| Abstract Title: | Measurement of ultrafine aerosol particles in an urban environment |
| Presenter Name: | Dr Daniela Wimmer |
| Co-authors/Co-presenters: | Mr Johannes Murg Mr Martin Cresnoverh Mr Andreas Pein Mr Benedikt Tschofenig |
| Company/Organisation: | AVL |
| Country: | Austria |
Abstract Information :
Ultrafine particles (UFPs), defined as particles <100 nm in size have attracted considerable interest in recent years due to their potential harmful effects on human health. As a result, WHO (World Health Organization) has stressed the danger of UFPs in a guideline of 2021 and recommended to introduce the measurement of the concentrations of UFPs as a new metric of interest. Adding the concentration of UFPs as a standard to air quality measurement stations helps to build up a solid global data basis (WHO global air quality guidelines. Particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide). Condensation Particle Counters (CPCs) have been shown to be most suited for the determination of the number concentration of UFPs. CPCs are even defined in the current CEN16976/2016 (Ambient air - Determination of the particle number concentration of atmospheric aerosol) standard, as the method of choice for the determination of the particle number concentration. AVL List GmbH, with headquarters in Graz, Austria, is one of the world’s leading manufacturer of CPCs. Originally, these devices have been developed for the automotive industry. Within this scope, the instruments are widely used for the determination of the particle number concentration for engine research & development and for the homologation of the vehicles. The AVL CPC (UFPM(TM)) was calibrated at the World Calibration Centre for Aerosol Physics (WCCAP, TROPOS Institute in Leipzig, Germany). The calibration was done according to CEN/TS16976:2023 (Ambient air - Determination of the particle number concentration of atmospheric aerosol). This includes the determination of the response of the device to a certain particle size compared to a reference as well as the linearity. The AVL UFPM (TM) was calibrated for concentrations up to 1*10^5 #/cm³. The AVL UFPM (TM) also includes a pulse out, to be ACTRIS compatible. The AVL CPC was used in a measurement campaign in an urban station in Graz. The measurement results from this campaign will be presented. This includes the monthly diurnal cycle of ultrafine particle concentration as well as concentration statistics from the measurement campaign. We will also show the comparison between the other ultrafine CPC. The AVL UFPM (TM) showed a stable performance during the 6-month measurement campaing. The only interaction needed was the re-filling of the butanol bottle every 3 weeks.
