Chemical Characteristics of PM_(10) Aerosols Collected in the Los Angeles Area
Abstract
A PM_(10) monitoring network was established throughout the South Coast Air Basin (SOCAB) in the greater Los Angeles region during the calendar year 1986. Annual average PM_(10) mass concentrations within the Los Angeles metropolitan area ranged from 47.0 µg m^(-3) along the coast to 87.4 µg m^(-3) at Rubldoux, the furthest inland monitoring station. Measurements made at San Nicolas Island suggest that regional background aerosol contributes between 28 to 44 percent of the PM_(10) aerosol at monitoring sites In the SOCAB over the long term average. Five major aerosol components (carbonaceous material, NO- _3, SO=_4, NH+_4, and soil-related material) account for greater than 80 percent of the annual average PM_(10) mass at all on-land monitoring stations. Peak 24-h average mass concentrations of nearly 300 µg m^(-3) were observed at inland locations, with lower peak values (˜130–150 µg m^(-3)) measured along the coast. Peak-day aerosol composition was characterized by increased NO-_3 Ion and associated ammonium ion levels, as compared to the annual average. There appears to be only a weak dependence of PM_(10) mass concentration on season of the year. This lack of a pronounced seasonal dependence results from the complex and contradictory seasonal variations in the major chemical components (carbonaceous material, nitrate, sulfate, ammonium ion and crustal material). At most sites within the Los Angeles metropolitan area, PM_(10) mass concentrations exceeded both the annual and 24-h average federal and state of California PM_(10) regulatory standards.
Additional Information
© 1989 Taylor & Francis. Received: 28 Apr 1988. Accepted: 21 Oct 1988. Published online: 08 Mar 2012. We would like to thank John Cooper at NEA Labs for performing trace metal analysis by XRF and Bob Cary at Sunset Labs for the analysis of organic and elemental carbon. Betsy Andrews, Sandra Blumhorst, David Cole, Nancy Drehwing, Doug Gray, Mike Jones, Philip Lin, Harvey Liu, and Frank Vasquez of the California Institute of Technology assisted with the field experiments, laboratory analyses, and data base management aspects of the project. Air monitoring sites were provided through the cooperation of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Navy. Special thanks is given to Jay Rosenthal, Carl Otten, Grady-Jim Roberts and Lloyd Willet for their assistance in transporting samples and operating the sampling site at San Nicolas Island. This work was funded jointly by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the State of California Air Resources Board (agreement no. A4-144-32).Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 68985
- DOI
- 10.1080/08940630.1989.10466515
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20160712-143122232
- South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- A4-144-32
- California Air Resources Board
- Created
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2016-07-25Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2021-11-11Created from EPrint's last_modified field
- Caltech groups
- Environmental Quality Laboratory