Articles | Volume 2, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-235-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-2-235-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
22 Jul 2024
Research article |
| 22 Jul 2024
| 22 Jul 2024
Vertical concentrations gradients and transport of airborne microplastics in wind tunnel experiments
Eike Maximilian Esders
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Micrometeorology Group, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, Bayreuth, Germany
Christoph Georgi
Institute of Environmental Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, Berlin, Germany
Wolfgang Babel
Micrometeorology Group, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, Bayreuth, Germany
Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, Dr.-Hans-Frisch-Str.1-3, Bayreuth, Germany
Andreas Held
Institute of Environmental Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17. Juni 135, Berlin, Germany
Christoph Karl Thomas
Micrometeorology Group, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, Bayreuth, Germany
Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research, Dr.-Hans-Frisch-Str.1-3, Bayreuth, Germany
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Do microplastics behave differently from mineral particles when they are exposed to wind? We observed plastic and mineral particles in a wind tunnel and measured at what wind speeds the particles start to move. The results indicate that microplastics start to move at smaller wind speeds as they weigh less and are less sticky. Hence, we think that microplastics also move more easily in the environment.
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Julius Seidler, Markus N. Friedrich, Christoph K. Thomas, and Anke C. Nölscher
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Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10007–10021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10007-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10007-2022, 2022
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Wolfgang Fischer, Christoph K. Thomas, Nikita Zimov, and Mathias Göckede
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Karl Lapo, Anita Freundorfer, Antonia Fritz, Johann Schneider, Johannes Olesch, Wolfgang Babel, and Christoph K. Thomas
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 885–906, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-885-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-885-2022, 2022
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Armin Sigmund, Korbinian Freier, Till Rehm, Ludwig Ries, Christian Schunk, Anette Menzel, and Christoph K. Thomas
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Anne Klosterhalfen, Alexander Graf, Nicolas Brüggemann, Clemens Drüe, Odilia Esser, María P. González-Dugo, Günther Heinemann, Cor M. J. Jacobs, Matthias Mauder, Arnold F. Moene, Patrizia Ney, Thomas Pütz, Corinna Rebmann, Mario Ramos Rodríguez, Todd M. Scanlon, Marius Schmidt, Rainer Steinbrecher, Christoph K. Thomas, Veronika Valler, Matthias J. Zeeman, and Harry Vereecken
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Thomas Foken, Wolfgang Babel, and Christoph Thomas
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Barbara Altstädter, Andreas Platis, Michael Jähn, Holger Baars, Janine Lückerath, Andreas Held, Astrid Lampert, Jens Bange, Markus Hermann, and Birgit Wehner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 8249–8264, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-8249-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-8249-2018, 2018
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Kathrin Gatzsche, Wolfgang Babel, Eva Falge, Rex David Pyles, Kyaw Tha Paw U, Armin Raabe, and Thomas Foken
Biogeosciences, 15, 2945–2960, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2945-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-2945-2018, 2018
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The ecosystem is a significant sink of carbon dioxide. To quantify this sink, very complex and validated models are required. However, the comparison of modeled and measured energy and matter fluxes in a heterogeneous landscape is still a challenge. On the one hand, models must be applied for various surface types, while on the other hand the comparison of the fluxes is only possible based on the flux source areas. This paper treats the potential aggregation of modeled fluxes and its validation.
Armin Sigmund, Lena Pfister, Chadi Sayde, and Christoph K. Thomas
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 2149–2162, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2149-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-10-2149-2017, 2017
Martin Brüggemann, Laurent Poulain, Andreas Held, Torsten Stelzer, Christoph Zuth, Stefanie Richters, Anke Mutzel, Dominik van Pinxteren, Yoshiteru Iinuma, Sarmite Katkevica, René Rabe, Hartmut Herrmann, and Thorsten Hoffmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 1453–1469, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-1453-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-1453-2017, 2017
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Using complementary mass spectrometric techniques during a field study in central Europe, characteristic contributors to the organic aerosol mass were identified. Besides common marker compounds for biogenic secondary organic aerosol, highly oxidized sulfur species were detected in the particle phase. High-time-resolution measurements revealed correlations between these organosulfates and particulate sulfate as well as gas-phase peroxyradicals, giving hints to underlying formation mechanisms.
Shang Sun, Alexander Moravek, Lisa von der Heyden, Andreas Held, Matthias Sörgel, and Jürgen Kesselmeier
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 599–617, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-599-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-599-2016, 2016
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We present a dynamic twin-cuvette system for quantifying the trace gas exchange fluxes between plants and the atmosphere under controlled temperature, light, and humidity conditions. We found out that at a relative humidity of 40 %, the deposition velocity ratio of O3 and PAN was determined to be 0.45. At that humidity, the O3-deposition to the plant leaves was found to be only controlled by leaf stomata. For PAN, an additional resistance inhibited the uptake of PAN by the leaves.
M. Sörgel, I. Trebs, D. Wu, and A. Held
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 9237–9251, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9237-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9237-2015, 2015
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We measured near-surface (< 2m) profiles of HONO in a clearing and on a forest floor. Both HONO deposition and emissions were observed. By comparing three postulated sources to observed daytime emissions, we made several important findings: ● conversion of NO2 is mostly independent of light due to light saturation ● HONO emissions from a very acidic soil were low ● photolysis of adsorbed HNO3 could serve as HONO source based on empirical parameters but unlikely via the proposed reaction pathway.
D. Plake, M. Sörgel, P. Stella, A. Held, and I. Trebs
Biogeosciences, 12, 945–959, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-945-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-945-2015, 2015
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Grasslands cover vast terrestrial areas and the main biomass is concentrated in the lowest part of the canopy. We found that measured transport times in the lowermost canopy layer are fastest during nighttime. During daytime, the reaction of NO with O3, as well as NO2 uptake by plants, was faster than transport. This suggests that grassland canopies of similar structure may exhibit a strong potential to retain soil emitted NO due to oxidation and subsequent uptake of NO2 by plants.
W. Babel, T. Biermann, H. Coners, E. Falge, E. Seeber, J. Ingrisch, P.-M. Schleuß, T. Gerken, J. Leonbacher, T. Leipold, S. Willinghöfer, K. Schützenmeister, O. Shibistova, L. Becker, S. Hafner, S. Spielvogel, X. Li, X. Xu, Y. Sun, L. Zhang, Y. Yang, Y. Ma, K. Wesche, H.-F. Graf, C. Leuschner, G. Guggenberger, Y. Kuzyakov, G. Miehe, and T. Foken
Biogeosciences, 11, 6633–6656, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6633-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-6633-2014, 2014
S. G. Gonser, F. Klein, W. Birmili, J. Größ, M. Kulmala, H. E. Manninen, A. Wiedensohler, and A. Held
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 10547–10563, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-10547-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-10547-2014, 2014
M. Tjernström, C. Leck, C. E. Birch, J. W. Bottenheim, B. J. Brooks, I. M. Brooks, L. Bäcklin, R. Y.-W. Chang, G. de Leeuw, L. Di Liberto, S. de la Rosa, E. Granath, M. Graus, A. Hansel, J. Heintzenberg, A. Held, A. Hind, P. Johnston, J. Knulst, M. Martin, P. A. Matrai, T. Mauritsen, M. Müller, S. J. Norris, M. V. Orellana, D. A. Orsini, J. Paatero, P. O. G. Persson, Q. Gao, C. Rauschenberg, Z. Ristovski, J. Sedlar, M. D. Shupe, B. Sierau, A. Sirevaag, S. Sjogren, O. Stetzer, E. Swietlicki, M. Szczodrak, P. Vaattovaara, N. Wahlberg, M. Westberg, and C. R. Wheeler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 2823–2869, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2823-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2823-2014, 2014
N. Niedermeier, A. Held, T. Müller, B. Heinold, K. Schepanski, I. Tegen, K. Kandler, M. Ebert, S. Weinbruch, K. Read, J. Lee, K. W. Fomba, K. Müller, H. Herrmann, and A. Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 2245–2266, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2245-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-2245-2014, 2014
K. A. Kamilli, L. Poulain, A. Held, A. Nowak, W. Birmili, and A. Wiedensohler
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 14, 737–749, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-737-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-14-737-2014, 2014
S. G. Gonser and A. Held
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 2339–2348, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-2339-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-2339-2013, 2013
M. Li, W. Babel, K. Tanaka, and T. Foken
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 6, 221–229, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-221-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-6-221-2013, 2013
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Astrid Nørskov Pedersen, Yosef Knattrup, and Jonas Elm
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Aerosol formation is an important process for our global climate. While inorganic species have been shown to be important for aerosol formation, there remains a large gap in our knowledge about the exact involvement of organics. We present a new quantum chemical procedure for screening relevant organics that for the first time allows us to obtain direct molecular-level insight into the organics involved in aerosol formation.
Marie K. Mikkelsen, Jesper B. Liisberg, Maarten M. J. W. van Herpen, Kurt V. Mikkelsen, and Matthew S. Johnson
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We analyze the mechanism whereby sunlight and iron catalyze the production of chlorine from chloride in sea spray aerosol. This process occurs naturally over the North Atlantic and is the single most important source of chlorine. We investigate the mechanism using quantum chemistry, laboratory experiments, and aqueous chemistry modelling. The process will change depending on competing ions, light distribution, acidity, and chloride concentration.
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Short summary
Our study explores how tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics (MPs), move through the air. We focus on their journey in a wind tunnel to mimic atmospheric transport. Depending on the air speed and the height of their release, they move downwards or upwards. These results suggest that MPs behave like mineral particles and that we can expect MPs to accumulate where natural dust also accumulates in the environment, offering insights for predicting the spread and impacts of MPs.
Our study explores how tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics (MPs), move through the...
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