The Effect of Traction Sanding on Urban Suspended Particles in Finland

Abstract

Abstract. Springtime urban road dust forms one of the most serious problems regarding air pollution in Finland. The composition and origin of springtime dust was studied in southern Finland with two different methods. Suspended particles (PM 10 and TSP) were collected with high volume particle samplers and particle deposition was collected with moss bags. The composition of the PM 1.5−10 fraction was studied using individual particle analysis with SEM/EDX. The deposition in the moss bags was analysed with ICP-MS. The results showed that during the study period, approximately 10% of both PM 1.5−10 particles and the deposition originated from sanding. Other sources in the springtime PM 1.5−10 were e.g. asphalt aggregate or soil and combustion processes. It can be concluded that sanding produced a relatively small amount of particulate matter under the investigated circumstances.

ESEM–EDX characterisation of airborne particles from an industrialised area of northern Greece

“…For this reason, several multidisciplinary analytical methodologies are often applied in such studies; for example, the chemical analysis of inorganic particulates involves techniques such as X-ray Xuorescence (XRF), inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP), neutron activation analysis (NAA), electron microprobe (EMPA), among others (Ebert et al 2004;Kupiainen and Tervahattu 2004;Suzuki 2006). Mineralogical information has been obtained by X-ray diVraction (XRD) (Querol et al 1996).…”

Atlas of airborne particles from Kozani area, Northern Greece

“…For this reason, several multidisciplinary analytical methodologies have been applied, such as X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Inductively Coupled Plasma spectroscopy (ICP), Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), Electron Microprobe (EMPA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) etc. (Paoletti et al 2002, Ebert et al 2004, Kupiainen and Tervahattu 2004, Goforth and Christoforou 2006, Suzuki 2006 In the Western Macedonia region of northern Greece, heavy air pollution problems have been demonstrated, attributed mainly to the extensive lignite mining and burning for energy production. The investigation of this problem incorporated statistical evaluation of TSP, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations, chemical mass balance source apportionment studies and creation of mathematical models based on the meteorological and topographical data (Triantafyllou et al 2002, Samara 2005, Zoras et al 2006.…”

Micromorphology and chemistry of airborne particles in Brussels during agriculture working periods in surrounding region

“…A study carried out in Finland (Kupiainen and Tervahattu 2004) showed that about 10% of PM2.5-PM10 particulate matter originated from sanding; other sources were asphalt aggregate or soil processes. Another investigation of urban and rural sites in Belgium (Maenhaut and Cafmeyer 1998), concluded that overall airborne particle concentration, composition and sources were similar for both types of sites.…”