Evaluation of aerosol chemical speciation monitor response to different mixtures of organic and inorganic aerosols

As national air quality networks and international research infrastructures, such as ACTRIS (EU) and ASCENT (US), continue to expand, the deployment of online aerosol chemistry measurements increases worldwide. These research infrastructures are focused on the ability to compare atmospheric properties from one region to another, making it crucial to understand instrument operation in various settings. This paper is part of a series of publications dedicated to better understanding the operation of these instruments using a series of laboratory tests. A particular focus was made on evaluating the organic aerosol (OA) measurement performance of six Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitors (ACSMs) when sampling known mixtures of organic and inorganic aerosols and in ambient air. The study focuses on assessing the impact of instrument-to-instrument variability on ACSM data processing as well as identifying and quantifying the previously identified m/z44/NO<sub>3</sub> artifacts that can affect the accuracy of the measurements. A high degree of variability was observed in instrument measurements of the m/z44/NO<sub>3</sub> artifact when compared to results obtained two years earlier (e.g., an increase from ∼0 in 2016 to 0.16 in 2018 or a decrease from 0.12 in 2016 to 0.05 in 2018), confirming the need for frequent evaluation and quantification during calibration. This study underlines that the product between organic aerosol relative ionization efficiency and the instrument collection efficiency value is instrument dependent and that the variability in these values (1.78 ± 0.35) should be considered when estimating the measurement uncertainties. Using a range of specific compounds, an average RIEOA for levoglucosan (1.29 ± 0.23) close to the default value commonly used in ACSM was determined, obtaining a value more specific to each instrument. This study provides valuable information for the calibration and operation of ACSM instruments, ensuring that future studies can build on this work to evaluate and improve instrument performance.

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Publication Details

Journal
Aerosol Science and Technology
Published
2024-11-05
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2024.2412999
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.75

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article

Evaluation of aerosol chemical speciation monitor response to different mixtures of organic and inorganic aerosols

Andrê S. H. Prévôt, Olivier Favez, Cristina Marin, T. Elste et al.
2 citations
Aerosol Science and Technology
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
0.75
article

Evaluation of aerosol chemical speciation monitor response to different mixtures of organic and inorganic aerosols

Andrê S. H. Prévôt, Olivier Favez, Cristina Marin, T. Elste, David C. Green, María Cruz Minguillón, Jean‐Eudes Petit, Esther Coz, Evelyn Freney, Luminița Mărmureanu, Manjula R. Canagaratna, Leah R. Williams, Philip Croteau, Tanguy Amodeo, Bogdan Antonescu, Valérie Gros, Jurgita Ovadnevaitė, J. D. Allan, John T. Jayne, Jeni Vasilescu, François Truong, Bibi Zainab
article en
2 citations

Abstract

As national air quality networks and international research infrastructures, such as ACTRIS (EU) and ASCENT (US), continue to expand, the deployment of online aerosol chemistry measurements increases worldwide. These research infrastructures are focused on the ability to compare atmospheric properties from one region to another, making it crucial to understand instrument operation in various settings. This paper is part of a series of publications dedicated to better understanding the operation of these instruments using a series of laboratory tests. A particular focus was made on evaluating the organic aerosol (OA) measurement performance of six Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitors (ACSMs) when sampling known mixtures of organic and inorganic aerosols and in ambient air. The study focuses on assessing the impact of instrument-to-instrument variability on ACSM data processing as well as identifying and quantifying the previously identified m/z44/NO<sub>3</sub> artifacts that can affect the accuracy of the measurements. A high degree of variability was observed in instrument measurements of the m/z44/NO<sub>3</sub> artifact when compared to results obtained two years earlier (e.g., an increase from ∼0 in 2016 to 0.16 in 2018 or a decrease from 0.12 in 2016 to 0.05 in 2018), confirming the need for frequent evaluation and quantification during calibration. This study underlines that the product between organic aerosol relative ionization efficiency and the instrument collection efficiency value is instrument dependent and that the variability in these values (1.78 ± 0.35) should be considered when estimating the measurement uncertainties. Using a range of specific compounds, an average RIEOA for levoglucosan (1.29 ± 0.23) close to the default value commonly used in ACSM was determined, obtaining a value more specific to each instrument. This study provides valuable information for the calibration and operation of ACSM instruments, ensuring that future studies can build on this work to evaluate and improve instrument performance.

Aerosol Science and TechnologyVol. 59(1)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Bucharest (RO), Deutscher Wetterdienst (DE), King's College London (GB), Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway (IE), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (FR), Université Clermont Auvergne (FR), Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR), Paul Scherrer Institute (CH), University of Manchester (GB), Institutul National de Cercetare si Dezvoltare pentru Fizica Pamantului (RO), Horia Hulubei National Institute for R and D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering (RO), Aerocosmos (RU), National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry "Marin Drăcea" (RO), Department of the Environment (GB), Aerodyne Research (US), Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (FR), Institut national de l'environnement industriel et des risques (FR), National Institute of Research and Development for Optoelectronics (RO), Laboratoire de Météorologie Physique (FR), Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (RO), Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (ES), Department of Energy and Environment (US), Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (ES), Centre for Science and Environment (IN)
Sight Research UK, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Natural Environment Research Council, European Regional Development Fund
Zero hunger
Openalex Percentile: Top 30%
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
0.75
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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