American Association for Aerosol Research - Abstract Submission

AAAR 32nd Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4, 2013
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA

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Air quality during Landfill Fire in Iowa City, Summer 2012: Ambient Measurement and Plume Characterization

ASHISH SINGH, Robert Bullard, Andrew Hesselink, Allaa Hassanein, Doug Beardsley, Michael D Wichman, Thomas Peters, Scott N. Spak, Elizabeth Stone, Charles Stanier, University of Iowa

     Abstract Number: 384
     Working Group: Urban Aerosols

Abstract
The Iowa City Landfill experienced a fire in late May through early June of 2012, where approximately 1.3 million shredded tires caught fire, generating large amounts of smoke that impacted the surrounding cities and towns. A wide variety of measurements (particulate - mass, number/size, composition including molecular markers; gaseous pollutants- sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and volatile organic compounds) were taken by public health and university researchers to characterize the smoke emitted from the fire and to determine the concentrations near the fire site and in nearby areas with higher population densities.

Excluding fenceline measurements at the fire site, peak recorded concentrations include benzene at ~10 ppb (grab sample), over 150 microgram per cubic meter PM$_(2.5) (~10 min averaging time) 1.6 km away from the fire, and impacts up to 40-70 microgram per cubic meter 4 to 9 km downwind away from the fire (1 hr avg.) were recorded. PAH concentrations up to 180x background were detected on one day at 3.9 km from the landfill (24 hr avg.).

A smoke forecast model (500 m horizontal resolution, 1 hour time resolution) based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the AERMOD dispersion model was also employed during the incident. An overview of results will be presented in four categories: (1) ambient impacts of the smoke in terms of elevation above background levels; (2) chemical and physical emissions characterization of the smoke; (3) the WRF-AERMOD dispersion model results; and (4) lessons learned in terms of aerosol instrumentation and indicator-species selection for rapid screening of population risk.