Search results for " Particulate matter"
showing 10 items of 32 documents
FTIR spectral analysis of PM10 and PM2.5 particulate matter over the urban area of Palermo (Italy) during normal days and Saharan events
2010
The principal sources of particulate matter in Palermo urban area are gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles, domestic heating, resuspension of soil dust and a geogenic source which includes soil erosion, marine aerosol and sporadic Saharan events. Annual average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations result 27.8±9.8 and 21.3±5.1g/m3. The highest mass levels, 246 and 65 g/m3 respectively for PM10 and PM2.5, were observed during Saharan events. For the present study, which uses the ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to provide insights on the chemical composition of airborne particulate matter, a total of 89 filters were collected: 13 PM10 filters from a sub-urban background station, 36 PM10 and 40 PM2.5 filters …
Seasonal Changes in Urban PM2.5 Hotspots and Sources from Low-Cost Sensors
2022
PM2.5 concentrations in urban areas are highly variable, both spatially and seasonally. To assess these patterns and the underlying sources, we conducted PM2.5 exposure measurements at the adult breath level (1.6 m) along three ~5 km routes in urban districts of Mainz (Germany) using portable low-cost Alphasense OPC-N3 sensors. The survey took place on five consecutive days including four runs each day (38 in total) in September 2020 and March 2021. While the between-sensor accuracy was tested to be good (R² = 0.98), the recorded PM2.5 values underestimated the official measurement station data by up to 25 µg/m3. The collected data showed no consistent PM2.5 hotspots between September and M…
Speciation of Sb in airborne particulate matter, vehicle brake linings, and brake pad wear residues
2013
Insights into the speciation of Sb in samples of brake linings, brake pad wear residues, road dust, and atmospheric particulate matter PM10 and PM2.5 were obtained combining several well established and advanced characterization techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy e energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and synchrotron radiation X-ray absorption spectroscopy (SR-XAS). The advantage of SR-XAS is that samples do not undergo any chemical treatment prior to measurements, thus excluding possible alterations. These analyses revealed that the samples of wheel rims dust, road dust, and atmospheric particulate matter are composed…
Regional and global contributions of air pollution to risk of death from COVID-19
2020
Abstract Aims The risk of mortality from the coronavirus disease that emerged in 2019 (COVID-19) is increased by comorbidity from cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Air pollution also causes excess mortality from these conditions. Analysis of the first severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1) outcomes in 2003, and preliminary investigations of those for SARS-CoV-2 since 2019, provide evidence that the incidence and severity are related to ambient air pollution. We estimated the fraction of COVID-19 mortality that is attributable to the long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate air pollution. Methods and results We characterized global exposure to fine particulates…
Loss of life expectancy from air pollution compared to other risk factors: a worldwide perspective
2020
Abstract Aims Long-term exposure of humans to air pollution enhances the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. A novel Global Exposure Mortality Model (GEMM) has been derived from many cohort studies, providing much-improved coverage of the exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5). We applied the GEMM to assess excess mortality attributable to ambient air pollution on a global scale and compare to other risk factors. Methods and results We used a data-informed atmospheric model to calculate worldwide exposure to PM2.5 and ozone pollution, which was combined with the GEMM to estimate disease-specific excess mortality and loss of life expectancy (LLE) in 2015. Using this model, …
Air Pollution Exposure During Pregnancy and Symptoms of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder in Children in Europe
2018
Background: Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy may increase attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children, but findings have been inconsistent. We aimed to study this association in a collaborative study of eight European population-based birth/child cohorts, including 29,127 mother-child pairs. Methods: Air pollution concentrations (nitrogen dioxide [NO2] and particulate matter [PM]) were estimated at the birth address by land-use regression models based on monitoring campaigns performed between 2008 and 2011. We extrapolated concentrations back in time to exact pregnancy periods. Teachers or parents assessed ADHD symptoms at 3-10 years of age. We classified …
Suspended particulate matter fluxes along with their associated metals, organic matter and carbonates in a coastal Mediterranean area affected by min…
2016
International audience; A study of suspended particulate matter (SPM) fluxes along with their associated metals, organic matter and carbonates, was conducted off the Mejerda River outlet in May 2011 and in March and July 2012 at depths of 10, 20 and 40 m using sediment traps. SPM fluxes are more significant near the Mejerda outlet, especially in winter, but dissipate further offshore. Normalization reveals that the Mejerda is a major source of Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Co, all of which are the result of human activities. In contrast, Fe, Mn and N are of authigenic origin. The enrichment factor shows that Pb, Zn and especially Cd are the most highly polluting metals off the Mejerda outlet. Thi…
Risk Perception of Air Pollution: A Systematic Review Focused on Particulate Matter Exposure
2020
The adverse health effects of exposure to air pollutants, notably to particulate matter (PM), are well-known, as well as the association with measured or estimated concentration levels. The role of perception can be relevant in exploring effects and pollution control actions. The purpose of this study was to explore studies that analyse people’s perception, together with the measurement of air pollution, in order to elucidate the relationship between them. We conducted a systematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. In March 2020, PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus databases were explored in an attempt to search for …
The Effect of the Covid-19 Lockdown on Air Quality in Three Italian Medium-Sized Cities
2020
Despite the societal and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdown measures put in place by the Italian government provided an unprecedented opportunity to increase our knowledge of the effect transportation and industry-related emissions have on the air quality in our cities. This study assessed the effect of reduced emissions during the lockdown period, due to COVID-19, on air quality in three Italian cities, Florence, Pisa, and Lucca. For this study, we compared the concentration of particulate matter PM10, PM2.5, NO2, and O3 measured during the lockdown period, with values obtained in the same period of 2019. Our results show no evidence of a direct relationship between th…
Occurrence of platinum, palladium and gold in pine needles of Pinus pinea L. from the city of Palermo (Italy)
2003
Abstract Preliminary data on the presence of Pt, Pd and Au in airborne particulate matter from the urban area of Palermo (Sicily, Italy) are presented. They were obtained by analysing 40 samples of pine needles (Pinus pinea L.) collected in and around the city. Observed concentrations range from 1 to 102 μg/kg for Pt, 1 to 45 μg/kg for Pd and 22 to 776 μg/kg for Au. Platinum and Pd concentrations in pine needles are up to two orders of magnitude higher than their crustal abundances. They exhibit a high statistical correlation (R2=0.74) which suggests a common origin. Precious metal concentrations measured within the city centre are much higher than those occurring outside the town. The dist…