Mobile Aerosol Measurement in the Eastern Mediterranean - A Utilization of Portable Instruments

A pioneering mobile aerosol measurement campaign in the Eastern Mediterranean, including Jordan's Wadi Rum Protected Area, revealed significant spatial variation in particle concentrations. Submicron particles were highest in urban areas like Amman and Zarqa, while micron-sized particles dominated southern regions near deserts such as Wadi Rum. The study used portable instruments mounted in a car with open windows to sample aerosol number (0.01–10 µm), mass (PM1, PM2.5, PM10), and black carbon concentrations across three-quarters of Jordan in two days. Findings showed submicron concentrations ranging from 4.9 × 10³ to 120 × 10³ cm⁻³, with PM10 making up 40–75% of fine particles (PM1). Black carbon aligned with PM1 and submicron trends, offering preliminary insights into regional aerosol dynamics influenced by urban, industrial, and desert environments.

Hussein, T., Boor, B. E., dos Santos, V. N., Kangasluoma, J., Petäjä, T., & Lihavainen, H. (2017). Mobile Aerosol Measurement in the Eastern Mediterranean - A Utilization of Portable Instruments. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 17(7), 1875–1886. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2016.11.0479