A plant growth chamber system equipped with aerosol generators for studying aerosol-vegetation interactions (Open Access)--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Gen, M., Ikawa, S., Yamaguchi, M., Lim, F. Z., Izuta, T., & Lenggoro, I. W. (2024). A plant growth chamber system equipped with aerosol generators for studying aerosol-vegetation interactions. Particuology, 85, 122-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2023.03.018

A plant growth chamber system equipped with aerosol generators for studying aerosol-vegetation interactions (Open Access)

Masao Gen ^{a b}^*, Seiji Ikawa ^a, Masahiro Yamaguchi ^{c d}, Fong Zyin Lim ^a, Takeshi Izuta ^e, I. Wuled Lenggoro ^{a f g *}

a Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan
b Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8577, Japan
c Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan
d Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan
e Institute of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan
f Department of Applied Physics and Chemical Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan
g Institute of Global Innovation Research, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo, 183-8509, Japan

10.1016/j.partic.2023.03.018

Volume 85, February 2024, Pages 122-132

Received 25 December 2022, Revised 27 March 2023, Accepted 29 March 2023, Available online 12 April 2023, Version of Record 26 April 2023.

E-mail: mgen@tohoku.ac.jp; wuled@cc.tuat.ac.jp

Highlights

• A chamber system was designed to study the interactions between submicron aerosol particles and plants.

• Spray drying methods were used to generate and deposit submicron aerosol particles.

• Submicron particles from generators were deposited on model substrates of plant leaves.

• The chamber system can be used to perform long-term exposure studies.

Abstract

Understanding aerosol-vegetation interactions is vital in ecosystems. However, the interactions remain elusive partly due to the lack of suitable plant growth chamber systems. Particularly, deposition of submicron particles on leaf surfaces is challenging due to its low deposition velocities compared to larger particles. In this work, we present a plant-growth chamber that was used to study the effect of submicron black carbon (BC) particles on the growth and photosynthesis of plants. The chamber system simultaneously enables the growth of multiple plants in pots and the deposition of submicron particles onto them. Two spraying methods assisted by ultrasonic and electrostatic forces were employed as aerosol generators to realize the particle deposition. The flow regime inside the chamber was numerically calculated to predict the transportation of aerosol particles, suggesting the optimal operating conditions of the chamber. The gas-phase particle size distribution measurements showed that generated BC particles were suspended in submicron diameter ranges. The aerosol generators were examined in the chamber using three conductor and insulator substrates as a model of plant leaves. Microscope observations and spectroscopic analysis ascertained that submicron BC particles generated from our generators were deposited on all substrate surfaces. Using the developed chamber system, systematic studies can be performed to advance the fundamental understanding of aerosol-vegetation interactions.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Aerosol; Exposure chamber; Spray drying; Black carbon

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