AAAR 32nd Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4, 2013
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
Time-resolved Organic Speciation at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, USA
ARANTZAZU EIGUREN-FERNANDEZ, Gregory Lewis, Nathan Kreisberg, David Worton, Derek Day, Jeffrey L. Collett, Jr., Allen H. Goldstein, Susanne Hering, Aerosol Dynamics Inc.
Abstract Number: 143 Working Group: Carbonaceous Aerosols in the Atmosphere
Abstract The water-based condensational growth tube sampler, better known as the “spot sampler” for its ability to collect and deposit ambient PM in 1 mm spots, was deployed at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota) as part of a pilot study. The study, organized by the National Parks Services, aims to evaluate the impact of emissions from the surrounding oil and gas production wells. Emissions from well development and production phases, including hydraulic fracturing “fracking” processes and open flame combustion of the extracted methane gas, are not well characterized and their impact on visibility is unknown.
Three “spot samplers” have been deployed at the park’s north site monitoring station, for the collection of time-resolved dry, concentrated PM$_(2.5) samples. Collection was conducted from mid February to beginning of April, 2013. An array of organic and inorganic species will be monitored. Samples collected for 6-hrs on PEEK plates will be analyzed for inorganic anions (IC-ECD); Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (HPLC-FL) will be quantified in samples collected over 24-hrs on PEEK plates; and a more detailed organic speciation will be conducted on 24-hr samples collected on quartz filters (0.2cm$^2) placed in the collection plate wells using Thermo-desorption GCxGC-HR-TOFMS. This will be the first time samples collected with this instrument have been analyzed using gas chromatography.
Results obtained from this pilot study will improve our understanding of emissions from oil production wells and fracking processes, as well as their impact on the visibility and air quality of the park and surrounding communities.
Acknowledgements:
This work was supported by the IMPROVE network and National Parks Services, and by the NIH Grant 1 RC3 ES019081-01