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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Bowling Green, Kentucky » Food Animal Environmental Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #343958
Research Project: Developing Safe, Efficient and Environmentally Sound Management Practices for the Use of Animal Manure

Location: Food Animal Environmental Systems Research

Title: Agricultural influences on Cache Valley, Utah air quality during a wintertime inversion episode

Author
item Silva, Philip - Phil

Submitted to: American Geophysical Union
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/9/2017
Publication Date: 12/15/2017
Citation: Silva, P.J. 2017. Agricultural influences on Cache Valley, Utah air quality during a wintertime inversion episode. American Geophysical Union. Paper No. A53H-05.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Several of northern Utah’s intermountain valleys are classified as non-attainment for fine particulate matter. Past data indicate that ammonium nitrate is the major contributor to fine particles and that the gas phase ammonia concentrations are among the highest in the United States. During the 2017 Utah Winter Fine Particulate Study, USDA brought a suite of online and real-time measurement methods to sample particulate matter and potential gaseous precursors from agricultural emissions in the Cache Valley. Instruments were co-located at the State of Utah monitoring site in Smithfield, Utah from January 21st through February 12th, 2017. A Scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) acquired size distributions of particles from 10 nm – 10 um in 5-min intervals. A URG ambient ion monitor (AIM) gave hourly concentrations for gas and particulate ions and a Chromatotec Trsmedor gas chromatograph obtained 10 minute measurements of gaseous sulfur species. High ammonia concentrations were detected at the Smithfield site with concentrations above 100 ppb at times, indicating a significant influence from agriculture at the sampling site. Ammonia is not the only agricultural emission elevated in Cache Valley during winter, as reduced sulfur gas concentrations of up to ~20 ppb were also detected. Dimethylsulfide was the major sulfur-containing gaseous species. Analysis indicates that particle growth and particle nucleation events were both observed by the SMPS. Relationships between gas and particulate concentrations and correlations between the two will be discussed.