Abstract View
Composition and Concentrations of Ambient PM in an Oil and Gas Production Region
KRISTI MCPHERSON, Catherine Masoud, Nirvan Bhattacharyya, Kanan Patel, Leif Jahn, Pearl Abue, Daniel C. Blomdahl, Pawel K. Misztal, Lea Hildebrandt Ruiz, University of Texas at Austin
Abstract Number: 548
Working Group: Remote and Regional Atmospheric Aerosol
Abstract
Oil and gas development in the Eagle Ford Shale (EFS) has undergone rapid growth since it began in 2008. Several aspects of oil and gas production have impacts on air quality, including volatilization of wastewater, leaks, and flaring. To investigate these impacts, instrumentation was deployed to Karnes City, TX, located in the EFS, in the spring of 2021. Instrumentation included an ACSM, SEMS, iodide mode FIGAERO-CIMS, Vocus-2R-PTRMS (with a VIA inlet), a microaethalometer, and monitors for O3, NOx and NO2 to measure aerosol and gas-phase concentrations and composition.
The maximum NR-PM1 concentration was 15 μg m-3 and the average concentration was 4 μg m-3. Particulate sulfate was the largest fraction of PM1 and several episodic plumes for sulfate were observed. The plumes were associated with wind direction and somewhat correlated with hydrogen sulfide concentrations, an emission associated with oil and gas production. Episodic plumes were also observed for organic PM1. While most organic plumes coincided with sulfate plumes, some did not. The average fraction of organic PM at m/z 44 (f44) was 0.17, which is comparable to the f44 in the reference PMF factor for oxidized organic aerosol, suggesting that organic aerosol in the region was highly oxidized. Black carbon concentrations exceeded 1 μg m-3 at times, with an average concentration of 0.5 μg m-3. Data from FIGAERO-CIMS and Vocus-2R-PTRMS provide further insight into the molecular composition of the aerosol, and gas-phase data provide insight into the atmospheric chemistry influencing aerosol concentration and composition. Due to the intermittent nature of emissions from oil and gas activity, especially flaring, this characterization of regional and episodic aerosol is important for better understanding impacts on air quality, exposure, and health.