Comparison of particle sizes determined with impactor, AFM and SEM

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Particles size comparisons were made between conventional aerodynamic and mobility sizing techniques and physical geometric sizes measured by high resolution microscopes. Atmospheric particles were collected during the wet and dry seasons in the Amazonian ecosystems. Individual particles deposited on four stages of the MOUDI (Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposition Impactor) were characterised for particle volumes, projected surface diameters and morphologies with an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). AFM and SEM size distributions were verified against distributions derived from response functions of individual MOUDI stages as specified by Winklmayr et al. [Winklmayr, W., Wang, H.-C., John, W., 1990. Adaptation of the Twomey algorithm to the inversion of cascade impactor data. Aerosol Science and Technology 13, 322–331.]. Particles indicated inherent discrepancies in sizing techniques. Particle volumes were systematically lower than expected by factors of up to 3.6. Differences were attributed to loss of mass, presumably water adsorbed on particles. Losses were high and could not be accounted for by measured humidity growth factors suggesting significant losses of other volatile compounds as well, particularly on particles that were collected during the wet season. Microscopy results showed that for hygroscopic particles, microscopy sizes depend on the relative humidity history of particles before and after sampling. Changes in relative humidity significantly altered particle morphologies. Depending on when changes occur, such losses will bias not only microscopy particle sizes but also impactor mass distributions and number concentrations derived from collected particles.