European intercomparison workshop on air quality monitoring. Vol. 5 Measuring of NO, NO_2, SO_2 and O_3

This report presents the results of a WHO Europen Intercomparison Workshop on Air Quality Monitoring (NO, NO_2, SO_2 and O_3) conducted in May 2002 by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Air Quality Management and Air Pollution Control in co-operation with the national reference laboratory of UBA Pilotstation in Langen, Germany. The Workshop was a contribution to on-going quality assurance and control activities on air quality measurements for Member States of the WHO Europen Region. Eleven laboratories mainly from Central and Eastern Europe used the opportunity to compare their measurement methods (14 manual methods and 20 monitors) and standards. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RR 838(15) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

European intercomparisation workshops on air quality monitoring. Vol. 3 Measuring of CO, NO, NO_2, and BTX

This report presents the results of two European Intercomparison Workshops on Air Quality Monitoring (CO, NO, NO_2 and BTX) conducted in May 1998 by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Air Quality Management and Air Pollution Control in co-operation with the national reference laboratory of UBA Pilotstation in Offenbach/Main, Germany. The Workshops were to be a contribution to continuing quality assurance and control activities on air quality monitoring in the WHO European Region. Fourteen institutes used the opportunity to compare their measurement methods (12 manual methods and 31 monitors) and standards for ambient air monitoring of carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, benzene, toluene, and xylene. Summing up the laboratory measurements (automatic and manual methods) of NO, NO_2 and CO during both intercomparison Workshops more than 80% of all results agrees with the target value within a tolerance of #+-#10%, and 60 to 80% of all results were within a tolerance of #+-#5%. Best results were obtained for CO measurements (measured by monitors only): 92% agreed with a tolerance of #+-#10% and 76% agreed within #+-#5%. For the comparisons of different analytical methods during the measurements of nitrogen oxides the results showed very good agreement for NO_2. On the other hand, the results for NO were not as good and they indicated some problems with manual methods. Summing up the BTX laboratory measurements (automatic and manual methods) of both intercomparison Workshops, 44 to 60% of all results were within a tolerance of #+-#10%, and between 23 and 35% of all results were within tolerance of #+-#5% from the target value. The comparisons of calibration standards showed very good agreement between the primary calibration standard of UBA Pilotstation and the national transfer standards of the participating laboratories. Some unsystematical differences were identified for manual methods at low NO and NO_2 concentrations in ambient air. Furthermore, some measurement phenomena were identified of automatic and manual methods. Thus, there seems to be a need for further intercomparisons to check and to veryify the causes. Most of the applied methods are reliable and suitable for obtaining air quality data appropriate to evaluate and estimate environmental health risks in the WHO European Region. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RR 838(11) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

European intercomparison workshops on air quality monitoring. Vol. 4 Measuring NO, NO_2, O_3 and SO_2

This report presents the results of two European Intercomparison Workshops on Air Quality Monitoring (NO, NO_2, O_3, and SO_2). The Workshops were a contribution to continuing quality assurance and quality control activities on air quality monitoring for Member States of the WHO European Region. Fourteen institutes mainly from Central and Eastern Europe used the opportunity to compare their measurement methods (15 manual methods and 24 monitors) and standards. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RR 838(13) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman