Carbonaceous aerosols in five European cities: insights into primary emissions and secondary particle formation

Sarkawt Hama; Ibrahim Ouchen; Kevin Wyche; Rebecca Cordell; Paul Monks

doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2022.106180

Carbonaceous aerosols in five European cities: insights into primary emissions and secondary particle formation

Sarkawt Hama, Ibrahim Ouchen, Kevin Wyche, Rebecca Cordell, Paul Monks

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Carbonaceous material is an important component of atmospheric aerosol particles, which plays a significant role in air quality and climate, and also has potentially negative impacts on human health. There is a lack of data reported in the literature regarding the carbonaceous fraction of aerosol in the North-West European ‘air pollution hotspot’ and this work reports a comprehensive one-year intensive measurement campaign, where organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) fractions of PM10 (particulate matter of diameter ≤ 10 μm) were measured. Owing to the importance of carbonaceous aerosols in understanding particulate pollution sources, ~2000 PM10 samples were simultaneously collected across North-West Europe at four urban background sites located in Amsterdam (AD), Antwerp (AP), Leicester (LE) and Lille (LL), and one industrial site at Wijk aan Zee (WZ). PM10 samples were chemically analysed by OC-EC analyser for carbonaceous species (OC, and EC) and trends were identified. OC accounted for 12.8%, 13.9%, 15.3%, 15.1% and 9.8%, and EC accounted for 2.4%, 4.9%, 4.4%, 4.0%, and 2.4% of total PM10 mass for AD, AP, LE, LL and WZ, respectively. Secondary organic carbon (SOC) contributions were higher in warmer months compared to colder months, and SOC concentration levels were similar at all five locations, with SOC contributing more than primary organic aerosol (POC) in each city. The lower effective carbon ratio (ECR) values (≤0.3) at all five sites in October, November, and February can be attributed to higher combined POC and EC concentrations and lesser contributions from SOC, meaning that SOC with a greater relative formation has a greater tendency to disperse solar radiation. Higher ECR values in April, May, and July, on the other hand, indicate that more absorbing types of carbonaceous aerosols are also present. More than 90% of the air-mass trajectories were from the north and northeast. This paper details atmospheric processes and sources influencing the seasonal variability of the carbonaceous components of PM10.

Original language	English
Article number	106180
Number of pages	14
Journal	Atmospheric Research
Volume	274
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2022.106180
Publication status	Published - 5 Apr 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the Joint Air Quality Initiative (JOAQUIN) project, part of the EU Interreg IV-B NWE Program . We thank the NOAA ARL for computing air mass back trajectories using the HYSPLIT model. We also thank reviewers for contributions to improve the quality of the paper.

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the Joint Air Quality Initiative (JOAQUIN) project, part of the EU Interreg IV-B NWE Program. We thank the NOAA ARL for computing air mass back trajectories using the HYSPLIT model. We also thank reviewers for contributions to improve the quality of the paper.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022

Keywords

air pollution
air quality
elemental carbon
organic carbon
Northwest Europe
atmospheric science
Chemical composition
PM10
Seasonal variation

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10.1016/j.atmosres.2022.106180

Hama et al Atmos Res 2022 Accepted Author VersionAccepted author manuscript, 8.16 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Carbonaceous aerosols in five European cities: insights into primary emissions and secondary particle formation",

abstract = "Carbonaceous material is an important component of atmospheric aerosol particles, which plays a significant role in air quality and climate, and also has potentially negative impacts on human health. There is a lack of data reported in the literature regarding the carbonaceous fraction of aerosol in the North-West European {\textquoteleft}air pollution hotspot{\textquoteright} and this work reports a comprehensive one-year intensive measurement campaign, where organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) fractions of PM10 (particulate matter of diameter ≤ 10 μm) were measured. Owing to the importance of carbonaceous aerosols in understanding particulate pollution sources, ~2000 PM10 samples were simultaneously collected across North-West Europe at four urban background sites located in Amsterdam (AD), Antwerp (AP), Leicester (LE) and Lille (LL), and one industrial site at Wijk aan Zee (WZ). PM10 samples were chemically analysed by OC-EC analyser for carbonaceous species (OC, and EC) and trends were identified. OC accounted for 12.8%, 13.9%, 15.3%, 15.1% and 9.8%, and EC accounted for 2.4%, 4.9%, 4.4%, 4.0%, and 2.4% of total PM10 mass for AD, AP, LE, LL and WZ, respectively. Secondary organic carbon (SOC) contributions were higher in warmer months compared to colder months, and SOC concentration levels were similar at all five locations, with SOC contributing more than primary organic aerosol (POC) in each city. The lower effective carbon ratio (ECR) values (≤0.3) at all five sites in October, November, and February can be attributed to higher combined POC and EC concentrations and lesser contributions from SOC, meaning that SOC with a greater relative formation has a greater tendency to disperse solar radiation. Higher ECR values in April, May, and July, on the other hand, indicate that more absorbing types of carbonaceous aerosols are also present. More than 90% of the air-mass trajectories were from the north and northeast. This paper details atmospheric processes and sources influencing the seasonal variability of the carbonaceous components of PM10.",

keywords = "air pollution, air quality, elemental carbon, organic carbon, Northwest Europe, atmospheric science, Chemical composition, PM10, Seasonal variation",

author = "Sarkawt Hama and Ibrahim Ouchen and Kevin Wyche and Rebecca Cordell and Paul Monks",

note = "Funding Information: This research was funded by the Joint Air Quality Initiative (JOAQUIN) project, part of the EU Interreg IV-B NWE Program . We thank the NOAA ARL for computing air mass back trajectories using the HYSPLIT model. We also thank reviewers for contributions to improve the quality of the paper. Funding Information: This research was funded by the Joint Air Quality Initiative (JOAQUIN) project, part of the EU Interreg IV-B NWE Program. We thank the NOAA ARL for computing air mass back trajectories using the HYSPLIT model. We also thank reviewers for contributions to improve the quality of the paper. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022",

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AU - Hama, Sarkawt

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AU - Wyche, Kevin

AU - Cordell, Rebecca

AU - Monks, Paul

N1 - Funding Information: This research was funded by the Joint Air Quality Initiative (JOAQUIN) project, part of the EU Interreg IV-B NWE Program . We thank the NOAA ARL for computing air mass back trajectories using the HYSPLIT model. We also thank reviewers for contributions to improve the quality of the paper. Funding Information: This research was funded by the Joint Air Quality Initiative (JOAQUIN) project, part of the EU Interreg IV-B NWE Program. We thank the NOAA ARL for computing air mass back trajectories using the HYSPLIT model. We also thank reviewers for contributions to improve the quality of the paper. Publisher Copyright: © 2022

PY - 2022/4/5

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N2 - Carbonaceous material is an important component of atmospheric aerosol particles, which plays a significant role in air quality and climate, and also has potentially negative impacts on human health. There is a lack of data reported in the literature regarding the carbonaceous fraction of aerosol in the North-West European ‘air pollution hotspot’ and this work reports a comprehensive one-year intensive measurement campaign, where organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) fractions of PM10 (particulate matter of diameter ≤ 10 μm) were measured. Owing to the importance of carbonaceous aerosols in understanding particulate pollution sources, ~2000 PM10 samples were simultaneously collected across North-West Europe at four urban background sites located in Amsterdam (AD), Antwerp (AP), Leicester (LE) and Lille (LL), and one industrial site at Wijk aan Zee (WZ). PM10 samples were chemically analysed by OC-EC analyser for carbonaceous species (OC, and EC) and trends were identified. OC accounted for 12.8%, 13.9%, 15.3%, 15.1% and 9.8%, and EC accounted for 2.4%, 4.9%, 4.4%, 4.0%, and 2.4% of total PM10 mass for AD, AP, LE, LL and WZ, respectively. Secondary organic carbon (SOC) contributions were higher in warmer months compared to colder months, and SOC concentration levels were similar at all five locations, with SOC contributing more than primary organic aerosol (POC) in each city. The lower effective carbon ratio (ECR) values (≤0.3) at all five sites in October, November, and February can be attributed to higher combined POC and EC concentrations and lesser contributions from SOC, meaning that SOC with a greater relative formation has a greater tendency to disperse solar radiation. Higher ECR values in April, May, and July, on the other hand, indicate that more absorbing types of carbonaceous aerosols are also present. More than 90% of the air-mass trajectories were from the north and northeast. This paper details atmospheric processes and sources influencing the seasonal variability of the carbonaceous components of PM10.

AB - Carbonaceous material is an important component of atmospheric aerosol particles, which plays a significant role in air quality and climate, and also has potentially negative impacts on human health. There is a lack of data reported in the literature regarding the carbonaceous fraction of aerosol in the North-West European ‘air pollution hotspot’ and this work reports a comprehensive one-year intensive measurement campaign, where organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) fractions of PM10 (particulate matter of diameter ≤ 10 μm) were measured. Owing to the importance of carbonaceous aerosols in understanding particulate pollution sources, ~2000 PM10 samples were simultaneously collected across North-West Europe at four urban background sites located in Amsterdam (AD), Antwerp (AP), Leicester (LE) and Lille (LL), and one industrial site at Wijk aan Zee (WZ). PM10 samples were chemically analysed by OC-EC analyser for carbonaceous species (OC, and EC) and trends were identified. OC accounted for 12.8%, 13.9%, 15.3%, 15.1% and 9.8%, and EC accounted for 2.4%, 4.9%, 4.4%, 4.0%, and 2.4% of total PM10 mass for AD, AP, LE, LL and WZ, respectively. Secondary organic carbon (SOC) contributions were higher in warmer months compared to colder months, and SOC concentration levels were similar at all five locations, with SOC contributing more than primary organic aerosol (POC) in each city. The lower effective carbon ratio (ECR) values (≤0.3) at all five sites in October, November, and February can be attributed to higher combined POC and EC concentrations and lesser contributions from SOC, meaning that SOC with a greater relative formation has a greater tendency to disperse solar radiation. Higher ECR values in April, May, and July, on the other hand, indicate that more absorbing types of carbonaceous aerosols are also present. More than 90% of the air-mass trajectories were from the north and northeast. This paper details atmospheric processes and sources influencing the seasonal variability of the carbonaceous components of PM10.

KW - air pollution

KW - air quality

KW - elemental carbon

KW - organic carbon

KW - Northwest Europe

KW - atmospheric science

KW - Chemical composition

KW - PM10

KW - Seasonal variation

U2 - 10.1016/j.atmosres.2022.106180

DO - 10.1016/j.atmosres.2022.106180

M3 - Article

SN - 0169-8095

VL - 274

JO - Atmospheric Research

JF - Atmospheric Research

M1 - 106180

ER -

Carbonaceous aerosols in five European cities: insights into primary emissions and secondary particle formation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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