DustScan Ltd

Fine PM – Only Part of the Monitoring Story

Oliver PuddleDustScan Ltd

14 March 2013

CONTENTS

• What is fine particulate matter (PM)?

• Why do we monitor it?

• What should PM monitoring achieve?

• Is fine PM the only emission we can monitor?

• What is visible ‘nuisance’ dust?

• Why should we monitor it?

What is fine particulate matter (PM)?

• ‘Dust’ is defined in BS6069 Part 2 as particulate matter < 75μm (micron) diameter

• Fine PM is essentially dust particles up to 10µm

• Commonly referred to as PM10

• Smaller size fractions (PM2.5, PM1 etc)

• Inhalable, thoracic, respirable

• ‘Dust’ & fine PM are generic terms

What is fine PM?

What is fine PM?

• Many potential sources

• ‘Natural’ background dust

• Fugitive industrial dust

– Surface mining and minerals– Waste transfer and landfill– Land remediation– Secondary aggregates– Construction and demolition– Roads and transport– Agriculture– Stack emissions

Why do we monitor fine PM?

• LEGISLATION – since 1956 Clean Air Act

• Air Quality Regulations (AQR) prescribe National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS) objectives – AQOs. Also WELs

• Includes PM10 (not PM2.5 - yet)

• Local Authority Air Quality Management (LAQM)

• Exceedence of AQO = Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)

• Fine PM monitoring usually a matter of compliance

BUT

• Fine PM only represents a small fraction of most sites total dust emissions

• Fine PM monitoring often specified at sites when it isn’t appropriate – regulatory burden with cost implications

What should PM monitoring achieve?

• Effective monitoring should aim to answer:

1) How much dust/PM is there?

2) Where has it come from?

3) What’s in it?

• Results of the compliance approach to monitoring only partly answer the first question

From: Good practice guide: control and measurement of nuisance dust and PM10 from the extractive industries (AEA, 2011)

Is fine PM the only emission we can monitor?

Is fine PM the only emission we can monitor?

Is fine PM the only emission we can monitor?

Is fine PM the only emission we can monitor?

Is fine PM the only emission we can monitor?

What is visible ‘Nuisance’ dust?

• Poorly-defined: visible dust; dust annoyance, dust soiling) is not regulated

– Short-term (acute) impacts

– Long-term (chronic) impacts

• Unlike PM10, limit values not agreed (custom and

practice criteria / best practice guidance)

• Range of passive monitoring approaches: dust mass or dust effect; dust deposition or dust flux

What is visible ‘Nuisance’ dust?

Why should we monitor visible dust?

• Visible dust can have annoyance impacts – loss of amenity, complaints etc.

• Less expensive & more convenient to monitor

• Directional visible dust monitoring can help determine the direction of dust & fine PM sources

• Samples of visible dust can be readily analysed for metals, mineralogy and physical characteristics

• Can also be used for compliance monitoring!

Why should we monitor visible dust?

Fine PM only represents a small fraction of most sites total dust emissions

Why should we monitor visible dust?

DustScan DustDisc deposition sampler – Discrete, un-powered, in-expensive

Why should we monitor visible dust?

Photomicrograph showing particles of ??? in a directional visible dust sample

DustScan DS500X sampler

• Combined gravimetric filter reference PM10

sampler & directional sticky pad visible dust gauge

• Simultaneous measurements – 24hr PM10 concentration, directional AAC% and EAC% and deposited mass (with DS500X-D)

• How much dust/fine PM is there?

• Where has it come from?

• What’s in it? (after specific analyses)

Thank you / Questions

Oliver PuddleDustScan Ltd

www.DustScan.co.uk01608 810110

Stand 15