Atmospheric PAH concentrations in fine and coarse particles

Measurements of the urban air concentrations of PAHsassociated with PM2.5-fine and PM10-coarse particles inChicago on the campus of IIT were achieved using a UniversalAir Sampler. Short sampling time (12 hr) and high flowrates were used to measure the PAH concentrations in fineand coarse particles. Measured ambient concentrations ofPAHs were classified based on wind direction and backtrajectory calculations as Land and Lake samples.Differences in ambient concentrations of PAHs were observedbetween Land and Lake samples. Fine particle concentrationsvaried from 9.5 to 25.7 ng m^-3 and averaged18.2 ng m^-3 for the Land samples, while they ranged from4.2 to 31.5 ng m^-3 and averaged 13.4 ng m^-3 for the Lake samples. The measured PAH concentrationsin coarse particles varied from 6.2 to 22.1 ng m^-3 and averaged 12.9 ng m^-3 for the Land samples, andthey ranged from 2.4 to 13.0 ng m^-3 with an average value of 7.3 ng m^-3 for the Lake samples. The fine/coarse ratio of each individual PAH compound varied between1.3 and 2.7 for the Land samples; it varied between 1.6 and 4.2 for the Lake samples. There was an increase in the fine/coarse ratio of PAH as molecular weight of the compound increases for both Land and Lake samples.     

Investigation on condensable particulate matter emission characteristics in wet ammonia-based desulfurization system

Particulate matter emissions from ammonia-based wet flue gas desulfurization (Ammonia-WFGD) systems are composed of a filterable particulate matter and a condensable particulate matter (CPM) portion. However, the CPM part has been ignored for a long time, which results in an underestimation of the aerosol problems caused by Ammonia-WFGD systems. In our research, the characteristics of the CPM that emits from an Ammonia-WFGD system are investigated experimentally for the first time, with the US Environmental Protection Agency Method 202 employed as the primary measurement. The influences of some essential desulfurizing parameters are evaluated based on the experimental data. The results show that CPM contributes about 68.8% to the total particulate matter emission. CPM consists mainly of ammonium sulfates/sulfites, with the organic part accounting for less than 4%. CPM is mostly in the submicron fraction, about 71.1% of which originates from the NH₃–H₂O–SO₂ reactions. The appropriate adjustments for the parameters of the flue gas and the desulfurizing solution can inhibit CPM formation to different extents. This indicates that the parameter optimizations are promising in solving CPM emission problems in Ammonia-WFGD systems, in which the pH adjustment alone can abate CPM emission by around 49%. The opposite variations of the parameters need attention because they can cause tremendous CPM emission increase.     

Catalytic activity of porous manganese oxides for benzene oxidation improved via citric acid solution combustion synthesis

Various manganese oxides (MnO_x) prepared via citric acid solution combustion synthesis were applied for catalytic oxidation of benzene. The results showed the ratios of citric acid/manganese nitrate in synthesizing process positively affected the physicochemical properties of MnO_x, e.g., BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) surface area, porous structure, reducibility and so on, which were in close relationship with their catalytic performance. Of all the catalysts, the sample prepared at a citric acid/manganese nitrate ratio of 2:1 (C2M1) displayed the best catalytic activity with T₉₀ (the temperature when 90% of benzene was catalytically oxidized) of 212℃. Further investigation showed that C2M1 was Mn₂O₃ with abundant nano-pores, the largest surface area and the proper ratio of surface Mn⁴⁺/Mn³⁺, resulting in preferable low-temperature reducibility and abundant surface active adsorbed oxygen species. The analysis results of the in-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (in-situ FTIR) revealed that the benzene was successively oxidized to phenolate, o-benzoquinone, small molecules (such as maleates, acetates, and vinyl), and finally transformed to CO₂ and H₂O.     

Agglomeration and removal characteristics of fine particles from coal combustion under different turbulent flow fields

Turbulent agglomeration is a promising pretreatment technology for improving the removal of fine particles in industrial flue gas, which can improve the particle removal effect of dust removal equipment safely and economically. However, due to the complexity of turbulence mechanisms, the relationship between turbulent flow fields and the agglomeration of fine particles is not known with precision, resulting a weak promotion effect for particle removal with this pretreatment technology. In this work, three kinds of turbulent agglomerators were constructed to investigate the agglomeration and removal characteristics of fine particles under different turbulent flow fields. The results demonstrated that the turbulent agglomerator with small-scale and three-dimensional vortexes in the flow field had the best effect in improving the agglomeration and removal of fine particles. Two kinds of agglomeration modes in turbulent agglomeration were proposed, one being agglomeration between fine particles in the vortex area, and the other the capture of fine particles by coarse particles. Furthermore, the motion trajectory, relative velocity and residence time of fine particles of different sizes in different flow fields were calculated by numerical simulation to investigate the interaction mechanism of particle agglomeration and turbulent flow fields. The results showed that a flow field with small-scale and three-dimensional vortexes can reduce the Stokes number (St_K) and the relative velocity of particles of different sizes, and extend their residence time in a turbulent flow field, so as to obtain a better agglomeration effect for fine particles.     

A human embryonic stem cell-based in vitro model revealed that ultrafine carbon particles may cause skin inflammation and psoriasis

Air pollution has been linked to many health issues,including skin conditions,especially in children.Among all the atmospheric pollutants,ultrafine particles have been deemed very dangerous since they can readily penetrate the lungs and skin,and be absorbed into the bloodstream.Here,we employed a human embryonic stem cell(h ESC)-based differentiation system towards keratinocytes,to test the effects of ultrafine carbon particles,which mimic ambient ultrafine particles,at environment related concentrations.We found that10 ng/mL to 10 μg/mL ultrafine carbon particles down-regulated the expression of the pluripotency marker SOX2 in h ESCs.Moreover,1 μg/mL to 10 μg/mL carbon particle treatments disrupted the keratinocyte differentiation,and up-regulated inflammationand psoriasis-related genes,such as IL-1β,IL-6,CXCL1,CXCL2,CXCL3,CCL20,CXCL8,and S100 A7 and S100 A9,respectively.Overall,our results provide a new insight into the potential developmental toxicity of atmospheric ultrafine particles.     

北京地区不同类型降水对气溶胶粒子的影响

利用2013~2015年大气成分与气象观测资料,分析了北京地区不同类型降水对气溶胶粒子的影响,结果表明：随着降水强度增大,PM₁₀、PM_2.5、PM₁浓度下降的时次比例、浓度下降比例均增大,PM₁₀下降幅度大于PM_2.5和PM₁;不同类型降水对气溶胶浓度影响不同,对流性降水中大气运动剧烈,对3种颗粒物都有快速而显著的清除效果;稳定性降水细分为3类,显著冷空气型的冷空气垂直下沉运动和降水湿清除可使粒子浓度缓慢下降,无显著冷空气但有颗粒物传输型的降水过程对气溶胶粒子的湿沉降效果有限,无显著冷空气无传输型气溶胶粒子吸湿增长可能导致粒子浓度不会下降;降雪或雨夹雪过程中随着降雪强度增大,气溶胶粒子浓度下降比例增大,但下降时次比例呈指数或者对数变化.雨雪相态转换的降水过程更为复杂,除了上述因素之外,还需考虑雨雪相态转变带来的水滴（雪）粒径、降水粒子对周边气流的动力拖曳作用的变化、冷空气下沉运动对流型的改变.     

香烟侧流烟中超细颗粒物释放及衰减特性

超细颗粒物(Ultrafine Particles,UFPs)能够进入人体肺泡组织进而危害人体健康,为了解香烟侧流烟中UFPs数浓度和表面积浓度释放及衰减特性,结合环境舱和现场实验结果对不同品牌香烟颗粒进行了分析.结果表明:燃烧过程中UFPs数浓度和表面积浓度峰值粒径分别为47.5~66.3 nm和85.6~100.5 nm,衰减2 h后,数浓度和表面积浓度峰值粒径仍小于200 nm;不同品牌香烟侧流烟中UFPs数浓度和表面积浓度释放速率分别为4.22×10~(12)~5.23×10~(12)个·min~(-1)和5.95×10~(10)~6.90×10~(10)μm2~·min~(-1),根据该释放速率模拟得到的不同换气率条件下UFPs数浓度衰减趋势与实验结果相符;通风和实验环境均会影响UFPs的衰减速率,随着换气率由0.7次·h~(-1)增至7次·h~(-1),侧流烟中UFPs的衰减时间由3 h降低至40 min,吸附作用的存在亦会加快UFPs的衰减速率.     

铁矿石烧结NOx排放的实验和数值模拟

为了探明铁矿石烧结过程中影响氮氧化物排放的主要因素,采用烧结杯实验和数值模拟方法对铁矿石烧结过程中的氮氧化物排放进行了研究,实验通过变化焦炭配比和二元碱度,分析了不同焦炭配比和碱度下焦炭氮转化率.结果发现,焦炭对氮氧化物的还原作用比较大,焦炭质量分数每提高0.5%,则焦炭氮转化率减少3%左右,而碱度的作用主要体现在烧结矿的下层,在烧结床下层,应适量添加熟石灰.将焦炭颗粒按照粒径分为粘附颗粒和核心颗粒,通过建立制粒模型,对3个工况的氮氧化物排放进行了分析.烧结程序计算结果说明,粘附层的成分对焦炭氮转化率的影响也是比较大的,如果粘附层含有较多的矿石,则会降低氮氧化物和焦炭的气化反应,减少NO_x还原.     

九龙江流域地表水锰的污染来源和迁移转化机制

锰是人体必需微量元素,但近年来河流湖库等地表水锰超标现象时有发生,威胁供水安全.本文于2016—2017年在福建省九龙江流域开展水系沿程梯度调查及机理实验,结合历史监测资料综合研究,探明九龙江锰含量的时空分布与迁移转化规律,揭示九龙江锰的污染来源、超标成因与调控机制.结果表明,溶解锰高值及超标站位集中在北溪上游矿区支流和干流部分水库,且主要发生在枯水期;上游矿区支流颗粒锰含量最高,随后从上游到下游沿程递减,且与总悬浮颗粒物(TSM)和pH显著正相关(p0.05).基于锰形态与pH值之间的密切关系和沿程变化,及培养实验中沉积物锰释放主要受控于pH的变化而非溶解氧的变化,推测九龙江地表水锰污染主要来自红壤颗粒的流失(特别是矿区和坡地),流域风化形成高pH(pH7.8)环境促进亚热带红壤颗粒富集锰,大量富锰颗粒进入pH逐渐下降的河流下游和电站库区后向溶解锰转化,从而导致锰超标.河流下游及库区pH值下降的主要原因包括酸沉降、酸性废水排放、富营养化条件下有机物分解等.研究结果为我国地表水锰污染防控、饮用水安全保障与流域水环境综合管理提供科学依据.