Research Projects

An atmospheric monitoring network was operated throughout the South Coast Air Basin in the greater Los Angeles area during the year 1986. The primary objective of this study was to measure the spatial and temporal concentration distributions of atmospheric gas phase and particulate phase acids and bases in support of the California Air Resources Board's dry deposition research program. Gaseous pollutants measured include HNO3, HCl. HF, HBr, formic acid, acetic acid and ammonia. The chemical composition of the airborne particulate matter complex was examined in three size ranges: fine particles (less than 2.2mm aerodynamic diameter, AD), PM10 (less than 10mm AD) and total particles (no size discrimination).

Upwind of the air basin at San Nicolas Island, gas phase acids concentrations are very low: averaging 0.3mg m-3 (0.1 ppb) for HN03, 0.8mg m-3 for HCl, 0.13mg m-3 for HF, and 2.6mg m-3 for formic acid. Annual average HN03 concentrations ranged from 3.1mg m-3 (1.2 ppb) near the Southern California coast to 6.9mg m-3 (2.7 ppb) at an inland site in the San Gabriel Mountains. HCl concentrations within the South Coast Air Basin averaged from 0.8mg m-3 to 1.8mg m-3 during the year 1986. Long-Term average HF concentrations within the air basin are very low, in the range from 0.14 to 0.22mg m-3 between monitoring sites. Long-term average formic acid concentrations are lowest near the coastline (5.0mg m-3 at Hawthorne), with the highest average concentrations (10.7mg m-3) observed inland at Upland.

Ammonia concentrations at low elevation within the South Coast Air Basin average from 2.1mg m-3 to 4.4mg m-3 at all sites except Rubidoux. Rubidoux is located directly downwind of a large ammonia source created by dairy farming and other agricultural activities in the Chino area. Ammonia concentrations at Rubidoux average 30mg m-3 during 1986. A factor of approximately 10 higher than elsewhere in the air basin.

Annual average PM10 mass concentrations within the South Coast Air Basin ranged from 47.0mg m-3 along the coast to 87.4mg m-3 at Rubidoux, the farthest inland monitoring site. Five major aerosol components (carbonaceous material, NO3-, SO4-, NH4+ and soil-related material) accounted for greater than 80% of the annual average PM10 mass concentration at all on-land monitoring stations. A peak 24-h average PM10 mass concentration of 299mg m-3 was observed at Rubidoux during 1986. That value is a factor of two higher than the federal 24-h average PM10 concentration standard, and a factor of six higher than the State of California PM10 standard. More than 40% of the PM10 aerosol mass measured at Rubidoux during that peak day event consisted of aerosol nitrates plus ammonium ion. Reaction of gaseous nitric acid to form aerosol nitrates was a major contributor to the high PM10 concentrations observed in the Rubidoux area near Riverside, California.