What is Aerosol?

What is aerosol?

"An aerosol (abbreviation of "aero-solution") is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in air or another gas "

wikipedia

Definitions

• It is a suspension system of solid or liquid particles in a gas
• According to physical form and how they were generated, various classifications include dust, fume, mist, smoke, and fog.^[6]
• The general measure is the number of particles per unit volume

Size distribution

The size ranges from ~ a few nm to 10's of the micro meter.[Ref]

Hwo to generate aerosol ?

• Aerosol spray
• Atomizer nozzle or nebulizer
• Electrospray
• Electronic cigarette (banned in many countries)
• Vibrating orifice aerosol generator (VOAG)

Why is aerosol generated ?

• test aerosols for calibrating instruments, performing research, and testing sampling equipment and air filters
• deliver deodorants, paints, and other consumer products in sprays
• agricultural application
• medical treatment of respiratory disease (such as covid)
• fuel injection systems and other combustion technology

Atmospheric aerosol

Several types of atmospheric aerosol have a significant effect on Earth's climate:

• Volcanic
• Desert Dust
• sea-salt
• human-made

Volcanic aerosol forms in the stratosphere after an eruption as droplets of sulfuric acid that can prevail for up to two years, and reflect sunlight, lowering the temperature.

Desert dust, mineral particles are blown to high altitudes, absorb heat and may be responsible for inhibiting storm cloud formation.

Human-made sulfate aerosols, primarily from burning oil and coal, affect the behaviour of clouds.

Aerosol composition in atmosphere

• fine dust, sea salt, or water droplets
• smoke, pollen, spores, bacteria etc
• human-made: smoke, ashes or dust
• (urban cities) dust, cigarette smoke, the mist from aerosol spray cans, soot or fumes in car exhaust

Effect of Aerosol in Atmosphere

• Volcanic eruptions release aerosol (of different acids), which fall as acid rain.
• aerosols scatter and absorb incoming solar radiation thus altering the earth's atmosphere
• modify the size of the cloud particles thus changing the way could absorb and reflect light [ref]
• aerosols absorb pollutants which is harmful to the environment, water bodies, etc.
• Aerosols in the 20  μm range show a particularly long persistence time in air-conditioned rooms due to their "jet rider" behaviour (move with air jets, gravitationally fall out in slowly moving air);^[ref] as this aerosol size is most effectively adsorbed in the human nose,^[ref] the primordial infection site in covid 19, such aerosols may contribute to the pandemic.
• Aerosol particles with an effective diameter smaller than 10 μm can enter the bronchi.
• effective diameter smaller than 2.5 μm can enter as far as the gas exchange region in the lungs [ref]

Hope its quite clear what is aerosol 🙂
For detailed study visit Wikipedia page HERE

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