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Grain Size Analysis of Aerosol and Rain Particles: A Methodological Comparison

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The Impact of Desert Dust Across the Mediterranean

Part of the book series: Environmental Science and Technology Library ((ENST,volume 11))

Abstract

Grain size analysis of aerosol particles collected by air filtration is difficult because of the low concentration and therefore the representativeness of sub-sampling. We have analysed a set of aerosol samples (European background), together with precipitations (Saharan and European background), using a Coulter Counter TA Il and a Galai Cis 1 laser system (magnetic cell mode and slide mode) to verify the reliability of those two methodologies in the particle size range 0.5–102 μm. No agreement has been found between Coulter and Galai results in European background aerosol and precipitation samples. Conversely we have found a good agreement between Coulter and Galai results in Saharan samples. The Saharan dust precipitations were not affected by the low concentration problem. The Galai magnetic cell mode is more efficient for Saharan dusts, on the other hand the slide mode is a good method to analyse background aerosols.

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© 1996 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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De Falco, G., Molinaroli, E., Rabitti, S. (1996). Grain Size Analysis of Aerosol and Rain Particles: A Methodological Comparison. In: Guerzoni, S., Chester, R. (eds) The Impact of Desert Dust Across the Mediterranean. Environmental Science and Technology Library, vol 11. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3354-0_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-3354-0_23

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-4764-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-3354-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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