24 research outputs found

    Investigation of four-year chemical composition and organic aerosol sources of submicron particles at the ATOLL site in northern France

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    This study presents the first long-term online measurements of submicron (PM1) particles at the ATOLL (ATmospheric Observations in liLLe) platform, in northern France. The ongoing measurements using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) started at the end of 2016 and the analysis presented here spans through December 2020. At this site, the mean PM1 concentration is 10.6 μg m-3, dominated by organic aerosols (OA, 42.3%) and followed by nitrate (28.9%), ammonium (12.3%), sulfate (8.6%), and black carbon (BC, 8.0%). Large seasonal variations of PM1 concentrations are observed, with high concentrations during cold seasons, associated with pollution episodes (e.g. over 100 μg m-3 in January 2017). To study OA origins over this multiannual dataset we performed source apportionment analysis using rolling positive matrix factorization (PMF), yielding two primary OA factors, a traffic-related hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA) and biomass-burning OA (BBOA), and two oxygenated OA (OOA) factors. HOA showed a homogeneous contribution to OA throughout the seasons (11.8%), while BBOA varied from 8.1% (summer) to 18.5% (winter), the latter associated with residential wood combustion. The OOA factors were distinguished between their less and more oxidized fractions (LO-OOA and MO-OOA, on average contributing 32% and 42%, respectively). During winter, LO-OOA is identified as aged biomass burning, so at least half of OA is associated with wood combustion during this season. Furthermore, ammonium nitrate is also a predominant aerosol component during cold-weather pollution episodes - associated with fertilizer usage and traffic emissions. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of submicron aerosol sources at the recently established ATOLL site in northern France from multiannual observations, depicting a complex interaction between anthropogenic and natural sources, leading to different mechanisms of air quality degradation in the region across different seasons

    European aerosol phenomenology - 8 : Harmonised source apportionment of organic aerosol using 22 Year-long ACSM/AMS datasets

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    Organic aerosol (OA) is a key component of total submicron particulate matter (PM1), and comprehensive knowledge of OA sources across Europe is crucial to mitigate PM1 levels. Europe has a well-established air quality research infrastructure from which yearlong datasets using 21 aerosol chemical speciation monitors (ACSMs) and 1 aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) were gathered during 2013-2019. It includes 9 non-urban and 13 urban sites. This study developed a state-of-the-art source apportionment protocol to analyse long-term OA mass spectrum data by applying the most advanced source apportionment strategies (i.e., rolling PMF, ME-2, and bootstrap). This harmonised protocol was followed strictly for all 22 datasets, making the source apportionment results more comparable. In addition, it enables quantification of the most common OA components such as hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA), biomass burning OA (BBOA), cooking-like OA (COA), more oxidised-oxygenated OA (MO-OOA), and less oxidised-oxygenated OA (LO-OOA). Other components such as coal combustion OA (CCOA), solid fuel OA (SFOA: mainly mixture of coal and peat combustion), cigarette smoke OA (CSOA), sea salt (mostly inorganic but part of the OA mass spectrum), coffee OA, and ship industry OA could also be separated at a few specific sites. Oxygenated OA (OOA) components make up most of the submicron OA mass (average = 71.1%, range from 43.7 to 100%). Solid fuel combustion-related OA components (i.e., BBOA, CCOA, and SFOA) are still considerable with in total 16.0% yearly contribution to the OA, yet mainly during winter months (21.4%). Overall, this comprehensive protocol works effectively across all sites governed by different sources and generates robust and consistent source apportionment results. Our work presents a comprehensive overview of OA sources in Europe with a unique combination of high time resolution (30-240 min) and long-term data coverage (9-36 months), providing essential information to improve/validate air quality, health impact, and climate models.Peer reviewe

    Multi-year datasets of PM1 chemical composition and organic aerosol sources in different French urban and suburban areas

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    International audienceIn France, exposure to fine particles (PM) is responsible for 48000 premature deaths per year. PM concentrations exceed the annual PM2.5 concentration of 5 µg.m-3 recommended by the WHO (EEA, 2021). In this context, more than 12 ACSMs (Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor) and aethalometers (AE33) have been operating quasi-continuously since 2015 at different French urban sites. The objective is to provide a long-term dataset of the chemical composition of PM1 particles and to study the sources of organic aerosols (OA) by applying the rolling Positive Matrix Factorization method. This approach, based on relevant constraints and criteria, has the advantage of capturing potential temporal changes in source profiles within multi-year datasets.The results of this study first confirm that OA is the main component of submicron aerosol in many French cities (40-60% of PM1). Spatial variability in the chemical composition and OA sources is also observed. Primary factors are mainly related to combustion processes. In particular, hydrocarbon-type OA (related to traffic, HOA) and that from biomass combustion (BBOA) are present at all sites. The HOA factor shows a fairly constant contribution to the OA throughout the period while the BBOA factor varies with a peak in winter due to increased emissions from residential wood burning. Other site-specific primary sources were also resolved, including those related to cooking, as well as port and/or industrial emissions. Oxygenated factors were distinguished between their less and more oxidized fractions (LO-OOA and MO-OOA, respectively). These oxygenated factors dominate the OA at all sites, with an average contribution of 74%, suggesting a very strong contribution from aging and secondary formation processes. Comparison with the CHIMERE model and with filter-based aerosol tracers is also considered to improve our knowledge of OA sources in France and may help improve the accuracy of air quality models.AcknowledgmentsThis work was supported by the French Ministry of Environment, through the CARA program. It is also part of the Labex CaPPA project (ANR-11-LABX-0005-01), and the CLIMIBIO project, both also funded by the Regional Council “Hauts-de-France” and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).References[1] European Environment Agency, Air quality in Europe 2021 — European Environment Agency: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2021

    Multi-year datasets of PM1 chemical composition and organic aerosol sources in different French urban and suburban areas

    No full text
    In France, exposure to fine particles (PM) is responsible for 48000 premature deaths per year. PM concentrations exceed the annual PM2.5 concentration of 5 µg.m-3 recommended by the WHO (EEA, 2021). In this context, more than 12 ACSMs (Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor) and aethalometers (AE33) have been operating quasi-continuously since 2015 at different French urban sites. The objective is to provide a long-term dataset of the chemical composition of PM1 particles and to study the sources of organic aerosols (OA) by applying the rolling Positive Matrix Factorization method. This approach, based on relevant constraints and criteria, has the advantage of capturing potential temporal changes in source profiles within multi-year datasets.The results of this study first confirm that OA is the main component of submicron aerosol in many French cities (40-60% of PM1). Spatial variability in the chemical composition and OA sources is also observed. Primary factors are mainly related to combustion processes. In particular, hydrocarbon-type OA (related to traffic, HOA) and that from biomass combustion (BBOA) are present at all sites. The HOA factor shows a fairly constant contribution to the OA throughout the period while the BBOA factor varies with a peak in winter due to increased emissions from residential wood burning. Other site-specific primary sources were also resolved, including those related to cooking, as well as port and/or industrial emissions. Oxygenated factors were distinguished between their less and more oxidized fractions (LO-OOA and MO-OOA, respectively). These oxygenated factors dominate the OA at all sites, with an average contribution of 74%, suggesting a very strong contribution from aging and secondary formation processes. Comparison with the CHIMERE model and with filter-based aerosol tracers is also considered to improve our knowledge of OA sources in France and may help improve the accuracy of air quality models.AcknowledgmentsThis work was supported by the French Ministry of Environment, through the CARA program. It is also part of the Labex CaPPA project (ANR-11-LABX-0005-01), and the CLIMIBIO project, both also funded by the Regional Council “Hauts-de-France” and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).References[1] European Environment Agency, Air quality in Europe 2021 — European Environment Agency: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2021

    Multi-year datasets of PM1 chemical composition and organic aerosol sources in different French urban and suburban areas

    No full text
    International audienceIn France, exposure to fine particles (PM) is responsible for 48000 premature deaths per year. PM concentrations exceed the annual PM2.5 concentration of 5 µg.m-3 recommended by the WHO (EEA, 2021). In this context, more than 12 ACSMs (Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor) and aethalometers (AE33) have been operating quasi-continuously since 2015 at different French urban sites. The objective is to provide a long-term dataset of the chemical composition of PM1 particles and to study the sources of organic aerosols (OA) by applying the rolling Positive Matrix Factorization method. This approach, based on relevant constraints and criteria, has the advantage of capturing potential temporal changes in source profiles within multi-year datasets.The results of this study first confirm that OA is the main component of submicron aerosol in many French cities (40-60% of PM1). Spatial variability in the chemical composition and OA sources is also observed. Primary factors are mainly related to combustion processes. In particular, hydrocarbon-type OA (related to traffic, HOA) and that from biomass combustion (BBOA) are present at all sites. The HOA factor shows a fairly constant contribution to the OA throughout the period while the BBOA factor varies with a peak in winter due to increased emissions from residential wood burning. Other site-specific primary sources were also resolved, including those related to cooking, as well as port and/or industrial emissions. Oxygenated factors were distinguished between their less and more oxidized fractions (LO-OOA and MO-OOA, respectively). These oxygenated factors dominate the OA at all sites, with an average contribution of 74%, suggesting a very strong contribution from aging and secondary formation processes. Comparison with the CHIMERE model and with filter-based aerosol tracers is also considered to improve our knowledge of OA sources in France and may help improve the accuracy of air quality models.AcknowledgmentsThis work was supported by the French Ministry of Environment, through the CARA program. It is also part of the Labex CaPPA project (ANR-11-LABX-0005-01), and the CLIMIBIO project, both also funded by the Regional Council “Hauts-de-France” and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).References[1] European Environment Agency, Air quality in Europe 2021 — European Environment Agency: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/air-quality-in-europe-2021
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