Atmospheric Acidic Ultrafine Particle Measuring Device

A novel technology for measurement of acidic particles based on diffusion deposition and frequency changes of quartz crystal microbalance

Evidence has accumulated suggesting that acidic ultrafine particles (AUFPs, particles with a diameter of less than 0.1 μm) may affect human health. However, related researches lack reliable instruments to quantify the concentration of AUFPs for further evaluation of their health effects.

Our novel acidic ultrafine particle measuring device features a diffusion sampler and a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) detector with specially treated crystal oscillators. The device can precisely measure the concentration of AUFPs. When in operation, both acidic and non-acidic ultrafine particles are collected and deposited on the diffusion sampler. While the non-acidic ultrafine particles collected are removed, the AUFPs react with the crystal oscillators. The QCM then measures the change in mass and calculates the mass and number concentrations of AUFPs.

Special Features and Advantages

Safe and reliable
Portable and easy to operate
Suitable for both indoor and outdoor online measurement
Provides quantifiable data for assessing the concentration of acidic ultrafine particles in the atmosphere
Involves low production and operation costs

Applications

Air pollution control: to assess various measures for improving air quality
Air pollution study: to establish a high-quality database of acidic and non-acidic ultrafine particles, as well as major tracers (i.e. sulfur dioxide SO2 ) of urban and regional pollution
Epidemiological study: to quantify the impact of air pollution on public health

Awards & Patent

Gold Medal – The 71st International Trade Fair “Ideas

– Inventions – Novelties”, Nuremberg, Germany (Nov 2019)

Special Merit Award from the National Research Council of Thailand (Nov 2019)

Patent Application No.:

62/909,263 (US)

Principal Investigator

Prof. Hai GUO

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

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Atmospheric Acidic Ultrafine Particle Measuring Device

A novel technology for measurement of acidic particles based on diffusion deposition and frequency changes of quartz crystal microbalance