Interpretation of Meteorological Pollutant Roses in Areas Subject to Nocturnal Drainage Winds

The composition of aerosol particle products formed from the photochemical reaction of terpenes with NO_x and the chemical reaction of terpenes with ozone was determined using direct insertion probe/high resolution mass spectrometry. Samples of the aerosol particles generated from these gas phase reactions were collected on stainless steel disks using a specially-designed impactor. The samples were analyzed using computer-controlled high resolution mass spectrometry. The photochemical reaction of limonene with NO_x produced more than 30 reaction products in the aerosol phase. The major products identified included aldehydes, alcohols, acids, peroxides, and nitrate esters of alcohols, acids, and peroxides. In addition, there was evidence of dimeric and possibly trimeric reaction products. The composition of aerosol particle products formed from the dark reaction of ozone with limonene was determined and found similar to those products generated in the photochemical reaction, excluding the nitrated species. Aerosol concentrations were monitored using nephelometry which indicated a conversion of terpene to aerosol of 50% or greater for both the limonene and terpinolene reaction systems. The results show that direct insertion probe high resolution mass spectrometric technique has the capability for determining the composition of very polar and high molecular weight materials in aerosol particles. The composition of terpene aerosol particle products and the mass spectral data obtained from their analysis can be used in further studies to determine the importance of terpene aerosol particle formation in ambient air.     

Improvement of Ambient Sulfur Dioxide Concentrations by Conversion from Low to High Stacks

A study of the “before” and “after” ground-level S0₂ concentrations near the Muskingum River Plant of the American Electric Power System shows that the conversion from low to high stacks has accomplished marked reductions in ambient concentrations. These reductions are in reasonable agreement with theoretical calculations and are most apparent within 5 km of the source. EPA Standards are now being met in this area despite the presence of the 1440 MW power plant burning 5% sulfur fuel with no treatment of the stack gas.     

Cooling Towers and the Environment

Measurements of natural draft cooling tower plume behavior, as well as meteorological variables, were obtained from aircraft flights near major power plants of the American Electric Power System. Persistence of the visible plume to great distances depends essentially on ambient humidity. Atmospheric stability at plume elevation was also important. Cooling tower-induced fog at ground-level was never observed in any of the tests, and aerodynamic downwash of the visible plume was absent also. The cooling towers did cause modification of natural clouds and they occasionally shadowed some local areas from the sun. Merging of the stack and cooling tower plumes was a common occurrence.     

Characterization of Particulates from Power Plants

The emphasis on participate control from industrial processes has been shifted recently towards fine particulates, having diameters less than 3 microns. There exists an urgent need for more scientific information of fine particle characterization.^1,2 Coal and oil fired power plants are among the largest anthropogenic point sources of particulate matter.³ Limited knowledge is available on particle size distribution and trace metal composition in power plant emissions.^4-7 The morphological properties of particle emissions have been largely neglected. In this report we present some information on particle characteristics for an oil-fired and coal-fired power plant.     

Technical Aspects of Lime/Limestone Scrubbers for Coal-Fired Power Plants

This is the conclusion of a 2-part article dealing with the technical aspects of lime/limestone scrubbers for coal-fired power plants, it covers instrumentation, participate removal and sludge disposal. Part I (June JAPCA) covered process chemistry and scrubber systems     

Urban-Center CO Air Quality Projections

The distribution of mutagenic activity and nitroaromatic components of polycyclic organic matter (POM) in ambient air at industrial, urban, suburban, rural, and remote sites was studied using organic extracts from high volume aerosol samples. Direct-acting mutagens including 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), dinitropyrenes (DNP), and hydroxynitropyrenes (HNP) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography while the mutagenicity was determined in the Salmonella bioassay with strain TA-98. Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), one of the possible precursors of nitroaromatic compounds in POM, was also measured. In comparing samples from a range of sites, TSP and the concentration of BaP per mass of particulate matter decreased, as expected, at greater distances from urban and industrial combustion sources. However, the concentrations of polar nitroaromatic POM compounds per mass of particles were higher at a remote site than in nonindustrial urban and suburban areas. The mutagenicity in particulate matter extracts from the remote area was predominantly (>90 percent) in the very polar fractions. There were also high atmospheric levels of nitroaromatic compounds and mutagenicity in heavily industrialized areas. These observations may reflect the influences of source emissions, atmospheric transformations of POM compounds, and ther atmospheric processes on the composition of ambient suspended particulate matter.     

Contamination of the Lake Tahoe Air Basin by High Molecular Weight Petroleum Residues

The atmosphere of the Lake Tahoe air basin is contaminated with high molecular weight (> C₁₂) petroleum hydrocarbons. Aerosol samples were collected by high-volume filtration and the solvent-soluble organic matter was analyzed. The relative concentrations of petroleum residues found were as follows: winter > summer and day > night. This contamination is primarily due to the poorer combustion of diesel and home heating fuels at that altitude and during periods of colder climate.     

Environmental Auditing—A Timely and Effective Tool

The requirements of environmental regulations imposed on industry are complex and expensive. As these regulations have developed, corporate compliance programs have had to become more sophisticated. For many, this means that an environmental auditing program is now timely (or overdue) for organizing their approach to meeting the constraints of these regulations. Contributing to this timeliness is a renewed emphasis by regulators on enforcement activities. This paper discusses what environmental auditing is and what it consists of, gives examples from a few approaches which are currently being used, and reviews some of its benefits and liabilities.