Chemical characterization of environmental and industrial particulate samples†

Abstract

The characterization of particles, especially aerosol particles, is of great importance to many scientific fields. A relevant brief overview is given. A rigorous scheme of sampling and in-depth characterization of particulate samples has been developed in the authors' laboratories and by collaborative groups, including investigations by the following techniques: total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for quantitative bulk characterization; solid-state speciation by valence band X-ray spectrometry using electron microprobe or Mössbauer spectrometry (only bulk particle characterization possible); scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis for automatic semiquantitative single particle characterization of particles ≥ 0.5 mm; transmission electron microscopy for semiquantitative single particle characterization of particles with diameters down to 10 nm; high resolution-scanning electron microscopy, which is also capable of characterizing particles morphologically and qualitatively down to 10 nm in diameter; secondary ion mass spectrometry for the study of trace elemental distributions and isotopic ratios in particles with diameters above 1 mm. It is the aim of this paper to show the advantages and characteristics of this scheme of analysis to match today's requirements for topochemical methods of analysis. For this purpose a short overview of these methods for particle characterization is also presented.

Carbon Nanotube and Fullerene Emissions from Spark-Ignited Engines

“…Emission factors for CNT/FULs from common combustion sources have not been published to our knowledge, though these morphologies have been identified in exhaust from natural gas (NG) stoves (Murr et al 2004) and tentatively from a 157 diesel engine (Evelyn et al 2003) and gasoline engines (Ortner et al 1998). Blom et al (2000) found structures that might have been FULs but were not identified as such by those authors.…”

XPS surface chemical characterization of atmospheric particles of different sizes

“…There are several methods and instruments for studying different properties of the surface of airborne particulate matter (PM), ranging from morphology to elemental composition (Braun et al, 2007;Coury and Dillner, 2008;Faude and Goschnick, 1997;Kirchner et al, 2003;Ortner et al, 1998;Osan et al, 2006;Zelenay et al, 2011;Zhu et al, 2001). The use of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) for chemical surface analysis of airborne particles is not a routine method in environmental applications.…”

Overview of methods for analysing single ultrafine particles

“…Numerous methods have been applied to the analysis of single aerosol particles and have been well documented in a number of sources (Grasserbauer 1983;Fletcher & Small 1993;Ortner et al 1998;De Bock & Van Grieken 1999). The vast majority of available methods are limited by spatial resolution and/or detection limits, and tend to be more applicable to the analysis of particles 0.5 m m to 1 m m in diameter and above.…”