Abstract
Characterization of urban particle number size distribution (PNSD) has been rarely reported/performed in the Middle East. Therefore, we aimed at characterizing the PNSD (0.01–10 µm) in Amman as an example for an urban Middle Eastern environment. The daily mean submicron particle number concentration (PNSub) was 6.5 × 103–7.7 × 104 cm−3 and the monthly mean coarse mode particle number concentration (PNCoarse) was 0.9–3.8 cm−3 and both had distinguished seasonal variation. The PNSub also had a clear diurnal and weekly cycle with higher concentrations on workdays (Sunday–Thursday; over 3.3 × 104 cm−3) than on weekends (below 2.7 × 104 cm−3). The PNSub constitute of 93% ultrafine fraction (diameter < 100 nm). The mean particle number size distributions was characterized with four well-separated submicron modes (Dpg,I, Ni): nucleation (22 nm, 9.4 103 cm−3), Aitken (62 nm, 3.9 103 cm−3), accumulation (225 nm, 158 cm−3), and coarse (2.23 µm, 1.2 cm−3) in addition to a mode with small geometric mean diameter (GMD) that represented the early stage of new particle formation (NPF) events. The wind speed and temperature had major impacts on the concentrations. The PNCoarse had a U-shape with respect to wind speed and PNSub decreased with wind speed. The effect of temperature and relative humidity was complex and require further investigations.
Highlights
Atmospheric aerosol particles have gained increased attention during recent years due to their effects on the climate and human health [1,2]
(22 nm, 9.4 × 103 cm−3 ), Aitken (62 nm, 3.9 × 103 cm−3 ), accumulation (225 nm, 158 cm−3 ), and coarse (2.23 μm, 1.2 cm−3 ) in addition to a mode with small geometric mean diameter (GMD) that represented the early stage of new particle formation (NPF) events
While most health studies related to air pollution focus on the mass accumulation of particulate matter (PM), advanced studies have shown the importance of the number size distribution on health
Summary
Atmospheric aerosol particles have gained increased attention during recent years due to their effects on the climate and human health [1,2]. It has been evident that fine particles are capable of penetrating through the respiratory system and circulating in the bloodstream causing serious health effects in different organs in the human body [3]. Governmental policies tend to enforce strategies that eradicate the total mass in an attempt of improving visibility and saving human health; at the same time ignoring the effects of the ultrafine particles (UFP, diameter < 0.1 μm), which have rather complex sources and atmospheric processes. Fine and UFP are capable of growing to reach sizes where they constitute a fraction of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN); and indirectly affecting the climate [4,5].
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