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Judith C Chow

Publications and source records attributed to Judith C Chow.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Equivalence of elemental carbon by thermal/optical reflectance and transmittance with different temperature protocols.

Charring of organic carbon (OC) during thermal/optical analysis is monitored by the change in a laser signal either reflected from or transmitted through a filter punch. Elemental carbon (EC) in suspended particulate matter collected on quartz-fiber filters is defined as the carbon that evolves after the detected optical signal attains the value it had prior to commencement of heating, with the rest of the carbon classified as organic carbon (OC). Heretofore, operational definitions of EC were believed to be caused by different temperature protocols rather than by the method of monitoring charring. This work demonstrates that thermal/ optical reflectance (TOR) corrections yield equivalent OC/ EC splits for widely divergent temperature protocols. EC results determined by simultaneous thermal/optical transmittance (TOT) corrections are 30% lower than TOR for the same temperature protocol and 70-80% lower than TOR for a protocol with higher heating temperatures and shorter residence times. This is true for 58 urban samples from Fresno, CA, as well as for 30 samples from the nonurban IMPROVE network that are individually dominated by wildfire, vehicle exhaust, secondary organic aerosol, and calcium carbonate contributions. Visual examination of filter darkening at different temperature stages shows that substantial charring takes place within the filter, possibly due to adsorbed organic gases or diffusion of vaporized particles. The filter transmittance is more influenced by the within-filter char, whereas the filter reflectance is dominated by charring of the near-surface deposit that appears to evolve first when oxygen is added to helium in the analysis atmosphere for these samples. The amounts of charred OC (POC) and EC are also estimated from incremental absorbance. Small amounts of POC are found to dominate the incremental absorbance. EC estimated from absorbance are found to agree better with EC from the reflectance charring correction than with EC from the transmittance charring correction.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2004

Generation and characterization of four dilutions of diesel engine exhaust for a subchronic inhalation study.

Exposure atmospheres for a rodent inhalation toxicology study were generated from the exhaust of a 2000 Cummins ISB 5.9L diesel engine coupled to a dynamometer and operated on a slightly modified heavy-duty Federal Test Procedure cycle. Exposures were conducted to one clean air control and four diesel exhaust levels maintained at four different dilution rates (300:1, 100:1, 30:1, 10:1) that yielded particulate mass concentrations of 30, 100, 300, and 1000 microg/m3. Exposures at the four dilutions were characterized for particle mass, particle size distribution (reported elsewhere), detailed chemical speciation of gaseous, semivolatile, and particle-phase inorganic and organic compounds. Target analytes included metals, inorganic ions and gases, organic and elemental carbon, alkanes, alkenes, aromatic and aliphatic acids, aromatic hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), oxygenated PAH, nitrogenated PAH, isoprenoids, carbonyls, methoxyphenols, sugar derivatives, and sterols. The majority of the mass of material in the exposure atmospheres was gaseous nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, with lesser amounts of volatile organics and particle mass (PM) composed of carbon (approximately 90% of PM) and ions (approximately 10% of PM). Measured particle organic species accounted for about 10% of total organic particle mass and were mostly alkanes and aliphatic acids. Several of the components in the exposure atmosphere scaled in concentration with dilution but did not scale precisely with the dilution rate because of background from the rodents and scrubbed dilution air, interaction of animal derived emissions with diesel exhaust components, and day-to-day variability in the output of the engine. Rodent-derived ammonia reacted with exhaust to form secondary inorganic particles (at different rates dependent on dilution), and rodent respiration accounted for volatile organics (especially carbonyls and acids) in the same range as the diesel exhaust at the lowest exhaust exposure concentrations. Day-to-day variability in the engine output was implicated partially for differences of several components, including some of the particle bound organics. Though these observations have likely occurred in nearly all inhalation exposure atmospheres that contain complex mixtures of material, the speciations conducted here illustrate many of them for the first time.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Source profiles for industrial, mobile, and area sources in the Big Bend Regional Aerosol Visibility and Observational study.

Representative PM2.5 and PM10 source emissions were sampled in Texas during the Big Bend Regional Aerosol Visibility and Observa (BRAVO) study. Chemical source profiles for elements, ions, and carbon fractions of 145 samples are reported for paved and unpaved road dust, soil dust, motor vehicle exhaust, vegetative burning, four coal-fired power stations, an oil refinery catalytic cracker, two cement kilns, and residential meat cooking. Several samples were taken from each emitter and source type, and these were averaged by source type, and in source subgroups based on commonality of chemical composition. The standard deviation represents the variability of the chemical mass fractions. BRAVO profiles differed in some respects from profiles measured elsewhere. High calcium abundances in geological dust, high selenium abundances in coal-fired power stations, and high antimony abundances in oil refinery catalytic cracker emissions were found. Abundances of eight thermally evolved carbon fractions [Atmos. Environ. 28 (15) (1994) 2493] differ among combustion sources, and a Monte Carlo simulation demonstrates that these differences are sufficient to differentiate among several carbon-emitters.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2004

Analysis of PM2.5 and PM10 in the atmosphere of Mexico City during 2000-2002.

During the last 10 years, high atmospheric concentrations of airborne particles recorded in the Mexico City metropolitan area have caused concern because of their potential harmful effects on human health. Four monitoring campaigns have been carried out in the Mexico City metropolitan area during 2000-2002 at three sites: (1) Xalostoc, located in an industrial region; (2) La Merced, located in a commercial area; and (3) Pedregal, located in a residential area. Results of gravimetric and chemical analyses of 330 samples of particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 microm (PM2.5) and PM with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 microm (PM10) indicate that (1) PM2.5/PM10 average ratios were 0.42, 0.46, and 0.52 for Xalostoc, La Merced, and Pedregal, respectively; (2) the highest PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were found at the industrial site; (3) PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were lower at nighttime; (4) PM2.5 and PM10 spatial averages concentrations were 35 and 76 microg/m3, respectively; and (5) when the PM2.5 standard was exceeded, nitrate, sulfate, ammonium, organic carbon, and elemental carbon concentrations were high. Twenty-four hour averaged PM2.5 concentrations in Mexico City and Sao Paulo were similar to those recorded in the 1980s in Los Angeles. PM10 concentrations were comparable in Sao Paulo and Mexico City but 3-fold lower than those found in Santiago.

Aerosols↗
PubMed2004

Measurement of ultrafine particle size distributions from coal-, oil-, and gas-fired stationary combustion sources.

Currently, we have limited knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of emitted primary combustion aerosols and the changes in those properties caused by nucleation, condensation growth of volatile species, and particle coagulations under dilution and cooling in the ambient air. A dilution chamber was deployed to sample exhaust from a pilot-scale furnace burning various fuels at a nominal heat input rate of 160 kW/h(-1) and 3% excess oxygen. The formation mechanisms of particles smaller than 420 nm in electrical mobility diameter were experimentally investigated by measurement with a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) as a function of aging times, dilution air ratios, combustion exhaust temperatures, and fuel types. Particle formation in the dilution process is a complex mixture of nucleation, coagulation, and condensational growth, depending on the concentrations of available condensable species and solid or liquid particles (such as soot, ash) in combustion exhausts. The measured particle size distributions in number concentrations measured show peaks of particle number concentrations for medium sulfur bituminous coal, No. 6 fuel oil, and natural gas at 40-50 nm, 70-100 nm, and 15-25 nm, respectively. For No. 6 fuel oil and coal, the particle number concentration is constant in the range of a dilution air ratio of 50, but the number decreases as the dilution air ratio decreases to 10. However, for natural gas, the particle number concentration is higher at a dilution air ratio of 10 and decreases at dilution air ratios of 20-50. At a dilution air ratio of 10, severe particle coagulation occurs in a relatively short time. Samples taken at different combustion exhaust temperatures for these fuel types show higher particle number concentrations at 645 K than at 450 K. As the aging time of particles increases, the particles increase in size and the number concentrations decrease. The largest gradient of particle number distribution occurs within the first 10 sec after dilution but shows only minor differences between 10 and 80 sec. The lifetimes of the ultrafine particles are relatively short, with a scale on the order of a few seconds. Results from this study suggest that an aging time of 10 sec and a dilution air ratio of 20 are sufficient to obtain representative primary particle emission samples from stationary combustion sources.

Aerosols↗
PubMed2003

Emissions from charbroiling and grilling of chicken and beef.

Emission rates for fine particle (<2.5 microm) mass (PM2.5), carbon (organic/elemental), inorganic ions (SO4(2-), NO3-, NH4+), elements (primarily metals), and speciated organic compounds are reported for charbroiling hamburger, steak, and chicken. The PM2.5 rates for charbroiling meats ranged from 4.4 to 11.6 g/kg of uncooked meat in this study. No mass-emission rates are available from grilling, but the speciated organic data are available for these samples. Emission rates varied by type of appliance, meat, meat-fat content, and cooking conditions. High-fat hamburger cooked on an underfired charbroiler emitted the highest amount of PM2.5. The emissions were almost exclusively composed of organic carbon, with small amounts of elements and inorganic ions. Water-soluble K+ and Cl-, which are used as indicators of wood smoke in source apportionment studies, were also present in meat-cooking emissions. The speciated organic compounds that were measured include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), cholesterol, and the long-chain gamma-lactones. Charbroiling emissions yielded an average of approximately 3-5 times more PAHs, approximately 20 times more cholesterol, and approximately 10 times more lactones than grilling. These data were utilized in the ambient source apportionment analysis for the 1997 Northern Front Range Air Quality Study source apportionment.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2003

Analysis of a summertime PM2.5 and haze episode in the mid-Atlantic region.

Observations of the mass and chemical composition of particles less than 2.5 microm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5), light extinction, and meteorology in the urban Baltimore-Washington corridor during July 1999 and July 2000 are presented and analyzed to study summertime haze formation in the mid-Atlantic region. The mass fraction of ammoniated sulfate (SO4(2-)) and carbonaceous material in PM2.5 were each approximately 50% for cleaner air (PM2.5< 10 microg/m3) but changed to approximately 60% and approximately 20%, respectively, for more polluted air (PM2.5>30 microg/m3). This signifies the role of SO4(2-) in haze formation. Comparisons of data from this study with the Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments network suggest that SO4(2-) is more regional than carbonaceous material and originates in part from upwind source regions. The light extinction coefficient is well correlated to PM2.5 mass plus water associated with inorganic salt, leading to a mass extinction efficiency of 7.6 +/- 1.7 m2/g for hydrated aerosol. The most serious haze episode occurring between July 15 and 19, 1999, was characterized by westerly transport and recirculation slowing removal of pollutants. At the peak of this episode, 1-hr PM2.5 concentration reached approximately 45 microg/m3, visual range dropped to approximately 5 km, and aerosol water likely contributed to approximately 40% of the light extinction coefficient.

Air Movements↗
PubMed2003

Air pollution and heart rate variability among the elderly in Mexico City.

BACKGROUND: Suspended particles and ozone have been associated with varying degrees of cardiac autonomic dysfunction. METHODS: In Mexico City, residents from a nursing home underwent heart rate variability analysis every other day for 3 months. Indoor and outdoor PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 mm in diameter) were measured daily at the nursing home. Levels of ozone and other atmospheric pollutants were obtained from a nearby automated monitoring station. RESULTS: Of the initial 42 screened participants, 34 (81%) were followed during the study period. The 24-hour average levels of indoor PM2.5 ranged from 15 to 67 micro g/m3, and outdoor PM2.5 ranged from 9 to 87 micro g/m3. Daily 1-hour maximum ozone levels ranged from 47 to 228 ppb. After adjusting for age and heart rate, we observed a strong decrease in the high frequency component of heart rate variability and the average 24-hour concentrations of PM2.5. Participants with hypertension had considerably larger reductions in their HF-HRV (high frequency-heart rate variability) component in relation to both ozone and PM2.5 exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that ambient levels of PM2.5 and ozone can reduce the high-frequency component of heart rate variability in elderly subjects living in Mexico City and that subjects with underlying hypertension are particularly susceptible to this effect.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Chemical composition of PM2.5 and PM10 in Mexico City during winter 1997.

PM2.5 and PM10 were measured over 24-h intervals at six core sites and at 25 satellite sites in and around Mexico City from 23 February to 22 March 1997. In addition, four 6-h samples were taken each day at three of the core sites. Sampling locations were selected to represent regional, central city, commercial, residential, and industrial portions of the city. Mass and light transmission concentrations were determined on all of the samples, while elements, ions and carbon were measured on approximately two-thirds of the samples. PM10 concentrations were highly variable, with almost three-fold differences between the highest and lowest concentrations. Fugitive dust was the major cause of PM10 differences, although carbon concentrations were also highly variable among the sampling sites. Approximately 50% of PM10 was in the PM2.5 fraction. The majority of PM mass was comprised of carbon, sulfate, nitrate, ammonium and crustal components, but in different proportions on different days and at different sites. The largest fine-particle components were carbonaceous aerosols, constituting approximately 50% of PM2.5 mass, followed by approximately 30% secondary inorganic aerosols and approximately 15% geological material. Geological material is the largest component of PM10, constituting approximately 50% of PM10 mass, followed by approximately 32% carbonaceous aerosols and approximately 17% secondary inorganic aerosols. Sulfate concentrations were twice as high as nitrate concentrations. Sulfate and nitrate were present as ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate. Approximately two-thirds of the ammonium sulfate measured in urban areas appears to have been transported from regions outside of the study domain, rather than formed from emissions in the urban area. Diurnal variations are apparent, with two-fold increases in concentration from night-time to daytime. Morning samples had the highest PM2.5 and PM10 mass, secondary inorganic aerosols and carbon concentrations, probably due to a shallow surface inversion and rush-hour traffic.

Aerosols↗
PubMed2002

Chapter one: exposure measurements.

Determining human exposure to suspended particulate concentrations requires measurements that quantify different particle properties in microenvironments where people live, work, and play. Particle mass, size, and chemical composition are important exposure variables, and these are typically measured with time-integrated samples on filters that are later submitted to laboratory analyses. This requires substantial sample handling, quality assurance, and data reduction. Newer technologies are being developed that allow in-situ, time-resolved measurements for mass, carbon, sulfate, nitrate, particle size, and other variables. These are large measurement systems that are more suitable for fixed monitoring sites than for personal applications. Human exposure studies need to be designed to accomplish specific objectives rather than to serve too many purposes. Resources need to be divided among study design, field sampling, laboratory analysis, quality assurance, data management, and data analysis phases. Many exposure projects allocated too little to the non-measurement activities.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2002

Designing monitoring networks to represent outdoor human exposure.

Measurements of outdoor human exposure to suspended particulate matter (PM) are always constrained by available resources. An effective network design requires tradeoffs between variables measured, the number of sampling locations, sample duration, and sampling frequency. Sampling sites are needed to represent neighborhood and urban spatial scales with minimal influences from nearby sources. Although most PM measurements for determining compliance with standards are taken over 24-h periods every third to sixth day, outdoor human exposure assessment requires measurements taken continuously throughout the day, preferably over durations of 1 h or less. More detailed particle size and chemistry data are also desirable, as smaller size fractions and specific chemicals may be better indicators of adverse health effects than total mass samples.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2002

Receptor modeling application framework for particle source apportionment.

Receptor models infer contributions from particulate matter (PM) source types using multivariate measurements of particle chemical and physical properties. Receptor models complement source models that estimate concentrations from emissions inventories and transport meteorology. Enrichment factor, chemical mass balance, multiple linear regression, eigenvector. edge detection, neural network, aerosol evolution, and aerosol equilibrium models have all been used to solve particulate air quality problems, and more than 500 citations of their theory and application document these uses. While elements, ions, and carbons were often used to apportion TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 among many source types, many of these components have been reduced in source emissions such that more complex measurements of carbon fractions, specific organic compounds, single particle characteristics, and isotopic abundances now need to be measured in source and receptor samples. Compliance monitoring networks are not usually designed to obtain data for the observables, locations, and time periods that allow receptor models to be applied. Measurements from existing networks can be used to form conceptual models that allow the needed monitoring network to be optimized. The framework for using receptor models to solve air quality problems consists of: (1) formulating a conceptual model; (2) identifying potential sources; (3) characterizing source emissions; (4) obtaining and analyzing ambient PM samples for major components and source markers; (5) confirming source types with multivariate receptor models; (6) quantifying source contributions with the chemical mass balance; (7) estimating profile changes and the limiting precursor gases for secondary aerosols; and (8) reconciling receptor modeling results with source models, emissions inventories, and receptor data analyses.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2002

Monitoring of particulate matter outdoors.

Recent studies of the size and composition of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) have demonstrated the usefulness of separating atmospheric PM into its fine and coarse components. The need to measure the mass and composition of fine and coarse PM separately has been emphasized by research in exposure, epidemiology, and toxicology of atmospheric PM. This paper provides a background on the size distribution and properties of PM relevant to the differences between fine and coarse particles. Various decisions that must be made when deciding how to separate, collect, and measure PM are discussed. Techniques for monitoring fine and coarse particles, including the US Federal Reference Method for PM2.5 and several techniques for PM10-2.5, are presented. Problems encountered in collecting semivolatile PM and in weighing atmospheric PM collected on a filter are described. Continuous monitoring methods for PM mass and for PM components (carbon, nitrate, and sulfate) are described and brief descriptions are given of analytical techniques for the chemical characterization of collected PM. This information should be especially useful for environmental workers familiar with monitoring methods for total suspended particles or PM10 but who will need to measure PM2, and PM10-2.5 in the future.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2002

Comparability between PM2.5 and particle light scattering measurements.

Particle light scattering and PM2.5 (particles with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 microm) concentration data from air quality studies conducted over the past ten years were examined. Fine particle scattering efficiencies were determined from statistical relationships among measured light scattering and fine and coarse mass concentrations. The resulting fine particle scattering efficiencies ranged from 1.7 m2 g(-1) at Meadview in the Grand Canyon to over 5 m2 g(-1) in Mexico City. Most of the derived line scattering efficiencies were centered around 2 m2 g(-1), which is considerably lower than most values reported from previous studies.

Air Movements↗
PubMed2002

Spatial differences in outdoor PM10 mass and aerosol composition in Mexico City.

Twenty-five MiniVol samplers were operated throughout the Mexico City metropolitan region from February 22 through March 22, 1997, to evaluate the variability of PM10 concentrations and composition. The highest PM10 concentrations were found in neighborhoods with unpaved or dirty roads, and elements related to crustal material were the main cause of differences from nearby (<200 m) monitors that were not adjacent to the roadbed. SO4(2-) concentrations were homogeneous across the city. SO4(2-) measured at the city boundaries was about two-thirds of the concentrations measured within the urbanized area, indicating that most SO4(2-) is of regional origin. Elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) concentrations were highly variable, with higher concentrations in areas that had high diesel traffic and older vehicles. Spatial correlations among PM10 concentrations were high, even though absolute concentrations were variable, indicating a common effect of meteorology on the concentration or dispersion of local emissions.

Aerosols↗