Fine Dust Particles Research Articles

Research on a Photovoltaic Panel Dust Detection Algorithm Based on 3D Data Generation

With the rapid advancements in AI technology, UAV-based inspection has become a mainstream method for intelligent maintenance of PV power stations. To address limitations in accuracy and data acquisition, this paper presents a defect detection algorithm for PV panels based on an enhanced YOLOv8 model. The PV panel dust dataset is manually extended using 3D modeling technology, which significantly improves the model’s ability to generalize and detect fine dust particles in complex environments. SENetV2 is introduced to improve the model’s perception of dust features in cluttered backgrounds. AKConv replaces traditional convolution in the neck network, allowing for more flexible and accurate feature extraction through arbitrary kernel parameters and sampling shapes. Additionally, a DySample dynamic upsampler accelerates processing by 8.73%, improving the frame rate from 87.58 FPS to 95.23 FPS while maintaining efficiency. Experimental results show that the 3D image expansion method contributes to a 4.6% increase in detection accuracy, an 8.4% improvement in recall, a 5.7% increase in mAP@50, and a 15.1% improvement in mAP@50-95 compared to the original YOLOv8. The expanded dataset and enhanced model demonstrate the effectiveness and practicality of the proposed approach.

Dust Pollution in Construction Sites in Point-Pattern Housing Development

Construction in cities and agglomerations is one of the main sources of air pollution in most countries in the world. Fine dust particles, PM0.5–PM10, which form as a result of construction processes, are among the most dangerous pollutants. With the increase in the volume of point-pattern housing development in cities, the task of maintaining clean air and environmental conditions becomes important. This requires research, the monitoring of dust emissions throughout the entire construction period and the development of design solutions based on the results obtained. The study examines the determination of the dispersed composition of dust generated on a construction site. A graphical representation of the dispersed composition is given by constructing integral curves on a logarithmic grid and approximating them using two-link and three-link splines. The gravimetric measurement method was used to analyze the concentration of dust in the air released during construction work near residential areas. Dust analysis at the construction site revealed significant differences in particle size that cannot be explained by statistical errors alone. The reasons for this are both working conditions and climatic factors, including humidity and wind intensity. In this regard, it is preferable to use models that take into account random processes instead of traditional deterministic methods to study the dust that shapes during construction.

Experimental study of discharge current oscillations with dust particles

We present a detailed experimental study of discharge current oscillations in a planar cathode plasma with poly-dispersed alumina dust particles. The dominant frequency of oscillation depends on the discharge voltage, operating pressure, and amount of dust particles placed on the cathode. The power-law variation in the dominant frequency with different external operating parameters is presented. Experimental observations suggest that the dominant mechanism behind the generation of these oscillations is the cathode spot injection of sub-micron-sized dust particles. The cathode spots also aid in the generation of fine dust particles. The threshold limit on dust particle density dispersed on the cathode suggests that below the threshold limit, the fine particles depleting the electrons play an important role and lead to the generation of self-excited oscillations. Operating above the threshold limit, a stable dust cloud was observed together with the suppression of self-excited oscillations.

Re-evaluating the origins of sands in the Gurbantunggut Desert and its role as an aeolian dust contributor

We analyzed the trace and rare earth element contents of the desert sands and loess deposits in the Junggar Basin. Combined with previously published data, and using principal component analysis, our results provide insights into the sand provenances of the Gurbantunggut Desert in eastern Central Asia (CA); the genetic links between deserts and loess deposits in CA; and the specific sources in CA for the aeolian dust in North Pacific Ocean sediments. The results demonstrate the spatial heterogeneity of the geochemistry of sand across the Gurbantunggut Desert. The desert sands in the northern and western parts of this desert are mainly derived from the Altai and Junggar mountains, respectively, as supported by the directions of sand fluxes. However, Beitashan Mountain makes a negligible contribution due to the lack of fluvial transport and westward sand fluxes. However, more sediment samples need to be collected to confirm the contribution of Tianshan Mountains. Our findings also indicate that the Gurbantunggut Desert did not contribute significantly to loess accumulation on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, in accordance with the weak genetic relationships between loess deposits and deserts in western CA. We attribute this to the limited ability of the CA deserts to produce and supply dust-sized particles. Additionally, using the Metropolis-Hastings sampling approach, we find that the Gurbantunggut Desert is not the source region in CA for the fine dust particles in North Pacific Ocean sediments. Overall, our results contribute to a deeper understanding of the aeolian systems in CA and their impacts on the dust cycle at a hemispheric scale.

Research on the mechanism of coal wall fragmentation and dust production characteristics in the perspective of differentiated discrete elements

In order to efficiently and accurately control coal dust pollution in coal mining faces, this study addresses the insufficient research on the dust generation mechanism during cutting. Firstly, a similar experimental platform for simulating coal wall cutting with a drum cutter was used to investigate the changes in coal wall fragmentation and dust generation at drum speeds of 35 r/min, 50 r/min, 65 r/min, and 80 r/min. The experimental results revealed that the degree of coal wall fragmentation and dust generation increased with the increase in rotational speed, leading to a wider range of particle size distribution and an increase in the generation of fine dust particles. A 1:1 scale discrete element simulation of coal wall cutting with a drum cutter was conducted based on the experiments. The results indicated that, under the four rotational speeds, the cracks generated during coal wall fracture were predominantly tensile cracks, accounting for over 76% of the total crack count. The total number of cracks increased from 10,600 to 11,200, the number of free single particles increased from 2555 to 2728, and the fragmentation volume increased from 0.021607 to 0.023024 m3. The range and degree of coal wall fragmentation increased with the increase in drum speed.

ПЛАНИРОВАНИЕ И РЕАЛИЗАЦИЯ СТРОИТЕЛЬНЫХ РАБОТ ПРИ ТОЧЕЧНОЙ ЗАСТРОЙКЕ ДЛЯ ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ УДЕЛЬНЫХ ПЫЛЕВЫХ ВЫБРОСОВ

Abstract. The construction industry is one of the significant sources of environmental damage. The effects of dust pollution have an impact on all stages of the building's life cycle, from the start of work on the construction site to completion, operation and demolition. Despite the fact that the stage of work implementation does not last long in comparison with other stages of the life cycle of an investment and construction project, the construction stage has a number of significant impacts on the environment. The development of the construction industry requires the comprehensive assessment and investigation of the construction site as a source of pollu-tion, identification and evaluation of all sources of dust pollution on the construction site, the processes of dust pollution propagation in an urban environment. 
 The article offers an analysis of data on field studies of the degree of atmospheric air pollution in the territory of Rostov-on-Don, an analysis of the volume of construction dust emissions from construction works, a method for calculating control over the implementation of construction processes and the spread of dust pollution generated in the atmospheric air, indi-cators of the maximum, average daily emission concentration of fine dust PM2.5 and PM10 formed from construction production and the ability to control the level of pollution on the construction site. There are no fundamental studies on the calculation of dust emission from construction works during spot construction. Based on the field studies conducted earlier using the Handheld 3016 particle counter, data on dust emissions from construction processes under various climatic influences were obtained.
 Subject: analysis of data on field studies of the degree of atmospheric air dustiness in the territory of Rostov-on-Don, the volume of emissions of construction dust from construction work on construction sites in urban conditions.
 Materials and methods: conducting systematic measurements of the degree of dust in Rostov-on-Don using the Lighthouse Handheld 3016 IAQ manual particle counter, taking into account typical climatic, heterogeneous factors of the territory on which the city is located. Systematic monitoring of several construction sites where residential complexes similar in technology and conditions were built in the most dusty area of Rostov-on-Don and the selection of five construction sites for the development of a calendar schedule for construction and installation work, taking into account specific emissions of dust particles and climatic conditions for calculating the dust pollution factor.
 Results: an effective approach that can be usefully applied to the determination of dust emissions on the construction site, to calculate the gross emission of dust released on the site from construction work, daily indicators of the maximum single and average daily concentration, as well as to dust dispersion with the determination of zones exceeding the MPC indicators is the use of network modeling with further calendarization to predict these types of indicators during the design and implementation of construction production.
 Conclusions: based on the data obtained, it can be concluded that with the existing implemented organization and technology of work, the concentration of fine dust particles are within the MPC, but given the background concentrations of atmospheric air in Rostov-on-Don, these indicators in a particular area will exceed the permissible MPC. The process of using existing SMR models taking into account specific dust emissions, the development of a schedule of dust pollution of a specific territory taking into account natural and climatic factors and the determination of zones of excess of MPC indicators in the process of modeling the dispersion of fine dust particles beyond the fence boundaries of the construction site will make it possible to draw up a passport of environmental safety of the nearby urbanized territory during spot development. Daily determination of dust pollution indicators will allow you to adjust the schedule of construction work. Modeling the dispersion of construction dust, taking into account the direction and speed of the wind, will make it possible to monitor the zones of exceeding the MPC of the neighboring territory on a daily basis and adjust measures to extinguish dust emissions at the construction site.

Granulometric characterization of Arctic driftwood sawdust from frame sawing process

Arctic driftwood can be used as an alternative source of wood as construction timber and furniture material, especially in Iceland and Greenland. The use of Arctic driftwood can help in the fight against climate change, by developing land reforestation processes and reducing the volume harvested wood from forests and sustainability of harvesting processes. In this paper the results of an analysis of the effect of long-term residence of pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and larch wood (Larix sibirica L.) stay in Arctic ice and seawater on the granulation of wood sawdust and the distribution of fine wood dust particles during the frame sawing process are presented. The distribution of wood chips and dust was analysed using sieve and laser diffraction methods. The results confirmed that Arctic driftwood, compared to normal wood for both analysed species, generate slightly more fine wood dust particles during the frame sawing process, which can be harmful to human health. However, these differences are not significant, indicating that the same dust extraction systems can be used for both sawing processes.

Assessment of the Spraying System Impact at the Preparation Stage of Iron Ore Concentrate Products

Introduction. Harmful components of ore dust, formed during the unloading of products in the preparation of iron ore concentrate (PPIOC) at the mixing stage, cause damage to both workers and equipment. To address this issue, liquid aerosol spraying using nozzles with large diameters (>20 μm) is used. However, this method proves ineffective in capturing fine-dust particles. Therefore, enhancing the efficiency of the dust deposition method through PPIOC dust spraying becomes a pressing challenge. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the Dry Fog technology, generating liquid droplets up to 20 μm in size, during the unloading stage of PPIOC at a mining and metallurgical enterprise in the precipitation of suspended fine-dust particles. The primary goal of this research was to assess the effectiveness and potential advantages of applying the Dry Fog technology for dust spraying with subsequent precipitation, as this technology has not been previously applied to PPIOC dust.Materials and Methods. The experiment on the PPIOC dust deposition was conducted in a specially designed laboratory setup. Through physical modeling in the laboratory setup, parameters of the precipitation process were obtained. Subsequently, the results were analyzed to understand the dependence of dust precipitation over time, taking into account the influence of the Dry Fog technology. An experiment program was developed for physical modeling. According to the devised program, dust was uniformly loaded into the interior of the laboratory setup (from the top), distributed in the air stream throughout the volume of the setup by a fan, and an instrument located at the bottom recorded changes in concentration over time. Experiments on dust precipitation were then conducted using liquid spraying (filtered water as the liquid) introduced into the setup through nozzles generating droplets with sizes of 10 and 15 μm, concurrently with the loading of dust into the laboratory setup. The effectiveness of the Dry Fog technology in the deposition of PPIOC dust was determined visually and further analyzed based on a comparison of graphs. The dynamics of changes in the average dust concentrations depending on time was studied both during precipitation without spraying and using the Dry Fog technology. During the experiment, the characteristics of the microclimate inside the laboratory setup (humidity, temperature and air velocity) and the parameters of two nozzles — their operating pressure and the supplied liquid spraying time — were recorded.Results. The comparison of the results showed a reduction in the dust precipitation time by 40 % and 75 % when using nozzles with sizes of 10 μm and 15 μm, respectively.Discussion and Conclusion. The experiment results confirm the effectiveness of the Dry Fog technology for PPIOC dust precipitation during unloading at the mixing stage. Fundamental findings have been obtained, providing a basis for further assessment of the efficiency of dust precipitation with the additional application of pulsating ventilation. In such a combination, an additional 20–25 % increase in precipitation efficiency is anticipated compared to the results presented in this article. The obtained results will support the justification of rational parameters and the implementation of the described method in production to enhance dust precipitation efficiency. Additionally, they will aid in developing a methodology to accelerate the PPIOC dust precipitation using the pulsating ventilation method.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE CLEANING SYSTEM OF OIL GAS FLOWS USING AN AERODYNAMIC INSERT

Air pollution is becoming a problem due to inefficient technological processes that accompany the mechanical processing of solid materials in various industries, including metalworking and woodworking, coal enrichment, coal burning in thermal power plants, metallurgy and construction materials industries. The problem is relevant for cement factories, since some of them use outdated equipment. Fine dust in this context becomes particularly important because the particle size of this dust affects the quality and grade of the concrete produced. Given the specifics of cement production and the goals of our research, which are to effectively collect small particles, it is important to note that wet cement production methods are not the best solution. The ideal solution for the problem of cleaning dust and gas flows in the cement industry is the use of a two-stage dust collection system, which combines an advanced cyclone and a bag filter. The system's periodic shaking mechanism allows for effective capture and control of fine dust particles, ensuring high quality cement production and reducing environmental impact. The combination of a cyclone, an acoustic coalescer and a block of bag filters, which is equipped with a periodic cleaning mechanism, as well as the addition of a system for collecting fine dust using a collector funnel, will split the collected dust into two fractions: fine (a = 10−5 to 10−7m) and coarse (a > 10-4m). The first fraction can be used to produce high-quality cement of high cost in the cement industry. The second fraction returns to the main technological process at its finishing stage.

Bioaerosol and fine dust protection with quaternary trimethyl chitosan integration in polypropylene filters

Fine dust and bioaerosols are significant public health concerns, showing the importance of protective measures. In this study, natural-based trimethyl chitosan, permanently burdened with a positive charge, was successfully distributed on the surface of melt-blown polypropylene sheets through a metal rod coating process. This surface modification was confirmed through scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, indicating the surface adsorption of trimethyl chitosan without chemical bonding. Modifying polypropylene mask filters yielded a positive surface zeta potential for 10–20 g/m2 coat weight, increasing the filtration efficiency to 55–94 % in a standard particle filtration test using paraffin oil as a liquid aerosol. The filtration efficiency remained higher than conventional non-treated mask filters even after the humidification of sheets. In addition, the filtration test against fine dust particles, such as titanium dioxide, was performed with trimethyl chitosan-modified mask filters that captured up to 100–800 µg/m3 titanium oxide particle concentrations, showing better filtration than conventional mask filters in high fine dust events. Trimethyl chitosan-modified mask filters also exhibited potent inhibition, bactericidal, and antiviral effects against HCoV-OC43, reducing the virus infection rate by 93.69 %. Thus, trimethyl chitosan could be applied to several existing filter membranes to protect against particulate matter and dangerous airborne pathogens.

Ejection of porous dust–ice agglomerates from the surface of the cometary nucleus

This paper presents two problems related to the ejection of particles from the surface of the cometary nucleus. The first problem is related to the phase of quiet sublimation. This part of the paper discusses the influence of the water ice sublimation flux on the size of particles that are lifted into the coma. In these considerations, three formulas were used to describe the water ice sublimation flux. The calculations show that the size of the particle lifted into the coma depends on its density and the sublimation flux of water ice. The second mechanism is related to the cometary outburst phase. In this part of the paper, it was proposed that the cometary outburst as a high-energy process may significantly contribute to explaining the presence of small particles in the coma. Based on the calculations performed, it was shown that the dimensions of these particles depend on the adopted value of the power index in the power law. Based on the considerations presented in this paper, the presence of both large and fine dust particles observed in the coma during the Rosetta mission can be explained.

Technical Solutions to Reduce the Amount of Dust Particle Breakthrough when Cleaning Emissions from the Production of Reinforced Concrete Products Using Dust Collectors with Counter Swirling Flows

Introduction. The production of reinforced concrete products, being the basis of modern industrial construction, is a very significant source of dust emissions. Traditional cleaning methods are often unable to ensure the compliance with air quality requirements, and replacing them with more modern ones requires significant capital and operational costs. One of the most promising ways to solve the problem is the use of a new class of inertial dust collectors with counter swirling flows, combining constructive simplicity and low operating costs with sufficiently high work efficiency. The aim of the work was to analyze the factors influencing the magnitude of the breakthrough coefficient of fine dust particles, as well as the development of constructive solutions aimed at reducing it. Materials and Methods. An analytical review of technical solutions aimed at reducing the breakthrough magnitude was carried out, on the basis of which the designs of the lower input of dust collectors with counter swirling flows were developed. Methods of computational experiment and field measurements were used to confirm the effectiveness of the developed structures. Results. By means of numerical experiments, the information about the aerodynamic flow pattern in the separation chamber of the CSF dust collector was obtained, and the breakthrough magnitude of dust particles was estimated. The solutions were developed for the design of the lower coaxial input of the swirling flow of dust collectors on the counter swirling flows, taking into account the features of dust pollution generated during the operation of technological equipment of reinforced concrete production. Discussion and Conclusion. The presence of a displacement of the axis of the secondary swirling flow from the axis of symmetry of the separation chamber was established. The consequence of this was the non-coaxiality of the primary and secondary flows, which led to a decrease in the intensity of the twist, the formation of parasitic vortices, and, as a consequence, an increase in the value of the breakthrough coefficient. This effect was especially pronounced with a large proportion of fine dust particles, characteristic of dust pollution formed during the production of reinforced concrete products. The proposed design of the coaxial input of the secondary swirling flow reduced the magnitude of this eccentricity, which made it possible to achieve a significant reduction in the breakthrough magnitude of fine particles characteristic of dust emissions of reinforced concrete industries. The results obtained can be effectively used both in the production of reinforced concrete products and in other branches of construction production, which is characterized by intensive formation of fine dust emissions.

Determination of the optimal construction parameters of dust collection facilities after pneumatic transport installation

In metallurgy pneumatic transport installations for powders and metal particles (swarfs, shav- ings, etc.) generated during production processes are widely used. Fine-grained metal waste and/ or intermediate products are characterized by a wide range of particle size composition, different particle shapes and significant differences in the densities of individual components of the disperse system (from 2 to 10 g·cm-3). The listed features of the materials intended for pneumatic transport create certain difficulties in determining the parameters of the disperse system intended for carrying out the transport purposes. The differences in the physical characteristics and properties of the dispersed particles also cause significant differences in their aerodynamic behaviour in the facilities for separating the two phases (solid and gaseous) and for purifying the fluid (most often air) before releasing it into the environment. Unlike dust collection systems for process flue gases, pneumatic conveying systems require initial sedimentation of the transported material and subsequent purification of the transporting fluid (air). The present report summarizes the results of analytical determination of the physical characteristics of waste fine-grained metal materials and calculation of the aerodynamic parameters of dust collection equipment included in the system for the separation of solid-phase particles with sizes greater than 100 μm and subsequent purification of the waste gas to achieve concentration of fine dust particles lower than 5 mg·m-3. Based on the physical parameters of the disperse system, the best available techniques are de- termined for the separation of the solid phase particles and the purification of the waste fluid that is released into the atmosphere, as follow: gravity dust chamber;inertia cylindric cyclone. As a result of calculating the design parameters of the specified dust collection devices, the optimal conditions have been determined for the most complete separation of the transported material from the air flow and the subsequent purification of the air released into the atmosphere to meet the legal limit for emissions of dust particles.

Aeolian dust movement and deposition under local atmospheric circulation in a desert-oasis transition zone of the northeastern Taklimakan desert

Taklimakan Desert, in the northwest China, is one of the main sources of dust storms in the world. Frequent dust storms have seriously affected the ecological environment of surrounding oases. Quantification of dust deposition on the different underlying surface is vital to understand the local atmospheric cycling and its effect on movement of the dust particles in desert fringe areas. To examine the contribution of airflow from different direction to the dust deposition rate, the desert–oasis transition zone between the Korla oasis and the northeast edge of the Taklimakan desert is selected as the study area. 36 h backward trajectories of air masses arriving at the study site from 1st March to 31st May 2023, were determined by using the HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model) model. The trajectories were categorized by k-means clustering into 3 clusters, which show distinct features in terms of the trajectory origins and the entry direction to the site. Dust collection tank were placed on five underlying surfaces from south to north: shifting sand desert, semi-shifting sand desert, desert vegetation, shelter forestland and croplands at the height of 0.2 m, 0.5 m, and 1.5 m. At the each of height, four dust collection tanks were arranged to collect the dust from 4 directions. Results show that, air masses from the south with highest frequency (46 days) and highest dust storm occurrence (91.3 %) is the main contributor of dust particles to the study area. Dust deposition rate on different underlying surfaces showed a significant decreasing trend from the desert to oasis, and the dust deposition on all underlying surfaces decreased with the height. Dust deposition corresponding to the southward wind direction is the highest, and the amount of fine dust particles are increased with the height of the dust collection tank. The results of this study could be helpful to forecast the potential occurrence and mowing pathway of dust storms, which can provide the basis for mitigation of the negative effects on the environment.

Study on Efficient Removal Method of Fine Particulate Dust in Green Metallurgy Process

In order to solve the problem of the low removal efficiency of fine particles in the flue gases of the metallurgy process, a chemical agglomeration pretreatment method was studied. The coagulant solution of xanthan gum, konjac gum, and their mixtures was selected to research the reunion effects of and the efficiency of gravitational dust removal of fine dust in the gas of the converter flue using a self-built experimental platform. Moreover, the effects of wetting agent type, dust concentration, pressure, and flue gas velocity on the fine grain removal efficiency were investigated. The results showed that the mixed solution of 1 g/L mixed gum and 0.5 g/L SDS had the most obvious effect on the particle size increasing of fine dust particles and the best removal effect when the flue gas velocity was 10 m/s. There was a peak particle size of 85.32 μm increased about eight times larger, and the removal efficiencies reached 51.46% for PM2.5 and 53.13% for PM10. The Box–Behnken experimental design combined with a response surface analysis method was used to optimize the parameters of the mixed gum concentration, pressure, and flue gas velocity. The optimal removal conditions were 1 g/L, 0.4 MPa, and 10 m/s. The results of this study can provide efficient methods and technical support for pre-processing and efficient removal of fine particles in heavy-polluting industries such as steel making. This will promote the green development of the metallurgical industry.

Effects of Road Dust Particle Size on Mineralogy, Chemical Bulk Content, Pollution and Health Risk Analyses.

Because of the rising environmental and health concerns associated with atmospheric pollution caused by potentially toxic elements (PTEs), several road dust studies have been performed across the world in recent decades. This paper illustrates the effects of particle size on the PTE contents, mineralogical composition, environmental pollution and health risk assessments in road dust from Barcelona (Spain). The samples were sieved into five size fractions ranging from <45 to 500-800 µm. Although the major mineral contents (tectosilicates, phyllosilicates, and carbonates) were profuse in all fractions, the identified inhalable PTE particles (e.g., Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, and REE), with size < 10 µm, were more pervasive in the finest fraction (<45 μm). This is consistent with the concentrations measured: the finest fractions were richer in PTEs than the coarser ones, resulting in a direct correlation with the enrichment factor (EFx), geo-accumulation (Igeo), and non-carcinogenic (HI) and carcinogenic (CRI) values. Igeo and EFx values can be appropriate tracers for some common elements (e.g., Zn, Sb, Sn, Cu, and Cr), but they do not seem adequate for anthropogenic particles accumulated at concentrations similar to the geogenic background. Overall, the HI and CRI values obtained in Barcelona were acceptable, reflecting no serious health impacts in the study area, except for Cr. Our results suggest that fine dust particles are a more suitable fraction to conduct pollution and health risk assessments than coarser ones, although the EFx, Igeo, HI, and CRI threshold values should be redefined in the future to include all emergent pollutants as well. In summary, monitoring programs should include at least the road dust evaluation of <45 µm particles, which can be performed with a simple sieving method, which is both time- and cost-effective.

Studying the Relationship between the Traffic Flow Structure, the Traffic Capacity of Intersections, and Vehicle-Related Emissions

This paper proposes a new approach to assessing the impact of changes in the traffic flow on pollutant emissions and the traffic capacity of signal-controlled intersections. We present an intelligent vision system tailored to monitor the traffic behavior at signal-controlled intersections in urban areas. Traffic cameras are used to collect real-time vehicle traffic data. Our system provides valuable insight into the relationship between traffic flows, emissions, and intersection capacity. This study shows how changes in the traffic composition reduce the traffic capacity of intersections and increase emissions, especially those involving fine dust particles. Using the combination of fuzzy logic methods and Gaussian spline distribution functions, we demonstrate the variability of these relationships and highlight the need to further study compromises between mobility and air quality. Ultimately, our results offer promising opportunities for the development of intelligent traffic management systems aimed at balancing the demands of urban mobility while minimizing environmental impact. This study demonstrates the importance of taking into account the correlation between the change in the composition of traffic queues due to a random change in the traffic flow and its impact on emissions and the traffic capacity of intersections. This study found that the presence of various groups of vehicles and their position in the queue can reduce the traffic capacity by up to 70% and increase the growth of harmful emissions by 14 fold.

Spatio-temporal evolution of long-range transported mineral desert dust properties over rural and urban sites in Central Europe

An exceptionally strong and very fast (120h) mineral dust inflow from North Africa to Poland was predicted by NMMB/BSC-Dust and NAAPS models on 10–11 June 2019. Simultaneous measurements with two complex lidar systems at the EARLINET-ACTRIS urban site in Warsaw (Central Poland) and the PolWET peatland site in Rzecin (Western Poland) captured the evolution of this dust event. The advected air masses had different source areas in North Africa, they were reaching each station via independent pathways, and thus, were unlikely mixed with each other. The excellent capabilities of the next generation PollyXT lidar and the mobile EMORAL lidar allowed for the derivation of full datasets of aerosol optical properties profiles that enabled comparative study of the advected dust properties evolution. Within a mere 350 km distance between Warsaw and Rzecin, distinctly different dust properties were measured, respectively: dry mineral dust composed mainly of coarse mode dust particles (50 ± 5 % of the total particle backscattering profile) versus the wet mineral dust dominated by fine dust particles (58 ± 4 %). A new parameter fine-to-coarse dust ratio (FCDR) is proposed to describe more intuitively mineral dust composition.

Fine dust after sanding untreated and thermally modified spruce, oak, and meranti wood

Airborne wood dust poses health and safety risks in the construction and furniture industry. The study verified whether the thermal modification affects the share of fine wood dust particles (< 10 μm) generated during spruce, oak, and meranti wood sanding. The experimental research involved nine material variants, including three wood species in three states: untreated, thermally modified at 160 °C, and thermally modified at 220 °C). To collect at least 200 g of each dust sample, a belt sander with P80 sandpaper and a belt speed of 10 m/s was used, along with a dust collector. The collected dust was then separated into fractions using a set of sieves with aperture sizes of 2000, 1000, 500, 250, and 125 μm. A laser particle sizer was employed to measure the sizes of dust particles in the under-sieve fraction (dust with particle sizes smaller than 125 μm). The under-sieve fraction was decomposed into three subfractions, with particle sizes: <2.5, 2.5-4.0, and 4.0–10 μm. Surprisingly the results indicate that sanding dust from thermally modified wood generates a lower average mass share of potentially harmful fine particle fractions than dust from untreated wood. Oak dust contained a higher mass share of fine particles compared to the spruce and meranti dust samples. Dust from thermally modified oak and meranti wood had a lower content of harmful particle fractions than dust from untreated wood. The average mass shares of these dust fractions for modified wood at 160 and 220 °C showed no statictically significant differences (p < 0.05). Conversely, spruce dust had a low content of fine fractions because spruce particles exhibit a more irregular elongated shape. The study considered the extreme temperatures of 160 and 220 °C used in the thermal modification of wood. Therefore, the above statements are assumed to be valid for all intermediate thermo-modification temperatures.

Size-resolved environmentally persistent free radicals in urban road dust and association with transition metals.

Environmental persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are receiving growing concerns owing to their potentially adverse impacts on human health. Road dust is one important source of air pollution in most cities and may pose significant health risks. Characteristics of EPFRs in urban road dusts and its formation mechanism(s) are still rarely studied. Here, we evaluated occurrenceand size distributions of EPFRs in road dusts from different functional areas of an urban city, and assessed relationship between EPFRs and some transition metals.Strong electron paramagnetic resonance signals of 6.01 × 1016 - 1.3 × 1019 spins/g with the mean g value of 2.0029 ± 0.0019 were observed, indicating that EPFRs consisted of a mixture of C-centered radicals, and C-centered radicals with an adjacent oxygen atom in the urban road dust. Much more EPFRs enriched in finer dust particles. EPFRs significantly correlated with the total Fe, but not water-soluble Fe, suggesting different impacts of water-soluble and insoluble metals in the formation of EFPRs. Health risk assessment results indicated high risk potentials via the ingestion and dermal exposure to EPFRs in road dusts. Future studies are calling to look into formation mechanisms of EPFRs in urban road dusts and to quantitatively evaluate its potential risks on human health.