Size-segregated emissions and metal content of vehicle-emitted particles as a function of mileage: Implications to population exposure

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 142; pp. 479 - 485
• Main Authors: Golokhvast, Kirill S., Chernyshev, Valery V., Chaika, Vladimir V., Ugay, Sergey M., Zelinskaya, Elena V., Tsatsakis, Aristidis M., Karakitsios, Spyros P., Sarigiannis, Denis A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.10.2015
• Subjects: AERODYNAMICS; Air Pollutants - analysis; Ashes; AUTOMOBILES; Automotive engineering; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; Diesel; Emittance; Environmental Exposure - adverse effects; Environmental Exposure - analysis; Environmental Health; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Exhaust; EXHAUST GASES; Fuel consumption; GASOLINE; Human respiratory tract deposition; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; MASS SPECTROSCOPY; Mathematical models; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Microparticles; Mileage; Motor Vehicles - standards; Particle Size; Particulate emissions; Particulate Matter - analysis; Russia; SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; Surface Properties; Ultrafine particles; Urbanization; Vehicle Emissions - analysis; Russia; Exhaust; Gasoline; Mileage; Ultrafine particles; Diesel; Human respiratory tract deposition; Microparticles
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2015.07.018

The study aims at investigating the characteristics (size distribution, active surface and metal content) of particles emitted by cars as a function of mileage using a novel methodology for characterizing particulate emissions captured by Exhaust Gas Suspension (EGS). EGS was obtained by passing the exhaust gases through a container of deionized water. EGS analysis was performed using laser granulometry, electron scanning microscopy, and high resolution mass spectrometry. Implications of the differences in key features of the emitted particles on population exposure were investigated using numerical simulation for estimating size-segregated PM deposition across human respiratory tract (HRT). It was found that vehicle mileage, age and the respective emissions class have almost no effect on the size distribution of the exhaust gas particulate released into the environment; about half of the examined vehicles with low mileage were found to release particles of aerodynamic diameter above 10μm. The exhaust gas particulate detected in the EGS of all cars can be classified into three major size classes: (1) 0.1–5µm – soot and ash particles, metals (Au, Pt, Pd, Ir); (2) 10–30µm – metal (Cr, Fe, Cu, Zr, Ni) and ash particles; (3) 400–1,000µm – metal (Fe, Cr, Pb) and ash particles. Newer vehicles with low mileage are substantial sources of soot and metal particles with median diameter of 200nm with a higher surface area (up to 89,871.16cm2/cm3). These tend to deposit in the lower part of the human respiratory tract. •Car mileage has virtually no effect on the size of the solid particles released.•Newer diesel vehicles emit particles of lower aerodynamic diameter.•Particle active surface emitted by newer vehicles is on average 3 times higher.•Real-life emissions were translated into actual internal PM exposure.