Aerosol particle number concentration, ultrafine particle number fraction, and new particle formation measurements near the international airports in Berlin, Germany – First results from the BEAR study

Studies revealed airports as a prominent source of ultrafine particles (UFP), which can disperse downwind to residential areas, raising health concerns. To expand our understanding of how air traffic-related emissions influence total particle number concentration (PNC) in the airport’s surrounding a...

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Main Authors: Simonas Kecorius, Susanne Sues, Leizel Madueño, Alfred Wiedensohler, Ulf Winkler, Andreas Held, Sabine Lüchtrath, David C. Beddows, Roy M. Harrison, Mario Lovric, Vanessa Soppa, Barbara Hoffmann, Miriam Wiese-Posselt, Andreas Kerschbaumer, Josef Cyrys
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-11-01
Series:Environment International
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202400672X
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author Simonas Kecorius
Susanne Sues
Leizel Madueño
Alfred Wiedensohler
Ulf Winkler
Andreas Held
Sabine Lüchtrath
David C. Beddows
Roy M. Harrison
Mario Lovric
Vanessa Soppa
Barbara Hoffmann
Miriam Wiese-Posselt
Andreas Kerschbaumer
Josef Cyrys
author_facet Simonas Kecorius
Susanne Sues
Leizel Madueño
Alfred Wiedensohler
Ulf Winkler
Andreas Held
Sabine Lüchtrath
David C. Beddows
Roy M. Harrison
Mario Lovric
Vanessa Soppa
Barbara Hoffmann
Miriam Wiese-Posselt
Andreas Kerschbaumer
Josef Cyrys
author_sort Simonas Kecorius
collection DOAJ
description Studies revealed airports as a prominent source of ultrafine particles (UFP), which can disperse downwind to residential areas, raising health concerns. To expand our understanding of how air traffic-related emissions influence total particle number concentration (PNC) in the airport’s surrounding areas, we conduct long-term assessment of airborne particulate exposure before and after relocation of air traffic from “Otto Lilienthal” Airport (TXL) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport “Willy Brandt” (BER) in Berlin, Germany. Here, we provide insights into the spatial–temporal variability of PNC measured in 16 schools recruited for Berlin-Brandenburg Air Study (BEAR).The results show that the average PNC in Berlin was 7900 ± 7000 cm−3, consistent with other European cities. The highest median PNC was recorded in spring (6700 cm−3) and the lowest in winter (5100 cm−3). PNC showed a bi-modal increase during morning and evening hours at most measurement sites due to road-traffic emissions. A comparison between measurements at the schools and fixed monitoring sites revealed good agreement at distances up to 5 km. A noticeable decline in this agreement occurred as the distance between measurement sites increased. After TXL was closed, PNC in surrounding areas decreased by 30 %. The opposite trend was not seen after BER was re-opened after the COVID-lock-down, as the air traffic has not reached the full capacity yet. The analysis of particle number size distribution data showed that UFP number fraction exhibit seasonal variations, with higher values in spring and autumn. This can be explained by nucleation events, which notably affected PNC.The presented findings will play a pivotal role in forthcoming source attribution and epidemiological investigations, offering a holistic understanding of airports’ impact on airborne pollutant levels and their health implications. The study calls for further investigations of air-traffic-related physical–chemical pollutant properties in areas found further away (> 10 km) from airports.
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spelling doaj-art-4e6a65bbba9d4e829445e9f7201336862025-08-20T02:32:41ZengElsevierEnvironment International0160-41202024-11-0119310908610.1016/j.envint.2024.109086Aerosol particle number concentration, ultrafine particle number fraction, and new particle formation measurements near the international airports in Berlin, Germany – First results from the BEAR studySimonas Kecorius0Susanne Sues1Leizel Madueño2Alfred Wiedensohler3Ulf Winkler4Andreas Held5Sabine Lüchtrath6David C. Beddows7Roy M. Harrison8Mario Lovric9Vanessa Soppa10Barbara Hoffmann11Miriam Wiese-Posselt12Andreas Kerschbaumer13Josef Cyrys14Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Environmental Science Center, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany; Corresponding author.Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany; Environmental Science Center, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, GermanyAtmospheric Mircophysics, Leibniz-Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, GermanyAtmospheric Mircophysics, Leibniz-Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, GermanyAtmospheric Mircophysics, Leibniz-Institute for Tropospheric Research, Leipzig, GermanyEnvironmental Chemistry and Air Research, Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, GermanyEnvironmental Chemistry and Air Research, Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, GermanyNational Centre for Atmospheric Science, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, United KingdomNational Centre for Atmospheric Science, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, United Kingdom; Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi ArabiaInstitute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Croatia; The Lisbon Council, Brussels, BelgiumInstitute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, GermanyInstitute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty and University Hospital, Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, GermanyInstitute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanySenatsverwaltung für Mobilität, Verkehr, Klimaschutz und Umwelt Referat Immissionsschutz, Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, GermanyStudies revealed airports as a prominent source of ultrafine particles (UFP), which can disperse downwind to residential areas, raising health concerns. To expand our understanding of how air traffic-related emissions influence total particle number concentration (PNC) in the airport’s surrounding areas, we conduct long-term assessment of airborne particulate exposure before and after relocation of air traffic from “Otto Lilienthal” Airport (TXL) to Berlin Brandenburg Airport “Willy Brandt” (BER) in Berlin, Germany. Here, we provide insights into the spatial–temporal variability of PNC measured in 16 schools recruited for Berlin-Brandenburg Air Study (BEAR).The results show that the average PNC in Berlin was 7900 ± 7000 cm−3, consistent with other European cities. The highest median PNC was recorded in spring (6700 cm−3) and the lowest in winter (5100 cm−3). PNC showed a bi-modal increase during morning and evening hours at most measurement sites due to road-traffic emissions. A comparison between measurements at the schools and fixed monitoring sites revealed good agreement at distances up to 5 km. A noticeable decline in this agreement occurred as the distance between measurement sites increased. After TXL was closed, PNC in surrounding areas decreased by 30 %. The opposite trend was not seen after BER was re-opened after the COVID-lock-down, as the air traffic has not reached the full capacity yet. The analysis of particle number size distribution data showed that UFP number fraction exhibit seasonal variations, with higher values in spring and autumn. This can be explained by nucleation events, which notably affected PNC.The presented findings will play a pivotal role in forthcoming source attribution and epidemiological investigations, offering a holistic understanding of airports’ impact on airborne pollutant levels and their health implications. The study calls for further investigations of air-traffic-related physical–chemical pollutant properties in areas found further away (> 10 km) from airports.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202400672XExposure to particulate pollutionParticle number concentrationParticle number size distributionAir traffic emissionsAirport emissions
spellingShingle Simonas Kecorius
Susanne Sues
Leizel Madueño
Alfred Wiedensohler
Ulf Winkler
Andreas Held
Sabine Lüchtrath
David C. Beddows
Roy M. Harrison
Mario Lovric
Vanessa Soppa
Barbara Hoffmann
Miriam Wiese-Posselt
Andreas Kerschbaumer
Josef Cyrys
Aerosol particle number concentration, ultrafine particle number fraction, and new particle formation measurements near the international airports in Berlin, Germany – First results from the BEAR study
Environment International
Exposure to particulate pollution
Particle number concentration
Particle number size distribution
Air traffic emissions
Airport emissions
title Aerosol particle number concentration, ultrafine particle number fraction, and new particle formation measurements near the international airports in Berlin, Germany – First results from the BEAR study
title_full Aerosol particle number concentration, ultrafine particle number fraction, and new particle formation measurements near the international airports in Berlin, Germany – First results from the BEAR study
title_fullStr Aerosol particle number concentration, ultrafine particle number fraction, and new particle formation measurements near the international airports in Berlin, Germany – First results from the BEAR study
title_full_unstemmed Aerosol particle number concentration, ultrafine particle number fraction, and new particle formation measurements near the international airports in Berlin, Germany – First results from the BEAR study
title_short Aerosol particle number concentration, ultrafine particle number fraction, and new particle formation measurements near the international airports in Berlin, Germany – First results from the BEAR study
title_sort aerosol particle number concentration ultrafine particle number fraction and new particle formation measurements near the international airports in berlin germany first results from the bear study
topic Exposure to particulate pollution
Particle number concentration
Particle number size distribution
Air traffic emissions
Airport emissions
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016041202400672X
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