Method, measuring device and use of a hot plate, a particle counter and an air quality determination sensor for determining air quality using aerosol particles in a gas mixture

By concentrating aerosol particles and using heating elements with particle counters and sensors, the method addresses the incomplete detection of semi-volatile compounds in air quality analysis, enhancing sensitivity and selectivity in air quality assessments.

DE102023115387A1Pending Publication Date: 2024-12-19TESTO SE & CO KGAA
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Patent Information

Application Number
DE102023115387
Authority / Receiving Office
DE · DE
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-06-13
Publication Date
2024-12-19

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing methods for analyzing indoor air quality fail to comprehensively detect semi-volatile organic gaseous compounds and distinguish between inorganic and organic aerosol particles, leading to incomplete and time-consuming assessments.

Method used

Concentrate aerosol particles using a heating element, employing a particle counter and air quality determination sensors to detect both volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds before and after heating, allowing simultaneous analysis of aerosol particle composition and gaseous components.

Benefits of technology

Enhances the accuracy and efficiency of air quality determination by enabling simultaneous detection of both volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, improving the sensitivity and selectivity of air quality assessments.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention generally proposes a method and a measuring device (10) for determining air quality using aerosol particles (1) in a gas mixture (2), wherein aerosol particles (1) are concentrated and heated by a heating element (7), and wherein a particle counter (8) determines a number of the aerosol particles (1) and at least one air quality determination sensor (9) determines at least organic components of the aerosol particles (1) and / or signal patterns of the gas mixture (2) before and after heating.
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Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for determining air quality using aerosol particles in a gas mixture.

[0002] As is well known, various parameters are recorded for the complete analysis of gas mixtures (e.g., indoor air). For a complete assessment of indoor air quality, in addition to the CO2 content, the concentration of gaseous organic compounds and the particle count are determined. Gaseous organic compounds can be highly volatile (medium to low vapor pressure) or semi-volatile (very low vapor pressure). Semi-volatile organic gaseous compounds are often bound to particles and can be inhaled via them. In a complete assessment of indoor air quality, semi-volatile organic gaseous compounds are usually not recorded. Traditionally, the recording and analysis of gaseous organic compounds takes place in a multi-stage and time-consuming process.

[0003] Particles can be inorganic (carbon-free; e.g., salts, dust) or organic (carbon-based; e.g., soot, tire wear). As suspended particles in a gas mixture, particles are often referred to as aerosol particles. A schematic representation of a gas mixture is shown in Fig. 1 and will be described in the further course of the description, following the list of figures. Inhaling aerosol particles can be beneficial to health (salts) or harmful (soot, tire wear). Aerosol particles are usually detected by measuring the number and / or mass of particles per volume of a specific size fraction of a gas mixture under investigation. A distinction between inorganic and organic aerosol particles is not usually made in indoor air quality measurements.

[0004] To evaluate indoor air quality, for example, organic, gaseous compounds and aerosol particles can be determined separately and in different measuring devices.

[0005] The invention further relates to a measuring device for determining air quality using aerosol particles in a gas mixture.

[0006] The invention further relates to a use of a heating plate, a particle counter and an air quality determination sensor, in particular a VOC sensor, for air quality determination with the aid of aerosol particles in a gas mixture.

[0007] It is therefore an object of the invention to improve the analysis of gas mixtures.

[0008] To achieve the stated object, the features of claim 1 are provided according to the invention. In particular, to achieve the stated object, in a method of the type described above, the invention proposes that aerosol particles are concentrated and heated by a heating element, and wherein a particle counter determines the number of aerosol particles and at least one air quality sensor detects at least organic components of the aerosol particles before and after heating. This allows volatile and semi-volatile organic gaseous compounds and the composition of aerosol particles in a gas mixture to be detected simultaneously. Thus, a quality determination of a gas mixture can be carried out, which generally improves the analysis of a gas mixture.

[0009] Here, "baking out" refers to the controlled heating of aerosol particles in a gas mixture by a heating element over a defined period of time. This advantageously allows the concentrated aerosol particles and / or the semi-volatile gaseous organic compounds adhering to them to evaporate or (partially) oxidize, after which their combustion products are analyzed by at least one air quality sensor. An air quality sensor is defined as any sensor that can detect at least organic compounds (e.g., PID sensor, pellistor, GSS sensor, semiconductor gas sensor).

[0010] In a particularly preferred embodiment, a VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) sensor is used as the air quality sensor. A VOC sensor is particularly well suited for air quality determination by detecting the organic components of aerosol particles.

[0011] It can advantageously be provided that the air quality determination sensor also detects inorganic components of the aerosol particles or inorganic gases before and / or after the heating process. For example, broadband semiconductor gas sensors can detect inorganic gases such as hydrogen and / or carbon monoxide and / or ozone and / or nitrogen oxides. This allows the complexity of the composition of a gas mixture to be determined even more accurately, thus significantly improving air quality determination.

[0012] Alternatively or additionally, the invention can provide for the at least one air quality determination sensor to detect a signal pattern of the gas mixture before and / or after the burnout. This allows specific signal patterns, for example, changes in the concentration of components present in the gas mixture, to be detected. Certain signal patterns can then be used to indicate a specific gas mixture, for example, a pollutant source such as diesel exhaust or wood combustion gases. An air quality determination is then performed, in particular, from the signal pattern. This advantageously allows air quality determinations to be performed in locations that do not allow optimal and stable air quality determinations.

[0013] The determination is particularly advantageous if at least two air quality sensors as described herein, preferably a sensor array, are used for air quality determination. This can increase the sensitivity and / or selectivity for specific organic and / or inorganic compounds, both when detecting organic gaseous compounds (especially semi-volatile organic gaseous compounds) and when detecting the composition of the aerosol particles and / or the gas components of the gas mixture.

[0014] An air quality assessment based on the signal pattern is even more sensitive and selective, and thus improved, if the air quality assessment is carried out using machine learning and / or artificial intelligence, as may be planned. This allows the detected signal patterns to be compared, quickly identified, and used promptly for air quality assessment.

[0015] Alternatively, several (different) air quality determination sensors (sensor array) can be used for quality determination, whereby the sensitivity and / or selectivity for certain organic compounds can be increased both in the detection of organic, gaseous compounds (especially semi-volatile organic, gaseous compounds) and in the detection of the composition of the aerosol particles.

[0016] In a method according to the invention, the aerosol particles can be concentrated in such a way that the sensitivity of the quality determination of the gas mixture is increased, whereby even less abundant organic compounds can be detected.

[0017] It is also advantageous that the proportion of inorganic and organic components of the aerosol particles can be determined by comparing the measurement signals of the at least one air quality determination sensor before (determination of a base signal) and after heating.

[0018] Furthermore, a method according to the invention can be carried out on site, which saves time and money, since the measurements do not have to be carried out in a remote laboratory.

[0019] In an advantageous embodiment, the aerosol particles can be concentrated, preferably before heating, on the heating element. This can increase the efficiency of heating the aerosol particles, advantageously allowing more combustion products to be generated per time interval. This can further increase the sensitivity for detecting certain organic compounds.

[0020] In an advantageous embodiment, the heating can be carried out abruptly or gradually. Due to the different boiling points of different organic compounds, a separation of different compounds can thus be achieved, which can advantageously increase the sensitivity and / or selectivity in air quality determination using aerosol particles.

[0021] If several (different) air quality determination sensors are used in a process, the quality determination of a gas mixture can be further improved by an even increased sensitivity and / or selectivity.

[0022] In an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that, for the determination of organic components, the gas mixture is fed through a secondary inlet to the at least one air quality determination sensor before the heating process, and that, for the determination of organic components after the heating process, the gas mixture is fed through an inlet to the at least one air quality determination sensor. In this case, the gas mixture can be fed downstream of the heating element. This reduces or prevents unwanted accumulation of aerosol particles on the heating plate during the measurement of the base signal. This makes the measurements after the heating process even more accurate, thus increasing the quality determination of a gas mixture.

[0023] For example, valves can be used to prevent unwanted supply of the gas mixture when detecting the base signal (closed valve on the inlet) or when detecting organic compounds after heating (closed valve on the secondary inlet).

[0024] Alternatively or additionally, to determine the baseline signal, the inflowing gas mixture can be purified by a filter structure, particularly an activated carbon filter, a catalytic heating element, or a combination of the above-mentioned elements. This allows an even more accurate baseline signal to be determined, which can further improve the quality determination of a gas mixture.

[0025] In an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that a mass loss of the aerosol particles is determined during and / or after the heating process. The mass loss of the aerosol particles can thus advantageously be used as an additional parameter for determining the quality of a gas mixture.

[0026] Furthermore, it can be advantageous that the detection of a mass or a mass loss can provide information about the purity of the measuring device used, which is particularly important for the accuracy of subsequent measurements.

[0027] In particular, the mass loss of the aerosol particles at the heating element is determined. The heating element can be designed directly as a microbalance. This is particularly advantageous when the aerosol particles are concentrated at the heating element.

[0028] In an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that a partial amount or the entire amount of a gas mixture is supplied to the at least one air quality determination sensor. Thus, a defined amount of a gas mixture can be supplied to the air quality determination sensor. For example, half of the total amount can be supplied to the air quality determination sensor to determine the base signal, and the second half of the total amount can be supplied to determine a signal after heating. Thus, the optimal amount of a gas mixture can be supplied to the or to one air quality determination sensor for the precise determination of the quality of a gas mixture.

[0029] To achieve the stated object, the features of the independent claim directed to a measuring device are provided according to the invention. In particular, to achieve the stated object, in a measuring device of the type described above, the invention proposes that the measuring device comprise a heating element, a particle counter, and at least one air quality determination sensor, wherein the heating element is arranged upstream of the at least one air quality determination sensor. Thus, the proportion of gaseous organic compounds, the number of aerosol particles in a gas mixture, and the proportion of aerosol particles of organic origin can advantageously be detected simultaneously. A measuring device according to the invention can, in particular, be designed to carry out a method as described above or as claimed below.

[0030] A further advantage of a measuring device according to the invention is that organic, gaseous compounds and aerosol particles can be measured and analyzed in one measuring device, whereby the quality of a gas mixture can be determined more quickly and cost-effectively.

[0031] Furthermore, a measuring device can be designed so that measurements can be taken on-site rather than in a laboratory. This is particularly advantageous when determining the indoor air quality of a workshop, kitchen, or other location where organic aerosol particles are generated. This allows for faster response to excessive aerosol particle or pollutant levels.

[0032] A measuring device according to the invention can be designed cost-effectively, as it requires only a heating element, a particle counter, and at least one air quality sensor. A cost-effective measuring device can thus be sold to private customers or small businesses (car repair shop operators, restaurant owners).

[0033] The heating element is positioned upstream of the air quality sensor, allowing the combustion products to be easily transported to the air quality sensor along with the gas flow from the heating element. This prevents uncontrolled aerosol particles from being introduced into the air quality sensor prior to the burnout, which could falsify the quality of a gas mixture.

[0034] In an advantageous embodiment, the particle counter can be arranged downstream of the heating element and / or the at least one air quality sensor. This minimizes or even prevents the entrainment of organic compounds to the particle counter, which is beneficial for the longevity of the particle counter or measuring device.

[0035] In an advantageous embodiment, the heating element can be equipped with an absorber material. The absorber material can lead to a more efficient concentration of the aerosol particles, allowing more organic material to be burned, which can further improve the quality determination of a gas mixture.

[0036] If, in a further embodiment, the concentration takes place additionally or alternatively at another location of the measuring device, this location can also have an absorber material.

[0037] In an advantageous embodiment, the heating element can be designed as a microbalance. This allows the mass loss of the aerosol particles to be advantageously recorded when determining the organic components of the aerosol particles.

[0038] In particular, the heating element can be designed as a quartz crystal microbalance. Quartz crystal microbalances can be particularly stable at high temperatures, allowing the measuring device to be designed for a longer lifespan. Furthermore, quartz crystal microbalances can be used as sensors for other parameters in addition to mass determination.

[0039] In an advantageous embodiment, the measuring device can be provided with at least two air quality sensors. By using multiple air quality sensors, the sensitivity (when using air quality sensors of the same type) and / or the selectivity (when using air quality sensors of different types) of the organic compounds to be measured can be increased.

[0040] Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the or one, in particular the second, of the at least two air quality determination sensors is in particular a VOC sensor and / or a photoionization detector and / or a pellistor and / or a semiconductor gas sensor. Such air quality determination sensors are commercially available and cost-effective for incorporation into a measuring device. Thus, the manufacturing and repair costs of a measuring device can be kept low. Furthermore, such air quality determination sensors are designed to be thermostable so that they can be used safely for the analysis of gas mixtures under heating.

[0041] In an advantageous embodiment, the measuring device can be provided with at least one pump for supplying the gas mixture to the particle counter. Thus, the gas mixture can be supplied to the particle counter independently via the pump.

[0042] A pump can be used to establish and / or maintain a defined gas flow. For example, the pump can supply a defined volume of a gas mixture to the measuring device.

[0043] In particular, the pump can be arranged downstream of the air quality sensor. This can reduce or even prevent the pump's influence on the VOC sensor. For example, the ingress of lubricants and / or abrasion from the pump's sealing material into the air quality sensor can be reduced or even prevented, allowing measurements from the air quality sensor to be particularly accurate.

[0044] In an advantageous embodiment, the measuring device can be provided with an inlet and a secondary inlet for the gas mixture or a gas mixture. Thus, for determining the base signal, the gas mixture can be made available to the measuring device via the secondary inlet. The main line (including the inlet) can be blocked, in particular, by a valve, thereby increasing the measurement accuracy of the measuring device for determining the quality of a gas mixture.

[0045] The secondary inlet preferably has a filter, with the filter particularly preferably being designed as a catalytic heating element and / or an activated carbon filter. Such or other filters known to those skilled in the art can be used to purify a gas mixture, thereby enabling an even more precise determination of the base signal and thus an even better quality determination.

[0046] In an advantageous embodiment, the measuring device can be provided with at least two main lines. Each main line has at least one particle counter and one air quality sensor. Thus, the acquisition of a base signal and the acquisition of a signal after heating can take place in parallel, allowing measurements to be carried out even more accurately and quickly.

[0047] To save costs, preferably only one main line has a heating element to detect a signal after heating.

[0048] To achieve the stated object, the invention provides the features of the independent claim directed to a use. In particular, to achieve the stated object, with a use of the type described above, the invention proposes that the number of aerosol particles and the proportion of organic components of aerosol particles in a gas mixture are preferably determined simultaneously. This allows the quality of a gas mixture to be determined quickly and cost-effectively, which is advantageous.

[0049] The invention will now be described in more detail using exemplary embodiments, but is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. Further exemplary embodiments arise from combining the features of one or more claims with one another and / or with one or more features of the exemplary embodiments.

[0050] They show: Fig. 1 a section of a gas mixture, Fig. 2 a measuring device according to the invention during the acquisition of the base signal, Fig. 3 a measuring device according to the invention during the bake-out, Fig. 4 an alternative embodiment of a measuring device according to the invention, Fig. 5 shows a further alternative embodiment of a measuring device according to the invention, Fig. 6 an alternative embodiment of a measuring device according to the invention with a secondary inlet and a catalytic heating element, Fig. 7 an alternative embodiment of a measuring device according to the invention with a secondary inlet and an activated carbon filter, Fig. 8 an alternative embodiment of a measuring device according to the invention with two main lines.

[0051] A section of a gas mixture 2 to be examined is shown in Fig. 1. As already explained at the beginning, a gas mixture 2 can contain various aerosol particles 1, 3, 4. Aerosol particles 1 can be inorganic 3 or organic 4, with organic aerosol particles 1, 4 (such as soot or tire abrasion) being particularly harmful to health. Semi-volatile organic compounds 5 can adhere to aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 and be inhaled via them, also harming health. Highly volatile organic compounds 6 are usually suspended in the gas mixture 2, detached from aerosol particles 1, 3, 4. In order to comprehensively determine the quality of a gas mixture 2, in particular of room air, many parameters of a gas mixture 2, including those described at the beginning, should be measured.

[0052] The Fig. 2 and Fig. The methods shown in Figure 3, or also the methods described previously or claimed below, extend the quality determination of a gas mixture 2 in that the proportion of gaseous organic compounds 5, 6, a number of aerosol particles 1, 3, 4, as well as a proportion of aerosol particles 1, 4 of organic origin can be detected simultaneously.

[0053] Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 show an embodiment of a measuring device 10 according to the invention ( Fig. 2) and during the bake-out ( Fig. 3) a gas mixture 2. The process shown in these figures can proceed as follows.

[0054] A defined gas mixture 2, for example a defined volume of the gas mixture 2, is fed by means of a pump 11 from an inlet 13 through a main line 15 to a particle counter 8, which registers the number of aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 of the gas mixture 2.

[0055] The measuring device 10 has a recess 16 leading to the heating element 7. The recess 16 can be designed such that a gas mixture 2, in particular a portion of a gas mixture 2, can be supplied to the heating element 7, 24, so that aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 can be concentrated.

[0056] A partial amount or the total amount of the defined gas mixture 2 is supplied to the heating element 7, 24 so that aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 can adhere to the heating element 7, 24. The heating element 7, 24 can be Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, have an absorber material 17 which further increases the adhesion of the aerosol particles 1, 3, 4.

[0057] Additional or alternative adhesion techniques can also be used to concentrate the aerosol particles 1, 3, 4. For example, a portion of the main line 15 can be roughened or designed such that the aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 adhere to it. Additionally, this portion of the main line 15 can be partially or completely configured as a heating element 7, 24.

[0058] In the case of the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the heating element 7, which is designed as a microbalance 24, additionally causes a mass loss of the aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 during the heating ( Fig. 3) is registered. The microbalance 24 shown here is a quartz crystal balance, but can also be any other microbalance 24 known to those skilled in the art.

[0059] During or after the annealing process 12 (dashed arrow), the gas mixture 2 is passed past at least one air quality sensor 9, where organic components are detected. In particular, a photoionization detector and / or a pellistor and / or a preferably oxide semiconductor gas sensor can be used as the air quality sensors 9.

[0060] In the embodiments shown, at least one VOC sensor is used as air quality determination sensor 9.

[0061] The Fig. The process step shown in Figure 2 is carried out without heating, which is why the at least one air quality determination sensor 9 primarily detects the volatile organic compounds 6 and, if applicable, inorganic compounds. Before heating, this process step determines a base signal that includes, among other things, a number of aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 and a concentration of volatile organic compounds 6.

[0062] The gas mixture 2 is discharged or passed on from the measuring device 10 via an outlet 14.

[0063] After a certain registration interval (base signal), the heating element 7 is heated ( Fig. 3). Over a certain period of time and at rising or elevated temperature T, organic compounds of the aerosol particles 1, 4 or the semi-volatile organic compounds 5 of the gas mixture 2 evaporate. Their combustion products are subsequently detected by the at least one air quality determination sensor 9.

[0064] Depending on the application, the measuring device 10 can be configured so that the temperature T increases gradually or abruptly. Due to the different physical properties of various organic components, a higher selectivity or sensitivity of the method or measuring device 10 can be achieved. Thus, signal patterns of the gas mixture can be and are also determined during the process.

[0065] By comparing the signals of at least one air quality determination sensor 9 before ( Fig. 2; base signal) and after heating ( Fig. 3) the proportion of organic, gaseous compounds 5 in the aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 can be determined. By recording the mass loss of the aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 using the heatable microbalance 7, 24, the determination of the organic components of the aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 is determined even more precisely.

[0066] In the Fig. 4 to 8 are alternative measuring devices 10 to the one shown in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. These alternative measuring devices 10 can also carry out the method just described or the methods previously described or subsequently claimed. Components and functional units that are functionally and / or structurally similar or identical to the preceding embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and are not described separately again. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 therefore apply to the Fig. 4 to 8 accordingly.

[0067] The embodiment according to Fig. 4 differs from the previous embodiment (the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3) in that the pump 11 is located downstream of the air quality determination sensor 9. In the examples according to the Fig. 2 / 3 and Fig. 4, the heating element 7, 24 is positioned between the particle counter 8 and the air quality sensor 9. The pump 11 downstream of the air quality sensor 9 prevents the ingress of lubricants and abrasion of the sealing material of the pump 11 into the air quality sensor 9, so that the measurements of the air quality sensor 9 are particularly accurate.

[0068] Likewise, the entrainment of aerosol particles 1, 3, 4 to the particle sensor 8 can be reduced or avoided if the particle counter 8 is located downstream of the heating element 7, 24 ( Fig. 5).

[0069] The Fig. 6 and Fig. The measuring devices 10 shown in Figure 7 offer alternative possibilities for determining a base signal compared to the previously described measuring devices 10. In the alternative measuring devices 10, the gas mixture 2 is supplied to the air quality determination sensor 9 through a secondary inlet 18. The secondary inlet 18 is positioned between the heating element 7, 24 and the air quality determination sensor 9. During the measurement of the base signal, the inlet 13 is closed by a main valve 19. A valve 20 of the secondary inlet 18 serves to regulate the supply of the gas mixture 2.

[0070] In order to determine an even more accurate base signal, which can lead to an even more precise quality determination of a gas mixture 2, the gas mixture 2 can be cleaned by a filter 21 before heating. This filter 21 can contain a catalytic heating element 22 ( Fig. 6), an activated carbon filter 23 ( Fig. 7), a combination of both previously described filters 21, or another filter 21 known to the person skilled in the art. Such a filter 21 can also be integrated in measuring devices 10 without a secondary inlet 18, as shown in the Fig. 2 to 5 and Fig. 8 are shown.

[0071] Alternatively, a base signal can also be determined by a measuring device 10 with at least two preferably separate main lines 15, each of which has at least one particle counter 8 and one air quality determination sensor 9 ( Fig. 8). A first main line 15 is used to determine the base signal, while a second main line 15 detects measurement signals of organic components of the gas mixture 2 after heating has taken place. The first main line 15 shown here does not have a heating element 7, 24, whereby the measuring device 10 can be designed more cost-effectively. To determine the quality of the gas mixture 2, the signals of the at least one air quality determination sensor 9 positioned in the first main line 15 are compared with those of the at least one air quality determination sensor 9 of the second main line 15. In the Fig. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, a base signal and a signal after heating a gas mixture 2 can be measured in parallel, whereby the quality of a gas mixture 2 can be determined even faster.

[0072] In the described methods, inorganic components of the gas mixture 2 are also measured by the measuring device 10, such as nitrogen oxides and / or hydrogen.

[0073] The invention thus generally proposes a method and a measuring device 10 for determining the quality of aerosol particles 1 in a gas mixture 2, wherein aerosol particles 1 are concentrated and heated by a heating element 7, and wherein a particle counter 8 determines the number of aerosol particles 1, and at least one air quality sensor 9 detects at least organic components of the aerosol particles 1 and / or signal patterns of the gas mixture 2 before and after heating. This method and the measuring device are particularly suitable for determining the quality of indoor air, but are not limited to this application. List of reference symbols 1 aerosol particle 2 gas mixture 3 inorganic aerosol particles 4 organic aerosol particles 5 semi-volatile organic compounds 6 volatile organic compounds 7 Heating element 8 particle counters 9 Air quality determination sensor 10 Measuring device 11 Pump 12 Gas mixture during heating 13 Inlet 14 Procedure 15 Main line 16 indentation 17 Absorber material 18 secondary inlet 19 Main valve 20 Valve of the secondary inlet 18 21 filters 22 catalytic heating element 23 activated carbon filters 24 microbalances T Temperature

Claims

[1] Method for determining air quality with the aid of aerosol particles (1) in a gas mixture (2), wherein aerosol particles (1) are concentrated and heated by a heating element (7), and wherein a particle counter (8) determines a number of aerosol particles (1) and at least one air quality determination sensor (9) determines at least organic components of the aerosol particles (1) and / or signal patterns of the gas mixture (2) before and after heating. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the aerosol particles (1) are preferably concentrated on the heating element (7) before heating. [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the heating takes place abruptly or gradually. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat for the determination of organic components before the heating out, the gas mixture (2) is fed through a secondary inlet (18) to the at least one air quality determination sensor (9) and / or that for the determination of organic components after the heating out, the gas mixture (2) is fed through an inlet (13) to the at least one air quality determination sensor (9). [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that during and / or after the heating out, a mass loss of the aerosol particles (1), in particular a mass loss of the aerosol particles (1) at the heating element (7), is determined. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a partial quantity or the total quantity of a gas mixture (2) is supplied to the at least one air quality determination sensor (9). [7] Measuring device (10) for determining air quality with the aid of aerosol particles (1) in a gas mixture (2), in particular according to one of the previously claimed methods, comprising a heating element (7), a particle counter (8) and at least one air quality determination sensor (9), wherein the heating element (7) is arranged upstream of the at least one air quality determination sensor (9). [8] Measuring device (10) according to claim 7, characterized by that the particle counter (8) is arranged downstream of the heating element (7) and / or the at least one air quality determination sensor (9). [9] Measuring device (10) according to one of claims directed to a measuring device (10), characterized by that the heating element (7) is equipped with an absorber material (17). [10] Measuring device (10) according to a preceding claim directed to a measuring device (10), characterized bythat the heating element (7) is designed as a microbalance (23), in particular as a quartz crystal microbalance. [11] Measuring device (10) according to a preceding claim directed to a measuring device (10), characterized by that the measuring device (10) has at least two air quality determination sensors (9), and / or wherein the or one air quality determination sensor (9) is and / or comprises in particular a VOC sensor and / or a photoionization detector and / or a pellistor and / or a semiconductor gas sensor. [12] Measuring device (10) according to a preceding claim directed to a measuring device (10), characterized by that the measuring device (10) has at least one pump (11) for supplying the gas mixture (2) to the particle counter (8), in particular wherein the pump (11) is arranged downstream of the air quality determination sensor (9). [13] Measuring device (10) according to a preceding claim directed to a measuring device (10), characterized by that the measuring device (10) has a secondary inlet (18) for the or a gas mixture (2), that the secondary inlet (18) preferably has a filter (21), wherein the filter (21) is particularly preferably designed as a catalytic heating element (22) and / or as an activated carbon filter (23). [14] Measuring device (10) according to a preceding claim directed to a measuring device (10), characterized by that the measuring device (10) has at least two main lines (15). [15] Use of a heating plate (7), a particle counter (8) and an air quality determination sensor (9), in particular a VOC sensor, for air quality determination with the aid of aerosol particles (1) in a gas mixture (2), wherein preferably an aerosol particle number and a proportion of organic components of aerosol particles (1) of a gas mixture (2) are determined simultaneously.

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