Chemical mass closure and chemical characteristics of ambient ultrafine particles and other PM fractions

Abstract

Ambient ultrafine particles (UPs or PM0.1), PM2.5 and PM10 were investigated at the roadside of Syuefu road in Hsinchu city and in the Syueshan highway tunnel in Taipei, Taiwan. A SMPS (TSI Model 3936), three Dichotomous samplers (Andersen Model SA-241), and three MOUDIs (MSP Model 110) were collocated to determine the PM number and mass concentrations simultaneously. The filter samples were further analyzed for organic carbon (OC), element carbon (EC), water-soluble ions, and trace elements. The OC artifact was studied and quantified using the quartz behind quartz (QBQ) method for all PM fractions. Taking into account the OC artifact, chemical mass closure (ratio of the reconstructed chemical mass to the gravimetrical mass) of PM 0.1, PM2.5, and PM10 was then calculated and found to be good. The chemical analysis results of UPs at both sites showed that UPs in the present tunnel was mostly contributed from the vehicle emissions while UPs at the roadside was mainly influenced by urban sources. © 2010 American Association for Aerosol Research.