Airborne Particulate Emissions from a Chromic Acid Anodizing Process Tank

Particulate mass concentration, particle size distribution, and particle chemical composition measurements have been conducted on the gases exhausting from a chromic acid anodizing process tank. Particle mass concentrations in the 200 to 20,000 μg/m³ range were measured using open-faced filters (47 mm diameter) adjacent to the process tank liquid and with closed filters (90 mm diameter) in the exhaust duct. Particle size distributions, measured using University of Washington Mark 3 and Mark 20 Cascade Impactors, showed the particle aerodynamic mass median diameter was about 3 microns. Chemical analysis of the particle samples obtained by the Modified EPA Method 5 sampling train, the Mark 20 UW Cascade Impactors, and by the 47 mm and 90 mm diameter filters showed Cr⁺⁶ concentrations in the 20 to 1,500 μg/m³ range with over 99 percent of the chromium in particles larger than 1.0 microns diameter. An integrating nephelometer was used to measure the light scattering coefficient of the exhaust gases upstream of the wet scrubber. The light scattering coefficient increased by a factor of about 2–3 over the background level during the 40 minute time period while a part was being anodized. The bscat values ranged from 3 × 10^?5 to 3 × 10^?4 meters^?1 for the aerosol particles less than about 6 microns aerodynamic diameter.     

The Cost Estimation of Thermal and Catalytic Incinerators for the Control of VOCs

In an earlier paper, major commercially available incinerator technologies designed to treat dilute waste gas streams containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were described in a qualitative comparison. In addition, a simplified procedure was outlined through which important sizing parameters could be calculated given certain information about the waste gas. This paper describes the use of these parameters in developing a study (±30percent) cost estimate for the total capital investment and the total annual costs incurred in treating a waste stream of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). An illustrative problem used in the former paper is completed here in order to contrast some of the economic differences between thermal and catalytic incinerator systems.     

Measurement of Volatile Organics at Part per Billion Concentrations Using a Cold Trap Inlet and High Speed Gas Chromatography

Direct inlet gas chromatography (GC) is becoming one of the most frequently used techniques for measurement of volatile organics in air. Although GC is an effective tool, its usefulness as a field method can be limited by retention times of several minutes or more, and by the limits of detection. In order to address these issues, a high speed GC system featuring a capillary cold trap inlet and variable speed electrometeramplifier was developed and tested.

The gas cooled inlet was used to collect and focus organic vapors from injection volumes of up to 1 ml. Resistance heating of the metal cold trap produced a narrow injection band that allowed simple separations to be completed in 5 to 20 seconds. Use of a variable speed electrometer-amplifier allowed the response time and noise suppression characteristics to be adjusted to the needs of the specific analysis.

Simple mixtures of organics including aromatics, alkanes and chlorinated hydrocarbons were separated in 20 seconds or less. The limits of detection for 13 test compounds ranged from less than 1 part per billion by volume (ppbv) to about 50 ppbv. Data presented here indicate that high speed GC using a cold trap inlet may be a feasible approach for near real-time measurement of volatile organics in ambient air.     

An Analysis of Biomedical Waste Incineration

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) completed a series of source tests of eight operating biomedical waste incinerators (BMWI) under conditions of typical operation. The emissions of certain metals, and chlorinated dioxins and furans in the flue gases of BMWI are relatively high in comparison to emissions from other combustion sources, such as hazardous waste or municipal waste incinerators of modern design. This study reports on an analysis of the status of the existing regulatory framework and the California data base. Clarification of definitional issues at the federal level is needed to effectively treat BMWI management issues. Although few relationships among combustion parameters and emissions were uncovered, patterns of emissions were evident, suggesting commonality and relationships among the waste stream constituents and emissions. Potential implications for future research, operation of BMWI, controls and source reduction and waste segregation strategies are also discussed.     

Modeling Emissions from Elevated Cylindrical Bins

Abstract

This paper demonstrates how wind tunnel modeling data that accurately describe plume characteristics near an unconventional emission source can be used to improve the near-field downwind plume profiles predicted by conventional air pollution dispersion models. The study considers a vertical, cylindrical-shaped, elevated bin similar to large product storage bins that can be found at many industrial plant sites. Two dispersion models are considered: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ISC2(ST) model and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Energy's GAS model. The wind tunnel study showed that plume behavior was contrary to what was predicted using conventional dispersion models such as ISC2(ST) and GAS and default values of input parameters. The wind tunnel data were used to develop a protocol for correcting the dispersion models inputs, resulting in a substantial improvement in the accuracy of the dispersion estimates.     

A Methodological Approach for Exposure Assessment Studies in Residences Using Volatile Organic-Compound-Contaminated Water

Abstract

This paper presents a methodological approach for assessing total exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in residences using contaminated water supplies. This approach is founded on assessment of ingestion, inhalation, and dermal exposures; both long-term (i.e., 12 to 24 hr) lowlevel exposures and short-term (i.e., =10 min) high-level exposures are considered.

The methodology is based on the collection of water samples to establish the identity of the contaminants, maximum source terms, and possible dermal and ingestion exposures; integrated whole-air samples are collected to assess long- and short-term inhalation exposures; whole-air grab samples are used to confirm peak and typical inhalation exposures; and alveolar breath samples are used to confirm exposures and to estimate contaminant concentrations in the blood of the test subjects. While we do not suggest that this methodology should supersede any current investigative approach, this material is primarily offered as a consolidated reference to the many people or organizations who might contemplate a study of this type. Application of this investigative protocol should provide detailed exposure assessment information, while it supplies critical real world data for risk assessment specialists, toxicologists, and modeling experts. Data from a recent field study assessing exposures to trichloroethylene are presented to illustrate the utility and some of the limitations of this strategy.     

Estimating Maximum Concentrations for Open Path Monitoring Along a Fixed Beam Path

ABSTRACT

Researchers have applied open path optical sensing techniques to a variety of workplace and environmental monitoring problems. Usually these data are reported in terms of a path-average (or path-integrated) concentration. When assessing potential human exposures along a beam path, this path-average value is not always informative, since concentrations along the path can vary substantially from the beam average. The focus of this research is to arrive at a method for estimating the upper-bound in contaminant concentrations over a fixed open beam path. The approach taken here uses a statistical model to estimate an upper-bound concentration based on a combination of the path-average and a measure of the spatial variability computed from point samples along the beam path. Results of computer simulations and experimental testing in a controlled ventilation chamber indicate that the model produced conservative estimates for the maximum concentration along the beam path. This approach may have many applications for open path monitoring in workplaces or wherever maximum concentrations are a concern.     

Aerosol Research and Inhalation Epidemiological Study (ARIES): Air Quality and Daily Mortality Statistical Modeling— Interim Results

ABSTRACT

The Aerosol Research and Inhalation Epidemiological Study (ARIES) is an EPRI-sponsored project to collect air quality and meteorological data at a single site in northwestern Atlanta, GA. Seventy high-resolution air quality indicators (AQIs) are used to examine statistical relationships between air quality and health outcome end points. Contemporaneous mortality data are collected for Fulton and DeKalb counties in Georgia. Currently, 12 months of air quality and weather data are available for analysis, from August 1998 through July 1999.

The interim mortality analysis used Poisson regression in generalized additive models (GAMs). The estimated log-linear association of mortality with various AQIs was adjusted for smoothed functions of time and meteorological data. The analysis considered daily deaths due to all nonaccidental causes, deaths to persons 65 years or older, and deaths in each of the two constituent counties. The fine particle effect associated with the four mortality subgroups, using only today (lag 0), yesterday (lag 1), 2-day average (average of today and yesterday), and first difference (today minus yesterday) measurements of the air quality relative to today's number of deaths was positive for lag 0, lag 1, and 2-day average and positive only for decedents at least 65 years of age using first difference. The t values ranged from 0.81 to 1.15 for lag 0, 1.04 to 1.53 for lag 1, 1.10 to 1.66 for 2-day average, and -0.32 to 0.33 for first difference with 346 or 347 days of data. No statistically significant estimate of the linear coefficient was found for the other 14 air quality variables in our interim analysis for the four mortality subgroups. We discuss diagnostics to support these models.

These interim analyses did not include an evaluation of sensitivity to a larger set of lag structures, nonlinear model specifications, multipollutant analyses, alternative weather model and smoothing model specifications, air pollution imputation schemes, or cause-specific mortality indicators, nor did they include a full reporting of model selection or goodness-of-fit indicators. No conclusion can be drawn at this time about whether the findings from subsequent studies have sufficiently greater power to detect effects comparable to those found in other U.S. cities including at least 2 or 3 years of data.     

Biological Removal of Gaseous Ammonia in Biofilters: Space Travel and Earth-Based Applications

ABSTRACT

Gaseous NH₃ removal was studied in laboratory-scale biofilters (14-L reactor volume) containing perlite inoculated with a nitrifying enrichment culture. These biofilters received 6 L/min of airflow with inlet NH₃ concentrations of 20 or 50 ppm, and removed more than 99.99% of the NH₃ for the period of operation (101, 102 days). Comparison between an active reactor and an autoclaved control indicated that NH₃ removal resulted from nitrification directly, as well as from enhanced absorption resulting from acidity produced by nitrification. Spatial distribution studies (20 ppm only) after 8 days of operation showed that nearly 95% of the NH₃ could be accounted for in the lower 25% of the biofilter matrix, proximate to the port of entry. Periodic analysis of the biofilter material (20 and 50 ppm) showed accumulation of the nitrification product NO₃ ^- early in the operation, but later both NO₂ ^- and NO₃ ^- accumulated. Additionally, the N-mass balance accountability dropped from near 100% early in the experiments to ~95 and 75% for the 20- and 50-ppm biofilters, respectively. A partial contributing factor to this drop in mass balance accountability was the production of NO and N₂O, which were detected in the biofilter exhaust.     

Characterization of Fine Particulate Matter Produced by Combustion of Residual Fuel Oil

ABSTRACT

Combustion experiments were carried out on four different residual fuel oils in a 732-kW boiler. PM emission samples were separated aerodynamically by a cyclone into fractions that were nominally less than and greater than 2.5 |j.m in diameter. However, examination of several of the samples by computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy (CCSEM) revealed that part of the PM_2.5 fraction consists of carbonaceous cenospheres and vesicular particles that range up to 10 |j.m in diameter. X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy data were obtained at the S, V, Ni, Fe, Cu, Zn, and As K-edges and at the Pb L-edge. Deconvolution of the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) region of the S spectra established that the dominant molecular forms of S present were sulfate (26-84% of total S) and thiophene (13-39% of total S). Sulfate was greater in the PM_2.5 samples than in the PM₂₅₊ samples. Inorganic sulfides and elemental sulfur were present in lower percentages. The Ni XANES spectra from all of the samples agreed fairly well with that of NiSO₄, while most of the V spectra closely resembled that of vanadyl sulfate (VO?SO₄?xH₂O). The other metals investigated (i.e., Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb) also were present predominantly as sulfates. Arsenic was present as an arsen-ate (As⁺⁵). X-ray diffraction patterns of the PM_2.5 fraction exhibit sharp lines due to sulfate compounds (Zn, V, Ni, Ca, etc.) superimposed on broad peaks due to amorphous carbons. All of the samples contain a significant organic component, with the loss on ignition (LOI) ranging from 64 to 87% for the PM_2.5 fraction and from 88 to 97% for the PM_2.5+ fraction. Based on ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis, the carbon is predominantly condensed in graphitic structures. Aliphatic structure was detected in only one of seven samples examined.