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SAMPLING ARTIFACTS IN MEASUREMENT OF ELEMENTAL AND ORGANIC CARBON: LOW VOLUME SAMPLING IN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS
Citation:
OLSON, D. A. AND G. A. NORRIS. SAMPLING ARTIFACTS IN MEASUREMENT OF ELEMENTAL AND ORGANIC CARBON: LOW VOLUME SAMPLING IN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT. Elsevier Science Ltd, New York, NY, 39(30):5437-5445, (2005).
Impact/Purpose:
1) Develop a TOA protocol that meets the basic assumptions of the method and peer review of the method, 2) understand the role of sampling, analysis, and blank subtraction on the differences between the IMPROVE and STN OC and EC results 3) Evaluate the use of light absorbance methods to estimate EC on human exposure samples, 4) develop a sensitive analytical method suitable for analysis of STN and micro-environmental samples for organic molecular markers, and 5) develop an optimum list of organic molecular markers for source apportionment of particulate matter.
Description:
Experiments were completed to determine the extent of artifacts from sampling elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) under sample conditions consistent with personal sampling. Two different types of experiments were completed; the first examined possible artifacts from oils used in personal environmental monitor (PEM) impactor plates, and the second examined artifacts from microenvironmental sampling using different sampling media combinations (quartz, Teflon, XAD denuder, and electrostatic precipitator). Three microenvironments were tested (kitchen, library, and ambient); carbon concentrations were highest in the kitchen using a front quartz filter (mean OC of 16.4 µg/m-3). The lowest front quartz filter concentrations were measured in the library using XAD denuders (mean OC of 3.6µg m-3). Denuder removal efficiencies (average of 82% for total carbon) were lower compared with pervious ambient studies and may indicate that indoor sources influenced denuder efficiency during sample collection. The highest carbon concentrations from backup quartz filters were measured using the Teflon-quartz combination.