BAFU Aerosol Import

Duration: 2010-

Contact: Sebnem Aksoyoglu, sebnem.aksoyoglu@psi.ch
In this project the contribution from abroad to secondary inorganic aerosols in various sites in Switzerland is investigated by means of PSAT (Particle Source Apportionment Technology) tool of CAMx air quality model.
  • Road transport was predicted to be the most important source for particulate nitrate with the largest contribution during the cold season over northern Italy.Ship emissions also contributed to particulate inorganic nitrate significantly along the English Channel and Benelux area.
  • Sulfate mainly originated from SNAP1 (combustion in energy and transfromation industries) sources especially in central and eastern Europe. Contribution from shpping was larger in the Mediterranean during the warm season.
  • The contribution from domestic sources to nitrate was similar to those from neighbouring countries Germany and France while sources for sulfate were mostly of foreign origin.
  • The local contribution is highest for ammonium because of relatively high ammonia emissions in Switzerland
  • A negative correlation was found between the biogenic emissions (BVOC) and secondary inorganic aerosol formation. Results suggested that reactions of terpenes with nitrate radical at night led to a decrease in particulate inorganic nitrate (by reducing HNO3) when BVOC emissions were doubled.BVOC emissions were also predicted to affect sulfate concentration via OH radical availability.

Journal Articles

Aksoyoglu, S., Ciarelli, G., El-Haddad, I., Baltensperger, U., and Prévôt, A. S. H.: Secondary inorganic aerosols in Europe: sources and the significant influence of biogenic VOC emissions, especially on ammonium nitrate, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 7757-7773, 10.5194/acp-17-7757-2017, 2017.

Thesis

Conference Contributions

Aksoyoglu, S., Ciarelli, G., El-Haddad, I., Baltensperger, U., and Prévôt, A. S. H.: Source Apportionment of Inorganic Aerosols in Europe and Role of Biogenic VOC Emissions, in: Air Pollution Modeling and its Application XXV, edited by: Mensink, C., and Kallos, G., Springer, Cham, 2018.
BAFU