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Evaluation of continuous formaldehyde measurements in air
Citation:
Whitehill, A., L. Valin, D. Williams, J. Szykman, R. Long, S. Kaushik, P. Furdyna, AND D. Felton. Evaluation of continuous formaldehyde measurements in air. NYSERDA Air Quality & Health Effects Workshop, Albany, NY, April 09 - 10, 2019.
Impact/Purpose:
Formaldehyde is an important hazardous air pollutant (HAP) that is a leading driver for HAP-related cancer risk in the United States. It is also a significant source of radicals in the atmosphere that result in ozone and particulate matter (PM) formation. Routine measurements of formaldehyde in regulatory networks rely EPA Compendium Method TO-11A, which is based on HPLC analysis of derivatized, time-averaged cartridge samples. This work describes an update to the ongoing evaluation and comparison of next-generation formaldehyde monitoring instrumentation. Most of this is based on spectroscopic principles and can measure formaldehyde continuously (in real time) at high precision. We present results from our ongoing evaluation and intercomparison of newer formaldehyde measurement technologies in both controlled laboratory experiments and ambient air. The long-term importance of this work is that it opens the door to various stakeholders to utilize new technologies to enhance ambient air monitoring networks. This work directly supports the PAMS program, which allows for continuous formaldehyde measurements, as well as regions and states interested in making real time formaldehyde measurements to address NAAQS non-attainment issues, community health and exposure issues, and near-source emissions measurements.
Description:
Formaldehyde is an important hazardous air pollutant (HAP) that is a leading driver for HAP-related cancer risk in the United States. It is emitted directly by numerous anthropogenic and natural sources, and formed as a secondary product from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) photooxidation. Formaldehyde is a significant source of radicals in the atmosphere that result in ozone and particulate matter (PM) formation. Despite its significance, routine measurements of formaldehyde in regulatory networks rely EPA Compendium Method TO-11a, which is based on HPLC analysis of derivatized, time-averaged cartridge samples. The U.S. EPA Office of Research and Development has been involved in the continuing evaluation, analysis, and comparison of commercially available continuous formaldehyde measurements, as well as the promotion of novel technologies for ambient air and source emissions monitoring applications. Ongoing evaluation includes comparison of four continuous infrared spectroscopic instruments using different technologies (two based on direct absorption, one based on cavity ringdown, and one based on photoacoustic spectroscopy), as well as comparison to HPLC and GC-MS methods, including EPA Compendium Method TO-11a. We present results from our ongoing evaluation and intercomparison of newer formaldehyde measurement technologies in both controlled laboratory experiments and ambient air.