Technology transfer activities have continued throughout 1998/99 to ensure that UK industrialists, aerosol and particulate specialists are fully familiar with VAM 1997-2000: Aerosols and Particulates. These activities included the annual meeting of the Technical Advisory Committee of the long-established National Forum for Particle Measurements in November 1998, during which the various elements of VAM 1997-2000 were discussed.
The VAM programme has highlighted a number of key issues that must be addressed in order to validate particle size measurements of direct relevance to vehicle emissions, particularly sampling conditions, number-and mass-based measurements, instrument qualification, and analysis procedures. After much consultation throughout UK industry, Government and academia, the Vehicle Particle Emission Club was established. The primary aims of this club are as follows:
aid members to make the most appropriate choice of instrument to conduct valid measurements, ensure that particle-measurement data are accurate and precise, advocate the adoption of well-defined uncertainties for all particle measurements, and develop and validate traceable calibration procedures/techniques.
Another focus of effort has been the preparation of papers that describe all elements of the work on the sampling and analysis of airborne particulates to a wide audience of specialists at the National Measurement Conference 99 (to be held in Brighton, November 1999). The net result has been the drafting of three authoritative papers:
- Development of an Ultrafine Particle Concentration Standard,
- Measurement of the Effects of Aerosolisation on the Enzyme Deoxyribonuclease I,
- Field Calibrations for Environmental Metrology.
Members of the VAM team have also participated at appropriate national and international meetings throughout the year.