, horizontal dispersion and vertical wind shear. For travel times between 24 and 72 h, a 1/t relationship describes the evolution of the concentration at the centre of the ash cloud and the particle size distribution remains fairly constant. Although NAME does not represent the effects of microphysical processes, it can capture the observed decrease in concentration with travel time in this period. This suggests that, for this eruption, microphysical processes play a small role in determining the evolution of the distal ash cloud. Quantitative comparison with observations shows that NAME can simulate the observed column-integrated mass if around 4% of the total emitted mass is assumed to be transported as far as the UK by small particles (< 30 μm diameter. NAME can also simulate the observed particle size distribution if a distal particle size distribution that contains a large fraction of < 10 μm diameter particles is used, consistent with the idea that phraetomagmatic volcanoes, such as Eyjafjallajökull, emit very fine particles.

Spatial and indoor/outdoor gradients in urban concentrations of ultrafine particles and PM2.5 mass and chemical components

Science.gov (United States)

Zauli Sajani, Stefano; Ricciardelli, Isabella; Trentini, Arianna; Bacco, Dimitri; Maccone, Claudio; Castellazzi, Silvia; Lauriola, Paolo; Poluzzi, Vanes; Harrison, Roy M.

2015-02-01

In order to investigate relationships between outdoor air pollution and concentrations indoors, a novel design of experiment has been conducted at two sites, one heavily trafficked and the other residential. The novel design aspect involves the introduction of air directly to the centre of an unoccupied room by use of a fan and duct giving a controlled air exchange rate and allowing an evaluation of particle losses purely due to uptake on indoor surfaces without the losses during penetration of the building envelope which affect most measurement programmes. The rooms were unoccupied and free of indoor sources, and consequently reductions in particle concentration were due to deposition processes within the room alone. Measurements were made of indoor and outdoor concentrations of PM2.5, major chemical components and particle number size distributions. Despite the absence of penetration losses, indoor to outdoor ratios were very similar to those in other studies showing that deposition to indoor surfaces is likely to be the major loss process for indoor air. The results demonstrated a dramatic loss of nitrate in the indoor atmosphere as well as a selective loss of particles in the size range below 50 nm, in comparison to coarser particles. Depletion of indoor particles was greater during a period of cold weather with higher outdoor concentrations probably due to an enhancement of semi-volatile materials in the outdoor particulate matter. Indoor/outdoor ratios for PM2.5 were generally higher at the trafficked site than the residential site, but for particle number were generally lower, reflecting the different chemical composition and size distributions of particles at the two sites.

Concentration of aqueous extracts of defatted soy flour by ultrafiltration; Effect of suspended particles on the filtration flux

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noordman, T.R.; Kooiker, K.; Bel, W.; Dekker, M.; Wesselingh, J.A.

2003-01-01

Suspended particles can have a positive effect on the flux and concentration curve of soy flour extracts during ultrafiltration. This is described by a simple empirical model. The suspended particles in this study were insoluble milled bean material (mean particle size 25 m). It is shown that it is

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.

Ambient concentrations of total suspended particulate matter and its elemental constituents at the wider area of the mining facilities of TVX Hellas in Chalkidiki, Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaidajis, George

2003-01-01

To assess ambient air quality at the wider area of TVX Hellas mining facilities, the Total Suspended Particulate matter (TSP) and its content in characteristic elements, i.e., As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn are being monitored for more than thirty months as part of the established Environmental Monitoring Program. High Volume air samplers equipped with Tissue Quartz filters were employed for the collection of TSP. Analyses were effected after digestion of the suspended particulate with an HNO3-HCl solution and determination of elemental concentrations with an Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy equipped with graphite furnace. The sampling stations were selected to record representatively the existing ambient air quality in the vicinity of the facilities and at remote sites not affected from industrial activities. Monitoring data indicated that the background TSP concentrations ranged from 5-60 microg/m3. Recorded TSP concentrations at the residential sites close to the facilities ranged between 20-100 microg/m3, indicating only a minimal influence from the mining and milling activities. Similar spatial variation was observed for the TSP constituents and specifically for Pb and Zn. To validate the monitoring procedures, a parallel sampling campaign took place with different High Volume samplers at days where low TSP concentrations were expected. The satisfactory agreement (+/- 11%) at low concentrations (50-100 microg/m3) clearly supported the reproducibility of the techniques employed specifically at the critical range of lower concentrations.

Emulsion Polymerization of Etyl Acrylate: The Effect of Surfactant, Initiator Concentration and PolymerizationTechnique on Particle Size Distribution

OpenAIRE

Nitri Arinda; Emil Budianto; Helmiyati

2009-01-01

Emulsion polymerization was conducted using ethyl acrylate monomer. Theeffect of sodium lauryl sulfate concentration, ammonium persulfate concentration, the various of polymerizationtechniques and feeding time to the conversion, particle size and its distribution were observed. The purpose of thisresearch is to obtain the optimum condition of ethyl acrylate homopolymer with particle size around 100 nm, to get theparticle size distribution monodisperse and to get solid content value of the exp...

Effects of the precursor concentration and different annealing ambients on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of nanostructured V2O5 thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis technique

Science.gov (United States)

Irani, Rowshanak; Rozati, Seyed Mohammad; Beke, Szabolcs

2018-04-01

V2O5 thin films were deposited with different precursor concentrations of 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1 M on glass substrates by spray pyrolysis technique, then the optimized films were annealed in different ambients (air, oxygen, and vacuum). The results showed that by increasing the concentration, the films grew along the (001) direction with an orthorhombic structure. Field emission scanning electron microscopy showed that nanorods were formed when depositing 0.05 molar of VCl3. We conclude that with the precursor concentration, the surface nanostructure can be well-controlled. Annealing improved the crystallinity under all ambients, but the best crystallinity was achieved in vacuum. It was revealed that the as-deposited films had the highest transmission, whereas the films annealed in air had the lowest. When annealed in air, the optical band gap decreased from 2.45 to 2.32 eV. The sheet resistance, resistivity, mobility, conductivity, and carrier concentration were measured for all the prepared V2O5 films.

Real-time measurement of aerosol particle concentration at high temperatures; Hiukkaspitoisuuden reaaliaikainen mittaaminen korkeassa laempoetilassa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keskinen, J; Hautanen, J; Laitinen, A [Tampere Univ. of Technology (Finland). Physics

1997-10-01

The aim of this project is to develop a new method for continuous aerosol particle concentration measurement at elevated temperatures (up to 800-1000 deg C). The measured property of the aerosol particles is the so called Fuchs surface area. This quantity is relevant for diffusion limited mass transfer to particles. The principle of the method is as follows. First, aerosol particles are charged electrically by diffusion charging process. The charging takes place at high temperature. After the charging, aerosol is diluted and cooled. Finally, aerosol particles are collected and the total charge carried by the aerosol particles is measured. Particle collection and charge measurement take place at low temperature. Benefits of this measurement method are: particles are charged in-situ, charge of the particles is not affected by the temperature and pressure changes after sampling, particle collection and charge measurement are carried out outside the process conditions, and the measured quantity is well defined. The results of this study can be used when the formation of the fly ash particles is studied. Another field of applications is the study and the development of gasification processes. Possibly, the method can also be used for the monitoring the operation of the high temperature particle collection devices. (orig.)

Enhancing effect of marine oligotrophy on environmental concentrations of particle-reactive trace elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeffree, R.A.; Szymczak, R.

2000-01-01

A biogeochemical model has been previously developed that explains the inverse and nonlinear relationship between Po-210 concentration in zooplankton and their biomass, under oligotrophic conditions in French Polynesia. In this study the model structure was reviewed to determine a set of biogeochemical behaviors of Po-210, proposed to be critical to its environmental enhancement under oligotrophy: this set was then used to identify 25 other elements with comparable behaviors to Po-210. Field investigation in the Timor Sea showed that four of these a priori identified elements, viz. Cd, Co, Pb, and Mn as well as Cr and Ni, showed elevated water concentrations with reduced particle removal rates in the euphotic zone, results that are consistent with those previously obtained for Po-210 and the proposed explanatory model. These findings point to the enhanced susceptibility to contamination with particle-reactive elements of oligotrophic marine systems, whose degree and geographic extent may be enhanced by projected increases in sea surface temperatures from global warming

Personal and ambient exposures to air toxics in Camden, New Jersey.

Science.gov (United States)

Lioy, Paul J; Fan, Zhihua; Zhang, Junfeng; Georgopoulos, Panos; Wang, Sheng-Wei; Ohman-Strickland, Pamela; Wu, Xiangmei; Zhu, Xianlei; Harrington, Jason; Tang, Xiaogang; Meng, Qingyu; Jung, Kyung Hwa; Kwon, Jaymin; Hernandez, Marta; Bonnano, Linda; Held, Joann; Neal, John

2011-08-01

Personal exposures and ambient concentrations of air toxics were characterized in a pollution "hot spot" and an urban reference site, both in Camden, New Jersey. The hot spot was the city's Waterfront South neighborhood; the reference site was a neighborhood, about 1 km to the east, around the intersection of Copewood and Davis streets. Using personal exposure measurements, residential ambient air measurements, statistical analyses, and exposure modeling, we examined the impact of local industrial and mobile pollution sources, particularly diesel trucks, on personal exposures and ambient concentrations in the two neighborhoods. Presented in the report are details of our study design, sample and data collection methods, data- and model-analysis approaches, and results and key findings of the study. In summary, 107 participants were recruited from nonsmoking households, including 54 from Waterfront South and 53 from the Copewood-Davis area. Personal air samples were collected for 24 hr and measured for 32 target compounds--11 volatile organic compounds (VOCs*), four aldehydes, 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter 0.6) was found between benzene and MTBE in both locations. These results suggest that automobile exhausts were the main contributors to benzene and MTBE air pollution in both neighborhoods. Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations were found to be high in both neighborhoods. Mean (+/- SD) concentrations of formaldehyde were 20.2 +/- 19.5 microg/m3 in Waterfront South and 24.8 +/- 20.8 microg/m3 in Copewood-Davis. A similar trend was observed for the two compounds during the saturation-sampling campaigns. The results indicate that mobile sources (i.e., diesel trucks) had a large impact on formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations in both neighborhoods and that both are aldehyde hot spots. The study also showed that PM2.5, aldehydes, BTEX, and MTBE concentrations in both Waterfront South

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.

Contribution of bacteria-like particles to PM2.5 aerosol in urban and rural environments

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, R.; El-Haddad, I.; Slowik, J. G.; Dällenbach, K.; Bruns, E.; Vasilescu, J.; Baltensperger, U.; Prévôt, A. S. H.

2017-07-01

We report highly time-resolved estimates of airborne bacteria-like particle concentrations in ambient aerosol using an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS). AMS measurements with a newly developed PM2.5 and the standard (PM1) aerodynamic lens were performed at an urban background site (Zurich) and at a rural site (Payerne) in Switzerland. Positive matrix factorization using the multilinear engine (ME-2) implementation was used to estimate the contribution of bacteria-like particles to non-refractory organic aerosol. The success of the method was evaluated by a size-resolved analysis of the organic mass and the analysis of single particle mass spectra, which were detected with a light scattering system integrated into the AMS. Use of the PM2.5 aerodynamic lens increased measured bacteria-like concentrations, supporting the analysis method. However, at all sites, the low concentrations of this component suggest that airborne bacteria constitute a minor fraction of non-refractory PM2.5 organic aerosol mass. Estimated average mass concentrations were below 0.1 μg/m3 and relative contributions were lower than 2% at both sites. During rainfall periods, concentrations of the bacteria-like component increased considerably reaching a short-time maximum of approximately 2 μg/m3 at the Payerne site in summer.

A concentrated solar cavity absorber with direct heat transfer through recirculating metallic particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarker, M. R. I., E-mail: islamrabiul@yahoo.com; Saha, Manabendra, E-mail: manabendra.saha@adelaide.edu.au, E-mail: manab04me@gmail.com; Beg, R. A. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi-6204 (Bangladesh)

2016-07-12

A recirculating flow solar particle cavity absorber (receiver) is modeled to investigate the flow behavior and heat transfer characteristics of a novel developing concept. It features a continuous recirculating flow of non-reacting metallic particles (black silicon carbide) with air which are used as a thermal enhancement medium. The aim of the present study is to numerically investigate the thermal behavior and flow characteristics of the proposed concept. The proposed solar particle receiver is modeled using two phase discrete particle model (DPM), RNG k-flow model and discrete ordinate (DO) radiation model. Numerical analysis is carried out considering a solar receiver with only air and the mixture of non-reacting particles and air as a heat transfer as well as heat carrying medium. The parametric investigation is conducted considering the incident solar flux on the receiver aperture and changing air flow rate and recirculation rate inside the receiver. A stand-alone feature of the recirculating flow solar particle receiver concept is that the particles are directly exposed to concentrated solar radiation monotonously through recirculating flow inside the receiver and results in efficient irradiation absorption and convective heat transfer to air that help to achieve high temperature air and consequently increase in thermal efficiency. This paper presents, results from the developed concept and highlights its flow behavior and potential to enhance the heat transfer from metallic particles to air by maximizing heat carrying capacity of the heat transfer medium. The imposed milestones for the present system will be helpful to understand the radiation absorption mechanism of the particles in a recirculating flow based receiver, the thermal transport between the particles, the air and the cavity, and the fluid dynamics of the air and particle in the cavity.

A study of the horizontal and vertical profile of submicrometer particles in relation to a busy road

Science.gov (United States)

Morawska, Lidia; Thomas, Stephen; Gilbert, Dale; Greenaway, Chris; Rijnders, Esther

Epidemiological studies are consistently reporting an association between fine particulate pollution and ill-health. Motor vehicle emissions are considered to be the main source of fine particles in ambient urban air of cities which are not directly influenced by industrial emissions. The aim of this work was to assess the influence of a major arterial road on concentration levels of airborne fine particles in its vicinity. Measurements of over 500 particle size distributions in the particle size range 16-626 nm, were made using two scanning mobility particle sizers (SMPS). A subsequent comparison of the recorded values from differing locations is discussed, with reference made to topographic and climatic influences. Both horizontal and vertical profile measurements of fine particle number size distributions are described; the combination of the two yielding information as to the relative exposures of occupants of buildings in the vicinity of a major arterial route. With the exception of measurements in close proximity to the freeway (about 15 m), the horizontal profile measurements did not provide any evidence of a statistically significant difference in fine particle number concentration with respect to distance at ground level up to a distance of 200 m within the study area. The vertical profile measurements also revealed no significant correlation between particle concentration and height. However, for buildings in the immediate proximity to the arterial road (about 15 m) concentrations around the building envelope are very high, comparable to those in the immediate vicinity of the road, indicating undiluted concentrations drawn directly from the freeway. This finding has a significant implication for management of indoor air quality in the buildings located in the immediate vicinity of major roads.

Reduction of indoor particles concentration using re-circulating filtration units in Danish dwellings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spilak, Michal; Frederiksen, Marie; Karottki, Gabriela D.

2012-01-01

air was recirculated through the unit during two weeks in a randomized and double blinded design. The measurements included concentration of PM2.5 and ultrafine particles (UPC), carbon dioxide, temperature and relative humidity, ventilation, air flow through the unit, allergen and fungal levels....... Additional information was collected through questionnaires. Several medical tests were made, however the results are not included in this paper. Preliminary results showed significant decrease in PM2.5 concentration during the filtered period compared to placebo period. Likewise was UPC significantly lower...

Pollutants identification of ambient aerosols by two types of aerosol mass spectrometers over southeast coastal area, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Jinpei; Chen, Liqi; Lin, Qi; Zhao, Shuhui; Li, Lei

2018-02-01

Two different aerosol mass spectrometers, Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) and Single Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SPAMS) were deployed to identify the aerosol pollutants over Xiamen, representing the coastal urban area. Five obvious processes were classified during the whole observation period. Organics and sulfate were the dominant components in ambient aerosols over Xiamen. Most of the particles were in the size range of 0.2-1.0μm, accounting for over 97% of the total particles measured by both instruments. Organics, as well as sulfate, measured by AMS were in good correlation with measured by SPAMS. However, high concentration of NH 4 + was obtained by AMS, while extremely low value of NH 4 + was detected by SPAMS. Contrarily, high particle number counts of NO 3 - and Cl - were given by SPAMS while low concentrations of NO 3 - and Cl - were measured by AMS. The variations of POA and SOA obtained from SPAMS during event 1 and event 2 were in accordance with the analysis of HOA and OOA given by AMS, suggesting that both of AMS and SPAMS can well identify the organic clusters of aerosol particles. Overestimate or underestimate of the aerosol sources and acidity would be present in some circumstances when the measurement results were used to analyze the aerosol properties, because of the detection loss of some species for both instruments. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Tangential Flow Ultrafiltration Allows Purification and Concentration of Lauric Acid-/Albumin-Coated Particles for Improved Magnetic Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaloga, Jan; Stapf, Marcus; Nowak, Johannes; Pöttler, Marina; Friedrich, Ralf P; Tietze, Rainer; Lyer, Stefan; Lee, Geoffrey; Odenbach, Stefan; Hilger, Ingrid; Alexiou, Christoph

2015-08-14

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are frequently used for drug targeting, hyperthermia and other biomedical purposes. Recently, we have reported the synthesis of lauric acid-/albumin-coated iron oxide nanoparticles SEON(LA-BSA), which were synthesized using excess albumin. For optimization of magnetic treatment applications, SPION suspensions need to be purified of excess surfactant and concentrated. Conventional methods for the purification and concentration of such ferrofluids often involve high shear stress and low purification rates for macromolecules, like albumin. In this work, removal of albumin by low shear stress tangential ultrafiltration and its influence on SEON(LA-BSA) particles was studied. Hydrodynamic size, surface properties and, consequently, colloidal stability of the nanoparticles remained unchanged by filtration or concentration up to four-fold (v/v). Thereby, the saturation magnetization of the suspension can be increased from 446.5 A/m up to 1667.9 A/m. In vitro analysis revealed that cellular uptake of SEON(LA-BSA) changed only marginally. The specific absorption rate (SAR) was not greatly affected by concentration. In contrast, the maximum temperature Tmax in magnetic hyperthermia is greatly enhanced from 44.4 °C up to 64.9 °C by the concentration of the particles up to 16.9 mg/mL total iron. Taken together, tangential ultrafiltration is feasible for purifying and concentrating complex hybrid coated SPION suspensions without negatively influencing specific particle characteristics. This enhances their potential for magnetic treatment.

Heterogeneous uptake of ammonia and dimethylamine into sulfuric and oxalic acid particles

Science.gov (United States)

Sauerwein, Meike; Keung Chan, Chak

2017-05-01

Heterogeneous uptake is one of the major mechanisms governing the amounts of short-chain alkylamines and ammonia (NH3) in atmospheric particles. Molar ratios of aminium to ammonium ions detected in ambient aerosols often exceed typical gas phase ratios. The present study investigated the simultaneous uptake of dimethylamine (DMA) and NH3 into sulfuric and oxalic acid particles at gaseous DMA / NH3 molar ratios of 0.1 and 0.5 at 10, 50 and 70 % relative humidity (RH). Single-gas uptake and co-uptake were conducted under identical conditions and compared. Results show that the particulate dimethyl-aminium/ammonium molar ratios (DMAH / NH4) changed substantially during the uptake process, which was severely influenced by the extent of neutralisation and the particle phase state. In general, DMA uptake and NH3 uptake into concentrated H2SO4 droplets were initially similarly efficient, yielding DMAH / NH4 ratios that were similar to DMA / NH3 ratios. As the co-uptake continued, the DMAH / NH4 gradually dropped due to a preferential uptake of NH3 into partially neutralised acidic droplets. At 50 % RH, once the sulfate droplets were neutralised, the stronger base DMA displaced some of the ammonium absorbed earlier, leading to DMAH / NH4 ratios up to four times higher than the corresponding gas phase ratios. However, at 10 % RH, crystallisation of partially neutralised sulfate particles prevented further DMA uptake, while NH3 uptake continued and displaced DMAH+, forming almost pure ammonium sulfate. Displacement of DMAH+ by NH3 has also been observed in neutralised, solid oxalate particles. The results can explain why DMAH / NH4 ratios in ambient liquid aerosols can be larger than DMA / NH3, despite an excess of NH3 in the gas phase. An uptake of DMA to aerosols consisting of crystalline ammonium salts, however, is unlikely, even at comparable DMA and NH3 gas phase concentrations.

Does the increase in ambient CO2 concentration elevate allergy risks posed by oak pollen?

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyu Rang; Oh, Jae-Won; Woo, Su-Young; Seo, Yun Am; Choi, Young-Jin; Kim, Hyun Seok; Lee, Wi Young; Kim, Baek-Jo

2018-05-01

Oak pollen is a major respiratory allergen in Korea, and the distribution of oak trees is expected to increase by ecological succession and climate change. One of the drivers of climate change is increasing CO2, which is also known to amplify the allergy risk of weed pollen by inducing elevated allergenic protein content. However, the impact of CO2 concentration on tree pollen is not clearly understood due to the experimental difficulties in carrying out extended CO2 treatment. To study the response of pollen production of sawtooth oak trees (Quercus acutissima) to elevated levels of ambient CO2, three open-top chambers at the National Institute of Forest Science in Suwon, Korea were utilized with daytime (8 am-6 pm) CO2 concentrations of ambient (× 1.0, 400 ppm), × 1.4 ( 560 ppm), and × 1.8 ( 720 ppm) treatments. Each chamber had three sawtooth oak trees planted in September 2009. One or two trees per chamber matured to bloom in 2016. Five to six catkins were selected per tree and polyethylene bags were attached to collect pollen grains. The total number of catkins per tree was counted and the number and weight of pollen grains per catkin were measured. Oak allergen—Que a 1 (Allergon Co., Uppsala, Sweden)—was extracted and purified to make an ELISA kit by which the antigen levels in the pollen samples were quantified. Total pollen counts per tree of the × 1.4 and × 1.8 treatments showed significant increase of 353 and 1299%, respectively, from the × 1.0 treatment (p < 0.001). Allergenic protein contents at the × 1.4 and × 1.8 treatments also showed significant increase of 12 and 11%, respectively (p = 0.011). The × 1.8 treatment induced significant difference from the × 1.0 treatment in terms of pollen production and allergenic protein content, whereas the × 1.4 treatment showed mixed significance. In summary, the oak trees under the elevated CO2 levels, which are expected in the changing climate, produced significantly higher amount of pollen and

Ambient particulate air pollution from vehicles promotes lipid peroxidation and inflammatory responses in rat lung.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, C E L; Heck, T G; Saldiva, P H N; Rhoden, C R

2007-10-01

Oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of particle-dependent lung injury. Ambient particle levels from vehicles have not been previously shown to cause oxidative stress to the lungs. The present study was conducted to a) determine whether short-term exposure to ambient levels of particulate air pollution from vehicles elicits inflammatory responses and lipid peroxidation in rat lungs, and b) determine if intermittent short-term exposures (every 4 days) induce some degree of tolerance. Three-month-old male Wistar rats were exposed to ambient particulate matter (PM) from vehicles (N = 30) for 6 or 20 continuous hours, or for intermittent (5 h) periods during 20 h for 4 consecutive days or to filtered air (PM polluted air for 20 h (P-20) showed a significant increase in the total number of leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage compared to control (C-20: 2.61 x 105 +/- 0.51;P-20: 5.01 x 105 +/- 0.81; P air pollution did not cause a significant increase in lung water content. These data suggest oxidative stress as one of the mechanisms responsible for the acute adverse respiratory effects of particles, and suggest that short-term inhalation of ambient particulate air pollution from street with high automobile traffic represents a biological hazard.

Concentrations of persistent organic pollutants in ambient air in Durban, South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Batterman, S

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on an extensive ambient air quality monitoring program in Durban (eThekwini Municipality), South Africa, on Africa’s southeast coast. Following a multi stakeholder process coordinated by the Municipality Metropolitan Health...

Volatile organic compounds in urban atmospheres: Long-term measurements of ambient air concentrations in differently loaded regions of Leipzig

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knobloch, T.; Asperger, A.; Engewald, W. [University of Leipzig, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Leipzig (Germany)

1997-09-01

For the comprehensive characterization of ambient air concentrations of a broad spectrum of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) an analytical method is described, consisting of adsorptive enrichment, thermal desorption without cryofocusing, and capillary gas chromatographic separation. The method was applied during two-week measuring campaigns in winter and summer 1995, and in the winter of 1996. Long-term sampling was carried out at sampling points in residential areas in the suburbs and near the city center of Leipzig. About 70 VOCs - mainly hydrocarbons from propene to hexadecane - were identified both by GC-MS and chromatographic retention data and quantified after external calibration. Mean values of VOC concentrations obtained during the sampling periods are reported and discussed with regard to the topographical location of the sampling points in the Leipzig area, seasonal variations, and possible emission sources. (orig.) With 7 figs., 3 tabs., 18 refs.

Long-term cloud condensation nuclei number concentration, particle number size distribution and chemical composition measurements at regionally representative observatories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Schmale

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Aerosol–cloud interactions (ACI constitute the single largest uncertainty in anthropogenic radiative forcing. To reduce the uncertainties and gain more confidence in the simulation of ACI, models need to be evaluated against observations, in particular against measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN. Here we present a data set – ready to be used for model validation – of long-term observations of CCN number concentrations, particle number size distributions and chemical composition from 12 sites on 3 continents. Studied environments include coastal background, rural background, alpine sites, remote forests and an urban surrounding. Expectedly, CCN characteristics are highly variable across site categories. However, they also vary within them, most strongly in the coastal background group, where CCN number concentrations can vary by up to a factor of 30 within one season. In terms of particle activation behaviour, most continental stations exhibit very similar activation ratios (relative to particles  > 20 nm across the range of 0.1 to 1.0 % supersaturation. At the coastal sites the transition from particles being CCN inactive to becoming CCN active occurs over a wider range of the supersaturation spectrum. Several stations show strong seasonal cycles of CCN number concentrations and particle number size distributions, e.g. at Barrow (Arctic haze in spring, at the alpine stations (stronger influence of polluted boundary layer air masses in summer, the rain forest (wet and dry season or Finokalia (wildfire influence in autumn. The rural background and urban sites exhibit relatively little variability throughout the year, while short-term variability can be high especially at the urban site. The average hygroscopicity parameter, κ, calculated from the chemical composition of submicron particles was highest at the coastal site of Mace Head (0.6 and lowest at the rain forest station ATTO (0.2–0.3. We performed closure

Effect of ambient pressure on the crystalline phase of nano TiO2 particles synthesized by a dc thermal plasma reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, I.; Karmakar, Soumen; Kulkarni, Naveen V.; Nawale, Ashok B.; Mathe, V. L.; Das, A. K.; Bhoraskar, S. V.

2010-01-01

The synthesis of nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) with varying percentages of anatase and rutile phases is reported. This was achieved by controlling the operating pressure in a transferred-arc, direct current thermal plasma reactor in which titanium vapors are evaporated, and then exposed to ambient oxygen. The average particle size remained around 15 nm in each case. The crystalline structure of the as-synthesized nanoparticles of TiO 2 was studied with X-ray diffraction analysis; whereas the particle morphology was investigated with the help of transmission electron microscopy. The precursor species responsible for the growth of these nanoparticles was studied with the help of optical emission spectroscopy. As inferred from the X-ray diffraction analysis, the relative abundance of anatase TiO 2 was found to be dominant when synthesized at 760 Torr, and the same showed a decreasing trend with decreasing chamber pressure. The study also reveals that anatase TiO 2 is a more effective photocatalytic agent in degrading methylene blue by comparison to its rutile phase.

Concentration, size distribution and dry deposition of amines in atmospheric particles of urban Guangzhou, China

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fengxian; Bi, Xinhui; Zhang, Guohua; Peng, Long; Lian, Xiufeng; Lu, Huiying; Fu, Yuzhen; Wang, Xinming; Peng, Ping'an; Sheng, Guoying

2017-12-01

Size-segregated PM10 samples were collected in Guangzhou, China during autumn of 2014. Nine amines, including seven aliphatic amines and two heterocyclic amines, were detected using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer after derivatization by benzenesulfonyl chloride. The total concentration of the nine amines (Ʃamines) was 79.6-140.9 ng m-3 in PM10. The most abundant species was methylamine (MA), which had a concentration of 29.2-70.1 ng m-3. MA, dimethylamine (DMA), diethylamine (DEA) and dibutylamine (DBA) were the predominant amines in the samples and accounted for approximately 80% of Ʃamines in each size segment. Two heterocyclic amines, pyrrolidine (PYR) and morpholine (MOR), were detected in all samples and had average concentrations of 1.14 ± 0.37 and 1.89 ± 0.64 ng m-3, respectively, in particles with aerodynamic diameters ammonium ranged from 0.0068 to 0.0107 in particles with diameters <1.5 μm, and the maximum ratio occurred in the smallest particles (diameter< 0.49 μm). The average dry deposition flux and velocity of Ʃamines in PM10 were 7.9 ± 1.6 μg m-2 d-1 and 0.084 ± 0.0021 cm s-1, respectively. The results of this study provide essential information on the contribution of amines to secondary organic aerosols and dry removal mechanisms in urban areas.

Improvement in mechanical properties of high concentration particle doped thermoset composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, N.

2009-01-01

The paper relates to high concentration particle doped composites based on thermosetting polymer systems in which the sequential addition of particles of certain size distribution is followed by curing and casting of the slurry to form a thermoset composite. Conventionally, at a threshold of beyond 90% of particles by weight of the polymer using triglyceride, the mechanical properties of the composite exhibit a sharp decline. The present research mitigates this behavior by incorporating a unique combination of cross-linking agents in the base polymer to impart exceptional mechanical properties to the composite. More specifically, the base polymer consists of butadiene, with triglyceride as cross-linking agent together with hydroxy-alkane as the chain extension precursors, when tune to the appropriate level of hard segment ratio in the polymer. An added advantage according to the present work resides in the analytical nature of butadiene pre-polymer as opposed to natural product; traditional composites based on natural sources are hampered by their inconsistent chemical composition and poor shelf life in the fabricated composite. The thermoset composite according the present research exhibits superior tensile strength (200-300 psi) properties using particle loading as high as 92% by weight of the fabricated composite as measured on a Tinius Olsen machine. Dynamic Mechanical Testing reveals interesting combination of storage and loss moduli in the fabricated specimens as a function of optimizing the thermal response of the viscoelastic composite to imposed vibration loading. (author)

Characterisation of particle mass and number concentration on the east coast of the Malaysian Peninsula during the northeast monsoon

Science.gov (United States)

Dominick, Doreena; Latif, Mohd Talib; Juneng, Liew; Khan, Md Firoz; Amil, Norhaniza; Mead, Mohammed Iqbal; Nadzir, Mohd Shahrul Mohd; Moi, Phang Siew; Samah, Azizan Abu; Ashfold, Matthew J.; Sturges, William T.; Harris, Neil R. P.; Robinson, Andrew D.; Pyle, John A.

2015-09-01

Particle mass concentrations (PM10, PM2.5 and PM1) and particle number concentration ((PNC); 0.27 μm ≤ Dp ≤ 34.00 μm) were measured in the tropical coastal environment of Bachok, Kelantan on the Malaysian Peninsula bordering the southern edge of the South China Sea. Statistical methods were applied on a three-month hourly data set (9th January to 24th March 2014) to study the influence of north-easterly winds on the patterns of particle mass and PNC size distributions. The 24-h concentrations of particle mass obtained in this study were below the standard values detailed by the Recommended Malaysian Air Quality Guideline (RMAQG), United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and European Union (EU) except for PM2.5, which recorded a 24-h average of 30 ± 18 μg m-3 and exceeded the World Health Organisation (WHO) threshold value (25 μg m-3). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that PNC with smaller diameter sizes (0.27-4.50 μm) showed a stronger influence, accounting for 57.6% of the variability in PNC data set. Concentrations of both particle mass and PNC increased steadily in the morning with a distinct peak observed at around 8.00 h, related to a combination of dispersion of accumulated particles overnight and local traffic. In addition to local anthropogenic, agricultural burning and forest fire activities, long-range transport also affects the study area. Hotspot and backward wind trajectory observations illustrated that the biomass burning episode (around February-March) significantly influenced PNC. Meteorological parameters influenced smaller size particles (i.e. PM1 and Dp (0.27-0.43 μm)) the most.

Temperature dependence of the particle/gas partition coefficient: An application to predict indoor gas-phase concentrations of semi-volatile organic compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, Wenjuan, E-mail: Wenjuan.Wei@cstb.fr [University of Paris-Est, Scientific and Technical Center for Building (CSTB), Health and Comfort Department, French Indoor Air Quality Observatory (OQAI), 84 Avenue Jean Jaurès, Champs sur Marne, 77447 Marne la Vallée Cedex 2 (France); Mandin, Corinne [University of Paris-Est, Scientific and Technical Center for Building (CSTB), Health and Comfort Department, French Indoor Air Quality Observatory (OQAI), 84 Avenue Jean Jaurès, Champs sur Marne, 77447 Marne la Vallée Cedex 2 (France); INSERM-U1085, Irset-Research Institute for Environmental and Occupational Health, Rennes (France); LERES-Environment and Health Research Laboratory (Irset and EHESP Technologic Platform), Rennes (France); Blanchard, Olivier [EHESP-School of Public Health, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Rennes (France); INSERM-U1085, Irset-Research Institute for Environmental and Occupational Health, Rennes (France); Mercier, Fabien [EHESP-School of Public Health, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Rennes (France); LERES-Environment and Health Research Laboratory (Irset and EHESP Technologic Platform), Rennes (France); INSERM-U1085, Irset-Research Institute for Environmental and Occupational Health, Rennes (France); Pelletier, Maud [EHESP-School of Public Health, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Rennes (France); INSERM-U1085, Irset-Research Institute for Environmental and Occupational Health, Rennes (France); Le Bot, Barbara [EHESP-School of Public Health, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Rennes (France); LERES-Environment and Health Research Laboratory (Irset and EHESP Technologic Platform), Rennes (France); INSERM-U1085, Irset-Research Institute for Environmental and Occupational Health, Rennes (France); and others

2016-09-01

The indoor gas-phase concentrations of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) can be predicted from their respective concentrations in airborne particles by applying the particle/gas partitioning equilibrium. The temperature used for partitioning is often set to 25 °C. However, indoor temperatures frequently differ from this reference value. This assumption may result in errors in the predicted equilibrium gas-phase SVOC concentrations. To improve the prediction model, the temperature dependence of the particle/gas partition coefficient must be addressed. In this paper, a theoretical relationship between the particle/gas partition coefficient and temperature was developed based on the SVOC absorptive mechanism. The SVOC particle/gas partition coefficients predicted by employing the derived theoretical relationship agree well with the experimental data retrieved from the literature (R > 0.93). The influence of temperature on the equilibrium gas-phase SVOC concentration was quantified by a dimensionless analysis of the derived relationship between the SVOC particle/gas partition coefficient and temperature. The predicted equilibrium gas-phase SVOC concentration decreased by between 31% and 53% when the temperature was lowered by 6 °C, while it increased by up to 750% when the indoor temperature increased from 15 °C to 30 °C. - Highlights: • A theoretical relationship between K{sub p} and temperature was developed. • The relationship was based on the SVOC absorptive mechanism. • The temperature impact was quantified by a dimensionless analysis.

Particle dry deposition to water surfaces: Processes and consequences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pryor, S.C.; Barthelmie, R.J.

2000-01-01

flux to coastal waters, atmosphere-surface exchange represents a significant component of the total flux and may be particularly critical during the summertime when both the riverine input and ambient nutrient concentrations are often at a minimum. In this chapter, we present an overview...... of the physical and chemical processes which dictate the quantity (and direction) of atmosphere-surface fluxes of trace chemicals to (and above) water surfaces with particular emphasis on the role of particles. Dry deposition (transfer to the surface in the absence of precipitation) of particles is determined...... efforts to simulate and measure fluxes close to the coastline. These arise in part from the complexity of atmospheric flow in this region where energy and chemical fluxes are highly inhomogeneous in space and time and thermally generated atmospheric circulations are commonplace. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science...

Parametric studies of contrail ice particle formation in jet regime using microphysical parcel modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.-W. Wong

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Condensation trails (contrails formed from water vapor emissions behind aircraft engines are the most uncertain components of the aviation impacts on climate change. To gain improved knowledge of contrail and contrail-induced cirrus cloud formation, understanding of contrail ice particle formation immediately after aircraft engines is needed. Despite many efforts spent in modeling the microphysics of ice crystal formation in jet regime (with a plume age <5 s, systematic understanding of parametric effects of variables affecting contrail ice particle formation is still limited. In this work, we apply a microphysical parcel modeling approach to study contrail ice particle formation in near-field aircraft plumes up to 1000 m downstream of an aircraft engine in the soot-rich regime (soot number emission index >1×10¹⁵ (kg-fuel⁻¹ at cruise. The effects of dilution history, ion-mediated nucleation, ambient relative humidity, fuel sulfur contents, and initial soot emissions were investigated. Our simulation results suggest that ice particles are mainly formed by water condensation on emitted soot particles. The growth of ice coated soot particles is driven by water vapor emissions in the first 1000 m and by ambient relative humidity afterwards. The presence of chemi-ions does not significantly contribute to the formation of ice particles in the soot-rich regime, and the effect of fuel sulfur contents is small over the range typical of standard jet fuels. The initial properties of soot emissions play the most critical role, and our calculations suggest that higher number concentration and smaller size of contrail particle nuclei may be able to effectively suppress the formation of contrail ice particles. Further modeling and experimental studies are needed to verify if our findings can provide a possible approach for contrail mitigation.

Particle growth kinetics over the Amazon rainforest

Science.gov (United States)

Pinterich, T.; Andreae, M. O.; Artaxo, P.; Kuang, C.; Longo, K.; Machado, L.; Manzi, A. O.; Martin, S. T.; Mei, F.; Pöhlker, C.; Pöhlker, M. L.; Poeschl, U.; Shilling, J. E.; Shiraiwa, M.; Tomlinson, J. M.; Zaveri, R. A.; Wang, J.

2016-12-01

Aerosol particles larger than 100 nm play a key role in global climate by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Most of these particles, originated from new particle formation or directly emitted into the atmospheric, are initially too small to serve as CCN. These small particles grow to CCN size mainly through condensation of secondary species. In one extreme, the growth is dictated by kinetic condensation of very low-volatility compounds, favoring the growth of the smallest particles; in the other extreme, the process is driven by Raoult's law-based equilibrium partitioning of semi-volatile organic compound, favoring the growth of larger particles. These two mechanisms can lead to very different production rates of CCN. The growth of particles depends on a number of parameters, including the volatility of condensing species, particle phase, and diffusivity inside the particles, and this process is not well understood in part due to lack of ambient data. Here we examine atmospheric particle growth using high-resolution size distributions measured onboard the DOE G-1 aircraft during GoAmazon campaign, which took place from January 2014 to December 2015 near Manaus, Brazil, a city surrounded by natural forest for over 1000 km in every direction. City plumes are clearly identified by the strong enhancement of nucleation and Aitken mode particle concentrations over the clean background. As the plume traveled downwind, particle growth was observed, and is attributed to condensation of secondary species and coagulation (Fig.1). Observed aerosol growth is modeled using MOSAIC (Model for Simulating Aerosol Interactions and Chemistry), which dynamically partitions multiple compounds to all particle size bins by taking into account compound volatility, gas-phase diffusion, interfacial mass accommodation, particle-phase diffusion, and particle-phase reaction. The results from both wet and dry seasons will be discussed.