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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OXIDANT PROBLEMS: ANALYSIS OF THE EVIDENCE/VIEWPOINTS PRESENTED. PART II. EVIDENCE/VIEWPOINTS ON KEY ISSUES
Citation:
Dimitriades, B. AND A. Altshuller. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OXIDANT PROBLEMS: ANALYSIS OF THE EVIDENCE/VIEWPOINTS PRESENTED. PART II. EVIDENCE/VIEWPOINTS ON KEY ISSUES. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/J-78/009 (NTIS PB281255).
Description:
A group of reviewer/experts reviewed evidence and viewpoints reported to date on the issues of ambient oxidant/O3 formation and control, and offered their conclusions and recommendations. The reviewers of the stratospheric ozone issue agreed that the stratosphere does not contribute in a major way to the oxidant/O3 problem experienced during the smog season. There was consensus also that elevated oxidant/O3 concentrations can originate from upwind sources as far as 1,000 km or further. There was no agreement, however, on the details of such oxidant/O3 transport. Thus, transport of 'fossil' oxidant/O3, transport of precursors, and interaction of transported pollutants with local anthropogenic and/or natural pollutants were proposed specific processes with uncertain relative contributions. Natural emissions were considered as an unimportant source of oxidant/O3, but this judgement was questioned based on indirect evidence. Nearly all reviewers agreed that the scientific evidence obtained since the inception of the first oxidant control strategy does not invalidate the qualitative grounds of that strategy; that is, control of anthropogenic organic emissions continues to be a valid approach to ambient oxidant reduction. There was strong reluctance, however, to endorsing quantitative strategy concepts such as e.g. quantitative assessment of organic emissions based on reactivity, and calculations of numerical control requirements. The majority of reviewers concluded that the ambient oxidant/O3 problem requires control of both the hydrocarbon and NOx emissions.