Seasonal and site-specific variation in vapour and aerosol phase PAHs over Flanders (Belgium) and their relation with anthropogenic activities

Peer reviewe

Concentration trends and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Belgium

Peer reviewe

Appraisal of measurement methods, chemical composition and sources of fine atmospheric particles over six different areas of Northern Belgium

Original article can be found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02697491 Copyright Elsevier Ltd.Daily and seasonal variation in the total elemental, organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) content and mass of PM2.5 were studied at industrial, urban, suburban and agricultural/rural areas. Continuous (optical Dustscan, standard tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM), TEOM with filter dynamics measurement system), semi-continuous (Partisol filter-sampling) and non-continuous (Dekati-impactor sampling and gravimetry) methods of PM2.5 mass monitoring were critically evaluated. The average elemental fraction accounted for 2-6 % of the PM2.5 mass measured by gravimetry. Metals, like K, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb were strongly inter-correlated, also frequently with non-metallic elements (P, S, Cl and/or Br) and EC/OC. A high OC/EC ratio (2-9) was generally observed. The total carbon content of PM2.5 ranged between 3-77 % (averages: 12-32 %), peaking near industrial/heavy trafficked sites. Principal component analysis identified heavy oil burning, ferrous/non-ferrous industry and vehicular emissions as the main sources of metal pollution.Peer reviewe

Wintertime spatio-temporal variation of ultrafine particles in a Belgian city

Simultaneous measurements of ultrafine particles (UFPs) were carried out at four sampling locations situated within a 1 km2 grid area in a Belgian city, Borgerhout (Antwerp). All sampling sites had different orientation and height of buildings and dissimilar levels of anthropogenic activities (mainly traffic volume). The aims were to investigate: (i) the spatio-temporal variation of UFP within the area, (ii) the effect of wind direction with respect to the volume of traffic on UFP levels, and (iii) the spatial representativeness of the official monitoring station situated in the study area. All sampling sites followed similar diurnal patterns of UFP variation, but effects of local traffic emissions were evident. Wind direction also had a profound influence on UFP concentrations at certain sites. The results indicated a clear influence of local weather conditions and the more dominant effect of traffic volumes. Our analysis indicated that the regional air quality monitoring station represented the other sampling sites in the study area reasonably well; temporal patterns were found to be comparable though the absolute average concentrations showed differences of up to 35%

Wintertime spatio-temporal variation of ultrafine particles in a Belgian city

Simultaneous measurements of ultrafine particles (UFPs) were carried out at four sampling locations situated within a 1 km2 grid area in a Belgian city, Borgerhout (Antwerp). All sampling sites had different orientation and height of buildings and dissimilar levels of anthropogenic activities (mainly traffic volume). The aims were to investigate: (i) the spatio-temporal variation of UFP within the area, (ii) the effect of wind direction with respect to the volume of traffic on UFP levels, and (iii) the spatial representativeness of the official monitoring station situated in the study area. All sampling sites followed similar diurnal patterns of UFP variation, but effects of local traffic emissions were evident. Wind direction also had a profound influence on UFP concentrations at certain sites. The results indicated a clear influence of local weather conditions and the more dominant effect of traffic volumes. Our analysis indicated that the regional air quality monitoring station represented the other sampling sites in the study area reasonably well; temporal patterns were found to be comparable though the absolute average concentrations showed differences of up to 35%

Lung deposited dose of UFP and PM for cyclist and car passengers in Belgium

Commuter cyclists experience short episodes of high exposure to traffic born air pollution that have potential adverse health effects. We have compared respiratory parameters and exposure to Ultrafine Particles, PM2.5 and PM10 for 55 persons who cycled and drove identical trajectories in three Belgian locations in a pair-wise design. Differences in lung deposited doses are large and consistent across locations. Physical activity significantly increases exposure of cyclists to traffic exhaust. Additional analyses of physiological parameters reveal changes in exhaled NO, serum BDNF and % blood neutrophile cells, but we hypothesize that these effects do not offset the overall health benefits of cycling

Speciation of inorganic arsenic in particulate matter by combining HPLC/ICP-MS and XANES analyses

Inorganic arsenic species in ambient particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) have been determined in an urban area, in the vicinity of a metallurgical industrial plant. The developed high performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC/ICP-MS) method allows monitoring of particulate As(iii) and As(v)-species, with a limit of quantification of 0.34 ng m-3 As(iii) and 0.23 ng m-3 As(v), respectively. Good agreement was obtained between the sum of the concentrations of As(iii) and As(v) determined by HPLC/ICP-MS and the total As concentrations determined by XRF, indicating a complete extraction of the As species. During the measuring campaigns for PM10 and PM2.5, a significant conversion (oxidation) up to 54% of exogenous spiked As(iii) was observed. The total amount of the spiked As(iii) was well-recovered (PM10 and PM2.5 on average 108% and 101%, respectively). The extraction of the filter in combination with the sampled air matrix is likely to induce the As(iii) conversion. The average measured As concentration in PM10 during a 40-day monitoring campaign (30 ng m-3) at a hot spot location is above the European target value of 6 ng m-3. The measured As concentration in PM2.5 was half the value of the measured concentration in PM10 and no relative enrichment of total As was observed in either particulate matter fractions. However, in PM10, As(v) was the main component, while in PM2.5, As(iii) was the dominant species. During the monitoring campaign, the fraction of particulate As(iii) varied between 19 and 61% in PM10 and a trend towards a higher fraction of As(iii) with increasing concentration of total As was observed. XANES and XRD analyses were used for the identification of arsenic species in local PM sources and confirmed the presence of Ca3Sr2(AsO4)2.5(PO4)0.5(OH), As2O3 and As2O5 species