Characterizing Metal Particles Emitted from Aircraft Engines

BENJAMIN A. NAULT, Peter F. DeCarlo, Richard Miake-Lye, Edward Fortner, Richard Moore, Steven Baughcum, Johns Hopkins University

     Abstract Number: 199
     Working Group: Instrumentation and Methods

Abstract
The volatile and non-volatile particles emitted from aircraft engines have been an area of intensive research. For the non-volatile particles, this component has been typically associated with soot/black carbon. Metals could possibly be another component of the non-volatile particles; however, these metals have not been as well characterized during aircraft emission studies. Characterization of what types of metal particles are emitted from aircraft engines due to regular operations and wear and tear is needed to help evaluate their air quality impact near airports. Here, we use a combination of in-situ (soot particle high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer) and off-line (transmission electron microscopy and other microscopy techniques) to characterize the metal particles directly emitted from aircraft engines without the influence of metal particle emissions associated with take-off and landing (e.g., tire wear and brakes). These observations will span different aircraft engine studies to potentially differentiate different metal particles from different engines and/or engine operating conditions. Initial analysis of the in-situ observations indicate the potential importance of titanium, iron, and potentially zinc emissions from aircraft engine operations.