Mass size distribution of particles emitted by diesel engines and determination of the contribution of diesel particles to the atmospheric aerosol in Vienna by using a tracer suitable for activation analysis

In Vienna a large fraction of light absorbing aerosols has been found. The traffic could be a source for the high absorption coefficients, since the time dependent absorption coefficients varise similar to the traffic densities. Diesel vehicles have high soot emissions, so they may contribute considerably to light absorption during the summer. The emission factors of the vehicles were estimated by measurements at different motor and driving conditions by the Constant-Volume-Sampling-Method. To determine the size distributions a 10-stage-low pressure impactor with a lower cut size of 0.015 μm aerodynamic particle diameter was used. In order to estimate the contribution of diesel vehicles to the total mass concentrations all diesel fuel sold in Vienna and its vincinity was marked with an organic Dysprosium compound. This rare earth tracer was emitted by vehicles together with the soot particles and collected at eleven stations in Vienna. The filter samples were extracted with diluted HNO3 and the extraction was analysed for Dy by neutron activation analysis. The mass size distributions of the particles and the soot emitted from diesel engines are only slightly influenced by motor and driving parameters. The total mass emissions showed considerable variations, but the mean emission factor obtained from the tests was 2.43 g per litre fuel; knowing also the concentration of the tracer in the fuel, the contribution of diesel particles to the mass of the suspended particulates could be estimated. During the measuring period the contribution was c. 25% to the total mass and c. 40% to the absorbing matter in the atmosphere. (Author)