Assessment of PM2.5 monitoring using MicroPEM: A validation study in a city with elevated PM2.5 levels

Portable monitors such as MicroPEM can accurately characterize personal exposure of pollutants, which is critical for linking exposure and health effects of air pollution. The RTI (RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA) MicroPEM V3.2A provides both real-time fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations and time-integrated PM samples collected onto Teflon filters that can be used to correct real-time data as well as allow further lab chemical analysis of species on filters (e.g., metal, black carbon). Due to the optical reflectivity of local PM sources can be very different from available standard reference particles used for calibration by RTI, there is a need for gravimetric correction and validation at each study location. However, assessments of MicroPEM have been limited in locations with severe air pollution, such as Beijing. We selected a variety of weather and air quality conditions, including both clear and hazy days in Beijing, to compare PM2.5 data among MicroPEMs as well as between MicroPEM and other types of samplers. We also compared MicroPEM real-time PM2.5 concentrations with data from nearby fixed-sites. The results show MicroPEM performed well across a wide range of PM2.5 concentrations (6-461 mu g/m(3)) and MicroPEM data, after gravimetric correction, were consistent with those from moderate-volume samplers. Good agreement was also found between real-time data from MicroPEM and fixed-site data. The present study covered a wide range of pollution levels in actual environments and validated the usage of MicroPEM as a PM2.5 monitor in locations with elevated PM2.5 levels.