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    Bed flow photoreactor experiments to assess the photocatalytic nitrogen oxides abatement under simulated atmospheric conditions
    (Amsterdam : Elsevier, 2018) Mothes, F.; Ifang, S.; Gallus, M.; Golly, B.; Boréave, A.; Kurtenbach, R.; Kleffmann, J.; George, C.; Herrmann, H.
    Small scale bed flow photoreactor experiments were performed to assess the photocatalytic performance of cement-based TiO2-containing materials for NOx reduction through the determination of kinetic parameters under variation of the experimental conditions (relative humidity, flow rate, mixing ratio and light intensity) and monitoring of potential reaction products in the gas phase and the aqueous extract of the surface. The results clearly demonstrated the general potential of the tested material to photocatalytically remediate gas phase NOx by conversion into nitrite and nitrate as identified reaction products at the surface. The measured uptake coefficients for NO and NO2 under atmospheric relevant conditions were in the range of 5 × 10−5 with a corresponding surface deposition velocity of about 0.5 cm s−1. However, it became also clear that the photocatalytic activity is in part significantly dependent on the experimental conditions. The relative humidity and the mixing ratio of the air pollutant were identified as the most important parameters. In addition, under certain conditions, a renoxification process can occur. The comprehensive results of the present study are discussed in detail to develop recommendations for a possible future application of this technique to improve urban air quality.
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    Measurements of PM10 ions and trace gases with the online system MARGA at the research station Melpitz in Germany – A five-year study
    (Dordrecht : Springer, 2017) Stieger, B.; Spindler, G.; Fahlbusch, B.; Müller, K.; Grüner, A.; Poulain, L.; Thöni, L.; Seitler, E.; Wallasch, M.; Herrmann, H.
    An hourly quantification of inorganic water-soluble PM10 ions and corresponding trace gases was performed using the Monitor for AeRosols and Gases in ambient Air (MARGA) at the TROPOS research site in Melpitz, Germany. The data availability amounts to over 80% for the five-year measurement period from 2010 to 2014. Comparisons were performed for the evaluation of the MARGA, resulting in coefficients of determinations (slopes) of 0.91 (0.90) for the measurements against the SO2 gas monitor, 0.84 (0.88), 0.79 (1.39), 0.85 (1.20) for the ACSM NO3 −, SO4 2− and NH4 + measurements, respectively, and 0.85 (0.65), 0.88 (0.68), 0.91 (0.83), 0.86 (0.82) for the filter measurements of Cl−, NO3 −, SO4 2− and NH4 +, respectively. A HONO comparison with a batch denuder shows large scatter (R2 = 0.41). The MARGA HNO3 is underestimated compared to a batch and coated denuder with shorter inlets (slopes of 0.16 and 0.08, respectively). Less NH3 was observed in coated denuders for high ambient concentrations. Long-time measurements show clear daily and seasonal variabilities. Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) analysis indicates the emission area of particulate ions Cl−, NO3 −, SO4 2−, NH4 +, K+ and gaseous SO2 to lie in eastern European countries, predominantly in wintertime. Coarse mode sea salt particles are transported from the North Sea to Melpitz. The particles at Melpitz are nearly neutralised with a mean molar ratio of 0.90 for the five-year study. A slight increase of the neutralization ratio over the last three years indicates a stronger decrease of the anthropogenically emitted NO3 − and SO4 2− compared to NH4 +.