Real-time spectroscopic measurements Real-time spectroscopic measurements of of PPrimary rimary BBiological iological AAerosol erosol PParticles in articles in

field & laboratory environments field & laboratory environments

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

• Dr David Healy• Professor John Sodeau• Dr Stig Hellebust• Dr Daniela Iacopino• Professor Paul Kaye • Dr Warren Stanley

• EPA (Ireland) for funding (STRIVE-CCRP)

Primary Biological Aerosol Particles/ Primary Biological Aerosol Particles/ PBAP? PBAP?

Where are they?

What are they?

• Bacteria, fungal spores, viruses, algae, plant and

animal fragments, and pollen are the most

common classifications of biological PM.

Classes of PBAP

POLLEN

BACTERIA VIRUSES

FUNGAL SPORES

ALGAE

PLANTDEBRIS

PBAP in Air Samples: FINE (PMPBAP in Air Samples: FINE (PM2.52.5))

FUNGAL SPORES, BACTERIA & SUB-POLLEN: CONTRIBUTE 12-22% TO ORGANIC

COMPOUNDS,OCRESPONSIBLE FOR 4-11% OF TOTAL MASS

Approximate chemical composition of URBAN fine Particulate Matter (PM) in the UK

PBAP in Air Samples: COARSE (PMPBAP in Air Samples: COARSE (PM1010) )

FUNGAL SPORES/SUB POLLEN

TROPICS URBAN

4-26% OC 2-14 % OC

1-18% TOTAL PM10

1-7% TOTAL PM10

Vienna Jianfengling Mountain

PBAP in Air Samples: ULTRACOARSEPBAP in Air Samples: ULTRACOARSE

POLLEN / LARGE SPORES

Traditional PBAP CharacterizationTraditional PBAP Characterization

POLLEN

PBAP CharacterizationPBAP Characterization? ? Where are they?

There must be another way?

Fluorescence Properties of PBAP

• PBAP are known to fluoresce because they contain intrinsic bio-fluorophores such as Trytophan, NADH and the Flavinoids.

Intrinsic Fluorescence of PBAPIntrinsic Fluorescence of PBAP

Chlorophyll B peaks

Intrinsic Fluorescence of PBAPsIntrinsic Fluorescence of PBAPs

Real-time PBAP Characterization: WIBS4Real-time PBAP Characterization: WIBS4

•Single particle analysis.

Bio-particle detection and discrimination

based on fluorescence. ( PBAP v Chemicals)

•Excitation occurs at 280nm and 370nm. Fluorescence captured at (300-400 & 420-

650nm)

•635 nm diode laser Determination of size and shape (Af values)

•Time-resolution of secs-msecs

Side scatter

54°-126°

Forward scatter6°-25°

Xe2 (370nm

)

Xe1 (280nm

)

Diode Laser 635n

m

Beam dump

Aerosol in

FL2 (~420-650nm)

FL1 (~300-400nm)

Copyright: Dr W Stanley

Wide-Issue Bioaerosol Sensor

Weather Station

Killarney National Park (Co. Kerry, Ireland) Killarney National Park (Co. Kerry, Ireland) February/March 2010 CampaignFebruary/March 2010 Campaign

The canopy in the stand is strongly dominated by: Taxus baccata (Yew) . Along with Corylus avellana (common

Hazel) IIex aquifolium (European Holly), Fraxinus excelsior (Ash).

The ground of this wood is generally covered by an extensive bryophyte

carpet and is species-poor in terms of vascular plants.

60 acres of “pure” Yew woodland known as Reenadinna

SporeWatch

WIBS 4

106,028 particles observed 3-30 106,028 particles observed 3-30 m m range range

3. Two big events: large (>20m) on 28/02 and small particles on 01/03 (identified as dust from construction – excluded from further analysis)

2. Nothing observed at night-time (<3m)

1. Large particles (>20 m) peak mid-day

Filtering the data to distinguish Filtering the data to distinguish PBAPPBAP

By thresholds – 5 filters:•Fluorescence channels (300-400nm) and (420-650nm) •Size range, e.g. > 20 m•By asymmetry, e.g. spherical or rod-like•Fluorescence ratios, normalised to size and Af value

Example: Dust particles are large but non-fluorescent; oil droplets fluorescent but smallThen multivariate analysis, e.g. PCA

Particles > 20Particles > 20μμmmN

F (c

m-3

)

“Pollen” events

POLLEN EVENTS1 and 2

Pollen event No. 1Pollen event No. 1

Pollen Event Date Start time Finish time

No. 1 27/02/2010 10:58.12 17:55.54

Pollen event No.1.......is mainly YEW pollen with some Hazel

WIBS 4

SporeWatch

2 hour resolution

Seconds resolution

11.0018.00

Pollen event No. 2Pollen event No. 2

Pollen Event Date Start time Finish time

No. 2 28/02/2010 11:44.49 16:26.55

Pollen event No.2.......is mainly YEW pollen

WIBS 4

SporeWatch

2 hour resolution

Seconds resolution

11.45 16.30

Descriptive Statistics for Yew pollen Descriptive Statistics for Yew pollen in-flightin-flight

Size AF TOF FL1_280 FL2_280 FL2_370

Mean 26.70 18.75 8.75 973.17 2044.73 1954.31

Median 26.85 17.57 8.75 892.00 2077.00 1967.00

Mode 30.55 19.86 8.94 2116.00 2077.00 1967.00Standard Deviation 2.60 7.95 0.67 398.42 141.47 109.98Sample Variance 6.78 63.18 0.45 158741.33 20012.89 12096.67

Kurtosis -0.32 0.52 2.01 0.35 50.59 169.67

Skewness -0.36 0.65 -0.34 0.73 -6.36 -12.27

Range 11.94 48.27 5.56 2094.00 1706.00 1713.00

Minimum 18.61 1.01 5.46 22.00 371.00 254.00

Maximum 30.55 49.27 11.02 2116.00 2077.00 1967.00

Count 582 582 582 582 582 582

Yew PollenYew Pollen

• In Literature Yew Pollen is described as spherical and is seen to be on average 27µm in diameter.

• WIBS 4 indicates that Yew pollen have a mean size of 27 μm and an Af value of 20 measured in-flight.

• Number concentrations varied in the range between

4.70× 10-3 and 0.9 cm-3 for particles between 3-31 μm

• Yew pollen went to flight as soon as atmospheric pressure rose to above 995 Mb, air temperature went over 8 °C, and humidity decreased to less than 70% during the campaign.

Conclusions Conclusions

Thank you Thank you