Baltimore Supersite: Highly time- and size-resolved concentrations of urban PM2.5 and its constituents for resolution of sources and immune responses

Protection of public health from the effects of air particulate matter (PM) requires measurements and methods that assess the PM chemical constituents, physical properties, and their sources. Sampling was conducted at three sites in the Baltimore area: a source-oriented (industrial) area in south Baltimore (FMC site), and two receptor area sites (Clifton Park and Ponca Street). FMC measurements were made for the initial 1-month of the project; Clifton measurements lasted for about 2 months, while measurements at Ponca Street lasted for about 9.5 months. Pollutant samples were collected at intervals ranging from 5 min to 1 h using semi-continuous monitors for PM2.5 mass, sulfate, nitrate, elemental and organic carbon, particle number size distributions (10–20,000 nm), CO, NOx, O3, 11 metals, and mass spectra of individual particles, throughout the project. In addition to standard meteorological measurements, a 3D-sonic anemometer and a LIDAR system were operated during selected periods as were a rotating drum impactor with 3- to 6-h resolution and a filter/PUF sampler for 3-h measurements of organic compounds. Standard speciation and FRM mass measurements were also made. This report describes the types of measurements that were made at the various sites of the Baltimore Supersite program as well as presents the summary statistics for some of the PM measurements that have been made. The measurements of aerosol mass, major components, and size distribution data for the three sites are compared. Results show comparable PM concentrations at Ponca Street and Clifton Park. Increased variability was observed at Ponca Street

Retrospective source attribution for source-oriented sampling

Previous work successfully implemented a novel system that uses a single particle mass spectrometer to conditionally sample size-segregated, source-oriented particles from the ambient atmosphere in real-time. The underlying hypothesis is that the composition of individual particles is a metric of particle source and thus sampling particles based on composition should be synonymous with sampling based on source. System operation relies on real-time pattern recognition to control the actuation of different ChemVol samplers, where each ChemVol is associated with a unique composition signature. In the current work, a synthesis of data collected during these studies is used in retrospect to reconcile the actual source combinations contributing to the particles collected by each ChemVol. Source attribution is based on correlations between ChemVol sampling periods and coincident wind direction and temporal emissions patterns, coupled to knowledge of single particle composition and surrounding sources. Residential and commercial cooking, vehicular emissions, residential heating and highly processed regional background PM were identified as the major sources. Results show that real-time patterns in single particle mixing state correctly identified specific sources and that these sources were successfully separated into different ChemVols for both summer and winter seasons

Deliberating performance targets workshop: Potential paths for emerging PM2.5 and O3 air sensor progress

The United States Environmental Protection Agency held an international two-day workshop in June 2018 to deliberate possible performance targets for non-regulatory fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) air sensors. The need for a workshop arose from the lack of any market-wide manufacturer requirement for documented sensor performance evaluations, the lack of any independent third party or government-based sensor performance certification program, and uncertainty among all users as to the general usability of air sensor data. A multi-sector subject matter expert panel was assembled to facilitate an open discussion on these issues with multiple stakeholders. This summary provides an overview of the workshop purpose, key findings from the deliberations, and considerations for future actions specific to sensors. Important findings concerning PM2.5 and O3 sensors included the lack of consistent performance indicators and statistical metrics as well as highly variable data quality requirements depending on the intended use. While the workshop did not attempt to yield consensus on any topic, a key message was that a number of possible future actions would be beneficial to all stakeholders regarding sensor technologies. These included documentation of best practices, sharing quality assurance results along with sensor data, and the development of a common performance target lexicon, performance targets, and test protocols. Keywords: Low-cost air quality sensors, Performance targets, PM2.5, Ozon

An isotherm-based thermodynamic model of multicomponent aqueous solutions, applicable over the entire concentration range

In previous studies (Dutcher et al. J. Phys. Chem. C 2011, 115, 16474-16487; 2012, 116, 1850-1864), we derived equations for the Gibbs energy, solvent and solute activities, and solute concentrations in multicomponent liquid mixtures, based upon expressions for adsorption isotherms that include arbitrary numbers of hydration layers on each solute. In this work, the long-range electrostatic interactions that dominate in dilute solutions are added to the Gibbs energy expression, thus extending the range of concentrations for which the model can be used from pure liquid solute(s) to infinite dilution in the solvent, water. An equation for the conversion of the reference state for solute activity coefficients to infinite dilution in water has been derived. A number of simplifications are identified, notably the equivalence of the sorption site parameters r and the stoichiometric coefficients of the solutes, resulting in a reduction in the number of model parameters. Solute concentrations in mixtures conform to a modified Zdanovskii-Stokes-Robinson mixing rule, and solute activity coefficients to a modified McKay-Perring relation, when the effects of the long-range (Debye-Hückel) term in the equations are taken into account. Practical applications of the equations to osmotic and activity coefficients of pure aqueous electrolyte solutions and mixtures show both satisfactory accuracy from low to high concentrations, together with a thermodynamically reasonable extrapolation (beyond the range of measurements) to extreme concentration and to the pure liquid solute(s)

Influence of suction matrica the flow and conditions slope stability Dam Fishing

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgicoA importÃncia do comportamento de solos nÃo saturados tem sido reconhecida no Ãmbito da mecÃnica dos solos, de forma que, nas Ãltimas dÃcadas a geotecnia tem evoluÃdo muito no sentido de compreender-se o comportamento dos solos com o objetivo de melhoria e aperfeiÃoamento dos projetos de engenharia. Uma das particularidades dos solos nÃo saturados consiste no acrÃscimo de tensÃes internas devido ao fenÃmeno da sucÃÃo. Este acrÃscimo de tensÃes tem influÃncia comprovada em muitas caracterÃsticas do solo como na sua permeabilidade, compressibilidade, resistÃncia ao cisalhamento, etc., porÃm muitos estudos realizados atualmente utilizam os conceitos da mecÃnica dos solos tradicional, nÃo levando em consideraÃÃo o comportamento dos solos nÃo saturados, dentre eles estÃo as anÃlises de estabilidade em barragens de terra. Este trabalho tem como principal meta avaliar a influÃncia da nÃo saturaÃÃo dos solos em anÃlises de estabilidade de taludes em barragens de terra durante o enchimento. Para este fim, foi realizado um estudo de fluxo e estabilidade na Barragem Pesqueiro-CE. Para a determinaÃÃo dos parÃmetros geotÃcnicos do maciÃo, foram obtidas amostras deformadas e indeformadas para a realizaÃÃo de ensaios de caracterizaÃÃo, compactaÃÃo, permeabilidade e cisalhamento direto. TambÃm foram realizados ensaios para a determinaÃÃo da curva caracterÃstica do solo por meio do mÃtodo do papel-filtro. A partir dos resultados dos ensaios geotÃcnicos, foram feitos simulaÃÃes transientes para um perÃodo de 60 (sessenta meses) de operaÃÃo da barragem Pesqueiro. Pelas simulaÃÃes de fluxo, foi possÃvel conhecer as condiÃÃes de fluxo durante o perÃodo analisado. Com base nos resultados do estudo de percolaÃÃo transiente, foram realizadas anÃlises de estabilidade no talude de jusante para o perÃodo de enchimento do reservatÃrio. As simulaÃÃes de estabilidade foram feitas por duas metodologias: levando em consideraÃÃo a sucÃÃo presente no maciÃo e outra baseada na metodologia tradicional. Nos resultados obtidos foi constatada a influÃncia na estabilidade de talude ao considerar a sucÃÃo, visualizando uma reduÃÃo no fator de seguranÃa conforme ocorre o avanÃo da frente de saturaÃÃo. TambÃm foi constatado que nos resultados em que foi considerada a sucÃÃo nas anÃlises de estabilidade, os valores dos fatores de seguranÃa foram mais elevados que os apresentados pela metodologia tradicional, constatando o conservadorismo da metodologia tradicional.The importance of the unsaturated soil behavior has been recognized within the soil mechanics, so that in recent decades the geotechnical has much evolved in order to understand the behavior of soils with the objective of improving and improvement of engineering projects. One of the soil characteristics not saturated is the increase of internal stresses due to the suction phenomenon. This one voltage increase has proven influence on many characteristics of the soil as in its permeability, compressibility, shear strength, etc., but many studies currently performed using the concepts of the mechanics of traditional soil, not taking into account the behavior of unsaturated soils, among them are Stability analysis on earth dams. This work has as main goal to evaluate the influence of non-soil saturation on slope stability analysis in dam ground during filling. To this end, it conducted a flow analysis and stability in Fishing dam-CE. To determine the geotechnical parameters of the massif, were Soil samples taken for performing characterization tests, compression, permeability and direct shear. Also tests were performed for determining soil characteristic curve by the method of the filter paper. Starting from results of geotechnical, transient simulations were made for a period of 60 (sixty months) of operation Fishing dam. For flow simulations, it was possible know the flow conditions over the analysis period. Based on the results of the transient percolation study were performed stability analysis in the downstream slope period for filling the reservoir. The stability simulations were made by two methodologies: taking into account the suction present in massive and one based on traditional methodology. The results obtained was found to influence the stability of slope to consider suction, seeing a reduction in safety factor as It is the advance of the saturation front. It was also found that the results it was suction considered in stability analysis, the values of the factors of safety were higher than that provided by traditional methodology, noting the conservatism of traditional methodology