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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Bowling Green, Kentucky » Food Animal Environmental Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #371170
Research Project: Developing Safe, Efficient and Environmentally Sound Management Practices for the Use of Animal Manure

Location: Food Animal Environmental Systems Research

Title: 2017 Utah winter fine particulate study final report

Author
item BAASANDORJ, MUNKHBAYAR - University Of Utah
item BROWN, STEVEN - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
item HOCH, SEBASTIAN - University Of Utah
item CROSMAN, ERIK - University Of Utah
item LONG, RUSSELL - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
item Silva, Philip - Phil
item MITCHELL, LOGAN - University Of Utah
item HAMMOND, IAN - Utah State University
item MARTIN, RANDAL - Utah State University
item BARES, RYAN - University Of Utah
item LIN, JOHN - University Of Utah
item SOHL, JOHN - Weber State University
item PAGE, JEFF - Weber State University
item MCKEEN, STUART - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
item PENNELL, CHRISTOPHER - State Of Utah
item FRANCHIN, ALESSANDRO - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
item MIDDLEBROOK, ANN - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
item PETERSEN, ROSS - University Of Utah
item HALLAR, GANNET - University Of Utah
item FIBIGER, DOROTHY - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
item WOMACK, CAROLINE - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
item MCDUFFIE, ERIN - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
item MORAVEK, ALEXANDER - University Of Toronto
item MURPHY, JENNIFER - University Of Toronto
item HRDINA, AMY - University Of Toronto
item THORNTON, JOEL - University Of Washington
item GOLDBERGER, LEXIE - University Of Washington
item LEE, BEN - University Of Washington
item GOLDBERGER, THERAN - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
item WHITEHILL, ANDREW - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
item KELLY, KERRY - University Of Utah
item HANSEN, JARON - Brigham Young University
item EATOUGH, DELBERT - Brigham Young University

Submitted to: Utah Division of Air Quality Report
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/16/2018
Publication Date: 3/16/2018
Citation: Baasandorj, M., Brown, S., Hoch, S., Crosman, E., Long, R., Silva, P.J., Mitchell, L., Hammond, I., Martin, R., Bares, R., Lin, J., Sohl, J., Page, J., Mckeen, S., Pennell, C., Franchin, A., Middlebrook, A., Petersen, R., Hallar, G., Fibiger, D., Womack, C., Mcduffie, E., Moravek, A., Murphy, J., Hrdina, A., Thornton, J., Goldberger, L., Lee, B., Goldberger, T., Whitehill, A., Kelly, K., Hansen, J., Eatough, D. 2018. 2017 Utah winter fine particulate study final report. Utah Division of Air Quality Report. 1-179.

Interpretive Summary: Northern Utah can experience severe degradation of air quality during wintertime temperature inversion conditions. During the winter of 2017, a field study to examine these wintertime events took place. The study involved several federal agencies and university researchers conducting measurements and analyses of air quality emissions and chemistry using aircraft and several ground-based measurement sites. Particulate matter composition measurements confirmed that ammonium nitrate was the major components of the particulate matter. Ammonia is mainly from agricultural sources while nitrate is a reaction product of nitrogen oxides, dominantly from urban sources. We provided measurements of ammonia concentrations during the study from Smithfield, Utah. The combination of ammonia from agricultural sources, nitrogen oxides from combustion sources, and unfavorable meteorology leads to the creation of these poor air quality episodes.

Technical Abstract: The air basins along Utah’s Wasatch Range, a region with 2.4 million residents, experience some of the most severe fine particulate matter (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 micron, PM2.5) air pollution in the United States. High levels of PM2.5 degrade visibility and are a significant public health concern associated with increased incidence of respiratory illness such as aggravation of asthma and premature mortality. PM2.5 pollution episodes in northern Utah are closely related to the passing of high pressure ridges that favor the formation of persistent cold air pools (PCAPs) in Utah's topographic basins. The principal component of PM2.5 during winter air pollution events is ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), which is formed in the atmosphere via reversible reactions of ammonia (NH3) and nitric acid (HNO3). Ammonia is directly emitted from both agricultural sources, such as animal husbandry, and combustion sources, such as vehicle emissions or residential wood combustion. Nitric acid, by contrast, is a secondary pollutant that forms from chemical reactions of nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2). The latter are primary pollutants associated with combustion sources, such as vehicle emissions, power generation and industrial activity. Particulate ammonium nitrate therefore results from a complex interaction of meteorology, emissions sources and atmospheric chemistry.