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Studies revealed airports as a prominent source of ultrafine particles (UFP), which can disperse downwind to residential areas, raising health concerns. To expand our understanding of how air traffic-related emissions influence total particle number concentration (PNC) in the airport’s surrounding areas, we conduct long-term assessment of airborne particulate exposure before and after relocation of air traffic from “Otto Lilienthal” Airport (TXL) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport “Willy Brandt” (BER) in Berlin, Germany. Here, we provide insights into the spatial–temporal variability of PNC measured in 16 schools recruited for Berlin-Brandenburg Air Study (BEAR).The results show that the average PNC in Berlin was 7900 ± 7000 cm−3, consistent with other European cities. The highest median PNC was recorded in spring (6700 cm−3) and the lowest in winter (5100 cm−3). PNC showed a bi-modal increase during morning and evening hours at most measurement sites due to road-traffic emissions. A comparison between measurements at the schools and fixed monitoring sites revealed good agreement at distances up to 5 km. A noticeable decline in this agreement occurred as the distance between measurement sites increased. After TXL was closed, PNC in surrounding areas decreased by 30 %. The opposite trend was not seen after BER was re-opened after the COVID-lock-down, as the air traffic has not reached the full capacity yet. The analysis of particle number size distribution data showed that UFP number fraction exhibit seasonal variations, with higher values in spring and autumn. This can be explained by nucleation events, which notably affected PNC.The presented findings will play a pivotal role in forthcoming source attribution and epidemiological investigations, offering a holistic understanding of airports’ impact on airborne pollutant levels and their health implications. The study calls for further investigations of air-traffic-related physical–chemical pollutant properties in areas found further away (> 10 km) from airports.

Atmospheric aerosols not only cause severe haze pollution, but also affect climate through changes in cloud properties. However, during the haze pollution, aerosol‐cloud interactions are not well understood due to a lack of in situ observations. In this study, we conducted simultaneous observations of cloud droplet and particle number size distribution, together with supporting atmospheric parameters, from ground to cloud base in East China using a high‐payload tethered airship. We found that high concentrations of aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei were constrained below cloud, leading to the pronounced "Twomey effect" near the cloud base. The cloud inhibited the pollutants dispersion by reducing surface heat flux and thus deteriorated the near‐surface haze pollution. Satellite retrievals matched well with the in situ observations for low stratus clouds, while were insufficient to quantify aerosol‐cloud interactions for other cases. Our results highlight the importance to combine in situ vertical and satellite observations to quantify the aerosol‐cloud interactions. Plain Language Summary: Atmospheric aerosols, one of the major pollutants contributing to air pollution, also play an important role in climate through their interactions with clouds. The impact of aerosols on cloud properties remains the largest uncertainty in climate projections, partly due to a lack of in situ observations. Here, we conducted simultaneous observations on atmospheric aerosols and clouds from ground to 1,200 m above ground level in East China using a high‐payload tethered airship. We found aerosols number concentration was high below the clouds, which increased the cloud droplet concentration and decreased the cloud droplet diameter near cloud base. The clouds deteriorated the near‐surface air pollution, thus increasing exposure to hazardous levels. For low stratiform clouds, the satellite retrievals matched well with the observations, suggesting the satellite observation is a powerful tool to investigate clouds. However, the aerosol‐cloud interactions can still be underestimated by satellite measurements as the satellites record cloud properties near cloud top. We emphasize the need for direct in situ observations from the ground to high altitudes to quantify the effects of aerosols on cloud properties. Key Points: The pronounced Twomey effect near the cloud base was directly observed during the haze pollution by the tethered airship measurementThe observed Twomey effect at the cloud base in East China contradicts the satellite‐detected anti‐Twomey effect at the top of cloudsSatellite retrieved cloud effective radius is comparable to observation near cloud base of low stratus clouds, while is biased for others [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Atmospheric aerosols not only cause severe haze pollution, but also affect climate through changes in cloud properties. However, during the haze pollution, aerosol‐cloud interactions are not well understood due to a lack of in situ observations. In this study, we conducted simultaneous observations of cloud droplet and particle number size distribution, together with supporting atmospheric parameters, from ground to cloud base in East China using a high‐payload tethered airship. We found that high concentrations of aerosols and cloud condensation nuclei were constrained below cloud, leading to the pronounced “Twomey effect” near the cloud base. The cloud inhibited the pollutants dispersion by reducing surface heat flux and thus deteriorated the near‐surface haze pollution. Satellite retrievals matched well with the in situ observations for low stratus clouds, while were insufficient to quantify aerosol‐cloud interactions for other cases. Our results highlight the importance to combine in situ vertical and satellite observations to quantify the aerosol‐cloud interactions.

Observations of atmospheric sub‐3 nm particles are essential for understanding the initial stages of new particle formation (NPF) and the origin of aerosol particles. In this study, 3 years (2018–2020) of measurements of sub‐3 nm particles were conducted in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) of eastern China. High concentrations of sub‐3 nm particles were observed, with number concentration in the range from 103 to 106 cm−3. During the daytime, the sub‐3 nm particle concentration was found to peak at around the noon, indicating strong photochemical nucleation processes. The formation rates of sub‐3 nm particles were high during the NPF event days, with an average value of 86 cm−3 s−1, and this rate was related to the sulfuric acid (SA) concentration. The particle growth rates below 3 nm were about 1–2 nm h−1, much lower than the growth rates of larger particles. At nighttime, sub‐3 nm particle concentrations remained relatively high (3 × 103 to 1.2 × 104 cm−3) and were related to the NOx concentration, suggesting traffic emission to be a significant source. The sub‐3 nm proxy was developed to estimate the contributions of NPF and traffic emission. During the daytime, 74.8% and 12.4% of the sub‐3 nm particles were estimated to originate from SA‐driven NPF and traffic emissions, respectively. However, other sources were estimated to contribute 61.8% of sub‐3 nm particles at nighttime, suggesting the formation mechanisms of sub‐3 nm particles are still unclear in this environment. Our study sheds more light on the characteristics and sources of sub‐3 nm particles in polluted environments. Plain Language Summary: Sub‐3 nm particles play a vital role in the initial stage of new particle formation (NPF) as well as haze formation. We performed long‐term measurements of the sub‐3 nm particles and supporting atmospheric parameters from 2018 to 2020 in the Yangtze River Delta of eastern China. High number concentrations of sub‐3 nm particles were observed, with obvious diurnal and seasonal variations. NPF and traffic emissions were found to be two major sources of sub‐3 nm particles. The formation rate of sub‐3 nm particles was high and related to the sulfuric acid (SA) concentration during the NPF events. Sub‐3 nm particle concentrations remained relatively high at nighttime and were related to the NOx concentration. By developing the proxy of sub‐3 nm particle concentration, we estimated SA‐driven NPF accounted for over 70% of the sub‐3 nm particles during the daytime. At nighttime, over 30% of the sub‐3 nm particles were emitted from traffic sources, while about 60% remain unknown. This study sheds more light on the characteristics and sources of sub‐3 nm particles in polluted environments. Key Points: High number concentration of sub‐3 nm particles was observed in eastern China, with obvious diurnal and seasonal variationsSulfuric acid‐driven new particle formation is the dominant source of sub‐3 nm particles during the daytimeTraffic emission contributes over 30% of sub‐3 nm particles, while the origin of 62% of sub‐3 nm particles remains unclear during the night [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) observation platform obtained the first vertical profiles of particle number size distribution (PNSD) from 7 to 16 July 2022 on the eastern slope of the Tibetan Plateau (ESTP). The results were from two flanks at the Chuni (CN) and Tianquan (TQ) sites, which are alongside a mountain (Mt. Erlang). The observations revealed a significant negative correlation between the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) and the particle number concentration (PNC), and the correlation coefficient was −0.19. During the morning, the rise in the PBLH at the CN and TQ sites caused decreases of 16.43% and 58.76%, respectively, in the PNC. Three distinct profile characteristics were classified: Type I, the explosive growth of fine particles with a size range of 130–272 nm under conditions of low humidity, strong wind shear, and northerly winds; Type II, the process of particles with a size range of 130–272 nm showing hygroscopic growth into larger particles (e.g., 226–272 nm) under high humidity conditions (RH > 85%), with a maximum vertical change rate of about −1653 # cm−3 km−1 for N130–272 and about 3098 # cm−3 km−1 for N272–570; and Type III, in which during the occurrence of a surface low-pressure center and an 850 hPa low-vortex circulation in the Sichuan Basin, polluting air masses originating from urban agglomeration were transported to the ESTP region, resulting in an observed increase in the PNC below 600 nm. Overall, this study sheds light on the various factors affecting the vertical profiles of PNSD in the ESTP region, including regional transport, meteorological conditions, and particle growth processes, helping us to further understand the various features of the aerosol and atmospheric physical character in this key region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maritime transport emerges as a major source of ultrafine particle (UFP) pollution in coastal regions with consequences for the health of people living in port cities. Inhalation of UFPs can cause inflammation and oxidative stress, which are starting points for further diseases. In addition to primary particles, secondary organic aerosol (SOA) may form through the photo-oxidation of volatile organic compounds emitted in ship exhaust. The characterization of size-segregated and chemical properties of particles is essential for assessing the health implications related to shipping. We applied a coupled regional–local chemistry transport modeling system to study the effects of ship emissions on atmospheric concentrations of UFP and SOA in the Mediterranean port city Marseille (France), which is characterized by the combination of high port activity, industrialized emissions, and active photochemistry in summer. Our results show that the average potential impact from local shipping in the port area was 6–9% for SOA and 27–51% for total particle number concentration in July 2020. The estimated oxidative potential of daily mean particulate organic matter related to shipping was lower than the oxidative potential reported for heavy fuel oil (HFO). The lower oxidative potential in this study is very likely due to the low share of ships using HFO during stopover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The particle number size distribution (PNSD) and hygroscopicity on alpine sites can directly reflect the interaction between aerosol and cloud in the free troposphere, and narrow the errors caused by extrapolation from the ground observation. In this study, PNSD and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentration (NCCN) were observed at the summit of Mt. Hua from December 16, 2020, to January 23, 2021. The result showed that the modes and hygroscopicity parameters (κ) of aerosols were significantly affected by the height and direction of the originated air masses. The particle in nucleation mode from new particle formation erupted frequently in 13:00–18:00 local time due to the intense photochemistry and had a potential contribution to CCN through the process of the growth with the ratio of 0.83 nm·h−1, which was affected by air masses, meteorological conditions, and gaseous pollutants. Subsequently, the hygroscopicity κ varied from 0.22 to 0.13 with the supersaturation from 0.2% to 1.0% as more components that were difficult to dissolve or had low hygroscopicity. The comprehensive analysis of PNSD and hygroscopicity showed that smaller k from two‐parameter power model corresponded to particles with higher hygroscopicity or larger diameter, while larger k matched to the hydrophobic or ultrafine particles. In addition, the interactions between aerosol and cloud were estimated more accurately and the uncertainty of indirect effect was shrunk. Overall, we provided insights into PNSD and hygroscopicity of alpine aerosol particles by direct observation on Mt. Hua, which may be important to other elevated regions as well. Plain Language Summary: The particle number size distribution (PNSD) and hygroscopicity on alpine sites are critical indicators of aerosol‐cloud interactions in the free troposphere. In this study, we investigated the particle number, size, and activation as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) of alpine aerosol particles on Mt. Hua during winter 2020. Our results showed that the distribution modes and hygroscopicity parameters (κ) of aerosols were significantly affected by the height and direction of the originated air masses. The small‐diameter particle erupted from new particle formation and had a potential contribution to CCN through the process of the growth, which was affected by air masses, meteorological conditions, and gaseous pollutants. Furthermore, we calculated κ values ranging from 0.22 to 0.13 at supersaturations from 0.2% to 1.0%, which were attributed to components that were either difficult to dissolve or had low hygroscopicity. Comprehensive analysis of the PNSD and hygroscopicity data showed that a smaller k value corresponded to particles with higher hygroscopicity or larger diameters, while a larger k value was observed for ultrafine or hydrophobic particles. Key Points: New particle formation with a potential contribution to cloud condensation nuclei was originated from higher air masses due to the intense photochemistry in 13:00–18:00Smaller k matched to more hygroscopic or larger diameter particles, and larger k matched to hydrophobic or ultrafine diameter particlesThe hygroscopicity parameter decreased from 0.22 to 0.13 with the supersaturation elevated from 0.2% to 1.0% in the alpine region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compression ignition (CI) engines are highly efficient and are therefore often the first choice in application of heavy machinery and heavy duty vehicles. However, diesel engines are known to emit soot and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emission. Replacing fossil diesel fuel with renewable fuel is one possibility to reduce emissions and to meet legislative requirements. In this experimental work, an oxygenated fuel blend was investigated for soot morphology and results were compared with fossil diesel fuel without oxygenates. Soot was sampled at a medium load case in a light duty single cylinder research engine and samples were analyzed with a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Furthermore, combustion characteristics and particle number (PN) emissions were compared for both fuels. The primary particle diameter (Dp), fringe length (L), fringe separation (S), and tortuosity (T) were also discussed in terms of soot nanostructure. The particle size distribution (PSD) showed a reduction in PN over for the renewable fuel blend compared to diesel. This PN reduction was from 107 to 106 (one order magnitude lower). The maximum Dp from morphological analysis of diesel fuel and renewable fuel was 69.93 and 66.36 nm respectively. Size range of fringe separation (S) was nearly identical for both fuels. Diesel fuel has marginally higher fringe separation, fringe length, and tortuosity. This investigation is valuable for fuel industries which are continuously upgrading renewable and oxygenated fuels to meet stringent emission norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The particle number size distribution (PNSD) is crucial for evaluating air quality and mitigating environmental pollution, as particles of different sizes have diverse effects on human health and climate. However, obtaining a comprehensive understanding of PNSD is challenging due to its inherent complexities and variability. Multi-lognormal distribution models are employed to fit PNSD, as seen in climate models, but discrepancies between model fits and observed PNSD persist. This study adopts hourly data from 2017 to 2020 across eight monitoring sites in diverse environments—rural, urban, mountainous, and polar, and compares the observed PNDS with those simulated by multi-lognormal distribution models. The results demonstrated that the model generally achieved a high correlation with observed PNSD data (r2 > 0.75), effectively capturing key characteristics of nucleation and Aitken mode particles. However, the model had a tendency to overestimate the total number concentration by approximately 1.09 times, particularly noticeable under conditions of high concentrations of smaller particles. The model successfully represented prevalent bimodal size distribution patterns in urban areas with high ultrafine particle concentrations, though its performance was slightly less accurate in scenarios involving trimodal distributions. Despite these strong correlations and the model's ability to reflect diurnal and seasonal variations, which suggests its broad applicability and utility, there were notable limitations on smaller time scales and in specific particle size ranges. These limitations were particularly evident in capturing detailed phenomena relevant to new particle formation events, indicating areas where model refinement is necessary. The results highlighted the importance of investigating discrepancies between model predictions and actual observations, which is crucial for refining climate models that utilize PNDS. The uniform comparison facilitated a detailed exploration of particle properties from model results, offering deeper insights into aerosol behavior and its environmental impacts. • The multi-lognormal distribution model overestimates particle concentrations compared to actual values, by around 1.09 times. • The multi-lognormal distribution model effectively fits various particle modes and determines the particle size range. • In bimodal distributions, particle number concentrations tend to be higher, particularly for smaller particles. • The multi-lognormal distribution model exhibits high accuracy in analyzing large time scales and cyclic variations. • When dealing with finer time scales and specific particle sizes such as NPF, careful interpretation of the model's results is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Long-term variability of PNC at multiple schools near two airports is investigated. • With a decreasing proximity to an airfield, the PNC concentrations increases. • The road-traffic emissions are important source of PNC measured at schools. • Regional NPF had an observable influence on UFP-nf and number concentration. • After airport closure, the PNC in surrounding areas decreased by 30 %. Studies revealed airports as a prominent source of ultrafine particles (UFP), which can disperse downwind to residential areas, raising health concerns. To expand our understanding of how air traffic-related emissions influence total particle number concentration (PNC) in the airport's surrounding areas, we conduct long-term assessment of airborne particulate exposure before and after relocation of air traffic from "Otto Lilienthal" Airport (TXL) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport "Willy Brandt" (BER) in Berlin, Germany. Here, we provide insights into the spatial–temporal variability of PNC measured in 16 schools recruited for Berlin-Brandenburg Air Study (BEAR). The results show that the average PNC in Berlin was 7900 ± 7000 cm−3, consistent with other European cities. The highest median PNC was recorded in spring (6700 cm−3) and the lowest in winter (5100 cm−3). PNC showed a bi-modal increase during morning and evening hours at most measurement sites due to road-traffic emissions. A comparison between measurements at the schools and fixed monitoring sites revealed good agreement at distances up to 5 km. A noticeable decline in this agreement occurred as the distance between measurement sites increased. After TXL was closed, PNC in surrounding areas decreased by 30 %. The opposite trend was not seen after BER was re-opened after the COVID-lock-down, as the air traffic has not reached the full capacity yet. The analysis of particle number size distribution data showed that UFP number fraction exhibit seasonal variations, with higher values in spring and autumn. This can be explained by nucleation events, which notably affected PNC. The presented findings will play a pivotal role in forthcoming source attribution and epidemiological investigations, offering a holistic understanding of airports' impact on airborne pollutant levels and their health implications. The study calls for further investigations of air-traffic-related physical–chemical pollutant properties in areas found further away (> 10 km) from airports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A better understanding of the particle number size distribution aids to better assess the direct and indirect effects of particles on air quality and climate. In this study, particle number concentrations (PNCs) and size distribution along with chemical components, gaseous pollutants, and meteorological parameters were measured during a cruise campaign over the Bohai Sea. Four distinct periods were identified, showing significant impacts from continental outflows and ocean emissions on the particle number size distributions. Under the strong terrestrial pollution transport period, an obvious increase of PNCs below 1 μm was observed. The significant correlation between black carbon (BC) and PNCs in the size range of 0.35–1.0 μm suggested aging of aerosols during the long-range transport. An invaded dust pollution significantly reduced PNCs below 0.5 μm, while tripled the number concentration of particles larger than 0.5 μm. The ocean moisture facilitated the mixing between dust and secondary aerosols. An intense sea fog event observed during the cruise slightly increased PNCs smaller than 1 μm while decreasing larger ones. The correlations between PNCs below 0.5 μm and BC as well as SO 2 demonstrated the impact of shipping activities on the formation of fresh particles. Aerosol vertical profiles in the marine boundary layer were measured by an unmanned aerial vehicle platform. The vertical patterns of particle number size distribution were largely governed by the origins of transported air masses and profiles of wind fields. Observations showed that the particle distribution in the lower marine boundary layer was typically inhomogeneous and rapidly evolving with time, highlighting the importance of strengthening the vertical observations of atmospheric parameters over the ocean. • Particles were measured from on a shipborne and unmanned aerial vehicle platform. • Particle number size distributions were shaped by long-range transport and meteorology. • UAV observations showed complex and fast-evolving vertical profiles of particle numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) observation platform obtained the first vertical profiles of particle number size distribution (PNSD) from 7 to 16 July 2022 on the eastern slope of the Tibetan Plateau (ESTP). The results were from two flanks at the Chuni (CN) and Tianquan (TQ) sites, which are alongside a mountain (Mt. Erlang). The observations revealed a significant negative correlation between the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) and the particle number concentration (PNC), and the correlation coefficient was −0.19. During the morning, the rise in the PBLH at the CN and TQ sites caused decreases of 16.43% and 58.76%, respectively, in the PNC. Three distinct profile characteristics were classified: Type I, the explosive growth of fine particles with a size range of 130–272 nm under conditions of low humidity, strong wind shear, and northerly winds; Type II, the process of particles with a size range of 130–272 nm showing hygroscopic growth into larger particles (e.g., 226–272 nm) under high humidity conditions (RH > 85%), with a maximum vertical change rate of about −1653 # cm−3 km−1 for N130–272 and about 3098 # cm−3 km−1 for N272–570; and Type III, in which during the occurrence of a surface low-pressure center and an 850 hPa low-vortex circulation in the Sichuan Basin, polluting air masses originating from urban agglomeration were transported to the ESTP region, resulting in an observed increase in the PNC below 600 nm. Overall, this study sheds light on the various factors affecting the vertical profiles of PNSD in the ESTP region, including regional transport, meteorological conditions, and particle growth processes, helping us to further understand the various features of the aerosol and atmospheric physical character in this key region.

The high concentration of fine particles as well as gaseous pollutants makes polluted areas, such as the urban setting of North China Plain (NCP) of China, a different environment for NPF compared to many clean regions. Such conditions also hold for other polluted environments in this region, for instance, the rural area of NCP, yet the underlying mechanisms for NPF remain less understood owing to the limited observations of particles in the sub-3nm range. Comprehensive measurements, particularly covering the particle number size distribution down to 1.34 nm, were conducted at a rural background site of Gucheng (GC) in the North China Plain (NCP) from 12 November to 24 December in 2018. Five NPF events during the 39 effective days of measurements for the campaign were identified, with the mean particle nucleation rate (J1.34) and growth rate (GR1.34-2.4) were 29.1 cm-3 ·s-1 and 0.54 nm·h-1, respectively. During these five days, NPF concurrently occurred in an urban site in Beijing, indicating that NPF events during these days in this region might be a regional phenomena. This implies that H2SO4-amine nucleation, concluded for urban Beijing there, could also be the dominating mechanism for NPF at our rural site. The condensation sink or coagulation sink for the survival of newly-formed and small clusters are the dominating factor controlling the occurrence of NPF under current atmosphere, whereas the contribution from the available H2SO4 cannot be neglected, either. This feature is slightly different from that of urban Beijing, where CS mainly determines whether NPF takes place or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Exposure to fine and ultrafine particles from transport processes is a main consequence of emissions from engines, especially those with self-ignition. The particles released in these processes are a source of occupational and environmental particles exposure. The aim of this study was to assess the fine and nano-sized particles emission degree during work connected with transport and vehicle servicing. Material and Methods The tests were carried out at 3 workplaces of vehicles service and maintenance (a car repair workshop, a truck service hall, and a bus depot) during 1 work day in each of them. Measurements were performed using the following devices: DISCmini meters, GRIMM 1.109 optical counter and the DustTrak monitor. The number, surface area and mass concentration, and the number size distribution were analyzed. Results The mean number concentration (DISCmini) increased during the analyzed processes, ranging from 4×104 p/cm 3 to 8×104 p/cm 3 , and the highest concentration was found in the car repair workshop. The particles mean diameters during the processes ranged 31–47 nm, depending on the process. An increase in the surface area concentration value was observed in correlation with the particles number, and its highest concentration (198 m 2 /cm 3 ) was found during work in the car repair workshop. The number size distribution analysis (GRIMM 1.109) showed the maximum value of the number concentration for particles sized 60 nm. The mean mass concentrations increased during the tested processes by approx. 40–70%, as compared to the background. Conclusions According to the measurement results, all the workplaces under study constituted a source of an increase in all analyzed parameters characterizing emissions of nano-sized particles. Such working environment conditions can be harmful to the exposed workers; therefore, at such workplaces solutions for minimizing workers’ exposure, such as fume hoods or respiratory protection, should be used. Med Pr. 2021;72(5):489–500

Maritime transport emerges as a major source of ultrafine particle (UFP) pollution in coastal regions with consequences for the health of people living in port cities. Inhalation of UFPs can cause inflammation and oxidative stress, which are starting points for further diseases. In addition to primary particles, secondary organic aerosol (SOA) may form through the photo-oxidation of volatile organic compounds emitted in ship exhaust. The characterization of size-segregated and chemical properties of particles is essential for assessing the health implications related to shipping. We applied a coupled regional–local chemistry transport modeling system to study the effects of ship emissions on atmospheric concentrations of UFP and SOA in the Mediterranean port city Marseille (France), which is characterized by the combination of high port activity, industrialized emissions, and active photochemistry in summer. Our results show that the average potential impact from local shipping in the port area was 6–9% for SOA and 27–51% for total particle number concentration in July 2020. The estimated oxidative potential of daily mean particulate organic matter related to shipping was lower than the oxidative potential reported for heavy fuel oil (HFO). The lower oxidative potential in this study is very likely due to the low share of ships using HFO during stopover.

Particle number (PN) emissions from hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) during engine ignition and re-ignition events are an important but scarcely reported area. The objectives of the present work are to study the effects of drive cycle properties on the engine behaviour of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and to investigate how this impacts the tailpipe PN emissions and their size distributions (PNSD). Worldwide harmonised light vehicles test cycle (WLTC) testing was conducted, as well as chassis dynamometer emission measurements over a realistic real driving emissions (RDE) speed pattern, using a Euro 5 Toyota Prius HEV with a Cambustion DMS500 sampling PN concentrations at the tailpipe. It is shown that the number of vehicle stops during a test cycle has a direct impact on the re-ignition activity for the HEV. 64 ± 3% of the total PN from WLTC testing was produced during engine re-ignition events while only 6 ± 1% was from stabilised engine operation. Similar proportions were observed for the RDE-style test cycle. The majority of engine reignition and destabilised activity, and hence PN emission, was during the low-speed sections of the drive cycles used. The average PNSD across cycle phases was different between cycles, due to the influence of dynamic properties on engine behaviour and hence the PN emission profile. The PNSD at the engine re-ignition and destabilised events had a merged wide peak with a maximum at 60 nm diameter and a shoulder at 12 nm diameter. The HEV had increased emissions of particles smaller than 23 nm under cold start, but similar overall PN emission values, compared to a warm start. The results of this work highlight the importance of controlling HEV PN emissions to limit human exposure to PN in urban environments where the majority of PN emissions occur. The sensitivity of HEV PN emission factors and PNSD to engine behaviour and, in turn, test cycle dynamic properties, is important to note when considering legislative test cycles, particularly with reference to the freedoms afforded by the RDE test cycle. The results also indicate that substantial improvements to air quality could be made by reducing the particle measurement protocol PN cut-off size to 10 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The visibility in the Sichuan Basin (SB) was worse than that in the North China Plain (NCP) for the same level of PM2.5. One well‐known reason is that the aerosol extinction enhancement due to hygroscopic growth in the SB was stronger than that in the NCP because the relative humidity (RH) in the SB was higher than that in the NCP. However, the visibility was worse in the SB under the same PM2.5 and RH levels. The volume extinction efficiency (VEE) is kept between 7 and 8 for different PM2.5 in the SB, while the VEE increased from 4.6 to 7.2 when the PM2.5 level increased from 20 to 180 μg/m3 in the NCP. The difference in VEE resulted from the different particle number size distributions. Our research demonstrates that the VEE is an important factor that influences visibility and provides new insight into visibility impairment for the SB. Plain Language Summary: The emission control strategies implemented by the Chinese government successfully reduced the PM2.5 level to the same level of about 40 μg/m3 in the Sichuan Basin (SB) and North China Plain (NCP) by 2020. However, the low‐visibility (<10 km) event frequency in the SB (44.6%) was significantly higher than that in the NCP (19.7%). One well‐known reason is that the aerosol extinction enhancement due to aerosol hygroscopic growth in the SB was stronger than that in the NCP, as the relative humidity (RH) in the SB (annual mean 75.5%) was higher than that in the NCP (annual mean 53.6%). In this study, we found that the visibility was worse in the SB under the same PM2.5 and RH levels because the aerosol volume extinction efficiency (VEE) in the SB was much higher than that in the NCP. The VEE is kept in the range between 7 and 8 for different PM2.5 levels in the SB, while the VEE increased from a small value of 4.6–7.2 when the PM2.5 level increased from 20 to 180 μg/m3 in the NCP. Our research demonstrates that the VEE is an important factor that influences visibility and provides new insight into visibility impairment for the SB. Key Points: The visibility in the Sichuan Basin (SB) is worse than that in the North China Plain (NCP) for the same PM2.5 and relative humidityThe volume extinction efficiency (VEE) in the SB is kept between 7 and 8, while it increased with PM2.5 from 4.6 to 7.2 in the NCPThe difference in VEE resulted from the different particle number size distributions at the two areas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study atmospheric aerosols, it is essential to build networks that are continuously monitoring particle number size distribution (PNSD). PNSDs are often measured using electrical mobility spectrometers such as scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) which includes a neutralizer that conditions the charge state of particles to the pre-assumed distributions. During long-term atmospheric measurement, the charge state can deviate from these assumed values. Measuring both positively and negatively charged particles using a bipolar SMPS helps to capture the variations in aerosol charge state. In this study, we set up a network of bipolar SMPSs at three urban sites and three suburban sites in six Chinese cities. Removing the conventional neutralizer, the bipolar SMPS utilizes the natural aerosol charging process by atmospheric ions. Newly developed aerosol classifiers and detectors were used. Harmonized quality assurance procedures were adopted to assure the performance and the data quality, including laboratory calibrations and intercomparisons, maintenance and monitoring during field measurements, and data inversion and validation. PNSDs are effectively measured by bipolar SMPSs using natural charging process at all six sites. During six months of field measurement in these sites, ion mobility ratios fluctuate significantly while the daily averaged values are stable around 1.0. Particle number concentrations integrated from PNSDs are consistent with those directly measured by the detectors (within a variation of 10%). [Display omitted] • An atmospheric PNSD monitoring network is set up in six Chinese sites. • New instruments and QA procedures are developed and deployed in the network. • Measuring PNSD using natural charging process is verified in various environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle number (PN) emissions from hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) during engine ignition and re-ignition events are an important but scarcely reported area. The objectives of the present work are to study the effects of drive cycle properties on the engine behaviour of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and to investigate how this impacts the tailpipe PN emissions and their size distributions (PNSD). Worldwide harmonised light vehicles test cycle (WLTC) testing was conducted, as well as chassis dynamometer emission measurements over a realistic real driving emissions (RDE) speed pattern, using a Euro 5 Toyota Prius HEV with a Cambustion DMS500 sampling PN concentrations at the tailpipe. It is shown that the number of vehicle stops during a test cycle has a direct impact on the re-ignition activity for the HEV. 64 ± 3% of the total PN from WLTC testing was produced during engine re-ignition events while only 6 ± 1% was from stabilised engine operation. Similar proportions were observed for the RDE-style test cycle. The majority of engine reignition and destabilised activity, and hence PN emission, was during the low-speed sections of the drive cycles used. The average PNSD across cycle phases was different between cycles, due to the influence of dynamic properties on engine behaviour and hence the PN emission profile. The PNSD at the engine re-ignition and destabilised events had a merged wide peak with a maximum at 60 nm diameter and a shoulder at 12 nm diameter. The HEV had increased emissions of particles smaller than 23 nm under cold start, but similar overall PN emission values, compared to a warm start. The results of this work highlight the importance of controlling HEV PN emissions to limit human exposure to PN in urban environments where the majority of PN emissions occur. The sensitivity of HEV PN emission factors and PNSD to engine behaviour and, in turn, test cycle dynamic properties, is important to note when considering legislative test cycles, particularly with reference to the freedoms afforded by the RDE test cycle. The results also indicate that substantial improvements to air quality could be made by reducing the particle measurement protocol PN cut-off size to 10 nm.

The prediction of visibility is an ongoing problem in air quality models, particularly that of low visibility during heavily polluted episodes. In this study, a new method of calculating visibility based on the particle mass concentration of PM2.5 (particles with diameter ≤ 2.5 μm) and relative humidity (RH), data for which are generally available in most regions of China, is developed. The method also considers the particle number size distribution (PNSD) and hygroscopic parameter (κ), and focuses on visibility below 10 km. First, the PNSD was re-constructed under dry condition (PNSDdry,rec) based on the relationship between PM2.5 and the particle volume size distribution modal parameters obtained in a previous study conducted in the North China Plain. Then, the ambient PNSD (PNSDamb,rec) was retrieved based on the PNSDdry,rec and κ, and the light extinction was calculated by applying the Mie code (σext,amb). Finally, the visibility was calculated based on the Koschmieder experimental equation, and denoted as Viscal. A parameterization scheme was proposed based on the σext,amb, PM2.5, and RH to simulate the visibility (Vissimu), which is more applicable than the theoretical calculation described above. This method was validated at different locations in different regions in China. The values calculated by the scheme showed agreed well with the observed data in general, especially for low visibility of ≤5 km, associated with severe haze. Although a large bias occurred at some sites, both the hourly and daily averages for almost every event with visibility lower than 5 km were captured. The method reported in this work exhibited smaller bias below 2 km than the other visibility parameterization scheme, and will be available for improving the prediction of visibility in air quality models.

Exposure to ultrafine particles has a significant influence on human health. In regions with large commercial airports, air traffic and ground operations can represent a potential particle source. The particle number concentration was measured in a low-traffic residential area about 7 km from Frankfurt Airport with a Condensation Particle Counter in a long-term study. In addition, the particle number size distribution was determined using a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer. The particle number concentrations showed high variations over the entire measuring period and even within a single day. A maximum 24 h-mean of 24,120 cm−3 was detected. Very high particle number concentrations were in particular measured when the wind came from the direction of the airport. In this case, the particle number size distribution showed a maximum in the particle size range between 5 and 15 nm. Particles produced by combustion in jet engines typically have this size range and a high potential to be deposited in the alveoli. During a period with high air traffic volume, significantly higher particle number concentrations could be measured than during a period with low air traffic volume, as in the COVID-19 pandemic. A large commercial airport thus has the potential to lead to a high particle number concentration even in a distant residential area. Due to the high particle number concentrations, the critical particle size, and strong concentration fluctuations, long-term measurements are essential for a realistic exposure analysis. [Display omitted] • An airport can result in high particle concentrations in a distant residential area. • The particle size distribution indicated the airport as the main source of particles. • Lower air traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic lead to lower particle concentrations. • The particle concentration showed high temporal variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution by aerosol particles is mainly monitored as mass concentrations of particulate matter, such as PM10 and PM2.5. However, mass-based measurements are hardly representative for ultrafine particles (UFP), which can only be monitored adequately by particle number (PN) concentrations and are considered particularly harmful to human health. This study examines the dispersion of UFP in Hamburg city center and, in particular, the impact of passenger ferryboats by modeling PN concentrations and compares concentrations to measured values. To this end, emissions inventories and emission size spectra for different emission sectors influencing concentrations in the city center were created, explicitly considering passenger ferryboat traffic as an additional emission source. The city-scale chemical transport model EPISODE-CityChem is applied for the first time to simulate PN concentrations and additionally, observations of total particle number counts are taken at four different sampling sites in the city. Modeled UFP concentrations are in the range of 1.5–3 × 104 cm−3 at ferryboat piers and at the road traffic locations with particle sizes predominantly below 50 nm. Urban background concentrations are at 0.4–1.2 × 104 cm−3 with a predominant particle size in the range 50–100 nm. Ferryboat traffic is a significant source of emissions near the shore along the regular ferry routes. Modeled concentrations show slight differences to measured data, but the model is capable of reproducing the observed spatial variation of UFP concentrations. UFP show strong variations in both space and time, with day-to-day variations mainly controlled by differences in air temperature, wind speed and wind direction. Further model simulations should focus on longer periods of time to better understand the influence of meteorological conditions on UFP dynamics.

Abstract In this study, a novel setup was developed to measure the vertical profile of particle number size distribution (PNSD) and meteorological parameters by using hexacopter equipped with a portable instrument package including a custom-built scanning mobility particle sizer, an optical particle counter and temperature and relative humidity (RH) sensors. By using this setup, a field experiment was carried out to investigate the vertical profiles of RH, temperature, PNSD ranged from 8 to 245 nm, and particle number concentration with the diameter ranges of 0.3–0.5 μm and 0.5–1.0 μm from the ground up to 300 m above ground level in a rural site of the North China Plain. New particle formation (NPF) event in a vertical scale was observed during the daytime cruises. The newly formed particles showed a heterogeneous vertical distribution, indicating the inhomogeneous occurrence of the NPF event vertically. During the daytime, the vertical variations in number concentration of particles larger than 0.3 μm was not obvious, while, showed a tendency to decrease associated with the increasing altitude in the evening. The newly-developed unmanned aerial vehicle research platform could be applied to study the vertical NPF events and transport processes of air pollutants within the atmospheric boundary layer and urban canopy, and to monitor source emissions with the purpose of environment management. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • A hexacopter research platform was developed to measure aerosol vertical profiles. • The portable aerosol instruments are robust and reliable devices, which can be used in UAV. • The vertically inhomogeneous new particle formation event was observed over NCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This work reports the first statistical analysis of multi-annual data on tropospheric aerosols from the German Ultrafine Aerosol Network (GUAN). Compared to other networks worldwide, GUAN with 17 measurement locations has the most sites equipped with particle number size distribution (PNSD) and equivalent black carbon (eBC) instruments and the most site categories in Germany ranging from city street/roadside to High Alpine. As we know, the variations of eBC and particle number concentration (PNC) are influenced by several factors such as source, transformation, transport and deposition. The dominant controlling factor for different pollutant parameters might be varied, leading to the different spatio-temporal variations among the measured parameters. Currently, a study of spatio-temporal variations of PNSD and eBC considering the influences of both site categories and spatial scale is still missing. Based on the multi-site dataset of GUAN, the goal of this study is to investigate how pollutant parameters may interfere with spatial characteristics and site categories. Highlights • Pollutant parameters show various connections with spatial scale and site category. • Lower spatial correlation of PNC and eBC is observed for lager spatial distance. • eBC connects sites with similar influence of anthropogenic sources. • N [10-30] are mainly driven by local source. • N [200-800] connects sites located at same geographical area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The ice nucleating particles (INPs) in the ambient air in Beijing during the spring of 2017 were observed using an improved 5-L version of Bigg's mixing cloud chamber. The characteristics of the diurnal INPs concentrations are analyzed and compared with measurements made in 1963, 1995 and 1996. The particle number size distribution was also measured simultaneously. The correlation between the concentration of INPs and the aerosol number concentration in different size ranges is discussed. Moreover, the relationship between the concentration of INPs and different meteorological factors, such as wind speed, air pressure, temperature, humidity and weather conditions, are analyzed. From the results of observation, in general, the concentrations of INPs at −20 °C, −25 °C and −30 °C temperatures trend with each other on a day to day basis, although there are slight differences in some cases at −20 °C. As the activation temperatures decrease by 5 °C, the concentration of INPs increases by about one order of magnitude. The concentration of INPs increases significantly when air pollution is severe, but the specific relationship between INPs and pollution needed to be verified in the follow-up work, which is related to the source of pollution and the aerosol components. Compared with historical experimental data, interpreting trends using short sampling periods in individual years over decadal time frames, the average concentrations of INPs in Beijing increased by approximately 15 times from 1963 to 1996, but in the past 20 years, the concentration of INPs has decreased significantly. For aerosols with particle size that exceeds 0.5 μm, the correlation coefficient between aerosol number concentration and INPs increases significantly with increasing aerosol particle size; however, it tends to stabilize at approximately 0.6 for aerosol particles larger than approximately 2 μm. A comparison with meteorological parameters shows that the concentration of INPs is inversely correlated with wind speed, and displays a positive correlation with relative humidity. These results indicate that conditions that favor dispersion lead to reduced concentrations of INPs. Highlights • Observe ice nucleating particles in Beijing using an improved Bigg's mixing cloud chamber. • Compare ice nucleating particles with particle number size distribution. • Analyze the relationship between ice nucleating particles with pollution. • Comparison with historical, analyze the changes of ice nucleating particles in Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately measuring particulate matter emissions from biomass combustion is crucial for evaluating the performance of fuels, combustion appliances and flue gas cleaning methods. These measurements are essential for refining emission inventories for health risk assessments and environmental models and for defining pollution control strategies. However, as air quality standards become increasingly stringent and emission levels decrease, it is important to develop reliable, accurate measurement methods. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of two particulate dilution systems, namely a full flow dilution (FFD) tunnel and a two-stage partial flow dilution system (porous tube diluter combined with ejector diluter, PTD + ED), for characterising the particle number size distribution from a wood pellet boiler. The maximum relative sampling errors due to not sampling isokinetically increase with particle size and dilution ratio (DR), but are less than 1% for particles smaller than 1 μm for both systems. The total particle number concentration with FFD is on average 35% lower than with PTD + ED, which suggests substantial particle loss during FFD. In addition with FFD, a strong negative correlation is observed between DR and the average particle size. On the other hand with PTD + ED, both the dilution air temperature and DR have no substantial influence on the particle number emissions. However, it is observed with both systems that the particle distribution is affected by coagulation, and this effect becomes more pronounced as dilution decreases. Overall, this work provides insights into the strengths and limitations of particulate dilution systems for accurately measuring emissions from biomass combustion, which can support the development of more reliable measurement methods and assist in implementing effective pollution control strategies. • Dilution temperature with partial flow dilution does not affect particulate matter. • Particle number concentration is 35% lower with full flow dilution. • Decreasing the dilution ratio with full flow dilution yields larger particles. • Coagulation has a larger impact on particulate measurements when dilution decreases. • Errors due to anisokinetic sampling increase with increasing dilution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we evaluated 10 months data (September 2009 to June 2010) of atmospheric aerosol particle number size distribution at three atmospheric observation stations along the Baltic Sea coast: Vavihill (upwind, Sweden), Utö (upwind, Finland), and Preila (downwind, Lithuania). Differences in aerosol particle number size distributions between the upwind and downwind stations during situations of connected atmospheric flow, when the air passed each station, were used to assess the contribution of ship emissions to the aerosol number concentration (diameter interval 50–400 nm) in the Lithuanian background coastal environment. A clear increase in particle number concentration could be noticed, by a factor of 1.9 from Utö to Preila (the average total number concentration at Utö was 791 cm−3), and by a factor of 1.6 from Vavihill to Preila (the average total number concentration at Vavihill was 998 cm−3). The simultaneous measurements of absorption Ångström exponents close to unity at Preila supported our conclusion that ship emissions in the Baltic Sea contributed to the increase in particle number concentration at Preila.

We characterized new particle formation (NPF) events in the urban background of Amman during August 2016−July 2017. The monthly mean of submicron particle number concentration was 1.2 × 104−3.7 × 104 cm−3 (exhibited seasonal, weekly, and diurnal variation). Nucleation mode (10−15 nm) concentration was 0.7 × 103−1.1 × 103 cm−3 during daytime with a sharp peak (1.1 × 103−1.8 × 103 cm−3) around noon. We identified 110 NPF events (≈34% of all days) of which 55 showed a decreasing mode diameter after growth. The NPF event occurrence was higher in summer than in winter, and events were accompanied with air mass back trajectories crossing over the Eastern Mediterranean. The mean nucleation rate (J10) was 1.9 ± 1.1 cm−3 s−1 (monthly mean 1.6−2.7 cm−3 s−1) and the mean growth rate was 6.8 ± 3.1 nm/h (4.1−8.8 nm/h). The formation rate did not have a seasonal pattern, but the growth rate had a seasonal variation (maximum around August and minimum in winter). The mean condensable vapor source rate was 4.1 ± 2.2 × 105 molecules/cm3 s (2.6−6.9 × 105 molecules/cm3 s) with a seasonal pattern (maximum around August). The mean condensation sink was 8.9 ± 3.3 × 10−3 s−1 (6.4−14.8 × 10−3 s−1) with a seasonal pattern (minimum around June and maximum in winter).

The present study is based on hourly aerosol particle and ancillary data taken at three stations in Northeastern Germany 150–200 km apart in the years 2009 through 2015 in order to investigate systematic process related differences that might show up when connecting their data with forward and backward air mass trajectories. The analysis of changes in the atmospheric aerosol during air mass transport between the stations focused on two low-pollution-to-high-pollution pathways of similar distance around 200 km. Despite rather different initial size distributions the increases in total concentration of particle number, volume, and black carbon agreed within 15%. Systematic variations were found in the different concentration increases as a function of time of day at which an interstation air mass transport took place that could be explained with related source and transport processes. With Radar-based precipitation data at the stations and along connecting trajectories sub-cloud particle scavenging was investigated. At each station sub-cloud particle scavenging coefficients were determined as a function of particle size between 10 and 700 nm diameter, and as a function of precipitation sums. Median particle scavenging coefficients taken over the central part of the size range of the study strongly increased between 0.2 and 1 mm of precipitation and then planed out towards higher precipitation values. With the particle scavenging coefficients determined at the individual stations and precipitation data along connecting trajectories the sub-cloud particle scavenging analysis was extended to wet scavenging along the transport paths yielding median sub-cloud scavenging ratios over the range 0.2–25 mm of precipitation sums with a non-linear shape similar to that of the median particle scavenging coefficients at the individual stations. Whereas in light precipitation more than 80% of the initial particles in the considered range survived 150–200 km of transport, more than 50% was scavenged by more than 15 mm of precipitation during aerosol transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study synthesizes for the first time results from simultaneous aerosol measurements performed at seven diverse locations distributed all over the Spanish geography. The observations were carried out during two field campaigns in 2012–2013, one-month each and during different seasons. These field campaigns were performed in the framework of the Spanish Network of DMAs (REDMAAS) activities. Measurement sites were grouped as polluted sites (urban background) and clean sites (rural background and high-altitude sites). Seasonal differences were more important at polluted sites, mainly related to meteorology and aerosol sources. Higher total particle concentrations were found during the cold period, driven mainly by Aitken-mode particles (traffic-related aerosol particles). In clean sites, particle concentrations were higher during the warm period. Mild meteorological conditions in combination with the absence of local sources during the cold period make atmospheric nucleation an important contributor to ultrafine particles. These results are reflected in aerosol dynamical processes. Ultrafine particle bursts were frequent in both periods at the clean sites and in the warm period at most polluted sites. Shrinkages processes were identified at three sites (two polluted and one clean site) during the warm period. Meteorology (wind speed and solar radiation) and a highly-volatile aerosol (formed from atmospheric nucleation or traffic emissions) explain this behaviour. Ultrafine particles exhibited a different behaviour at inland and coastal sites. The highest total particle concentrations were observed at coastal sites during the warm period. At these sites, the smallest particle modal diameters and the highest variations of particle number size distributions in the smaller particle size range were also found, particularly in the warm period. This may be the result of the high diffusion conditions and mixing of different air masses (clean and polluted) caused by sea-land breezes. Our findings can be explained by the local and regional characteristics of each site, such as meteorology and aerosol sources (types, proximity …) and the influence of meteorology on atmospheric transformation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle number size distribution in a suburban Beijing was measured during the HOPE-J3A (Haze Observation Project Especially for Jing–Jin–Ji Area) field campaigns in 2015 from 18 June to 23 July (summer) and 2 to 25 December (winter). Average particle concentrations during the summer and winter campaigns were 9.6 ± 4.8 × 10 3 cm −3 and 13.9 ± 8.3 × 10 3 cm −3 , respectively. Particle numbers were dominated by Aitken mode particles in both seasons. During the winter campaign, pollution events occurred every four to five days, each lasting for two to three days. In contrast, pollution events lasted for one to two days every six to seven days during the summer campaign. Aitken mode particles were 50% higher in the winter but new particle formation (NPF) events occurred more frequently in the summer. NPF events usually starts at around 10:00 LT (local time) in the summer but 12:00 LT in the winter. Aitken and accumulation mode particles accounted for 43.5% and 38.2% of all particles. The proportion of Aitken mode to total particles remained almost the same during summer, while it increased as haze intensified in winter. Particle number concentration was closely correlated with traffic and residents living activities and wind speed, with higher concentrations during rush hours, heating period and in the southerly wind. These results, when combined with trajectory cluster analysis, suggest that Aitken and accumulation mode particles were mainly from regional transport during the summer campaign, but from vehicle and coal-combustion emissions during the winter campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous particle number size distribution measurements were performed in the urban environment of Budapest, Vienna, and Prague, three Central European cities located within 450 km of each other. The measurement days from the continuous, 2-year long campaign were classified for new particle formation (NPF) events using an adapted classification scheme for urban sites. The total numbers of NPF event days were 152 for Budapest, 69 for Vienna, and 143 for Prague. There were 12 days when new particle formation took place at all three sites; 11 out of these 12 days were in spring and in summer. There were only 2 (Budapest-Vienna), 19 (Budapest-Prague), and 19 (Vienna-Prague) nucleation days, when NPF did not occur on the third site. The main difference was related to source and sink terms of gas-phase sulphuric acid. Air mass origin and back-trajectories did not show any substantial influence on the atmospheric nucleation phenomena. The relative contribution of particles from NPF with respect to regional aerosol to the particles originating from all sources was expressed as nucleation strength factor. The overall mean nucleation strength factors were 1.58, 1.54, and 2.01 for Budapest, Vienna, and Prague, respectively, and showed diurnal and seasonal variations. The monthly mean NSF varied from 1.2 to 3.2 in Budapest, from 0.7 to 1.9 in Vienna, and from 1.0 to 2.3 in Prague. This implies that the new particle formation in cities is a significant source of ultrafine (UF) particles, and the amount of them is comparable to the directly emitted UF particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extensive field experiment for measurement of physical and chemical properties of aerosols was conducted at an urban site in the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS) in Beijing and at a rural site in Gucheng (GC), Hebei Province in December 2016. This paper compares the number size distribution of submicron particle matter (PM1, diameter < 1 µm) between the two sites. The results show that the mean PM1 number concentration at GC was twice that at CAMS, and the mass concentration was three times the amount at CAMS. It is found that the accumulation mode (100-850 nm) particles constituted the largest fraction of PM1 at GC, which was significantly correlated with the local coal combustion, as confirmed by a significant relationship between the accumulation mode and the absorption coefficient of soot particles. The high PM1 concentration at GC prevented the occurrence of new particle formation (NPF) events, while eight such events were observed at CAMS. During the NPF events, the mass fraction of sulfate increased significantly, indicating that sulfate played an important role in NPF. The contribution of regional transport to PM1 mass concentration was approximately 50% at both sites, same as that of the local emission. However, during the red-alert period when emission control took place, the contribution of regional transport was notably higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the air quality during 2010 World Expo, continuous measurements of particle number size distributions and optical parameters were performed at urban Shanghai from April to June 2010. Total particle number and volume concentrations in the size range 16–600 nm were 12 700±6200 cm−3 and 16±8 µm3/cm3, respectively. Meanwhile, the optical parameters, particle light-scattering coefficient b sp,532nm and absorption coefficient b ap,532nm were 210±140 Mm−1 and 26±20 Mm−1, respectively. Strong correlation (R=0.69) was observed between b sp,532nm and the number concentration of accumulation mode particles, especially in the specific size range 300–500 nm (R=0.87). Cluster analysis on air mass history was performed to explore the relationship between air mass origins and the optical as well as microphysical parameters. Back trajectories were classified into four major clusters. Air masses came from the west direction, in which continental aerosols were predominant, associating with the polluted cases during the summertime in Shanghai. In addition, the northern air mass showed the lower values of aerosol single scattering albedo ω 0,532nm, indicating the presence of smaller light-absorbing particles originated from the North China Plain.

Exhaust particle emissions from a heavy duty diesel engine using B20 biodiesel (20% biodiesel blend with 80% diesel by volume) were investigated, and the engine was equipped with three kinds of exhaust aftertreatment devices: DOC (diesel oxidation catalyst), DOC + DPF (diesel particle filter), and DOC + CDPF (catalyzed diesel particle filter). Particle mass, particle number and size distribution, and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and inorganic ions in the particle emissions from the engine were studied. Compared with the engine without exhaust aftertreatments, DOC decreased nucleation mode particle number by 19.83%, while accumulation mode particles exhibited slight changes. The DOC + DPF reduced the total particle number by 82.54%, while the DOC + CDPF reduced it by 91.71%. Compared with the engine without exhaust aftertreatments, the three aftertreatments were shown to reduce total PAH emissions. DOC + DPF and DOC + CDPF can decrease total TEQ (toxicity equivalent quantity) effectively with a sharp decrease in PAH mass. The DOC increased the TEQ of particles by 46.9%. The catalyst in the DOC increased some high molecular weight PAHs such as BaA, BbF + BkF, and BaP, which led to the increase in TEQ. The DOC increased the total inorganic ions by 2%, while the DOC + DPF and DOC + CDPF decreased inorganic ions by 89.5% and 82.9%, respectively. Catalysts in DOC and CDPF promotes the formation of SO 4 2− and NO 3 − , which leads to higher inorganic ion emissions with DOC than no aftertreatments and higher inorganic ion emissions with a DOC + CDPF than with a DOC + DPF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a three-dimensional air quality model with detailed aerosol microphysics (NAQPMS + APM) was applied to simulate the fine particle number size distribution and to explain the spatiotemporal variation of fine particle number concentrations in different size ranges over Beijing and surrounding areas in the haze season (Jan 15 to Feb 13 in 2006). Comparison between observations and the simulation indicates that the model is able to reproduce the main features of the particle number size distribution. The high number concentration of total particles, up to 26600 cm −3 in observations and 39800 cm −3 in the simulation, indicates the severity of pollution in Beijing. We find that primary particles with secondary species coating and secondary particles together control the particle number size distribution. Secondary particles dominate particle number concentration in the nucleation mode. Primary and secondary particles together determine the temporal evolution and spatial pattern of particle number concentration in the Aitken mode. Primary particles dominate particle number concentration in the accumulation mode. Over Beijing and surrounding areas, secondary particles contribute at least 80% of particle number concentration in the nucleation mode but only 10–20% in the accumulation mode. Nucleation mode particles and accumulation mode particles are anti-phased with each other. Nucleation or primary emissions alone could not explain the formation of the particle number size distribution in Beijing. Nucleation has larger effects on ultrafine particles while primary particles emissions are efficient in producing large particles in the accumulation mode. Reduction in primary particle emissions does not always lead to a decrease in the number concentration of ultrafine particles. Measures to reduce fine particle pollution in terms of particle number concentration may be different from those addressing particle mass concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerosol number size distributions, PM mass concentrations, alveolar deposited surface areas (ADSAs) and VOC concentrations were measured in a model room when aerosol was emitted by sources frequently encountered in indoor environments. Both combustion and non-combustion sources were considered. The most intense aerosol emission occurred when combustion sources were active (as high as 4.1 × 10 7 particles cm − 3 for two meat grilling sessions; the first with exhaust ventilation, the second without). An intense spike generation of nucleation particles occurred when appliances equipped with brush electric motors were operating (as high as 10 6 particles cm − 3 on switching on an electric drill). Average UFP increments over the background value were highest for electric appliances (5–12%) and lowest for combustion sources (as low as − 24% for tobacco cigarette smoke). In contrast, average increments in ADSA were highest for combustion sources (as high as 3.2 × 10 3 μm 2 cm − 3 for meat grilling without exhaust ventilation) and lowest for electric appliances (20–90 μm 2 cm − 3 ). The health relevance of such particles is associated to their ability to penetrate cellular structures and elicit inflammatory effects mediated through oxidative stress in a way dependent on their surface area. The highest VOC concentrations were measured (PID probe) for cigarette smoke (8 ppm) and spray air freshener (10 ppm). The highest PM mass concentration (PM 1 ) was measured for citronella candle burning (as high as 7.6 mg m − 3 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossil fuel combustion should be decreased in future years in order to lower the CO 2 emissions of energy production. The reduction can be achieved by increasing the amount of CO 2 -neutral fuels in energy production. Here 6–13% of coal was substituted with industrial or roasted pellets in a pulverized fuel-fired power plant without making any changes to fuel grinding or low-NO x burners. The effect of pellet addition for the flue gas particles was studied with direct sampling from the boiler super heater area. Based on primary dilution ratio tests, transmission electron microscope images, and the natural electric charge of the particles, it was observed that particles in the flue gas are spherical and have been formed in the boiler at high temperatures. The pellet addition lowered the total particle number concentrations with all of the studied pellet–coal mixtures in comparison to the coal combustion. The 10.5% industrial pellet addition caused a second mode in the particle number size distribution. In addition, based on the chemical analysis of the collected size-fractioned particle samples, results indicated that the pellet addition did not increase the corrosion risk of the boiler. However, the changes in the particle number size distribution and total particle number concentration can affect the operation of electrostatic precipitators and flue gas cleaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three years of aerosol particle number concentrations (PNCs), size distributions and vertical particle fluxes measured at the semi-urban SMEAR III station in Helsinki, Finland, were studied. The purpose is to study the local emission sources and their effect on particle concentrations and size distributions. By means of cluster analysis, six representative size distributions were identified. Their occurrence together with particle concentrations and fluxes were found to vary significantly with wind direction. Lower particle concentrations and fluxes were measured downwind from vegetated and residential areas compared to directions where the measurement site is downwind from roads passing near the measurement site. For these directions, contributions of the local sources on the measured particle concentrations and size distributions were evident. In particular, size distributions with a mode in the size range 20–40 nm were found to be more affected by local traffic emissions, whereas the mode shifted towards larger sizes when contribution from distant sources was more evident. Using flux footprint functions, mixed vehicle fleet emission factors (EFs) were derived from the particle flux measurements. EFs of 6.03 (±0.19)1014 # Veh−1 km−1 and 3.65 (±0.12)1014 # Veh−1 km−1 were estimated for cold (October–March) and warm (April–September) periods, respectively. Emission factors increased with decreasing air temperature (T) following a linear relationship EF=−0.201014 # Veh−1 km−1°C−1 T+6.981014 # Veh−1 km−1 (RMSE=3.71014 # Veh−1 km−1).

Temporary strict emission control strategies were conducted to ensure good air quality for China's V-Day parade (August 20–September 3, 2015) in Beijing and nearby cities. The influence of the emission control on particle number size distribution (PNSD) was evaluated based on the long-term measurements of PNSD at a rural site (Shangdianzi) located northeast of Beijing. This study also presented the comparison results of PNSD during the parade in 2015 and the Olympics in 2008 (August 8–23), as well as the same period without strict emission control in 2010–2013 (August 20–September 3). Compared with the same period in 2010–2013 and 2008 Olympics, the accumulation mode particle number concentration showed a significant reduction in 2015, and the PM 1 mass concentration decreased by approximately 60–90%. The alleviation of the PM 1 was also associated with the weather conditions. The back trajectories analysis results showed that the southerly air mass passing through the polluted areas accounted for 14% of the total back trajectories in 2015, which contributed to approximately 60% in the other years. During the control period in 2015, there were six new particle formation (NPF) events observed, with a higher frequency, but a lower formation rate and growth rate than the same period in 2010–2013. The comparison of the condensation sink ( CS ), sulfuric acid, solar radiation and relative humidity among the different years indicated that at Shangdianzi station, the first factor in determining the NPF occurrence was the CS , and the second factor could be the concentration level of precursor vapors participating in the NPF event (e.g., sulfuric acid). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme haze episodes repeatedly shrouded Beijing during the winter of 2012-2013, causing major environmental and health problems. To better understand these extreme events, particle number size distribution (PNSD) and particle chemical composition (PCC) data collected in an intensive winter campaign in an urban site of Beijing were used to investigate the sources of ambient fine particles. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis resolved a total of eight factors: two traffic factors, combustion factors, secondary aerosol, two accumulation mode aerosol factors, road dust, and long-range transported (LRT) dust. Traffic emissions (54 %) and combustion aerosol (27 %) were found to be the most important sources for particle number concentration, whereas combustion aerosol (33 %) and accumulation mode aerosol (37 %) dominated particle volume concentrations. Chemical compositions and sources of fine particles changed dynamically in the haze episodes. An enhanced role of secondary inorganic species was observed in the formation of haze pollution. Regional transport played an important role for high particles, contribution of which was on average up to 24-49 % during the haze episodes. Secondary aerosols from urban background presented the largest contributions (45 %) for the rapid increase of fine particles in the severest haze episode. In addition, the invasion of LRT dust aerosols further elevated the fine particles during the extreme haze episode. Our results showed a clear impact of regional transport on the local air pollution, suggesting the importance of regional-scale emission control measures in the local air quality management of Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]