AAAR 32nd Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4, 2013
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
Characterization and Near-Field Evolution of Fine Particles Emitted by a Metallurgy Plant: Results of the NANO-INDUS Project
ARI SETYAN, Pascal Flament, Karine Deboudt, Nadine Locoge, Véronique Riffault, Laurent Alleman, Coralie Schoemaecker, Jovanna Arndt, Patrick Augustin, François Blond, Fabrice Cazier, Hervé Delbarre, Dorothée Dewaele, Pascale Dewalle, Marc Fourmentin, Paul Genevray, Robert Healy, Philippe Le Louer, Thierry Leonardis, Hélène Marris, Saliou Mbengue, Mickaël Starosta, John Wenger, Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale
Abstract Number: 337 Working Group: Aerosol Chemistry
Abstract Industrial areas can be a significant source of particulate pollution and companies are therefore required to measure the particle concentration emitted from stacks. However, the physico-chemical properties of the particles leaving an industrial area are often poorly characterized and there is little information on the evolution of the plume between the source and the surrounding areas. The aim of the NANO-INDUS project is to study the evolution of the physico-chemical properties of industrial fine particles over a short-range distance, before they reach surrounding urban areas. First, measurements were performed directly at the stacks of a plant manufacturing iron-manganese alloy near Dunkirk, France. Separately, an intensive field campaign was undertaken at a site located close (<1 km) to the stacks.
The comparison between different air masses shows significant differences in terms of particle concentration, chemical composition and size distribution. Under air masses coming from the studied plant, the particle and gas (CO, CO2, NOx, SO2) concentrations were much higher than during periods dominated by urban or marine backgrounds. The concentration of non-refractory submicron particles (NR-PM1) was 10.2 µg/m3 on average, but displayed a huge variability likely due to plumes reaching the receptor site. These particles were dominated by inorganic species (67% of the total mass), with organics accounting for 33%. The concentrations of several metallic species (Fe, Mn, V, Cu) were higher than those typically observed at urban environments, and their presence is likely related to monitored industrial activities. The industrial plumes were also characterized by a high contribution of nitrate, a low contribution of sulfate, and a high Mn/Fe ratio, compared to other air masses.
In parallel, the physico-chemical properties of particles sampled at the stacks were compared to those determined at the near-field site, in order to assess their evolution over a short-range distance.