Upper Hunter Valley particle characterization study: 1st progress report – site commissioning and methodology

The objective of the Upper Hunter Valley Particle Characterization Study is to determine the major components and sources of particulate matter (as PM2.5 – particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) in the two main population centres in the Upper Hunter Valley, namely Singleton and Muswellbrook. This 1st Progress Report outlines the design of the project, the methodology, and the commissioning phase.© 2012 CSIR

Upper Hunter Valley Particle Characterization Study 3rd Progress Report

The objective of the Upper Hunter Valley Particle Characterization Study is to determine the major components and sources of particulate matter (as PM2.5 – particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) in the two main population centres in the Upper Hunter Valley, namely Singleton and Muswellbrook. This 3rd Progress Report presents an update on the project and some quality checks of the data.© 2013 CSIR

Upper Hunter Valley Particle Characterization Study 2nd Progress Report

The objective of the Upper Hunter Valley Particle Characterization Study is to determine the major components and sources of particulate matter (as PM2.5 – particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) in the two main population centres in the Upper Hunter Valley, namely Singleton and Muswellbrook. This 2nd Progress Report presents an update on the project, some preliminary results, and a description of the CSIRO analysis technique.© 2012 CSIR

Lower Hunter particle characterisation study 4th progress report (Summer)

The Lower Hunter Particle Characterisation Study was commissioned by the NSW Environment Protection Authority in 2013 to investigate the composition and major sources of particle pollution in the Lower Hunter. The study was conducted by scientists from the former Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), CSIRO and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), with oversight from the NSW Ministry of Health, and completed in 2016. Focusing on very small particles, invisible to the human eye, which can be inhaled and can pass through the throat and nose and into the lungs, the study aimed to determine the composition and major sources of fine particles (PM2.5) and coarse particles (PM2.5-10). Fine particles were monitored at four sites, including two sites representative of regional population exposures (Newcastle, Beresfield) and two sites near the Port of Newcastle (Mayfield and Stockton). Coarse particles were monitored at Mayfield and Stockton, the two sites near the Port of Newcastle

Lower Hunter particle characterisation study 2nd progress report (Winter).

The Lower Hunter Particle Characterisation Study was commissioned by the NSW Environment Protection Authority in 2013 to investigate the composition and major sources of particle pollution in the Lower Hunter. The study was conducted by scientists from the former Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), CSIRO and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), with oversight from the NSW Ministry of Health, and completed in 2016. Focusing on very small particles, invisible to the human eye, which can be inhaled and can pass through the throat and nose and into the lungs, the study aimed to determine the composition and major sources of fine particles (PM2.5) and coarse particles (PM2.5-10). Fine particles were monitored at four sites, including two sites representative of regional population exposures (Newcastle, Beresfield) and two sites near the Port of Newcastle (Mayfield and Stockton). Coarse particles were monitored at Mayfield and Stockton, the two sites near the Port of Newcastle

Upper Hunter Valley particle characterization study: final report

This study provides an analysis of the composition of PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres) in the two main population centres in the Upper Hunter, namely Muswellbrook and Singleton, during 012.The finer PM2.5 particles have been studied because they are of greatest concern owing to their impact on health. Samples were collected for 24 hours every third day and analysed for the components of PM2.5, specifically twenty elements, fourteen soluble ions, two anhydrous sugars (levoglucosan and mannosan) that are found in woodsmoke, organic carbon (OC), and black carbon (BC), as well as gravimetric mass. The chemical composition of all the samples from each site was analysed using a mathematical technique called Positive Matrix Factorisation (PMF), which is widely used in air pollution source apportionment studies. This identified eight factors (also called ‘fingerprints’) which represent the mix of components that tend to vary together in time. Further analysis, using information about known sources and knowledge of atmospheric chemistry as well as wind sector and seasonal analysis, was undertaken to identify the most likely source of emissions for each factor and hence the contribution that each source makes to the measured PM2.5 concentrations. © 2013 CSIROSummary (factsheet) also attached

Current estimates of biogenic emissions from Eucalypts uncertain for Southeast Australia

The biogenic emissions of isoprene and monoterpenes are one of the main drivers of atmospheric photochemistry, including oxidant and secondary organic aerosol production. In this paper, the emission rates of isoprene and monoterpenes from Australian vegetation are investigated for the first time using the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature version 2.1 (MEGANv2.1); the CSIRO chemical transport model; and atmospheric observations of isoprene, monoterpenes and isoprene oxidation products (methacrolein and methyl vinyl ketone). Observations from four field campaigns during three different seasons are used, covering urban, coastal suburban and inland forest areas. The observed concentrations of isoprene and monoterpenes were of a broadly similar magnitude, which may indicate that southeast Australia holds an unusual position where neither chemical species dominates. The model results overestimate the observed atmospheric concentrations of isoprene (up to a factor of 6) and underestimate the monoterpene concentrations (up to a factor of 4). This may occur because the emission rates currently used in MEGANv2.1 for Australia are drawn mainly from young eucalypt trees (\u3c 7 years), which may emit more isoprene than adult trees. There is no single increase/decrease factor for the emissions which suits all seasons and conditions studied. There is a need for further field measurements of in situ isoprene and monoterpene emission fluxes in Australia

Composition of Clean Marine Air and Biogenic Influences on VOCs during the MUMBA Campaign

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important precursors to the formation of ozone and fine particulate matter, the two pollutants of most concern in Sydney, Australia. Despite this importance, there are very few published measurements of ambient VOC concentrations in Australia. In this paper, we present mole fractions of several important VOCs measured during the campaign known as MUMBA (Measurements of Urban, Marine and Biogenic Air) in the Australian city of Wollongong (34°S). We particularly focus on measurements made during periods when clean marine air impacted the measurement site and on VOCs of biogenic origin. Typical unpolluted marine air mole fractions during austral summer 2012-2013 at latitude 34°S were established for CO2 (391.0 ± 0.6 ppm), CH4 (1760.1 ± 0.4 ppb), N2O (325.04 ± 0.08 ppb), CO (52.4 ± 1.7 ppb), O3 (20.5 ± 1.1 ppb), acetaldehyde (190 ± 40 ppt), acetone (260 ± 30 ppt), dimethyl sulphide (50 ± 10 ppt), benzene (20 ± 10 ppt), toluene (30 ± 20 ppt), C8H10 aromatics (23 ± 6 ppt) and C9H12 aromatics (36 ± 7 ppt). The MUMBA site was frequently influenced by VOCs of biogenic origin from a nearby strip of forested parkland to the east due to the dominant north-easterly afternoon sea breeze. VOCs from the more distant densely forested escarpment to the west also impacted the site, especially during two days of extreme heat and strong westerly winds. The relative amounts of different biogenic VOCs observed for these two biomes differed, with much larger increases of isoprene than of monoterpenes or methanol during the hot westerly winds from the escarpment than with cooler winds from the east. However, whether this was due to different vegetation types or was solely the result of the extreme temperatures is not entirely clear. We conclude that the clean marine air and biogenic signatures measured during the MUMBA campaign provide useful information about the typical abundance of several key VOCs and can be used to constrain chemical transport model simulations of the atmosphere in this poorly sampled region of the world. © 2019 The Author

The MUMBA campaign: measurements of urban, marine and biogenic air

The Measurements of Urban, Marine and Biogenic Air (MUMBA) campaign took place in Wollongong, New South Wales (a small coastal city approximately 80 km south of Sydney, Australia) from 21 December 2012 to 15 February 2013. Like many Australian cities, Wollongong is surrounded by dense eucalyptus forest, so the urban airshed is heavily influenced by biogenic emissions. Instruments were deployed during MUMBA to measure the gaseous and aerosol composition of the atmosphere with the aim of providing a detailed characterisation of the complex environment of the ocean–forest–urban interface that could be used to test the skill of atmospheric models. The gases measured included ozone, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and many of the most abundant volatile organic compounds. The aerosol characterisation included total particle counts above 3 nm, total cloud condensation nuclei counts, mass concentration, number concentration size distribution, aerosol chemical analyses and elemental analysis. The campaign captured varied meteorological conditions, including two extreme heat events, providing a potentially valuable test for models of future air quality in a warmer climate. There was also an episode when the site sampled clean marine air for many hours, providing a useful additional measure of the background concentrations of these trace gases within this poorly sampled region of the globe. In this paper we describe the campaign, the meteorology and the resulting observations of atmospheric composition in general terms in order to equip the reader with a sufficient understanding of the Wollongong regional influences to use the MUMBA datasets as a case study for testing a chemical transport model. © Author(s) 2017.The data are available from PANGAEA (http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.871982)