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Particulate air pollution in cities is caused by a variety of sources. One of the less-studied contributors is wind-induced particle resuspension. As the wind speed increases, particles are removed from surfaces. These particles cause an increase in the total concentration in the air. It is known that particles of 10-2.5 μm in size can be resuspended (PM10-2,5). Modern emission monitoring in cities also allows the monitoring of fine particles of 10, 2.5 and 1 μm in size. The size fractions can then be sorted into PM10-2,5, PM2,5-1 and PM1. When breathed in, particles of different sizes cause various serious health risks. This paper focuses on the identification of the resuspension process of different particle size fractions by a data processing method. Data measured by automatic emission monitoring are used. It is confirmed that the concentration increase can be dominated by the fraction PM10-2,5. However, a concentration increase of fractions PM2,5-1 and PM1 is also evident with increasing wind speed. Although the increase in the PM1 fraction is smaller than PM10-2,5, it is more severe due to the respiratory deposition dose. The resuspension of particles of different fractions has different behaviours during the year. PM10-2,5 particles are dominantly resuspended in the summer months. In winter, on the other hand, the proportion of PM2.5-1 and PM1 particles increases, which may be related to the heating season

Air pollution caused by particulate matter (PM) is a current problem in many cities. With the introduction of strict emission limits and electric cars, lower particle production is expected in the future. However, there are sources of particles that cannot be easily influenced. These include resuspension, where particles deposited on surfaces re-enter the air, causing pollution multiple times. Resuspension can account for up to 18% of the total emissions in some cases. The present paper focuses on the use of the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools to describe the flow in a street canyon where resuspension by wind occurs. Based on the calculated flow, a resuspension model is applied to see where resuspension occurs and how far the particles can travel. The shear stresses on the surfaces and the character of the flow field in the boundary layer are evaluated. Different building configurations and flow parameters are tested using a simple 2D model. The model makes it possible to see in which parts of the street canyon resuspension can occur. It shows that the particles leave the street canyon only from the surfaces where the conditions are suitable for resuspension. These particles then enter the mainstream. However, most of the particles stay in the canyon, which can cause resuspension to pollute the air repeatedly. This effect can have a severe impact on human health. The total dispersion of particles in the urban environment is evaluated. The results may be useful for cities that clean the streets, as it is clear which areas will benefit most from the cleaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution by particulate matter (PM) in cities is an ongoing problem with increasing severity. The biggest PM contributors are traffic and domestic fire burning. With the shift towards electromobility and the use of low-emission fuels, attention should be shifted to less mentioned sources of pollution. Such sources of pollution include wind-induced resuspension. This study focuses on determining the threshold wind speed causing the resuspension of particulate matter (TWSR) with aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 µm. A methodology is introduced that examines how data could be treated to identify its characteristics (for locations where only PM10 data are available). The most significant monitored parameters are air humidity, wind direction, time of the day, and surface type. The characteristic wind speeds causing resuspension are identified in four locations for different times of day. It was proven that at times of intense human activity, particles are lifted by wind more easily. The mean threshold wind speed causing resuspension in the studied urban environment was identified as 1.58 m/s at a height of 2 m above the surface. The wind speeds were also compared with experimental studies of resuspension. The results proved correspondence between the identified wind speeds and the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the results of pilot measurement, where the exposure of fine and ultrafine particulate matter was monitored. The measurement was performed in welding workplace, where these particles are produced unintentionally. The measurement consisted of collecting information and measuring the concentration of particles in the workplace, where data collection was focused only on inhalation exposure. During welding, primarily 300 nm size particles are produced, and their concentration is strongly influenced by the welding material, type of welding and suction. The particles are amorphous in terms of morphology and contain manganese, iron and silicon, which can cause neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, the results indicate the importance of monitoring oral exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes suspended particles number concentrations of 61 size fractions (184 nm to 17,165 nm) in the air at a traffic location. The average course of the individual fractions was analyzed at various intervals – daily, weekly, monthly and annually, in the period between 2017 and 2019. The data was then used to calculate the arithmetic mean for all the fractions (MS Excel, R) and then using a proprietary web application, heatmaps were constructed. The obtained results showed significant differences in both the annual and daily variation of number concentrations between the individual fractions differing in particle size. In the case of the annual variation, one can see a greater variability of smaller particles, which is most likely due to the source of the actual suspended particles. Meteorological and dispersion conditions are found as important factors for suspended particle concentrations. These can lead to significant differences from year to year. However, a comparison between 2018 and 2019 showed that even though the average absolute number concentrations can differ between years, the actual relative number concentrations, i.e., the ratios between the individual fractions remain very similar. In conclusion it can be said that the difference between the number concentration variation of the size fractions depends on both the actual pollution sources (especially in the long-term, i.e., the annual variation) and the actual size of the particles, which plays a role especially in the short-term (daily, weekly variation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]