PM 2.5 Semivolatile Organic Material at Riverside,California: Implications for the PM 2.5 Federal Reference Method Sampler

Particulate semivolatile organic compounds can be lost from particles on a filter during sample collection and storage, resulting in a negative artifact. Gas-phase organic compounds can adsorb on a quartz filter to cause a positive artifact. A sampler (Particle Concentrator-Brigham Young University Organic Sampling System: PC-BOSS) has been developed that uses a cyclone and virtual impactor (particle concentrator) inlet to provide a concentrated stream of 0.1-2.5 w m particles. The concentrator is followed by a BOSS diffusion denuder to remove interfering gas-phase compounds and filter packs to collect particles, including any semivolatile species lost from the particles during sampling. The sampler can be used for the determination of both fine particulate nitrate and semivolatile organic material without significant "positive" or "negative" sampling artifacts. The sampler has been evaluated at Riverside, CA. The collection efficiency of the particle concentrator was stable, being 65% - 2% and 61% - 1% for particulate sulfate and soot, respectively. Results obtained with the PC-BOSS for the determination of PM 2.5 organic material including semivolatile components agreed with results from a BOSS, but not with filter pack results. The precision of the PC-BOSS results for particulate organic material was - 8%. An average of 50% of the particulate organic material was lost from the particles during sampling for all samplers used. As a result of the loss of semivolatile organic material and nitrate, the PM 2.5 Federal Reference Method sampler underdetermined PM 2.5 by an average of 34% with the under measurement varying from negligible to 27 w g/m 3 , averaging 8.9 w g/m 3 .     

Design,Calibration, and Field Test of a Cyclone for PM 1 Ambient Air Sampling

Ambient air sampling at a flow rate of 16.7 Lpm (1 m 3 /h) has been well established with the adoption, within the USA, of the EPA regulations governing PM 2.5 sampling. Subsequent to the adoption of the new regulation, problems were encountered with the impactor technique utilized for establishing a PM 2.5 cut ( D 50 = 2.5 w m aerodynamic equivalent diameter, A.E.D.). In order to avoid the depression in the cut point engendered by a buildup of collected material on the impactor stage and to extend the operating interval between cleanings, a cyclone was developed to replace the impactor. Although not an adopted standard, PM 1 has a practical appeal in that it represents the smallest cut point that can practically be assessed for long periods of time at high flow rates utilizing inertial techniques. Further relevance is attributed to this cut by interest in particulate matter related to diesel engine emissions. A new version of the sharp cut cyclone (SCC) was constructed with the aim of obtaining a cut point at D 50 = 1 w m at a flow rate of 16.7 Lpm. The dimensions of the cyclone were calculated using the SCC design model by Kenny and Gussman. Field studies were conducted to validate the PM 1 cyclone and to compare the results to colocated PM 10 and PM 2.5 concentration measurements.     

Design and Test of 2.5 μ m Cutoff Size Inlet Based on a Particle Cup Impactor Configuration

Based on the particle cup impactor configuration, an inlet for sampling fine particles smaller than 2.5 w m in diameter was designed for operation at a flow rate of 25 l/min. To determine the optimal dimensions of the particle cup impactor applicable to the PM 2.5 inlet, calibration experiments were carried out at wind velocities of 2 and 24 km/h in a wind tunnel. It was noted that the particle cup impactor having an impaction nozzle diameter of 3.2 mm and the nozzle-to-cup spacing of 3.6 mm yielded a sharp size cutoff. Supplementary experiments were conducted on sampling performance with the inlet having the optimally selected configuration at a near-zero wind speed in the test chamber. Results of the tests showed the inlet had a cutoff size of 2.43 w m in aerodynamic diameter, at 25 l/min, and that particles larger than 2.5 w m were trapped in the cup. Additional experiments covering a flow rate between 10 and 40 l/min with particle sizes between 0.8 and 4.3 w m were conducted in the test chamber. A field test was performed to examine the PM 2.5 inlet in real situations. The performance indicated that the inlet design met the basic requirements of fine-particle sampling.     

A Novel Multifilter PM10–PM2.5 Sampler (MFPPS)

A novel multifilter PM₁₀–PM_2.5 sampler (MFPPS) that enables the collection of four PM₁₀ and four PM_2.5 samples simultaneously has been developed and tested. The MFPPS uses a PM₁₀ impactor as the inlet and operates at 33.4 L/min. After the inlet, the aerosol flow is divided half by a Y-type fitting. Half of the flow is directed into four PM₁₀ filter cassettes, while the other half is directed into four PM_2.5 filter cassettes after the aerosols are further classified by a PM_2.5 impactor. An active flow control system consisting of two mass flow controllers (MFCs), one for PM₁₀ and the other for PM_2.5, is used to fix the total flow rate of 16.7 L/min for four PM₁₀ or four PM_2.5 channels based on the ambient pressure and temperature. To ensure flow rate uniformity through each of the four PM₁₀ or four PM_2.5 filter cassettes, an orifice is assembled behind each of the filter cassettes to increase the pressure drop, such that the flow rates of eight sampling lines are nearly equal using just two MFCs. The MFPPS was calibrated in the laboratory for particle collection efficiency curves first. Then, the ambient PM concentrations were compared with those of other two collocated FRM samplers, the dichotomous PM₁₀ and the EPA WINS PM_2.5 sampler in the field study. Calibration results showed the cutoff aerodynamic diameters of the PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 impactors were 9.8 ± 0.1 and 2.5 ± 0.05 μm, respectively. Field comparison results indicated PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations agreed well with the other two PM samplers.     

Automated Measurement of the Size and Concentration of Airborne Particulate Nitrate

A three-stage, cascaded integrated collection and vaporization system has been developed to provide automated, 10 min resolution monitoring of the size and concentration of fine particulate nitrate in the atmosphere. Particles are collected (7 min) by a humidified impaction process, and analyzed in place (3 min) by flash vaporization and chemiluminescent detection of the evolved nitrogen oxides. The three size fractions, < 0.45 w m, 0.45-1.0 w m, and 1.0-2.5 w m, are chosen to distinguish the condensation, droplet, and coarse components of PM 2.5 . The size precut at 2.5 w m is done at ambient conditions, while the size fractionation at 1.0 w m and 0.45 w m is done at a constant relative humidity of 65%. The system is calibrated with laboratory aerosols, including comparison of sizing for hygroscopic salt and hydrophobic organic aerosols. The complete system is tested with monodisperse ammonium nitrate aerosol generated with a high-flow differential mobility analyzer coupled with an impactor precut and yields results consistent with the calibration of the individual stages.     

Development and Evaluation of a PM 10 Impactor-Inlet for a Continuous Coarse Particle Monitor

Conventional PM 10 inlets available operate at a flow rate of 16.7 l/min. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a PM 10 inlet designed to operate at 50 l/min to be used with a recently developed continuous coarse particle monitor (Misra et al.). Laboratory tests using polystyrene latex particles established the inlet's 50% cutpoint at 9.5 w m. Further evaluation of PM 10 inlet was performed in a wind tunnel at wind speeds of 3, 8, and 24 km/h. Tests showed that the 50% efficiency cutpoint as well as the very sharp particle separation characteristics of the inlet were maintained at these wind speeds. Field evaluation of the PM 10 inlet was performed in Riverside and Rubidoux, CA. A 2.5 w m cutpoint round nozzle virtual impactor was attached downstream of the developed PM 10 inlet. The Dichotomous PM 10 Partisol Sampler, operating at a flow rate of 16.7 l/min was used as a reference sampler. The Dichotomous Partisol uses an FRM PM 10 inlet operating at 16.7 l/min to remove particles larger than 10 w m in aerodynamic diameter. Commercially available 4.7 cm Teflon filters were used in both the Partisol and the PM 10 inlet to collect particulate matter (PM). Results showed good agreement between coarse PM (2.5-10 w m) mass concentrations measured by means of the PM 10 inlet and Partisol. Chemical analyses showed excellent agreement between coarse PM concentrations of Al, K, Si, Ca, and Fe obtained by the two samplers. The agreement also persisted for nitrate and sulfate. Finally, the excellent agreement between coarse concentrations of the PM 10 inlet and Partisol persisted for wind speeds up to 19 km/h.     

Performance Evaluation and Use of a Continuous Monitor for Measuring Size-Fractionated PM 2.5 Nitrate

A field evaluation of a new size-fractionating continuous fine particle nitrate monitor from Aerosol Dynamics Inc. (ADI), Berkeley, CA was conducted via comparison to traditional time-integrated filter (HEADS) and impactor (MOUDI) measurements. The new monitor consists of three cascaded integrated collection and vaporization cells (ICVC) and provides 10-min resolution particulate nitrate measurements in three particle diameter size ranges (0.10-0.45, 0.45-1.0, and 1.0-2.5 w m) corresponding to observed submodes in the particle size distribution in Southern California. Side-by-side sampling was conducted for approximately six months at two sites, both at downwind receptor locations east of downtown Los Angeles. Both size-resolved and total PM 2.5 nitrate concentrations were compared among the different sampling techniques. The ADI monitor and HEADS PM 2.5 nitrate measurements, for which nitrate sampling artifacts are expected to be low, are well correlated (r 2 = 0.79) with a geometric mean ADI:HEADS ratio of 0.90. The ADI size-fractionated nitrate data measured consistently more nitrate than the corresponding MOUDI stages due to volatilization of labile ammonium nitrate from the MOUDI impaction substrates. Less disagreement was observed in the 1.0-2.5 w m size range in which nitrate is more likely to exist as nonlabile sodium nitrate. The observed MOUDI nitrate losses are attributable to existing theories of nitrate sampling efficiencies and losses. The continuous nature of the data generated by the ADI monitor will provide valuable information on the spatial and temporal distribution of particulate nitrate in the atmosphere, and the new dimension of size-fractionation can help to determine the sources and formation mechanisms of atmospheric particulate nitrate as well. Examples of the atmospheric data generated in this study are presented and the potential utility of such data provided by the new monitor are discussed.     

哈尔滨市大气中TSP、PM_(10)和PM_(2.5)相关性分析

对哈尔滨市大气环境中的TSP、PM10、PM2.5进行了采集和质量浓度的分析。实验结果表明:细颗粒(PM2.5)所占比例全年变化比较明显,1月、10月、11月和12月含量较高,均占到总量的55%以上,同时PM2.5/PM10也处于全年最高值,说明此期间细颗粒污染较为严重,环境危害较大;PM10含量全年变化相对稳定,PM10/TSP变化幅度仅为0.71~0.79,说明全年颗粒物质量分布的变化主要由PM2.5和PM2.5-10引起。根据TSP和PM10、PM10和PM2.5之间的相对关系曲线可以看出,两种大气颗粒物均来自相似的污染源,且污染源排放大气颗粒物的粒度分布长期比较稳定,而PM10和PM2.5的相关系数R值为0.973,也具备一定的相关性,可认为两者的变化趋势是一致的。     

Development and field evaluation of an online monitor for near-continuous measurement of iron,manganese, and chromium in coarse airborne particulate matter (PM)

A novel air sampling monitor was developed for near-continuous (i.e., 2-h time resolution) measurement of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and chromium (Cr) concentrations in ambient coarse particulate matter (PM) (i.e., PM_10–2.5). The developed monitor consists of two modules: (1) the coarse PM collection module, utilizing two virtual impactors (VIs) connected to a modified BioSampler to collect ambient coarse PM into aqueous slurry samples; (2) the metal concentration measurement module, which quantifies the light absorption of colored complexes formed through the reactions between the soluble and solubilized target metals and pertinent analytical reagents in the collected slurries using a micro volume flow cell (MVFC) coupled with UV/VIS spectrophotometry. The developed monitor was deployed in the field for continuous ambient PM collection and measurements from January to April 2016 to evaluate its performance and reliability. Overall, the developed monitor could achieve accurate and reliable measurements of the trace metals Fe, Mn, and Cr over long sampling periods, based on the agreement between the metal concentrations measured via this online monitor and off-line parallel measurements obtained using filter samplers. Based on our results, it can be concluded that the developed monitor is a promising technology for near-continuous measurements of metal concentrations in ambient coarse PM. Moreover, this monitor can be readily configured to measure the speciation (i.e., water-soluble portion as well as specific oxidation states) of these metal species. These unique abilities are essential tools in investigations of sources and atmospheric processes influencing the concentrations of these redox-active metals in coarse PM.

Copyright © 2016 American Association for Aerosol Research     

High-Volume Diffusion Denuder Sampler for the Routine Monitoring of Fine Particulate Matter: II. Field Evaluation of the PC-BOSS

The high-volume Brigham Young University organic sampling system with a particle concentrator (PC-BOSS) has been field evaluated for the determination of airborne fine particulate matter including semivolatile chemical species during 3 intensive sampling programs in 1997: Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Lawrence County, TN; Riverside, CA; and Provo, UT. The PC-BOSS precision was tested using 2 collocated PC-BOSS samplers. In addition, the PC-BOSS results were compared with results from a prototype PM 2.5 U.S. EPA federal reference method (FRM sampler), a filter pack sampler (quartz and charcoal sorbent filters), the BIG BOSS, an annular denuder sampler, and the ChemSpec sampler for the determination of major fine particulate species. Fine particulate mass, sulfate, nitrate, and organic carbonaceous material (OC) determined by 2 PC-BOSS samplers agreed within - 10%. Possibly due to absorption of SO 2 by a quartz filter, the sulfate concentrations determined by the filter pack sampler and the BIG BOSS were higher (by 10 - 3%) than concentrations obtained with the other samplers. No absorption of SO 2 (g) by the quartz filters of the PC-BOSS occurred due to the high efficiency (>99%) of its denuder. The PC-BOSS, annular denuder, and ChemSpec samplers agreed with each other (to within - 0.5 w g/m 3 , - 17%, with no bias) for the determination of fine particulate nitrate concentrations, including volatilization losses. The prototype PM 2.5 FRM sampler collected only particle-retained nonvolatile mass. The mass concentrations determined by the PM 2.5 FRM agreed with those collected by the post-denuder Teflon filters of the PC-BOSS (to within - 1.1 w g/m 3 , - 10%, with no bias). The overall loss of material from particles and the resultant underestimation of the particulate mass concentrations by the PM 2.5 FRM depended on the fine particle composition and the ambient temperature.     

Evaluation of a High Volume Aerosol Concentrator

A virtual impactor sampler, which is designed to concentrate aerosols from a 1000 L/min ambient air sample into a 1 L/min exhaust airflow stream, was tested with near monodisperse aerosols in aerosol wind tunnels to characterize sampling performance. New methodology is introduced to correct results for the presence of doublet and satellite aerosol particles that can be present in the particle size distribution from a vibrating jet atomizer. Aerosol penetration from the free stream near the sampler inlet to the outlet of the device has a peak value of 78% at a particle size of 3.9 w m AD. Sampling effectiveness, which is the mean penetration over the size range of 2.5 to 10 w m AD, is 48%. There are 4 virtual impaction stages in the sampler, and examination of the regional losses shows that most of the aerosol deposition occurs on surfaces of the last 2 stages. The ideal power expenditure of the sampler (excluding electrical and frictional losses in the motor and bearing losses in the blower) is 58 watts as compared to the actual power consumption of 320 watts.     

抚顺市大气颗粒物的研究进展

对近十年抚顺市PM10、PM2.5污染特征的研究结果进行总结,为了进一步全面研究PM2.5确定主要的污染源、各污染源的特征元素、PM2.5的样品成分。总结表明土壤尘、煤烟尘、尾气尘、工业尘、道路尘、有机碳是主要污染源,工业区、交通区、居民区和商业区是理想的采样点区域,理想的采样时间是按季节采样。     

Effect of Semivolatile Material on PM 2.5 Measurement by the PM 2.5 Federal Reference Method Sampler at Bakersfield,California

The chemical composition of fine particulate material was determined for samples collected in Bakersfield, CA, during February-March, 1998 using several diffusion denuder samplers, including the PC-BOSS, which measures both semivolatile fine particulate nitrate and organic material. An average of 56% of the fine particulate carbonaceous material was lost from the filters of the Particle Concentrator-Brigham Young University Organic Sampling System (PC-BOSS). A comparable amount of fine particulate semivolatile organic material was also lost from collected particles with single filter samplers, such as the PM 2.5 Federal Reference Method. The fraction of nitrate lost from collected particles was a function of temperature and humidity, with the biggest effect being due to temperature. The fraction of nitrate lost was comparable for conventional annular denuder samplers and the PM 2.5 FRM, averaging 33%. The nitrate loss from particles for the PC-BOSS was smaller, averaging 11%, possibly due to the concentration of particulate material prior to collection with this sampler. The loss of nitrate and semivolatile organic material during sample collection resulted in the PM 2.5 FRM sampler giving PM 2.5 mass that was an average of 30% (7.3 w g/m 3 ) lower than the true value and different from the true value from negligible to 20 w g/m 3 .     

Light Degrading Properties of Size-Fractionated PM 10 Aerosol Samples Collected from an Industrial Area in Brisbane,Australia

Thirty-seven days of PM 10 aerosol samples (particles with aerodynamic diameter <10 w m) were collected in an industrial area in Brisbane during April to June 1999 to study the light extinction efficiencies of urban aerosols in different size ranges. The light scattering coefficient of the air was measured by nephelometry. The light absorption coefficient of the aerosol samples was measured by the integrating plate laser absorption method. Multiple linear regression techniques were used to investigate the relationships between the visibility degrading properties and the chemical composition of the aerosol samples. The results are comparable with those from other visual air quality studies. The absorption of light by fine (PM 2.5 ) aerosols is mainly due to elemental carbon (EC) particles smaller than 0.5 w m. The b 0 ap values of EC particles in different size ranges are 9.08 (< 2.7 w m) and 0.32 (2.7-10 w m)m 2 g -1 , respectively. The absorption of light by coarse (PM 2.5-10 ) aerosols is mainly due to soil ( b 0 ap = 0.17) and organic ( b 0 ap = 1.11) particles. The scattering of light is highly related to the concentration of fine particles in the air (mass scattering efficiency b 0 sp = 1.65) and is mainly due to the fine sulphate ( b 0 sp = 10.9), soil ( b 0 sp = 2.73), and EC ( b 0 sp = 3.89) particles. On average, fine EC (44%), sulphate (20%) and soil (7%) particles, NO 2 (9%), and Rayleigh scattering (19%) were the largest contributors of visibility degradation for the sampling days in this study.     

Using partial flow dilution to measure PM mass emissions from light-duty vehicles

Partial flow dilution (PFD) offers a number of benefits relative to conventional full flow dilution tunnels for motor vehicle PM emissions measurement in terms of measurement variability, footprint, and cost. Its implementation into automotive emissions test cells depends on its ability to record PM mass emissions equivalent to the current constant volume sampling (CVS) dilution tunnel approach. The present work examines factors critical to successful application of PFD sampling and compares vehicle PM emissions measured simultaneously by PFD and CVS tunnel. The combination of a current technology commercial PFD system and ultrasonic flow meter fulfill the two principal requirements of accurate exhaust flow measurement and fast time response for proportional sampling. PM mass emissions measured by PFD versus CVS systems satisfy a 1.03 ± 0.03 regression for the regulatory FTP test cycle, and comparably good agreement for the supplemental US06 drive cycle. Both dilution approaches are amenable to the single filter approach newly allowed under EPA regulations; however, the PFD sample weighted approach has the capability to provide a roughly 35% lower variability relative to the flow weighted approach used in the CVS method. Whereas partial flow dilution has seen application in heavy duty engine measurements, the present work demonstrates its feasibility for light duty chassis dynamometer testing.

Copyright © 2018 Ford Motor Company     

Enhancement of collection efficiency of inertial impactors using elliptical concave impaction plates

In this study, elliptical concave impaction plate was suggested for lowering cut-off size and therefore enhancing collection efficiency of the inertial impactor. Statistical Lagrangian Particle Tracking (SLPT) model was employed for calculating impactor collection efficiency and validated by comparing with the experimental data of Tsai, C.J., Cheng, Y.H. ((1995). Solid particle collection characteristics on impaction surfaces of different designs. Aerosol Science Technology, 23, 96–106), for three different shapes of impaction plates. Then, the effect of the ratio of major axis length (A) to minor axis length (B) for determining the curvature of elliptical concave impaction plate, on impactor collection efficiency was numerically investigated using the SLPT model, with nozzle Reynolds numbers ranging from 1440 to 2600. It was found that there existed an optimum range of the A/B ratio for minimizing the cut-off size, i.e. the A/B ratio ranged between 3.2 and 4.2 for the PM10 inertial impactor, or between 3.2 and 3.5 for the PM2.5 inertial impactor. When the elliptical concave impaction plates with the A/B ratio of 4.0 and 3.5 were applied to the MST indoor air sampling impactor having PM10 and PM2.5 stages, the cut-off size was predicted to decrease from 10 to 6.5 μm and from 2.5 to 1.6 μm, respectively, while the impactor collection efficiency curves became less steep.     

气液交叉流阵列PM2.5热泳和扩散泳拟传质模型

基于气溶胶中PM2.5微细颗粒物拟流体特性，对气液交叉流阵列中PM2.5在气溶胶流体传热传质边界层内热泳和扩散泳运动进行拟传质机理分析，与跟随气体的对流传质相叠加，建立了气液交叉流阵列PM2.5热泳和扩散泳拟传质模型，并进行了实验检验。实验在固定对流条件下，考察了不同气液相温度差导致的热泳、不同气相湿度差导致的扩散泳和颗粒粒径等因素对气液交叉流阵列PM2.5拟传质系数的影响。实验数据统计值与模型表达趋势一致，在初始温差40℃、初始湿度0.118 kg/kg条件下，100排气液交叉流阵列PM2.5拟传质系数模型预测值为3.33×10^-3 m/s、实验值为3.75×10^-3 m/s。     

Novel non-bouncing PM2.5 impactor modified from well impactor ninety-six

The impaction well containing an oil-soaked glass fiber (GF) filter of the well impactor ninety-six (WINS) needs to be replaced every five sampling days to avoid particle overloading which affects the cutoff diameter (d_pa50) and the sampling accuracy. This study developed a novel modified WINS (M-WINS) which uses water to wash the wetted GF filter substrate clean continuously to eliminate the particle overloading effect and extend the service life of the impactor without the need of impaction well cleaning and replacement of the oil-soaked GF filter. The laboratory test showed that d_pa50 of the M-WINS only varied slightly from 2.44 to 2.49 µm while d_pa50 of the WINS decreased from 2.44 to 2.05 µm when the loaded particle mass increased from 0–6 mg. The field test showed that d_pa50 and the sampling bias of the novel M-WINS met the USEPA requirements (d_pa50 = 2.5 ± 0.2 µm and sampling bias <±5%) while the WINS without regular replacement of the well showed the decrease in d_pa50 down to 2.12 µm and the increase in the negative sampling bias to ?20% after 17 continuous sampling days. Therefore, the current M-WINS can be used as the PM_2.5 inlet for unattended, continuous sampling for a long time with a very good sampling accuracy.

Copyright © 2017 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Comparison of the Chemical and Oxidative Characteristics of Particulate Matter (PM) Collected by Different Methods: Filters,Impactors, and BioSamplers

In this study, we compare the chemical and oxidative characteristics of concentration-enriched PM_2.5 samples simultaneously collected by a filter, a Nano-Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposition Impactor, and a BioSampler. Gravimetric measurements showed considerable agreement in particulate matter (PM) collection efficiency for all three samplers. Accordingly, samples from the three collectors exhibited similar chemical compositions. The mass fractions of their inorganic ions, labile and nonlabile, were comparable. Moreover, the organic carbon (OC) content of the BioSampler slurry was similar to that of the filter, while water-soluble OC levels of the filter and impactor samples were close to a 100% agreement. Lastly, linear regression analyses demonstrated that the water-soluble elements existed in similar proportions for the filter and impactor samples. Their respective total components were also in very good agreement. By contrast, the recoverable elements from the BioSampler slurry, determined by high-resolution magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, were in good agreement with the water-soluble elements of the filter and impactor samples but not their corresponding total components. In spite of the overall agreement among the samples on their chemical composition, findings from a macrophage reactive oxygen species (ROS), a dithiothreitol (DTT), and a dihydroxybenzoate (DHBA) assay revealed that the oxidative potential of aqueous extracts of the filter and impactor substrates was similar yet substantially lower than that of the BioSampler slurry. However, filtering of the BioSampler slurry, i.e., removal of insoluble PM components, attenuated its ROS activity to about the same level as that of the water extracts of the filter and impactor samples. These findings first indicate that insoluble PM species are potentially redox active, and second that particle collection by the BioSampler, which circumvents the need for PM extraction, constitutes a viable alternative for collecting concentrated particles for characterization of the oxidative properties of PM.     

PM10/PM2.5/PM1 Data from a Trichotomous Sampler

ABSTRACT

As part of an effort to determine whether 1 μm or 2.5 μam is the better choice for a new fine particulate matter standard, Professor Virgil A. Marple of the University of Minnesota developed a high volume trichotomous (PM₁₀/PM_2.5 /PM₁) sampler. Two of these samplers were used to obtain particulate matter (PM) samples at a site located in Phoenix, Arizona, from May 1995 through October 1995. All filter samples were analyzed for mass concentrations and a few for elemental and chemical compositions. Relative fractions were determined for PM₁₀, PM_2.5, PM₁, PM_2.5–10, and PM_1–2.5. Calculations were made to evaluate how coarse and fine mode aerosol contributed to the intermediate size range. Results indicated that most of the PM₁₀ in Phoenix was coarse mode PM (windblown dust), which was also a primary contributor to PM₂₅.