In July, we carried out a significant experimental activity at the ChAMBRe (Chamber for Aerosol Modelling and Bio-aerosol Research) research infrastructure. The ChAMBRe atmospheric chamber is a high-tech facility located at the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) in Genoa and managed in close collaboration with the Environmental Physics Laboratory of the University of Genoa (UNIGE).
ChAMBRe is one of the Italian “national facilities” that are part of ERIC-ACTRIS (European Research Infrastructure Consortium Aerosol Clouds and Trace gases Research InfraStructure; https://www.actris.eu/), the largest global research infrastructure for the study of atmospheric phenomena. The chamber is equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for the study of carbonaceous aerosols (photoacoustic spectrometers at different wavelengths, particle counters, aethalometer, nephelometer, etc). The chamber allows to produce known concentrations of carbonaceous particulate matter inside it and to induce modifications through exposure to electromagnetic radiation similar to solar and/or the simultaneous presence of other pollutants or possible interferents.
This initiative is part of the CALIPSO project (Carbonio Aerodisperso: Limiti, Impatto, Protocolli e Standard Operativi), funded by the Liguria Region within the PR-FESR program and developed in collaboration with colleagues from Servizi Industriali Genova SIGE Srl and BEES Srl. Among the key activities for the realization of the project, those carried out at the ChAMBRe atmospheric chamber aim to investigate the operational procedures for collecting and analyzing carbonaceous particulate matter.
The realization of these experiments has allowed the deepening of specific elements, including:
- the evaluation in a controlled atmosphere of the sampling procedure in workplaces, paying particular attention to the different dimensional preselectors typically used in the field of industrial hygiene.
- the evaluation of the fumes emitted by different fuels. We have indeed investigated the possible differences in the emission profiles associated with the exhaust gases of diesel engines, deepening the differences in the cases of use of different fuels, with particular attention to the so-called e-fuels.
- the evaluation of possible interferences from other compounds. We have started to investigate the phenomena of co-emission and study the possible effects of interfering elements during the phases of sampling and measurement of carbonaceous aerosol, such as the presence of terrigenous dust.
- the possibility of comparing in parallel different instruments currently used for the investigation of the optical properties of carbonaceous aerosols
The samples collected in these weeks will undergo a complete characterization, which includes both different analytical methodologies for the determination of carbonaceous aerosol and methodologies to measure the concentrations of other pollutants (e.g., IPA, metals, volatile organic compounds).
CALIPSO offers the opportunity to systematically collect important information on the typical exposure values to carbonaceous aerosol, mainly in the workplace but also in the urban and suburban environmental context, in order to refine the current regulations and specific guidelines on the measurement of this particular pollutant.