Measurement of Fugitive Particulate Matter Emission: Current State and Trends

Abstract

Fugitive particulate matter (FPM) refers to a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets that are released into the air without passing through confined flow equipment. These emissions of FPM can originate from natural processes and anthropogenic activities. FPM emissions are an important source of PM_2.5. Precisely measuring the size, concentration, and other properties of such particulate matter is crucial for effectively controlling emission sources and improving air quality. However, compared with particulate matter emission from stationary sources, it is difficult to monitor the FPM effectively owing to its dispersive and irregular emissions. Traditional measuring methods for FPM are based on sampling, which is a point monitoring approach and can be time-consuming. In recent years, several new techniques based on optical principles, image-based processes and low-cost sensors have been developed and applied for FPM measurement, with the advantages of spatial and time resolutions. The current state and future development of FPM measurements are reviewed in this paper.