Sampling and monitoring of
particulate in ambient air
Dr. Sandeep Kumar
Scientist
[email protected] Division of Environment Science
ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute
New Delhi 110012
Air Pollution & Air Pollutants
According to Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, “Air pollution is the
presence of any solid, liquid, or gaseous substances in the atmosphere in such
concentration as may be or tend to be injurious to human beings or other living
creatures or plants or property or environment”.
The WHO (1999) has defined “Air pollutants” as substances put into air by the
activities of mankind, in such concentrations, which are sufficient to cause harmful
effect to human health, vegetation, property or to interfere with the enjoyment of
property.
Types of air pollutants
Primary pollutants are substances directly emitted from a process,
Examples: ash from a volcanic eruption, CO, CO2, SO2, NOx, NO, N2O, NO2, Particulate
matters, VOCs (CH4 & NMVOCs), CFCs, toxic metals, NH3, Radioactive pollutants.
Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. They are form in the air when primary
pollutants react.
Example: NO2, PAN, ground level ozone, photochemical smog, aerosols and mists,
acid rain.
Particulate matter (PM)
It is a mixture of solids or liquid
substances of organic and inorganic
character suspended in air with specific
aerodynamic diameter (0.001-100µm).
PM comes under criteria pollutants of
USEPA.
PM also known as “atmospheric
aerosol”.
PM composed of both organic and
inorganic components.
Natural sources
• Volcanic eruptions
• Forest fire
• Sandstorms
• Soil erosion Anthropogenic sources
Sources • Fungal mycelium, spores •
•
Stone crushing
Cement plants
• Pollen grains
of • Coal mining
• TPPs
PM • Transportation
• Demolition activities
• Construction activities
• Industrial activities
• Agricultural activities
• Burning
Composition of PM
Particulate matter (PM) is a combination of solid and liquid particles suspended in the air.
It can include both organic and inorganic particles, such as: Dust, Pollen, Soot, Smoke,
Liquid droplets.
PM can vary greatly by season and by region.
It can also contain inorganic ions, metallic compounds, elemental carbon, organic
compounds, and compounds from the earth's crust.
The composition of PM2.5 includes: Sulfate, Nitrate, Ammonium, Elemental carbon,
Organic carbon, Silicon, Sodium ion.
Types of PM
Size of PM varies from <0.1 to 100 µm
Generally, classified as: PM2.5 & PM10
But they comes under four categories-
1) Ultrafine PM: < 0.1 µm
2) Fine PM: 0.1 – 2.5 µm
3) Coarse Pm: 2.5 – 10 µm
4) Large PM: 10 - 100 µm
Optical Particle Counters (OPC)
Condensation Particle Counters (CPCs)
Diffusion Size Classifier (DISC)
Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS)
Differential Mobility Analyzer (DMA)
Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPS)
Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS)
Nanoparticle Surface Area Monitors (NSAM)
Passive
sampler
Active sampler
Respirable dust
sampler (RDS)
Graywolf handheld PM
counter
Kanomax gasmaster
Respirable Dust Sampler (RDS)
Thank you
