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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Cotton Ginning Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #130946
Title: PM10 SAMPLER ERRORS DUE TO THE INTERACTION OF PARTICLE SIZE AND SAMPLER PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

Author
item Buser, Michael
item PARNELL, JR, CALVIN - TEXAS A&M UNIVERISTY
item LACEY, RONALD - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item SHAW, BRYAN - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2002
Publication Date: 7/1/2002
Citation: Buser, M.D., Parnell, Jr, C.B., Lacey, R.E., Shaw, B.W. 2002. Pm10 sampler errors due to the interaction of particle size and sampler performance characteristics. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. CD ROM.

Interpretive Summary: Agricultural operations are encountering difficulties complying with the current air pollution regulations for particulate matter (PM). The regulations are based on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), which set maximum limits for ambient PM based on protecting public health. PM is currently regulated in terms of particle diameters less than nor equal to a nominal 10 um (PM10). Compliance with the PM regulations is determined by property line sampling or dispersion modeling. Modeling requires emission rates, which are determined from EPA's list of emission factors. Emission factors are industry specific. All property line sampling for compliance purposes require the use of EPA approved samplers. Ultimately, these samplers would produce an accurate measure of the pollutant indicator; for instance, a PM10 sampler would produce an accurate measure of PM less than or equal to 10 um. However, samplers are not perfect and errors are introduced due to the interaction of the particle size and sampler performance characteristics. Theoretical simulations in this study demonstrate how these errors result in unequal regulation between industries and burden agricultural operations. In order to achieve equal regulation among all industries, PM10 measurements must account for these errors. Adoption of the findings in this report will provide a means to more equitably assess the contributions of a various sources to air quality.

Technical Abstract: Agricultural operations across the United States are encountering difficulties in complying with the current air pollution regulations for particulate matter. EPA has interpreted that the property line concentration limit must be less than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). For PM10, the 24-hour NAAQS is 150 micrograms per cubic cmeter. Compliance with the PM NAAQS is determined by property line samplin using EPA approved samplers, or dispersion modeling. Ultimately, these samplers would produce an accurate measure of the pollutant indicator for instance, a PM10 sampler would produce an accurate measure of PM less than or equal to 10 micrometers. However, samplers are not perfect and errors are introduced due to the interaction of the particle size and sampler performance characteristics. The focus of this manuscript is to theoretically simulate these errors and demonstrate how these errors result tin unequal regulation between industries.