Development and application of analytical methods for characterisation of organic aerosol particles
WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE?Atmospheric aerosols are of great concern for human health and for Earth radiation budget. Today it exist a knowledge gap in understanding the effect of aerosol particles within these two topics. This is partly due to aerosol particle variability in e.g. chemical composition and their time and spatial distribution. The atmospheric aerosol consists of a complex mixture of compounds, including minerals, elemental carbon, non- and semi-volatile organics, inorganic compounds (sulphate, nitrate, ammonium, etc.) and water. Here the organic fraction can be significant (30-70%) and consists of a multi component system with at least several thousand of different compounds. The problem is then how to quantify, parameterise and understand the formation, transformation and effects of the organic fraction in the atmosphere.HOW CAN THE PROJECT CONTRIBUTE TO A SOLUTION?
Suggested project is an initiative to develop specific methods and use a combination of laboratory, field and modelling tools to better understand a typical Nordic organic aerosol. Consequently, several parallel actions are performed. 1) Specific measurement campaigns are launched including several international researchers with novel tools for analysis of the organic fraction (e.g. C14 and AMS). A suite of laboratory investigations on secondary organic aerosol are conducted including European infrastructures such as G-FROST and the AIDA facilities. 3) The EMEP model are updated and used for comparison to European measurements of organic aerosol composition.
WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE RESULTS?
The results are used for scientific purpose where the methods, description of selected mechanisms and general understanding have been improved. In addition the results contribute to improvement of the EMEP model that is used as a tool in policy making with emphasis on European negotiations. On a national level, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency benefits from the idebidrag as the results are fed into the newly started SCARP programme. For the county administrative board of Västra Götaland the results become useful for the work on the environmental goals for “frisk luft” where particles so far are treated by use of PM10 and NO2 as indicators and there are no direct measurements on composition and numbers of particles. This has lead to an initiative on particle number measurements in Västra Götaland to establish a tool for better treatment of this parameter in future actions.
