The physical, chemical, and electrical characteristics of industrial aerosol particles generated from a steel sintering plant, a cement plant, a coal power plant, and a foundry plant were investigated experimentally to improve the performance of electrostatic precipitators. The major constituents of sinter particles from the steel plant and of cement particles from the cement plant are Fe2O3 (39.6-74.5%) and CaO (41.8-65.5%), respectively; the coal fly ash generated from the coal power plant and the foundry particles from the foundry plant consist mainly of SiO2 (53.3-80.6%) The resistivities of sinter and cement particles are in the high range of 10(10)-10(15) Omega/cm due to high components of Fe2O3 and CaO. Coal fly ash and foundry aerosols do precipitate well in the electrostatic precipitator since, given their operational temperature and moisture content, their electrical resistivity is below 10(10) Omega/cm, a representative resistivity range for collecting airborne particles in ESP operation. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.