Comparison of instruments for particle number size distribution measurements in air quality monitoring

Price, Heather; Stahlmecke, Burkhard; Arthur, Robert; Kaminski, Heinz; Lindermann, Jorg; Dauber, Eckhard; Asbach, Cristof; Kuhlbusch, Thomas A J; BeruBe, Kelly; Jones, Tim; Biological and Environmental Sciences; Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology; Cardiff University; Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology; Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology; Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology; Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology; Institute of Energy and Environmental Technology; Cardiff University; Cardiff University; 0000-0001-6886-4516

Comparison of instruments for particle number size distribution measurements in air quality monitoring

2014 | 2015

Number size distributions of airborne particles are relevant to fields including ambient monitoring, pharmaceutical and automotive measurements. A number of commercially available instruments can be used to determine particle number size distributions including the Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI), Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS), Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPS) and the Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS). The comparability of the data provided by these instruments has not been fully tested for different kinds of aerosols. This study compared number size distributions of laboratory generated aerosols (TiO2, NaCl, fumed silica and soot) in a wind tunnel. Reasonable agreement was noted between the different instruments, though there were divergences. For example the ELPI was inconsistent at the upper and lower limits of its working size (at low concentrations). Instruments responded variably to different particle types, which has important implications for sampling heterogeneous particle mixtures such as those found in urban air. This study highlights the need for caution when comparing data obtained from different particle instruments, and demonstrates the requirement for further comparison studies in controlled settings using an assortment of particle types with the aim to standardise and harmonise particle sampling protocols.

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Bibliographic information

Publisher

Elsevier

Other Subjects

Aps; Number size distribution (nsd); Smps; Elpi; Fmps

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

License

This item has been embargoed for a period. During the embargo please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author. You can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study. Accepted refereed manuscript of: Price H, Stahlmecke B, Arthur R, Kaminski H, Lindermann J, Dauber E, Asbach C, Kuhlbusch TAJ, BeruBe K & Jones T (2014) Comparison of instruments for particle number size distribution measurements in air quality monitoring, Journal of Aerosol Science, 76, pp. 48-55. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaerosci.2014.05.001 © 2015, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/, 2016-11-01, [PriceEtAl2014_JAS.pdf] Publisher requires embargo of 24 months after formal publication.

ISBN

0003425411000, 0-849024371

Type

Journal Article; Am - Accepted Manuscript

In AGRIS since: 2024-11-28

Format: Dublin Core

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This bibliographic record has been provided by University of Stirling

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Links

DOI http://hdl.handle.net/1893/22013 http://dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/22013/1/PriceEtAl2014_JAS.pdf

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