Particulate Matter Filter Research Articles

Silver-nanowire/bamboo-charcoal composite percolation network on nylon sheet for improved PM2.5 capture efficiency

Particulate matter (PM) pollution is a significant threat to the environment and public health, necessitating the development of efficient, easy-to-use, versatile protection and treatment devices. Herein, we rationally design a novel reusable composite filter for the high-efficiency capture of indoor fine PM with a particle diameter of <2 µm (PM2.5). The use of such filters is important for ensuring safe indoor environments. This study elucidates the manufacturing of filters based on electrostatic and adsorption principles using a silver-nanowire/bamboo-charcoal composite material to enhance PM elimination. The filter comprised silver nanowires with an 8 mg/mL concentration and bamboo charcoal with a 0.1% w/v concentration, dipped in nylon sheet for nine cycles and annealed at 120 °C for 15 min; the filter exhibited a minimum sheet resistance of 4.1 Ω/sq. Silver-nanowire/bamboo-charcoal composite percolation network filters use strong long-range electrostatic forces and adsorption to capture PM2.5, work in an active mode, and exhibit high efficiency (>99.9%), low power consumption, and reusability after simple washing. The proposed PM filter can be applied in environmental applications.

Distribution and emission characteristics of filterable and condensable particulate matter in the flue gas emitted from an ultra-low emission coal-fired power plant

Total particulate matter emitted from coal-fired power plants can be classified into filterable particulate matter (FPM) and condensable particulate matter (CPM). In this study, the FPM and CPM in the flue gas were sampled from a 300 MW ultra-low emission coal-fired power plant by the simultaneous sampling system, which was conducted according to ISO 23210-2009 and U.S. EPA method 202. The results show that the emission concentration of CPM rose from 5.15 mg/Nm3 to 7.19 mg/Nm3 at the stack when coal mixed with sludge. Almost all of the air pollutant control devices have a positive effect on the removal of CPM and FPM in the flue gas, except the influence of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) denitration device on CPM. And the SCR denitration equipment increased the concentration of inorganic components of CPM in flue gas. The low-low temperature electrostatic precipitator had the most obvious removal effect on CPM and FPM, and the removal efficiency for FPM and CPM was more than 90% and 75% respectively. The organic fraction in CPM was mainly composed of hydrocarbons, esters, organosilicon, and other organics. In particular, the proportion of hydrocarbons and organosilicon was relatively high. In the case of co-combustion of sludge and coal, the concentration of CPM and FPM in flue gas increased as a whole, but the distribution trend of CPM and FPM was consistent with that of the non-combustion sludge and the distribution of organic components in CPM was almost the same.

Assessment of calibration methods for Pb-loaded aerosol filters analysed with X-ray fluorescence under grazing incidence

Long-term exposure to air pollution causes negative health effects and in particular can lead to reduced lung function, respiratory infections, and aggravated asthma. To take actions against environmental pollution it is necessary to gather knowledge about the composition and concentration of air pollutants, especially particulate matter (PM). The European Community is encouraging its Member States to assess the ambient air quality by adopting common methods and criteria. In view of the complexity of the task, any type of analysis, either qualitative or quantitative, is relevant for identifying the presence of potentially toxic elements in PM filters, such as Pb. The most used analytical methods for PM filter analysis are Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Besides, X-ray based techniques are gaining interest for PM analysis, as those are faster and cheaper, do not need any sample pre-treatment and are largely non-destructive. In this paper, Pb-loaded reference air filters are measured by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) under grazing incidence conditions using commercial instruments equipped with a Mo tube. This setup presents some advantages such as a broader illuminated sample area and an enhancement of the fluorescence emission. Calibration curves are built following the empirical and theoretical approaches to retrieve measurements parameters such as repeatability, limits of detection and quantification.

Study on the condensable particulate matter removal characteristics of air pollution control devices in a Chinese ultra-low emission coal-fired generating unit

Condensable particulate matter (CPM) belongs to PM25. In addition, it is one of PM2.5 main contributors. But CPM emissions are often overlooked in coal-fired power plants. As a result, this paper studies the removal characteristics of (CPM) from air pollution control devices (APCDs) in a Chinese ultra-low emission coal-fired generating unit. The quality and content of flue gas particles, including CPM and filterable particulate matter (FPM), were measured at four points: the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) input, air preheater (APH) inlet, electric precipitator (ESP) outlet, and wet flue gas desulphurization (WFGD) outlet. The removal characteristics of each APCD were studied. Within the scope of this study, it is found that: ® CPM emission concentration accounts for 94.9% of total particle emission concentration, and is higher than the ultra-low particulate matter outflow guidelines for coal-fired power plants in China; ©WFGD has the highest CPM inorganic component removal radio of 97.02%, and ESP has the highest CPM organic component removal radio of 58.46%, among APCDs; ©SO4 2−, NH4 +, F−, and Cl− are the most abundant water-soluble ions in CPM.

Suggestion on further strengthening ultra-low emission standards for PM emission from coal-fired power plants in China

China has established the largest clean coal-fired power generation system in the world by accomplishing the technological transformation of coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) to achieve ultra-low emission. The potential for further particulate matter (PM) emission reduction to achieve near-zero emission for CFPPs has become a hotspot issue. In this study, PM emission from some ultra-low emission CFPPs adopting advanced air pollutant control technologies in China was reviewed. The results revealed that the average filterable particulate matter (FPM) concentration, measured as the total particulate matter (TPM) according to the current national monitoring standard, was (1.67±0.86) mg/m3, which could fully achieve the ultra-low emission standard for key regions (5 mg/m3), but that achieving the near-zero emission standard was difficult (1 mg/m3). However, the condensable particulate matter (CPM), with an average concentration of (1.06±1.28) mg/m3, was generally ignored during monitoring, which led to about 38.7% underestimation of the TPM. Even considering both FPM and CPM, the TPM emission from current CFPPs would contribute to less than 5% of atmospheric PM2.5 concentrations in the key cities and regions in China. Therefore, further reduction in FPM emission proposed by the near-zero emission plan of CFPPs may have less environmental benefit than emission control of other anthropogenic sources. However, it is suggested that the management of CPM emission should be strengthened, and a national standard for CPM emission monitoring based on the indirect dilution method should be established for CFPPs. Those measurements are helpful for optimal operation of air pollutant control devices and continuously promoting further emission reduction.

Highly Efficient and Sustainable PM Filtration Using Piezo Nanofibrous Membrane with Gradient Shrinking Porous Network

Nanofibrous filters have limited filtration against ultrafine airborne particulate matter (PM) due to thick fiber fineness and large pore size, which can be unraveled by increasing thickness and basis weight, however, the pressure drop of the filters also increases sharply. Inspired by the bryophyte leaf structure, unconventional piezo nanofibrous membranes with gradient shrinking porous network are created for PM filtration by one-step electrospinning of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), dibenzylidene sorbitol (DBS), and short-chain fluorinated alkyl modified silica (F-SiO2) through pattern metallic mesh collectors. The membranes are assembled into charged and hydrophobized gradient porous networks with pores in feeding to outlet gradually shrinking. This structure features a well-designed filtration mechanism that balances filtration efficiency and pressure drop, facilitating high trap efficiency against PM (PM0.3 > 98.82%; PM0.5 > 99.87%, quality factor ∼ 0.121–0.507 Pa−1; PM0.8–7.5 = 100%) with a low pressure drop (16–55 Pa) and good stability in an acid, alkali, ultraviolet (UV), or humid environment. Simultaneously the piezo nature of the membrane endows renewable surface charge richness by hand pressing to provide sustainable caption of ultrafine particles, especially PM0.3. This study provides a new design approach for constructing PM filters in a reliable, sustainable and affordable way.

Effect of wet flue gas desulfurization on the concentrations and component profiles of condensable particulate matter from ultralow emission coal-fired power plants

This study investigated effect of wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) on the concentrations and component profiles of condensable particulate matter (CPM). This research was carried out in two ultralow emission coal-fired power plants (CFPPs), which were equipped with pulverized coal furnaces (PC), in Hunan province, China. The CPM concentrations were measured following the US EPA Method 202. The stack emissions of filterable particulate matter (FPM) met the Chinese ultralow emission standards, and the CPM concentrations from CFPP A and B were respectively 12.12 and 17.64 mg/Nm3. In the WFGD system, the removal efficiencies of the FPM and CPM were respectively 80% and 91% in CFPP A, 83% and 81% in CFPP B. SO42− accounted for the largest fraction of the total detected water-soluble ions in the CPM. Alkanes were the main component of the organic fraction in the CPM, which accounted for 95% in CFPP A and 92% in CFPP B. The removal efficiency of inorganic components from the CPM in CFPP A and B were 81% and 92%, respectively, possibly because the water-soluble ions could be dissolved and removed in the slurry; however, due to the limited solubility of alkanes and esters, the removal efficiency of organic components from the WFGD in CFPP A and B were only 17% and 31%, respectively. The emission factors (EFs) of the CPM for CFPP A and B range from 0.090 to 0.979 kg/(t of coal).

Airflow Synergistic Needleless Electrospinning of Instant Noodle‐like Curly Nanofibrous Membranes for High‐Efficiency Air Filtration

Particulate matter (PM) pollution has become a serious environmental concern. Nanofibrous filters are widely reported to remove PM from polluted air. Herein, efficient and lightweight PM air filters are presented using airflow synergistic needleless electrospinning composed of auxiliary fields such as an airflow field and a secondary inductive electric field. Compared to needleless electrospinning with other spinnerets, it significantly improves productivity, fiber diameter, and porosity of fibrous air filters. The instant noodle-like nanofiber structure can also be controlled by adjusting the airflow velocity. These air filters exhibit high (2.5 μm particulate matter) PM2.5 removal efficiency (99.9%) and high (0.3 μm particulate matter) PM0.3 removal efficiency (99.1%), low pressure drop (56Pa for PM2.5 and 78Pa for PM0.3 ), and large dust holding capacitance (the maximum value is 168gm-2 for PM2.5 , while 102gm-2 for PM0.3 ). Meanwhile, the proposed PM filters are also tested suitable and stable to other polluted air filtrations such as cigarette smoke and sawdust. The large-scale synthesis of such an attractive nanofiber structure presents the great potential of high-performance filtration/separation materials.

Synthesis of nanoporous acicular-mullite ceramic and electroless platinum coating for particulate matter entrapment and catalytic combustion

Crystal-structured acicular-mullite ceramic with high porosity and interpenetrated networks was fabricated for diesel particulate filter (DPF), followed by electroless deposition of platinum (Pt) catalysis throughout ceramic surfaces from an aqueous Pt (IV) solution. The integrated material was characterized and compared with commercial cordierite particulate matter (PM) filter, exhibiting many excellent properties in surface area, porous ratio, and loading capacity for both soot and catalyst. The resulting surface density of Pt nanoparticles attained as high as 8.0 × 109/cm2 due to the 3-dimensional architecture, while maintaining a pore ratio, 63.72%, relative to 52.60% in its counterpart. Deposited Pt nanoparticles artfully serve as catalysis for combustion of carbon soot, potentially implemented for diesel engine filter, reducing the particulate matter emission for environmental protection. The catalytic performance was evaluated by a regular thermal gravity analysis (TGA) measurement, showing that the significant drop of soot conversion temperature, and soot convert rate could be further improved by co-precipitating CeO2 catalyst additive. This material, thereby, could readily adapt itself into large-scale production.

Recyclable aligned carbon nanotube-sheet-based particulate air filter with high filtration efficiency and low pressure drop

There is an increasing demand for particulate matter filters to primarily block viruses and fine particulate matter floating in the air from entering the human body. The most commonly used microfiber-based filter has a technical flaw in which the filtration efficiency cannot be maximized as there is a trade-off in terms of performance; the pressure drop increases when the filtration efficiency increases. Here, we report the development of a recyclable macroscopic carbon nanotube (CNT)-based filter consisting of unidirectionally arranged multi-walled carbon nanotube sheets. Owing to the uniform arrangement of the 10–20 nm carbon nanotubes, uniform nanopores are formed. As a result, the CNT-sheet-based particulate matter filter exhibited low pressure drop characteristics, even at a high filtration efficiency. In addition, it was confirmed that the collected particulate matter could rapidly be removed through heat generated by applying a voltage to the conductive CNT sheet.

Study on characteristics of organic components in condensable particulate matter before and after wet flue gas desulfurization system of coal-fired power plants

Wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) in coal-fired power plants has a great impact on the emission of particulate matter, including filterable particulate matter (FPM) and condensable particulate matter (CPM). In this paper, CPM and FPM in flue gas before and after WFGD in coal-fired power plants were sampled in parallel. FPM was tested according to ISO standard 23210–2009, and CPM was tested according to U.S. EPA Method 202. A method for quantitatively analyzing fatty acid methyl esters in CPM was established, and the removal capacity of fatty acid methyl esters and phthalate esters by WFGD in a typical coal-fired unit was compared. Results show that WFGD has a significant effect on particle size distribution, concentration, and chemical composition. WFGD has a high removal efficiency of inorganic components in CPM, up to 54.74%. CPM contains a variety of organic compounds, including hydrocarbons, esters, siloxanes, halogenated hydrocarbons, and so on. In particular, esters are an important component in CPM, whose concentration tends to decrease after WFGD. Furthermore, a total of 11 fatty acid methyl esters and 5 phthalate esters were detected in CPM before and after WFGD. Noted that fatty acid methyl esters account for 13.38% of CPM, which make a higher contribution to the concentration of particulate matter than phthalate esters, while WFGD has a stronger control effect on the removal of phthalates.

Study on the removal characteristics of different air pollution control devices for condensable particulate matter in coal-fired power plants.

This study reports the emissions of condensable particulate matter (CPM) and filterable particulate matter (FPM) in two coal-fired power plants with different air pollution control devices (APCDs). The mechanisms of CPM removed by existing APCDs in coal-fired power plants were explored, and a series of analyses were also carried out on the composition and characteristics of CPM. The results show that the removal efficiencies to CPM by electrostatic-bag-precipitator (EBP) and ESP are 77.34% and 79.23%, respectively, so the difference is not obvious because the interception filtration mechanisms of baghouses for CPM have less effect on CPM compared to FPM. The mechanism of EBP/ESP to remove CPM is mainly electrostatic adsorption and FPM's adsorption. The concentration of CPM decreases when passing through WFGD. However, the WESP can increase the CPM in different ways. For example, the pollution of the circulation of the flushing fluid may cause the increase of CPM. In addition, CPM mainly includes three parts. The first part is organic fractions such as alkanes and esters; the second is the water-soluble ions that include SO42-, NH4+, and Cl-; and the third is Na, Ca, and other minerals. The research in this study is helpful to understand the impact of existing APCDs in coal-fired power plants on CPM and the sources of CPM.

An online technology for effectively monitoring inorganic condensable particulate matter emitted from industrial plants

The concentration of condensable particulate matter (CPM) has gradually exceeded that of filterable particulate matter emitted from industrial plants equipped with advanced air pollution control systems. However, there is still no available online technology to measure CPM emissions. Based on the significant linear correlations (R2 > 0.87, p < 3 × 10‐3) between the electrical conductivity (EC) values and ionic mass concentrations of the CPM solutions when the interference of H+ was excluded. We developed an online inorganic CPM monitoring system, including a cooling and condensation unit, pH and EC meters, a self-cleaning unit, and an automatic control unit. The CPM mass concentrations obtained by the developed online monitoring system agree well (mean bias 3.8–20.7%) with those obtained by the offline system according to USEPA Method 202 when used in parallel during real-world studies. Furthermore, individual ion mass concentrations of CPMs can even be retrieved separately with a time resolution of one hour when industrial plants are under steady operating conditions. The newly developed system makes the online monitoring of CPM emissions available and lays a foundation for the control of CPM emitted from industrial sources to further improve air quality.

Effects of the Changes of Load and Flue Gas Temperature on the Emission of Particulate Matter from the Coal-fired Unit

Due to the rapid development of new energy power generation, most coal-fired power plants cannot always operate at full capacity. The changes in flue gas temperature at the inlet of low-low temperature electrostatic precipitator and unit load are the important factors affecting the emission of condensable and filterable particulate matter (CPM and FPM). CPM and FPM were sampled from a typical ultra-low emission coal-fired power unit with different operating loads (650, 850, and 1000 MW) and flue gas temperature (90 and 100°C). The emission concentration of FPM, organic and inorganic components of CPM were obtained. The representative organic matter n-alkanes and phthalates in CPM (C-N and C-P) were quantified. The concentrations of CPM emitted from the coal-fired unit ranged from 6.66–8.93 mg Nm–3, which was 2.4–6.2 times higher than FPM. The emission concentration of CPM was the lowest from the unit under high load and low flue gas temperature. The decrease of flue gas temperature increased of SO42– emission concentration, which was the soluble ion with the highest concentration in CPM. The effect of unit load and flue gas temperature changes on monocomponent C-N and C-P was limited; however, the effect on its total emission concentration was consistent with that on CPM. The concentrations of n-alkanes and phthalates in CPM accounted for more than 20% at all four stages.

Assessment of impact of vehicle traffic conditions: urban, rural and highway, on the results of pollutant emissions inventory

The use of motor vehicles varies considerably under distinct traffic conditions: in cities, outside cities as well as on motorways and expressways. The impact of road traffic on the natural environment has been studied for many years, including in terms of the nature of the operation of motor vehicles. This problem is particularly important in highly urbanized areas, where traffic congestion is the source of increased emissions of harmful compounds contained in exhaust gases. For this reason, many cities have traffic restrictions, especially for those cars that do not meet the most stringent emission standards. Environmental protection is the driving force behind the development of modern combustion engine supply systems, which allow for proper control of the combustion of petroleum-derived fuels. The exhaust gas cleaning systems in the form of catalytic converters or particulate matter filters are also playing a very important role. Considerable differences in internal combustion engine operating states, both static and dynamic, result in important differences in pollutant emissions. Likewise, the national annual pollutant emission is affected by the share of distances travelled by vehicles under various traffic conditions. At the same time, it is very difficult to estimate exhaust emissions from road transport sources. Very interesting method of emission estimation is the application of the data included in the emission inventory which are a valuable source of information on exhaust emissions under various operating conditions. In the present study, the annual pollutant emissions were analyzed: at a national level (total pollutant emission) and in distinct traffic conditions. There were found large differences between individual pollutants’ shares in the emissions from vehicles under the tested traffic conditions. This is particularly evident for nitrogen oxides with the highest emission share outside cities, as opposed to other substances with the highest emission shares in cities, where traffic congestion is taking place.

First insights into northern Africa high-altitude background aerosol chemical composition and source influences

Abstract. Field measurements were conducted to determine aerosol chemical composition at a newly established remote high-altitude site in North Africa at the Atlas Mohammed V (AMV) atmospheric observatory located in the Middle Atlas Mountains. The main objectives of the present work are to investigate the variations in the aerosol composition and better assess global and regional changes in atmospheric composition in North Africa. A total of 200 particulate matter (PM10) filter samples were collected at the site using a high-volume (HV) collector in a 12 h sampling interval from August to December 2017. The chemical composition of the samples was analyzed for trace metals, water-soluble ions, organic carbon (OC/EC), aliphatic hydrocarbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contents. The results indicate that high-altitude aerosol composition is influenced by both regional and transregional transport of emissions. However, local sources play an important role, especially during low wind speed periods, as observed for November and December. During background conditions characterized by low wind speeds (avg. 3 m s−1) and mass concentrations in the range from 9.8 to 12 µg m−3, the chemical composition is found to be dominated by inorganic elements, mainly suspended dust (61 %) and ionic species (7 %), followed by organic matter (7 %), water content (12 %), and unidentified mass (11 %). Despite the proximity of the site to the Sahara, its influence on the atmospheric composition at this high-altitude site was mainly seasonal and accounted for only 22 % of the sampling duration. Biogenic organics contributed up to 7 % of the organic matter with high contributions from compounds such as heneicosane, hentriacontane, and nonacosane. The AMV site is dominated by four main air mass inflows, which often leads to different aerosol chemical compositions. Mineral dust influence was seasonal and ranged between 21 % and 74 % of the PM mass, with peaks observed during the summer, and was accompanied by high concentrations of SO42- of up to 3.0 µg m−3. During winter, PM10 concentrations are low (&lt;30 µg m−3), the influence of the desert is weaker, and the marine air masses (64 %) are more dominant with a mixture of sea salt and polluted aerosol from the coastal regions (Rabat and Casablanca). During the daytime, mineral dust contribution to PM increased by about 42 % because of road dust resuspension. In contrast, during nighttime, an increase in the concentrations of alkanes, PAHs, alkane-2-ones, and anthropogenic metals such as Pb, Ni, and Cu was found due to variations in the boundary layer height. The results provide the first detailed seasonal and diurnal variation of the aerosol chemical composition, which is valuable for long-term assessment of climate and regional influence of air pollution in North Africa.

Characterization and Filtration Efficiency of Sustainable PLA Fibers Obtained via a Hybrid 3D-Printed/Electrospinning Technique.

The enormous world demand for personal protective equipment to face the current SARS-CoV-2 epidemic has revealed two main weaknesses. On one hand, centralized production led to an initial shortage of respirators; on the other hand, the world demand for single-use equipment has had a direct and inevitable effect on the environment. Polylactide (PLA) is a biodegradable, biocompatible, and renewable thermoplastic polyester, mainly derived from corn starch. Electrospinning is an established and reproducible method to obtain nano- and microfibrous materials with a simple apparatus, characterized by high air filtration efficiencies. In the present work, we designed and optimized an open-source electrospinning setup, easily realizable with a 3D printer and using components widely available, for the delocalized production of an efficient and sustainable particulate matter filter. Filters were realized on 3D-printed PLA support, on which PLA fibers were subsequently electrospun. NaCl aerosol filtration tests exhibited an efficiency greater than 95% for aerosol having an equivalent diameter greater than 0.3 μm and a fiber diameter comparable to the commercially available FFP2 melt-blown face mask. The particulate entrapped by the filters when operating in real environments (indoors, outdoors, and working scenario) was also investigated, as well as the amount of heavy metals potentially released into the environment after filtration activity.

Smart Store® A new system for preparing particulate matter filters

Smart Store® A new system for preparing particulate matter filters

Characteristics of PM and PAHs emitted from a coal-fired boiler and the efficiencies of its air pollution control devices

ABSTRACT Sampling and analysis of filterable particulate matter (FPM), FPM2.5, condensable particulate matter (CPM), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), sulfur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from a coal-fired boiler equipped with selective catalytic reduction (SCR)+ electrostatic precipitator (ESP) + wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) + wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) as air pollution control devices (APCDs) are conducted. The results show that NOx concentration emitted from the coal-fired boiler is 56 ± 2.17 ppm (with the NOx removal efficiency of 47.2%), which does not meet the best available control technology (BACT) emission standard (≤ 30 ppm). On the other hand, the WFGD adopted has a good removal efficiency for SOx and HCl. Both SOx and HCl emission concentrations are <1 ppm, and removal efficiencies are >99%. The FPM and FPM2.5 emitted from the coal-fired boiler are 0.9 ± 0.06 mg/Nm3 and <0.09 ± 0.006 mg/Nm3, respectively. The overall removal efficiency of FPM achieved with ESP+WFGD+WESP+MGGH is 99.98%. However, high concentration of CPM (37.4 ± 6.3 mg/Nm3) is measured, which is significantly higher than FPM and FPM2.5. The concentrations of 27 PAHs at the WESP inlet and stack are measured as 667 ng/Nm3 and 547 ng/Nm3, respectively while the removal efficiencies of gas- and solid-phase PAHs are 9% and 58%, respectively. The results show that APCDs adopted are not effective in removing PAHs (only 18%), and gas-phase PAHs contribute the most in the total PAH emission. In addition, the benzo(a)pyrene equivalent (BaPeq) concentration emitted from the stack is 28.8 ng-BaPeq/Nm3, and most of it is contributed by 4-6 ring PAHs with high toxic equivalent factors (TEFs). Furthermore, the emission factors of air pollutant emitted from coal-fired boilers equipped with different combinations of APCDs are compiled and compared. The results show that except for CPM and NOx, the emission factors of air pollutant calculated for this coal-fired boiler are lower if compared with other studies.

Conversion Characterizations of Sulfate Ion and Nitrate Ion in Particulate Matter from Coal-fired Power Plants

The particulate matter emitted from coal-fired power plants includes condensable particulate matter(CPM) and filterable particulate matter(FPM). By analyzing the concentration of SO42-and NO3- components of CPM and FPM in the inlet/outlet of wet flue gas desulfurization(WFGD) and the outlet of wet electrostatic precipitator(WESP) from 7 ultra-low emission coal-fired power plants, the variation laws and transformation characteristics were investigated. The results showed that the concentration of SO42- and NO3- of CPM decreased after WFGD, with reduction rates of 43.12%-86.84% and 17.99%-91.58%, respectively, which were different from the conversion trend of FPM. The concentrations of SO42- and NO3- of CPM increased after WESP, with reduction rates of 21.05%-424.65% and 13.51%-298.37%, respectively, which were also different from that of FPM. In the WFGD system, CPM could be transformed into FPM due via condensation and aggregation under the decreasing temperature and increasing of humidity of the flue gas. In the WESP system, SO2 and NO2 in the flue gas combine with water vapor in a redox reaction, which promotes the generation of SO42- and NO3- in CPM through synergistic action.