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Guidance for Using Continuous Monitors in Pm Monitoring United States Office of Air Quality EPA-454/R-98-012 Environmental Protection Planning and Standards May 1998 Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 Air GUIDANCE FOR USING CONTINUOUS MONITORS IN PM2.5 MONITORING NETWORKS GUIDANCE FOR USING CONTINUOUS MONITORS IN PM2.5 MONITORING NETWORKS May 29, 1998 PREPARED BY John G. Watson1 Judith C. Chow1 Hans Moosmüller1 Mark Green1 Neil Frank2 Marc Pitchford3 PREPARED FOR Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 1Desert Research Institute, University and Community College System of Nevada, PO Box 60220, Reno, NV 89506 2U.S. EPA/OAQPS, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711 3National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 755 E. Flamingo, Las Vegas, NV 89119 DISCLAIMER The development of this document has been funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under cooperative agreement CX824291-01-1, and by the Desert Research Institute of the University and Community College System of Nevada. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. This draft has not been subject to the Agency’s peer and administrative review, and does not necessarily represent Agency policy or guidance. ii ABSTRACT This guidance provides a survey of alternatives for continuous in-situ measurements of suspended particles, their chemical components, and their gaseous precursors. Recent and anticipated advances in measurement technology provide reliable and practical instruments for particle quantification over averaging times ranging from minutes to hours. These devices provide instantaneous, telemetered results and can use limited manpower more efficiently than manual, filter-based methods. Commonly used continuous particle monitors measure inertial mass, mobility, electron attenuation, light absorption, and light scattering properties of fine particles. Sulfur and nitrogen oxides monitors can detect sulfate and nitrate particles when the particles are reduced to a sulfur- or nitrogen-containing gas. The measurement principles, as well as the operating environments, differ from those of the PM2.5 Federal Reference Method (FRM), and these differences vary between monitoring locations and time of year. These variations are caused by the different properties quantified by a wide array of measurement methods, modification of the aerosol by the sampling and analysis train, and differences in calibration methods. When the causes of these discrepancies are understood, they can be used advantageously to determine where and when: 1) equivalence with FRMs is expected; 2) mathematical adjustments can be made to obtain a better correlation; and 3) differences can be related to a specific particle or source characteristic. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Disclaimer.............................................................................................................................ii Abstract ...............................................................................................................................iii Table of Contents.................................................................................................................iv List of Tables ......................................................................................................................vii List of Figures....................................................................................................................viii List of Acronyms .................................................................................................................xi 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Continuous Particle Monitors and Air Pollution....................................................1-1 1.2 Federal Reference and Equivalent Methods..........................................................1-3 1.3 Relevant Documents ............................................................................................1-4 2. MEASURED PARTICLE PROPERTIES ...................................................................2-1 2.1 Particle Size Distribution......................................................................................2-1 2.2 Chemical Composition .........................................................................................2-5 2.3 Particle Interactions with Light...........................................................................2-15 2.4 Mobility .............................................................................................................2-16 2.5 Beta Attenuation.................................................................................................2-16 2.6 Summary............................................................................................................2-18 3. CONTINUOUS PARTICLE MEASUREMENT METHODS .....................................3-1 3.1 Mass and Mass Equivalent ...................................................................................3-1 3.1.1 Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (TEOM®).................................3-1 3.1.2 Piezoelectric Microbalance........................................................................3-12 3.1.3 Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM) .............................................................3-13 3.1.4 Pressure Drop Tape Sampler (CAMMS) ...................................................3-14 3.2 Visible Light Scattering......................................................................................3-14 3.2.1 Nephelometer............................................................................................3-14 3.2.2 Optical Particle Counter (OPC).................................................................3-19 3.2.3 Condensation Nuclei Counter (CNC) ........................................................3-19 3.2.4 Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS) ............................................................3-20 3.2.5 LIght Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) ....................................................3-22 3.3 Visible Light Absorption....................................................................................3-23 3.3.1 Aethalometer and Particle Soot/Absorption Photometer ............................3-24 3.3.2 Photoacoustic Spectroscopy ......................................................................3-25 3.4 Electrical Mobility..............................................................................................3-26 3.4.1 Electrical Aerosol Analyzer (EAA) ...........................................................3-26 3.4.2 Differential Mobility Particle Sizer (DMPS) .............................................3-26 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Page 3.5 Chemical Components........................................................................................3-27 3.5.1 Single Particle Mass Spectrometers...........................................................3-27 3.5.2 Carbon Analyzer .......................................................................................3-28 3.5.3 Sulfur Analyzer.........................................................................................3-29 3.5.4 Nitrate Analyzer........................................................................................3-30 3.5.5 Multi-Elemental Analyzer.........................................................................3-31 3.5.5.1 Streaker.......................................................................................3-31 3.5.5.2 DRUM ........................................................................................3-31 3.6 Precursor Gases..................................................................................................3-32 3.6.1 Ammonia Analyzer...................................................................................3-32 3.6.2 Nitric Acid Analyzer.................................................................................3-33 3.6.3 Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy ......................................3-33 3.6.4 Other Nitric Acid Instruments ...................................................................3-34 3.7 Summary............................................................................................................3-35 4. MEASUREMENT PREDICTABILITY, COMPARABILITY, AND EQUIVALENCE ........................................................................................................4-1 4.1 Measurement Comparability.................................................................................4-3 4.2 Measurement Predictability ................................................................................4-15 4.2.1 Particle Light Scattering and PM2.5 Concentration.....................................4-15 4.2.2 Particle Light Absorption and Elemental Carbon Concentration ................4-17 4.2.3 Mass Concentration and Optical Measurements ........................................4-21 4.3 Summary............................................................................................................4-29 5. USES OF CONTINUOUS PM MEASUREMENTS ...................................................5-1 5.1 Diurnal Variations................................................................................................5-2 5.2 Wind Speed and PM Relationships.......................................................................5-4 5.3 Source Directionality............................................................................................5-8
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