Clustering of aerosols in atmospheric turbulent flow

A mechanism of formation of small-scale inhomogeneities in spatial distributions of aerosols and droplets associated with clustering instability in the atmospheric turbulent flow is discussed. The particle clustering is a consequence of a spontaneous breakdown of their homogeneous space distribution due to the clustering instability, and is caused by a combined effect of the particle inertia and a finite correlation time of the turbulent velocity field. In this paper a theoretical approach proposed in Elperin et al. (2002) Phys Rev E 66:036302 is further developed and applied to investigate the mechanisms of formation of small-scale aerosol inhomogeneities in the atmospheric turbulent flow. The theory of the particle clustering instability is extended to the case when the particle Stokes time is larger than the Kolmogorov time scale, but is much smaller than the correlation time at the integral scale of turbulence. We determined the criterion of the clustering instability for the Stokes number larger than 1. We discussed applications of the analyzed effects to the dynamics of aerosols and droplets in the atmospheric turbulent flow.     

Use of Airborne Thermal Imagery to Detect and Monitor Inshore Oil Spill Residues During Darkness Hours

/ Trials were conducted using an airborne video system operating in the visible, near-infrared, and thermal wavelengths to detect two known oil spill releases during darkness at a distance of 10 nautical miles from the shore in St. Vincent's Gulf, South Australia. The oil spills consisted of two 20-liter samples released at 2-h intervals, one sample consisted of paraffinic neutral material and the other of automotive diesel oil. A tracking buoy was sent overboard in conjunction with the release of sample 1, and its movement monitored by satellite relay. Both oil residues were overflown by a light aircraft equipped with thermal, visible, and infrared imagers at a period of approximately 1 h after the release of the second oil residue. Trajectories of the oil residue releases were also modeled and the results compared to those obtained by the airborne video and the tracking buoy. Airborne imagery in the thermal wavelengths successfully located and mapped both oil residue samples during nighttime conditions. Results from the trial suggest that the most advantageous technique would be the combined use of the tracking beacon to obtain an approximate location of the oil spill and the airborne imagery to ascertain its extent and characteristics.KEY WORDS: Airborne video; Thermal imagery; Global positioning; Oil-spill monitoring; Tracking beacon     

Particle emissions of a railway line determined by detailed single particle analysis

The goal of this study was to identify and quantify particles emitted from railway traffic. For that purpose PM10 samples were collected near a busy railway line using a wind direction and speed controlled sampling equipment consisting of five devices. Measurements taken perpendicular to the railway lines at 10, 36 and 120 m distance enable an identification and separation of particles caused by the railway traffic from background particles. Morphology and chemistry of more than 11,000 particles were analysed by computer controlled scanning electron microscopy (CCSEM). Based on chemical composition five particle classes are defined and assigned to their sources. The mass of the individual particles is determined by multiplying their volumes, calculated based on their morphology with a density assigned specifically to each particle class. The density of the particle classes is derived from their chemical composition. To estimate the PM10 contributions of the railway lines, the mass of PM10 at 120 m (background, not influenced by the railway lines) is subtracted from the mass of PM10 at 10 m. The emissions of the railway lines are dominated by ‘iron’ particles, which contribute 2.9 μg m⁻³ or 67% to the railway related PM10. In addition, ‘aluminium’ and ‘calcium’ particles contribute also to the railway related PM10 (1.0 μg m⁻³ or 23% for the ‘aluminium’ and 0.4 μg m⁻³ or 10% for the ‘calcium’ particles). These particles are assigned to abrasion of the gravel bed and re-suspension of mineral dust.Long-term gravimetric results of the contribution of iron to the mass of railway related PM10 from a study performed earlier at the same site are in good agreement with the data presented in this study.     

Colloid migration in symmetrical non-uniform fractures: particle tracking in three dimensions

A three-dimensional model for the migration of colloids in a saturated fracture is presented, which considers the motion of colloids as a result of advection and diffusion, as well as colloid-surface interactions at the fracture walls. This model is successfully incorporated into a three-dimensional particle tracking algorithm that tracks particles within a continuum and allows consideration of the migration of colloids in symmetrical, three-dimensional, non-uniform fractures. The framework is general enough to incorporate non-local interactions that provide colloid motion relative to the fluid. The algorithm is verified against classical Taylor dispersion, and its generalization to a sorbing phase, in a uniform fracture and shows excellent agreement with theory. A simple, non-uniform fracture that has an analytically tractable velocity field is also considered, and both quantitative and qualitative comparisons are made with the uniform fracture case. The modelling of more complex fracture geometries is also discussed and a particular case is implemented within the particle tracking framework.     

Isomer distribution of nitrotriphenylenes in airborne particles, diesel exhaust particles, and the products of gas-phase radical-initiated nitration of triphenylene

The formation of mutagenic nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAHs) 1- and 2-nitrotriphenylene (1- and 2-NTP) via gas-phase OH or NO₃ radical-initiated reactions of triphenylene was demonstrated for the first time using a flow reaction system. In contrast with the results of conventional electrophilic nitration, 2-NTP was formed in larger yield than 1-NTP, but this is consistent with the mechanism proposed for gas-phase radical-initiated nitration of PAH. In diesel exhaust particle (DEP) samples, both 1- and 2-NTP were identified and their concentrations determined, as well as 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), which is a representative combustion-derived NPAH: the mean concentrations of 1-NTP, 2-NTP, and 1-NP were 4.7, 1.9, and 32 pmol mg_DEP^–1, respectively. The mean 2-NTP/1-NTP, 1-NTP/1-NP, and 2-NTP/1-NP ratios in samples of airborne particles collected in a residential area in Osaka, Japan, were>1.55,<0.25, and 0.37, respectively; these values are much higher than those of the DEP samples. This finding indicates that there is another source for airborne NTPs, especially 2-NTP, apart from diesel exhaust. These results strongly suggest that airborne NTPs originate from atmospheric processes such as radical-initiated reactions of triphenylene, and this has a significant influence on the atmospheric occurrence of NTPs.     

Association of the mutagenicity of airborne particles with the direct emission from combustion processes investigated in Osaka, Japan

The association of the direct-acting mutagenicity of soluble organic fraction of airborne particles toward Salmonella typhimurium YG1024 strain with the direct emission was investigated at a roadside and at a residential area in Osaka, Japan. The direct-acting mutagenicity was evaluated as mutagenic activity per unit volume of ambient air (rev m⁻³) and/or that per airborne particulate weight collected on a filter (rev mg⁻¹). The annual or diurnal changes of the mutagenicity of airborne particles at the residential site showed similar patterns to those of some gaseous pollutants such as NO₂ and SO₂, which were emitted from combustion processes. This result indicates that the mutagenicity is mainly attributable to the primary emissions. From the analysis of the relationship between the wind sector and the mutagenic intensity, rev m⁻³ and rev mg⁻¹ values were strongly affected by the emissions from the fixed sources and from the mobile sources, respectively. The rev m⁻³ value and concentration of 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) in unit per m³ at the roadside were a factor of 2.6 and 2.8 higher than those at the residential site, respectively, but the rev mg⁻¹ value and concentration of 1-NP in unit per mg at the roadside were substantially comparable to those at the residential area. These observations suggest that the characteristics of the airborne particles can be attributed to the automotive emissions even at the suburban area.     

Application of nanoparticle tracking analysis for characterising the fate of engineered nanoparticles in sediment-water systems

Novel applications of nanotechnology may lead to the release of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), which result in concerns over their potential environmental hazardous impact. It is essential for the research workers to be able to quantitatively characterise ENPs in the environment and subsequently to assist the risk assessment of the ENPs. This study hence explored the application of nanoparticle tracking system (NTA) to quantitatively describe the behaviour of the ENPs in natural sediment-water systems. The NTA allows the measurement of both particle number concentration (PNC) and particle size distribution (PSD) of the ENPs. The developed NTA method was applied to a range of gold and magnetite ENPs with a selection of surface properties. The results showed that the positively-charged ENPs interacted more strongly with the sediment than neutral and negatively-charged ENPs. It was also found that the citrate coated Au ENPs had a higher distribution percentage (53%) than 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid coated Au ENPs (20%) and citrate coated magnetite ENPs (21%). The principles of the electrostatic interactions between hard (and soft) acids and bases (HSAB) are used to explain such behaviours; the hard base coating (i.e. citrate ions) will interact more strongly with hard acid (i.e. magnetite) than soft acid (i.e. gold). The results indicate that NTA is a complementary method to existing approaches to characterise the fate and behaviour of ENPs in natural sediment.     

Insights into the formation of secondary organic carbon in the summertime in urban Shanghai

To investigate formation mechanisms of secondary organic carbon(SOC) in Eastern China,measurements were conducted in an urban site in Shanghai in the summer of 2015. A period of high O_3 concentrations(daily peak 120 ppb) was observed, during which daily maximum SOC concentrations exceeding 9.0 μg/(C·m~3). Diurnal variations of SOC concentration and SOC/organic carbon(OC) ratio exhibited both daytime and nighttime peaks. The SOC concentrations correlated well with O_x(= O_3+ NO_2) and relative humidity in the daytime and nighttime, respectively, suggesting that secondary organic aerosol formation in Shanghai is driven by both photochemical production and aqueous phase reactions. Single particle mass spectrometry was used to examine the formation pathways of SOC. Along with the daytime increase of SOC, the number fraction of elemental carbon(EC) particles coated with OC quickly increased from 38.1% to 61.9% in the size range of 250–2000 nm, which was likely due to gas-to-particle partitioning of photochemically generated semi-volatile organic compounds onto EC particles. In the nighttime, particles rich in OC components were highly hygroscopic, and number fraction of these particles correlated well with relative humidity and SOC/OC nocturnal peaks. Meanwhile, as an aqueous-phase SOC tracer, particles that contained oxalate-Fe(III) complex also peaked at night. These observations suggested that aqueous-phase processes had an important contribution to the SOC nighttime formation. The influence of aerosol acidity on SOC formation was studied by both bulk and single particle level measurements, suggesting that the aqueous-phase formation of SOC was enhanced by particle acidity.     

Can we migrate COVID-19 spreading risk?

It is well recognized that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus could be spread through touch and large droplets. However, we may have under-estimated the disease transmission by small droplets or aerosols that contain SARS-CoV-2 virus. Social distancing in public transport vehicles, such as airplanes, is not feasible. It is also not possible to wear masks in restaurant. This paper recommended wearing masks in airplanes and use partition screens in the middle of a table in a restaurant to reduce the infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus. Advanced ventilation systems, such as personalized ventilation and displacement ventilation, are strongly recommended for transport vehicles and buildings.     

Metal characterization of airborne particulate matters in a coastal region

The concentrations of suspended particulate matter in the air of the Orissa Sand Complex had an average value of 128 ± 10 µg m^?3 in residential areas and 170 ± 8 µg m^?3 in mining areas. PM₁₀ levels in residential areas were found to have an average of 35 ± 10 µg m^?3, in mining areas 45 ± 10 µg m^?3. The distribution of some elements is also discussed here. Inhalation doses were observed to be higher in summer than in winter and the rainy season. The highest dose rate was for the age group of 1 year, and health risks were found to be highest for the same. For adults, inhalation dose and health risk are 1.3 times higher in mining than in residential areas.