Capability of a Portable Chromatic Unit for Monitoring Airborne Particles over Wide Urban Areas

Investigations are described into the use of a compact, portable unit, using polychromatic scattered light, for the preliminary monitoring airborne PM 2–10 particulates over widespread urban areas subjected to vehicular traffic. The monitoring unit has been used at a city centre bus terminus, at sites along an urban bus corridor and outside a local school adjacent to an air quality monitoring station. Holistic results are presented which demonstrate the use of the unit for the preliminary identification of locations and conditions with elevated levels of PM 2–10 particles which can be investigated in greater detail with particle-specific, high-precision instruments.