Measurement of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, haze and fine particles at a rural site on the Atlantic Coast

Journal Article · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00022470.1986.10466094· OSTI ID:5534156

Wolff, G T; Kelly, N A; Ferman, M A; Ruthkosky, M S; Stroup, D P; Korsog, P E

During August, 1982 and January and February, 1983, General Motors Research Laboratories operated air monitoring sites on the Atlantic Coast near Lewes, Delaware and 1250 km to the east on the southwest coast of Bermuda. The overall purpose of this project was to study the transformations of the principal acid precipitation precursors, NO/sub x/ and SO/sub x/ species, as they transport under conditions not complicated by emissions from local sources. The measurements of gas and particulate species are described and the composition and sources of sulfate aerosol, which is the most important haze-producing species, are investigated. On the average, the total suspended particulate (TSP) concentration was 27.9 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/ while the PM/sub 10/ (mass of particles with a diameter less than or equal to 10 ..mu..m) concentration was 22.0 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/ or 79 percent of the TSP. The PM/sub 10/ consisted of 6.1 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/ of coarse particles (CPM, diameter = 2.5 - 10..mu..g/m and 15.9..mu..g/m/sup 3/ of fine particles (FPM, diameter < 2.5 ..mu..m). On a mass basis the most important constituents of the fine particulate fraction were sulfate compounds, 50 percent, and organic compounds, 30 percent. The mean light extinction coefficient corresponds to a visual range of 18-20 km. Most of the extinction can be attributed to the sulfate (60 percent) and organic carbon (13 percent). Particle size measurements show that the mass median aerodynamic diameter for both species is 0.43 ..mu..m.

• Research Organization: General Motors Research Labs., Warren, MI
• OSTI ID: 5534156
• Journal Information: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Air Pollut. Control Assoc.; (United States) Vol. 36:5; ISSN JPCAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
DELAWARE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION III
MASS TRANSFER
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SIZE
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
POLLUTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
RAIN
SIZE
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
USA