Measurement of particle concentrations in a dental office

Particles in a dental office can be generated by a number of instruments, such as air-turbine handpieces, low-speed handpieces, ultrasonic scalers, bicarbonate polishers, polishing cups, as well as drilling and air sprays inside the oral cavity. This study examined the generation of particles during dental drilling and measured particle size, mass, and trace elements. The air sampling techniques included both continuous and integrated methods. The following particle continuous measurements were taken every minute: (1) size-selective particle number concentration (Climet); (2) total particle number concentration (PTRAK), and; (3) particle mass concentration (DustTrak). Integrated particle samples were collected for about 5 h on each of five sampling days, using a PM_2.5 sampler (ChemComb) for elemental/organic carbon analysis, and a PM₁₀ sampler (Harvard Impactor) for mass and elemental analyses. There was strong evidence that these procedures result in particle concentrations above background. The dental procedures produced number concentrations of relatively small particles (<0.5 μm) that were much higher than concentrations produced for the relatively larger particles (>0.5 μm). Also, these dental procedures caused significant elevation above background of certain trace elements (measured by X-ray fluorescence) but did not cause any elevation of elemental carbon (measured by thermal optical reflectance). Dental drilling procedures aerosolize saliva and products of drilling, producing particles small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs. The potential health impacts of the exposure of dental personnel to such particles need to be evaluated. Increased ventilation and personal breathing protection could be used to minimize harmful effects.     

Spatial distribution of particulate matter (PM10) in Warri metropolis,Nigeria

This study examined the spatial distribution of particulate air pollution in the Warri metropolis. This was done to ascertain the differences between the distribution of particulate matter (PM10) in the urban area and the surrounding rural areas. To achieve this, the study generated data from field measurement of PM10 levels for the year 2003. Analysis of variance, the U-test, and simple regression statistical techniques were used to analyze the data. The major finding of the study was that the Warri metropolitan area is polluted with PM10 levels of over 126 μg/m³, which is 81% over the 70 μg/m³ threshold of the World Health Organization. However the built-up area of the Warri metropolis is 150% more polluted with PM10 particulates than the surrounding rural areas. While the traffic-clogged area of Enerhen, Jakpa, Deco, and Estate Junctions are the most polluted areas with levels of 151 μg/m³, traditional areas had the lowest levels of 128 μg/m³. The daily distribution of PM10 showed that Mondays were the most polluted days with levels of 145 μg/m³ and Fridays were the least polluted days with levels of 141.5 μg/m³ in the built-up area, whereas in the rural area Wednesdays were the most polluted days with levels of 57.1 μg/m³ and Sundays were the least polluted days with levels of 53.5 μg/m³. Mondays generally recorded the highest PM10 values because of the large amount of industrial operation, heavy vehicular traffic in the peak period, and increased commercial activities. The study also showed significant variation in the level of PM10 particulates within the urban areas of the Warri metropolis with a calculated F-value (3.29), which is greater than the critical F-value of 3.14 at the 0.05 significance level. It is therefore recommended that urban environmental management policy should be vigorously pursued to curb the adverse consequences of increased PM10 levels in urban areas of the Warri metropolis.     

污染模型中参数订正的集合Kalman滤波扩展状态变量法

污染模型中不确定参数的精确订正对于提高模型的精度有着重要的意义。在集合Kalman滤波（EnKF）同化方法的基础上,提出了对模型中不确定参数进行订正的EnKF扩展状态变量法,将不确定参数看成和模型状态变量一样的量,根据观测资料对不确定变量进行订正,以达到订正参数的目的。采用一个简化的空气质量方程,对模型参数订正方案进行检验,结果证明,提出的方案可行和有效。同时发现,随着观测资料精度的提高,无论是参数还是模型的状态变量,估计分析值的精度也得到相应的提高。     

沈阳市大气颗粒物PM_(2.5)污染现状分析

利用2011年1～4月沈阳市环境空气中PM2.5自动监测资料进行分析,结果表明,冬季1月和2月污染严重,日均值超标率达到50.0%～64.5%。1天中PM2.5有2个峰值,最大值出现在上午8～9时,次之出现在22时,15时浓度最低。冬季PM2.5污染严重的原因是冬季采暖燃煤量大,污染物排放量大,加之气象扩散条件差导致污染严重。     

FP(FilterPacks)法同时测定大气中的SO2和颗粒物

用二层采样头同时采集大气中的二氧化硫和颗粒物的方法。分别用国产玻璃纤维滤膜和中速定量滤纸,1％K₂CO₃－10％Gly溶液制作浸渍膜,两种浸渍膜现场采集二氧化硫的效率分别为99．4％和95．7％。通过降低碳酸钾溶液浓度(由25％降为1％)及使用强酸性阳离子交换树脂,大大降低了样品中碳酸根离子的浓度,减小了基体效应,提高了测定硫酸根离子的准确度和灵敏度。经测定,1％K₂CO₃－10％Gly溶液浸渍膜(90mm)对二氧化硫的采集容量为160 μg／cm2。试验结果表明,浸渍膜法和盐酸副玫瑰苯胺法测定大气中二氧化硫的结果相近,相对偏差为4．3％,两种方法测定二氧化硫浓度有着良好的线性关系(r＝0．993)      

Numerical simulation of DPF thermal regeneration process based on an improved dynamic model

ABSTRACT

In this paper, an improved kinetics model of soot oxidation based on the traditional B-K model is employed to characterize the thermal regeneration process of diesel particulate filters (DPF). Considering the influence of specific surface area and inhibition factor on soot oxidation, the regeneration process is simulated and analyzed using the commercial FLUENT software combined with UDF method. The results show that soot particles react from the middle of the filter to both ends, and the temporal profile of soot mass in the thermal regeneration process could be divided into three sections: smooth reaction, rapid reaction, and late reaction. The regeneration time decreases with the increasing of the incoming oxygen volume fraction. When the thickness of the deposited soot layer is less than 0.1 mm, the regeneration time is prolonged as the thickness of the deposited layer decreases. When the thickness is more than 0.1 mm, the regeneration time shows the opposite trend with the thickness of the deposited layer. Meanwhile, the curve of maximum wall temperature changing with time is divided into heating, rapid-burning, and slow-burning regimes. The maximum wall temperature increases as the volume fraction of oxygen flow increases, and as the deposited layer thickness increases.     

Externalities of Fugitive Dust

It is known that fugitive dust can cause human health and environmental problems, alone or in combination with other air pollutants. These problems are referred to as ‘external costs’ that have been traditionally ignored. However, there is a growing interest towards quantifying externalities to assist policy and decision-making. With this in mind, the present study aimed at discussing the environmental regulations that deal with fugitive dust, the impact of fugitive dust on human health and global climate system, and the available methods for calculating fugitive dust externalities. The damage cost associated with human health and global environmental problems was predicted based on the environmental strategy priority model. The damage cost estimated by the model ranged from 40 to 374 EUR/kg of emitted fugitive dust with a mean value of 120 EUR/kg of emitted fugitive dust. It was also found that PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ have contributed to about 60% and 36% of the estimated damage cost, respectively. The remaining 4% was attributed to both nitrate and sulfate aerosols.     

Sources of PM10 and PM2.5 in Cairo’s ambient air

A source attribution study was performed to assess the contributions of specific pollutant source types to the observed particulate matter (PM) levels in the greater Cairo Area using the chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model. Three intensive ambient monitoring studies were carried out during the period of February 21–March 3, 1999, October 27–November 27, 1999, and June 8–June 26, 2002. PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured on a 24-h basis at six sampling stations during each of the intensive periods. The six intensive measurement sites represented background levels, mobile source impacts, industrial impacts, and residential exposure. Major contributors to PM₁₀ included geological material, mobile source emissions, and open burning. PM_2.5 tended to be dominated by mobile source emissions, open burning, and secondary species. This paper presents the results of the PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, source contribution estimates.     

A review and evaluation of nonroad diesel mobile machinery emission control in China

China’s emission control for nonroad diesel mobile machinery (NDMM) must deal with a fast increase in stock as well as regulations that are two decades behind those for on-road vehicles.This study provides the first large-scale review and evaluation of China’s NDMM policies,along with emission measurements and an investigation on diesel fuel quality.The sulfur contents of the investigated diesel declined from 430 ppm (median value) in 2011 to6-8 ppm during the 2017-2018 period.The emission contr...     

Performance and emission characteristic studies on CRDI diesel engine fuelled with plastic pyrolysis oil blended with ethanol and diesel

ABSTRACT

This paper mainly focuses on the utilisation of plastic pyrolysis oil (PPO) and its’ blends with diesel and ethanol in different proportions in a modified diesel engine fitted with common rail direct injection (CRDI) facility. PPO was subsequently blended with diesel and ethanol and characterisation has been done. Experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of injection timing (IT) and injection pressure (IP) on the performance of modified CRDI engine fuelled with PPO and its blends with diesel and ethanol. From the experimental investigations, IT of 10°bTDC and IP of 900 bar were found as best operating parameters to obtain maximum brake thermal efficiency (BTE) with lowered emissions for the fuel combinations utilised in the investigations. PPO as substitute to diesel fuel could be viable if its major concern is to finding permanent resources.