Industrial Aerosols Research Articles

A paradoxical response of the rat organism to long-term inhalation of silica-containing submicron (predominantly nanoscale) particles of a collected industrial aerosol at realistic exposure levels.

While engineered SiO2 nanoparticle toxicity is being widely investigated, mostly on cell lines or in acute animal experiments, the practical importance of as well as the theoretical interest in industrial condensation aerosols with a high SiO2 particle content seems to be neglected. That is why, to the best of our knowledge, long-term inhalation exposure to nano-SiO2 has not been undertaken in experimental nanotoxicology studies. To correct this data gap, female white rats were exposed for 3 or 6 months 5 times a week, 4h a day to an aerosol containing predominantly submicron (nanoscale included) particles of amorphous silica at an exposure concentration of 2.6±0.6 or 10.6±2.1mg/m3. This material had been collected from the flue-gas ducts of electric ore smelting furnaces that were producing elemental silicon, subsequently sieved through a<2μm screen and redispersed to feed a computerized "nose only" inhalation system. In an auxiliary experiment using a single-shot intratracheal instillation of these particles, it was shown that they induced a pulmonary cell response comparable with that of a highly cytotoxic and fibrogenic quartz powder, namely DQ12. However, in long-term inhalation tests, the aerosol studied proved to be of very low systemic toxicity and negligible pulmonary fibrogenicity. This paradox may be explained by a low SiO2 retention in the lungs and other organs due to the relatively high solubility of these nanoparticles. nasal penetration of nanoparticles into the brain as well as their genotoxic action were found in the same experiment, results that make one give a cautious overall assessment of this aerosol as an occupational or environmental hazard.

Comparison of airway deposition distributions of particles in healthy and diseased workers in an Egyptian industrial site

The objective of this study is the prediction and comparison of airway deposition patterns of an industrial aerosol in healthy workers and workers suffering from silicosis. Mass concentrations and related size distributions of particulate matter were measured in the industrial area of Samalut in Minia, Egypt. A novel stochastic lung deposition model, simulating the symptoms of silicosis by chronic bronchial (Br) obstruction and emphysema in the acinar (Ac) region, was applied to compute mass deposition fractions, deposition density, deposition rate and deposition density rate distributions in healthy and diseased workers. In the case of healthy workers, both mass deposition fractions and deposition rates are highest in the first half of the Ac region of the lung, while the corresponding deposition density and deposition density rate distributions exhibit a maximum in the large Br airways. In the case of diseased lungs, bullous emphysema causes a large deposition peak in the region of the bronchioli respiratorii. Regional mass deposition fractions adopt maximum values in the extrathoracic region, except during mouth breathing for bullous emphysema, where Ac deposition can be the most prominent. In general, lung deposition is significantly higher in diseased than in healthy lungs. Indeed, workers suffering from silicosis receive significantly higher Ac doses than healthy workers exposed to the same aerosol. Thus, this illness may progress faster if a diseased worker remains in a strongly polluted area.

An attempt to deconstruct recent climate change in the Baltic Sea basin

AbstractWe investigate whether the recently observed temperature and precipitation trends over the Baltic Sea Basin are consistent with state‐of‐the‐art regional climate model projections. To address this question we use several data sources: (1) multidecadal trends derived from various observational data sets, (2) estimates of natural variability provided by a 2000 year paleoclimatic model simulation, and (3) response to greenhouse gas forcing derived from regional climate simulations driven by the A1B and RCP4.5 scenarios (from ENSEMBLES and CORDEX projects). Results indicate that, over the past decades, the climate in the Baltic Sea Basin has undergone a change that is beyond the estimated range of natural variability. We test the hypothesis that this change may be understood as a manifestation of global warming due to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs). We find that changes in near‐surface temperature support our hypothesis that the effect of GHG is needed to simulate the observed changes. The pattern correlation and regression results clearly illustrate the concerted emergence of an anthropogenic signal consistent with the GHG signal in summer and autumn in the 21st century. However, none of the 19 regional climate simulations used in this study reproduce the observed warming. The observed trends in precipitation and surface solar radiation are also partially inconsistent with the expected changes due to GHG forcing. We conclude that, besides the regional response to GHG forcing, other human‐made drivers have had an imprint. Regional emission of industrial aerosols has been strongly reduced in this region, and we suggest that this reduction may be the missing driver.

A Novel Experimental Method to Assess Particle Deposition in Idealized Porous Channels

ABSTRACTA novel and economical experimental technique has been developed to assess industrial aerosol deposition in various idealized porous channel configurations. This judicious examination of aerosol penetration in porous channels will assist engineers to better optimize designs for various engineering applications. Deposition patterns differ with porosity due to geometric configurations of the channel and superficial inlet velocities. Interestingly, it is found that two configurations of similar porosity exhibit significantly higher deposition fractions. Inertial impaction is profound at the leading edge of all obstacles, whereas particle buildup is observed at the trailing edge of the obstructions. A qualitative analysis shows that the numerical results are in good agreement with experimental results.

Identification of the functional and biological markers of toxic effects of industrial aerosols on people involved in copper production

Identification of the functional and biological markers of toxic effects of industrial aerosols on people involved in copper production

Content and distribution of heavy metals in herbaceous plants under the effect of industrial aerosol emissions

The effect of soil properties and distance from the source of technogenic emissions on the input of Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu, Mn, Cr, and Ni into herbaceous plants of the families Poaceae and Asteraceae has been studied. It is found that the high level of anthropogenic load related to the atmospheric emissions from the Novocherkassk Power Station (Russia) aggravates the accumulation of heavy metals in herbaceous plants. Contamination with Pb, Cd, Cr and Ni is revealed in plants growing near the Power Station. Correlation between the accumulation of HMs in different herbaceous plant species and the distance from the emission source is revealed. The main factors of the distribution of heavy metals in the above and underground organs of plants include the individual physiological features of different plants determining their barrier function. Ambrosia artemisiifolia (L.), Artemisia austriaca (Pall. ex. Wild.), Achillea nobilis (L.), and Tanacetum vulgare (L.) are accumulators of heavy metals.

Utilization of AERONET polarimetric measurements for improving retrieval of aerosol microphysics: GSFC, Beijing and Dakar data analysis

The study presents the efforts on including the polarimetric data to the routine inversion of the radiometric ground-based measurements for characterization of the atmospheric aerosols and analysis of the obtained advantages in retrieval results. First, to operationally process the large amount of polarimetric data the data preparation tool was developed. The AERONET inversion code adapted for inversion of both intensity and polarization measurements was used for processing. Second, in order to estimate the effect from utilization of polarimetric information on aerosol retrieval results, both synthetic data and the real measurements were processed using developed routine and analyzed. The sensitivity study has been carried out using simulated data based on three main aerosol models: desert dust, urban industrial and urban clean aerosols. The test investigated the effects of utilization of polarization data in the presence of random noise, bias in measurements of optical thickness and angular pointing shift. The results demonstrate the advantage of polarization data utilization in the cases of aerosols with pronounced concentration of fine particles. Further, the extended set of AERONET observations was processed. The data for three sites have been used: GSFC, USA (clean urban aerosol dominated by fine particles), Beijing, China (polluted industrial aerosol characterized by pronounced mixture of both fine and coarse modes) and Dakar, Senegal (desert dust dominated by coarse particles). The results revealed considerable advantage of polarimetric data applying for characterizing fine mode dominated aerosols including industrial pollution (Beijing). The use of polarization corrects particle size distribution by decreasing overestimated fine mode and increasing the coarse mode. It also increases underestimated real part of the refractive index and improves the retrieval of the fraction of spherical particles due to high sensitivity of polarization to particle shape. Overall, the study demonstrates a substantial value of polarimetric data for improving aerosol characterization.

Tracing fetal and childhood exposure to lead using isotope analysis of deciduous teeth

We report progress in using the isotopic composition and concentration of Pb in the dentine and enamel of deciduous teeth to provide a high resolution time frame of exposure to Pb during fetal development and early childhood. Isotope measurements (total Pb and 208Pb/206Pb, 207Pb/206Pb ratios) were acquired by laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry at contiguous 100 micron intervals across thin sections of the teeth; from the outer enamel surface to the pulp cavity. Teeth samples (n=10) were selected from two cohorts of children, aged 5–8 years, living in NE England. By integrating the isotope data with histological analysis of the teeth, using the daily incremental lines in dentine, we were able to assign true estimated ages to each ablation point (first 2–3 years for molars, first 1–2 years for incisors+pre-natal growth). Significant differences were observed in the isotope composition and concentration of Pb between children, reflecting differences in the timing and sources of exposure during early childhood. Those born in 2000, after the withdrawal of leaded petrol in 1999, have the lowest dentine Pb levels (<0.2µgPb/g) with 208Pb/206Pb (mean ±2σ: 2.126–2.079) 208Pb/206Pb (mean ±2σ: 0.879–0.856) ratios that correlate very closely with modern day Western European industrial aerosols (PM10, PM2.5) suggesting that diffuse airborne pollution was probably the primary source and exposure pathway. Legacy lead, if present, is insignificant. For those born in 1997, dentine lead levels are typically higher (>0.4µgPb/g) with 208Pb/206Pb (mean ±2σ: 2.145–2.117) 208Pb/206Pb (mean ±2σ: 0.898–0.882) ratios that can be modelled as a binary mix between industrial aerosols and leaded petrol emissions. Short duration, high intensity exposure events (1–2 months) were readily identified, together with evidence that dentine provides a good proxy for childhood changes in the isotope composition of blood Pb. Our pilot study confirms that laser ablation Pb isotope analysis of deciduous teeth, when carried out in conjunction with histological analysis, permits a reconstruction of the timing, duration and source of exposure to Pb during early childhood. With further development, this approach has the potential to study larger cohorts and appraise environments where the levels of exposure to Pb are much higher.

Upper respiratory tract diseases caused by exposure to industrial aerosols

Upper respiratory tract diseases caused by exposure to industrial aerosols

Some inferences from in vivo experiments with metal and metal oxide nanoparticles: the pulmonary phagocytosis response, subchronic systemic toxicity and genotoxicity, regulatory proposals, searching for bioprotectors (a self-overview).

The purpose of this paper is to overview and summarize previously published results of our experiments on white rats exposed to either a single intratracheal instillation or repeated intraperitoneal injections of silver, gold, iron oxide, copper oxide, nickel oxide, and manganese oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in stable water suspensions without any chemical additives. Based on these results and some corroborating data of other researchers we maintain that these NPs are much more noxious on both cellular and systemic levels as compared with their 1 μm or even submicron counterparts. However, within the nanometer range the dependence of systemic toxicity on particle size is intricate and non-unique due to complex and often contra-directional relationships between the intrinsic biological aggressiveness of the specific NPs, on the one hand, and complex mechanisms that control their biokinetics, on the other. Our data testify to the high activity of the pulmonary phagocytosis of NPs deposited in airways. This fact suggests that safe levels of exposure to airborne NPs are possible in principle. However, there are no reliable foundations for establishing different permissible exposure levels for particles of different size within the nanometric range. For workroom air, such permissible exposure levels of metallic NP can be proposed at this stage, even if tentatively, based on a sufficiently conservative approach of decreasing approximately tenfold the exposure limits officially established for respective micro-scale industrial aerosols. It was shown that against the background of adequately composed combinations of some bioactive agents (comprising pectin, multivitamin-multimineral preparations, some amino acids, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) the systemic toxicity and even genotoxicity of metallic NPs could be markedly attenuated. Therefore we believe that, along with decreasing NP-exposures, enhancing organisms’ resistance to their adverse action with the help of such bioprotectors can prove an efficient auxiliary tool of health risk management in occupations connected with them.

Indirect Evidence for the Presence of Secondary Phosphorus in Continental Fine Aerosol

The role of the atmosphere in the biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus (P) is generally associated with the emission of soil dust, sea-salt particles, bioaerosols and industrial aerosols. Quite independently, a reduced gaseous phosphorus compound (phosphine, PH3) was measured over various sources such as marshes and sewage plants and also in the global troposphere. Given that phosphine is a reactive gas that rapidly yields low-volatility phosphoric acid in the atmosphere, secondary aerosol formation can be an important sink that has never been considered in the global phosphorus cycle. In our study we present mass size-distribution measurements of phosphorus in aerosol samples collected at two locations in Hungary. The bimodal size distribution of phosphorus indicated two distinct formation mechanisms in the fine (d < 1 µm) and coarse modes (d > 1 µm). As expected, the mass concentration of phosphorus was dominated by the coarse particles; the contribution of fine mode phosphorus to the total was in the range of 11–61% (median 19%). The contribution of biomass burning and to a lesser extent bioaerosols to the fine mode phosphorus was inferred from measured ambient potassium (K) concentrations and P/K ratios reported for biomass smoke. It was found that biomass burning accounted for only a small fraction of fine mode phosphorus, the rest of which likely formed as secondary aerosol component from gaseous phosphine. Secondary aerosol phosphorus can be even more important in providing this essential nutrient for remote ecosystems because it is associated with fine aerosol particles which have longer residence time and thus are more prone to long-range atmospheric transport than coarse primary particles.

The current problems of diagnostics and expertise of occupational diseases of the upper respiratory tract

The objective of the present study was to systematize the main etiological factors as well as specific clinical, morphological, immunological, and microbiological features characteristic of the development of pathogenic changes in nasal cavity mucosa associated with occupational diseases of the upper respiratory tract (URT) of the subjects professionally exposed to the inhaled industrial aerosols (IA) with the special emphasis laid on the role of URT disorders in the development of occupational pathology of the respiratory system. The main clinical forms of occupational diseases of the upper respiratory tract are considered in accordance with the List of occupational diseases. Much attention is given to the criteria for the occupational origin of dystrophic and allergic diseases of the upper respiratory tract developing under the action of industrial aerosols.

Electricity of the convective atmospheric boundary layer: Field observations and numerical simulation

The electric state of the middle-latitude convective atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is investigated during a point in time when it is not disturbed by clouds, precipitation, mist, or industrial aerosols. A numerical model is developed that estimates the electroaerodynamic state of the convective ABL. The model is parameterized using results of field observations and laboratory experiments. According to the model, vertical profiles of atmospheric electric field strength, space charge density, electric conductivity, and atmospheric electric current density are calculated in the horizontally homogeneous approximation with a high space-time resolution.

NOVEL AEROSOL INSERT DESIGN UTILIZING INERT COMPRESSED GAS

Household aerosols are self-contained handheld devices for spraying products such as air fresheners, hairspray, surface cleaners, polishes, and deodorants. Industrial aerosols are similar devices for spraying: cleaners, lubricants, paints, and adhesives. They also have hospital and specific medical uses for spraying coagulants and disinfectants. Worldwide around 20 billion devices are manufactured annually and the UK has a major share of this market, manufacturing 5 billion units, second only to the USA. Led by the Californian Air Resources Board (CARB) in 2001, there is mounting pressure for the use of liquefied gas propellants (volatile organic compounds) in aerosol cans to be banned. This paper addresses the challenges of creating a fine spray using a pressurized inert gas (non-VOC) as the propellant for household aerosols. The spray produced has to achieve a relative performance to that of a traditional fine spray VOC propellant aerosol with regard to droplet size, reach, cone angle, and flow rate. The findings of this work have demonstrated that to achieve a sub-50-µm (Dv,50) spray is extremely challenging when using compressed inert gas and single fluid alone. However, by bleeding air into the insert arrangement, a spray of 24 µm (Dv,50) can be obtained and this is comparable in droplet size to that produced by a traditional fine spray VOC aerosol.

Long term PM2.5 trends in the Australian industrial city of Newcastle: a 15-year study from 1998 to 2013

Environmental context Long-term exposure to fine particle air pollution has significant implications for human health. At a mixed urban–industrial site in Newcastle, Australia, we identified contributions from individual industrial aerosol sources in addition to the more common aerosol sources such as soil, sea and smoke. These results are significant for the assessment and management of fine particulate air pollution in the Newcastle air shed. Abstract A long-term, large dataset approach combining standard accelerator-based ion beam analysis (IBA) techniques with positive matrix factorisation (PMF) analysis to determine the sources and trends of fine particle pollution in the Newcastle NSW, Australia is discussed. Over 1500 samples of particle matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5µm (PM2.5) were collected between February 1998 and December 2013 and analysed using IBA techniques to obtain the concentration of 22 different elements from hydrogen to lead. The PM2.5 15-year average mass at the sampling site was 8.11µgm–3. Statistical PMF analysis was applied to this large dataset to quantitatively determine nine source fingerprints; soil, secondary sulfate, sea, smoke, industrial processes (specifically related to calcium, manganese and iron) and two different automobile sources. Significant step-like reductions of 98, 79 and 69%, over and above regular seasonal variations, were clearly observed in the industrial-Mn, industrial-Fe and automobile sources during this time period. These trends showed excellent correlation with the cessation of large industrial operations in the local area and clearly demonstrate the advantage of long-term aerosol analysis for monitoring and managing fine particle air pollution sources on a local scale.

Dimethyl sulfide control of the clean summertime Arctic aerosol and cloud

Abstract One year of aerosol particle observations from Alert, Nunavut shows that new particle formation (NPF) is common during clean periods of the summertime Arctic associated with attendant low condensation sinks and with the presence of methane sulfonic acid (MSA), a product of the atmospheric oxidation of dimethyl sulfide (DMS). The clean aerosol time periods, defined using the distribution of refractory black carbon number concentrations, increase in frequency from June through August as the anthropogenic influence dwindles. During the clean periods, the number concentrations of particles that can act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) increase from June through August suggesting that DMS, and possibly other oceanic organic precursors, exert significant control on the Arctic summertime submicron aerosol, a proposition supported by simulations from the GEOS-Chem-TOMAS global chemical transport model with particle microphysics. The CCN increase for the clean periods across the summer is estimated to be able to increase cloud droplet number concentrations (CDNC) by 23–44 cm-3, comparable to the mean CDNC increase needed to yield the current global cloud albedo forcing from industrial aerosols. These results suggest that DMS may contribute significantly to modification of the Arctic summer shortwave cloud albedo, and they offer a reference for future changes in the Arctic summer aerosol.

Preparation of Acicular-Like ZnO Nanostructured Powder Using Ball Mill Zinc Powder by Hydrothermal Method

In this paper, we demonstrated the acicular-like ZnO nanostructure powder were prepared by hydrothermal method. We used the industrial aerosol elemental zinc powders through high energy ball mill, and then took ball mill zinc powder into autoclave reactor direct synthesis high length to diameter ratio of acicular-like ZnO nanostructure powder. The samples phase were studied by XRD, the morphology of the sample were observed by SEM, the samples of luminous performance were studied by Fluorescence spectrophotometer. When the hydrothermal temperature is 200°C, hydrothermal time is 24 h, mineralizer of NaOH concentration is 1 mol/L, the samples were washed by alcohol and then dried at 80°C for 3 hours. We had synthesized the high dispersion, high length to diameter ratio up to 50 acicular-like ZnO nanostructure powder.

Miniature Dual-Corona Ionizer for Bipolar Charging of Aerosol.

A corona-based bipolar charger has been developed for use in compact, field-portable mobility size spectrometers. The charger employs an aerosol flow cavity exposed to two corona ionizers producing ions of opposite polarity. Each corona ionizer houses two electrodes in parallel needle-mesh configuration and is operated at the same magnitude of corona current. Experimental measurement of detailed charge distribution of near-monodisperse particles of different diameter in the submicrometer size range showed that the charger is capable of producing well-defined, consistent bipolar charge distributions for flow rates up to 1.5 L/min and aerosol concentration up to 107 per cm3. For particles with preexisting charge of +1, 0, and -1, the measured charge distributions agreed well with the theoretical distributions within the range of experimental and theoretical uncertainties. The transmission efficiency of the charger was measured to be 80% for 10 nm particles (at 0.3 L/min and 5 μA corona current) and increased with increasing diameter beyond this size. Measurement of uncharged fractions at various combinations of positive and negative corona currents showed the charger performance to be insensitive to fluctuations in corona current. Ion concentrations under positive and negative unipolar operation were estimated to be 8.2 × 107 and 3.37 × 108 cm-3 for positive and negative ions; the n·t product value under positive corona operation was independently estimated to be 8.5 × 105 s/cm3. The ion concentration estimates indicate the charger to be capable of "neutralizing" typical atmospheric and industrial aerosols in most measurement applications. The miniature size, simple and robust operation makes the charger suitable for portable mobility spectrometers.

Simulations of Aerosol Optical Properties to Top of Atmospheric Reflected Sunlight in the Near Infrared CO2 Weak Absorption Band

Over the Asian continent, high aerosol loading is critical to ensure the high accuracy of CO2 retrieval in the near infrared absorption band. Simulations were per- formed to explore the effect of light path modification by aerosol son the atmospheric CO2 near infrared band (6140-6270 cm −1 ). The Vector LInearized Discrete Ordi- nate Radiative Transfer (VLIDORT) model and the Line-By-Line Radiative Transfer Model (LBLRTM) were used for forward calculations. The U.S. standard atmos- phere was used for atmospheric profiles. The results indi- cate that the aerosols caused similar effects to increases in CO2 in the planetary boundary layer and became more significant with aerosol layer rising while aerosol optical depth was 0.1. This effect will cause an over estimation of the CO2 mixing ratio in the retrieval process and an under estimation in the aerosol layer. The results also indicate that the effect of urban and industrial aerosols is smaller than that of non-absorbing and dust aerosols because of the nearly constant absorption properties in the near in- frared band.

Climate change and tourism: comparing female Costa Rican and American perceptions

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to contribute to a better understanding of the climate change problem in naturally protected areas in developing countries, based on women's perceptions and to determine whether national parks should take an active role in providing climate change educational information and activities.Design/methodology/approachThe work reported in this paper was carried out at Vulcan Poas National Park, Costa Rica, and the analysis drew on a sub‐sample of 162 Costa Rican women and 273 American women. The material collected was analyzed using a combination of ANOVA, correlation and standardized derived regression modelling using the forward elimination technique.FindingsClimate change certainly ranks below personal and immediate risk in terms of perceived importance and the top‐level risks reported by respondents related to immediate personal concerns. The key explanatory variable in the case of the Costa Rican women is the relative educational level of the person and the park's ability to educate people about climate change. In the case of the American women, the variables included in the final model were: industrial emissions, deforestation and aerosol sprays. The results indicate that a significant difference exists between the two groups with regard to current perceptions about the threat from climatic change, and the likely importance of the problem in 50 years' time. Costa Rican women appeared to exhibit a more complex problem‐reaction‐action behavioural continuum than the American women in the study. In both cases it is unclear as to the role played by protected areas in terms of the impact of information and education provided in relation to climate change.Research limitations/implicationsThe role of the parks as a source of education and information about the topic is not clear. However, it was established that there is an overall interest in the topic among women visitors, particularly local women. This level of awareness could be harnessed to develop strategies for combating and mitigating climate change, and in this sense, national parks might play an enhanced role as a place of learning about the topic.Originality/valueThis study is the first of its kind. In previous studies, women's reactions to climate change have been investigated much less than men's.