United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Environmental Monitoring
Systems Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA/600/S4-86/019 Aug. 1986
vvEPA Project Summary
Inhalable Particulate Network
Report: Data Summary (Mass
Concentrations Only), Vol.
January 1983 - December
1984
David 0. Hinton, Jose M. Sune, Jack C. Suggs, and William F. Barnard
This report is the third in a series of In-
halable Particulate (IP) Network reports
covering 88 of the 157 sites within the
United States. PM10 (10 ^im) participate
mass data and data summaries for the 88
active sampling sites are highlighted. Field
operations and quality assurance pro-
cedures are referenced to preceding re-
ports. Results of field operations and quali-
ty control audits are given.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Environmental Monitoring Sys-
tems Laboratory, Research Triangle Park,
NC, to announce key findings of the re-
search project that is fully documented in
a separate report of the same title (see
Project Report ordering information at
back).
Introduction
To meet the 1977 Clean Air Act require-
ment for a reappraisal of the National Am-
bient Air Quality Standard for particulate
matter, EMSL-RTP, in conjunction with
EPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and
Standards, designed and implemented a
nationwide monitoring network to obtain
the necessary data on which to base a
proposed revision of the particulate mat-
ter standard and to obtain data on in-
halable particulates.
The network was designed to obtain
data on airborne particles with a mean
aerodynamic diameter equal to or less
than 15 pm. In 1981, as a result of public
comment, recommendations by the Inter-
national Standards Organization Task
Group, and recommendations by the EPA
Clean Air Science Advisory Committee,
emphasis was shifted from 0 to 15 pm
(PM15) to 0 to 10 pm (PM10) aerodynamic
diameter size fraction. Publications EPA/
600/4-84/088a and EPA/600/4-84/088b
(November 1984) address both PM15 and
PM10 data from 1979 through 1982. This
report emphasizes PM10 data collected at
the 88 active sites from January 1983
through December 1984. The equipment
and sampling responsibilities were trans-
ferred to the respective EPA Regional Of-
fices after the 1984 sampling was
completed.
Procedure
In 1978, it was anticipated that the data
from the Inhalable Particulate Network
would be used to revise the existing total
suspended particulate (TSP) standard to
a standard based on the specific particle
size range of 15 urn mean aerodynamic
diameter and below, and to a lesser degree
to provide information on the possible
sources of the particles for subsequent
control strategy implementation. To ac-
complish this, establishment of a nation-
wide network of 200 air-monitoring sites
over a three-year period was planned.
However, because of resource constraints,
only 157 sites were placed on line. By
1983, sampling had been completed at 77
sites. Eighty regular and eight collocated
sites were still in operation during 1983
and 1984.
There were two original requirements
for the IP Network. The first requirement
was to collect PM15 data at all sites. The
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second was to collect a sample-year of
comparison data for both TSP and PM15
to investigate IP/TSP relationships. Later,
the PM15 requirement was extended to in-
clude PM10; therefore, equipment mod-
ifications were made and sampling dates
were extended. In early 1978, when the
IP Network was being planned, a recently
developed dichotomous sampler was avail-
able and was incorporated into the net-
work. This PM1S sampler provided two
particle size fractions. The smaller size
fraction (fine) included particles below 2.5
/jm. The larger size fraction (course) in-
cluded particles from the 2.5 to 15 /urn
range (PM15). This sampler was later mod-
ified to provide PM10 size particles. A
modified high-volume (Hi-Vol) sampler was
also used for PM1S data, providing a
single fraction of 15 pm and smaller par-
ticles. This instrument, called a size selec-
tive sampler (SSS), offered ease of opera-
tion, single sample, large sample size, and
cost savings.
Results and Discussion
Data in this report include 2984 TSP,
352 SSS, 1747 dichotomous sampler
(Dichot) PM15 and 2614 Dichot PM10
samples. These data increased the overall
IP data base total of 15369 TSP Hi-Vol,
7715 SSS Hi-Vol, and 15147 Dichot values
over the 1979-1984 period. Because of
staggered sampler set-up schedules and
sampler downtime, TSP, SSS, and Dichot
were not always operated simultaneous-
ly. Therefore, means of different sampler
types must be compared carefully. The
number of samples, means, standard devi-
ation, minimum, maximum, start dates,
and stop dates, are given in the full report.
Only data from the last two years of the
EMSL-RTP IP Network are described in the
report. Individual values for TSP Hi-Vol;
PM15 Dichot coarse, fine, and total; and
PM15 SSS mass are presented. The ratios
Dichot total to TSP Hi-Vol, and SSS to TSP
Hi-Vol are summarized for PM16 mass.
Similar data are presented for PM10.
Quality assurance and quality control
audit results are presented in the report
and used to estimate sampling accuracy
by examining sample flow rate.
Conclusions
Mass data from the two years (1983 and
1984), from the EMSL-RTP IP Network are
presented in the full report including in-
dividual values for TSP Hi-Vol; PM15 and
PM10 Dichot coarse and total; and PM16
SSS. Ratios of Dichot total to TSP Hi-Vol
based on audit results are presented and
used to estimate sampling accuracy by ex-
amining sample flow rate. Audit results
show that the flow rate accuracy within
90% is both reasonable and attainable.
The relationship of IP to TSP was in-
vestigated. Using paired data, means were
calculated for Dichot total PM10, Dichot
total PM15 and TSP. The ratio of the PM15
mean to TSP mean varied from 0.36 in
Nashville, TN, to 0.81 in Ft. Collins, CO.
The similar ratio for PM10 to TSP varied
from 0.34 in Boston, MA, to 0.68 in
Research Triangle Park, NC. The general
concensus that suspended particulate
matter is a complex mixture of large and
small particles, both naturally occurring
and man-made, is supported by the ab-
sence of a simple, consistent ratio of IP to
TSP. The range of IP to TSP ratios in this
small data set, however, emphasizes the
requirement for careful, statistical analysis
of IP data before using the data for
decision-making.
The EPA authors David O. Hinton (also the EPA Project Officer, see below), Jose
M. Sune, Jack C. Suggs, and William F. Barnard are with the Environmental
Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC 27711.
The complete report, entitled "Inhalable Particulate Network Report: Data
Summary (Mass Concentrations Only). Volume III. January 1983 - December
1984," (Order No. PB 86-184 546/AS; Cost: $22.95. subject to change) will be
available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield. MA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
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