Modelling the partitioning of ammonium nitrate in the convective boundary layer

An explanatory model study is presented on semi-volatile secondary inorganic aerosols on three clear days in May 2008 during the IMPACT campaign at the Cabauw tower in the Netherlands. A single column model in combination with the equilibrium aerosol model ISORROPIA is used. This model uses surface observations from IMPACT and calculates the gas-aerosol partitioning of ammonium nitrate. The calculated gas-aerosol equilibrium overestimates the gas phase fraction during daytime, and overestimates the aerosol phase fraction during night-time. This discrepancy can partly be solved when the approach of the gas-aerosol equilibrium is forced to proceed with a delay timescale of up to two hours. Although it is shown that the delay itself has a small effect, the most important effect is caused by the mixing of air from higher altitudes at which the equilibrium is shifted to the aerosol phase. Thus, vertical mixing is shown to have a significant influence on the calculated partitioning at the surface. On some occasions, the correspondence to the observed partitioning improves dramatically. Even though gas-aerosol partitioning of ammonium nitrate is not instantaneous, observations show that a different equilibrium in the upper boundary layer causes aerosol ammonium nitrate concentrations to increase with altitude. Our model calculates similar vertical gradients depending on the assumed speed of gas-aerosol equilibrium. The calculated optical properties of the aerosol show a similar behaviour. The aerosol optical properties depend on the aerosol size distribution both directly, because light scattering depends on particle size, and indirectly, because the equilibration timescale depends on the aerosol sizes. Future studies should therefore focus on a fully size-resolved treatment of the gas-aerosol partitioning. Finally, coarser-resolution models may treat the gas-aerosol equilibrium of ammonium nitrate by calculating the equilibrium with a temperature and humidity sampled at a different altitude. We found that the equilibrium at an altitude of 200 m (night) up to 600 m (day) is representative for the partitioning of ammonium nitrate at the surface in the beginning of May 200

Ultrafine particles in four European urban environments: Results from a new continuous long-term monitoring network

To gain a better understanding on the spatiotemporal variation of ultrafine particles (UFPs) in urban environments, this study reports on the first results of a long-term UFP monitoring network, set up in Amsterdam (NL), Antwerp (BE), Leicester (UK) and London (UK). Total number concentrations and size distributions were assessed during 1e2 years at four fixed urban background sites, supplemented with mobile trailer measurements for co-location monitoring and additional short-term monitoring sites. Intra- and interurban spatiotemporal UFP variation, associations with commonly-monitored pollutants (PM, NOx and BC) and impacts of wind fields were evaluated. Although comparable size distributions were observed between the four cities, source-related differences were demonstrated within specific particle size classes. Total and size-resolved particle number concentrations showed clear traffic-related temporal variation, confirming road traffic as the major UFP contributor in urban environments. New particle formation events were observed in all cities. Correlations with typical traffic-related pollutants (BC and NOx) were obtained for all monitoring stations, except for Amsterdam, which might be attributable to UFP emissions from Schiphol airport. The temporal variation in particle number concentration correlated fairly weakly between the four cities (rs = 0.28 0.50, COD = 0.28 0.37), yet improved significantly inside individual cities (rs = 0.59-0.77). Nevertheless, considerable differences were still obtained in terms of particle numbers (20-38% for total particle numbers and up to 49% for size-resolved particle numbers), confirming the importance of local source contributions and the need for careful consideration when allocating UFP monitoring stations in heterogeneous urban environments

Bijdragen op pp. 8-17, pp. 41-42, pp. 44-50, pp. 54-56 in Repertorium commentariorum medii aevi in Aristotelem

Wetensch. publicatieFaculteit der Wijsbegeert

Vegetatie voor een betere luchtkwaliteit. Prijsvraag "Meten is weten". Perceel 1: A50 Vaassen. De invloed van vegetatie langs (snel)wegen op de luchtkwaliteit. Ontwikkelingsrapport

Informatie over en opzet van de prijsvraag 'Vegetatie voor betere luchtkwaliteit: meten is weten

Sub-micron particle number size distribution characteristics at two urban locations in Leicester

The particle number size distribution (PNSD) of atmospheric particles not only provides information about sources and atmospheric processing of particles, but also plays an important role in determining regional lung dose. Owing to the importance of PNSD in understanding particulate pollution two short-term campaigns (March–June 2014) measurements of sub-micron PNSD were conducted at two urban background locations in Leicester, UK. At the first site, Leicester Automatic Urban Rural Network (AURN), the mean number concentrations of nucleation, Aitken, accumulation modes, the total particles, equivalent black carbon (eBC) mass concentrations were 2002, 3258, 1576, 6837 # cm−3, 1.7 μg m−3, respectively, and at the second site, Brookfield (BF), were 1455, 2407, 874, 4737 # cm−3, 0.77 μg m−3, respectively. The total particle number was dominated by the nucleation and Aitken modes, with both consisting of 77%, and 81% of total number concentrations at AURN and BF sites, respectively. This behaviour could be attributed to primary emissions (traffic) of ultrafine particles and the temporal evolution of mixing layer. The size distribution at the AURN site shows bimodal distribution at ~ 22 nm with a minor peak at ~ 70 nm. The size distribution at BF site, however, exhibits unimodal distribution at ~ 35 nm. This study has for the first time investigated the effect of Easter holiday on PNSD in UK. The temporal variation of PNSD demonstrated a good degree of correlation with traffic-related pollutants (NOX, and eBC at both sites). The meteorological conditions, also had an impact on the PNSD and eBC at both sites. During the measurement period, the frequency of NPF events was calculated to be 13.3%, and 22.2% at AURN and BF sites, respectively. The average value of formation and growth rates of nucleation mode particles were 1.3, and 1.17 cm−3 s−1 and 7.42, and 5.3 nm h−1 at AURN, and BF sites, respectively. It can suggested that aerosol particles in Leicester originate mainly from traffic and domestic heating emissions

Impact of low emission zones and local traffic policies on ambient air pollution concentrations

Item does not contain fulltextBACKGROUND: Evaluations of the effectiveness of air pollution policy interventions are scarce. This study investigated air pollution at street level before and after implementation of local traffic policies including low emission zones (LEZ) directed at heavy duty vehicles (trucks) in five Dutch cities. METHODS: Measurements of PM(10), PM(2.5), 'soot', NO(2), NO(x), and elemental composition of PM(10) and PM(2.5) were conducted simultaneously at eight streets, six urban background locations and four suburban background locations before (2008) and two years after implementation of the policies (2010). The four suburban locations were selected as control locations to account for generic air pollution trends and weather differences. RESULTS: All pollutant concentrations were lower in 2010 than in 2008. For traffic-related pollutants including 'soot' and NO(x) and elemental composition (Cr, Cu, Fe) the decrease did not differ significantly between the intervention locations and the suburban control locations. Only for PM(2.5) reductions were considerably larger at urban streets (30%) and urban background locations (27%) than at the matching suburban control locations (20%). In one urban street where traffic intensity was reduced with 50%, 'soot', NO(x) and NO(2) concentrations were reduced substantially more (41, 36 and 25%) than at the corresponding suburban control location (22, 14 and 7%). CONCLUSION: With the exception of one urban street where traffic flows were drastically reduced, the local traffic policies including LEZ were too modest to produce significant decreases in traffic-related air pollution concentrations

Respiratory Effects of a Reduction in Outdoor Air Pollution Concentrations

BACKGROUND:: Air pollution has been associated with respiratory health effects. There is little direct evidence that reductions in air pollution related to abatement policies lead to actual improvement in respiratory health. We assessed whether a reduction in (traffic policy-related) air pollution concentrations was associated with changes in respiratory health. METHODS:: Air pollution concentrations and respiratory health were measured in 2008 and 2010 at eight busy urban streets and at four suburban background control locations. Respiratory function was assessed twice in 661 residents by spirometry and measurements of airway resistance. Nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled air was measured as a marker for airway inflammation. RESULTS:: Air pollution concentrations were lower in 2010 than in 2008. The declines in pollutants varied among locations, with the largest decline observed in a street with a large reduction in traffic intensity. In regression analyses adjusted for important covariates, reductions in concentrations of soot, NO2, NOx, Cu, and Fe were associated with increases in forced vital capacity (FVC) ( approximately 1% increase per interquartile range [IQR] decline). Airway resistance decreased with a decline in particulate matter (PM10) and PM2.5 (9% per IQR), although these associations were somewhat less consistent. No associations were found with exhaled NO. Results were driven largely by one street where traffic-related air pollution showed the largest reduction. Forced expiratory volume and FVC improved by 3% to 6% in residents of this street compared with suburban background residents. This was accompanied by a suggestive reduction in airway resistance. CONCLUSIONS:: Reductions in air pollution may lead to small improvements in respiratory function