Recent  

Particle condensed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of toxic compounds that may be incremental to human health even at sub-ng m^-3 long-term exposure levels. CHARON FUSION PTR-TOF 10k is capable of directly detecting these compounds on a chemical composition level at significantly lower mass concentrations. Herein we report the time-series of 9 PAHs and identify three associated major sources and physico-chemical processes for a summer-time aerosol in Innsbruck, Austria.

Black Carbon (BC) is a pollutant from combustion that affects the climate and is harmful to health. We tested four different small BC sensors with a reference in Helsinki. The sensors compared well with the reference. As a sensor network they were able to capture differences in BC. Changes in temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) caused error in the measurement. To reduce the effects of T and RH on BC sensors, more robust boxes should be developed or corrections should be applied.

Surface morphology is critical for enhanced performance in thin films. However, there is limited understanding regarding the accurate control of thin film morphology and earlier studies do not give a systematic way of optimizing different parameters to achieve the desired morphologies. This study identifies parameters that are most relevant for controlling thin film morphology. A systematic design schedule for electrosprayed thin films with different surface morphologies has also been developed.

Our study explores how tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, move through the air. We focus on their journey in a wind tunnel to mimic atmospheric transport. Microplastics tend to settle closer to the ground than where they start, influenced by air speed and the height of their release. Further, this finding indicates that we can expect microplastics to accumulate in the environment, where natural dust also accumulates, offering insights for predicting their spread and impacts.

Aerosol formation is an important process for our global climate. While inorganic spiecies 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 allow us to obtain direct molecular level insight into the organics involved in aerosol formation.

Multi-annual in-situ observations were combined with back-trajectory and emissions inventories to study Black and Brown Carbon (BC, BrC) sources in the north of France. Results show BC to be mainly originated from vehicular traffic (31 %), shipping (25 %), and residential heating (21 %). Also, a significant decrease of the BrC component from residential heating is observed after 24 h of atmospheric aging. Those results shall lead to better climate and air pollution mitigation strategies.

Atmospheric intermediate ions can be used to study atmospheric new particle formation. In this study we aimed to find the optimal ion diameter for this purpose on a local scale. To fulfill our aim, we used ion size number distribution data from SMEAR II measurement station, Hyytiälä, Finland. We found that concentrations of ions between 2.0–2.3 nm are the best suited for characterization of local intermediate ion formation, and could be used to detect, and evaluate the strength of, local NPF.

In this study, we explored how tiny particles in the air, known as aerosols, have changed over time in two mountainous areas in Austria and Switzerland from 2007 to 2023. By using special instruments that measure sunlight, we tracked these changes and found that the amount of aerosols has been decreasing in both locations. This is important because aerosols can affect both our health and the climate. This work is crucial for understanding air quality trends in mountain environments.

The manuscript highlights that the composition dependence of the counting efficiency of condensation particle counters can be immensely reduced by choice of the working fluid. A butanol- and a propylene glycol-based version of the Airmodus A30 was calibrated using a set of four different seed particles. Our study shows that composition-dependent counting efficiencies almost vanish in case of the propylene glycol-based CPC. Simulations of supersaturation profiles were used to explain the results.

Our study employs advanced tools, including scanning LIDAR, balloons, and UAVs, to explore aerosol particles in the atmosphere. The scanning LIDAR offers distinctive near-ground-level insights, enriching our comprehension of aerosol distribution from ground level to the free troposphere. This research provides valuable data for comparing remote sensing and in-situ aerosol measurements, advancing our understanding of aerosol impacts on radiative transfer, clouds, and air quality.

This study addresses challenges in semivolatile organic compound (SVOC) aerosol sampling. Despite its promise, experimental evaluations of the Semivolatile Aerosol Dichotomous Sampler (SADS) reveal issues with leakiness, assembly repeatability, and significant wall losses for particles larger than 2 µm. Findings suggest the need for improvements in airtightness, nozzle alignment, and assembly repeatability for the SADS to fulfill its theoretical potential in workplace exposure assessments.