Air Quality Measurements, 25 Jan 2007
Basics:
Do measurements of aerosol and gases at various locations on and near
campus.
Evaluate the potential for I80 to produce ‘excess’ aerosol and gas.
Tools:
3 DustTrak PM monitors, for PM1, PM2.5, and PM10. (TSI manufacturer).
1 CO2 monitor, with Temperature (Telaire Model 7001)
1 Temperature, with Relative Humidity (Labjack)
1 CO monitor, with VOC. (MultiRAE plus)
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Pat Arnott, ATMS 360
Locations Visited, Sometimes Multiple Times
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Photos During Measurements
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What are PM 1 , 2.5, and 10?
What is Particulate Matter (PM)?
• Airborne particulate matter (PM) consists of many different substances
suspended in air in the form of particles (solids or liquid droplets) that vary widely
in size.
• The particle mix in most U.S. cities is dominated by fine particles (less than 2.5
micrometers in diameter) generated by combustion sources, with smaller
amounts of coarse dust (between 2.5 and 10 micrometers in diameter).
• Particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter, that include both fine and coarse
dust particles. These particles pose the greatest health concern because they can
pass through the nose and throat and get into the lungs.
• Particles larger than 10 micrometers in diameter that are suspended in the air
are referred to as total suspended particulates (TSP). These larger particles can
cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat in some people, but they are not
likely to cause more serious problems since they do not get down into the lungs.
From http://www.epa.gov/wtc/pm10/pm_fact_sheet.html
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PM Health Effects
• Dust and smoke may irritate healthy people's eyes, nose, throat, and lungs,
and might cause more serious problems in sensitive populations.
• Because dust and smoke are mixtures of different chemicals with different
sizes, not everyone will experience the same effects.
• Most healthy adults and children will recover quickly from short-term dust and
smoke exposures and will not suffer long-term consequences.
• In general, the long-term risk from short-term exposures to dust and smoke is
low.
From http://www.epa.gov/wtc/pm10/pm_fact_sheet.html
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People Most Affected by PM
- Individuals with asthma and other respiratory diseases.
- Individuals with cardiovascular disease.
- The elderly.
- Children. Children, even those without pre-existing illness or chronic
conditions, are susceptible to air pollution because their lungs are still
developing.
- Smokers. People who smoke, especially those who have smoked for
many years, generally have reduced lung function and may be affected by
dust and smoke exposure. Smokers are also less likely to recognize and
report symptoms from exposure to irritant chemicals than nonsmokers.
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PM 10 and 2.5 Sources
From http://www.airinfonow.org/html/ed_particulate.html
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Ultrafine, Fine, Coarse, Supercoarse: Categories of Total
Suspended Particulate Matter (TSP)
From http://www.epa.gov/eogapti1/module3/category/category.htm
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DustTrak Schematic Diagram: Mass Measurement with Light? Hmmmm
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Summary of DustTrak PM Data
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Time Series of Average Data
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Time Series of Faster Response Data
Pat Arnott, ATMS 360
Recommendation: Run all instruments as fast as possible.
Then time average the data later.
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CO2 and PM1 Data: Broad View
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Detailed View of CO2 and PM 1 Data:
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Temperature Measurements with Two Probes
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Temperature and RH with the Labjack Probe
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Conclusion
PM1 and CO2 measurements near I80 were not elevated above the
background on 25 Jan 07.
On all measurements, it is recommended to let the instruments update as
often as possible, and to do time averaging later. It is useful to use time
resolved GPS measurements to help figure out where measurements were
taken.
CO and VOC measurements were not sensitive enough to be useful.
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More on the DustTrak: Specifications
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More on the DustTrak: Specifications
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More on the DustTrak: Specifications
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Pat Arnott, ATMS 360