Grantee Research Project Results
2006 Progress Report: An Instrument for Real Time Speciation of Water Soluble Tracers in Atmospheric Particulate Matter
EPA Grant Number: R832835Title: An Instrument for Real Time Speciation of Water Soluble Tracers in Atmospheric Particulate Matter
Investigators: Weber, Rodney J. , Schauer, James J. , Shafer, Martin M.
Institution: Georgia Institute of Technology , University of Wisconsin - Madison
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: May 1, 2006 through April 30, 2010
Project Period Covered by this Report: May 1, 2006 through April 30, 2007
Project Amount: $492,354
RFA: Continuous Measurement Methods for Particulate Matter Composition (2005) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Particulate Matter , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air
Objective:
The overall goal of this project is to configure, validate, and employ cost-effective, real-time instruments to measure water-soluble components of urban aerosols to support source apportionment efforts and human health studies.
Progress Summary:
The first year of the project focused on developing the analytical methods that will be integrated into the online continuous monitors. This work focuses on two detection methods: ion-selective micro-electrodes (ISE) for aerosol ions and UV-Vis spectrophotometry with a long-path adsorption cell (AC) for aerosol metals. For ionic aerosol components, ISEs for nitrate, calcium, potassium, ammonium, and sodium have been acquired. Laboratory tests show that the nitrate and ammonium ISEs did not function as quoted by the supplier and will not work for this project. Calcium shows promise, but detection limits may be an issue when applied to ambient measurements. Sodium and potassium (and chloride, originally not in the proposal) ISEs appear to function as stated by the manufacturer. They have been calibrated and soon will be integrated into the online aerosol instrument. The use of the UV-Vis spectrophotometry/AC is being investigated for nitrate and ammonium in place of ISEs. A light source, detector, and absorption cell appropriate for field deployment have been procured and analytical methods developed for measurement of water-soluble iron (Fe(II) and Fe(III)), copper, manganese, and chromium. Preliminary work integrating the AC with the online aerosol collection system has begun. Once operational, these instruments will allow online measurements to be readily obtained at state and local air quality monitoring sites to identify sources of particulate matter and sources of toxic components of particulate matter; these instruments also will provide a valuable data stream for health studies and air pollution model validation.
Future Activities:
In the next year of this project, work will continue on the selection and testing of performance characteristics of ISEs. New ISEs will then be integrated into the aerosol instrument. In parallel with continued ISE testing, the second year of this project will focus on developing a complete instrument. Liquid pumping and aerosol collection systems are currently being acquired and integrated with the detectors to develop the prototype instruments capable of measuring potassium, sodium, and water-soluble metals—iron(II), manganese, and copper. Near the end of the second year these instruments will be deployed at an existing air quality measurement site for preliminary field testing.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 13 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
carbonaceous aerosols, air toxics, emissions, polar compounds, water-soluble metals,, RFA, Air, Scientific Discipline, particulate matter, Environmental Chemistry, Atmospheric Sciences, air toxics, Environmental Monitoring, particulate matter components, air sampling, airborne aerosols, particle chemical composition, aerosol composition, airborne particulate matter, real time measurement, trace metals, PM, inorganic aerosols, particulate organic carbon, particulate organic matter, atmospheric particulate matter, chemical speciation sampling, ambient air quality, Speciation Trends SamplerProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.