I have calculated the emission rates for different types of bioaerosols as CFU/s.
I tried to use AERMOD but the inputs must be g/s.
How can I solve this problem?
I found some articles that used AERMOD for bioaerosols but I can't understand till now how they used it.
Article Quantitative microbial risk assessment of bioaerosols from a...
Article Aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 exposure assessment: dispersion model...
AERMOD uses g/s as emission source. As pollution concentration, you get ug/m3. If you may consider the bioaerosols as inert particles, you may define the emission as CFU/s and the concentration as uCFU/m3. (u = micro)
The application shouldn't be a problem.
You may have to consider if the statistical values calculated by AERMOD are relevant for your dispersion problem. AERMOD is developed for atmospheric pollution, it assumes a continuous/time varying but stationary source and applies statistical meteorological data.
- I have written a paper and made simulations with the Canadian GEM-MACH air pollution transnport model for birch pollen which is an allergenic bioaerosol.
- DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110554 (for details)
- I think you can use the methodology to simulate other bioaerosols (such as bacteria or spores).
- Good luck
Thanks prof. Alain Robichaud
I'm going to download that paper right now.
There should be multiple papers about AERMOD-based bioaerosol modeling. A key consideration is so called decay constant that describes the inactivation of bioaerosols due to environmental stress during dispersion. Revised AERMOD codes considering bioaerosol decay might still be available through paper authors. I will try to find them when I get back to work.
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