12 research outputs found
On the Application of Open-Path Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy To Measure Aerosols: Observations of Water Droplets
Measurement of Chemical Vapors Emitted from Industrial Sources in an Urban Environment Using Open-path FTIR
A RAM2000 Open-Path (OP) FTIR analyzer was set up to measure ambient air continuously, with 1-min avg, over a 1-mo period at the interface between an industrial area and a residential area (Forest Park) in northwest Portland. There have been numerous complaints from the citizens who live in the Forest Park area about odors and chemicals coming from the industrial area. Twelve chemicals were detected and measured: ammonia, methanol, acetone, propylene glycol methyl ether acetate, n-butyl acetate, isobutanol, 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane, chlorodifluoromethane, tetrachloroethlyene, isopropyl alcohol, 2-butanol, and chloroform. The spectral data was analyzed for 18 other chemicals that are of concern and have appeared in canister samples: benzene, toluene, three isomers of xylene, naphthalene, phenol, CCl 4, dichloromethane, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, styrene, hydrogen cyanide, 1,3-butadiene, 1,2-dibromoethane, 1,2-dichloroethane, and 1,1-dichloroethane. The OP-FTIR technology would be a very valuable tool for monitoring the progress of the Integrated Urban Strategy in reducing the concentrations of the urban hazardous air pollutants. OP-FTIR measurements can produce very large amounts of information on the chemical environment. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the AWMA 97th Annual Conference and Exhibition (Indianapolis, IN 6/22-25/2004)