Ships are among the main contributors to global air pollution, with substantial impacts on climate and public health. To improve air quality in densely populated coastal areas and to protect sensitive ecosystems, sulfur emission control areas (SECAs) were established in many regions of the world. Ships in SECAs operate with low-sulfur fuels, typically distillate fractions such as marine gas oil (MGO). Alternatively, exhaust gas-cleaning devices (“scrubbers”) can be implemented to remove SO₂ from the exhaust, thus allowing the use of cheap high-sulfur residual fuels. Compliance monitoring is established in harbors but is difficult in open water because of high costs and technical limitations. Here we present the first experiments to detect individual ship plumes from distances of several kilometers by single-particle mass spectrometry (SPMS). In contrast to most monitoring approaches that evaluate the gaseous emissions, such as manned or unmanned surveillance flights, sniffer technologies and remote sensing, we analyze the metal content of individual particles which is conserved during atmospheric transport. We optimized SPMS technology for the evaluation of residual fuel emissions and demonstrate their detection in a SECA. Our experiments show that ships with installed scrubbers can emit PM emissions with health-relevant metals in quantities high enough to be detected from more than 10 km distance, emphasizing the importance of novel exhaust-cleaning technologies and cleaner fuels. Because of the unique and stable signatures, the method is not affected by urban background. With this study, we establish a route towards a novel monitoring protocol for ship emissions. Therefore, we present and discuss mass spectral signatures that indicate the particle age and thus the distance to the source. By matching ship transponder data, measured wind data and air mass back trajectories, we show how real-time SPMS data can be evaluated to assign distant ship passages.

中文翻译：

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使用单粒子质谱法检测排放控制区残余燃料操作产生的船舶羽流

船舶是全球空气污染的主要贡献者之一，对气候和公共健康产生重大影响。为了改善人口稠密的沿海地区的空气质量并保护敏感的生态系统，世界许多地区都建立了硫排放控制区（SECA）。SECA 中的船舶使用低硫燃料，通常是馏分油，例如船用瓦斯油 (MGO)。或者，可以实施废气净化装置（“洗涤器”）以去除SO ₂来自废气，从而允许使用廉价的高硫残留燃料。在港口建立合规监控，但由于成本高和技术限制，在开放水域很难。在这里，我们展示了第一个实验，通过单粒子质谱 (SPMS) 从几公里的距离检测单个船舶羽流。与评估气体排放的大多数监测方法（例如有人或无人监视飞行、嗅探技术和遥感）相比，我们分析了在大气运输过程中保存的单个颗粒的金属含量。我们优化了 SPMS 技术以评估残余燃料排放，并在 SECA 中演示了它们的检测。我们的实验表明，安装了洗涤器的船舶会排放 PM 与健康相关的金属，其数量足以在 10 公里以上的距离内被检测到，这强调了新型尾气净化技术和更清洁燃料的重要性。由于签名独特且稳定，该方法不受城市背景的影响。通过这项研究，我们为船舶排放的新型监测协议建立了一条途径。因此，我们提出并讨论了表明粒子年龄以及与源的距离的质谱特征。通过匹配船舶转发器数据、测得的风数据和气团反向轨迹，我们展示了如何评估实时 SPMS 数据以分配远距离的船舶通道。强调新型废气净化技术和更清洁燃料的重要性。由于签名独特且稳定，该方法不受城市背景的影响。通过这项研究，我们为船舶排放的新型监测协议建立了一条途径。因此，我们提出并讨论了表明粒子年龄以及与源的距离的质谱特征。通过匹配船舶转发器数据、测得的风数据和气团反向轨迹，我们展示了如何评估实时 SPMS 数据以分配远距离的船舶通道。强调新型废气净化技术和更清洁燃料的重要性。由于签名独特且稳定，该方法不受城市背景的影响。通过这项研究，我们为船舶排放的新型监测协议建立了一条途径。因此，我们提出并讨论了表明粒子年龄以及与源的距离的质谱特征。通过匹配船舶转发器数据、测得的风数据和气团反向轨迹，我们展示了如何评估实时 SPMS 数据以分配远距离的船舶通道。我们提出并讨论表明粒子年龄以及与源的距离的质谱特征。通过匹配船舶转发器数据、测得的风数据和气团反向轨迹，我们展示了如何评估实时 SPMS 数据以分配远距离的船舶通道。我们提出并讨论表明粒子年龄以及与源的距离的质谱特征。通过匹配船舶转发器数据、测得的风数据和气团反向轨迹，我们展示了如何评估实时 SPMS 数据以分配远距离的船舶通道。