Measurements of ambient air fine (PM≤2.5) and coarse (PM>2.5) particulates concentrations by using of a dust monitoring system

Abstract

A Fidas Frog sampler is used to collect ambient air pollutants with various particle sizes at the Taichung Science Park in Taichung, Taiwan. The relationship between particle size and total number of ambient air particles is determined. Fine (PM≤2.5) and coarse (PM>2.5) particulate concentrations are obtained as percentages of the total particulate concentration. The mean concentrations of particles of various sizes (PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10, and PMtot) and the total number of particles were all highest on February 24, and declined from then until June 30. The particle concentration was strongly correlated with particle size (PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10, PMtotal suspended particles (PMtot.)). The relationship was stronger for smaller particles. The fine particulate concentrations (PM≤2.5) that were obtained using the Fidas Frog sampler were around 67.7% of those obtained in a previous study at the same sampling site. The coarse particulate concentrations (PM>2.5) that were obtained using the Fidas Frog sampler were about 89.4% of those obtained in (a previous study at the same sampling site OR JUST that study) (Fang et al., 2019). Finally, the average coarse particle concentrations that were obtained using the Fidas Frog sampler at this Taichung Science Park site were about 3.1 times the thus obtained fine particles concentrations. The main sources of particulate pollutants at the Taichung Science Park site were abrasion processes, crustal materials and products of vehicle wear.