Effects of using oxygenated fuels on carbon monoxide, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentrations in Denver

Conference · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:351027

Anderson, L G; Lanning, J A; Wilkes, E; Jones, R H ^[1]; Wolfe, P ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Colorado, Denver, CO (United States)
2. AMC Cancer Research Center, Lakewood, CO (United States)

Oxygenated fuels have been used during the winters in Denver since January 1988, in an attempt to reduce the atmospheric concentration of carbon monoxide. The authors began monitoring ambient concentrations of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in Denver in December 1987 and have continued that monitoring every winter since. They now have nine seasons of ambient carbonyl data that coincide with oxygenated fuels usage. The authors will present results of the continuing analyses of atmospheric concentration data for CO collected in the Denver area, to determine the effectiveness of the program for reducing ambient CO. The program has been found to have near zero effect at the downtown Denver site, and 5%--12% reductions at several other sites. The formaldehyde and acetaldehyde concentration data will be analyzed to determine the effects of changing oxygenate concentration and composition on carbonyl concentrations. No significant effects have been found on either the concentrations of formaldehyde or acetaldehyde. The authors have also begun analyses of Colorado mandated IM240 emissions test data for CO and NO{sub x} for tests done during an oxygenated fuels period (January, February, November and December 1995) and a nonoxygenated fuels period (April through September 1995). A preliminary analysis of data for more than 100,000 vehicles suggests that oxygenated fuels lead to a reduction of CO emissions of about 13.4% and an increase of NO{sub x} emissions of about 14.6%, as a test fleet weighted average.

• OSTI ID: 351027
• Report Number(s): CONF-970677--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACETALDEHYDE
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBONYLS
COLORADO
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
FORMALDEHYDE
FUELS
NITROGEN OXIDES
SEASONAL VARIATIONS