Concentrations Of Submicron Particles Research Articles

Dual-isotope ratios of carbonaceous aerosols for seasonal observation and their assessment as source indicators

Carbonaceous aerosols exhibit seasonal variations due to a complex interplay of emission sources, meteorological conditions, and chemical processes. This study presents the first year-round dual‑carbon isotopic analysis of carbonaceous aerosols in Northeastern Europe (Lithuania). The emphasis was placed on the processes affecting carbonaceous submicron particle (PM1) concentrations and their isotopic composition (δ13CTC, fc) during different seasons. Aerosol particles were collected in the two distinct sites: at an urban background site (Vilnius) and a coastal site (Preila). The concentrations of total carbon (TC) and black carbon (BC) varied both spatially and temporally. The annual average concentrations were 4 μg/m3 for TC and 2.3 μg/m3 for BC at the urban background site. They were considerably lower at the coastal site with 2.9 μg/m3 for TC and 0.74 μg/m3 for BC. The peak concentrations of TC and BC that occur during the cold season indicate a significant impact from residential heating. The δ13C in aerosols exhibited a distinct seasonal cycle with depleted δ13CTC values during the warm season (April–October). Through the integration of isotopic composition, contemporary carbon (fc), and BC source apportionment, we achieved precise predictions of isotopic parameter changes, encompassing pollution sources and the influence of meteorological parameters. To better understand the respective contributions of local and regional sources, air mass trajectories, wind patterns (speed and direction), and the polar conditional probability function (CPF) were studied in parallel. The study indicates that the isotopic composition of PM1 at both sites is primarily controlled by emission sources (local and regional), while meteorological conditions (temperature and mixing layer height) have less influence. These variations have important implications for regional air quality, climate dynamics, and public health, which are persistently subject to continuous research and monitoring.

CO2 Concentration Assessment for Infection Monitoring and Occupancy Analysis in Tanzanian COVID-19 Isolation Centers

Monitoring of IAQ is one of the foundations of the preventative actions prompted by the worldwide recognition of COVID-19 transmission. The measurement of CO2 has emerged as one of the most popular, dependable, and easy ways to indirectly evaluate the state of indoor air renewal. Reducing the risk of respiratory diseases transmitted by aerosols is attainable through implementing and validating prevention measures made possible by CO2 control. Isolation centers are like health facilities in that they are linked to IAQ, and the presence of natural ventilation can significantly improve the circulation of fresh air, which speeds up the removal of contaminants. This is true even though healthcare facilities are among the environments with the highest rate of COVID-19 propagation. Our investigation revealed, however, that no substantial critical data on air quality in Tanzanian isolation centers is presently available. The process of metabolic CO₂ creation and accumulation within health isolation center cubicles was investigated in this study. Crucially, we suggest comparing settings under various conditions using the indicator ppm/patient. In this research, we experimentally assessed the value of changing a few HVAC system characteristics. We looked at the data to see how well the filtration system worked concerning the submicron particle concentration. Study recommendations for CO2 detectors and ways to reduce infection risk in shared isolation center cubicles are provided. We also show the correlation between particle size and CO2 concentration, the correlation between CO2 concentration derivatives and air volume presented per patient in isolation cubicles, the correlation between patient occupancy and CO2 concentration levels in isolation cubicles, and how to improve air quality by adjusting the patient’s bed position. The study also found that for exposure lengths of two to three hours, a typical hospital cubicle with fifty to one hundred people should have an average interior CO₂ value of less than 900 ppm. Carers’ length of stay in the hospital substantially impacted the permissible CO2 concentration. By establishing a connection between indoor air monitoring and healthcare goals, this study will aid in determining the feasibility of establishing regulations for interior CO2 content depending on occupancy settings, strengthening preventive efforts against COVID-19. In the post-pandemic era, it will be essential to find ways to make health facilities air cleaner so that infectious diseases cannot spread in the future.

Comparing novel small-angle x-ray scattering approaches for absolute size and number concentration measurements of spherical SiO2 particles to established methods

Biomedical analytical applications, as well as the industrial production of high-quality nano- and sub-micrometre particles, require accurate methods to quantify the absolute number concentration of particles. In this context, small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) is a powerful tool to determine the particle size and concentration traceable to the Système international d’unités (SI). Therefore, absolute measurements of the scattering cross-section must be performed, which require precise knowledge of all experimental parameters, such as the electron density of solvent and particles, whereas the latter is often unknown. Within the present study, novel SAXS-based approaches to determine the size distribution, density and number concentrations of sub-micron spherical silica particles with narrow size distributions and mean diameters between 160 nm and 430 nm are presented. For the first-time traceable density and number concentration measurements of silica particles are presented and current challenges in SAXS measurements such as beam-smearing, poorly known electron densities and moderately polydisperse samples are addressed. In addition, and for comparison purpose, atomic force microscopy has been used for traceable measurements of the size distribution and single particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with the dynamic mass flow approach for the accurate quantification of the number concentrations of silica particles. The possibilities and limitations of the current approaches are critically discussed in this study.

Key Factors Controlling Number Concentrations of Non-charged Particles: An Experimental Study

The charging state of submicron particles strongly affects the number of particles deposited on the inner surface of human airways during inhalation, and an increase in this number leads to adverse effects on human health. However, the key factors controlling the charging state of particles are poorly understood because of the limited measurements of the number concentrations of charged submicron particles. In order to experimentally investigate the key factors controlling the number concentration of charged particles, the technique for accurately measuring the number concentration of non-charged particles (Nnon-charge) was improved based on a system consisting of optical particle counters and a parallel-plate particle separator to which a high voltage (1.0–1.5 kV) was applied. The ratio of the Nnon-charge to the total number concentration of particles (Ntotal), with diameters 0.3–0.5 µm, was used as a metric of the number fraction of non-charged particles. A decrease in the Nnon-charge/Ntotal ratio with an increase in the negative ion concentration (nion–) and the nion–/Ntotal ratio under stable meteorological conditions showed an increase in the number of charged particles by collisions between aerosols and ions. Under fluctuating humidity conditions, the Nnon-charge/Ntotal ratio also decreased with an increase in the nion– and the nion–/Ntotal ratio. Particularly, the decrease rate in the Nnon-charge/Ntotal ratio was greater at higher nion– and nion–/Ntotal ratio values than that under stable meteorological conditions. This suggests that the generation of water vapor drives an increase in ion concentration, leading to frequent collisions between excessive negative ions and aerosols. A quantitative understanding of the changes in the number fraction of charged particles with increasing humidity and nion– can assist in estimating the number of particles deposited on the inner surface of human airways.

Investigation of Ash Deposition Characteristics in Full-Scale Circulating Fluidized Bed Boiler Burning Zhundong Coal

ABSTRACT Due to the high content of alkali and alkaline earth metals (AAEMs) in Zhundong coal, serious ash-related problems such as slagging and fouling occurred in the process of utilization, which has attracted wide attention. In this work, the ash deposition characteristics in a new type circulating fluidized bed boiler burning Zhundong coal was studied. The effect of steam cooled flue on alleviating slagging problems was evaluated, and the influence of flue gas temperature and wall temperature on ash deposition characteristics were studied. The results showed that the mass of ash deposition and the concentration of submicron particles decrease gradually along the direction of flue gas flow in the steam cooled flue. The deposited ash changed from tightly bound to wall to loosely deposited, which indicated that the arrangement of the steam cooled flue greatly alleviated the slagging problems. Compared with flue gas temperature, the wall temperature had a greater impact on ash deposition characteristics. Mineral elements such as Na, S, Fe and Mg were more likely to enrich on the high temperature wall, while the Ca showed the opposite trend. On the low temperature wall, Na existed in the form of Na2SO4 and Na2Si2O5, while on the high temperature wall, the direct condensation of alkali metal vapor was prevented and the thermophoresis disappeared, so Na mainly existed in the form of Na2Si2O5.

Characterizing nighttime vertical profiles of atmospheric particulate matter and ozone in a megacity of south China using unmanned aerial vehicle measurements

Daytime atmospheric pollution has received wide attention, while the vertical structures of atmospheric pollutants at night play a crucial role in the photochemical process on the following day, which is still less reported. Focusing on Guangzhou, a megacity of South China, we established an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with micro detectors to collect consecutive high-resolution samples of fine particle (PM2.5), submicron particle (PM1.0), black carbon (BC) and ozone (O3) concentrations in the atmosphere, as well as the air temperature (AT) and relative humidity (RH) within a 500 m altitude during nighttime from Oct. 24th to Nov. 6th, 2018. The measurements showed that PM2.5, PM1.0, and BC decreased with altitude and were influenced by the nighttime shallow planetary boundary layer (PBL) where BC was more accumulated and fluctuated. In contrast, O3 was positively correlated with altitude. Backward trajectory clustering and Pasquill stability classification showed that advection and convection significantly influenced the vertical distribution of all pollutants, particularly particulate matter. External air masses carrying high concentrations of pollutants increased PM1.0 and PM2.5 levels by 145% and 455%, respectively, compared to unaffected periods. The ratio of BC to PM2.5 indicated that local emissions had a minor role in nighttime particulate matter. Vertical transport caused by atmospheric instability reduced the differences in pollutant concentrations at various heights. Geodetector and generalized additive model showed that RH and BC accumulation in the PBL were significant factors influencing vertical changes of the secondary aerosol intensity as indicated by the ratio of PM1.0 to PM2.5. The joint explanation of RH and atmospheric stability with other variables such as BC is essential to understand the generation of secondary aerosols. These findings provide insights into regional and local measures to prevent and control night-time particulate matter pollution.

High-resolution distributions of traffic particles and personal inhalation dose estimation at different pedestrian overpasses

While overpasses are conducive to pedestrians’ safe passage across roads, heavy road traffic can also lead to high exhaust emissions and introduce remarkable but uncertain air pollution to overpasses due to complex street environments. To clarify the pollution distribution and personal exposure dose, we collected fine-scale samples of submicron particle (PM1.0) and black carbon (BC) concentrations synchronously at two “I-shaped” overpasses with different street environments. Then, we statistically analysed the spatiotemporal particle patterns at the two overpasses and finally evaluated the pollutant inhalation doses of different pedestrians passing through the overpasses. The measurements indicated that the average particle level was higher in the open overpass crossing heavy ground traffic, and particle hotspots were distributed mostly in the upper sections of the two overpasses, while BC hotspots sometimes occurred at the entrances of the overpass stairways. Contrary to BC, PM1.0 was always high in the morning, and its fluctuations were more affected by suddenly intensified background pollution. Under a low background pollution scenario, the traffic volume and wind speed were the largest factors affecting both pollutants at the two overpasses. The inhalation exposure estimation showed that the inhaled pollutant doses of pedestrians climbing stairs were greater than those of pedestrians walking on the upper sections of the overpasses, and the maximum increment can reach 22%. Among the different groups, the inhalation dose was highest for mid-aged men but lowest for elderly women. These results highlight the importance of optimizing overpasses based on location environments and pedestrian activity levels to maximize the reduction in personal inhaled pollutant dose.

ПОЛИЦИКЛИЧЕСКИЕ АРОМАТИЧЕСКИЕ УГЛЕВОДОРОДЫ И ЧАСТИЦЫ PM10, PM2,5, PM1,0 В АТМОСФЕРЕ ЮЖНОГО ПРИБАЙКАЛЬЯ

The study presents the data on concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), coarse (PM10, PM2.5) and submicron (PM1.0) particles in the atmosphere over the southern Baikal region at two monitoring stations (urban (Irkutsk) and rural (Listvyanka village)) in 2019-2022. Seasonal dynamics and high correlations between their concentrations are revealed. It was found out that PAHs are mainly sorbed on coarse particles in the atmosphere over Irkutsk and on submicron particles in Listvyanka. The total concentration of 21 PAHs varied at the stations from 1-3 ng/m3 in summer to 35-50 ng/m3 in winter, with an average annual value approximately 20 ng/m3. High concentrations in all seasons were determined for fluoranthene, pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, and phenanthrene. The calculated equivalent of aerosol toxicity in the atmosphere over Irkutsk increased from summer to winter with a growing contribution of benzo[a]pyrene exceeding maximum permissible concentration (MPC) by 8 times. The mass concentration during the year varied from 13 to 180 µg/m3 for PM10, from 4 to 121 µg/m3 for PM2.5, from 4 to 118 µg/m3 for PM1.0. Exceeding the MPC for PM2.5 by 1.1-3.4 times was recorded in Irkutsk from November to May. Diagnostic ratios of PAHs and the factor analysis identified the main sources of air pollution by this class of compounds over the southern Baikal region, which are combustion of coal, liquid fuel, and firewood, and also motor transport emissions.

Indoor Exposure and Regional Inhaled Deposited Dose Rate during Smoking and Incense Stick Burning-The Jordanian Case as an Example for Eastern Mediterranean Conditions.

Tobacco smoking and incense burning are commonly used in Jordanian microenvironments. While smoking in Jordan is prohibited inside closed spaces, incense burning remains uncontrolled. In this study, particle size distributions (diameter 0.01-25 µm) were measured and inhaled deposited dose rates were calculated during typical smoking and incense stick-burning scenarios inside a closed room, and the exposure was summarized in terms of number and mass concentrations of submicron (PNSub) and fine particles (PM2.5). During cigarette smoking and incense stick-burning scenarios, the particle number concentrations exceeded 3 × 105 cm-3. They exceeded 5 × 105 cm-3 during shisha smoking. The emission rates were 1.9 × 1010, 6.8 × 1010, and 1.7 × 1010 particles/s, respectively, for incense, cigarettes, and shisha. That corresponded to about 7, 80, and 120 µg/s, respectively. Males received higher dose rates than females, with about 75% and 55% in the pulmonary/alveolar during walking and standing, respectively. The total dose rates were in the order of 1012-1013 #/h (103-104 µg/h), respectively, for PNSub and PM2.5. The above reported concentrations, emissions rates, and dose rates are considered seriously high, recalling the fact that aerosols emitted during such scenarios consist of a vast range of toxicant compounds.

Time Variations in Submicron and Coarse Particle Concentrations in the Surface Air Layer at the Aerosol Station of Institute of Atmospheric Optics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk (2000–2020)

Time Variations in Submicron and Coarse Particle Concentrations in the Surface Air Layer at the Aerosol Station of Institute of Atmospheric Optics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk (2000–2020)

RETRACTED: Health risks and respiratory intake of submicron particles in the working environment: A case study

Background: Powder-coating processes have been extensively used in various industries. The submicron particles generated during the powder-coating process in the workplace have complex compositions and can cause serious diseases. The purpose of this study was to better understand the health risks and respiratory intake of submicron particles during the powder coating process.Methods: The concentrations of and variations in submicron particles were measured using real-time instruments. The health risks of submicron particles were analyzed using the Stoffenmanager Nano model. A new computational fluid dynamics model was used to assess the respiratory intake of ultrafine particles (UFPs), which was indicated by the deposited dosage of UFPs in the olfactory area, nasal cavity, and lungs. The deposited doses of UFPs were used to calculate the average daily doses (ADDs) of workers, according to the method described by the Environmental Protection Agency.Results: The number concentration (NC), mass concentration, surface area concentration, personal NC, and lung-deposited surface area concentration of submicron particles were >105 pt/cm3, 0.2–0.4 mg/m3, 600–1,200 μm2/cm3, 0.7–1.4 pt/cm3, and 100–700 μm2/cm3, respectively. The size distribution showed that the submicron particles mainly gathered between 30 and 200 nm. The health risk of submicron particles was high. Upon respiratory intake, most UFPs (111.5 mg) were inhaled into the lungs, a few UFPs (0.272 mg) were trapped in the nasal cavity, and a small minority of UFPs (0.292 mg) were deposited in the olfactory area. The ADD of male workers with 10 years of exposure in the olfactory area, nasal cavity, and lung were 1.192 × 10–3 mg/kg·d−1, 1.11 × 10–3 mg/kg·d−1, and 0.455 mg/kg·d−1, respectively.Conclusion: Owing to the high concentrations of submicron particles, the workers involved in the powder-coating process are at a high health risk. Moreover, the respiratory intake of UFPs by workers is high, which is suggested by the highly deposited dosage of UFPs in the lungs and the corresponding high ADD in workers. Control measures, including engineering control, management control, and personal protective equipment, must be improved for the protection of workers.

Modeling of nursing care-associated airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a real-world hospital setting

Respiratory transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from one older patient to another by airborne mechanisms in hospital and nursing home settings represents an important health challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the factors that influence the concentration of respiratory droplets and aerosols that potentially contribute to hospital- and nursing care-associated transmission of SARS-CoV-2 are not well understood. To assess the effect of health care professional (HCP) and patient activity on size and concentration of airborne particles, an optical particle counter was placed (for 24 h) in the head position of an empty bed in the hospital room of a patient admitted from the nursing home with confirmed COVID-19. The type and duration of the activity, as well as the number of HCPs providing patient care, were recorded. Concentration changes associated with specific activities were determined, and airway deposition modeling was performed using these data. Thirty-one activities were recorded, and six representative ones were selected for deposition modeling, including patient’s activities (coughing, movements, etc.), diagnostic and therapeutic interventions (e.g., diagnostic tests and drug administration), as well as nursing patient care (e.g., bedding and hygiene). The increase in particle concentration of all sizes was sensitive to the type of activity. Increases in supermicron particle concentration were associated with the number of HCPs (r = 0.66; p < 0.05) and the duration of activity (r = 0.82; p < 0.05), while submicron particles increased with all activities, mainly during the daytime. Based on simulations, the number of particles deposited in unit time was the highest in the acinar region, while deposition density rate (number/cm2/min) was the highest in the upper airways. In conclusion, even short periods of HCP-patient interaction and minimal patient activity in a hospital room or nursing home bedroom may significantly increase the concentration of submicron particles mainly depositing in the acinar regions, while mainly nursing activities increase the concentration of supermicron particles depositing in larger airways of the adjacent bed patient. Our data emphasize the need for effective interventions to limit hospital- and nursing care-associated transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens (including viral pathogens, such as rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, parainfluenza virus and adenoviruses, and bacterial and fungal pathogens).

Heterogeneous condensation for high concentration of insoluble submicron particles under magnetic field

Enhancing the growth performance of fine particles in supersaturated water vapor environment (SWVE) is an important means to further improve the removal efficiency of fine particles in coal-fired flue gas. In this paper, the growth performance of fine particles was strengthened by direct coupling magnetic field (MF) and heterogeneous condensation technology. The particle growth and measurement experimental platform was used to measure the effect of MF on the growth performance of heterogeneous condensation for high-concentration particles under different particle concentration and residence time. Our results show that the growth performance of insoluble submicron particles can be improved by direct coupling MF and heterogeneous condensation technology. After adding the MF with an intensity of 61.1 mT, the number of submicron particles decreases, and the number of particles with particle size greater than 2.1 μm increases in grown particles. At the same particle concentration and supersaturation, the arithmetic mean diameter of the grown particles in the SWVE with MF increases by 0.45%–2.32%, compared with that without magnetic field. Under the same residence time and supersaturation, the arithmetic mean diameter increases by 0.32%–6.89% for the grown particles in the SWVE with MF.

Seasonal characteristics of PM1 in Seoul, Korea, measured using HR-ToF-Aerosol Mass Spectrometer in 2018

In Korea, the characteristics of aerosols vary according to the four distinct seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter); the seasonal variations are influenced by different air mass inflows of each season. Therefore, research is required to analyze the composition and characteristics of aerosols in different seasons. In this study, high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometry (HR-ToF-AMS) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) analyses were conducted in 2018 to examine the seasonal characteristics of aerosols with focus on organic aerosol in Seoul metropolitan area of South Korea. The results indicated that the seasonal non-refractory submicron particle (NR-PM1) concentration in Seoul metropolitan area ranged from 6.3 to 41.0 μg/m3, which was lower than those in other metropolitan areas of Northeast Asia and slightly higher than those in suburban and rural areas of South Asia and Europe. The organic aerosol concentration, which was the highest among PM1 components, ranged 3.5–14.24 μg/m3. In addition, a large increase in nitrate content was observed in high-concentration episodes. In all seasons, the O:C ratio and oxidation state were higher than those in previous studies, and it was estimated that the oxidation state was higher than those in other countries due to the influx of aged aerosols by long-range transport. In summer, the odd oxygen (Ox) concentration tends to be proportional to temperature and inversely proportional to humidity, indicating that the formation of fresh organic aerosol (OA) by active photochemical reaction is the main process of organic aerosol generation. In spring, fall, and winter, the Van Krevelen graph showed a slope of −0.68 ~ –0.99, indicating that carboxylic acid production was an important process for OA production. In addition, the causes of the high concentration episodes observed in spring and winter were estimated through the oxidation state of organic aerosols, PMF factor, and backward trajectory analyses.

Estimation of Possible Primary Biological Particle Emissions and Rupture Events at the Southern Great Plains ARM Site

AbstractWe use 10 years of data from the Department of Energy (DoE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurements (ARM) United States Southern Great Plains (SGP) site with nearby regional pollen and fungal spore measurements to indirectly estimate the seasonal influence of these two primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP). We estimate possible primary emissions of larger PBAP and PBAP rupture events, which form submicron organic aerosol during precipitation or high relative humidity. High pollen counts at two urban stations near SGP occur during late winter/early spring (day of year (DOY) 50–120) and late summer (DOY 240–310). Around 4–19 days per year show possible pollen events (PPE) when near‐surface lidar observations of daily linear particle depolarization ratio &gt;0.1 are coincident with high organic aerosol fraction. For PPE days with rainfall, aerosol size distribution observations show enhanced submicron particle concentrations consistent with pollen rupture events. For fungal spores, high fungal spore counts occur during late spring/early summer (DOY 110–195) and late summer/autumn (DOY 220–340). Based on size distribution observations, up to 7% of days have possible fungal spore rupture events (PFE) with higher aerosol number count specifically over the range expected for fungal spore fragment mobility diameter (20–50 nm). These short‐lived PFE correlate with rainfall or occur after prolonged exposure to rainfall (e.g., &gt;10 h). While the SGP site lacks direct measurements of bioaerosol and large particle sizes, this analysis suggests that PBAP primary emissions and rupture events could occur about 32 days per year, representing an important component of the aerosol budget during seasonal emissions.

Spatiotemporal analysis of pedestrian exposure to submicron and coarse particulate matter on crosswalk at urban intersection

At the crosswalk of urban traffic intersections, vehicles frequently stop with their engines idling adjacent to it during the red-light period and accelerate with intensified emissions during the green-light period. As a result, pedestrians are inevitably at a higher risk of exposure to near-source traffic-related air pollution while walking on the crosswalk or waiting on the roadside. Therefore, this study focuses on pedestrian exposure to particulate matter on the crosswalk at urban intersections. Firstly, mobile measurements at varied locations of the crosswalk were carried out to reveal the spatial difference of particles on the whole crosswalk. The results show that the concentrations of submicron and coarse particles are higher on the parking crosswalk than that on the non-parking crosswalk. Secondly, mobile measurements at varied heights of crosswalk were carried out to discover the vertical difference of particles on the crosswalk. Particulate concentration is higher at the height of 1.5 m than that at 0.5 m. Thirdly, fixed-site measurements were conducted on the roadside to make a comparison with the crosswalk. Particulate concentration is found to be nearly 6% higher on the crosswalk than that on the roadside. Finally, pedestrian exposure to particulate matter in varied trips on the crosswalk is investigated and the exposure in trips with a 10s–20s delay after the onset of a walk signal is lower than that in other situations. The results can help fully recognize the particulate pollution at intersections and better understand the particulate exposure of pedestrians on crosswalk at urban intersections.

Particle emission levels in the user operating environment of powder, ink and filament-based 3D printers

Purpose This study aims to examine on-site particle concentration levels due to emissions from a wide spectrum of additive manufacturing techniques, including polymer-based material extrusion, metal and polymer-based powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition and ink-based material jetting. Design/methodology/approach Particle concentrations in the operating environments of users were measured using a combination of particle sizers including the TSI 3910 Nano SMPS (10–420 nm) and the TSI 3330 optical particle sizer (0.3–10 µm). Also, fumes from a MEX printer during printing were directly captured using laser imaging method. Findings The number and mass concentration of submicron particles emitted from a desktop open-type MEX printer for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and polyvinyl alcohol approached and significantly exceeded the nanoparticle reference limits, respectively. Through laser imaging, fumes were observed to originate from the printer nozzle and from newly deposited layers of the desktop MEX printer. On the other hand, caution should be taken in the pre-processing of metal and polymer powder. Specifically, one to ten micrometers of particles were observed during the sieving, loading and cleaning of powder, with transient mass concentrations ranging between 150 and 9,000 µg/m3 that significantly exceeded the threshold level suggested for indoor air quality. Originality/value Preliminary investigation into possible exposures to particle emissions from different 3D printing processes was done, which is useful for the sustainable development of the 3D printing industry. In addition, automatic processes that enable “closed powder cycle” or “powder free handling” should be adopted to prevent users from unnecessary particle exposure.

Seasonal variations in the highly time-resolved aerosol composition, sources and chemical processes of background submicron particles in the North China Plain

Abstract. For the first time in the North China Plain (NCP) region, we investigated the seasonal variations in submicron particles (NR-PM1) and their chemical composition at a background mountainous site of Xinglong using an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer. The average concentration of NR-PM1 was highest in autumn (15.1 µg m−3) and lowest in summer (12.4 µg m−3), with a greater abundance of nitrate in spring (34 %), winter (31 %) and autumn (34 %) and elevated organics (40 %) and sulfate (38 %) in summer. PM1 in Xinglong showed higher acidity in summer and moderate acidity in spring, autumn and winter, with average pH values of 2.7±0.6, 4.2±0.7, 3.5±0.5 and 3.7±0.6, respectively, which is higher than those estimated in the United States and Europe. The size distribution of all PM1 species showed a consistent accumulation mode peaking at approximately 600–800 nm (dva), indicating a highly aged and internally mixed nature of the background aerosols, which was further supported by the source appointment results using positive matrix factorization and multilinear engine analysis. Significant contributions of aged secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in organic aerosol (OA) were resolved in all seasons (&gt;77 %), especially in summer. The oxidation state and the process of evolution of OAs in the four seasons were further investigated, and an enhanced carbon oxidation state (−0.45–0.10) and O/C (0.54–0.75) and OM/OC (1.86–2.13) ratios – compared with urban studies – were observed, with the highest oxidation state appearing in summer, likely because of the relatively stronger photochemical processing that dominated the formation processes of both less oxidized OA (LO-OOA) and more oxidized OA (MO-OOA). Aqueous-phase processing also contributed to the SOA formation and prevailed in winter, with the share to MO-OOA being more important than that to LO-OOA. In addition, regional transport also played an important role in the variations in SOA. Especially in summer, continuous increases in SOA concentration as a function of odd oxygen (Ox=O3+NO2) were found to be associated with the increases in wind speed. Furthermore, backward trajectory analysis showed that higher concentrations of submicron particles were associated with air masses transported short distances from the southern regions in all four seasons, while long-range transport from Inner Mongolia (western and northern regions) also contributed to summertime particulate pollution in the background areas of the NCP. Our results illustrate that the background particles in the NCP are influenced significantly by aging processes and regional transport, and the increased contribution of aerosol nitrate highlights how regional reductions in nitrogen oxide emissions are critical for remedying occurrence of nitrate-dominated haze events over the NCP.

Submicron Aerosol and Black Carbon in the Troposphere of Southwestern Siberia (1997–2018)

Based on the multiyear measurements in the surface atmospheric layer (from five stations) and regular flights of aircraft laboratory over the background region of Southwestern Siberia, the compositions of mass concentrations of submicron aerosol and absorbing substances (soot and black carbon) are analyzed. The annual average concentrations of submicron aerosol and black carbon were found to be maximal in 1997, 2012, and 2016, when the largest numbers of wildfires occurred across the entire territory of Siberia. No significant, unidirectional trend of interannual variations in the concentration of submicron particles was observed, while the concentration of absorbing substance reliably decreased by 1.5% each year. To estimate the effect of urban pollutants, mass concentrations of aerosol and absorbing substance in the surface layer at the Aerosol Station (in the suburban region of Tomsk) were compared to those at the Fonovaya Observatory (in the background region). It was shown that the largest contribution of anthropogenic sources in the suburban region was observed in the winter season, while minimal difference was observed in the warm period of the year. The seasonal behavior of the concentrations of elemental carbon at three stations in Novosibirsk Oblast almost completely matched the dynamics of the variations in the black carbon concentration in the atmosphere of Tomsk Oblast. Data of aircraft sensing in the troposphere of the background region of Southwestern Siberia (2000–2018) were used to determine the average values of the vertical distribution of the submicron aerosol and black carbon concentrations in the altitude range of 0.5–7 km for each season. It was found that at altitudes of 0.5–7 km, there were no unidirectional trends in submicron aerosol; however, there was an increase of black carbon concentration at all altitudes with a positive trend of 5.3 ± 2.2% per year at an altitude of 1.5 km, significant at a p-value = 0.05.

Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown on Atmospheric Nanoparticle Concentrations in Two Sites of Southern Italy

During the new coronavirus infection outbreak, the application of strict containment measures entailed a decrease in most human activities, with the consequent reduction of anthropogenic emissions into the atmosphere. In this study, the impact of lockdown on atmospheric particle number concentrations and size distributions is investigated in two different sites of Southern Italy: Lecce and Lamezia Terme, regional stations of the GAW/ACTRIS networks. The effects of restrictions are quantified by comparing submicron particle concentrations, in the size range from 10 nm to 800 nm, measured during the lockdown period and in the same period of previous years, from 2015 to 2019, considering three time intervals: prelockdown, lockdown and postlockdown. Different percentage reductions in total particle number concentrations are observed, −19% and −23% in Lecce and −7% and −4% in Lamezia Terme during lockdown and postlockdown, respectively, with several variations in each subclass of particles. From the comparison, no significant variations of meteorological factors are observed except a reduction of rainfall in 2020, which might explain the higher levels of particle concentrations measured during prelockdown at both stations. In general, the results demonstrate an improvement of air quality, more conspicuous in Lecce than in Lamezia Terme, during the lockdown, with a differed reduction in the concentration of submicronic particles that depends on the different types of sources, their distance from observational sites and local meteorology.