Ambient Air Monitoring - Environmental - Environmental Monitoring
PARTICLE MASS (PM) MEASUREMENTS
Particulate matter (PM) can be measured in real-time in any outdoor environment with the Environmental DustTrak™ Monitor. The optical detection segregates mass fractions into PM1, PM2.5, Respirable, PM10 and total PM. The sensor’s enclosure and cloud data service makes it applicable for monitoring local emitters along the fenceline, within construction sites or remote influence from natural disasters. The near-reference dust concentration provides actionable data assisting decision makers in deploying personnel and resources.
The QCM MOUDI is a precision research-grade impactor with real-time mass detection based on QCM (Quartz Crystal Microbalance) sensors. The cascade impactor segregates PM2.5 in six fractions between 45 nm and 2.5 µm. PM levels change by time, influenced for example by rush hour traffic, energy consumption of industry and households, and wind direction. This highly sensitive system provides time- and mass-resolved mass concentrations to complement the commonly used filter sampling techniques placed in monitoring stations.
PARTICLE NUMBER (PN) MEASUREMENTS
Ultrafine particles (UFPs) have become a key area of interest in environmental monitoring and related studies. Traditional mass based measurements (PM) do not represent UFPs, as these nanoparticles are emitted in large numbers but represent almost immeasurable fractions of mass. Potential effects on health and air quality are dependent on number concentration, size and chemical composition. TSI offers solutions to address all three sectors.
The Environmental Particle Counter™ provides quantitative fine and UFP concentration data accurately and reliably. Trends of number concentration of particles as small as 7nm are tracked on a second-by-second basis and provide deep insights into the local environment influenced for example by traffic on a nearby freeway.
As a first step in harmonizing the measurement of UFPs in the atmosphere, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) drafted the Technical Specification CEN/TS 16976 which defines a set of requirements for the Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) and the sampling system.
The Ultrafine Particle (UFP) Monitor provides six channels of number concentrations from 20 nm to 500 nm sized-particles. Developed under the auspices of European Union UFIPOLNET project, the UFP Monitor has demonstrated it is well suited for long-term, ultrafine particle monitoring while routinely monitoring ultrafine particles in several cities within Europe and US.
In addition to the above mentioned fine particle monitors researchers gain additional insights on particles present in the atmosphere covering nanometer to micrometer size ranges by combining various sizing and counting instruments, such as the Aerodynamic Particle Sizer and the Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer.
PARTICLE SAMPLING
Sampling particles on a filter to conduct gravimetric and chemical analysis is a common practice but typically does not provide size-resolved chemical composition. Cascade impactors are then used to sample particles in specific size fractions for analysis, e.g. for carbon (total, elemental, organic, water-soluble), organic compounds or inorganic ions.
High-flow impactors are ideal for sampling particles at low concentrations, for obtaining samples in short sampling intervals, or for collecting more mass per stage as compared with more conventional medium flow rate impactors. More size fractions are accessible using medium flow impactors. Uniform particle deposition for better quantitative analysis is achieved using impactors with rotating stages (i.e. MOUDI II).
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While the field of air quality encompasses many aspects, one topic that is been gaining attention in recent years is the measurement of ultrafine particles.What are ultrafines?Ultrafines are ...
