Researchers measured ultrafine particle emissions from approximately 500 individual aircraft operations at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol using portable sensors placed about 200 meters from an active runway. The study found that departing aircraft produce higher particle concentrations than arriving ones, with peaks reaching one million particles per cubic centimeter for particles smaller than 25 nanometers, and that emission levels do not simply scale with aircraft size or engine power. The findings highlight significant variability in real-world emissions across different aircraft and engine types, suggesting that current certification-based data may not fully capture the air quality impacts experienced by airport workers and nearby communities.Open full document
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This study develops an approach using portable PM sensors located approximately 200 m downwind of an operational runway at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to characterize particle emissions from approximately 500 individual aircraft operations across different seasons. High concentration peaks of sub-25 nm particles on the order of 10^6 particles/cm³ were observed, with departure plumes exhibiting higher particle number concentrations than arrival plumes. The research finds large variability among aircraft types and engine models, highlighting gaps between certification data and real-world emissions.
