EMISSION MEASUREMENT OF PM 10 AND PM 2.5 AT INDUSTRIAL SOURCES

1. Introduction

Recently new standards were set for ambient air concentrations of PM 10 and PM 2.5 in the European Union (Council Directive, 1999) [1]. First estimates and measurements show that both, annual and daily ambient air concentrations are expected to exceed the limit values for PM 10 at various locations in Europe. Thus, action plans will have to be set up to reduce PMx mass concentrations which requires knowledge of the sources of these particles. 

For the determination of PM 10- and PM 2.5 concentrations from industrial sources there was no suitable measurement method. Measurements with multi-stage cascade impactors are used to determine the size distribution of particles in gas streams. Because they work with low gas flows, the sampling time is unacceptable long.

Therefore, the University of Duisburg and the North Rhine Westphalia State Environment Agency developed a three stage impactor (“GMU Johnas II”) for the measurement of PM10 and PM2.5 emissions from industrial sources. In the following the design of the impactor will be described [2] and measurements performed at different types of plants will be presented.