Indoor air quality is a growing concern in the world. People spend a considerable amount of time in indoor environments such as homes, workplaces, shopping malls, stores, and so on. Indoor sources like incense and candle burning, cooking contribute a significant amount of indoor air pollutants such as particulate matter, carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds. Exposure to these kinds of pollutants can result in adverse health effects. The purpose of this research is to determine the particulate matter and carbon monoxide emission factors (EFs) from incense stick burning. A test chamber with a rectangular exhaust duct, a fan to exhaust air with pollutants in it, and pollutant sensors were used to achieve the project goals. Several experiments were performed with different cases/scenarios to accurately estimate the EFs and several test runs were conducted for each case to test the repeatability of the results. The CO, PM2.5 (mass), PM2.5 (number), PM10 (mass), PM10 (number) EFs developed in this research are between 110-120 mg/g of incense, 2.5-3 mg/g of incense, 800-1100 #particles/µg of incense, 32-33 mg/g of incense, 1200-1400 #particles/µg of incense respectively.

La dynamique des matières en suspension joue un rôle primordial au sein de la zone côtière en étant le principal vecteur de matière particulaire depuis les sources (rivières) vers les puits (marges continentales, canyons sous-marins, océan profond). Le suivi de cette dynamique, notamment pendant les évènements de crues des fleuves et des tempêtes, est primordial afin d’estimer les budgets sédimentaires des marges continentales, de suivre l’évolution des habitats benthiques et de déterminer le rôle de cette dynamique dans le transport de contaminants. Cette thèse a pour objet l’étude des impacts de tels évènements sur la dynamique des particules en suspension au sein du Golfe du Lion (Méditerranée). Une approche multiplateforme, couplant les différentes plateformes de mesures existantes (campagne en mer, glider, satellite, mouillage, bouée côtière) et basée sur la mesure de la turbidité en terme quantitatif et qualitatif a été adoptée. Les résultats ont permis de décrire 1) la dynamique des néphéloïdes en fonction des forçages (vents, vagues, courants) durant des évènements de crue du Rhône et de tempête marine, 2) la variabilité spatiale et temporelle de l’assemblage particulaire lors de ces mêmes évènements par une caractérisation in situ et 3) de montrer le rôle des plateformes autonomes du type gliders dans le suivi de la dynamique des matières en suspension en zone côtière. / Coastal suspended particulate matter dynamics play a main role in the fate of land-derived material from the source (rivers) to sink (continental margins, submarine canyons, deep sea). The monitoring of this dynamic, especially during flooding and storm conditions, is decisive to understand factors impacting sedimentary budgets of continental margins, health of benthic habitats and spread of contaminants. The aim of this PhD is to study the impacts of such events on the suspended particles dynamics over the shelf of the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediteranean). A multi-platform approach, combining existing observation platforms (survey, glider, satellite, mooring and coastal buoy) and based on the measurement of the turbidity was adopted. Results enabled to describe 1) the impacts of forcings (winds, waves, currents) on the dynamics of nepheloid layers during flooding and storm conditions, 2) the variability of the particle assemblage during such events through an in situ characterization and 3) the role of gliders in the monitoring of suspended particles dynamics within the coastal zone.

It is estimated that around three billion people globally rely on traditional usage of biomass to cover their daily energy needs, which causes health and social inequality problems and contributes to global warming. Thus, the study of particle emissions from cookstoves provides important information that can help improve global welfare.   This study aims to (a) evaluate a new laboratory setup for measurement of particle emissions from cookstoves and (b) use this setup to compare the particle emissions from three cookstove appliances that cover the whole spectra of used technologies, namely a 3-stone fire, an improved cookstove and a gasifier stove. Emissions of total suspended particles (TSP), fine particles (≤ 2500 nm) and other emission components such as carbon dioxide were measured. Results from this study show that the new laboratory setup is appropriate to measure and investigate fine particle emissions from cookstoves as well as cookstove efficiency. Further, it also shows that the 3-stone fire was the cookstove with the highest emission factor of all, followed by the rocket stove and the gasifier stove respectively. The analysis of the data obtained from the transient particle measurement provided some information on the particle size and the soot and salt contained in the overall emitted particles. Finally, some suggestions such as continuous measurements of background particle and CO2 levels are recommended. Additionally, further research ideas are also proposed.

This paper examines the influence of air pollution on humans. Suggesting the possible consequences of each action of air pollutants on human health but also the possible economic impacts of air pollution. It primarily exploers the effects of concentration of suspended particulate matter (PM10) on the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The response variable in the regression model serves to determine the effect of PM10 on the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was a percentage share of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among the clients of the General Health Insurance Company in individual regions of the Czech Republic. Explanatory variables were the mean annual concentration of PM10 and gross added value per capita. The model suggests that there is a statistically significant positive correlation between the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the Czech Republic and PM10 concentrations.

The aim of this thesis is to perform comparative analysis of the state policies of the Czech Republic and Poland aimed at reducing dust emissions from industrial and power generation sources of air pollution in the Moravia-Silesia and in the Silesian Voivodeship. The analysis is meant to facilitate improving the regulation requirements of these sources in both districts. The extent of regulation of the sources of air pollution in the Silesia Voivodeship influences the amount of dust emissions produced by such sources and, due the influence of the existence of cross-border transfer of emissions, this influences the concentration of particulate matter in the atmosphere in the Moravian-Silesian Region. The thesis arrives at the conclusion that the industrial and power generation sources of air pollution in the Czech Republic in the Moravian-Silesian Region faces stricter regulation requirements in comparison with similar sources in Poland in the former Silesian Voivodeship. Stricter conditions of regulation for Czech sources are the reason for the lower level of emissions and the resulting higher control costs such sources. The thesis concerns comparative analysis of the control costs a sample group of metallurgic and power generation plants in the Moravian-Silesian Region and in the Silesian Voivodeship.

Routine monitoring of environmental pollution demands simplicity and speed without sacrificing sensitivity or accuracy. The development and application of sensitive, fast and easy to implement analytical methodologies for detecting emerging and traditional water and airborne contaminants in South Florida is presented. A novel method was developed for quantification of the herbicide glyphosate based on lyophilization followed by derivatization and simultaneous detection by fluorescence and mass spectrometry. Samples were analyzed from water canals that will hydrate estuarine wetlands of Biscayne National Park, detecting inputs of glyphosate from both aquatic usage and agricultural runoff from farms. A second study describes a set of fast, automated LC-MS/MS protocols for the analysis of dioctyl sulfosuccinate (DOSS) and 2-butoxyethanol, two components of Corexit®. Around 1.8 million gallons of those dispersant formulations were used in the response efforts for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010. The methods presented here allow the trace-level detection of these compounds in seawater, crude oil and commercial dispersants formulations. In addition, two methodologies were developed for the analysis of well-known pollutants, namely Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and airborne particulate matter (APM). PAHs are ubiquitous environmental contaminants and some are potent carcinogens. Traditional GC-MS analysis is labor-intensive and consumes large amounts of toxic solvents. My study provides an alternative automated SPE-LC-APPI-MS/MS analysis with minimal sample preparation and a lower solvent consumption. The system can inject, extract, clean, separate and detect 28 PAHs and 15 families of alkylated PAHs in 28 minutes. The methodology was tested with environmental samples from Miami. Airborne Particulate Matter is a mixture of particles of chemical and biological origin. Assessment of its elemental composition is critical for the protection of sensitive ecosystems and public health. The APM collected from Port Everglades between 2005 and 2010 was analyzed by ICP-MS after acid digestion of filters. The most abundant elements were Fe and Al, followed by Cu, V and Zn. Enrichment factors show that hazardous elements (Cd, Pb, As, Co, Ni and Cr) are introduced by anthropogenic activities. Data suggest that the major sources of APM were an electricity plant, road dust, industrial emissions and marine vessels.

Silica sand is used in the hydraulic fracturing process as a proppant—a material that holds open fissures in a rock formation to allow oil and gas to escape. Due to the increased demand for proppant sand, numerous sand mining and processing facilities have been constructed in the vicinity of small communities. Silica sand contains crystalline silica, which can cause chronic health problems such as silicosis. This study monitored airborne particulate matter at residences within 800 m from the facilities property line, with active mining, processing, and/or transport. Real-time particulate air monitoring with automated acquisition of explanatory variables: sound and motion to detect transportation; and wind speed and direction to attribute measured PM concentrations to specific sources. The highest daily mean concentrations were 37.3 μg/m3 for PM10 and 14.5 μg/m3 for PM2.5, both of which are well below the EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Using conditional probability plots of PM relative to wind direction elevated short-term (20 second) peak concentrations were more likely to occur when the wind was blowing from the sand facility. These peak concentrations occurred infrequently, ranging from 0% to 3% of the sampling time. This study did not measure crystalline silica specifically, but low PM concentrations were observed so crystalline silica is expected to be low. Since PM concentrations were low near the facilities, it can be concluded that these facilities do not increase airborne particulate matter to hazardous concentrations that could cause chronic health conditions.

Tato práce se zabývá znečištěním ovzduší pevnými prachovými částicemi v lokalitách města Brna. V teoretické části je pojednáno o možných zdrojích prachových částic, o chemickém složení a velikostní klasifikaci polétavých částic a dalších fyzikálně-chemických charakteristikách. Další část je věnována zdravotním rizikům prašnosti. V této souvislosti práce pojednává o anatomii dýchacího systému a účincích prachu na něj. Jsou taktéž rozebrány zdravotní efekty prachového znečištění, včetně uvedení možných nemocí respiračního a kardiovaskulárního systému, jejichž může být prach příčinou. V praktické části byl proveden sběr prachu. Byly vybrány celkem čtyři lokality, kde byly prováděny odběry vzorků. Následně byly stanoveny koncentrace polétavých částic PM10 a PM2,5. Dále byly u vybraných lokalit stanoveny koncentrace těžkých kovů a polyaromatických uhlovodíků vázaných na prachových částicích. V závěru bylo provedeno srovnání s legislativou a stanovena zdravotní rizika.

The performance of the AERMOD and ADMS dispersion models was tested using PM10 (thoracic dust) emissions from Rössing Uranium Mine open pit in Namibia. The performance of the two models was evaluated against the observations and also against each other using various statistical measures. The models were tested under different case scenarios (cases explained in chapter 4) with the aim of evaluating their performances as well as their inter model variability. The study was undertaken from the 13 July 2009 – 14 August 2009. The results from the study showed that the performance of ADMS was superior to that of AERMOD. In general, the performance of AERMOD was very poor and simulated extremely high concentration values. AERMOD performed even more poorly during calm conditions. ADMS performance was superior to AERMOD as was evident from the values of various performance statistical measures and a conclusion reached was that ADMS is likely to be a better model to use in cases where prolonged calm conditions are experienced. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Chemical Engineering / unrestricted

Main findings Although the data did not allow the inclusion of non-identified or “unknown” sources, allocation of the impact at the receptor point to the identified sources proved possible and useful in comparing individual tailings dams contributions. The No. 4 tailings dam has been identified as one of the major contributors to PM10 concentration at West Village. The average PM10 gravimetric concentration recorded at West Village was 18.4 μg/m3 and the concentration with the light scatter method was 15.4 μg/m3. Black carbon has been identified as significant contributor to overall PM10 mass concentrations with up to 34% in the winter season. Source appointment from receptor-based measurements has not been previously conducted at Driefontein Gold Mine. Source apportionment can make a valuable contribution in attempts to reduce air pollution. At a site where particulate matter is the predominant pollutant from a variety of potential sources, the contributions from the individual sources may be difficult to distinguish especially if the sources fall within a single category type with similar pollutant profiles. It would be useful to ascertain the individual contributions so that the effectiveness of existing control measures can be determined and areas where additional controls may be required can be identified. Too this effect, potential dust sources at and around a gold mine were identified. Samples of the dust sources were collected and analysed for their elemental compositions and abundances. A receptor point in a mine village was selected and equipped with an ESampler PM10 dust monitor as well as an aethalometer, the MicroAeth AE51 (MicroAeth). Monthly receptor samples were collected and analysed for their elemental concentrations. The elemental compositions of the potential sources and the concentrations at the receptor were statistically analysed for 12 periods of a month each to determine the possible contributions to the PM10 concentration at a mine village (West Village, Driefontein Mine, near Carletonville). Main conclusions Operational tailings dams can under, certain conditions contribute the major portion of fallout dust and PM10, even more than dormant tailings dams. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Chemical Engineering / Unrestricted