Novel measurement system for respiratory aerosols and droplets in indoor environments

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has created a great demand for a better understanding of the spread of viruses in indoor environments. A novel measurement system consisting of one portable aerosol-emitting mannequin (emitter) and a number of portable aerosol-absorbing mannequins (recipients) was developed that can measure the spread of aerosols and droplets that potentially contain infectious viruses. The emission of the virus from a human is simulated by using tracer particles solved in water. The recipients inhale the aerosols and droplets and quantify the level of solved tracer particles in their artificial lungs simultaneously over time. The mobile system can be arranged in a large variety of spreading scenarios in indoor environments and allows for quantification of the infection probability due to airborne virus spreading. This study shows the accuracy of the new measurement system and its ability to compare aerosol reduction measures such as regular ventilation or the use of a room air purifier.     

Real-time molecular characterization of air pollutants in a Hong Kong residence: Implication of indoor source emissions and heterogeneous chemistry

Due to the high health risks associated with indoor air pollutants and long-term exposure, indoor air quality has received increasing attention. In this study, we put emphasis on the molecular composition, source emissions, and chemical aging of air pollutants in a residence with designed activities mimicking ordinary Hong Kong homes. More than 150 air pollutants were detected at molecular level, 87 of which were quantified at a time resolution of not less than 1 hour. The indoor-to-outdoor ratios were higher than 1 for most of the primary air pollutants, due to emissions of indoor activities and indoor backgrounds (especially for aldehydes). In contrast, many secondary air pollutants exhibited higher concentrations in outdoor air. Painting ranked first in aldehyde emissions, which also caused great enhancement of aromatics. Incense burning had the highest emissions of particle-phase organics, with vanillic acid and syringic acid as markers. The other noteworthy fingerprints enabled by online measurements included linoleic acid, cholesterol, and oleic acid for cooking, 2,5-dimethylfuran, stigmasterol, iso-/anteiso-alkanes, and fructose isomers for smoking, C₂₈-C₃₄ even n-alkanes for candle burning, and monoterpenes for the use of air freshener, cleaning agents, and camphor oil. We showed clear evidence of chemical aging of cooking emissions, giving a hint of indoor heterogeneous chemistry. This study highlights the value of organic molecules measured at high time resolutions in enhancing our knowledge on indoor air quality.     

Modelling of black carbon statistical distribution and return periods of extreme concentrations

Eight datasets of 1-h black carbon (BC) concentrations measured in Warsaw agglomeration (Poland), at urban background and sub-urban sites, and in Racibórz, a small town in Upper Silesia district (regional background site) were analyzed to evaluate BC levels, daily profiles and statistical distributions of concentrations in Central-Eastern European region. The observed mean levels ranged from 1483 ng m⁻³ in suburban site during summer to 3358 ng m⁻³ in regional background site in winter. Observed diurnal patterns were bimodal in the locations dominated by traffic emissions, but unimodal, with elevated evening peak in individually heated residential area. Three theoretical frequency distributions were applied to fit analyzed datasets separately. The lognormal distribution was the most appropriate to represent the middle-range values, while the high concentrations were satisfactorily predicted by the type I two-parameter exponential distribution which was used to estimate the return periods of extreme concentrations for winter months.     

In situ measurements of human cough aerosol hygroscopicity

The airborne dynamics of respiratory droplets, and the transmission routes of pathogens embedded within them, are governed primarily by the diameter of the particles. These particles are composed of the fluid which lines the respiratory tract, and is primarily mucins and salts, which will interact with the atmosphere and evaporate to reach an equilibrium diameter. Measuring organic volume fraction (OVF) of cough aerosol has proved challenging due to large variability and low material volume produced after coughing. Here, the diametric hygroscopic growth factors (GF) of the cough aerosol produced by healthy participants were measured in situ using a rotating aerosol suspension chamber and a humidification tandem differential mobility analyser. Using hygroscopicity models, it was estimated that the average OVF in the evaporated cough aerosol was 0.88 ± 0.07 and the average GF at 90% relative humidity (RH) was 1.31 ± 0.03. To reach equilibrium in dry air the droplets will reduce in diameter by a factor of approximately 2.8 with an evaporation factor of 0.36 ± 0.05. Hysteresis was observed in cough aerosol at RH = ∼35% and RH = ∼65% for efflorescence and deliquescence, respectively, and may depend on the OVF. The same behaviour and GF were observed in nebulized bovine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.     

Real-time organic aerosol chemical speciation in the indoor environment using extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Understanding the sources and composition of organic aerosol (OA) in indoor environments requires rapid measurements, since many emissions and processes have short timescales. However, real-time molecular-level OA measurements have not been reported indoors. Here, we present quantitative measurements, at a time resolution of five seconds, of molecular ions corresponding to diverse aerosol-phase species, by applying extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (EESI-MS) to indoor air analysis for the first time, as part of the highly instrumented HOMEChem field study. We demonstrate how the complex spectra of EESI-MS are screened in order to extract chemical information and investigate the possibility of interference from gas-phase semivolatile species. During experiments that simulated the Thanksgiving US holiday meal preparation, EESI-MS quantified multiple species, including fatty acids, carbohydrates, siloxanes, and phthalates. Intercomparisons with Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) and Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer suggest that EESI-MS quantified a large fraction of OA. Comparisons with FIGAERO-CIMS shows similar signal levels and good correlation, with a range of 100 for the relative sensitivities. Comparisons with SV-TAG for phthalates and with SV-TAG and AMS for total siloxanes also show strong correlation. EESI-MS observations can be used with gas-phase measurements to identify co-emitted gas- and aerosol-phase species, and this is demonstrated using complementary gas-phase PTR-MS observations.     

An Experimental Investigation of the Coagulation of Aerosol in a Tube in the Vicinity of Subharmonic Resonance

Nonlinear oscillation of aerosol in the vicinity of a resonance frequency that is twice lower than the first eigenfrequency (subharmonic resonance) is experimentally investigated in tubes with different conditions at the ends. The time dependence of the number density of aerosol droplets is determined, and the effect of the frequency and intensity of oscillation on the process of coagulation of droplets is studied. The nonmonotonic pattern of the dependence of the time of coagulation of aerosol droplets on the frequency of excitation with a minimal value at resonance is found. Ordered space-time structures (alternation of denser and looser regions of aerosol) are revealed in the visible region in the vicinity of the middle of a closed tube.     

利用星载多波长辐射计观测资料反演大气气溶胶光学厚度

本文提出了一个利用星载多波长辐射计的可见光和近红外通道观测资料反演气溶胶光学厚度的迭代方案。数值试验结果表明，该方案反演气溶胶光学厚度的误差小于10％。将该方案用于分析我国东南沿海上空NOAA－AVHRR观测资料，得到了较为合理的气溶胶光学厚度的空间分布。     

用αβ谱仪测量人工αβ放射性气溶胶体积活度的试验研究

本文介绍了用αβ谱仪系统同时测量αβ谱、实现Ｒｎ／Ｔｈ子体补偿、确定超铀α核素气溶胶体积活度及人工放射性气溶胶总β体积活度的技术途径。利用ＲａＡ、ＲａＣ′ａ峰的二段时间计数可确定空气中ＲａＡ、ＲａＢ、ＲａＣ的气溶胶体积活度，相应的，也能给出ＲａＢ、ＲａＣ对总β计数的贡献。根据一般环境条件下的平衡比，用ＴｈＣ′的。计数修正Ｔｈ子体对αβ测量的影响。￣［２３９］ｐｕ或／和￣［２４１］Ａｍ人工核素的α计数，可通过两段时间分别扣除ＲａＡ、ＲａＣ′拖尾的方法确定；β计数分别扣除Ｒｎ／Ｔｈ子体β贡献即可确定。在本文规定的测量条件下，对室内天然Ｒｎ子体水平在１５Ｂｑ／ｍ￣３以下，超铀α核素气溶胶体积活度的测量下限可达到０．１Ｂｑ／ｍ￣３；即使在７５Ｂｑ／ｍ￣３环境下，人工核素总β的测量下限也可达ｌＢｑ／ｍ￣３以下。     

气雾型自动喷漆中助剂的应用

分析了气雾型自动喷漆中影响沉降，分散稳定性的主要因素，研究了助剂的应用及工艺改进等解决方法。     

Reaction of YBa2Cu3O7-δ Powder with NOx Gas in an Aerosol Reactor

Thermodynamic calculations predict, and experiments verify, that YBa₂Cu₃O₇-₈ (123) powder is unstable in the presence of NO_x-containing aerosol reactor exhaust gases at temperatures below about 600°C. Powders collected above the stability temperature are single-phase 123, while powders collected at lower temperature contain Ba(NO₃)₂ formed by reaction of the powder with NO_x, after exit from the hot zone.