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Activity No. 10

PARTICULATE AIR POLLUTION

INTRODUCTION

Air can be contaminated by a range of very different particles such as dust, pollen, soot,
smoke, and liquid droplets. Many of them can harm our health, especially very small particles
that can enter deep into the lungs. Particulate matter is the sum of all solid and liquid particles
suspended in air many of which are hazardous. This complex mixture includes both organic and
inorganic particles, such as dust, pollen, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. How is particulate
matter released into the atmosphere? There are 2 aspects of particulate matter released in the
atmosphere- primary and secondary.

Primary particles are particulates that are directly released in the atmosphere as a result
of human activity and natural sources. Secondary are discharged through physical and chemical
reactions from their pollutants, called precursors.

Components of particulate matter (PM) include finely divided solids or liquids such as

dust, fly ash, soot, smoke, aerosols, fumes, mists and condensing vapors that can be suspended in
the air for extended periods of time.

Particulate pollutants can be released from different types of human activities such as

vehicle emissions, smoke particles, dust particles, and ash from industries. Particulate
matter present in the air is mainly of two types- Viable particles and non-viable particles. What
creates particulate matter? Created by both natural and man- made causes, particulates impact the
earth's climate, precipitation levels and can have substantial negative effects on human health.

Particle pollution (also called particulate matter or PM) is the term for a mixture of solid
particles and liquid droplets found in the air.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of the experiment, you are expected to:

1. describe the particulate air pollutant collected;

2. compare the particulates collected from the different designated areas:
a) inside the bedroom
b) in the living room/ outside the house
c) roadside nearest to your house
3. rationalize or explain the difference in the amount of particulate or kind particulate collected
from the different areas in objective 2. .
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MATERIALS

colorless transparent (plastic) folder (1) petroleum jelly or vicks

vaporub/any oil
scissors Thumbtacks or any glue or tape
Thick illustration board or thick box 15 cm x 15 cm (3pcs) or any thick board

PROCEDURE

1. Using your scissors, cut 3 pieces of colorless transparent folder whose width is 10 cm and
length of 12 cm.
2. Measure 1cm from the four sides of the cut folder and draw a line as in the figure below:

12 cm
1cm

10 cm

3. Cut 3 pcs of thick board available with a width of 14 cm and a length of 15 cm.
4. Mount the cut folder in procedures 1 and 2 at the center on each of thick board cut in
procedure 3. Check the figure below.

Any thick board

5. Coat a very thin film of petroleum jelly or vicks vaporub on the shaded portion of the
above figure. Do this for the other two cuts. Make sure that the coating is not very thick,
just thin enough to trap particulate matter that may be present.
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6. Place the setup you have made and position it in their designated area (room, receiving
room/outside the house, roadside).
7. Make sure that designated area is free of disturbance from pets, insects or anything
8. Secure safely the one placed on the roadside. Make sure it will not get wet when it rains.
9. Leave the set-up for 1 week or more Check it from time to time to make sure that it is
still there undisturbed. You may extend observation to more than a week if necessary.
10. Using your cellphone, take a picture of the particulates collected in different designated
areas. Make sure the shots are clear by finding the appropriate angle or position before
taking the shot.
11. Record your data as provided in the worksheet.
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