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Particles emitted from combustion sources have a negative impact on human health and the environment. The solid fuel boilers that are used in households are a significant source of air pollution. The present study analyzes particulate matter (PM) produced during the combustion of wood pellets, wood logs, and coke in a residential boiler. The captured particles' particle size distribution, bulk density, and cohesion are identified. A cascade impactor was used to capture the particles, and an optical digital microscope was used to determine the bulk density and cohesion (angle of repose) of the particles. The results show that the highest particle mass concentration emitted by the boiler falls within the interval of 89–146 nm, with the combustion of wood logs producing the most particles and coke combustion producing the least. The bulk density of particles of 51–595 nm (impactor stages 4–8) ranges from 320 to 785 kg/m3 for wood logs, 372–1108 kg/m3 for wood pellets, and 435–1330 kg/m3 for coke. The PM1 particles (impactor stage 4) have the highest bulk density. In the particle size range studied, the bulk density of particles decreases significantly with increasing particle size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine particles generated from laboratory biomass combustion are discussed in this study. The approach combines the thermogravimetric analysis during thermal decomposition of beech wood sample with detailed monitoring of the size distribution of fine particles produced. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) allows monitoring the exact temperature influence of a small fuel sample (wood) according to the desired schedule. The cool aerosol stream leaving TGA enters a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) where the particle size fractions are separated. The monodisperse aerosol is counted by the condensation particle counter (CPC). The parametrical study was carried out to assess the influence of composition, size and surface of the wood sample on the production and size distribution of ultrafine particles

The first faunistic records of Ampedus quercicola (Buysson, 1877) from the White Carpathian mountains (eastern Moravia, Czech Republic) and from Silesia (northern Moravia, Czech Republic) are presented. All published particular records of A. quercicola in the Czech Republic are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]