Optical and Chemical Properties of Particle Emissions from On-Road Vehicles

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Abstract
The chemical and optical properties of particle emissions from on-road vehicles were investigated at the Allegheny Tunnel on the Pennsylvania Turnpike [USA] during July 1981. The optical results are in agreement with earlier data. In terms of light extinction per km driven, diesel particle emissions are at least an order of magnitude more important than particle emissions from spark-ignition vehicles. For diesel particle emissions, light absorption is about twice as efficient as light scattering. Chemical analyses showed the following: 24% of the vehicle aerosol was extractable material, 75% of the total mass was C, 55% of the total mass was unextractable (elemental) C, and the stoichiometry of the extractable fraction of the diesel particle emissions was CnH17nN0.05n, i.e., the extractable material was composed predominantly of alkanes. The results of the chemical analyses allow the calculation of the mass-specific light absorption coefficient for the elemental C component of the diesel particle emissions, i.e., 10.9 .+-. 1.8 m2/g (500 nm).

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