The dynamics of how tyre wear particles behave prior to their entrainment are still poorly understood. In wind tunnel experiments, the particle detachment from an idealized glass substrate was monitored. For particle sizes above 80 μm, smaller and more rounded particles were mobilized by wind shear first, whereas larger and more angular particles require stronger wind shear, highlighting strong surface adhesion and particle morphology as the major factors influencing microplastic detachment.

This paper presents the very first measurements of droplet and particle sizes and concentrations through the parts of an elastic light scatter detector. Measurements were made using two instruments, phase Doppler particle anemometry and an aerodynamic aerosol classifier, to resolve the size distribution of volatile particles upstream and dried particles downstream. The final measurements are used in a companion paper comparison with simulations.

The paper presents a model for the atomization and evaporation of a stream of solvents containing less volatile analytes through a system, designed to detect the final dried particles using elastic scatter, called elastic light scatter detector. The results of simulations of the total particle concentrations, as well as the final light scattered signals, are compared to experiments for validation. This is the first set of simulations of this detection device.

Clouds in cold regions affect climate and precipitation, but their behavior depends on rare airborne particles that help ice form. We measured these particles over several months in a Finnish forest and compared them with many environmental observations. We found that ice formation in winter was largely unpredictable, while in spring and summer it was more strongly linked to particle amount and composition. This shows that local conditions are needed to better represent clouds in climate models.

A computationally efficient monodisperse particle dynamics–computational fluid dynamics simulation is developed to predict soot particle growth in flames without use of reaction kinetic models. The proposed model is in good agreement with soot volume fraction and mobility size measurements, demonstrating a level of accuracy comparable to that of sectional models. This model can be readily used for design applications of engines and industrial burners.

We have attempted for the first time to elucidate the mechanism of inorganic particle formation and growth in sub-10 nm size. Results show that by introducing corona discharge into a flame, based on precursor concentration, we can either promote or suppress particle formation and growth. This can help better understand the effect of plasmas on combustion synthesis of nanoparticles.

This study reports on an inter-laboratory comparison to assess particle number size distributions of three test aerosols using 35 optical particle size spectrometers from 16 partners over 40 weeks. Most measurements clustered near the control, confirming that such devices generally provide reliable size distributions. Calibration history, size resolution, particle morphology, and differences in refractive index between calibration and test aerosols are part of the biases observed.

The Marseille–Fos basin faces high anthropogenic pressure from industry and maritime and road transport combined with specific weather conditions that further degrade air quality. Our study focuses on fine metallic pollution, which can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause harmful effects. Using 1 year of measurements at two sites, we identified 10 main pollution sources, half directly linked to human activities, highlighting clear risks for the environment and public health.

This study uses advanced computer simulations to explore how falling water drops remove airborne particles. It shows that, when drops deform and oscillate, their motion strongly affects how efficiently aerosols are captured. The model accurately predicts drop speed and shape, but capture rates can differ from experiments by up to an order of magnitude. These gaps likely stem from missing physical effects (evaporation), uncertainties in aerosol measurements, and numerical inaccuracies.

This study examines NH₃ emissions from UK agriculture and the role it plays in PM_2.5 formation, focusing on the dairy, pig, and poultry sectors. Using regional and local air quality models, we find that a 13 % NH₃ reduction cuts PM_2.5 by only ~1 % due to NH₃-rich air. The regional model may underestimate PM_2.5, while the local modelling shows that emissions disperse within 700 m. The study highlights the value of combining models to better understand the spread of pollutants and to improve PM_2.5 control strategies.