MASS CONCENTRATIONS an‎d SIZE DISTRIBUTIONS MEASUREMENTS OF ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOL PARTICLES

Mass concentrations and size distributions of atmospheric aerosol particles were measured at three different regions of El-Minia governorate (Upper Egypt); Maghagha, Abo-Qurqas and Etsa. The study was conducted during March and April, 2012. Measurements were performed using low pressure Berner cascade impactor as an aerosol sampler. The impactor operates at 1.7 m^3/h flow rate with aerodynamic cut-off size range from 0.06 up to 16 μm. It was found that the average mass concentrations measured at three sampling sites: Maghagha, Abo-Qurqas and Etsa were 264.7, 176.5 and 284 μg/m^3, respectively. Measurement results show that the log normal size distribution in Maghagha was bimodal in nature with mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of 1.2 μm and geometric standard deviation (σg) of 3.9 and the mass size distributions were bimodal in nature at both Abo-Qurqas (with MMAD =0.725 μm and σg= 3.95) and Etsa (with MMAD = 0.924 μm and σg = 3.38). The variation obtained at the different sampling sites could be attributed to the different aerosol particles emitted from sources in each area environment as well as the climatic outdoor changes.