Instrumental and bio-monitoring of heavy metal and nanoparticle emissionsfrom diesel engine exhaust in controlled environment
Simonetta Giordano , Paola Adamo , Valeria Spagnuolo , Bianca Maria Vaglieco
DOI:
Received November 05, 2009,Revised March 22, 2010, Accepted , Available online
Volume 22,2010,Pages 1357-1363
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In the present article we characterized the emissions at the exhaust of a Common Rail (CR) diesel engine, representative of lightduty
class, equipped with a catalyzed diesel particulate filter (CDPF) in controlled environment. The downstream exhausts were directly
analyzed (for PM, CO, CO2, O2, HCs, NOx) by infrared and electrochemical sensors, and SEM-EDS microscope; heavy metals were
chemically analyzed using mosses and lichens in bags, and glass-fibre filters all exposed at the engine exhausts. The highest particle
emission value was in the 7–54 nm size range; the peak concentration rose until one order of magnitude for the highest load and speed.
Particle composition was mainly carbonaceous, associated to noticeable amounts of Fe and silica fibres. Moreover, the content of Cu,
Fe, Na, Ni and Zn in both moss and lichen, and of Al and Cr in moss, was significantly increased. Glass-fibre filters were significantly
enriched in Al, B, Ba, Cu, Fe, Na, and Zn. The role of diesel engines as source of carbonaceous nanoparticles has been confirmed, while
further investigations in controlled environment are needed to test the catalytic mu er as a possible source of silica fibres considered
very hazardous for human health.
