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Physicochemical characteristics and occupational exposure to coarse, fine and ultrafine particles during building refurbishment activities

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Abstract

Understanding of the emissions of coarse (PM10 ≤10 μm), fine (PM2.5 ≤2.5 μm) and ultrafine particles (UFP <100 nm) from refurbishment activities and their dispersion into the nearby environment is of primary importance for developing efficient risk assessment and management strategies in the construction and demolition industry. This study investigates the release, occupational exposure and physicochemical properties of particulate matter, including UFPs, from over 20 different refurbishment activities occurring at an operational building site. Particles were measured in the 5–10,000-nm-size range using a fast response differential mobility spectrometer and a GRIMM particle spectrometer for 55 h over 8 days. The UFPs were found to account for >90 % of the total particle number concentrations and <10 % of the total mass concentrations released during the recorded activities. The highest UFP concentrations were 4860, 740, 650 and 500 times above the background value during wall-chasing, drilling, cementing and general demolition activities, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ion beam analysis were used to identify physicochemical characteristics of particles and attribute them to probable sources considering the size and the nature of the particles. The results confirm that refurbishment activities produce significant levels (both number and mass) of airborne particles, indicating a need to develop appropriate regulations for the control of occupational exposure of operatives undertaking building refurbishment.

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Abbreviations

UFP:

Ultrafine particle

PM:

Particulate matter

PND:

Particle number distribution

PNC:

Particle number concentration

PMC:

Particle mass concentration

SEM:

Scanning electron microscope

FIB:

Focussed ion beam

PIXE:

Particle-induced X-ray emission

EBS:

Elastic backscattering spectrometry

XPS:

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

IBA:

Ion beam analysis

PTFE:

Polytetrafluoroethylene

ICRP:

International Commission on Radiological Protection

VT:

Tidal volume

DF:

Deposited fraction

f :

Typical breathing frequency

MLD:

Minimum level of detection

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the University of the Surrey and Cara for supporting this work. Thanks are also due to Chris Burt, Anju Goel, Abdullah N. Al-Dabbous, Sujit Gurung and Dr Sanjay Mukherjee for their help during the experimental work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK

    Farhad Azarmi, Prashant Kumar & Mike Mulheron

  2. Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Environmental Flow (EnFlo) Research Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK

    Prashant Kumar

  3. Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Ion Beam Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK

    Julien L. Colaux & Chris Jeynes

  4. The Surface Analysis Laboratory, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK

    Siavash Adhami & John F. Watts

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  1. Farhad Azarmi
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Correspondence to Prashant Kumar.

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Azarmi, F., Kumar, P., Mulheron, M. et al. Physicochemical characteristics and occupational exposure to coarse, fine and ultrafine particles during building refurbishment activities. J Nanopart Res 17, 343 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-015-3141-z

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