Enhanced Measurements of PM2.5 Chemical Composition and Size Distribution in Wilmington, CA

JULIA MONTOYA-AGUILERA, Christopher Lim, Mohammad Sowlat, Steven Boddeker, Zihan Zhu, Sina Hasheminassab, Roya Bahreini, Nga Lee Ng, Payam Pakbin, Andrea Polidori, Jason Low, South Coast Air Quality Management District

     Abstract Number: 451
     Working Group: Aerosols Spanning Spatial Scales: Measurement Networks to Models and Satellites

Abstract
The South Coast AQMD has undertaken several Environmental Justice (EJ) initiatives, such as CA Assembly Bill 617 (AB 617), conducting enhanced air monitoring to help reduce the impact of air pollution on disproportionately burdened communities. Wilmington, CA is part of an AB 617 designated community and is in close proximity to a variety of air pollution sources (e.g., major refineries, oil and gas facilities, ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and major roadways), complicating mitigation efforts. As part of a U.S. EPA American Rescue Plan grant, South Coast AQMD will establish an advanced PM2.5 monitoring station in Wilmington to better understand the formation and composition of PM in this community. The proposed suite of instruments will be capable of online analysis of PM composition (i.e., carbonaceous compounds, trace metals, ions, and organics) and size distribution with hourly or sub-hourly time resolution. The station will be complementary to the Atmospheric Science and mEasurement NeTwork (ASCENT), which currently has two additional advanced monitoring stations in the South Coast Air Basin (SCAB) in Pico Rivera and Rubidoux. These stations provide similar measurements, enabling comparisons between sites with distinct characteristics and different emission sources. This, in turn, will enhance our understanding of the evolution of PM across the Basin. These detailed measurements of PM composition will inform more effective and targeted policies to reduce emissions that will ultimately lead to better air quality in the SCAB. Here, we will introduce the scope, timeline, and main objectives of the project, and discuss how this project ties in with the previous work conducted in the area by South Coast AQMD and collaborators. We will also provide detailed information about the Wilmington community, nearby emissions sources, and instrumentation to be used as part of this project.