Comparison of five methods for measuring particulate matter concentrations in cold winter climate
Abstract
Five different methods for measuring the concentrations of ambient air particles were compared in downtown and suburban areas of a medium sized Northern city in winter and spring: namely total suspended particulates (TSP) measured by HiVol and dichotomous samplers, particles < 10 μm (PM10) measured with a PM10 impactor and a dichotomous sampler, black smoke (BS) measured by the OECD method, and size fractionated particles measured by an electrical aerosol spectrometer (EAS). The BS/PM ratio decreased gradually from winter to spring. The TSP and PM10 measurements correlated highly with each other. All measures of inhalable particles BS, PM10 and EAS-PM1.0−1.0 correlated highly with each other. BS concentrations correlate best with the EAS-PM3.2 fraction. Principal components analysis revealed that the measured BS and TSP come from different sources. The TSP and PM10 measured with the dichotomous sampler showed consistently lower values than the other methods.
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Particulate air pollution in a small settlement: The effect of local heating
2007, Applied GeochemistryMass concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, and black smoke (BS) were measured in April 2003 during a 3-week campaign in a small village and at a nearby background location in the central part of the Czech Republic. In a pilot analysis, concentrations of selected trace elements (Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Cd, Sb, Cs, Pb) in the collected aerosol were determined by means of ICP-MS. Average concentrations of both PM fractions and BS were higher in the village (37, 26 and 26 μg m−3) than at the background location (26, 19 and 11 μg m−3) for PM10, PM2.5 and BS, respectively. Both PM10 and PM2.5 were reasonably correlated in the village (r = 0.80) and also at the background location (r = 0.79). Correlation between same fractions from the village and from the background site were even higher (r = 0.97 and r = 0.95 for the PM10 and PM2.5, respectively) suggesting that most of the aerosol in both locations may be influenced by similar sources. The ratio between PM10 and PM2.5 showed that sources in the village contributed about 33% and 35% to local aerosol concentration for PM10 and PM2.5, respectively. When the data from the two rural locations were compared with corresponding 24-h averages of PM10 concentrations obtained for the period of the campaign from fixed site monitors situated near larger towns, the highest concentration was found in Prague the Czech capital (49 μg m−3) followed by a district town Beroun (41 μg m−3) and the village (37 μg m−3). The lowest PM10 concentration was found in the village background (26 μg m−3). Elemental analysis revealed higher concentrations for most of the elements characteristic of combustion aerosol (namely Zn, Pb, As, Mn and Ti) in the PM collected in the village. The results support the idea that traditional heating in villages may contribute a great extent to local air pollution and may represent an important problem.
The particulate matter (PM) concentration and composition, the PM10, PM2.5, PM1 fractions, were studied in the urban area of Genoa, a coastal town in the northwest of Italy. Two instruments, the continuous monitor TEOM and the sequential sampler PARTISOL, were operated almost continuously on the same site from July 2001 to September 2004. Samples collected by PARTISOL were weighted to obtain PM concentration and then analysed by PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission) and by ED-XRF (energy dispersion X-ray fluorescence), obtaining concentrations for elements from Na to Pb. Some of the filters used in the TEOM microbalance were analysed by ED-XRF to calculate Pb concentration values averaged over 7–30 d periods.
PM<inf>10</inf> and black smoke in a small settlement: Case study from the Czech Republic
2003, Atmospheric EnvironmentTwenty-four-hour concentrations of PM10 and black smoke (BS) were measured during two winter and one summer periods in a small village in the central part of the Czech Republic. Both the PM10 and BS were highly correlated during the two heating seasons (0.740 in the first and 0.768 in the second winter campaign, respectively). The correlation dropped to 0.567 during the summer period. Negative correlation between winter BS and wind velocity (−0.543 and −0.486) showed a close association between air pollution from combustion and low air mass movement in the locality during heating seasons. No correlation between BS and wind velocity was found during summer (0.057). Both PM10 and BS were negatively correlated with minimum daily temperature during both winter seasons as well as during the summer season. Comparison of PM10 data from the village with those from Prague, the Czech capital, showed that average particulate matter concentrations in the rural site were higher during all the three seasons studied. Recommended 24-h limit for PM10 in the European Union (50 μg m−3) was exceeded in 26% and 33% of days measured in the small village while only in 17% and 15% of days measured in Prague, for the first and second winter, respectively. Good association between data from the village with those from Prague suggests, on the one hand, that some effect of particulate matter transport from the city to the rural site cannot be excluded but, on the other hand, that good accord may be caused by similar climatic conditions of the two settlements. The results of the study support the idea that traditional heating in villages may represent an important air pollution problem.
Fine PM measurements: Personal and indoor air monitoring
2002, ChemosphereThis review compiles personal and indoor microenvironment particulate matter (PM) monitoring needs from recently set research objectives, most importantly the NRC published “Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter (1998)”. Techniques and equipment used to monitor PM personal exposures and microenvironment concentrations and the constituents of the sampled PM during the last 20 years are then reviewed. Development objectives are set and discussed for personal and microenvironment PM samplers and monitors, for filter materials, and analytical laboratory techniques for equipment calibration, filter weighing and laboratory climate control.
The progress is leading towards smaller sample flows, lighter, silent, independent (battery powered) monitors with data logging capacity to store microenvironment or activity relevant sensor data, advanced flow controls and continuous recording of the concentration. The best filters are non-hygroscopic, chemically pure and inert, and physically robust against mechanical wear. Semiautomatic and primary standard equivalent positive displacement flow meters are replacing the less accurate methods in flow calibration, and also personal sampling flow rates should become mass flow controlled (with or without volumetric compensation for pressure and temperature changes). In the weighing laboratory the alternatives are climatic control (set temperature and relative humidity), and mechanically simpler thermostatic heating, air conditioning and dehumidification systems combined with numerical control of temperature, humidity and pressure effects on flow calibration and filter weighing.
Characterisation of fresh particulate vehicular exhausts near a Paris high flow road
2001, Atmospheric EnvironmentSimultaneous continuous measurements of PM2.5, PM10, black carbon mass (BCae), Black smoke (BS) and particle number density (N) were conducted in the close vicinity of a high traffic road around Paris during a three-month period beginning in August 1997. In parallel some aerosol collection was performed on filters in order to assess the black carbon (BC), organic carbon (OC) and water soluble organic fractions (WSOC) of the freshly emitted traffic aerosols. The high hourly concentrations of PM2.5 (39±20 μg m−3), BCae (14±7 μg m−3), and N (220,000±115,000 cm−3), were found to be well correlated with each other. On average PM2.5 represented 66±13% of PM10 and appears to be composed primarily of BC (43±20%). On the contrary no correlation was found between PM2.5 and the coarse (PM10–PM2.5) mass fractions which was attributed to resuspension processes by vehicles. Black carbon mass concentrations obtained from both filter analyses (BC) and Aethalometre data (BCae) show a good agreement suggesting that the Aethalometre calibration based on a black carbon specific attenuation coefficient (σ) of 19 m2 g−1 is well adapted to nearby roadside measurements. Daily BC (used as a surrogate for fine particles) concentrations and wind speed were found to be anti-correlated. Average daily variations of BC could be related to traffic intensity and regime as well as to the boundary layer height. As expected for freshly emitted traffic aerosols, filter analyses indicated a high BC/TC ratio (29±5%) and a low mean WSOC/OC ratio (12.5±5%) for the bulk aerosol. For these two ratios no day/night differences were observed, the sampling station being probably too close to traffic to evidence photochemical modification of the aerosol phase. Finally, a linear relationship was found between BC and BS hourly concentrations (BC=0.10×BS+1.18; r2=0.93) which offers interesting perspectives to retrieve BC concentrations from existing BS archives.
PM<inf>10</inf> and PM<inf>2.5</inf>: an international perspective
2000, Fuel processing technologyIn 1997, the introduction of the new National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM2.5 in the USA resulted in controversy, not only with respect to the stringent limit selected, but also due to the many problems associated with ensuring compliance with a standard for a pollutant which is so poorly understood. Europe has no standards for PM2.5 at present, but new standards have been proposed for 2005. This paper addresses the research in progress which will determine whether other countries will follow the USA's lead in setting such standards. It discusses sampling and analysis techniques, followed by a summary of PM10 and PM2.5, as well as their control in coal-fired power plants, concentrations in the atmosphere and health effects.