Elemental carbon as an indicator to monitor the effectiveness of traffic related measures on local air quality

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. H. Voogt ◽  
A. R. A. Eijk ◽  
M. P. Keuken ◽  
P. Zandveld
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Elemental Carbon

scholarly journals Sources of PM<sub>2.5</sub> carbonaceous aerosol in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qijing Bian ◽  
Badr Alharbi ◽  
Mohammed M. Sharee ◽  
Tahir Husai ◽  
Mohammad J. Pasha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Pollution Control ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Continuous Method ◽  
Carbonaceous Aerosol ◽  
Abstract Knowledge ◽  
The City

Abstract. Knowledge of the sources of carbonaceous aerosol affecting air quality in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is limited, but needed for the development of pollution control strategies. We conducted sampling of PM2.5 from April to September, 2012 at various sites in the city, and used a thermo-optical semi-continuous method to quantify the organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) concentrations. The average OC and EC concentrations were 4.7 ± 4.4 and 2.1 ± 2.5 μg  m

scholarly journals Quantification of secondary organic aerosol in an Australian urban location

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melita Keywood ◽  
Helen Guyes ◽  
Paul Selleck ◽  
Rob Gillett
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Secondary Organic Aerosol ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Combustion Source ◽  
First Time

Environmental contextParticulate matter is detrimental to human health necessitating air quality standards to ensure that populations are not exposed to harmful levels of air pollutants. We quantified, for the first time in an Australian city, secondary organic aerosol produced in the atmosphere by chemical reactions, and show that it constitutes a significant fraction of the fine particulate matter. Secondary organic aerosol should be considered in regulations to control particulate matter and ozone. AbstractThe contribution of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) to particulate mass (PM) in an Australian urban airshed is quantified for the first time in this work. SOA is estimated indirectly using the elemental carbon tracer method. The contribution of primary organic carbon (OC) to PM is determined using ambient air quality data, which is used to indicate photochemical activity and as a tracer for a general vehicular combustion source. In addition, levoglucosan concentrations were used to determine the contribution of wood heater emissions to primary OC. The contribution of bushfire smoke to primary OC emissions was determined from the organic and elemental carbon (OC/EC) ratios measured in bushfire source samples. The median annual SOA concentration determined in this work was 1.1 µg m–3, representing ~13% of PM2.5 median concentrations on an annual basis (assuming a ratio of organic mass (OM) to OC of 1.6). Significantly higher SOA concentrations were determined when bushfire smoke affected the airshed; however, the SOA fraction of PM2.5 was greatest during the autumn and early winter months when the formation of inversions allows build up of particles produced by domestic wood-heater emissions.

scholarly journals Comparison of measurements of peroxyacyl nitrates and primary carbonaceous aerosol concentrations in Mexico City determined in 1997 and 2003

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 2277-2285 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Marley ◽  
J. S. Gaffney ◽  
R. Ramos-Villegas ◽  
B. Cárdenas González
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Atmospheric Measurements ◽  
Important Species ◽  
The City

Abstract. The concentrations of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) in ambient air can be a good indicator of air quality and the effectiveness of control strategies for reducing ozone levels in urban areas. As PAN is formed by the oxidation of reactive hydrocarbons in the presence of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), it is a direct measure of the peroxyacyl radical levels produced from reactive organic emissions in the urban air shed. Carbon soot, known as black carbon (BC) or elemental carbon (EC), is a primary atmospheric aerosol species and is a good indicator of the levels of combustion emissions, particularly from diesel engines, in major cities. Mexico City is the second largest megacity in the world and has long suffered from poor air quality. Reported here are atmospheric measurements of PAN and BC obtained in Mexico City during the Mexico Megacity 2003 field study. These results are compared with measurements obtained earlier during the Investigación sobre Materia Particulada y Deterioro Atmosférico – Aerosol and Visibility Research (IMADA-AVER) campaign in 1997 to obtain an estimate of the changes in emissions in Mexico City and the effectiveness of control strategies adopted during that time. Concentrations of PAN in 1997 reached a maximum of 34 ppb with an average daily maximum of 15 ppb. The PAN levels recorded in 2003 were quite different, with an average daily maximum of 3 ppb. This dramatic reduction in PAN levels observed in 2003 indicate that reactive hydrocarbon emissions have been reduced in the city due to controls on olefins in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and also due to the significant number of newer vehicles with catalytic converters that have replaced older higher emission vehicles. In contrast, black/elemental carbon levels were similar in 1997 and 2003 indicating little improvement likely due to the lack of controls on diesel vehicles in the city. Thus, while air quality and ozone production have improved, Mexico City and other megacities continue to be a major source of black carbon aerosols, which can be an important species in determining regional radiative balance and climate.

scholarly journals Comparison of measurements of peroxyacyl nitrates and primary carbonaceous aerosol concentrations in Mexico City determined in 1997 and 2003

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1421-1448 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Marley ◽  
J. S. Gaffney ◽  
R. Ramos-Villegas ◽  
B. Cárdenas González
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Black Carbon ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Daily Maximum ◽  
Atmospheric Measurements ◽  
Important Species ◽  
The City

Abstract. Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) concentrations in ambient air can be a good indicator of air quality and the effectiveness of control strategies for reducing ozone levels in urban areas. As PAN is formed by the oxidation of reactive hydrocarbons in the presence of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), it is a direct measure of the peroxyacyl radical levels produced from reactive organic emissions in the urban air shed. Carbon soot, known as black carbon or elemental carbon, is a primary atmospheric aerosol species and is a good indicator of the levels of combustion emissions, particularly from diesel engines, in major cities. Mexico City is the second largest megacity in the world and has long suffered from poor air quality. Reported here are atmospheric measurements of PAN and black carbon obtained in Mexico City during the Mexico Megacity 2003 field study. These results are compared with measurements obtained earlier during the Investigación sobre Materia Particulada y Deterioro Atmosférico – Aerosol and Visibility Research (IMADA-AVER) campaign in 1997 to obtain an estimate of the changes in emissions in Mexico City and the effectiveness of control strategies adopted during that time. Concentrations of PAN in 1997 reached a maximum of 34 ppb with an average daily maximum of 15 ppb. The PAN levels recorded in 2003 were quite different, with an average daily maximum of 3 ppb. This dramatic reduction in PAN levels observed in 2003 indicate that reactive hydrocarbon emissions have been reduced in the city due to controls on olefins in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and also due to the significant number of newer vehicles with catalytic converters that have replaced older higher emission vehicles. In contrast, black/elemental carbon levels were similar in 1997 and 2003 indicating little improvement likely due to the lack of controls on diesel vehicles in the city. Thus, while air quality and ozone production has improved, Mexico City and other megacities continue to be a major source of black carbon aerosols, which can be an important species in determining regional radiative balance and climate.

Elemental carbon as an indicator for evaluating the impact of traffic measures on air quality and health

2012 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.P. Keuken ◽  
S. Jonkers ◽  
P. Zandveld ◽  
M. Voogt ◽  
S. Elshout van den
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Reconstructing Elemental Carbon Long-Term Trend in the Po Valley (Italy) from Fog Water Samples

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 580
Author(s):  
Stefania Gilardoni ◽  
Leone Tarozzi ◽  
Silvia Sandrini ◽  
Pierina Ielpo ◽  
Daniele Contini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Water Samples ◽  
Atmospheric Aerosol ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Winter Season ◽  
Reduction Rate ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Fog Water ◽  
Po Valley

Elemental carbon (EC), a ubiquitous component of fine atmospheric aerosol derived from incomplete combustion, is an important player for both climate change and air quality deterioration. Several policy measures have been implemented over the last decades to reduce EC emissions from anthropogenic sources, but still, long-term EC measurements to verify the efficacy of such measurements are limited. In this study, we analyze the concentration of EC suspended in fog water samples, collected over the period 1997–2016 in a rural background site of the southern Po Valley. The comparison between EC in fog water and EC atmospheric aerosol concentration measured since 2012 allowed us to reconstruct EC atmospheric concentration from fog water chemical composition dating back to 1997. The results agree with the EC atmospheric observations performed at the European Monitoring and Evaluation Program (EMEP) station of Ispra in the northern part of the Po Valley since 2002, and confirm that the Po Valley is a pollution hotspot, not only in urban areas, but also in rural locations. The reconstructed trend over the period 1997–2016 indicates that EC concentration during the winter season has decreased on average by 4% per year, in agreement with the emission reduction rate, confirming the effectiveness of air quality measures implemented during the past 20 years.

scholarly journals Spatial Concentration of Carbon Components in Indoor PM2.5 of School Classrooms in a Large City of Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (16) ◽  
pp. 7328
Author(s):  
Sujeong Heo ◽  
Jiyou Kwoun ◽  
Sumin Lee ◽  
Doyoon Kim ◽  
Taejung Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Indoor Air ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Large City ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Comprehensive Investigation ◽  
National School ◽  
Ion Species

On increasing the importance of indoor air quality in urban schools of Korea, a comprehensive investigation of PM2.5 was carried out focusing on carbon contents. According to the analysis results, PM2.5 of the classrooms distributed 14.5 μg/m3 to 40.2 μg/m3, which was lower than National Guidelines (35 μg/m3 for 24 h average), and it contained 45.4 ± 10.9% of carbonaceous matters including organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC). Carbons were proportionally correlated with externally occurring ion species, but OC was found more inside (9.5 μg/m3) than outside (5.9 μg/m3). This indicates that school children are exposed to a variety of polymeric chemicals in the classroom. The current data obtained in this study can be used to inform the establishment of a national school air quality management policy.

scholarly journals Counteractive effects of regional transport and emission control on the formation of fine particles: a case study during the Hangzhou G20 summit

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (18) ◽  
pp. 13581-13600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Ji ◽  
Xiaofei Qin ◽  
Bo Wang ◽  
Jian Xu ◽  
Jiandong Shen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Long Range ◽  
Elemental Carbon ◽  
Fine Particles ◽  
Emission Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Long Range Transport ◽  
Formation Mechanisms ◽  
Joint Control ◽  
Range Transport

Abstract. To evaluate the effect of temporary emission control measures on air quality during the 2016 G20 summit held in Hangzhou, China, an intensive field campaign was conducted with a focus on aerosol chemistry and gaseous precursors from 15 August to 12 September 2016. The concentrations of fine particles were reduced during the intense emission control stages, with the reduction of carbonaceous matter being mostly responsible for this observed decrease. This, in turn, was mainly ascribed to the decrease of secondary organic aerosols via the suppression of daytime peak secondary organic carbon (SOC)formation. Although the regional joint control was enacted extending to the Yangtze River Delta region, the effect of long-range transport on the air quality of Hangzhou was ubiquitous. Unexpectedly high NOx concentrations were observed during the control stage, when the strictest restriction on vehicles was implemented, owing to contributions from upstream populous regions such as Jiangsu and Shandong provinces. In addition, the continental outflow traveling over the ocean triggered a short pollution episode on the first day of the G20 summit, resulting in a significant enhancement of the nitrogen/sulfur oxidation rates. In the wake of the summit, all air pollutants evidently rebounded after the various control measures were lifted. Overall, the fraction of secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA; in this case sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium aerosols – SNA) in PM2.5 increased as relative humidity increased; however, the overall concentration of PM2.5 did not increase. Aerosol components that had distinctly different sources and formation mechanisms, e.g., sulfate/nitrate and elemental carbon, exclusively showed strong correlations during the regional/long-range transport episodes. The sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium to elemental carbon (SNA∕EC) ratio, which was used as a proxy for assessing the extent of secondary inorganic aerosol formation, was found to be significantly enhanced under transport conditions from northern China. This study highlighted that emission control strategies were beneficial for curbing particulate pollution, in addition to the fact that regional/long-range transport may offset local emission control effects to some extent.

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