AAAR 37th Annual Conference October 14 - October 18, 2019 Oregon Convention Center Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
Aircraft Exhaust Nanoparticles: Great Contribution of Jet Engine Lubrication Oil
AKIHIRO FUSHIMI, Katsumi Saitoh, Yuji Fujitani, Nobuyuki Takegawa, National Institute for Environmental Studies
Abstract Number: 401 Working Group: Combustion
Abstract The global use of jet engine aircraft has been rapidly increasing. Effects of aircraft emissions on atmospheric compositions, including those of particulate matter (PM), are ubiquitously found from the ground level to the upper troposphere. A new PM emission standard for jet engines will come into effect in 2020. However, the chemical characteristics of aircraft exhaust particles, especially for size-resolved chemical compositions of nanoparticles, are poorly understood.
In this study, we show for the first time that organic compounds originating from jet engine lubrication oil is a major constituent of nanoparticles (diameter <30 nm) emitted from aircraft. Using a highly sensitive analytical method, including thermal-desorption gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS), we identified unburned, nearly intact forms of lubrication oil as a major component of nanoparticles emitted from in-use commercial aircraft under real-world conditions.
Our findings have an important implication for emission control strategies and health risk assessments. While lubrication oil is necessary for jet engines, the contribution of lubrication oil to aircraft exhaust nanoparticles has not been evaluated quantitatively. The development of superior control technologies for oil emissions may greatly reduce aircraft exhaust nanoparticles. Reducing oil contributions is beneficial in mitigating the health risks of aircraft exhaust nanoparticles, as jet lubrication oils contain some toxic materials. Our findings also have an implication for climate issues. Detailed knowledge of aircraft emissions is important for improving our understanding of the origin and fate of ambient particles in the upper troposphere, which can potentially affect the radiative balance of the atmosphere.
Related publication: Fushimi A., Saitoh K., Fujitani Y., Takegawa N. (2019) Identification of Jet Lubrication Oil as Major Component of Aircraft Exhaust Nanoparticles, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-2018-1351.