Cover of Use of particle counters in woodsmoke affected areas

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Use of particle counters in woodsmoke affected areas

Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment Hobart, Tasmania
for the Department of the Environment and Heritage, September 2005

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Use of particle counters in woodsmoke affected areas (PDF - 1695 KB)

About the study

Simultaneous PM₁₀ measurements were made in the woodsmoke-prone city of Launceston, Tasmania, using two high volume air samplers, a Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance, and a TSI Model 8520 DustTrak particle counter. Predictive least squares regression relationships were developed, relating particle counter measurements to TEOM and high volume air sampler measurements. The strongest relationships occurred during winter when the particle source was woodsmoke. Weak relationships were observed for non-woodsmoke particle emissions, such as those occurring in summertime.

The addition of a retro-fitted heated inlet system to the particle counter was found to weaken the relationships characterising non-woodsmoke conditions to such an extent that they were unusable. Results showed that the significant difference in the particle counter response to woodsmoke and non-woodsmoke particles makes this instrument ideal for measurements in woodsmoke-prone areas, and as an aid to validating TEOM measurements.