Evaluation of Aerosol Particle Size at High Polluted Region in the World Using Direct Solar Radiation Measurements: Helwan as a Case Region

Abstract

Problem statement: Particle counting and sizing of atmospheric aerosols by electro-optical methods are complex and absolute interpretation of measurements is difficult, so, the scattered light varies in a complicated manner with the system of optics as well as with the size and physical characteristics of particles. Approach: The estimation of the air aerosol number concentration variation was carried out in this study making use of data obtained from the Helwan, Egypt. The aerosol number concentration was determined indirectly, making use of the intensity of light scattered by particles. The scattered light intensity was proportional to the average number concentration of the aerosols. Results: The results were presented from desert zone from using Eppley direct solar irradiance measurements as a base on 10 years of data collection (1991-2000). Conclusion: The differences among the region were characterized mainly by their different climate change taken in consideration in the spectral region 250-900 nm. Most of the particles are greater than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter and 60-80% of particles was 5-10 μm and was trapped in the nasopharyngeal region. This showed an idealized size distribution of particulate matter in ambient air and measurement techniques to cover specific fractions. The columnar volume radius distributions of aerosol 3-6 μm showed the aerosol optical depth is less than 0.31 for λ = 500-630 nm. The behavior in a more turbidity, when the aerosol optical depth is about 0.25 for 630-695 nm, gives approximately fixed volume radius distributions of aerosols between 5-10 μm. The small size fraction of aerosols, measured as PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, rather than the larger particles, was considered to be responsible for most of the health effects.