Particle Number Size Distribution in Three Different Microenvironments of London

Abstract

We estimated the particle number distributions (PNDs), particle number concentrations (PNCs), physicochemical characteristics, meteorological effects, and respiratory deposition doses (RDD) in the human respiratory tract for three different particle modes: nucleation (N6–30), accumulation (N30–300), and coarse (N300–10,000) modes. This study was conducted in three different microenvironments (MEs) in London (indoor, IN; traffic intersection, TI; park, PK) measuring particles in the range of 6 nm–10,000 nm using an electrical low-pressure impactor (ELPI+). Mean PNCs were 1.68 ± 1.03 × 104 #cm−3, 7.00 ± 18.96 × 104 #cm−3, and 0.76 ± 0.95 × 104 #cm−3 at IN, TI, and PK, respectively. The PNDs were high for nucleation-mode particles at the TI site, especially during peak traffic hours. Wind speeds ranging from 0 to 6 ms−1 exhibit higher PNCs for nucleation- and accumulation-mode particles at TI and PK sites. Physicochemical characterisation shows trace metals, including Fe, O, and inorganic elements, that were embedded in a matrix of organic material in some samples. Alveolar RDD was higher for the nucleation and accumulation modes than the coarse-mode particles. The chemical signatures from the physicochemical characterisation indicate the varied sources at different MEs. These findings enhance our understanding of the different particle profiles at each ME and should help devise ways of reducing personal exposure at each ME.

Analysis of Experimental Measurements of Particulate Matter (PM) and Lung Deposition Surface Area (LDSA) in Operational Faces of an Oil Shale Underground Mine

“…Kalaiarasan at al. concluded that respiratory deposition doses and particle number concentrations can be applicable to investigate relationships between particle diameter and deposition in the different regions of the lungs, considering the impact of the UFP deposition in the deeper region of the lungs [26].…”

The Relationship between Mechanical Ventilation, Indoor Air Quality Classes, and Energy Classes in a Romanian Context

“…In the modern age, people from every corner of the planet spend most of their time in indoor spaces [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9], which makes the field of indoor air quality (IAQ) more relevant than ever. Furthermore, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a great challenge for the health of cities and societies, people experienced national lockdowns, which made them more vulnerable to massive exposure to indoor air pollution [5,6,10,11].…”