1. Time-Integrated Particle Measurements : Status in Canada
J. R. Brook, T. F. Dann, R. Vet
EMEP Workshop on Particulate Matter Measurement & Modeling
New Orleans, LA April 2004

2. Background
Starting in 1970's mass-based PM measurements focused on TSP
Major cities covered with 1-in-6 sampling
selected trace elements (e.g., Pb) and sulfate determined in some geographic areas.
In ~1980 open face filter pack measurements began
Sparked by acid deposition issue
Regionally-representative sites
PM2.5 and PM10 or PMcoarse began in mid 1980s
National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) program dichotomous samplers and Provincial SSI hi-vols
Major cities, 1-in-6 sampling, relatively advanced chemical characterization from NAPS

3. Current Status
Several Canadian locations have almost a 20 year record of PM2.5 and PMcoarse, plus chemical constituents
Chalk River, Ontario, has one of the longest, high-quality daily records of ambient sulfate in North America
Periodic special studies have provided additional chemical characterization and more detail on small-scale spatial patterns
PM2.5 speciation programs enhanced starting in 2000

4. Long-Term PM Mass Trend in Canadian Major Cities
Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Windsor, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Saint John and Halifax

5. Multi-Year Trend in N-Compounds

6. Average Seasonal Patterns
Egbert, Ontario CAPMoN filter pack ( )

7. Average Spatial Patterns
Combined CAPMoN CASTNet (USEPA) filter pack ( )

8. Urban-Rural Differences
Sites are km apart in same regional airmass

9. Characteristics of Air Masses
Sutton, Quebec, CAPMoN site
PM10 = 15.6 mg m-3
PM2.5 = 12.0 mg m-3
SO42- = 4.4 mg m-3
PM10 = 10.3 mg m-3
PM2.5 = 6.6 mg m-3
SO42- = 1.8 mg m-3

10. Importance of Sulfate to Summer PM2.5 Episodes
NAPS

11. Main Constituents “Driving” Episodes
Montréal Warm Season Sulphate
Montréal Cold Season Nitrate
Canadian Acid Aerosol Measurement Program

12. Response to SO2 Emission Reductions during cold season: Nov.-Apr.
Concentration (mg m-3)
Longwoods, Ontario, CAPMoN site

13. Main Weaknesses CAPMoN NAPS Special Studies size-cut uncontrolled
total mass not determined
no measurement of carbon content
NAPS
not daily sampling
nitrate biased low due to analytical protocol
Special Studies
limited in time and space
few carbon measurements

14. Carbon Fraction Can't be Ignored (especially since health studies tell us fine mass is important!)

15. SHEMP Study (daily 24 hr data)
Vancouver 7.5 mg m-3 Feb June 2002
Toronto mg m-3 Feb March 2003

16. Current PM Speciation Monitoring in Canada
Sequential dichot Partisol (R&P) for PM2.5 and PMcoarse
Sequential R&P chemcomb cartridge-based sampler for PM2.5 speciation

17. Seven Filters for Each Integrated Speciation Sample Period
NH3
NH4
Chemcomb cartridge

18. Canadian Locations with Fine and Coarse Mass, Fine Mass Speciation
24 hour integrated samples

19. Status of Speciation Sites

20. Gas-to-Particle Partitioning of OM and +’ve & -’ve Artifacts16
Summer (July 16 to 21), Winter (March 17 to 24) , 2003 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Mon-D
Mon-N
Tue-D
Tue-N
Wed-D
Wed-N
Thu-D
Thu-N
Fri-D
Fri-N
Sat-D
Sat-N
Sun-D
Sun-N
IOGAPS-OCQ
IOGAPS-SVOC
IOGAPS-OC
FP-OC
OC Concentration (mgC m-3)
Downtown Toronto
Best measure of OC
What a single quartz filter sees
Maximum size of +’ve artifact

21. What is in the OM?
Another ~15% could be associated with fungal spores (primary biological organic matter)
Concentration (ng m-3)

22. Summary
What have we learned about the PM problems from time-integrated measurements?
Trends, spatial and temporal patterns
What sort of hypothesis testing is being supported by these measurements?
Regional scale source-receptor analyses, contributions from chemical components, changes in composition, interrelationship between constituents
What are the most serious issues vis a vis representing what is actually in the air?
Mass and carbon are operationally defined, carbon artifacts, especially in cities
Are critical variables missing that are needed for the support of hypothesis testing/interpretation of mass and species composition measurements?
Organic speciation, collocated measurements of particles and precursors, size-resolved chemical composition

23. Evaluation of the FNO3 Estimation Technique