Total Suspended Particulate Mass Research Articles

UV light absorption at 370 nm by mineral dust, organic carbon, and elemental carbon in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau

UV light absorption at 370 nm by mineral dust, organic carbon, and elemental carbon in the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau

Low contributions of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) chemistry to atmospheric aerosols over the high Arctic Ocean

Low contributions of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) chemistry to atmospheric aerosols over the high Arctic Ocean

Insight into the relationships between total suspended particles and mercury in meltwater in a typical glacierized basin in the inland Tibetan Plateau

Mercury (Hg) released by melting glaciers is likely to bind to suspended particles in meltwater runoff, posing potential risks to downstream ecosystems. The rapidly receding glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau promote the export of total suspended particles (TSP), increasing the uncertainty of Hg export released by glacier melting. To investigate the relationships between TSP and Hg, a multimedia sampling campaign was conducted in July 2020 in the Kuoqionggangri glacier region of the Lhasa River Valley No. 1 glacierized basin located in the inland Tibetan Plateau. Samples from glacier snow/ice, supraglacial rivers, subglacial rivers, proglacial lakes, and meltwater runoff were obtained, and the relationships between TSP and Hg and their transport in glacier meltwater runoff in the context of glacier retreat were explored. The average TSP concentration of different environmental samples ranged from 9.51mg/L to 399. 27mg/L, showing significant differences. The average total Hg (THg) concentrations ranged from 0.52ng/L to 58.81ng/L and decreased in the order of snow/ice >runoff>subglacial river >proglacial lake >supraglacial river. Both TSP mass concentration and number concentration have an impact on the diurnal variation in meltwater runoff Hg, and the influence of TSP number concentration is stronger than that of concentration. Sites with high TSP concentrations and quantities tended to have higher Hg concentrations, while TSP particle size had no significant effect on Hg concentration or spatial distribution. Our study further divided the glacier recharge basin into the glacier cover zone, the periglacial zone, and the downstream zone and discussed the potential impact of TSP on Hg transport in each zone. Our analysis highlights that the periglacial zone will expand and activate the resuspension process of river sediments in the warming future, which may increase the export of TSP and Hg downstream.

The removal of atmospheric aerosols in a heavy industrial coastal city in China with frequent rainfall

Rapid urbanization and heavy industrialization generally result in serious aerosol pollution. Contrary to this conventional wisdom, Zhanjiang, one industrial city in the southernmost point of the Chinese mainland, is not accompanied by aerosol pollution and its air quality index always ranks high compared to other cities in China. To investigate this contradiction, 72-hour total suspended particles (TSPs) and water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs; including Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, Na+, NH4+, Cl-, NO3-, and SO42-) were collected in Zhanjiang, China, from November 2018 to November 2019. The relative humidity (RH) was higher than 80% throughout the whole year in Zhanjiang. However, the TSPs and WSIIs were not correlated with RH, indicating that RH can increase the particle size, but this had a minor impact on the dry deposition rate. The larger particles induced by RH were easily captured by wet precipitation, leading to a seasonal pattern with higher TSP and WSII mass concentrations during the dry and cool season and lower values during the hot and rainy season. This seasonal pattern and high aerosol acidity indicate that TSPs, WSIIs, and acidic gaseous precursors from the local sources were preferentially scavenged by the abundant rainfall and high precipitation frequency. Principal component analysis (PCA) results suggest that relatively clean marine emissions and secondary aerosols were the most important sources of TSPs and WSIIs. Our results indicate that the inconsistency between the heavy industrial activities and excellent air quality in Zhanjiang may be related to the high precipitation frequency (63%) and the marine dilution effect (27%).

Development of a real-time total suspended particle mass concentration measurement system based on light scattering for monitoring fugitive dust in construction sites

In this paper, to monitor fugitive dust in construction sites, we propose a portable and inexpensive measurement system that can accurately measure the mass concentration of the total suspended particles (TSPs, that is, particles smaller than 50 μ m) in real time. The proposed system can measure the real-time mass concentration of the TSPs, which cannot be measured by conventional mass concentration measurement devices. It has four components: (1) particle collection section, (2) temperature and humidity measurement section, (3) particle measurement section, and (4) signal-processing circuit. When particles of different sizes reach the proposed system, they are selectively collected based on their size in the collection section. Thereafter, the collected particles reach the particle measurement section via the temperature and humidity measurement section. The particles are detected in the particle measurement section, and the mass concentration is calculated in the signal-processing circuit. Further, we analyzed the characteristics of each section, and the measurement results of the proposed system were compared using a filter-based gravity method. The calculated mass concentration of the TSPs corresponds to the results measured obtaining using the filter-based gravity method. Moreover, field test results indicate that the proposed system was successfully applied in construction sites.

Strongly and Loosely Bound Water in Ambient Particulate Matter—Qualitative and Quantitative Determination by Karl Fischer Coulometric Method

Simple physical characterization of water evaporation can provide detailed information regarding its component distribution in particulate matter (PM) samples. The water presence in PM can greatly influence its polarity and subsequent reaction activity, for example, in secondary inorganic and organic matter formation. In this study, the presence of PM-bound water is detected using the Karl Fischer titration method in a temperature gradient with an aim to quantitatively assess different types of water occurrence. The analyses were initiated by testing two reference materials, namely urban particulate matter 1648a and urban dust 1649b (NIST). Four different types of water were found in both NIST materials, which helped to optimize the temperature ramp program and its adjustment for real PM samples. It was found that water contents in total suspended particles (TSP) are similar to those typically occurring in urban background stations—approximately 7.12–45.13% of the TSP mass, differentiated into the following water mass contributions: 48.5% of the total water found was loosely bound water; 23.3% was attributed to the absorption water; while the missing 20% could be probably attributed to crystal water removed only above 180 °C and artifacts connected with the drift correction problem. By comparing water release curves for single PM-compounds like pure SiO2; Al2O3; NH4NO3; (NH4)2SO4 and NH4Cl with water spectra obtained for real PM samples, it was found that water in particulate matter mainly comes from the dehydration of TSP-bound crystalline like Al2O3, SiO2 and to a lesser extent from salts like NH4NO3; (NH4)2SO4 and NH4Cl. A newly used thermal ramp method was able to assess water contents from Teflon–polypropylene baked filters characterized by low melting points and therefore filter degradation even under temperatures oscillating around 200 °C. The advantage of this new work is the separation of different types of TSP-bound water contributions, facilitating and promoting further research on the origin of PM-bound water and its role in atmospheric chemistry, secondary aerosol formation and visibility.

Chemical characterization of wintertime aerosols over the Arabian Sea: Impact of marine sources and long-range transport

Abstract We examined here the compositional characteristics of total suspended particulate (TSP) samples collected along the east coast of the Arabian Sea during a winter cruise (SS379: 6–24 December 2018) to understand the extent of influence of air pollutants from terrestrial sources. The TSP samples (N = 17) were analyzed for water-soluble inorganic species (WSIS), elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC) and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC). Backward air mass trajectories and satellite-based fire counts revealed an influence of long-range transport of biomass burning emissions in the Indo-Gangetic Plain and southern India. Anthropogenic (82–97%) SO42− is the most abundant WSIS followed by Na+ and/or NH4+. Ambient EC loadings (0.5–2.4 μg m−3) and OC/EC ratios (2.5–10.5) are higher than usually expected for fossil-fuel combustion sources. Low mass ratios of NO3−/non-sea-salt SO42− (0.08–0.49), as well as high ratios of nss-K+/EC (0.14–1.18) and WSOC/OC (0.30–0.74), highlight the significance of coal combustion and biomass burning emissions in the regional influx of air pollutants to the Arabian Sea. The multiple linear regression analysis has indicated strong correlations among sea salt components (Na+, Cl− and Mg2+), carbonaceous components (OC, EC and WSOC), and anthropogenic WSIS (NH4+ and SO42−). Furthermore, we used minimum R-squared technique based primary OC/EC ratio in the EC-tracer method to estimate the contribution of secondary organic carbon (SOC) to OC (7–61%) and TSP mass (0.7–11%). Overall, the composition of TSP is characterized by 21 ± 10% of particulate organic matter, 2.3 ± 1.1% of EC, 21 ± 9% of anthropogenic WSIS and 43 ± 15% of unidentified fraction including dust. This study has implications for understanding the evolving nature of secondary inorganic and organic aerosols in the continental outflows.

Source apportionment of water-soluble oxidative potential in ambient total suspended particulate from Bangkok: Biomass burning versus fossil fuel combustion

Abstract Oxidative potential (OP) is a promising and integrative metric for assessing health effects associated with exposure to ambient particulate matter. Source apportionment of water-soluble OP in aerosols is the basis for formulating pollution control policies. In this study, we collected total suspended particulate (TSP) samples in Bangkok, on the Indochinese Peninsula, where pollution levels are high due to annual biomass burning. We analyzed the chemical composition of the samples and performed dithiothreitol (DTT) assays to measure their OP. We observed higher TSP mass and chemical species concentrations among samples collected in the dry seasons due to biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion. The seasonally averaged volume-normalized OP (OPv) was highest in the dry I season (January to March), which was consistent with higher TSP concentrations during this period. The mass-normalized OP (OPm) decreased as TSP concentration increased due to the unaccounted fractions dominating the increase in TSP and/or the inhibiting effects of redox-active metals. Transition metals (e.g., Cu, V, and Ni), hopanes/steranes, and carbonaceous species (organic carbon and elemental carbon) correlated well with OPm. Source apportionment using the Positive Matrix Factorization model (PMF) and multiple linear regression analysis revealed that, although biomass burning accounted for the highest contribution (mean: 26%) to TSP concentration, the dominant source of water-soluble OPv of TSP was fossil fuel combustion, which included land fossil fuel combustion (63%) and ship emissions (16%). This significant contribution of fossil fuel combustion was determined by the transition metals Cu and V which were the main drivers of DTT activity in TSP.

Correction of Light Scattering-Based Total Suspended Particulate Measurements through Machine Learning

Instruments based on light scattering used to measure total suspended particulate (TSP) concentrations have the advantages of fast response, small size, and low cost compared to the gravimetric reference method. However, the relationship between scattering intensity and TSP mass concentration varies nonlinearly with both environmental conditions and particle properties, making it difficult to make corrections. This study applied four machine learning models (support vector machines, random forest, gradient boosting regression trees, and an artificial neural network) to correct scattering measurements for TSP mass concentrations. A total of 1141 hourly records of collocated gravimetric and light scattering measurements taken at 17 urban sites in Shanghai, China were used for model training and validation. All four machine learning models improved the linear regressions between scattering and gravimetric mass by increasing slopes from 0.4 to 0.9–1.1 and coefficients of determination from 0.1 to 0.8–0.9. Partial dependence plots indicate that TSP concentrations determined by light scattering instruments increased continuously in the PM2.5 concentration range of ~0–80 µg/m3; however, they leveled off above PM10 and TSP concentrations of ~60 and 200 µg/m3, respectively. The TSP mass concentrations determined by scattering showed an exponential growth after relative humidity exceeded 70%, in agreement with previous studies on the hygroscopic growth of fine particles. This study demonstrates that machine learning models can effectively improve the correlation between light scattering measurements and TSP mass concentrations with filter-based methods. Interpretation analysis further provides scientific insights into the major factors (e.g., hygroscopic growth) that cause scattering measurements to deviate from TSP mass concentrations besides other factors like fluctuation of mass density and refractive index.

Metallic elements emitted from industrial sources in Taiwan: Implications for source identification using airborne PM

Filterable stack total suspended particle (TSP) samples emitted from electric arc furnace (EAF) steel manufacturing plants, coal-fired power plants (CPP), cement mills (CM), and petroleum refineries (PR), were isokinetically collected using an in-stack PM device and analyzed for thirty-one targeted elements. The results showed that metallic elements constituted a majority (43–61%) of stack TSP mass in EAF steel plants and CM whereas contributed to a less fraction (11–27%) in CPP and PR. The coefficient of divergence (COD) values varied from 0.58 to 0.81, indicating that the elemental profiles between each industrial source were very distinct. Geological elements such as Al, Fe, Ca, Na, Mg, and K were the dominant elements in all industrial sources (50–96% of elemental mass). Besides, Zn was another dominant metal (22–40% of element mass) in addition to Fe in EAF steel plants and Ni (~3.6%) was the most predominant metal in oil-refinery. Tracers in different industrial sectors were also identified by source marker calculations. Moreover, the ratios of La/Ce (1.8) and La/Nd (6.0) in fluidized bed catalytic cracking (FCC) were 20–30 times higher than those of other industrial sectors. Utilizing both La/Ce and La/Nd ratios, the contribution of FCC PR to ambient primary TSP surrounding by the petroleum refinery was estimated to be 0.6%, which was comparable to the Taiwan Emission Data (0.7%). This highlighted that La/Ce and La/Nd ratios can be able to track the influence of petroleum refining sources on airborne particles in an industrial urban area in Taiwan. • Metallic elements derived from industrial emissions have been investigated. • Source markers of each industrial sector have been identified. • The contribution of a FCC petroleum to ambient primary TSP has been assessed by using fingerprinting ratios.

Effects of maternal inhalation of carbon black nanoparticles on reproductive and fertility parameters in a four-generation study of male mice

BackgroundPrevious findings indicate that in utero exposure to nanoparticles may affect the reproductive system in male offspring. Effects such as decreased sperm counts and testicular structural changes in F1 males have been reported following maternal airway exposure to carbon black during gestation. In addition, a previous study in our laboratory suggested that the effects of in utero exposure of nanoparticles may span further than the first generation, as sperm content per gram of testis was significantly lowered in F2 males. In the present study we assessed male fertility parameters following in utero inhalation exposure to carbon black in four generations of mice.ResultsFilter measurements demonstrated that the time-mated females were exposed to a mean total suspended particle mass concentration of 4.79 ± 1.86 or 33.87 ± 14.77 mg/m3 for the low and high exposure, respectively. The control exposure was below the detection limit (LOD 0.08 mg/m3). Exposure did not affect gestation and litter parameters in any generation. No significant changes were observed in body and reproductive organ weights, epididymal sperm parameters, daily sperm production, plasma testosterone or fertility.ConclusionIn utero exposure to carbon black nanoparticles, at occupationally relevant exposure levels, via maternal whole body inhalation did not affect male-specific reproductive, fertility and litter parameters in four generations of mice.

The impact of biomass burning on total suspended particulate matter in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau

To investigate the impact of biomass burning (BB) emissions on total suspended particulate (TSP) in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau (TP), BB tracers (including levoglucosan, mannosan, and galactosan) were measured at Lulang (a remote site, ∼3300 m above sea level) during the period 2015–2016. The concentrations of levoglucosan and mannosan showed large variability of more than 8-fold (range: 0.029–0.253 μg m−3) and 6-fold (range: 0.01–0.061 μg m−3), respectively. The highest seasonal average concentrations of levoglucosan (0.131 ± 0.073 μg m−3) and mannosan (0.028 ± 0.019 μg m−3) were observed during the winter season. The BB contributions to the TSP organic carbon (OC) and TSP mass were estimated with positive matrix factorization (PMF) by using BB tracers, inorganic ions, elements, OC, and EC. The BB contributions to the TSP OC and TSP mass were quite substantial in winter with 26% and 14%, respectively. The results evidenced a major contribution of BB to the aerosol OC during winter season. Major potential source distributions of BB were identified, which included the pollution bands along the Indo-Gangetic Plain, the Yarlung Tsangpo River Valley and the interior of the TP. In addition to the long-range transport of BB, the sources of anthropogenic emissions (residential BB for cooking and heating) in the TP may be an important contributor. The results facilitated understanding of the characteristics and effects of BB in the TP.

Aerosol pollution in a megacity of southwest China inferred from variation characteristics of sulfate-δ34S and water-soluble inorganic compositions in TSP

Daytime and nighttime aerosol samples for total suspended particles (TSP) were collected in Chengdu from 12 to 23 January 2013 (winter) and 10 to 21 August 2014 (summer). The mass concentrations of TSP, major inorganic ions, and stable sulfur isotope ratios were determined. Clear winter–summer variation in TSP was observed; the mass concentrations of TSP in summer were below levels defined by the Chinese National Ambient Air Quality Standard (GB3095-2012), whereas winter TSP levels exceeded the standard by 2–4 times. Overall, the sum of SO42−, NO3−, and NH4+ concentrations represented the highest contribution to water-soluble ionic components, which showed similar trends to TSP mass. According to correlations among major ions, the major compounds in TSP were likely to be (NH4)2SO4, NH4NO3, CaCl2, and KCl in both sampling times, and CaSO4 and Ca(NO3)2 were also present in summer. The NO3−/SO42− ratios ranged from 0.57 to 1.28 (average 0.85 ± 0.16) in winter and 0.5 to 0.93 (average 0.66 ± 0.11) in summer, indicating stationary source emissions (coal burning) were more important sources than the vehicle exhaust. The relationship between SO42− and δ34S indicated the sulfate sources were affected by the low sulfur isotope value of biogenic sulfur release in summer, and the high sulfur isotope value of coal in winter. As a whole, the mixture of coal burning and vehicle exhaust represent the major TSP sources in Chengdu in the study period, and biogenic sulfur also contributes to TSP in summer.

Fluorescent bioaerosol particle, molecular tracer, and fungal spore concentrations during dry and rainy periods in a semi-arid forest

Abstract. Bioaerosols pose risks to human health and agriculture and may influence the evolution of mixed-phase clouds and the hydrological cycle on local and regional scales. The availability and reliability of methods and data on the abundance and properties of atmospheric bioaerosols, however, are rather limited. Here we analyze and compare data from different real-time ultraviolet laser/light-induced fluorescence (UV-LIF) instruments with results from a culture-based spore sampler and offline molecular tracers for airborne fungal spores in a semi-arid forest in the southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Commercial UV-APS (ultraviolet aerodynamic particle sizer) and WIBS-3 (wideband integrated bioaerosol sensor, version 3) instruments with different excitation and emission wavelengths were utilized to measure fluorescent aerosol particles (FAPs) during both dry weather conditions and periods heavily influenced by rain. Seven molecular tracers of bioaerosols were quantified by analysis of total suspended particle (TSP) high-volume filter samples using a high-performance anion-exchange chromatography system with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD). From the same measurement campaign, Huffman et al. (2013) previously reported dramatic increases in total and fluorescent particle concentrations during and immediately after rainfall and also showed a strong relationship between the concentrations of FAPs and ice nuclei (Huffman et al., 2013; Prenni et al., 2013). Here we investigate molecular tracers and show that during rainy periods the atmospheric concentrations of arabitol (35.2 ± 10.5 ng m−3) and mannitol (44.9 ± 13.8 ng m−3) were 3–4 times higher than during dry periods. During and after rain, the correlations between FAP and tracer mass concentrations were also significantly improved. Fungal spore number concentrations on the order of 104 m−3, accounting for 2–5 % of TSP mass during dry periods and 17–23 % during rainy periods, were obtained from scaling the tracer measurements and from multiple analysis methods applied to the UV-LIF data. Endotoxin concentrations were also enhanced during rainy periods, but showed no correlation with FAP concentrations. Average mass concentrations of erythritol, levoglucosan, glucose, and (1 → 3)-β-D-glucan in TSP samples are reported separately for dry and rainy weather conditions. Overall, the results indicate that UV-LIF measurements can be used to infer fungal spore concentrations, but substantial development of instrumental and data analysis methods appears to be required for improved quantification.

Characteristics of ash and particle emissions during bubbling fluidised bed combustion of three types of residual forest biomass.

Combustion of residual forest biomass (RFB) derived from eucalypt (Eucalyptus globulus), pine (Pinus pinaster) and golden wattle (Acacia longifolia) was evaluated in a pilot-scale bubbling fluidised bed reactor (BFBR). During the combustion experiments, monitoring of temperature, pressure and exhaust gas composition has been made. Ash samples were collected at several locations along the furnace and flue gas treatment devices (cyclone and bag filter) after each combustion experiment and were analysed for their unburnt carbon content and chemical composition. Total suspended particles (TSP) in the combustion flue gas were evaluated at the inlet and outlet of cyclone and baghouse filter and further analysed for organic and elemental carbon, carbonates and 57 chemical elements. High particulate matter collection efficiencies in the range of 94-99% were observed for the baghouse, while removal rates of only 1.4-17% were registered for the cyclone. Due to the sand bed, Si was the major element in bottom ashes. Fly ashes, in particular those from eucalypt combustion, were especially rich in CaO, followed by relevant amounts of SiO2, MgO and K2O. Ash characteristics varied among experiments, showing that their inorganic composition strongly depends on both the biomass composition and combustion conditions. Inorganic constituents accounted for TSP mass fractions up to 40wt%. Elemental carbon, organic matter and carbonates contributed to TSP mass fractions in the ranges 0.58-44%, 0.79-78% and 0.01-1.7%, respectively.

Extreme dust storm over the eastern Mediterranean in September 2015: satellite, lidar, and surface observations in the Cyprus region

Abstract. A record-breaking dust storm originating from desert regions in northern Syria and Iraq occurred over the eastern Mediterranean in September 2015. In this contribution of a series of two articles (part 1, observations; part 2, atmospheric modeling), we provide a comprehensive overview of the aerosol conditions during this extreme dust outbreak in the Cyprus region. These observations are based on satellite observations (MODIS, moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer) of aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and Ångström exponent, surface particle mass (PM10) concentrations measured at four sites in Cyprus, visibility observations at three airports in southern Cyprus and corresponding conversion products (particle extinction coefficient, dust mass concentrations), EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network) lidar observations of dust vertical layering over Limassol, particle optical properties (backscatter, extinction, lidar ratio, linear depolarization ratio), and derived profiles of dust mass concentrations. Maximum 550 nm AOT exceeded values of 5.0, according to MODIS, and the mass loads were correspondingly > 10 g m−2 over Larnaca and Limassol during the passage of an extremely dense dust front on 8 September 2015. Hourly mean PM10 values were close to 8000 µg m−3 and the observed meteorological optical range (visibility) was reduced to 300–750 m at Larnaca and Limassol. The visibility observations suggest peak values of the near-surface total suspended particle (TSP) extinction coefficients of 6000 Mm−1 and thus TSP mass concentrations of 10 000 µg m−3. The Raman polarization lidar observations mainly indicated a double layer structure of the dust plumes (reaching to about 4 km height), pointing to at least two different dust source regions. Dust particle extinction coefficients (532 nm) already exceeded 1000 Mm−1 and the mass concentrations reached 2000 µg m−3 in the elevated dust layers on 7 September, more than 12 h before the peak dust front on 8 September reached the Limassol lidar station around local noon. Typical Middle Eastern dust lidar ratios around 40 sr were observed in the dense dust plumes. The particle depolarization ratio decreased from around 0.3 in the lofted dense dust layers to 0.2 at the end of the dust period (11 September), indicating an increasing impact of anthropogenic haze.

Water-Soluble Ionic Composition of Aerosols at Urban Location in the Foothills of Himalaya, Pokhara Valley, Nepal

The total suspended particulate (TSP) samples were collected from April 2013 to April 2014 at the urban location of Pokhara valley in western Nepal. The major aims were to study, quantify, and understand the concentrations and variations of TSP and major water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) in the valley with limited data. The annual average TSP mass concentration was 135.50 ± 62.91 µg/m3. The average analyzed total WSIIs accounted for 14.4% of total TSP mass. Major anions and cations in TSP samples were SO42− and Ca2+, respectively. Seasonal differences in atmospheric conditions explain the clear seasonal variations of ions, with higher concentrations during pre-monsoon and winter and lower concentrations during the monsoon period. Neutralization factor calculations suggested that Ca2+ in the Pokhara valley mostly neutralizes the acidity in the atmosphere. Principle component analysis, NO3−/SO42− ratio, and non-sea salt fraction calculations suggested that the WSIIs in the valley were mostly derived from anthropogenic activities and crustal mineral dust, which was also supported by the results from precipitation chemistry over the central Himalayas, Nepal. In addition, back trajectories analysis has suggested that the air pollution transported from and through Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) during the dry periods, which has resulted in high ionic loadings during this period. Average NO3−/SO42− ratio was found to be 0.69, indicating the dominance of stationary sources of TSP in Pokhara valley. Secondary inorganic aerosols can have an adverse health impact on the human population in the valley. The data set from this one-year study provides new insights into the composition of WSIIs in the foothills of the Himalayas, which can be of great importance for understanding the atmospheric environment in the region.

Composition profiles of organic aerosols from Chinese residential cooking: case study in urban Guangzhou, south China

Residential cooking in China’s urban areas could be a more significant contributor to organic aerosols when compared to restaurant cooking, yet no source profiles are available for Chinese residential cooking. In this study, a typical nine-floor residential apartment building in urban Guangzhou was selected to investigate the particulate mass emissions and chemical compositions of organic aerosols from Chinese residential cooking. During dinner cooking period, the average of total suspended particle (TSP) mass concentrations increased by a factor of 4.40 compared with that during non-cooking period. Organic matter (OM) was the major component of aerosols from cooking, and accounted for 66.9 % of the TSP mass. Over 90 organic species were identified and quantified, and could explain 14.5 % of OC in cooking emissions. Fatty acids alone shared 75.7 % of the total mass of quantified organic compounds, with palmitic acid as the predominant one. Sterols, monosaccharide anhydrides and polyols were also significant compositions and they together contributed 14.3 % in the total mass of the quantified organic compounds. While cholesterol was detected from western-style cooking, phytosterols were additionally observed from Chinese-style cooking, and campesterol and polyols were only reported in the present study. Chinese residential cooking emission showed small differences in composition patterns of organic compounds when compared to previously report Chinese restaurant cooking emissions, however, large differences existed when compared to western style cooking. Using cholesterol as a tracer for cooking emissions, in Guangzhou we found cooking emissions contributed 3.9–8.2 % of OC in PM2.5. Spatial distributions of cooking emission contribution were consistent with the distributions of population.

Characterization of humic‐like substances in Arctic aerosols

AbstractHumic‐like substances (HULIS) are a complex group of relatively high molecular weight organic compounds which contribute considerably to the mass of organic carbon (OC) and influence the light‐absorbing properties of aerosols. In this work, HULIS were investigated for the first time in the high‐Arctic atmosphere, focusing on the chemical characterization and mass contribution of HULIS to the total suspended particle (TSP) mass using weekly aerosol samples collected at Station Nord, northeast Greenland every fourth week during 2010. Average HULIS‐C concentration was 11 ng C m−3 during the darker months (November–April) and 4 ng C m−3 during the other months (May–October) with an annual mass concentration of 0.02 ± 0.01 µg m−3. HULIS‐C contributed to 3–16% of water‐soluble organic carbon (WSOC), whereas HULIS accounted for 0.7–4.1% of TSP mass, with TSP typically below 1.0 µg m−3. Concentrations of OC, WSOC, HULIS, selected HULIS functional groups (carboxylic acids, aromatic carboxylic acids, and organosulfates) and levoglucosan overlapped with the typical Arctic haze pattern with elevated concentrations during winter to early spring. The aromatic carboxylic acid portion accounted for a larger share of total carboxylic acid of HULIS during the darker months (7%) compared to the brighter months (3%). The more abundant aromatic carboxylic acid functional groups and the moderate correlation between HULIS and levoglucosan concentrations during the darker months both indicate that biomass burning aerosols and thereby emissions of aromatic compounds could contribute to HULIS in the Arctic, especially during late winter. During the brighter months, relatively higher average molecular weight of HULIS was observed.

On air pollutant variations in the cases of long-range transport of dust particles observed in central Korea in the leeside of China in 2010

The occurrence and transport of dust storms and anthropogenic air pollutants in East Asia have been monitored using the meteorological satellite data of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and ground-based measurements at Cheongwon, a background observation site in central Korea. The nine cases, measured over 14 days, of natural dust particles caused by dust storms originating from northern China and Mongolia were observed at Cheongwon in the spring, autumn, and winter of 2010. In addition, seven cases, measured over 18 days, of anthropogenic dust particles originating from eastern China were observed over the course of a year. In those cases of natural and anthropogenic dust particles observed at Cheongwon, the level of particle matter (PM) with a diameter of ≤10 μm (PM10) (100 μgm−3 day−1) or PM2.5 (50 μgm−3 day−1) exceeded the air quality standards of Korea for 5 and 6 days, respectively. At the same time, CO concentrations rose higher due to long-range transport, while CO levels in the cases of anthropogenic dust particles (954 ppb) rose higher compared with the cases of natural dust particles (812 ppb). While gusty north–northwesterly winds were blowing in the front side of high-pressure systems, an increase in CO concentrations along with the influx of dust storms was observed at Cheongwon in the three natural dust particle cases with continental background airflow (n-CBAs). However, the other six natural dust particle cases with continental polluted airflow (n-CPAs) were also observed where mass concentrations of TSP, PM10 and PM2.5, and CO increased simultaneously after the CO concentrations rose and fell before dust storms had flowed in, showing double peaks. The mass concentrations of total suspended particle (TSP), PM10, and PM2.5 were high, and the PM2.5/TSP mass concentration ratio was high in n-CPAs, compared with n-CBAs. However, the anthropogenic dust particle cases with continental polluted airflow (a-CPA) are affected by air pollutants transported from eastern China by warm southwesterly winds, since central Korea is located in the rear side of the high-pressure system and in the foreside of the low-pressure system. Also, the anthropogenic dust particle cases with regionally polluted airflow (a-RPA) were observed in central Korea due to a stagnant high-pressure system for several days in the Yellow Sea region. In a-CPA, the mass concentrations of TSP, PM10, and PM2.5; the PM2.5/TSP mass concentration ratio; and the CO concentrations were all higher than in a-RPA.