Carbonyl compounds, hydrocarbons and priority pollutants in the southwestern USA. II. The El Paso - Ciudad Juarez transborder airshed
- New Mexico Tech, Socorro, NM (United States); and others
The combined airshed of El Paso, Texas (USA) and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua (Mexico) presents a unique situation where autonomous governmental rules and regulations, economic situations, and cultural differences impact the common air quality of two different countries. Effective mitigation can only be achieved upon sufficient understanding of current atmospheric photochemistry. Atmospheric concentrations and seasonal and diurnal behavior of routinely monitored criteria pollutants and a wide range of reactive organic compounds have been quantified at separate sampling locations in each of the two cities during field studies in January and July of 1995. During the measurement campaigns, no exceedances of US ambient air quality standards were observed for any criteria pollutants. Similar concentrations were observed at both sites for both periods, with the exception of NO{sub x} compounds, which occurred at more elevated levels (>200 ppb) in Juarez during winter late evening periods. As expected summer O{sub 3} values were greater than winter values ({approx}33 ppb and {approx}14 ppb, respectively). Analysis of ambient non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC) showed biogenic species, such as isoprene, {alpha}-pinene, {beta}-pinene, likely play a relatively minor role in local photochemistry, being detected infrequently and at low mixing ratios ({approx}0.2 ppb). NMHCs were dominated by species typically of anthropogenic origin. Concentrations of all carbonyls were higher in the summer than in the winter, in some cases by a factor of 10 or more. Acetone, an anthropogenic marker, was similar in concentration to formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Carbonyl concentrations were considerably higher in Juarez in summer than in El Paso, while concentrations were similar in the winter. The wintertime similarities are likely due to the presence of temperature inversions and a more constant air masses over both cities. PAN and PPN levels were similar to those reported for other urban areas.
- OSTI ID:
- 466209
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9606185--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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