Carlisle PA Particulate Matter Monitoring

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Carlisle PA Particulate Matter Monitoring

• 1973 - 1979
• 2007- 2008
• Carlisle PA

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Air Quality Factors

• Particulate Matter (PM)
• Ozone (O3)
• Carbon Monoxide (CO)
• Sulfer Dioxide (SO2)
• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
• Measurements have shown that PM is the major air
  quality problem in Central PA

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Air Quality Factors

• Particulate Matter (PM)
• Ozone (O3)
• Carbon Monoxide (CO)
• Sulfer Dioxide (SO2)
• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
• Measurements and current understanding of
  health effects of pollutants have shown that PM
  is the major air quality problem in Central PA

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Particulate Matter Study

• Chosen by Prof. Long for study because
• Most air pollutants produced by the burning of
  fossil fuels . . .are chemical compounds best
  investigated by chemists but solid particulates
  are studied more for their physical properties
  such as size, density and light scattering
  ability, properties better handled by physicists
• Also chosen by Prof. Long based on understandings
  of the effects on respiratory health as of the
  early 1970s
• Emphysema, . . . believed to be a direct result
  . . . of particulate intake into the lungs, is
  rapidly increasing among our population.

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Particulate Matter

• What is it?
• Heath effects
• EPA Standards Political Considerations
• How is it measured?
• Results of Measurements then and now

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What is Particulate Matter (PM)?

• Stuff in air that can be breathed in but much
  larger than atoms and molecules
• Particles that are 10 millionths of a meter
  (PM10) or less in diameter can be inhaled
• NOTE 1 millionth of a meter is called a micron
  or micrometer and is denoted as a µm

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What is Coarse PM? Fine PM?

• Coarse PM can be breathed in but can eventually
  be coughed up
• Fine PM gets stuck in the lungs and cant be
  dislodged easily

5µm
2.5µm
0.6µm
1µm
3.3µm
FINE MATTER
COARSE MATTER
10µm
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How Small is PM10? PM2.5?
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EPA Summary of Effects of PM

• Numerous scientific studies have linked
  particle pollution exposure especially fine
  particles to a variety of respiratory problems
  including
• decreased lung function
• asthma
• chronic bronchitis
• irregular heartbeat
• nonfatal heart attacks
• premature death in people w/ heart or lung disease

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Water Vapor in Air
Piers Browne, UK
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Dust in Air
Photo of St. Peters Basilica, Vatican City by
Dan Heller
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Unit of Measure for PM

• EPA Unit of PM is
  Micrograms per cubic meter (or µg/m3)

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EPA Standards Then and Now
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Measuring PM

• Obtain an air sample containing particulates and
  filter and dry the air to remove large particles
  and water droplets
• Pass something such as light through the sample
  and detect how it is scattered or absorbed by the
  small particulates
• Use the measurements to determinte the mass of
  particulates in the sample and calculate the mass
  in a cubic meter of air

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Dickinson Measurements

• Nephelometer measures light scattering from a
  Xenon flashlamp. (Long and Steigleman were
  measuring both course and fine particulates PM10
  and less)

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Nephelometer PM10

• Pumped air from the roof of old Tome Building
  (now Stern Center) to the basement
• Filtered and dried the air and injected it into a
  44 long chamber
• Used a photomultiplier tube to measure the
  scattering of light from a Xenon flashlamp
• Measurements have shown that PM is the major air
  quality problem in Central PA

Nephelometer
44
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Dickinson Results (PM10)

• Average for the 7 year period by Month

EPA 1971 Std
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Dickinson Results (PM10)

• Yearly average for the 7 year period

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Maximum 24 hr concentration Exceeded in 1979!

• According to the 1971 EPA standard the maximum
  daily concentration of 260 µg/m3 for PM10 was
  exceeded twice in 1979
• According to the more stringent 2006 EPA standard
  the maximum daily concentration of 150 µg/m3 for
  PM10 the 24 hour limit was exceeded between 24
  and 28 times in 1979

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CAB Measurements w/ Airestotle

• BAM Unit measures the attenuation of beta
  particles from a radioactive source Carbon 14
  (BAM - Beta Attenuation Monitor)
• Portable
• Automatic
• Also monitors temperature and wind speed
• CAB and the PA DEP are measuring only fine
  particulates PM2.5 and less

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Carbon 14

• Range in Air
• Approx. 10 inches

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E-BAM Unit Airestotle
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EPA Standards Then and Now
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Some Airestotle E-BAM Results for PM2.5

• Macaluso Farm PM_2.5 Data Jan 08

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Thank you Howard and John

• For your foresight
• Hard Work
• Careful data acquisition and analysis

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Ratio of Fine and Coarse PM
Beware This is not by weight
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PM Size Micron (µm)

• 1 millionth of the length of a meter stick
• 1/10th of the length is 10 cm
• 1/10th of 10 cm is 1 cm
• 1/10th of a 1 cm is 1 mm (1/1000th of an m)
• Take 1/100 of a mm and you get a 10µm size