The broadband light analyzer of complex aerosol: characterization and first applications

We introduce a new instrument to measure spectral light absorption by aerosol particles. BLAnCA (Broadband Light Analyzer of Complex Aerosol) is an automatic laboratory instrument for offline measurement of aerosol collected on suitable media. BLAnCA is equipped with a white light source and a high-resolution spectrometer, and measures in the range between 375 and 1000 nm with a spectral resolution of 5 nm. This allows for the determination of fine structure of the absorption properties of a sampled aerosol, which can lead to improvement in the robustness and scope of source apportionment and the evaluation of climate-relevant properties such as the aerosol mass absorption cross-section. The new instrument has been validated against a multi-wavelength absorbance analyzer, obtaining an agreement of up to 99% between absorption coefficient measurements. The absorption coefficient limit of detection for BLAnCA has been estimated at 1.20 Mm -1 (2.70 Mm -1 ) for standard EU (EPA) sampling conditions, corresponding to an elemental carbon detection limit of about 1.3 g cm -2 , if a mass absorption cross-section of m 2 g -1 at 1000 nm is considered. The instrument has been used to characterize several types of aerosol samples, each with its own distinct absorption features, which show the potential for BLAnCA to identify different kinds of particulate matter based on their optical properties. • We present a new laboratory instrument for aerosol light absorption measurements • The absorption is measured offline between 375 and 1000 nm with a 5 nm resolution • A wide range of loadings and aerosol types can be analyzed • The instrument achieved up to 99% accuracy in validation campaigns

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Publication Details

Journal
Atmospheric Environment
Published
2025-06-09
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121341
Primary Topic
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

The broadband light analyzer of complex aerosol: characterization and first applications

R. Vecchi, G. Valli, Marc N. Fiddler, Federico Mazzei et al.
Atmospheric Environment
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
article

The broadband light analyzer of complex aerosol: characterization and first applications

R. Vecchi, G. Valli, Marc N. Fiddler, Federico Mazzei, Vaios Moschos, Clarissa Baldo, Tommaso Isolabella, Paola Formenti, P. Prati, Dario Massabò, Vera Bernardoni, Mathieu Cazaunau, Solomon Bililign, Virginia Vernocchi, Franco Parodi, Marco Brunoldi
article en

Abstract

We introduce a new instrument to measure spectral light absorption by aerosol particles. BLAnCA (Broadband Light Analyzer of Complex Aerosol) is an automatic laboratory instrument for offline measurement of aerosol collected on suitable media. BLAnCA is equipped with a white light source and a high-resolution spectrometer, and measures in the range between 375 and 1000 nm with a spectral resolution of 5 nm. This allows for the determination of fine structure of the absorption properties of a sampled aerosol, which can lead to improvement in the robustness and scope of source apportionment and the evaluation of climate-relevant properties such as the aerosol mass absorption cross-section. The new instrument has been validated against a multi-wavelength absorbance analyzer, obtaining an agreement of up to 99% between absorption coefficient measurements. The absorption coefficient limit of detection for BLAnCA has been estimated at 1.20 Mm -1 (2.70 Mm -1 ) for standard EU (EPA) sampling conditions, corresponding to an elemental carbon detection limit of about 1.3 g cm -2 , if a mass absorption cross-section of m 2 g -1 at 1000 nm is considered. The instrument has been used to characterize several types of aerosol samples, each with its own distinct absorption features, which show the potential for BLAnCA to identify different kinds of particulate matter based on their optical properties. • We present a new laboratory instrument for aerosol light absorption measurements • The absorption is measured offline between 375 and 1000 nm with a 5 nm resolution • A wide range of loadings and aerosol types can be analyzed • The instrument achieved up to 99% accuracy in validation campaigns

Atmospheric EnvironmentVol. 358
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Milan (IT), Université Paris-Est Créteil (FR), Université Paris Cité (FR), Paris-Est Sup (FR), North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (US), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Genova (IT), Laboratoire Interuniversitaire des Systèmes Atmosphériques (FR), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Milano (IT), Laboratoire Techniques, Territoires et Sociétés (FR), University of Genoa (IT)
National Science Foundation, European Commission, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires Étrangères, Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca, Nuclear Physics, Commissione Scientifica Nazionale 5, Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
Openalex Percentile: Top 82%
Atmospheric chemistry and aerosols
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