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Atmos Pollut Res 2021 Mar 11;12(3):292-301. Epub 2021 Jan 11.

Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.

This study characterizes the hygroscopic and chemical nature of aerosols originating from ten locations (4 outdoors and 6 indoors) around the Gol-E-Gohar (GEG) iron ore mine (Iran), including an assessment of how hygroscopic growth alters particulate deposition in the respiratory system. Aerosols collected on filters in three diameter (D) ranges (total suspended particulates [TSP], D ≤ 10 μm [PM], and D ≤ 2.5 μm [PM]) were analyzed for chemical and hygroscopic characteristics. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2021 Feb;12(2):367-374

Jacobs Technology Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.

This paper presents an analysis of data from a wind tunnel study conducted to examine the dispersion of emissions at the edges of near-road noise barriers. The study is motivated by the concern that a barrier positioned downwind of a roadway may guide highly polluted plumes along the barrier leading to heightened concentrations as the plume spills around and downwind of the barrier end. The wind tunnel database consists of measurements of dispersion around a simulated roadway segment with various noise barrier configurations. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2021 ;12(1):148-158

Eurofins Frontier Global Sciences, 5755 8 St. E, Tacoma, Washington 98424.

Gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM) dry deposition measurements using surrogate surface passive samplers were collected at six sites in the Four Corners area, U.S.A. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2021 Mar 7;12(3):136-145. Epub 2021 Feb 7.

School of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, Hubei, China.

Lockdowns implemented in response to COVID-19 have caused an unprecedented reduction in global economic and transport activity. In this study, variation in the concentration of health-threatening air pollutants (PM, NO, and O) pre- and post-lockdown was investigated at global, continental, and national scales. We analyzed ground-based data from >10,000 monitoring stations in 380 cities across the globe. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2021 Mar 2;12(3):302-306. Epub 2021 Jan 2.

Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

This study investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in air of public places such as shopping centers, a post office, banks, governmental offices, and public transportation facilities including an airport, subways, and buses in Tehran, Iran. A total of 28 air samples were collected from the eight groups of public and transportation locations. The airborne particle samples were collected on PTFE or glass fiber filters using two types of samplers with flow rates of 40 and 3. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2021 Feb 28;12(2):316-329. Epub 2020 Nov 28.

School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, No. 56 Xinjian South Street, Taiyuan, 030001, China.

The COVID-19 virus outbreak has been declared a "global pandemic". Therefore, "lockdown" was issued in affected countries to control the spread of the virus. To assess air pollution during and after lockdowns, this study selected pandemic hotspots in China (Wuhan), Japan (Tokyo), the Republic of Korea (Daegu), and India (Mumbai) and compared the Air Quality Index (AQI) in these areas for the past three years. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2020 Oct 25;11(10):1870-1881. Epub 2020 Jul 25.

Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, ID, USA.

The Lewis-Clark Valley is a rural area that includes the cities of Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Washington and the surrounding areas. The largest industry in the Lewis-Clark Valley is a pulp paper mill located in Lewiston which emits particulate matter and odorous sulfur air pollutants. This study analyzed the Lewis-Clark Valley air composition and seasonal, temporal and spatial variations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from 2017 to 2018 to determine potential health risks of the paper mill emissions to the surrounding community. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2021 Feb 2;12(2):84-92. Epub 2020 Nov 2.

Institute of Statistics, Graz University of Technology, Kopernikusgasse 24/III, 8010, Graz, Austria.

Analysis of near-surface measurements at several measuring points in Graz, Austria, reveals the impact of restrictive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic on the emission of atmospheric pollutants. We quantify the effects at traffic hotspots, industrial and residential areas. Using historical data collected over several years, we are able to account for meteorological and seasonal confounders. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2020 Sep 4;11(9):1481-1486. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, And Biochemistry and Biophysics University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27955, USA.

Piston powered aircraft burning leaded gasoline contribute ~70% of the lead in the atmosphere in the US. The physical size, composition, and structure of aircraft exhaust particles containing lead dibromide are poorly understood and heretofore have not been examined directly by electron microscopy (EM), in particular when captured from an aircraft in flight. To accomplish this, exhaust samples were trapped on EM supports within 10-15 ms of exiting the aircraft exhaust pipe. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2021 Jan 7;12(1):437-445. Epub 2020 Oct 7.

CNR -- National Research Council of Italy, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Via Real Collegio, 30-10024, Moncalieri, Torino, Italy.

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is generating a high number of infected individuals and deaths. One of the current questions is how climatological factors and environmental pollution can affect the diffusion of COVID-19 in human society. This study endeavours to explain the relation between wind speed, air pollution and the diffusion of COVID-19 to provide insights to constrain and/or prevent future pandemics and epidemics. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2021 Jan 25;12(1):124-133. Epub 2020 Aug 25.

Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Instituto de Investigaciones Atmosféricas, Diego de Robles y Av. Interoceánica, Quito, Ecuador.

The COVID-19 lockdown presented a peculiar opportunity to study a shift in the photochemical regime of ozone production in Quito (Ecuador) before and after mobility restrictions. Primary precursors such as NO and CO dropped dramatically as early as 13 March 2020, due to school closures, but ambient ozone did not change. In this work we use a chemical box model in order to estimate regimes of ozone production before and after the lockdown. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2021 Jan 17;12(1):23-35. Epub 2020 Aug 17.

School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

The impacts of poor air quality on human health are becoming more apparent. Businesses and governments are implementing technologies and policies in order to improve air quality. Despite this the PM air quality in the mining town of Moranbah, Australia, has worsened since measurements commenced in 2011. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2020 Jun;11(6):81-86

Jacobs Technology Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.

Select volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured in the vicinity of chemical facilities and other operations in the Rubbertown industrial area of Louisville, Kentucky (USA) using modified EPA Methods 325A/B passive sampler tubes. Two-week, time-integrated passive samplers were deployed at ten sites which were aggregated into three site groups of varying distances from the Rubbertown area facilities. In comparison to canister data from 2001 to 2005, two of the sites suggested generally lower current VOC levels. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2020 Jul 21;11(7):1127-1141. Epub 2020 Apr 21.

School of Studies in Chemistry, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, 492010, Chhattisgarh, India.

To study the influence of fireworks in atmospheric aerosols and their effect on health during the extreme firework days, fireworks tracer metals and carbonaceous species in size-distributed aerosols in the lower troposphere at Raipur in eastern central India were investigated during the 2018 Deepawali festival. Aerosol samples were collected, before Deepawali period (BDP, n = 5), during Deepawali period (DDP, n = 5) and after Deepawali period (ADP, n = 5). Bimodal size-distribution with intense fine mode peak was found for Na during DDP. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2020 Feb;11(2):225-233

European Commission-Joint Research Centre, Directorate for Energy, Transport and Climate, 21027, Ispra, Italy.

In this study, PM concentrations together with the water-soluble ionic compounds and total elements were simultaneously measured at 16 sites in the city of Varese located in Northern Italy within a domain of 2 × 2 km. The center point of this domain consisted of an existing urban air quality monitoring station. The representativeness of the monitoring station for PM mass and chemical composition was estimated using a methodology relying on statistical/geostatistical analyses. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2018 Nov;9(6):1184-1193

Systems Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland.

Background: Ambient air pollution and associated adverse health effects are among most acute environmental problems in many cities worldwide. The intake fraction () approach can be applied for evaluating the health benefits of reducing emissions, especially when rapid decisions are needed. Intake fraction is a metric that represents emission-to-intake relationship and characterizes abatement of exposure potential attributed to specific emission sources. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2017 Mar 3;8(2):374-382. Epub 2016 Nov 3.

Département de géographie, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

This article evaluates the concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and some of its chemical speciation such as sulfate, organic carbon, black carbon and sea salt particles simulated at the surface by Version 1 of the Aerosol Reanalysis of NASA's Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Application (MERRAero) over Europe. Measurement data from the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme database were used. The concentrations of coarse PM (PM), fine PM (PM), sulfate and black carbon particles are overall well simulated, despite a slight and consistent overestimation of PM concentration, and a slight and consistent underestimation of PM and sulfate concentrations throughout most of the year. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2017 Nov;8(6):1023-1030

Jacobs Technologies, Inc., Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.

Mobile monitoring is a strategy to characterize spatially and temporally variable air pollution in areas near sources. EPA's Geospatial Measurement of Air Pollution (GMAP) vehicle - an all-electric vehicle is outfitted with a number of measurement devices to record real-time concentrations of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants - was used to map air pollution levels near the Port of Charleston in South Carolina. High-resolution monitoring was performed along driving routes near several port terminals and rail yard facilities, recording geospatial coordinates and concentrations of pollutants including black carbon, size-resolved particle count ranging from ultrafine to coarse (6 nm-20 μm), carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2017 Sep;8(5):873-884

U.S. EPA, Office of Research and Development, 944 E. Harmon Ave, Rm. 235, Las Vegas, NV 89119,

The Desert Southwest Coarse Particulate Matter Study was undertaken to further our understanding of the spatial and temporal variability and sources of fine and coarse particulate matter (PM) in rural, arid, desert environments. Sampling was conducted between February 2009 and February 2010 in Pinal County, AZ near the town of Casa Grande where PM concentrations routinely exceed the U.S. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2017 Mar;8(2):275-284

AMAD/NERL, U.S.E.P.A., Research Triangle Park, NC, USA.

A Reduced Form Model (RFM) is a mathematical relationship between the inputs and outputs of an air quality model, permitting estimation of additional modeling without costly new regional-scale simulations. A 21-year Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) simulation for the continental United States provided the basis for the RFM developed in this study. Predictors included the principal component scores (PCS) of emissions and meteorological variables, while the predictand was the monthly mean of daily maximum 8-hour CMAQ ozone for the ozone season at each model grid. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2015 Jul 5;6(4):556-561. Epub 2016 Jan 5.

School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong.

Inhalation of infectious bioaerosols has been linked to a variety of respiratory diseases. However, efficient sampling techniques to allow high temporal resolution sampling are limited to collect and study bioaerosols in the various occupational and ambient micro-environmental atmospheres. This study introduces a medium flow swirling bioaerosol sampler (SAS) approach that collects atmospheric bioaerosols at the flow rate of 167 Lpm (10 cubic meter per hour). Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2012 Jul;3(3):331-340

Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.

This paper presents the first comprehensive investigation of PM2.5 and PM10 composition and sources in Saudi Arabia. We conducted a multi-week multiple sites sampling campaign in Jeddah between June and September, 2011, and analyzed samples by XRF. Read More

Atmos Pollut Res 2010 Jan;1(1):50-58

The University of Queensland, Entox (The National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology), Brisbane QLD 4108, Australia.

There has been relatively little bioanalytical effect based monitoring conducted using samples derived from polyurethane foam (PUF) passive air samplers. Combining these techniques may provide a more convenient and cost effective means of monitoring the potential for biological effects resulting from exposure to complex mixtures in a range of scenarios. Seasonal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) levels were monitored at sites around Australia using direct chemical analysis. Read More