Mineral Dust as a component of particulate matter

This report assessed the importance of mineral dust in PM₁₀ for the Netherlands and Europe, using chemical analyses of Dutch PM₁₀ samples, a compilation of observational data from across Europe, and a regional atmospheric chemistry and transport model. Ambient particulate matter in Europe typically constituted of 5 to 20% mineral dust. The average concentration of mineral dust in PM₁₀ at six locations in the Netherlands was approximately 1 to 1.5 μg/m³. This is substantially less than reported by previous studies. The increased level of mineral dust in PM₁₀ samples in the urban environment is still not properly understood, and nor are the differences between the Netherlands and its surrounding countries. An important conclusion of this report is that the contribution of mineral dust to PM10 in the Netherlands is less important than previously thought. This study is a BOP publication produced under the auspices of ECN.

The Netherlands Research Program on Particulate Matter (BOP) is a national program on PM₁₀ and PM_2.5. It is a framework of cooperation involving the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN), the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, the Environment and Safety Division of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and TNO Built Environment and Geosciences.