Author(s)

A.W. Mackay & N.L. Rose

Abstract

In this paper we report on the characterisation of atmospheric particulates in central London, the UK's largest city, over a period of seven days in December 1996, using a particle impactor (Burkard Spore Trap) to give a permanent, continuous, high resolution record that we can analyse by light microscopy at high magnification. We demonstrate here that the majority of particles identified as PMioS are black angular particulates, but that this fraction consists mainly of particles less than 1 |im in diameter. The temporal distribution of these particles is clearly associated with traffic, with highest numbers counted during peak flow times, although weather conditions can have an effect on the trends

Keywords