Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

Tennyson Dust Monitoring 

Investigation 

September to October 2012 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

Page 2 of 19 

Prepared by: 

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Sciences, Science Delivery Division 

Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

© The State of Queensland (Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts) 2012 

Copyright inquiries should be addressed to copyright@derm.qld.gov.au or the Department of Science, Information 

Technology, Innovation and the Arts, 41 George Street Brisbane QLD 4000 

Published by the Queensland Government, December 2012 

This document has been prepared with all due diligence and care, based on the best available information at the time of 

publication. The department holds no responsibility for any errors or omissions within this document. Any decisions made 

by other parties based on this document are solely the responsibility of those parties. Information contained in this 

document is from a number of sources and, as such, does not necessarily represent government or departmental policy. 

December 2012 
Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation September to October 2012 

Page 3 of 19 

Summary 

An investigation of air quality in the Tennyson community adjacent to the rail corridor used by trains hauling 

coal from West Moreton coal mines to the Port of Brisbane was conducted by the Department of Science, 

Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts (DSITIA) over the period from 5 September to 5 October 

2012. The investigation was commissioned by the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection 

(DEHP) following concerns raised by residents about dust impacts from uncovered coal wagons. 

The investigation focused on acquiring data to assess both health and nuisance impacts in the community, 

together with determination of the contribution of coal particles to overall dust levels. The monitoring program 

collected information on: 

• PM10 (particles less than 10 micrometres in diameter) levels—for assessment against criteria based on 

health 

• Deposited dust (dustfall)—for assessment against criteria based on nuisance 

• Coal dust content in deposited dust—for assessment of the percentage contribution of coal particles to 

overall dust levels. 

The monitoring by DSITIA found that ambient particle concentrations generally complied with ambient air 

quality objectives. 

PM10 levels did not exceed the Queensland Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008 (EPP Air) 24-hour 

average air quality objective on any day at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site during the entire 

investigation period. 

The lack of any observed relationship between 24-hour average PM10 concentrations and the proportion of 

winds coming from the direction of the rail line during the daily sampling period suggests that coal trains are 

not a significant contributor to PM10 levels in the Tennyson community when compared to other local and 

regional sources of PM10 such as motor vehicle emissions. 

Average daily deposited dust (insoluble fraction) levels at the three Tennyson monitoring sites over the 

30-day sampling period were less than the dust nuisance trigger level recommended by the New Zealand 

Ministry for the Environment, which was used in the absence of Australian dust nuisance criteria. 

The major component of the dust samples from the Tennyson monitoring sites was soil/rock dust at 40 per 

cent or more of the total insoluble dust collected. Coal dust was found to comprise between 10 percent and 

20 per cent of the insoluble deposited dust samples in the Tennyson community. Another black particle type, 

rubber dust generated from vehicle tyre wear, was present in all the deposited dust samples at a level of 

10 per cent of total insoluble dust. Fragments of plant and insect materials were also found in the dust 

samples. The coal dust particles identified in the microscopic analysis were between 20 μm and 200 μm in 

size. 

The proportion of coal dust in the deposited dust samples was higher than that found during a previous coal 

dust study conducted at Tennyson between July 1998 and August 1999. The coal dust levels found in the 

current investigation were roughly in line with the threefold increase in the amount of coal being transported 

to the Port of Brisbane (3 million tonnes in 1998-1999 versus 9 million tonnes in 2012). 

During the passage of individual trains, the levels of particles less than 20 μm in size were found to increase 

on average by 5 μg/m3

 or less when compared to levels immediately before the train passed. Loaded coal 

trains appeared to cause the greatest increase in short-term levels of particles of this size, although when 

meteorological conditions favoured impacts from dust generated by passing trains, all train types except 

empty coal trains showed a similar average concentration change. It appears that for loaded coal trains, 

re-entrainment of surface dust by air movements associated with the passing train is a larger source of 

airborne particles of this size in the immediate vicinity of the rail line than losses from the coal wagons. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

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Table of contents 

Summary...........................................................................................................................................3

Table of contents .............................................................................................................................4

Glossary of terms ............................................................................................................................5

Introduction ......................................................................................................................................6

Monitoring program design ............................................................................................................6

Results and discussion...................................................................................................................8

Meteorology 8

PM10 10

Deposited dust 12

Coal dust 14

Dust levels during train movements ............................................................................................16

Conclusions ...................................................................................................................................18

References......................................................................................................................................19
Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation September to October 2012 

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Glossary of terms 

AMCP University of Queensland Applied Materials Characterisation and Performance 

Laboratory. 

Ash The mass of the insoluble portion of particles deposited in a deposit gauge which 

remains after combustion of the sample. 

AS/NZS Australian Standard/New Zealand Standard 

Combustible matter The mass of the insoluble portion of particles deposited in a deposit gauge which is 

lost on combustion of the sample. 

Deposited dust Particles collected in a deposit gauge which passes through a 1 mm mesh sieve. 

DSITIA Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

DEHP Department of Environment and Heritage Protection 

EPP Air Queensland Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008. 

g/m2

/30days Grams per square metre per 30 day period. A measure of the average mass of 

particles settling on a unit area over a 30 day period. 

Insoluble solids The mass of the insoluble portion of particles deposited in a deposit gauge. 

km Kilometre 

μg Microgram (= one millionth of a gram) 

μg/m3

 Micrograms per cubic metre. A measure of the mass of particles suspended in a unit 

volume of air. 

μm Micrometre (= one millionth of a metre) 

mg Milligram (= one thousandth of a gram) 

mg/m2

/day Milligrams per square metre per day. A measure of the average mass of particles 

settling on a unit area on a daily basis. 

ml Millilitre 

PM10 Atmospheric suspended particles having an aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 

μm. 

SEM/EDS Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. 

SIMTARS Queensland Government Safety In Mines Testing And Research Station. 

Soluble solids The mass of the soluble portion of particles deposited in a deposit gauge. 

Total solids Total mass of particles deposited in a deposit gauge (the sum of insoluble and 

soluble solids fractions. 

Wind rose A diagram representing the frequency distribution of wind speed and direction on a 

polar co-ordinate map. Wind direction is the direction the wind is blowing from. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

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Introduction 

Approximately 9 million tonnes of export coal is transported each year to the Port of Brisbane via the 

Western and Metropolitan Rail Systems. These railway networks are owned and managed by Queensland 

Rail, while the coal haulage (train) services are undertaken by Aurizon. The coal haulage route starts just 

east of Miles, travels through Dalby, Toowoomba, Ipswich and the western and southern suburbs of 

Brisbane through to the Port of Brisbane. At present the coal is transported in uncovered rail wagons. 

The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (DEHP) has received a number of complaints from 

residents of Brisbane suburbs along the Metropolitan Rail Line to the Port of Brisbane concerning dust 

nuisance from the transport of coal. A high proportion of these complaints have come from residents of the 

suburb of Tennyson. At Tennyson there is a bend in the rail line, which could lead to greater shaking of rail 

wagons as trains slow down and then speed up, increasing the potential for generation of dust. 

In response to local community concerns about dust impacts from coal trains, the DEHP arranged for the 

Science Delivery Division of the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

(DSITIA) to undertake a one-month dust monitoring investigation at Tennyson to assess the validity of the 

complaints and to obtain information which could be used as a basis for determining what future action may 

need to be taken. Tennyson was chosen as the site of this initial investigation due to the concentration of 

complaints received by the DEHP from Tennyson residents. 

This report summarises the monitoring results obtained by DSITIA from the dust monitoring investigation at 

Tennyson for the four-week period from 5 September to 5 October 2012. 

Monitoring program design 

The potential health effects of dust are closely related to particle size. The size range of airborne particles 

varies from less than 0.1 μm up to about 500 μm or half a millimetre in diameter (1 μm = one millionth of a 

metre). Human health effects of airborne dust are mainly associated with particles less than 10 μm in size 

(commonly termed PM10), which are small enough to pass through the filtration mechanisms in the upper 

respiratory tract and penetrate beyond the larynx to the lower airways. PM10 particles are invisible to the 

naked eye. By way of comparison, a human hair is approximately 60 μm in diameter. PM10 particles can 

arise from combustion processes (e.g. motor vehicle engines) and mechanical processes (e.g. windblown 

dust). 

Particles can also cause considerable nuisance problems through soiling of property and materials. 

Nuisance effects can be caused by particles of any size, but are most commonly associated with those 

larger than 20μm which rapidly settle out of the air in the vicinity of the point of emission. 

The DSITIA's dust monitoring investigation at Tennyson between September and October 2012 focused on 

acquiring data to assess both health and nuisance impacts in the community, together with determination of 

the contribution of coal particles to overall dust levels. The monitoring program collected information on: 

• PM10 levels—for assessment against criteria based on health 

• Deposited dust (dustfall)—for assessment against criteria based on nuisance 

• Coal dust content in deposited matter—for assessment of the percentage contribution of coal particles to 

overall dust levels. 

PM10 results were compared with the Queensland Environmental Protection (Air) Policy 2008 (EPP Air) 

24-hour air quality objective of 50 μg/m3

. In the absence of an EPP Air objective for deposited matter, 

measured deposited dust levels were compared against the trigger level of 4 g/m2

/30 days, or 

130 mg/m2

/day expressed on a daily basis, recommended by the New Zealand Ministry of the 

Environment[1]. 

Monitoring was conducted at three locations within the Tennyson community, as shown in Figure 1. 

Equipment monitoring PM10 and deposited dust was located at the Tennyson Railway Station, approximately 

six metres from the edge of the platform and the nearest railway track. It was anticipated that measurements 

at this site would provide an indication of maximum levels of coal dust due to the proximity of the monitoring 

equipment to passing coal trains. At the time of the monitoring study the station was not in use and the 

platform was fenced off to prevent public access. 
Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation September to October 2012 

Page 7 of 19 

Figure 1: Map showing the location of the monitoring sites at Tennyson in relation to the rail corridor. 

Measurement of deposited dust was also carried out at residential properties in Myla Terrace and Vivian 

Street in the Tennyson community. Myla Terrace runs adjacent to the rail line and residential properties in 

this street are likely to experience the highest exposure to any dust coming from passing coal trains. At the 

Myla Terrace monitoring site, the deposited dust monitoring equipment was located in the front yard of a 

residential property approximately 20 metres from the nearest rail track. The third monitoring site in Vivian 

Street was located in a residential property approximately 300 metres from the rail corridor. Monitoring of 

deposited dust at the Vivian Street site was intended to provide an indication of any reduction in dust levels 

with distance from the rail line. 

Deposited dust was monitored by determining the amount of dust collected over an exposed surface in a 

fixed period of time. Measurement was by means of a funnel and collection bottle, which simply caught the 

dust settling over a fixed surface area over a period of one month. The dust was washed from the bottle, 

filtered and weighed, and the results reported in terms of the weight of dust collected per unit of surface area 

over the sampling period. Collection and analysis were carried out in accordance with Australian/New 

Zealand Standard AS/NZS 3580.10.1:2003 Method 10.1 Determination of particulates – Deposited Matter – 

Gravimetric method. The sample collection was carried out by DSITIA staff and the analysis was carried out 

by Queensland Government Safety in Mines, Testing and Research Station (SIMTARS). Prior to analysis, 

the solution contained in the collection bottle was homogenised and a 100 ml sub-sample was extracted for 

the coal dust identification analysis. 

Daily 24-hour average PM10 samples were collected using a Partisol®

 Model 2025 sequential low-volume air 

sampler at the Tennyson Station monitoring site for assessment of compliance with the EPP Air 24-hour 

objective. The sampler was operated in accordance with Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 

3580.9.10:2006 Method 9.9: Determination of suspended particulate matter – PM10 low-volume sampler – 

Gravimetric method. The sequential air sampler operated by drawing air through a PM10 size-selective inlet 

(to remove particles larger than 10 μm) and depositing the PM10 particles on a pre-weighed 47mm diameter 

Teflon®

 filter over a 24-hour period from midnight to midnight. After sampling, the filter was again weighed, 

with the difference in weight being the mass of PM10 particles collected. The PM10 mass concentration was 

calculated by dividing the mass of PM10 particles collected by the volume of air drawn through the sampler 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

Page 8 of 19 

over the 24-hour sampling period. The sample collection was carried out by departmental staff and the 

gravimetric analysis was carried out by SIMTARS. 

At the Tennyson Station monitoring site, continuous 5-minute averaged particle measurements were also 

collected using a Model 8533 DusttrakTM DRX Aerosol Monitor to determine if the passage of coal trains 

coincided with short-term increases in particle levels. The DusttrakTM analyser drew air into a sensing 

chamber where the air stream was illuminated by light from a laser diode. Particles present in the air stream 

caused the light beam to be scattered, with the amount of scattering being measured by a photodetector 

mounted at 90o

 to the air stream. The aerosol concentration was determined by the overall photodetector 

response, while individual pulses from the photodetector provided a measure of the size of the particle 

causing the light scattering. The DusttrakTM instrument was chosen due to its fast response time to particle 

concentration changes. However, as the DusttrakTM instrument does not directly measure particle mass, the 

recorded particle concentrations could not be used to determine compliance with the EPP Air objectives for 

particles. 

Determination of the coal particle content was performed by microscope examination of the sub-sample 

extracted from the deposited dust samples before the deposited dust analysis was carried out. The 

deposited dust sub-sample solution was filtered onto a membrane filter and examined by stereomicroscopy 

for particle distribution (surface coverage) and general appearance. This was followed by the use of 

scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) of selected individual 

particles to confirm that the particles assessed by stereomicroscopy as coal particles were actually coal 

particles. The coal dust identification work was performed by the Applied Materials Characterisation and 

Performance Laboratory (AMCP) at the University of Queensland. AMCP are considered nationally as 

experts in coal dust determination and the techniques used in the Tennyson investigation have been 

previously applied to other coal dust studies in Queensland. 

Wind speed and direction measurements averaged over 30-minute periods were recorded at the Tennyson 

Railway Station monitoring site to assist with determination of the contribution of coal trains to overall particle 

levels. A Gill Windsonic ultrasonic wind sensor was connected to the inbuilt wind sensor input on the 

Partisol®

 sequential low-volume air sampler, which recorded 30-minute averaged wind speed and direction 

measurements. The wind sensor operated by measuring the speed at which sound waves travelled through 

the air between two sets of transducers. The wind sensor was located at a height of six metres above ground 

level. 

Results and discussion 

Meteorology 

Wind direction was a critical factor in the measurement of dust impacts at the Tennyson monitoring sites. For 

dust generated by the passage of coal trains to impact the Tennyson Station and Myla Terrace monitoring 

sites, the wind direction had to be between east through south to west. For impacts at the Vivian Street 

monitoring site, wind direction had to be between east-southeast and southwest (see Figure 1). A summary 

of the wind characteristics during the monitoring period is provided in Table 1. The distribution of winds over 

the dust deposition monitoring period from 5 September to 5 October 2012 is also shown in the wind rose in 

Figure 2. 

During the deposited dust sampling period from 5 September to 5 October, winds were favourable for 

transport of dust from coal trains towards the Tennyson Railway Station and Myla Terrace monitoring sites 

for over half of the sampling period. At the Vivian Street monitoring site, winds blew from the direction of the 

rail line for only 20 per cent of the sampling period. 

Winds from the direction of the rail line during daily sampling periods ranged from two per cent to 100 per 

cent of all winds at the Tennyson Station monitoring site. On 16 of the 29 sampling days, more than 50 per 

cent of all winds blew from the direction of the rail line towards the monitoring equipment at the Tennyson 

Station monitoring site. 
Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation September to October 2012 

Page 9 of 19 

Table 1: Wind and rainfall conditions during the Tennyson dust monitoring investigation from 5 September to 

5 October 2012. 

Winds from direction of railway line 

Proportion of winds 

(%) Sampling 

period 

Tennyson 

Station 

Myla 

Terrace 

Vivian 

Street 

Average 

wind speed 

(km/h)

Maximum 

wind speed 

(km/h)

Rainfall 

(mm)

Deposited dust monitoring

5 September to 

5 October 56 57 20 2.4 12.8 7.8 

PM10 monitoring 

6 September 2 4 0 1.8 4.7 0.0 

7 September 25 25 4 1.8 7.3 0.0 

8 September 85 71 2 5.5 11.2 0.1 

9 September 71 88 31 2.9 8.8 0.0 

10 September 56 63 17 2.3 5.6 0.0 

11 September 46 48 2 1.9 6.0 0.0 

12 September 42 42 10 1.5 3.3 0.0 

13 September 44 42 0 2.3 6.2 0.0 

14 September 77 77 13 4.9 12.8 0.0 

15 September 75 85 25 2.5 7.1 0.0 

16 September 56 56 8 1.8 4.8 0.0 

17 September 48 52 8 1.6 4.3 0.0 

18 September 54 56 25 2.0 4.4 0.1 

19 September 40 40 2 2.1 7.1 0.3 

20 September 38 35 6 1.7 5.1 0.0 

21 September 54 56 23 1.4 4.2 1.4 

22 September 65 75 23 2.1 4.9 0.0 

23 September 65 65 15 2.5 7.2 0.0 

24 September 46 42 2 2.1 5.8 4.8 

25 September 81 85 54 2.8 5.4 0.0 

26 September 63 81 29 2.0 4.3 0.0 

27 September 35 35 8 1.5 4.5 0.0 

28 September 38 35 6 1.8 3.8 0.0 

29 September 44 40 0 3.7 10.4 0.4 

30 September 69 77 17 2.0 5.6 0.7 

1 October 96 98 52 2.9 5.2 0.0 

2 October 100 100 69 3.4 7.4 0.0 

3 October 67 67 38 2.1 6.9 0.0 

4 October 44 44 6 2.1 5.2 0.0 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

Page 10 of 19 

Figure 2: Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site wind rose, 5 September to 5 October 2012. 

N

W +E

S 0 2 4 6 10 km/h

N

W +E

S 0 2 4 6 10 km/h

5%

10%

15%

20%

15%

20%

Rainfall was another factor influencing the outcome of the investigation through possible dust suppression. 

Daily rainfall information was available from the DSITIA’s Rocklea air quality monitoring station (located 

approximately 1.5 km south west of Tennyson) and has been summarised in Table 1. Minimal rainfall was 

experienced during the study period, and little dust suppression due to wet conditions would have occurred 

during the period of monitoring. 

It can be concluded that particle measurements obtained during the monitoring period would have included 

conditions likely to be representative of worst-case conditions for dust impacts from the dust sources existing 

in the Tennyson area, particularly for the two monitoring sites closest to the rail corridor. 

PM10

The 24-hour average PM10 monitoring results obtained from the Partisol® instrument at the Tennyson 

Railway Station monitoring site are displayed graphically in Figure 3, and summarised in Table 2. The 

highest 24-hour average PM10 concentration was 39.8 μg/m3 on 11 September. The average PM10

concentration over the entire 29-day period the Partisol®

 instrument was in operation was 26.6 μg/m3. 

Figure 3: 24-hour average PM10 concentrations at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site, September 

to October 2012. 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4

24-hour average PM10

concentration (μg/m3

)

 Tennyson Railway Station EPP Air objective

September October

Table 2: 24-hour average PM10 concentration statistics at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site, 

6 September to 4 October 2012. 

Monitoring site 

Maximum 

concentration 

(μg/m3)

Average 

concentration 

(μg/m3)

Median 

concentration 

(μg/m3)

Minimum 

concentration 

(μg/m3)

Number of 

24-hour values 

Tennyson 

Railway Station 39.8 26.6 25.9 18.3 29 
Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation September to October 2012 

Page 11 of 19 

The EPP Air 24-hour average air quality objective for PM10 particles is 50 μg/m3. During the investigation 

period the EPP Air objective was not exceeded at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site. 

On Sunday 16 September, no coal trains and only four freight train services ran on the rail line past 

Tennyson Railway Station over the whole day. The PM10 concentration measured on this day was 

19.0 μg/m3

. This provides an indication of typical background PM10 concentrations in the Tennyson area in 

the absence of train and significant motor vehicle emission sources. 

The elevated PM10 levels observed at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site on 11 to 13 September, 

21 September and 24 September were replicated at the Department’s ambient air quality monitoring network 

stations at South Brisbane, Woolloongabba and Rocklea on these days (Figure 4), indicating the added 

contribution of a regional source of PM10 particles. The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service website[2]

reported that a number of annual hazard reduction/conservation management program burns for parks and 

forests were undertaken in the South-East Queensland region during September. There was also a grass 

fire at Upper Brookfield which burned for a number of days from 23 September. Smoke from these burns will 

have increased the background levels of PM10 particles in the atmosphere at these times. 

Figure 4: 24-hour average PM10 concentrations at DSITIA’s South Brisbane, Woolloongabba and Rocklea 

air quality monitoring sites, 6 September to 4 October 2012. 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4

24-hour average PM10

concentration (μg/m3

)

 South Brisbane Woolloongabba Rocklea

EPP Air objective

September October

The relationship between 24-hour PM10 concentrations and the proportion of winds blowing from the 

direction of the rail line towards the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site is plotted in Figures 5 and 6. 

No relationship was found between 24-hour average PM10 concentrations and the proportion of winds 

coming from the direction of the rail line during the daily sampling period (trend shown by the heavy line in 

Figure 5). This finding suggests that coal trains are not a significant contributor to PM10 levels in the 

Tennyson community, compared to other local and regional sources of PM10 such as motor vehicle 

emissions. The main roads running through Tennyson (King Arthur Terrance and Softstone Street) carry 

around 10 000 vehicles per day on average[3]. 

Figure 5: Relationship between 24-hour average PM10 concentrations and proportion of winds from the 

direction of the rail line at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site, September to October 2012. 

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Proportion of winds from direction of rail line during sampling period (%)

24-hour average PM10

concentration (μg/m3

)

 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

Page 12 of 19 

Figure 6: Comparison between the average PM10 concentration and the proportion of winds from the 

direction of the rail line for each sampling day at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site, September to 

October 2012. 

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4

24-hour average PM10

concentration (μg/m3

)

0

20

40

60

80

100

Proportion of winds from

direction of rail line (%)

 Tennyson Railway Station PM10 Wind frequency

September October

Deposited dust 

Monthly dust deposition monitoring was conducted at the three Tennyson monitoring sites to assess dust 

fallout levels against criteria for nuisance annoyance (as no health-based criteria exist for deposited matter) 

and for determination of the amount of coal particles present in the deposited dust. 

The dust deposition analysis method allows for the determination of total, dissolved and insoluble deposited 

matter, with a further breakdown of the insoluble fraction into combustible matter and ash content. Insoluble 

matter is the solid material collected by filtering the sample, while the dissolved matter is determined by 

evaporating some or all of the liquid filtrate. As a general rule, the dissolved material is of little interest in 

assessing nuisance effects. In a coastal environment a large proportion of the dissolved matter would be 

marine salt. Combustible matter is that portion of the insoluble matter lost during combustion and is an 

indication of the amount of organic matter in the dust. Any coal particles present in the insoluble deposited 

dust will be part of the combustible matter fraction, along with other organic matter such as plant fragments, 

insect material, plastic fragments, wood dust, soot and rubber dust. The ash content is an indication of the 

mineral content of the dust. The ash is often primarily soil or rock particles, but can include particles such as 

fly ash and cement dust. 

The results of dust deposition sampling at the Tennyson monitoring sites over the 30-day period from 

5 September to 5 October 2012 are summarised in Table 3 and displayed graphically in Figure 7. In Figure 7 

the contributions from combustible matter particle types and ash particle types to the overall insoluble dust 

deposition rate are shown by the divisions on each column. 

Table 3: Deposited dust monitoring results at the Tennyson monitoring sites, 5 September to 5 October 

2012. 

Dust deposition 

Monitoring site Insoluble 

solids 

(mg/m2/day)

Ash 

(mg/m2/day)

Combustible 

matter 

(mg/m2/day)

Winds from 

direction of 

rail line 

(%)

Rainfall 

(mm)

Tennyson 

Railway Station 46 37 9 56 

Myla Terrace 97 61 36 57 

Vivian Street 42 25 17 20 

7.8 

Note: Ash deposition rate plus Combustible matter deposition rate equals Insoluble solids deposition rate. 
Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation September to October 2012 

Page 13 of 19 

Figure 7: Monthly insoluble dust deposition rates at the Tennyson monitoring sites, 5 September to 5 

October 2012. 

0

30

60

90

120

150

Tennyson Railway Station Myla Terrace Vivian Street

Daily deposition rate

(mg/m2/day)

 Combustible matter fraction Ash fraction

New Zealand dust nuisance trigger level

Possible dust nuisance for highly visible dusts

There are currently no Australian ambient air quality guidelines for deposited dust. The New Zealand Ministry 

for the Environment’s recommended dust nuisance trigger level for deposited dust is a maximum insoluble 

solids dust deposition rate of 4 g/m2

/30days (above background concentrations), or 130 mg/m2/day averaged 

over a 30-day period[1]. Previous routine dust deposition monitoring conducted by the former Department of 

Environment in South-East Queensland (this monitoring ceased in 1994)[4-6] showed that background daily 

dust deposition rates were between 20 mg/m2/day and 30 mg/m2/day averaged over a 30-day period at a 

location in Toowong, a residential suburb. There are no dust deposition guidelines expressed in terms of ash 

deposition or combustible matter deposition. 

The maximum insoluble dust deposition rate measured at Tennyson was 97 mg/m2

/day at the Myla Terrace 

monitoring site, which is below the New Zealand recommended trigger level for nuisance impacts from 

deposited dust. Insoluble dust deposition rates at the Tennyson Railway Station and Vivian Street monitoring 

sites were less than 50 mg/m2

/day. While dust deposition rates were below the recommended trigger level, 

the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment guidance document[1] notes that in highly sensitive residential 

areas, deposition rates in the order of 2 g/m2/30days (or 65 mg/m2/day averaged over a 30-day period) 

above background concentrations may cause nuisance, especially for highly visible dust such as black coal 

dust. While the overall insoluble dust deposition rate measured at the Myla Terrace monitoring site would be 

equal to or sightly above this level after typical residential background levels have been deducted, the 

combustible matter fraction, which would contain any black coal dust present, was well below the level at 

which highly visible dusts might lead to nuisance impacts (see Table 3). 

The insoluble dust deposition rates measured at the Tennyson Railway Station and Vivian Street monitoring 

sites during the current investigation period did not differ greatly from the deposition rates reported for 

Tennyson in a previous coal dust investigation program conducted by SIMTARS for Queensland Rail 

between July 1998 and August 1999[7], despite an increase in the quantity of coal hauled by rail to the Port of 

Brisbane from approximately three million tonnes per annum to approximately nine million tonnes in the 

intervening period. 

In this earlier study the dust deposition sampling site was located on railway property at the end of Gerlee 

Street, Tennyson. Across the fourteen monthly samples collected at the Gerlee Street sampling site, the 

average insoluble dust deposition rate was 35 mg/m2

/day (range 16 to 60 mg/m2/day) and the average ash 

deposition rate was 23 mg/m2

/day (range 13 to 34 mg/m2/day). On average, combustible matter comprised 

32 per cent by weight of the total insoluble dust fraction (range 7 to 50 per cent) at the Gerlee Street 

sampling site. In the current investigation, combustible matter content ranged between 20 per cent at the 

Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site and 40 per cent at the Vivian Street monitoring site. 

It is not possible to determine how representative the dust deposition measurements obtained during this 

investigation are of dust deposition over a longer period at the three monitoring sites. Given the similarity in 

insoluble dust deposition rates at the Tennyson Railway Station and Vivian Street monitoring sites compared 

to the Myla Terrace monitoring site, it is possible that activities in the immediate vicinity of the collection 

bottle at Myla Terrace could have contributed to the higher deposition rate measured at this site. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

Page 14 of 19 

Coal dust 

One of the aims of the Tennyson monitoring was to obtain a measure of the contribution of coal dust to 

overall dust levels in the community. This was done by filtering the sub-sample taken from the deposited 

dust collection bottle from each monitoring site through a membrane filter, followed by microscopic 

examination of the insoluble particles retained on the surface of filter. The microscope techniques used by 

the University of Queensland’s Applied Materials Characterisation and Performance Laboratory were 

capable of distinguishing a number of different types of particles in the deposited dust. The particle types 

able to be identified included a range of black-coloured particles (coal, soot and rubber dust), mineral dust 

(e.g. soil, rock, fly ash, cement, glass), biological particles (e.g. insect and plant fragments) and other 

general organic particles (e.g. wood, fibres, paint, plastics). 

The relative proportions of the different particles present in the dust sample were based on the surface area 

coverage of each particle type on the membrane filter. The microscope techniques were capable of resolving 

the relative surface area proportions of the different particle types to an accuracy of approximately ±5 per 

cent. As the particle composition analysis is based on surface area coverage and the dust deposition rate 

analysis is based on particle mass, it is not possible to derive a quantitative deposition rate for individual 

particle types from the particle composition analysis results. 

Table 4 provides a full listing of the types of particles able to be identified by the microscopic techniques 

used, and details the relative proportions (based on filter surface area coverage) of those particles found to 

be present in the deposited dust at the three Tennyson monitoring sites. 

The major component of the deposited dust at each monitoring site was found to be mineral dust (soil or rock 

dust), comprising between 40 to 50 per cent of the total deposited dust fraction at each site. Coal dust made 

up 20 per cent of the deposited dust at the Myla Terrace and Vivian Street monitoring sites, and 10 per cent 

of the deposited dust at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site. Black rubber dust (generated from 

vehicle tyre wear) was found at levels of 10 per cent coverage for all three monitoring site samples. Other 

particles detected in the deposited dust samples were plant debris (e.g. bark, leaf fragments), insect debris 

(only at the Tennyson Railway Station site where there was overhead security lighting in close proximity to 

the collection bottle) and ‘copper sludge’. The presence of copper sludge is due to the addition of copper 

sulfate to the dust deposition bottle prior to sampling to control the growth of algae in the collection bottle 

during the sampling period as specified by the requirements of the Australian Standard method. The 

presence of copper sludge is not the result of a source of airborne copper compounds in the Tennyson area. 

The relative proportions of the different particle types present in the deposited dust samples at each 

monitoring site, excluding copper sludge which was a product of the copper sulfate solution added to the 

collection bottle and was not present in the atmosphere, are displayed graphically in Figure 8. 

The proportions of coal dust found in the insoluble dust samples in this investigation (at between 10 and 

20 per cent) were higher than those determined in the previous sampling carried out between July 1998 and 

August 1999[7]. In the earlier investigation, coal dust was found to comprise between 1 and 3 per cent of the 

deposited dust insoluble fraction. However, care needs to be exercised in directly comparing the two 

datasets as a different coal dust identification technique was used in the previous study to that used in the 

current investigation. Despite this, the increased proportion of coal dust in the 2012 samples was roughly in 

line with the threefold increase in coal haulage tonnages compared with those at the time of the earlier study. 
Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation September to October 2012 

Page 15 of 19 

Table 4: Composition of deposited dust insoluble solids fraction at Tennyson monitoring sites, September to 

October 2012. 

Particle Identity Percentage (projected area basis)a

Category Particle Type Tennyson 

Railway Station 

Myla 

Terrace 

Vivian 

Street 

Coal 10 20 20 

Black Soot not detected not detected not detected 

Black rubber dust 10 10 10 

Mineral dust (soil or rock dust) 40 40 50 

Mineral dust (fly ash) Trace trace trace 

Mineral dust (cement dust) not detected not detected not detected 

Mineral dust (glassy) not detected not detected not detected 

Glass fragments not detected not detected not detected 

Inorganics 

and 

Minerals 

Copper sludge 10 10 10 

Photosynthetic slime and fungi not detected not detected not detected 

Insect debris 10 not detected trace 

Plant debris (general) 20 20 10 

Biological 

Plant debris (plant char) not detected not detected not detected 

Wood dust Trace not detected not detected 

Fibres (miscellaneous) Trace not detected not detected 

Starch not detected not detected not detected 

Paint Trace not detected trace 

Plastic fragments not detected not detected not detected 

General 

organic 

types 

Red rubber dust not detected not detected not detected 

a

 The uncertainty in the measurement of projected area is ±5 per cent 

Figure 8: Relative proportions of the different particle types present in deposited dust samples at the 

Tennyson monitoring sites. 

0

20

40

60

80

100

Tennyson Railway Station Myla Terrace Vivian Street

Surface coverage (%)

 Coal Black rubber dust Insect material Plant fragments Soil/rock dust
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

Page 16 of 19 

Dust levels during train movements 

Total particle measurements recorded by the DusttrakTM instrument located at the Tennyson Railway Station 

monitoring site were used to determine the effect of the passage of different types of trains on short-term 

particle levels at Tennyson. (In this context, total particles refers to the concentration of all particles capable 

of being detected by the DusttrakTM instrument, with an upper particle size limit of approximately 20 μm in 

diameter[8].) This assessment consisted of comparing the average total particles concentration measurement 

during the two five-minute monitoring periods immediately before the passage of an individual train against 

the corresponding average concentration for the five-minute periods during and immediately following the 

passage of the train. Train movement details for Tennyson during the investigation period were provided by 

Queensland Rail. To minimise the influence of multiple train movements, only train movements where there 

were no other trains within the 15 minute period before and the ten minute period following the passage of 

the train were considered in the analysis. 

During the period from 6 September to 4 October 2012 there were 1591 train movements past the Tennyson 

Railway Station. Of these, 576 (36 per cent) fitted the individual train criteria described above, comprising 

169 loaded coal trains, 194 empty coal trains, 168 other freight trains and 45 passenger trains. The results of 

the analysis of changes in total particle levels coinciding with train movements are summarised in Table 5 

and shown graphically in Figure 9. The highest average change in total particle levels occurred for loaded 

coal trains (4.9 μg/m3

), followed by other freight trains (2.8 μg/m3), empty coal trains (2.4 μg/m3) and 

passenger trains (1.6 μg/m3). Median particle level concentration change values showed a similar trend (the 

median value is the middle of all measurement values when sorted in order). 

A second analysis was undertaken for train movements when meteorological conditions were favourable for 

dust impacts at the monitoring site, i.e. calm conditions (wind speeds less than 1.0 km/h), or when winds 

were blowing from the direction of the rail line (between east and west). With these added conditions only 

417 train movements complied, comprising 127 loaded coal trains, 146 empty coal trains, 116 other freight 

trains and 28 passenger trains. The results of this analysis are summarised in Table 5 and shown graphically 

in Figure 10. The highest average change in total particle levels again occurred for loaded coal trains 

(5.0 μg/m3

), closely followed by other freight trains (4.8 μg/m3) and passenger trains (4.6 μg/m3), then empty 

coal trains (2.3 μg/m3). For median particle level concentration change values the order was loaded coal 

trains, passenger trains, other freight trains and empty coal trains. The relatively low number of passenger 

trains may account for the higher median value for passenger trains. 

Table 5: Summary of average and median changes in concentrations of total particles (less than 20 μm in 

size) during the passage of different train types at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site, 

6 September to 4 October 2012. 

All wind directions and speeds 

All wind directions 

for wind speeds <1.0 km/h, or 

wind direction 90o to 270o for 

wind speeds >1.0 km/h 

Concentration of total particles Concentration of total particles 

Initial 

concentration 

Change in 

concentration 

Initial 

concentration 

Change in 

concentration 

Train type 

Number 

of 

trains Average 

(μg/m3) 

Average 

(μg/m3) 

Median 

(μg/m3) 

Number

of 

trains Average 

(μg/m3) 

Average 

(μg/m3) 

Median 

(μg/m3) 

Coal 

(loaded) 169 24.2 4.9 2.5 127 26.4 5.0 3.5 

Coal 

(empty) 194 24.3 2.4 1.0 146 25.5 2.3 1.0 

Other 

freight 168 23.8 2.8 1.5 116 21.5 4.8 1.5 

Passenger 45 35.0 1.6 0.0 28 35.8 4.6 2.0 
Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation September to October 2012 

Page 17 of 19 

Figure 9: Comparison of the change in total particle concentrations by train type during all wind conditions at 

the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site, 6 September to 4 October 2012. 

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Total particles concentration change

(μg/m3

)

 Coal Trains (Loaded)

 Coal Trains (Empty)

 Other Freight Trains

 Passenger Trains

Average change Median change

Figure 10: Comparison of the change in total particle concentrations by train type during conditions of low 

wind speed or winds blowing from the direction of the rail line at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring 

site, 6 September to 4 October 2012. 

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Total particles concentration change

(μg/m3

)

 Coal Trains (Loaded)

 Coal Trains (Empty)

 Other Freight Trains

 Passenger Trains

Average change Median change

These results suggest that the passage of trains of all types past the monitoring site were associated with an 

average increase of less than 5 μg/m3

 in the levels of particles less than 20 μm in size when compared to 

levels immediately before the train passed. This equates to an increase of approximately 10 to 20 per cent of 

the particle levels before the train passed. Loaded coal trains appeared to cause the greatest increase in 

particle levels. However, when meteorological conditions favoured impacts from dust generated by passing 

trains at the monitoring site, all train types except empty coal trains showed a similar average concentration 

change (Figure 10). This suggests that for loaded coal trains, re-entrainment of surface dust by air 

movements associated with the passing train is a larger source of airborne particles of this size in the 

immediate vicinity of the rail line than losses from the coal wagons. One possible factor leading to the lower 

result seen for empty coal trains may be that these trains predominantly travel on the set of rail tracks 

farthest from the monitoring site. 

Due to the limitation in the upper size of particles able to be detected by the DusttrakTM instrument, this 

analysis was unable to determine the contribution made by the different train types to atmospheric levels of 

larger particles which are more likely to result in dust nuisance impacts in the Tennyson community. 
Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts 

Page 18 of 19 

Conclusions 

Monitoring in the community adjacent to rail line at Tennyson conducted by the DSITIA between September 

and October 2012 has found that ambient particle concentrations generally complied with ambient air quality 

objectives. 

Particle measurements obtained during the monitoring period would have included conditions likely to result 

in worst-case conditions for dust impacts from coal trains passing Tennyson enroute to the Port of Brisbane. 

There was a high incidence of winds from the direction of the rail line during the sampling period. Rainfall 

totals during this period were generally low, making it unlikely that measured particle concentrations would 

have been suppressed to a significant degree by rainfall events during this period. 

PM10 levels did not exceed the EPP Air 24-hour air quality objective of 50 μg/m3

 during the investigation 

period at the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site. The highest 24-hour PM10 concentration measured 

was 39.8 μg/m3

, or 80 per cent of the EPP Air objective. No relationship was found between 24-hour average 

PM10 concentrations and the proportion of winds coming from the direction of the rail line during the daily 

sampling period. This suggests that coal trains are not a significant contributor to PM10 levels in the 

Tennyson community when compared to other local and regional sources of PM10 such as motor vehicle 

emissions. 

Insoluble dust deposition rates did not exceed the trigger level for dust nuisance of 4 g/m2/30days (or 

130 mg/m2

/day averaged over a 30-day period) recommended by the New Zealand Ministry for the 

Environment. The maximum insoluble dust deposition rate measured was 97 mg/m2

/day at the Myla Terrace 

monitoring site. Deposition rates were less than 50 mg/m2

/day at the other two monitoring sites. 

The insoluble dust deposition rate at the Myla Terrace monitoring site was above 65 mg/m2

/day, the level 

identified by the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment as possibly triggering dust nuisance in sensitive 

residential areas if the dust is highly visible. However, from the level of combustible matter measured in the 

dust, the maximum amount of coal dust that could have been deposited at Myla Terrace was 36 mg/m2

/day. 

The insoluble solids dust deposition rates measured at the Tennyson Railway Station and Vivian Street 

monitoring sites during the current investigation period did not differ greatly from the deposition rates 

reported for Tennyson in a previous coal dust investigation program conducted between July 1998 and 

August 1999. 

Mineral dust (soil or rock dust) was the major component of the deposited dust at each monitoring site. Coal 

dust made up between 10 and 20 per cent of the deposited dust. Another black-coloured particle, rubber 

dust, was found at levels of 10 per cent at all three monitoring sites. The proportions of coal dust found in the 

insoluble dust samples in this investigation (10 to 20 per cent) were higher than those found in the 

1998-1999 sampling program (1 to 3 per cent). The increase in the proportion of coal dust in the 2012 

samples is roughly in line with the threefold increase in coal haulage tonnages compared with those at the 

time of the earlier study. Improved precision in the coal dust identification technique may also be a 

contributing factor. 

The passage of trains past the Tennyson Railway Station monitoring site was found to result in an average 

increase in the levels of particles less than 20 μm in diameter of 5 μg/m3

 or less when compared to levels 

immediately before the train passed. Loaded coal trains appeared to cause the greatest increase in shortterm particle levels, although when meteorological conditions favoured impacts from dust generated by 

passing trains, all train types except empty coal trains showed a similar average concentration change. It 

appears that for loaded coal trains, re-entrainment of surface dust by air movements associated with the 

passing train is a larger source of airborne particles less than 20 μm in diameter in the immediate vicinity of 

the rail line than losses from the coal wagons. 
Tennyson Dust Monitoring Investigation September to October 2012 

Page 19 of 19 

References 

1

 New Zealand Ministry for the Environment. (2001) Good Practice Guide for Assessing and Managing the 

Environmental Effects of Dust Emissions, p31. Accessed from 

<http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/air/dust-guide-sep01.pdf>. 

2

 See <https://www.fire.qld.gov.au/news/archive.asp>. 

3 DMTR, 2012. South East Queensland Strategic Transport Model (SEQSTM), Modelling Data and 

Analysis Centre, 11-2012. 

4

 Department of Environment. (1996) Ambient Air Quality Monitoring: Annual Data Summary, JanuaryDecember 1992, p12. 

5

 Department of Environment. (1997) Ambient Air Quality Monitoring: 1993 Annual Data Summary, p19. 

6

 Department of Environment. (1997) Ambient Air Quality Monitoring: 1994 Annual Data Summary, p19. 

7

 SIMTARS. (1999) Coal Dust Monitoring: West Ipswich to Fisherman Islands – Twelve Month Summary 

Report. Report to Queensland Rail. File reference 50/003/50/1/16. 

8

 TSI. (1999) Measuring Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) with Aerosol Photometers. Application Note 

ITI-058. Accessed from 

<http://www.tsi.com/uploadedFiles/_Site_Root/Products/Literature/Application_Notes/ITI-058.pdf>.