A review of the characteristics of nanoparticles in the urban atmosphere and the prospects for developing regulatory controls |
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Authors: | Prashant Kumar Alan Robins Sotiris Vardoulakis Rex Britter |
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Affiliation: | 1. Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK;2. Public & Environmental Health Research Unit, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;3. Senseable City Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, MA 02139, USA;1. Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, Como, Italy;2. Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine Research Centre, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy;1. Department of Technology, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 4021, FI-00180 Helsinki, Finland;2. Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland;3. Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY, P.O. Box 100, FI-00066 HSY, Helsinki, Finland;4. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland;5. Air Quality, Finnish Meteorological Institute, P.O. Box 503, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland;6. Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 692, FI-33101 Tampere, Finland;1. Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Xi''an Jiaotong University, Xi''an 710049, China;2. School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;3. Guy Carpenter Asia-Pacific Climate Impact Centre, City University of Hong Kong, China;4. Air Quality Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Canada;1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (FEPS), University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom;2. Environmental Flow (EnFlo) Research Centre, FEPS, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, United Kingdom;1. Department of Chemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK;2. Department of Chemistry, School of Science, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Iraq |
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Abstract: | The likely health and environmental implications associated with atmospheric nanoparticles have prompted considerable recent research activity. Knowledge of the characteristics of these particles has improved considerably due to an ever growing interest in the scientific community, though not yet sufficient to enable regulatory decision making on a particle number basis. This review synthesizes the existing knowledge of nanoparticles in the urban atmosphere, highlights recent advances in our understanding and discusses research priorities and emerging aspects of the subject. The article begins by describing the characteristics of the particles and in doing so treats their formation, chemical composition and number concentrations, as well as the role of removal mechanisms of various kinds. This is followed by an overview of emerging classes of nanoparticles (i.e. manufactured and bio-fuel derived), together with a brief discussion of other sources. The subsequent section provides a comprehensive review of the working principles, capabilities and limitations of the main classes of advanced instrumentation that are currently deployed to measure number and size distributions of nanoparticles in the atmosphere. A further section focuses on the dispersion modelling of nanoparticles and associated challenges. Recent toxicological and epidemiological studies are reviewed so as to highlight both current trends and the research needs relating to exposure to particles and the associated health implications. The review then addresses regulatory concerns by providing an historical perspective of recent developments together with the associated challenges involved in the control of airborne nanoparticle concentrations. The article concludes with a critical discussion of the topic areas covered. |
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