Effects of the mandated high oxygen fuels program on the concentrations of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in Denver's air

Conference · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Preprints of Papers Presented at National Meeting, Division of Water, Air and Waste Chemistry, American Chemical Society; (USA)

OSTI ID:7267519

Anderson, L G; Machovec, C M; Lanning, J A ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Colorado, Denver (USA)

During the winter of 1988, the state of Colorado mandated the use of oxygenated fuels along the Colorado Front Range in an attempt to reduce carbon monoxide emissions from automobiles. The mandated 1.5% oxygen content of about 90% of the fuels that were used during the program was achieved by blending methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) at 8% by volume with gasoline. Only about 10% of the fuel used was a 10% ethanol blend with gasoline, which gave a higher than mandated oxygen content. The oxygenated fuels program lasted from January 1st through March 1st, 1988. The program is to be expanded next winter. The oxygen content of the fuel is to increase from 1.5% to 2% oxygen by volume, which will require an increase in the MTBE blend to about 11% by volume. The program is scheduled to run from November 1, 1988 through March 1, 1989. The effect of high oxygen fuels on aldehyde concentrations in Denver's ambient air was studied by observing formaldehyde-to-acetaldehyde ratios, aldehyde-to-carbon monoxide ratios and the diurnal variations of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde before, during, and after the oxygenated fuels program. The MTBE blended fuels increase the emissions of formaldehyde more than acetaldehyde, when compared to gasoline fueled vehicles. If an increase in the formaldehyde-to-acetaldehyde ratio is observed during the high oxygen fuels program, it would suggest that there is an effect of the program on the atmospheric aldehyde concentrations. Similarly, a significant increase in the aldehyde-to-carbon monoxide ratio would suggest an effect on the atmospheric aldehyde concentrations.

• OSTI ID: 7267519
• Report Number(s): CONF-8909232--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Preprints of Papers Presented at National Meeting, Division of Water, Air and Waste Chemistry, American Chemical Society; (USA) Journal Volume: 28:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330800 -- Emission Control-- Alternative Fuels
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACETALDEHYDE
AIR POLLUTION
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ALCOHOL FUELS
ALDEHYDES
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COLORADO
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ETHERS
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FORMALDEHYDE
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUELS
MIXTURES
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
QUANTITY RATIO
SYNTHETIC FUELS
URBAN AREAS
USA