Characterization of gaseous and particulate phase organic compounds during a winter-time air pollution event

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Kammer ◽  
Niall O’Sullivan ◽  
Elena Gomez Alvarez ◽  
Stig Hellebust ◽  
John Wenger
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Solid Fuel ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Phase Transfer ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Particulate Phase ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Field Campaign ◽  
Pollution Event

<p><strong> Abstract</strong></p><p>Atmospheric particles are known to cause adverse health effects and premature deaths in European cities. To improve air quality, a detailed understanding of particle sources is thus essential in order to reduce their emissions. Secondary organic aerosols (SOA) produced from the oxidation of volatile organic compounds emitted by anthropogenic sources such as road vehicles and solid fuel combustion is an important air pollution source in urban areas. It is demonstrated that SOA contribute significantly to the atmospheric particle loading, and could even be the major contributor at specific locations. Yet, state of the art models are still not able to reproduce SOA formation despite recent advances. Clearly, further work is needed to improve our understanding of the processes related to SOA formation.</p><p>In this context, a field campaign has been conducted at a monitoring station in Cork City, Ireland during winter 2019 (26<sup>th</sup> January to 8<sup>th</sup> February). The chemical composition of organic compounds in both gas and particle phases was investigated online using a Time-of-Flight Chemical Ionisation Mass Spectrometer (ToF-CIMS) coupled with a Filter Inlet for Gases and Aerosols (FIGAERO). PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration, ozone and nitrogen oxides (NO<sub>x</sub>) were also monitored during the campaign, as well as meteorological parameters. Finally, air mass backward trajectories were computed using the HYSPLIT model.</p><p>A strong night-time air pollution event was observed during the field campaign, characterized by PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations up to 180 µg m<sup>-3</sup>. Using iodide as reagent, the FIGAERO-ToF-CIMS detected hundreds of ions simultaneously in gas and particulate phases. Among the identified compounds were a range of well-known atmospheric tracers of solid fuel burning, including phenolic compounds such as guaiacol and catechol, and numerous oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OPAHs). A number of nitrated aromatic compounds were also detected. In this work, the gas/particle partitioning of some of these key compounds has been investigated to provide information on phase transfer of solid fuel emissions over time. The thermograms produced by the FIGAERO analysis are also used to determine the volatility of the species detected. Finally, the FIGAERO-ToF-CIMS data is used to explore the extent to which oxidation of the gaseous emissions by the nitrate radical (NO<sub>3</sub>) leads to the formation of nitrated compounds in the particulate phase. This work thus provides unique insights into the night-time oxidation processes that can lead to SOA formation from anthropogenic sources.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Acknowledgments</strong></p><p>This work was supported by the Irish Research Council (GOIPG/2017/1364) and by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (EUROCHAMP-2020, grant no. 730997; Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 751527).</p>

scholarly journals Characterising populations living close to intensive farming and composting facilities in England

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippa Douglas ◽  
Daniela Fecht ◽  
Deborah Jarvis
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Population Characteristics ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Intensive Farming ◽  
Urban Classification ◽  
Risk Management Strategies ◽  
Composting Facilities ◽  
Composting Facility

Abstract Bioaerosol exposure has been linked to adverse respiratory conditions. Intensive farming and composting facilities are important anthropogenic sources of bioaerosols. We aimed to characterise populations living close to intensive farming and composting facilities. We also infer whether the public are becoming more concerned about anthropogenic bioaerosol emissions, using reports of air pollution related incidents attributed to facilities. We mapped the location of 1,257 intensive farming and 310 composting facilities in England in relation to the resident population and its characteristics (sex and age), area characteristics (deprivation proxy and rural/urban classification) and school locations stratified by pre-defined distance bands from these bioaerosol sources. We also calculated the average number of air pollution related incidents per year per facility. We found that more than 16% of the population and 15% of schools are located within 4,828 m of an intensive farming facility or 4,000 m of a composting facility; few people (0.01 %) live very close to these sites and tend to be older people. Close to composting facilities, populations are more likely to be urban and more deprived. The number of incidents were attributed to a small proportion of facilities; population characteristics around these facilities were similar. Results indicate that populations living near composting facilities (particularly>250 to ⩽ 4,000 m) are mostly located in urban areas (80%–88% of the population), which supports the need for more community health studies to be conducted. Results could also be used to inform risk management strategies at facilities with higher numbers of incidents.

scholarly journals Alkyl nitrates in the boreal forest: formation via the NO<sub>3</sub>-, OH- and O<sub>3</sub>-induced oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds and ambient lifetimes

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (15) ◽  
pp. 10391-10403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Liebmann ◽  
Nicolas Sobanski ◽  
Jan Schuladen ◽  
Einar Karu ◽  
Heidi Hellén ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Volatile Organic Compounds ◽  
Boreal Forest ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
High Reactivity ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Reactive Nitrogen ◽  
Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Alkyl Nitrates ◽  
Volatile Organic

Abstract. The formation of alkyl nitrates in various oxidation processes taking place throughout the diel cycle can represent an important sink of reactive nitrogen and mechanism for chain termination in atmospheric photo-oxidation cycles. The low-volatility alkyl nitrates (ANs) formed from biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), especially terpenoids, enhance rates of production and growth of secondary organic aerosol. Measurements of the NO3 reactivity and the mixing ratio of total alkyl nitrates (ΣANs) in the Finnish boreal forest enabled assessment of the relative importance of NO3-, O3- and OH-initiated formation of alkyl nitrates from BVOCs in this environment. The high reactivity of the forest air towards NO3 resulted in reactions of the nitrate radical, with terpenes contributing substantially to formation of ANs not only during the night but also during daytime. Overall, night-time reactions of NO3 accounted for 49 % of the local production rate of ANs, with contributions of 21 %, 18 % and 12 % for NO3, OH and O3 during the day. The lifetimes of the gas-phase ANs formed in this environment were on the order of 2 h due to efficient uptake to aerosol (and dry deposition), resulting in the transfer of reactive nitrogen from anthropogenic sources to the forest ecosystem.

scholarly journals Understanding the environmental factors related to the decrease in Pediatric Emergency Department referrals for acute asthma during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arianna Dondi ◽  
Ludovica Betti ◽  
Claudio Carbone ◽  
Ada Dormi ◽  
Marco Paglione ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Acute Asthma ◽  
Pediatric Emergency ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Pediatric Emergency Department ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Specific Chemical ◽  
Asthma Exacerbations

Background: Asthma exacerbations, a common reason for Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) referral, can be triggered by multiple factors, including infections, air pollution and allergens. Lockdown measures and other public health interventions during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic determined radical changes to behavioral and social habits, that were reflected by a reduction in the transmission of all respiratory pathogens and in the emissions of relevant air pollution anthropogenic sources. Objective: This study aims to describe how restrictions during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic impacted the PED referral for asthma exacerbations and their potentially associated environmental triggers in densely populated urban areas. Methods: PED referrals for acute asthma from 2015 to 2020 were compared to air pollution and pollen data. To this purpose, historical daily concentration records of PM2.5, PM10 (including specific chemical tracers), as well as NO2, C6H6, tree, grass and weed pollen were analyzed. Results: In 2020, asthma-related PED referrals decreased up to 85%, compared to the average referral rate of the previous 5 years (P<0.01). The drastic drop in PED referrals was associated with a reduction of high-priority cases by 50-60%, unlike PED referrals for overall diagnoses, showing a larger contribution for severe outcomes. A concomitant diminished contribution of traffic-related air pollution was shown. Conclusions: The lower rate of asthma exacerbations in childhood can be related to synergic interactions of the multiple effects of lockdown measures which induced lower viral infection rates and decreased exposure to outdoor allergens. The reduction of traffic-related air pollution determined a weakening of inflammatory properties of urban PM.

VALORIZATION OF THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT OF SOUTH SERBIA FROM THE AIR QUALITY ASPECT

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 1329-1333
Author(s):  
Miodrag Šmelcerović
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Urban Environment ◽  
Pollution Sources ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Anthropogenic Factors ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Cause And Effect ◽  
Sources Of Pollution

The protection of the environment and people’s health from negative influences of the pollution of air as a medium of the environment requires constant observing of the air quality in accordance with international standards, the analysis of emission and imission of polluting matters in the air, and their connection with the sources of pollution. Having in mind the series of laws and delegated legislations which define the field of air pollution, it is necessary to closely observe these long-term processes, discovering cause-and-effect relationships between the activities of anthropogenic sources of emission of polluting matters and the level of air degradation. The relevant evaluation of the air quality of a certain area can be conducted if the level of concentration of polluting matters characteristic for the pollution sources of this area is observed in a longer period of time. The data obtained by the observation of the air pollution are the basis for creation of the recovery program of a certain area. Vranje is a town in South Serbia where there is a bigger number of anthropogenic pollution sources that can significantly diminish the air quality. The cause-and-effect relationship of the anthropogenic sources of pollution is conducted related to the analysis of systematized data which are in the relevant data base of the authorized institution The Institute of Public Health Vranje, for the time period between the year of 2012. and 2017. By the analysis of data of imission concentrations of typical polluting matters, the dominant polluting matters were determined on the territory of the town of Vranje, the ones that are the causers of the biggest air pollution and the risk for people’s health. Analysis of the concentration of soot, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides indicates their presence in the air of Vranje town area in concentrations that do not exceed the permitted limit values annually. The greatest pollution is caused by the soot content in the air, especially in the winter period when the highest number of days with the values above the limit was registered. By perceiving the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors, it is clear that the concentration of polluting matters can be decreased only by establishing control over anthropogenic sources of pollution, and thus it can be contributed to the improvement of the air quality of this urban environment.

An Urban Air Pollution Early Warning System Based on PM2.5 Prediction Applied in Ploiesti City

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 858-863
Author(s):  
Mihaela Oprea ◽  
Marius Olteanu ◽  
Radu Teodor Ianache
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Urban Air Pollution ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Pollution Level ◽  
Urban Air ◽  
Prediction Approach

Fine particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 �m (i.e. PM2.5) is an air pollutant of special concern for urban areas due to its potential significant negative effects on human health, especially on children and elderly people. In order to reduce these effects, new tools based on PM2.5 monitoring infrastructures tailored to specific urban regions are needed by the local and regional environmental management systems for the provision of an expert support to decision makers in air quality planning for cities and also, to inform in real time the vulnerable population when PM2.5 related air pollution episodes occur. The paper focuses on urban air pollution early warning based on PM2.5 prediction. It describes the methodology used, the prediction approach, and the experimental system developed under the ROKIDAIR project for the analysis of PM2.5 air pollution level, health impact assessment and early warning of sensitive people in the Ploiesti city. The PM2.5 concentration evolution prediction is correlated with PM2.5 air pollution and health effects analysis, and the final result is processed by the ROKIDAIR Early Warning System (EWS) and sent as a message to the affected population via email or SMS. ROKIDAIR EWS is included in the ROKIDAIR decision support system.

Improving the Protection of Children Against Air Pollution Threats in Romania � The RokidAIR Project Approach and Future Perspectives

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 841-846
Author(s):  
Hai-Ying Liu ◽  
Daniel Dunea ◽  
Mihaela Oprea ◽  
Tom Savu ◽  
Stefania Iordache
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Personal Exposure ◽  
Mobile Technologies ◽  
Quality Maps

This paper presents the approach used to develop the information chain required to reach the objectives of the EEA Grants� RokidAIR project in two Romanian cities i.e., Targoviste and Ploiesti. It describes the PM2.5 monitoring infrastructure and architecture to the web-based GIS platform, the early warning system and the decision support system, and finally, the linking of air pollution to health effects in children. In addition, it shows the analysis performance of the designed system to process the collected time series from various data sources using the benzene concentrations monitored in Ploiesti. Moreover, this paper suggests that biomarkers, mobile technologies, and Citizens� Observatories are potential perspectives to improve data coverage by the provision of near-real-time air quality maps, and provide personal exposure and health assessment results, enabling the citizens� engagement and behavioural change. This paper also addresses new fields in nature-based solutions to improve air quality, and studies on air pollution and its mental health effects in the urban areas of Romania.

scholarly journals Multi-Oxygenated Organic Compounds in Fine Particulate Matter Collected in the Western Mediterranean Area

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Esther Borrás ◽  
Luis Antonio Tortajada-Genaro ◽  
Francisco Sanz ◽  
Amalia Muñoz
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Carboxylic Acids ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Organic Pollutants ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Industrial Emissions ◽  
Tetradecanoic Acid

The chemical characterization of aerosols, especially fine organic fraction, is a relevant atmospheric challenge because their composition highly depends on localization. Herein, we studied the concentration of multi-oxygenated organic compounds in the western Mediterranean area, focusing on sources and the effect of air patterns. The organic aerosol fraction ranged 3–22% of the total organic mass in particulate matter (PM)2.5. Seventy multi-oxygenated organic pollutants were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, including n-alkanones, n-alcohols, anhydrosugars, monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, and keto-derivatives. The highest concentrations were found for carboxylic acids, such as linoleic acid, tetradecanoic acid and, palmitic acid. Biomarkers for vegetation sources, such as levoglucosan and some fatty acids were detected at most locations. In addition, carboxylic acids from anthropogenic sources—mainly traffic and cooking—have been identified. The results indicate that the organic PM fraction in this region is formed mainly from biogenic pollutants, emitted directly by vegetation, and from the degradation products of anthropogenic and biogenic volatile organic pollutants. Moreover, the chemical profile suggested that this area is interesting for aerosol studies because several processes such as local costal breezes, industrial emissions, and desert intrusions affect fine PM composition.

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