Environmental Exposure to Ultrafine Particles inside and nearby a Military Airport

Airport activities can contribute to the emission of ultrafine particles (UFPs) in the environment. The aim of our study is to assess the airborne levels of UFPs in a military airport and in the surrounding area. Four outdoor air samplings were carried out inside a military airport during flight activities, twelve nearby the military airport, five in an urban area, and one in a rural area. We used a portable Electrical Low Pressure Impactor to detect the particle number size distribution as well as the number concentration. Particles were chemically analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Inside the military airport, we observed an inverse correlation with distance from flight activities. The median UFP count ranged 3.7 × 103 –2.9 × 104 particles/cm3, and the highest UFP count was 4.0 × 106 particles/cm3 (during the taxi and take-off activities). Nearby the airport, UFP number concentrations were more elevated in the winter season and we did not observe a correlation with flight activities. Our results show a constant presence of UFPs regardless of the flight activities nearby the airport. Other anthropic sources may generate UFP concentrations significantly higher than those generated by airport activities.