scholarly journals Simplifying aerosol size distributions modes simultaneously detected at four monitoring sites during SAPUSS

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 2973-2986 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Brines ◽  
M. Dall'Osto ◽  
D.C.S. Beddows ◽  
R. M. Harrison ◽  
X. Querol

Abstract. The analysis of aerosol size distributions is a useful tool for understanding the sources and the processes influencing particle number concentrations (N) in urban areas. Hence, during the one-month SAPUSS campaign (Solving Aerosol Problems by Using Synergistic Strategies, EU Marie Curie Action) in autumn 2010 in Barcelona (Spain), four SMPSs (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer) were simultaneously deployed at four monitoring sites: a road side (RSsite), an urban background site located in the city (UBsite), an urban background site located in the nearby hills of the city (Torre Collserola, TCsite) and a regional background site located about 50 km from the Barcelona urban areas (RBsite). The spatial distribution of sites allows study of the aerosol temporal variability as well as the spatial distribution, progressively moving away from urban aerosol sources. In order to interpret the data sets collected, a k-means cluster analysis was performed on the combined SMPS data sets. This resulted in nine clusters describing all aerosol size distributions from the four sites. In summary there were three main categories (with three clusters in each category): "Traffic" (Traffic 1, "Tclus_1" – 8%; Traffic 2, "Tclus_2" – 13%; and Traffic 3, "Tclus_3" – 9%) "Background Pollution" (Urban Background 1, "UBclus_1" – 21%; Regional Background 1, "RBclus_1" – 15%; and Regional Background 2, "RBclus_2" – 18%) and "Special Cases" (Nucleation, "NUclus" – 5%; Regional Nitrate, "NITclus" – 6%; and Mix, "MIXclus" – 5%). As expected, the frequency of traffic clusters (Tclus_1–3) followed the order RSsite, UBsite, TCsite, and RBsite. These showed typical traffic modes mainly distributed at 20–40 nm. The urban background sites (UBsite and TCsite) reflected also as expected urban background number concentrations (average values, N = 1.0 × 104 cm−3 and N = 5.5 × 103 cm−3, respectively, relative to 1.3 × 104 cm−3 seen at RSsite). The cluster describing the urban background pollution (UBclus_1) could be used to monitor the sea breeze circulation towards the regional background study area. Overall, the RBsite was mainly characterised by two different regional background aerosol size distributions: whilst both exhibited low N (2.7 × 103 for RBclus_1 and 2.2 × 103 cm−3 for RBclus_2), RBclus_1 had average PM10 concentrations higher than RBclus_2 (27 vs. 23 μg m−3). As regards the minor aerosol size distribution clusters, the "Nucleation" cluster was observed during daytime, whilst the "Regional Nitrate" was mainly seen at night. The ninth cluster ("Mix") was the least well defined and likely composed of a number of aerosol sources. When correlating averaged values of N, NO2 and PM (particulate mass) for each k-means cluster, a linear correlation between N and NO2 with values progressively increasing from the regional site RBsite to the road site RSsite was found. This points to vehicular traffic as the main source of both N and NO2. By contrast, such an association does not exist for the case of the nucleation cluster, where the highest N is found with low NO2 and PM. Finally, the clustering technique allowed study of the impact of meteorological parameters on the traffic N emissions. This study confirms the shrinking of freshly emitted particles (by about 20% within 1 km in less than 10 min; Dall'Osto et al., 2011a) as particles are transported from the traffic hot spots towards urban background environments. Additionally, for a given well-defined aerosol size distribution (Tclus_2) associated with primary aerosol emissions from road traffic we found that N5–15 nm concentrations can vary up to a factor of eight. Within our measurement range of SMPSs (N15–228 nm) and Condensation Particle Counters (CPCs, N>5 nm), we found that ultrafine particles within the range 5–15 nm in urban areas are the most dynamic, being a complex ensemble of primary evaporating traffic particles, traffic tailpipe new particle formation and non-traffic new particle formation.

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 27387-27422
Author(s):  
M. Brines ◽  
M. Dall'Osto ◽  
D. C. S. Beddows ◽  
R. M. Harrison ◽  
X. Querol

Abstract. The analysis of aerosol size distributions is a useful tool for understanding the sources and the processes influencing particle number concentrations (N) in urban areas. Hence, during the one month SAPUSS campaign (Solving Aerosol Problems by Using Synergistic Strategies, EU Marie Curie Action) in autumn 2010 in Barcelona (Spain), four SMPS (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizers) were simultaneously deployed at four monitoring sites: a road side (RSsite), an urban background site located in the city (UBsite), an urban background located in the nearby hills of the city (Torre Collserola, TCsite) and a regional background site located about fifty km from the Barcelona urban areas (RBsite). The spatial distribution of sites allows study of the aerosol temporal variability as well as the spatial distribution, progressively moving away from urban aerosol sources. In order to interpret the datasets collected, a k-means cluster analysis was performed on the combined SMPS datasets. This resulted in nine clusters describing all aerosol size distributions from the four sites. In summary there were three main categories (with three clusters in each category): "Traffic" (Traffic 1 "Tclus1" – 8%, Traffic 2 "Tclus2" – 13%, Traffic 3, "Tclus3" – 9%), "Background Pollution" (Urban Background 1 "UBclus1" – 21%, Regional Background 1, "RBclus1" – 15%, Regional Background 2, "RBclus2" – 18%) and "Special cases" (Nucleation "NUclus" – 5%, Regional Nitrate, "NITclus" – 6%, and Mix "MIXclus" – 5%). As expected, the frequency of traffic clusters (Tclus1–3) followed the order RSsite, UBsite, TCsite, and RBsite. These showed typical traffic modes mainly distributed at 20–40 nm. The urban background sites (UBsite and TCsite) reflected also as expected urban background number concentrations (average values, N = 2.4×104 cm−3 relative to 1.2×105 cm−3 seen at RSsite). The cluster describing the urban background pollution (UBclus1) could be used to monitor the sea breeze circulation towards the regional background study area. Overall, the RBsite was mainly characterised by two different regional background aerosol size distributions: whilst both exhibited low N (2.6×103 for RBclus1 and 2.3×103 cm−3 for RBclus2), RBclus1 had average PM10 concentrations higher than RBclus1 (30 vs. 23 μg m−3). As regards the minor aerosol size distribution clusters, the "Nucleation" cluster was observed during daytime whilst the "Regional Nitrate" was mainly seen at night. The ninth cluster ("Mix") was the least well defined and likely composed of a number of aerosol sources. When correlating averaged values of N, NO2 and PM (particulate mass) for each k-means cluster, a linear correlation between N and NO2 with values progressively increasing from the regional site RBsite to the road site RSsite was found. This points to vehicular traffic as the main source of both N and NO2. By contrast, such an association does not exist for the case of the nucleation cluster, where the highest N is found with low NO2 and PM. Finally, the clustering technique allowed study of the impact of meteorological parameters on the traffic N emissions. This study confirms the shrinking of freshly emitted particles (by about 20% within 1 km in less than 10 min; Dall'Osto et al., 2011a) as particles are transported from the traffic hot spots towards urban background environments. Additionally, for a given well defined aerosol size distribution (Tclus2) associated to primary aerosol emissions from road traffic we found that N5–15 nm concentrations can vary up to a factor of eight. Within our measurement range (5–228 nm), we found that ultrafine particles within the range 5–15 nm are the most dynamic, being a complex ensemble of primary evaporating traffic particles, traffic tailpipe new particle formation and non-traffic new particle formation.


1982 ◽  
Vol 60 (8) ◽  
pp. 1101-1107
Author(s):  
C. V. Mathai ◽  
A. W. Harrison

As part of an ongoing general research program on the effects of atmospheric aerosols on visibility and its dependence on aerosol size distributions in Calgary, this paper presents the results of a comparative study of particle size distribution and visibility in residential (NW) and industrial (SE) sections of the city using a mobile laboratory. The study was conducted in the period October–December, 1979. An active scattering aerosol spectrometer measured the size distributions and the corresponding visibilities were deduced from scattering coefficients measured with an integrating nephelometer.The results of this transit study show significantly higher suspended particle concentrations and reduced visibilities in the SE than in the NW. The mean values of the visibilities are 44 and 97 km for the SE and the NW respectively. The exponent of R (particle radius) in the power law aerosol size distribution has a mean value of −3.36 ± 0.24 in the SE compared with the corresponding value of −3.89 ± 0.39 for the NW. These results arc in good agreement with the observations of Alberta Environment; however, they are in contradiction with a recent report published by the City of Calgary.


2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 16603-16646 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Dall'Osto ◽  
X. Querol ◽  
A. Alastuey ◽  
C. O'Dowd ◽  
R. M. Harrison ◽  
...  

Abstract. Sources and evolution of ultrafine particles (<0.1 μ m diameter) were investigated both horizontally and vertically in the large urban agglomerate of Barcelona, Spain. Within the SAPUSS project (Solving Aerosol Problems by Using Synergistic Strategies), a large number of instruments was deployed simultaneously at different monitoring sites (road, two urban background, regional background, urban tower 150 μa.s.l., urban background tower site 80 m a.s.l.) during a 4 week period in September-October 2010. Particle number concentrations (N>5nm) are highly correlated with black carbon (BC) at all sites only under strong vehicular traffic influences. By contrast, under clean atmospheric conditions (low condensation sinks, CS) such correlation diverges towards much higher N/BC ratios at all sites, indicating additional sources of particles including secondary production of freshly nucleated particles. This is also evident in the urban background annual mean diurnal trend of N/BC, showing a midday peak in all seasons. Size-resolved aerosol distributions (N10-500) as well as particle number concentrations (N>5nm) allow us to identify two types of nucleation and growth events: a regional type event originating in the whole study region and impacting almost simultaneously the urban city of Barcelona and the surrounding background area; and an urban type which originates only within the city centre but whose growth continues while transported away from the city to the regional background. Furthermore, during these clean air days, higher N are found at tower level than at ground level only in the city centre whereas such a difference is not so pronounced at the remote urban background tower. In other words, this study suggests that the column of air above the city ground level possesses the best compromise between low CS and high vapour source, hence enhancing the concentrations of freshly nucleated particles. By contrast, within stagnant polluted atmospheric conditions, higher N and BC concentrations are always measured at ground level relative to tower level at all sites. Our study suggests that the city centre is a source of both non-volatile traffic primary (29–39%) and secondary freshly nucleated particles (up to 61–71%) at all sites. We suggest that organic compounds evaporating from freshly emitted traffic particles are a possible candidate for new particle formation within the city and urban plume.


Gefahrstoffe ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (06) ◽  
pp. 217-226
Author(s):  
H. D. Alas ◽  
S. Pfeifer ◽  
A. Wiesner ◽  
B. Wehner ◽  
K. Weinhold ◽  
...  

Mobile measurements of PM2.5 and black carbon (BC) mass concentrations were performed near regular monitoring stations in order to gain deeper understanding of the drivers of pedestrian exposure to traffic-related air pollution. The following investigations have been done: A) Yearlong measurements in an area around a street canyon approximately 3 km airline distance from the city center of Leipzig showed that the spatial distributions of both pollutants are elevated during wintertime. The patterns of the BC mass concentration, however, consistently showed a strong influence from traffic emissions in the street, while the PM2.5 mass concentration was more dependent on the regional background and less on urban sources. B) Measurements in the city of Dresden near two regular monitoring stations, one at a roadside and one in urban background areas revealed differences between the two in terms of the BC mass concentrations, with slightly higher concentrations at the traffic area. However, no significant differences between the spatial distributions of PM2.5 mass concentrations were observed. The background measurements of the PM2.5 mass concentrations seem to be generally representative for the residential area. C) Measurements near a regular monitoring station located at a junction of the inner-city ring road of Leipzig showed that it is representative of its immediate vicinity in terms of BC mass concentrations. However, the PM2.5 mass concentration varied by a factor 2, reaching the highest levels near in the central tram station about 200 m away. The central tram station seems to significantly influence the PM2.5 mass concentration. These results of the three studies provide a better understanding of the variability of these two parameters in urban areas in Leipzig and Dresden, helping local policy makers to interpret better the measured air pollution.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pekka Rantala ◽  
Leena Järvi ◽  
Risto Taipale ◽  
Terhi K. Laurila ◽  
Johanna Patokoski ◽  
...  

Abstract. We measured volatile organic compounds (VOC), carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) at an urban background site near the city centre of Helsinki, Finland, Northern Europe. The VOC and CO2 measurements were obtained between January 2013 and September 2014 whereas for CO a shorter measurement campaign in April–May 2014 was conducted. Both anthropogenic and biogenic sources were identified for VOCs in the study. Strong correlations between VOC fluxes and CO fluxes and traffic rates indicated anthropogenic source of many VOCs. The VOC with highest emission to the atmosphere was methanol which originated mostly from traffic and other anthropogenic sources. Traffic was also a major source for aromatic compounds in all seasons whereas isoprene was mostly emitted from biogenic sources during summer. Small traffic related isoprene emissions were detected during other seasons. Generally, the VOC fluxes were found to be small compared with previous urban VOC flux studies. However, the differences were probably caused by lower anthropogenic activities as the CO2 fluxes were also relatively small at the site.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 741-759 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Dall'Osto ◽  
X. Querol ◽  
A. Alastuey ◽  
C. O'Dowd ◽  
R. M. Harrison ◽  
...  

Abstract. Sources and evolution of ultrafine particles were investigated both horizontally and vertically in the large urban agglomerate of Barcelona, Spain. Within the SAPUSS project (Solving Aerosol Problems by Using Synergistic Strategies), a large number of instruments was deployed simultaneously at different monitoring sites (road, two urban background, regional background, urban tower 150 m a.s.l., urban background tower site 80 m a.s.l.) during a 4 week period in September–October 2010. Particle number concentrations (N>5 nm) are highly correlated with black carbon (BC) at all sites only under strong vehicular traffic influences. By contrast, under cleaner atmospheric conditions (low condensation sink, CS) such correlation diverges towards much higher N/BC ratios at all sites, indicating additional sources of particles including secondary production of freshly nucleated particles. Size-resolved aerosol distributions (N10–500) as well as particle number concentrations (N>5 nm) allow us to identify three types of nucleation and growth events: (1) a regional type event originating in the whole study region and impacting almost simultaneously the urban city of Barcelona and the surrounding urban background area; (2) a regional type event impacting only the regional background area but not the urban agglomerate; (3) an urban type event which originates only within the city centre but whose growth continues while transported away from the city to the regional background. Furthermore, during these clean air days, higher N are found at tower level than at ground level only in the city centre whereas such a difference is not so pronounced at the remote urban background tower. In other words, this study suggests that the column of air above the city ground level possesses the optimal combination between low CS and high vapour source, hence enhancing the concentrations of freshly nucleated particles. By contrast, within stagnant polluted atmospheric conditions, higher N and BC concentrations are always measured at ground level relative to tower level at all sites. Our study suggests that the city centre of Barcelona is a source of non-volatile traffic primary particles (29–39% of N>5 nm), but other sources, including secondary freshly nucleated particles contribute up to 61–71% of particle number (N>5 nm) at all sites. We suggest that organic compounds evaporating from freshly emitted traffic particles are a possible candidate for new particle formation within the city and urban plume.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (15) ◽  
pp. 7465-7482 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Mohr ◽  
R. Richter ◽  
P. F. DeCarlo ◽  
A. S. H. Prévôt ◽  
U. Baltensperger

Abstract. Mobile measurements of PM1 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <1 μm) chemical composition using a quadrupole aerosol mass spectrometer and a multi-angle absorption photometer were performed using the PSI mobile laboratory during winter 2007/2008 and December 2008 in the metropolitan area of Zurich, Switzerland. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) applied to the organic fraction of PM1 yielded 3 factors: Hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) related to traffic emissions; organic aerosol from wood burning for domestic heating purposes (WBOA); and oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA), assigned to secondary organic aerosol formed by oxidation of volatile precursors. The chemical composition of PM1 was assessed for an urban background site and various sites throughout the city. The background site is dominated by secondary inorganic and organic species (57 %), BC, HOA, and WBOA account for 15 %, 6 %, and 12 %, respectively. As for the other sites, HOA is important along major roads (varying between 7 and 14 % of PM1 for different sites within the city, average all sites 8 %), domestic wood burning makes up between 8–15 % of PM1 for different sites within the city (average all sites 10.5 %). OOA makes up the largest fraction of organic aerosol (44 % on average). A new method allows for the separation and quantification of the local fraction of PM1 emitted or rapidly formed in the city, and the fraction of PM1 originating from the urban background. The method is based on simultaneous on-road mobile and stationary background measurements and the correction of small-scale meteorological effects using the ratio of on-road sulfate to stationary sulfate. Especially during thermal inversions over the Swiss plateau, urban background concentrations contribute substantially to particulate number concentrations (between 40 and 80 % depending on meteorological conditions and emissions, 60 % on average) as well as to the mass concentrations of PM1 components measured on road in downtown Zurich (between 30 and 90 %, on average 60 % for black carbon and HOA, and between 90 and 100 % for WBOA, OOA, and the measured inorganic components). The results emphasize, on a scientific level, the advantage of mobile measurements for distinguishing local from regional air pollution research, and on a political level, the importance of regional collaboration for mitigating air pollution issues.


2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 7981-8007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pekka Rantala ◽  
Leena Järvi ◽  
Risto Taipale ◽  
Terhi K. Laurila ◽  
Johanna Patokoski ◽  
...  

Abstract. We measured volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) at an urban background site near the city centre of Helsinki, Finland, northern Europe. The VOC and CO2 measurements were obtained between January 2013 and September 2014 whereas for CO a shorter measurement campaign in April–May 2014 was conducted. Both anthropogenic and biogenic sources were identified for VOCs in the study. Strong correlations between VOC fluxes and CO fluxes and traffic rates indicated anthropogenic source of many VOCs. The VOC with the highest emission rate to the atmosphere was methanol, which originated mostly from traffic and other anthropogenic sources. The traffic was also a major source for aromatic compounds in all seasons whereas isoprene was mostly emitted from biogenic sources during summer. Some amount of traffic-related isoprene emissions were detected during other seasons but this might have also been an instrumental contamination from cycloalkane products. Generally, the observed VOC fluxes were found to be small in comparison with previous urban VOC flux studies. However, the differences were probably caused by lower anthropogenic activities as the CO2 fluxes were also relatively small at the site.


2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 116-123
Author(s):  
A. P. Korzh ◽  
T. V. Zahovalko

Recently, the number of published works devoted to the processes of synanthropization of fauna, is growing like an avalanche, which indicates the extreme urgency of this theme. In our view, the process of forming devices to coexist with human and the results of his life reflects the general tandency of the modern nature evolution. Urbanization is characteristic for such a specific group of animals like amphibians, the evidence of which are numerous literature data. Many researchers use this group to assess the bioindicative quality of the environment. For this aim a variety of indicators are used: from the cellular level of life of organization up to the species composition of the group in different territories. At the same time, the interpretation of the results is not always comparable for different areas and often have significantly different interpretations by experts. Urban environment, primarily due to the contamination is extremely aggressive to amphibians. As a consequence, the urban populations of amphibians may be a change in the demographic structure, affecting the reproductive ability of the population, the disappearance of the most sensitive species or individuals, resizing animals, the appearance of abnormalities in the development, etc. At the same time play an important amphibians in the ecosystems of cities, and some species in these conditions even feel relatively comfortable. Therefore, it is interesting to understand the mechanisms of self-sustaining populations of amphibians in urban environments. To assess the impact of natural and anthropogenic factors on the development of amphibian populations were used cognitive modeling using the program Vensim PLE. Cognitive map of the model for urban and suburban habitat conditions were the same. The differences concerned the strength of connections between individual factors (migration, fertility, pollution) and their orientation. In general, factors like pollution, parasites, predators had negative impact on the population, reducing its number. The birth rate, food and migration contributed to raising number of individuals. Some of the factors affected on the strength to of each other as well: the majority of the factors affected the structure of the population, had an influence on the fertility. Thanks to it the model reflects the additive effect of complex of factors on the subsequent status of the population. Proposed and analyzed four scenarios differing strength and duration of exposure. In the first scenario, a one-time contamination occurs and not subsequently repeated. The second and third scenario assumes half board contamination, 1 year (2 scenario) and two years (scenario 3). In the fourth scenario, the pollution affected the population of amphibians constantly. In accordance with the results of simulation, much weaker than the natural populations respond to pollution - have them as an intensive population growth and its disappearance at constant pollution is slow. Changes to other parameters of the model showed that this pollution is the decisive factor -only the constant action leads to a lethal outcome for the populations. All other components of the model have a corrective effect on the population dynamics, without changing its underlying trand. In urban areas due to the heavy impact of pollution maintaining the population is only possible thanks to the migration process – the constant replenishment of diminishing micropopulations of natural reserves. This confirms the assumption that the form of existence metapopulations lake frog in the city. In order to maintain the number of amphibians in urban areas at a high level it is necessary to maintain existing migration routes and the creation of new ones. Insular nature of the placement of suitable habitats in urban areas causes the metapopulation structure of the types of urbanists. Therefore, the process of urbanization is much easier for those species whicht are capable of migration in conditions of city. In the initial stages of settling the city micropopulationis formed by selective mortality of the most susceptible individuals to adverse effects. In future, maintaining the categories of individuals is provided mainly due to migration processes metapopulisation form of the species of existence is supported). It should be noted that the changes in the previous levels are always saved in future. In the case of reorganizations of individuals we of morphology can assume the existence of extremely adverse environmental conditions that threaten the extinction of the micropopulations. 


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document