Rural particulate matter in Alberta, Canada

Cheng, Lisa Lai‐Shen; Sandhu, Harpinder; Angle, R.P.; McDonald, Karen; Myrick, Rachel

doi:10.1016/s1352-2310(00)00123-0

Cited by 18 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…These meteorological conditions are associated with clean air masses; thus, sector 1 concentrations can be considered representative of the warm-season eastern North America continental background conditions. Based on the sector 1 averages, this background PM 2.5 (TEOM, nonvolatile mass) was on the order of 4-6 µg/m 3 , similar to the findings of Cheng et al 23 During southwest-to-southeast transport, PM 2.5 concentrations differed more among sites compared with sector 1. In southern Ontario, average PM 2.5 under southerly flow was 17-22 µg/m 3 , while further east at St. Anicet and Kejimkujik, the average concentration was ~11 µg/m 3 .…”

Section: Pm 25 Concentration By Transport Sectorsupporting

confidence: 87%

Regional Transport and Urban Contributions to Fine Particle Concentrations in Southeastern Canada

Brook

Lillyman

Shepherd

et al. 2002

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

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The impact of various atmospheric transport directions on ambient fine particle (PM 2.5 ) concentrations at several sites in southeastern Canada was estimated (for May-September) using back-trajectory analysis. Three-day back trajectories (four per day) were paired with 6-hr average PM 2.5 mass concentrations measured using tapered element oscillating microbalances (TEOM). PM 2.5 concentrations at rural locations in the region were affected by nonlocal sources originating in both Canada and the United States. Comparison of sites revealed that, on average, the local contribution to total PM 2.5 in the greater Toronto area (GTA) is approximately 30-35%. At each location, average PM 2.5 concentrations under south/southwesterly flow conditions were 2-4 times higher than under the corresponding northerly flow conditions. The chemical composition of both urban and rural PM 2.5 was determined during two separate 2-week spring/summer measurement campaigns. Components identified included SO 4 2-, NO 3 -, NH 4 + , black carbon and organic carbon (OC), and trace elements. Higher particle mass at the urban Toronto site was composed of a higher proportion of all components. However, black carbon, NO 3 -, NaCl, and trace elements were found to be the most enriched over the rural/regional background levels.

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Section: Pm 25 Concentration By Transport Sectorsupporting

confidence: 87%

Regional Transport and Urban Contributions to Fine Particle Concentrations in Southeastern Canada

Brook

Lillyman

Shepherd

et al. 2002

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

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“…Nevertheless, this method does not seem applicable in northern BC, because nearly all stations analyzed in this study in northern BC have 10th percentile values of 0-1 µg/m 3 for PM 10 as well as PM 2.5 . Such PM background values are unrealistically low compared to annual averages for real background stations provided by Cheng et al (2000) and U.S. EPA (1996), ranging from 1 to 4 µg/m 3 for PM 2.5 and from 5 to 9 µg/m 3 for PM 10 . On the other hand, spectral analysis methods (Tchepel et al, 2010) and Lagrangian dispersion modeling (Cremades et al, 2000) are not suitable methods to calculate background concentrations in the PG airshed due to the low population density and the very limited number of monitoring stations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…For rural-remote Alberta locations comparable to PG, Cheng et al (2000) identified mean PM 10 and PM 2.5 concentrations of 8.8 and 3.2 µg/m 3 , but due to the short measurement duration of 2-14 months, these results are seasonally biased. McKendry (2006), Suzuki (2003), and Vingarzan (2007) investigated measurements taken at regular monitoring stations in rural areas as well as small cities in British Columbia (BC) and Alberta (AB) and compared these to the mean annual concentrations of 1-4 µg/m 3 for PM 2.5 and 4-8 µg/m 3 for PM 10 published by Trijonis et al (1990) and the U.S. EPA (1996).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…The studies of Cheng et al (2000), McKendry (2006), Suzuki (2003), and Vingarzan (2007) focused on measurements at BC and Alberta sites and can be used to provide an estimate of background levels influencing PG, but the results of these studies are based on measurements taken several hundred kilometers from our study area and may not adequately represent background values in the PG airshed. Alternatively, the CEPA/ FPAC (1999) and also Vingarzan (2007) calculated background concentrations using the 10th percentiles of observational daily data sets to identify "clean days," which are equated with pure background days.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Assessment of background particulate matter concentrations in small cities and rural locations—Prince George, Canada

Veira

Jackson

Ainslie

et al. 2013

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

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This study investigates the development and application of a simple method to calculate annual and seasonal PM 2.5 and PM 10 background concentrations in small cities and rural areas. The Low Pollution Sectors and Conditions (LPSC) method is based on existing measured long-term data sets and is designed for locations where particulate matter (PM) monitors are only influenced by local anthropogenic emission sources from particular wind sectors. The LPSC method combines the analysis of measured hourly meteorological data, PM concentrations, and geographical emission source distributions. PM background levels emerge from measured data for specific wind conditions, where air parcel trajectories measured at a monitoring station are assumed to have passed over geographic sectors with negligible local emissions. Seasonal and annual background levels were estimated for two monitoring stations in Prince George, Canada, and the method was also applied to four other small cities (Burns Lake, Houston, Quesnel, Smithers) in northern British Columbia. The analysis showed reasonable background concentrations for both monitoring stations in Prince George, whereas annual PM 10 background concentrations at two of the other locations and PM 2.5 background concentrations at one other location were implausibly high. For those locations where the LPSC method was successful, annual background levels ranged between 1.8 AE 0.1 µg/m 3 and 2.5 AE 0.1 µg/m 3 for PM 2.5 and between 6.3 AE 0.3 µg/m 3 and 8.5 AE 0.3 µg/m 3 for PM 10 . Precipitation effects and patterns of seasonal variability in the estimated background concentrations were detectable for all locations where the method was successful. Overall the method was dependent on the configuration of local geography and sources with respect to the monitoring location, and may fail at some locations and under some conditions. Where applicable, the LPSC method can provide a fast and cost-efficient way to estimate background PM concentrations for small cities in sparsely populated regions like northern British Columbia.Implications: In rural areas like northern British Columbia, particulate matter (PM) monitoring stations are usually located close to emission sources and residential areas in order to assess the PM impact on human health. Thus there is a lack of accurate PM background concentration data that represent PM ambient concentrations in the absence of local emissions. The background calculation method developed in this study uses observed meteorological data as well as local source emission locations and provides annual, seasonal and precipitation-related PM background concentrations that are comparable to literature values for four out of six monitoring stations.

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“…OC/EC concentrations (without field or trip blank correction) are reported in units of mass/volume air (g/ m 3 ) and mass fraction total carbon (weight/weight total carbon 16 and background measurements made in rural-remote areas of Alberta, Canada (Ͻ10 g/m 3 ). 34 These differences can be attributed to a variety of factors, such as the short sampling times (2 hr), the season and time of day, meteorological factors, the position of the monitor on the forest floor (rather than on a paved surface), and residual effects of the nearby extinguished prescribed fire. The highest concentrations of PM 2.5 were measured during the flaming stage of the prescribed fires (Table 2).…”

Section: Pm 25 Physical and Chemical Characterizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical Speciation of PM_2.5Collected during Prescribed Fires of the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona

Robinson

Chávez

Velázquez

et al. 2004

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

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The use of prescribed fire is expected to increase in an effort to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire, particularly at urban/forest interfaces. Fire is a well-known source of particulate matter (PM) with particle sizes Յ2.5 m (PM 2.5 ), small diameter PM known to affect climate, visibility, and human health. In this work, PM 2.5 was collected during seven first-entry burns (flaming and smoldering stages) and one maintenance burn of the Coconino National Forest. and sulfate), and 48 elements (with atomic weights between sodium and lead). The PM 2.5 contained high organic carbon levels (typically Ͼ90% by mass), commonly observed ions (K ϩ , NH 4 ϩ , and NO 3 Ϫ ) and elements (K ϩ , chlorine, sulfur, and silicon), as well as titanium and chromium. Flaming produced higher K ϩ and NH 4 ϩ levels than smoldering, and the elemental signature was more complex (20 versus 7 elements). Average organic carbon ϫ 1.4 mass fractions (Ϯ standard deviation) were lower during flaming (92 Ϯ 14%) than during smoldering (124 Ϯ 24%). The maintenance (grassland) burn produced lower particle concentrations, lower NH 4 ϩ and NO 3 Ϫ levels, and higher K and chlorine levels than did the firstentry fires.

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Rural particulate matter in Alberta, Canada

Cited by 18 publications

References 16 publications

Regional Transport and Urban Contributions to Fine Particle Concentrations in Southeastern Canada

Regional Transport and Urban Contributions to Fine Particle Concentrations in Southeastern Canada

Assessment of background particulate matter concentrations in small cities and rural locations—Prince George, Canada

Chemical Speciation of PM_2.5Collected during Prescribed Fires of the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona

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Rural particulate matter in Alberta, Canada

Cited by 18 publications

References 16 publications

Regional Transport and Urban Contributions to Fine Particle Concentrations in Southeastern Canada

Regional Transport and Urban Contributions to Fine Particle Concentrations in Southeastern Canada

Assessment of background particulate matter concentrations in small cities and rural locations—Prince George, Canada

Chemical Speciation of PM2.5Collected during Prescribed Fires of the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona

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Chemical Speciation of PM_2.5Collected during Prescribed Fires of the Coconino National Forest near Flagstaff, Arizona