Fine particulates in air: Characterization and co-pollutant analysis

Fine particulate matter is the name given to air particles with an aerodynamic of 2.5 micrometers or smaller. The uncertainty associated with the causal mechanisms by which fine particulate matter adversely affects health is a dilemma. These mechanisms will depend upon the chemical composition and the physical size of the constituents primarily involved.; Influences of co-pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone and sulfur dioxide are important and largely unknown. My research has found that the major co-pollutants influencing fine particulate concentrations are ozone and nitrogen dioxide.; The relationship between PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 appears to vary with location and season. However, there are frequent occurrences where the mass of fine particulates is higher than that of coarse for co-located monitors sampling on the same day. This is due to both the volatilization of particles from the coarse filter and the different sampling methodologies employed.; The relationship between the mass collected by the three different ambient air monitoring samplers, the Partisol 2000 Air Sampler, the Grasby Manual Dichotomous Sampler, and the Airmetrics Minivol Portable Sampler, varies. The Minivol appears to capture higher mass concentrations of fine particulate matter than either the Grasby or the Partisol.