Chemical characterization of fine particles (PM2.5) at a coastal site in the South Western Mediterranean during the ChArMex experiment

Abstract. An Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM, Aerodyne Research Inc.) was deployed at Montseny (MSY, 720 m a.s.l.) regional background site in the Western Mediterranean from June 2012 to July 2013 to measure real-time inorganic (nitrate, sulphate, ammonium and chloride) and organic submicron aerosol concentrations. Co-located measurements were also carried out including real-time submicron particulate matter (PM1) and black carbon (BC) concentrations, and off-line PM1 chemical analysis. This is one of the few studies that compare ACSM data with off-line PM1 measurements, avoiding the tail of the coarse mode included in the PM2.5 fraction. The ACSM + BC concentrations agreed with the PM1 measurements, and strong correlation was found between the concentrations of ACSM species and the off-line measurements, although some discrepancies remain unexplained. Results point to a current underestimation of the relative ionization efficiency (RIE) established for organic aerosol (OA), which should be revised in the future. The OA was the major component of submicron aerosol (53% of PM1), with a higher contribution in summer (58% of PM1) than in winter (45% of PM1). Source apportionment of OA was carried out by applying Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) using the Multilinear Engine (ME-2) to the organic mass spectral data matrix. Three sources were identified in summer: hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA), low-volatile oxygenated OA (LV-OOA), and semi-volatile oxygenated OA (SV-OOA). The secondary OA (SOA, 4.7 μg m−3, sum of LV-OOA and SV-OOA) accounted for 85% of the total OA and its formation during daytime (mainly SV-OOA) was estimated to be 1.1 μg m−3. In winter, HOA was also identified (12% of OA), a contribution from biomass burning OA was included, and it was not possible to differentiate two different SOA factors but a single OOA factor was resolved. The OOA contribution represented the 60% of the total OA, with a degree of oxidation higher than both OOA summer factors. An intense wildfire episode was studied obtaining a region-specific BBOA profile.

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Chemical characterization of fine particles from on-road vehicles in the Wutong tunnel in Shenzhen, China

Chemosphere ◽

10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.06.051 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 62 (10) ◽

pp. 1565-1573 ◽

Cited By ~ 54

Author(s):

Ling-Yan He ◽

Min Hu ◽

Xiao-Feng Huang ◽

Yuan-Hang Zhang ◽

Ben-De Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fine Particles ◽

Chemical Characterization ◽

Road Vehicles

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Chemical characterization of submicron regional background aerosols in the western Mediterranean using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-15-6379-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 15 (11) ◽

pp. 6379-6391 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

M. C. Minguillón ◽

A. Ripoll ◽

N. Pérez ◽

A. S. H. Prévôt ◽

F. Canonaco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Chemical Speciation ◽

Chemical Characterization ◽

Western Mediterranean ◽

Data Matrix ◽

Mass Spectral ◽

Submicron Aerosol ◽

Regional Background ◽

Multilinear Engine

Abstract. An Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM, Aerodyne Research Inc.) was deployed at the Montseny (MSY; 41° 46'46" N, 02° 21'29" E, 720 m a.s.l.) regional background site in the western Mediterranean, Spain, from June 2012 to July 2013 to measure real-time inorganic (nitrate, sulfate, ammonium and chloride) and organic submicron aerosol concentrations. Co-located measurements, including real-time submicron particulate matter (PM1) and black carbon (BC) concentrations, and off-line PM1 chemical analysis were also carried out. This is one of the few studies that compare ACSM data with off-line PM1 measurements, avoiding the tail of the coarse mode included in the PM2.5 fraction. The ACSM + BC concentrations agreed with the PM1 measurements, and a strong correlation was found between the concentrations of ACSM species and the off-line measurements, although some discrepancies remain unexplained. Results point to a current underestimation of the relative ionization efficiency (RIE) established for organic aerosol (OA), which should be revised in the future. The OA was the major component of submicron aerosol (53% of PM1), with a higher contribution in summer (58% of PM1) than in winter (45% of PM1). Source apportionment of OA was carried out by applying positive matrix factorization (PMF), using the multilinear engine (ME-2) to the organic mass spectral data matrix. Three sources were identified in summer: hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA), low-volatile oxygenated OA (LV-OOA), and semi-volatile oxygenated OA (SV-OOA). The secondary OA (SOA; 4.8 μg m−3, sum of LV-OOA and SV-OOA) accounted for 85% of the total OA, and its formation during daytime (mainly SV-OOA) was estimated to be 1.1 μg m−3. In winter, HOA was also identified (12% of OA), a contribution from biomass burning OA (BBOA) was included and it was not possible to differentiate between two different SOA factors, but a single oxygenated OA (OOA) factor was resolved. The OOA contribution represented 60% of the total OA, with a degree of oxidation higher than both OOA summer factors. An intense wildfire episode was studied, obtaining a region-specific BBOA profile.

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Fine particles sampled at an urban background site and an industrialized coastal site in Northern France — Part 1: Seasonal variations and chemical characterization

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.11.165 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 578 ◽

pp. 203-218 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

V. Crenn ◽

I. Fronval ◽

D. Petitprez ◽

V. Riffault

Keyword(s):

Seasonal Variations ◽

Fine Particles ◽

Chemical Characterization ◽

Coastal Site ◽

Urban Background ◽

Background Site ◽

Northern France ◽

Urban Background Site

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The Analysis of Discrete Fine Particles by Raman Spectroscopy

Applied Spectroscopy ◽

10.1366/000370275774455752 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 396-404 ◽

Cited By ~ 136

Author(s):

G. J. Rosasco ◽

E. S. Etz ◽

W. A. Cassatt

Keyword(s):

Raman Spectroscopy ◽

Organic Compounds ◽

Raman Spectra ◽

Fine Particles ◽

Chemical Characterization ◽

Solid Particles ◽

Laser Raman ◽

Linear Dimensions ◽

Conventional Laser

A conventional laser Raman spectrometer has been modified and used to obtain useful Raman spectra from discrete solid particles as small as 0.7 µm in linear dimensions. Spectra obtained from single, micrometer-sized particles of several inorganic and organic compounds are reported. Simplified calculations are discussed which provide an estimate of detectability levels and other problems associated with these measurements. Certain parameters that must be considered in the design of an instrument especially intended for use in the chemical characterization of single fine particles are reviewed in the light of this work.

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