11/4/2009. Diameter of hair 60 mm PM 10 PM 2.5

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1 Houses of Parliament, London - Sun breaking through the fog (Claude Monet, 1904) Particulate matter consists of tiny particles in the atmosphere that can be solid or liquid (except for water or ice) and is produced by a wide variety of natural and manmade sources. Aerosol refers to gases and particulates together. Þröstur Þorsteinsson ThrosturTh@gmail.com Institute of Earth Sciences Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavik Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) range from 0 50 microns Human hair is about 70 microns in diameter. > 50 micron particulates tend to settle out of the air. What is PM? Particulate matter is tiny particules Aeorosols are particulates and gas (air) together Diameter of hair 60 mm PM 10 PM 2.5 > PM 10 PM 2.5 PM 10 < PM 2.5 too large for respiratory system can enter lungs through mouth. can enter lungs through nose. 1

2 Primary particles, such as dust from roads or elemental carbon (soot) from wood combustion, are emitted directly into the atmosphere. Secondary particles are formed in the atmosphere from primary gaseous emissions. Examples include sulfates, formed from SO 2 emissions from power plants and industrial facilities, and nitrates, formed from NO x emissions from power plants, automobiles, and other types of combustion sources. Main sources of aerosols. Note : VOC = Volatile Organic Compound Natural Primary Mineral aerosol Sea salt Volcanic dust Organic aerosols Secondary Sulfates from biogenic gases Sulfates from volcanic SO 2 Organic aerosols from VOCs Nitrates from NO x Anthropogenic Primary Industrial dust Soot Biomass burning Secondary Sulfates from SO 2 Organic aerosols from VOCs Nitrates from NO x Natural Sea salt Mineral dust Organic Anthropogenic Model size distributions describing the aerosol concentrations for urban, rural and maritime environments (Data from Jaenicke (1993)). Volcanic FOR GODS SAKE... Haven t you heard of global warming? Air quality Western powers make their contribution to resolving evironmental issues 2

3 N2 76% O2 23% Ar 1% Other 0% N2 O2 Ar Other Kr 0% CH4 1% Ne 5% He H2 1% 0% CO2 93% CO2 Ne He CH4 Kr H2 3

4 Focus on Based on cities with more than inhabitants. Ten nations with less than 20 mg m -3 annually: United Kingdom 19, Australia and Luxembourg 18, New Zealand, Uganda and Antigua & Barbuda 16, France 15, Sweden and Venezuela 13, and Belarus 8. Aerosol particle radius in June Red indicates aerosol plumes made up of smaller particles, green plumes made up of larger particles, and yellow plumes in which large and small aerosol particles are intermingling. Black shows where the satellite sensor could not make measurement. Aerosol optical thickness in June Dark brown indicates high aerosol concentrations, tan lower concentrations, and light yellow areas show little or no aerosols. Black shows where the satellite sensor could not make measurement. 4

5 PM10 (µg m -3 ) 11/4/2009 Rvk ~20 Over health limit (50 mg m -3 per day) 19 times 3 due to traffic (jan march) 7 due to local sources wind 5 due to dust storms 3 due to polluted air mass PM min (mg m -3 ) GRE02 GRE03 GRE04 GRE05 GRE06 GRE_median FHG_median GRE Month 5

6 Average daily concentration: Rvk 22 mg m -3 Brent 62 mg m -3 Some background history Pittsburg, USA in Around the Olympics in 2008 a lot of concern regarding air pollution

7 Two event changed people s awareness for air quality Donora, W-Pennsilavania 1948 London in 1952 The killer fog 1948 Cairo smog At least 21 people died due to this pollution event 1910 Zinc plant Donora Zinc Works of the American Steel and Wire Company is dimly seen through fume-laden smoke and fog in Nurses Betty Tropak and Eleanor Novak supervise oxygen treatment for two of forty persons hospitalized by fume-laden smoke and fog. Occurred in London in December Coal ovens caused the pollution, which lasted for a week. Visibility was only a few meters, SO 2 levels rose to 7x the normal level, CO to 2x the normal level 7

8 Air pollution Coughing Astma Lung damage Cardiovascular disease... Life expectency is reduced by 400 days due to smoking 40 days due to traffic accidents 60 days due to PM pollution Ref: C. Johansson (2005) Small particles can travel deep down into the lungs Exposure to ambient particulate matter and cigarette smoke linked with increased mortality risk Dust linked to health problems Air pollution reduces lung function Air pollution linked to early form of dementia It is thought the fine particles in air pollution can pass through the lungs and lodge in the brain where they cause inflammation which is associated with dementia Air pollution could boost blood pressure Polluted air impairs neurons that regulate heart rate in mice 8

9 SEM image of soot aggregate in bronchiole. Note: Recently inhaled soot is extracellular, trapped in muco-purulent exudate. Ways to quantify air quality Traffic 16% Distant 16% Local 37% Dust storms 31% 9

10 Before Burning of coals Claude Monet Air quality Houses of Parliament, London, Sun Breaking Through the Fog, 1904 Now Traffic Industry Fires Dust storms More... Similar in Stockholm, but energy instead of dust. Brakes 2% Salt 11% Dust 25% Reykjavik PM10 Soot 7% Road wear 55% Traffic Tires Brakes Road wear Emission UK domestic (coal combustion) 23%, industry 18%, and transport 28%. Ref. Bryndís Skúladóttir et al

11 Local Building sites, Distant Dust storms Global Large events Dust storms Local Global Fires Sea salt Salt on streets Other Salt, other Long range pollution Pollution in Europe Fires Dust storms Large fires can emit lots of fine particulates 11

12 2009 day 266 Texas, 1935 Melborne, Australia Contribute greatly to the PM pollution worldwide In Iceland, also... Many potential source locations Sandar close to glaciers, rivers,... Aeorosol optical thickness in June