Regional air quality: local and interstate impacts of NOx and SO{sub 2} emissions on ozone and fine particulate matter in the eastern United States

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es062302s· OSTI ID:20923841

Bergin, Michelle S; Shih, Jhih-Shyang; Krupnick, Alan J; Boylan, James W; Wilkinson, James G; Odman, M Talat; Russell, Armistead G ^[1]

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1. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (USA). School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

While the U.S. air quality management system is largely designed and managed on a state level, many critical air quality problems are now recognized as regional. In particular, concentrations of two secondary pollutants, ozone and particulate matter, are often above regulated levels and can be dependent on emissions from upwind states. Here, impacts of statewide emissions on concentrations of local and downwind states' ozone and fine particulate matter are simulated for three seasonal periods in the eastern United States using a regional Eulerian photochemical model. Impacts of ground level NOx (e.g., mobile and area sources), elevated NOx (e.g., power plants and large industrial sources), and SO{sub 2} emissions are examined. An average of 77% of each state's ozone and PM2.5 concentrations that are sensitive to the emissions evaluated here are found to be caused by emissions from other states. Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia are shown to have high concentrations of ozone and PM2.5 caused by interstate emissions. When weighted by population, New York receives increased interstate contributions to these pollutants and contributions to ozone from local emissions are generally higher. When accounting for emission rates, combined states from the western side of the modeling domain and individual states such as Illinois, Tennessee, Indiana, Kentucky, and Georgia are major contributors to interstate ozone. Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Illinois are the major contributors to interstate PM2.5. When accounting for an equivalent mass of emissions, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and Alabama contribute large fractions of these pollutants to other states. 46 refs., 9 figs.

• OSTI ID: 20923841
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 41, Issue 13; Other Information: [e-mail]; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
AIR QUALITY
SULFUR DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
OZONE
EMISSION
PARTICULATES
USA
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
VEHICLES
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
NEW YORK
OHIO
INDIANA
TENNESSEE
ILLINOIS
KENTUCKY
GEORGIA
VIRGINIA
WEST VIRGINIA
ALABAMA
DAILY VARIATIONS
URBAN AREAS
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
HUMAN POPULATIONS
POLLUTION SOURCES
MONTHLY VARIATIONS
LONG-RANGE TRANSPORT