Assessing the sources of particles at an urban background site using both regulatory instruments and low-cost sensors – a comparative study

Abstract. Measurement and source apportionment of atmospheric pollutants are crucial for the assessment of air quality and the implementation of policies for their improvement. In most cases, such measurements use expensive regulatory-grade instruments, which makes it difficult to achieve wide spatial coverage. Low-cost sensors may provide a more affordable alternative, but their capability and reliability in separating distinct sources of particles have not been tested extensively yet. The present study examines the ability of a low-cost optical particle counter (OPC) to identify the sources of particles and conditions that affect particle concentrations at an urban background site in Birmingham, UK. To help evaluate the results, the same analysis is performed on data from a regulatory-grade instrument (SMPS, scanning mobility particle sizer) and compared to the outcomes from the OPC analysis. The analysis of the low-cost sensor data manages to separate periods and atmospheric conditions according to the level of pollution at the site. It also successfully identifies a number of sources for the observed particles, which were also identified using the regulatory-grade instruments. The low-cost sensor, due to the particle size range measured (0.35 to 40 µm), performed rather well in differentiating sources of particles with sizes greater than 1 µm, though its ability to distinguish their diurnal variation, as well as to separate sources of smaller particles, at the site was limited. The current level of source identification demonstrated makes the technique useful for background site studies, where larger particles with smaller temporal variations are of significant importance. This study highlights the current capability of low-cost sensors in source identification and differentiation using clustering approaches. Future directions towards particulate matter source apportionment using low-cost OPCs are highlighted.

Download Full-text

Assessing the sources of particles at an urban background site using both regulatory instruments and low-cost sensors – A comparative study

10.5194/amt-2021-11 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dimitrios Bousiotis ◽

Ajit Singh ◽

Molly Haugen ◽

David C. S. Beddows ◽

Sebastián Diez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Source Apportionment ◽

Source Identification ◽

Low Cost ◽

Atmospheric Pollutants ◽

Atmospheric Conditions ◽

Particle Size Range ◽

Urban Background ◽

Background Site ◽

Spatial Coverage ◽

Urban Background Site

Abstract. Measurement and source apportionment of atmospheric pollutants is crucial for the assessment of air quality and the implementation of policies for its improvement. In most cases, such measurements use expensive regulatory grade instruments, which makes it difficult to achieve wide spatial coverage. Low-cost sensors may provide a more affordable alternative, but their capability and reliability in separating distinct sources of particles have not been tested extensively yet. The present study examines the ability of a low-cost Optical Particle Counter (OPC) to identify the sources of particles and conditions that affect particle concentrations at an urban background site in Birmingham, UK. To help evaluate the results, the same analysis is performed on data from a regulatory-grade instrument (SMPS) and compared to the outcomes from the OPC analysis. The low-cost sensor analysis manages to separate periods and atmospheric conditions according to the level of pollution at the site. It also successfully identifies a number of sources for the observed particles, which were also identified using the regulatory-grade instruments. The low-cost sensor, due to the particle size range measured (0.35 to 40 μm), performed rather well in differentiating sources of particles with sizes greater than 1 μm, though its ability to distinguish their diurnal variation, as well as to separate sources of smaller particles, at the site was limited. The current level of source identification demonstrated makes the technique useful for background site studies, where larger particles with smaller temporal variations are of significant importance. This study highlights the current capability of low-cost sensors in source identification and differentiation using clustering approaches. Future directions towards particulate matter source apportionment using low cost OPCs are highlighted.

Download Full-text

Source apportionment of PM<sub>10</sub> in a North-Western Europe regional urban background site (Lens, France) using Positive Matrix Factorization and including primary biogenic emissions

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions ◽

10.5194/acpd-13-25325-2013 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 25325-25385 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A. Waked ◽

O. Favez ◽

L. Y. Alleman ◽

C. Piot ◽

J.-E. Petit ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Source Apportionment ◽

Biomass Burning ◽

Matrix Factorization ◽

Iteration Process ◽

Positive Matrix Factorization ◽

Biogenic Emissions ◽

Positive Matrix ◽

Urban Background ◽

Background Site ◽

Urban Background Site

Abstract. In this work, the source of ambient particulate matter (PM10) collected over a one year period at an urban background site in Lens (France) were determined and investigated using a~Positive Matrix Factorization receptor model (US EPA PMF v3.0). In addition, a Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) was performed by means of the Hysplit v4.9 model to assess prevailing geographical origins of the identified sources. A selective iteration process was followed for the qualification of the more robust and meaningful PMF solution. Components measured and used in the PMF include inorganic and organic species: soluble ionic species, trace elements, elemental carbon (EC), sugars alcohols, sugar anhydride, and organic carbon (OC). The mean PM10 concentration measured from March 2011 to March 2012 was about 21 μg m−3 with typically OM, nitrate and sulfate contributing to most of the mass and accounting respectively for 5.8, 4.5 and 2.3 μg m−3 on a yearly basis. Accordingly, PMF outputs showed that the main emission sources were (in a decreasing order of contribution): secondary inorganic aerosols (28% of the total PM10 mass), aged marine emissions (19%), with probably predominant contribution of shipping activities, biomass burning (13%), mineral dust (13%), primary biogenic emissions (9%), fresh sea salts (8%), primary traffic emissions (6%) and heavy oil combustion (4%). Significant temporal variations were observed for most of the identified sources. In particular, biomass burning emissions were negligible in summer but responsible for about 25% of total PM10 and 50% of total OC at wintertime. Conversely, primary biogenic emissions were found to be negligible in winter but to represent about 20% of total PM10 and 40% of total OC in summer. The latter result calls for more investigations of primary biogenic aerosols using source apportionment studies, which quite usually disregards this type of sources. This study furthermore underlines the major influence of secondary processes during daily threshold exceedances. Finally, apparent discrepancies that could be generally observed between filter-based studies (such as the present one) and Aerosol Mass Spectrometer-based PMF analyses (organic fractions) are also discussed here.

Download Full-text

Long-term variability, source apportionment and spectral properties of black carbon at an urban background site in Athens, Greece

Atmospheric Environment ◽

10.1016/j.atmosenv.2019.117137 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 222 ◽

pp. 117137 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

E. Liakakou ◽

I. Stavroulas ◽

D.G. Kaskaoutis ◽

G. Grivas ◽

D. Paraskevopoulou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Black Carbon ◽

Source Apportionment ◽

Spectral Properties ◽

Urban Background ◽

Background Site ◽

Urban Background Site

Download Full-text

Source apportionment of fine and coarse particles at a roadside and urban background site in London during the 2012 summer ClearfLo campaign

Environmental Pollution ◽

10.1016/j.envpol.2016.06.002 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 220 ◽

pp. 766-778 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

Leigh R. Crilley ◽

Franco Lucarelli ◽

William J. Bloss ◽

Roy M. Harrison ◽

David C. Beddows ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Source Apportionment ◽

Coarse Particles ◽

Urban Background ◽

Background Site ◽

Urban Background Site

Download Full-text

Chemical composition and source apportionment of PM10 at an urban background site in a high–altitude Latin American megacity (Bogota, Colombia)

Environmental Pollution ◽

10.1016/j.envpol.2017.10.045 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 233 ◽

pp. 142-155 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Omar Ramírez ◽

A.M. Sánchez de la Campa ◽

Fulvio Amato ◽

Ruth A. Catacolí ◽

Néstor Y. Rojas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Composition ◽

High Altitude ◽

Source Apportionment ◽

Latin American ◽

Urban Background ◽

Background Site ◽

Urban Background Site

Download Full-text

Source apportionment of PM<sub>10</sub> in a north-western Europe regional urban background site (Lens, France) using positive matrix factorization and including primary biogenic emissions

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-14-3325-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (7) ◽

pp. 3325-3346 ◽

Cited By ~ 122

Author(s):

A. Waked ◽

O. Favez ◽

L. Y. Alleman ◽

C. Piot ◽

J.-E. Petit ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Source Apportionment ◽

Biomass Burning ◽

Matrix Factorization ◽

Iteration Process ◽

Positive Matrix Factorization ◽

Biogenic Emissions ◽

Positive Matrix ◽

Urban Background ◽

Background Site ◽

Urban Background Site

Abstract. In this work, the source of ambient particulate matter (PM10) collected over a one-year period at an urban background site in Lens (France) was determined and investigated using a positive matrix factorization receptor model (US EPA PMF v3.0). In addition, a potential source contribution function (PSCF) was performed by means of the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (Hysplit) v4.9 model to assess prevailing geographical origins of the identified sources. A selective iteration process was followed for the qualification of the more robust and meaningful PMF solution. Components measured and used in the PMF included inorganic and organic species: soluble ionic species, trace elements, elemental carbon (EC), sugar alcohols, sugar anhydride, and organic carbon (OC). The mean PM10 concentration measured from March 2011 to March 2012 was about 21 μg m−3 with typically OM, nitrate and sulfate contributing to most of the mass and accounting respectively for 5.8, 4.5 and 2.3 μg m−3 on a yearly basis. Accordingly, PMF outputs showed that the main emission sources were (in decreasing order of contribution) secondary inorganic aerosols (28% of the total PM10 mass), aged marine emissions (19%), with probably predominant contribution of shipping activities, biomass burning (13%), mineral dust (13%), primary biogenic emissions (9%), fresh sea salts (8%), primary traffic emissions (6%) and heavy oil combustion (4%). Significant temporal variations were observed for most of the identified sources. In particular, biomass burning emissions were negligible in summer but responsible for about 25% of total PM10 and 50% of total OC in wintertime. Conversely, primary biogenic emissions were found to be negligible in winter but to represent about 20% of total PM10 and 40% of total OC in summer. The latter result calls for more investigations of primary biogenic aerosols using source apportionment studies, which quite usually disregard this type of source. This study further underlines the major influence of secondary processes during daily threshold exceedances. Finally, apparent discrepancies that could be generally observed between filter-based studies (such as the present one) and aerosol mass spectrometer-based PMF analyses (organic fractions) are also discussed.

Download Full-text