title: Variability of airborne particle metrics in an urban area.
abstract: In the present study a mobile monitoring approach (i.e. bike with onboard instruments) was proposed and applied to investigate the spatial variability of all the key airborne particle metrics in an Italian urban area from a statistical point of view. Particle number, alveolar-deposited surface area, and PM10concentrations were measured through hand-held monitors and compared to simultaneous background concentrations by means of non-parametric tests and further post-hoc tests (Kruskal-Wallis test). Streets characterized by exposure levels statistically higher than the background levels for all the particle metrics were identified for different seasons in a pilot urban area (Cassino, Italy). A higher number of hot spots was detected for metrics affected by ultrafine particles (i.e. number and alveolar-deposited surface area concentrations) with respect to PM10. The effect of metrological requirements of the instrumentation on the proposed method was also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino (FR), Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rizza
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino (FR), Italy. Electronic address: l.stabile@unicas.it.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stabile
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, Cassino (FR), Italy; Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buonanno
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morawska
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D001642:Bicycling; D002947:Cities; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D007558:Italy; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012621:Seasons; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
keywords: Airborne particles; PM; Particle concentrations; Street canyons; Ultrafine particles; Urban areas