Sacramento Valley Basin-wide Air Pollution Control Council

Air Monitoring Briefing

Janice Lam Snyder, SMAQMDDecember 11, 2015

• Air Monitoring Introduction• Focused on Particulate Monitoring• Ag Burn Forecast• Emergency Response• Tour of T street Laboratory and Air

Monitoring Station

Three Part Presentation & Tour

Clean Air Act Regulatory Req. • 40 CFR 58.10

• Siting Criteria• Operating schedules• Analysis Methods

Monitoring Objectives1. Prompt Public notification2. Support compliance health

standards3. Support research studies

Air Monitoring NetworkRequirement & Objectives

Gaseous • Ozone (O3)• Carbon Monoxide (CO)

• Standard, and Trace• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)• Oxides of Nitrogen (NOy)• Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

• Trace levels• Non-Methane Hydrocarbon

(NMHC)• Toxics (VOCs, Carbonyls, diesel

particulates)

Air Pollutants & Parameters

Particulate Matter • PM10• PM2.5• Lead• Speciated

Meteorological Parameters • wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation,

relative humidity, temperature

Particulate Monitoring(PM 10 & PM2.5)

• PM10 or PM “Course” • <10 microns in diameter

• PM 2.5 or PM “Fine” • <2.5 microns in diameter

BCC Particulate Air Monitoring Network (PM2.5 & PM10)

Particulate Monitors

Type I: Hourly Continuous Particulate(Real-Time Monitoring)

• Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM): • Measures PM2.5 • Three Types:

• Regulatory (FEM) • Non-Regulatory (non-FEM)• E-BAM (Emergency response & special studies)

• Particulates are deposited on a tape• Uses radioactive beta particle absorption

• Tapered Element Osculating Membrane (TEOM):• Measures PM10• Samples are deposited on a filter, that is mounted on an osculating tube. • Measurements are made by determining the decay in the osculating frequency

• Aethalometer (Black Carbon)• Particulates are deposited on a tape• Uses light analysis to determine composition

Continuous MonitorData Collection & Public Notification

• Continuous data is logged by a computer (data logger) at air monitoring site

• The data logger perform initial quality assurance checks

• Preliminary data are downloaded hourly and are pushed to CARB’s AQMIS

• Official data is available 60-90 days after sample in AQS after data validation process

Type II: Filter Based Particulate Monitoring

Types II: Filter-Based Particulate Monitoring

• Federal Reference Monitors (FRM)• Measures PM10 or PM2.5 • Regulatory data (i.e designations, nonattainment)

• Speciated Data (CSN Network)• Operates on a EPA set schedule• Filters are analyzed by a laboratory (i.e. CARB)• Data available approx. 60 to 90 days

Monitoring Organizatio

n (MO)

Laborator

y Analysis

Uploading

Agency

(CARB or MO)

EPA AQS

(Official Data)

Type III: Low Cost Monitors

• Cost Range $20 to $10,000 • Parameters from gaseous to particulate• Could provide information for personal

exposure• Not used for Regulatory Purposes• Poor quality data obtained from unreliable

sensors may lead to confusion

Low Cost or Personal Monitors(Non-Regulatory)

Meteorological Parameters

• Surface Meteorological Data: • Wind Speed and Direction • Air Temperature at 10 meters, • Relative Humidity • Solar and Ultra Violet Radiation• Barometric Pressure

• Upper Air Data, using a Doppler Radar located next to the Bruceville Air Monitoring Station• Measures Wind Speed, Wind Direction, and • Virtual Temperature up to 5 Kilometers

• Provides useful information for Air Quality Forecasting & Air Quality Modeling

Part II: Ag Burn Forecasting