Modifications to the sunset laboratory carbon aerosol monitor for the simultaneous measurement of PM2.5 nonvolatile and semi-volatile carbonaceous material.
Semi-volatile organic carbonaceous material (SVOC) in fine particles is not reliably measured with conventional semicontinuous carbon monitors because semi-volatile carbonaceous material is lost from the collection media during sample collection. Two modifications of a Sunset Laboratory carbon aerosol monitor allowing for the determination of semi-volatile fine particulate organic material are described. Collocated conventional and modified instruments were operated simultaneously using a common inlet. Comparisons were made with integrated PC-BOSS data for quartz filter retained nonvolatile organic carbon (NVOC) and elemental carbon (EC), SVOC, and total carbon (TC = SVOC + NVOC + EC) and good agreement was observed between TC concentrations during studies conducted in Rubidoux, CA. Precision of the comparison was sigma = +/-1.5 microg-C/m3 (+/-8%). On the basis of experiments performed with the modified Sunset monitor, a dual-oven Sunset monitor was developed and extensively tested in Lindon, UT; Riverside, CA; and in environmental exposure chambers. The precision for the measurement of TC with the dual-oven instrument was sigma = +/-1.4 microg-C/m3 (+/-13%).
Grover
Brett D
BD
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
Eatough
Norman L
NL
Woolwine
Woods R
WR
Eatough
Delbert J
DJ
Cary
Robert A
RA
D000336:Aerosols / Q000032:analysis*; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*; D014589:Utah; D014835:Volatilization
D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D002244:Carbon