Space and time resolved monitoring of airborne particulate matter in proximity of a traffic roundabout in Sweden

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 182; pp. 364 - 370
• Main Authors: Wilkinson, Kai E., Lundkvist, Johanna, Netrval, Julia, Eriksson, Mats, Seisenbaeva, Gulaim A., Kessler, Vadim G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollution - statistics & numerical data; Air. Soil. Water. Waste. Feeding; Analysis of Variance; Analytical Chemistry; Analytisk kemi; Applied sciences; Atmospheric pollution; Biological and medical sciences; chemical composition; Dust - analysis; Emission analysis; emissions; Environment. Living conditions; Environmental Management; Environmental Monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; Health; iron; Light scattering; Medical sciences; Miljöledning; monitoring; Particulate emissions; Particulate Matter - analysis; particulates; Pollution; Pollution sources; Pollution sources. Measurement results; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; risk assessment; Roundabouts; scanning electron microscopy; SEM–EDS; space and time; Spatio-Temporal Analysis; Sweden; Traffic; Transports; Vehicle Emissions - analysis; Sweden; Europe; Pollution; SEM–EDS; Health; PM; Traffic; Motor vehicle; Urban area; Multivariate analysis; SEM―EDS; Health and environment; Surveillance; Cross roads; Aerosols; Air pollution; Road traffic; Public health
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.07.043

Concerns over exposure to airborne particulate matter (PM) are on the rise. Currently monitoring of PM is done on the basis of interpolating a mass of PM by volume (μg/m3) but has the drawback of not taking the chemical nature of PM into account. Here we propose a method of collecting PM at its emission source and employing automated analysis with scanning electron microscopy associated with EDS-analysis together with light scattering to discern the chemical composition, size distribution, and time and space resolved structure of PM emissions in a heavily trafficated roundabout in Sweden. Multivariate methods (PCA, ANOVA) indicate that the technogenic marker Fe follows roadside dust in spreading from the road, and depending on time and location of collection, a statistically significant difference can be seen, adding a useful tool to the repertoiré of detailed PM monitoring and risk assessment of local emission sources.
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•PM monitoring analysis method of the chemical constituents of individual particles.•Automated analysis provides a large output of data concerning chemical nature of PM.•Multivariate statistical methods used to visualize the analysis.•Chemical nature of PM leads to a complete risk assessment of PM exposure.
Automated SEM–EDS analysis of captured roadside PM at a traffic roundabout in Sweden displaying the time- and space-resolved chemical differences of the captured particles.