Articles | Volume 3, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/ar-3-45-2025
© Author(s) 2025. 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-3-45-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
27 Jan 2025
Research article |
| 27 Jan 2025
| 27 Jan 2025
Performance evaluation of four cascade impactors for airborne ultrafine-particle (UFP) collection: the influence of particle type, concentration, mass, and chemical nature
Elisabeth Eckenberger
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
Andreas Mittereder
Department of Engineering Thermodynamics and Transport Processes, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
Nadine Gawlitta
Comprehensive Molecular Analytics (CMA), Helmholtz Munich, Munich, Germany
Institute of Chemistry, Division of Analytical and Technical Chemistry, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Jürgen Schnelle-Kreis
Comprehensive Molecular Analytics (CMA), Helmholtz Munich, Munich, Germany
Institute of Chemistry, Division of Analytical and Technical Chemistry, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Martin Sklorz
Institute of Chemistry, Division of Analytical and Technical Chemistry, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Dieter Brüggemann
Department of Engineering Thermodynamics and Transport Processes, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
Ralf Zimmermann
Comprehensive Molecular Analytics (CMA), Helmholtz Munich, Munich, Germany
Institute of Chemistry, Division of Analytical and Technical Chemistry, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Anke C. Nölscher
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Short summary
We assessed the performance of four cascade impactors for collecting and analyzing organic markers in airborne ultrafine particles (UFPs) under lab and field conditions. The cutoff was influenced by the impactor design and aerosol mixture. Two key factors caused variations in mass concentrations: the evaporation of semi-volatile compounds and the "bounce-off" of larger particles and fragments. Our findings reveal the challenges of analyzing organic marker mass concentrations in airborne UFPs.
We assessed the performance of four cascade impactors for collecting and analyzing organic...
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