Ultrafine Particle Distribution and Chemical Composition Assessment during Military Operative Trainings

Marcello Campagna, Ilaria Pilia, Gabriele Marcias, Andrea Frattolillo, Sergio Pili, Manuele Bernabei, Ernesto D’Aloja, Pierluigi Cocco and Giorgio Buonanno
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Marcello Campagna: Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Italy
Ilaria Pilia: Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Italy
Gabriele Marcias: Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Italy
Andrea Frattolillo: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, via Marengo 2, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Sergio Pili: Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Italy
Manuele Bernabei: Chemistry Department, Test Flight Centre, IAF, Pratica di Mare AFB, 00040 Pomezia, Italy
Ernesto D’Aloja: Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Italy
Pierluigi Cocco: Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, Italy
Giorgio Buonanno: Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, I-03043, Cassino, Italy

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: (1) Background: The assessment of airborne particulate matter (PM) and ultrafine particles (UFPs) in battlefield scenarios is a topic of particular concern; (2) Methods: Size distribution, concentration, and chemical composition of UFPs during operative military training activities (target drone launches, ammunition blasting, and inert bomb impact) were investigated using an electric low-pressure impactor (ELPI+) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM), equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS); (3) Results: The median of UFPs, measured for all sampling periods and at variable distance from sources, was between 1.02 × 10 3 and 3.75 × 10 3 particles/cm 3 for drone launches, between 3.32 × 10 3 and 15.4 × 10 3 particles/cm 3 for the ammunition blasting and from 7.9 × 10 3 to 1.3 × 10 4 particles/cm 3 for inert launches. Maximum peak concentrations, during emitting sources starting, were 75.5 × 10 6 and 17.9 × 10 6 particles/cm 3 , respectively. Particles from the drone launches were predominantly composed of silicon (Si), iron (Fe) and calcium (Ca), and those from the blasting campaigns by magnesium (Mg), sulphur (S), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), barium (Ba) and silicon (Si); (4) Conclusions: The investigated sources produced UFPs with median values lower than other anthropogenic sources, and with a similar chemical composition.

Keywords: ultrafine particles; environmental exposure; monitoring; electric low-pressure impactor (ELPI+); military training; emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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