Particulate Matter
Particulate matter is a mixture of very small particles and droplets. The particles are grouped according to size (the aerodynamic diameter); TSP: total suspended particulate matter, PM10: particles smaller than 10 Tm and PM2.5 smaller than 2.5 Tm.
The smaller particles are most important due to human health as these particles are inhalable and can penetrate deep into the lungs or even into the bloodstream. Health effects are mainly linked to the respiratory system and the cardio-vascular system.
The particulate matter (PM) emission inventory has been reported for the years 2000-2009. The inventory includes the total emission of particles TSP (Total Suspended Particles), emission of particles smaller than 10 µm (PM10) and emission of particles smaller than 2.5 µm (PM2.5).
The largest PM2.5 emission sources are residential plants (71 %), road traffic (10 %) and other mobile sources (9 %). For the latter, the most important sources are off-road vehicles and machinery in the industrial sector and in the agricultural/forestry sector (28 % and 40 %, respectively). For the road transport sector, exhaust emissions account for the major part (64 %) of the emissions. The PM2.5 emission increased by 12 % from 2000 to 2009 due to an increasing wood consumption in the residential sector.
The largest TSP emission sources are the residential sector and the agricultural sector. The TSP emissions from transport are also important and include both exhaust emissions and the non-exhaust emissions from brake and tyre wear and road abrasion. The non-exhaust emissions account for 62 % of the TSP emission from road transport.
(Click the chart to view the background data)
(Clic the chart to view background data)
For more details about PM se the following links:
Emissions from decentralised CHP plants (the report is also available in Danish, as is a number of background reports)
Review, improvement and harmonisation of the Nordic particulate matter air emission inventories