| Abstract |
This report documents the quality assurance activities that were undertaken for the PM(sub 2.5) environmental data operations for the calendar year January 1, 1999 to December 31, 1999 (CY99), which was the first year of implementation the PM(sub 2.5) monitoring program. The QA Report evaluates the adherence to the quality assurance requirements described in 40 CFR 58 App. A and evaluates the data quality indicators of precision, accuracy, bias, completeness, comparability, and detectability. The criteria pollutant defined as particulate matter is a general term used to describe a broad class of substances that exist as liquid or solid particles over a wide range of sizes. As part of the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program, EPA measures two particle size fractions: those less than or equal to (a nominal) 10 micrometers, and those less than or equal to (a nominal) 2.5 micrometers, hereafter referred to as PM(sub 10) or PM(sub 2.5) respectively. In general, the measurement goal of the PM(sub 2.5) Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program is to estimate the concentration, in units of micrograms per cubic meter, of particulates less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers that have been collected on a 46.2mm polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filter. |
