Biomass burning contribution to PM concentration in Rome (Italy): Seasonal, daily and two-hourly variations.

The possibility of a relevant contribution of biomass burning for domestic heating to PM in the urban area of Rome was explored. The concentration of levoglucosan was determined for 31 months in Rome and in a nearby peri-urban area. During the cold season it reached several hundreds of ng/m at both sites, with a clear inverse relationship with air temperature.

Influence of advanced wood-fired appliances for residential heating on indoor air quality.

This work was aimed at studying particulate matter (PM) in the indoor atmosphere of two flats where airtight biomass systems were used for domestic heating. PM and PM samples were collected by means of nine parallel sampling units, located in the outdoor and indoor areas of each flat. The samples were analyzed for PM macro-components (organic carbon, elemental carbon, macro-elements and inorganic ions) and for the soluble and residual fractions of micro-elements; the influence of the main PM sources on the indoor air quality was evaluated.

Chemical characterization of indoor and outdoor fine particulate matter in an occupied apartment in Rome, Italy.

The daily concentration and chemical composition of PM2.5 was determined in indoor and outdoor 24-h samples simultaneously collected for a total of 5 weeks during a winter and a summer period in an apartment sited in Rome, Italy. The use of a specifically developed very quiet sampler (<35 dB) allowed the execution of the study while the family living in the apartment led its normal life.

Particulate matter concentration and chemical composition in the metro system of Rome, Italy.

Air quality at the main station of the metro system of Rome (Termini hub) has been characterized by the point of view of particulate matter (PM) concentration and chemical composition. Indoor air in different environments (underground train platform and shopping center, metro carriages with and without air conditioning system) has been studied and compared with outdoor air at a nearby urban site. Air quality at the railway station, located outdoor at surface level, has been also considered for comparison.