An assessment of the performance of the Monitor for AeRosols and GAses in ambient air (MARGA): a semi-continuous method for soluble compounds
Abstract
Ambient air monitoring as part of the U.S. EPA's Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet) currently uses filter packs to measure weekly integrated concentrations. The U.S. EPA is interested in supplementing CASTNet with semi-continuous monitoring systems at select sites to examine ecosystem exposure to nitrogen and sulfur compounds at higher time resolution and with greater accuracy than the filter pack. The Monitor for AeRosols and GAses in ambient air (MARGA) measures water-soluble gases and aerosols at hourly temporal resolution. The performance of the MARGA was assessed under the U.S. EPA Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program. The assessment was conducted in Research Triangle Park, NC from September 8th-October 8th, 2010. Precision of the MARGA was evaluated by comparing duplicate units and accuracy was evaluated by comparing duplicate MARGAs to duplicate reference denuder/filter packs. The MARGA utilizes a Wet Rotating Denuder (WRD) to collect gases, while aerosols are collected by a Steam Jet Aerosol Collector (SJAC). Both the WRD and the SJAC produce aqueous sample streams, which are analyzed by online ion chromatography for anions and cations. The reference denuder/filter pack consisted of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and phosphorous acid (H3PO3) coated denuders followed by a Teflon filter, a nylon filter, and a citric acid coated cellulose filter. The assessment of the MARGA units focused on gaseous SO2, HNO3 and NH3 and aerosol SO4-, NO3- and NH4+. To evaluate accuracy, hourly MARGA concentrations were averaged over 12 hours to match with 12-hour integrated concentrations from the reference system. The concentrations were compared using linear regression with performance goals of slope between 0.8-1.2 and y-intercept between -10 ppb and 10 ppb. Accuracy was further quantified as the median absolute relative percent difference (MARPD) between 12-hour MARGA and reference concentrations, with a performance goal of ≤ 40%. The precision of the MARGA units was evaluated by calculating the MARPD between the corresponding 1 hour concentrations from the two MARGA units, also with a performance goal of ≤ 40%. The MARGA units performed well for SO2, SO4-, NH3 and NH4+, with these compounds meeting the accuracy and precision goals. The MARGA units did not perform as well for HNO3 and NO3-, with both species linear regression slopes not achieving the accuracy target. Furthermore, for NO3-, the MARPD between both MARGA units and the reference filter pack was greater than 40%. Comparison of total nitrate (HNO3 + NO3-) suggests that the lesser performance of the MARGA units for these compounds likely results from aerosol volatility in the MARGA inlet/tubing or the reference filter pack and exchange of HNO3 with tubing walls. In addition, the NO3- concentrations were low (<0.5 ug m-3) for significant periods of the ETV assessment. Details of the comparison will be examined and suggested instrument improvements will be discussed.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2011
- Bibcode:
- 2011AGUFM.B43E0327R
- Keywords:
-
- 0315 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Biosphere/atmosphere interactions;
- 0365 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Troposphere: composition and chemistry;
- 0394 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Instruments and techniques;
- 0469 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Nitrogen cycling