Ozone and Particulate Concentrations in Melbourne Florida from January to March 2002

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Ozone and Particulate Concentrations in
Melbourne Florida from January to March 2002

• Christelle Castet
• Department of Marine and Environmental Systems
• Florida Institute of Technology
• Melbourne Florida, 32901
• July 17, 2002

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Background(PM2.5)

• Particulate Matter (PM) is composed of
• - airborne particles (smoke, dust)
• directly emitted or raised
• - particles coming from pollutant gases
• produced by motor vehicles and fuel-burning
  facilities
• PM2.5 describe fine particulate matters with a
  diameter less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers
• (EPA web site)

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Background(Ozone)

• Ozone is made of 3 oxygen atoms
• Ozone forms a natural layer in the stratosphere
  that protects the surface from harmful
  ultraviolet radiation
• At the surface its a pollutant
• Ozone builds up near the ground through a series
  of chemical reactions
• RO2. NO ? RO. NO2
• NO2 h? ? NO O
• O O2 M ? O3 M
• (Turco, 1997)

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Why is it Important?

• Health Effects
• Visibility Impact
• Plant and Ecosystem damage
• (EPA web site)

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Health Effects

• PM2.5
• Aggravates asthma
• Increases respiratory symptoms
• Decreases lung function
• Ozone
• Irritates the respiratory system
• Reduces lung function
• Aggravates asthma
• Inflames and damage the lining of the lung

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Visibility Impacts
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Plant and Ecosystem damage

• PM2.5
• Atmospheric Deposition
• - Make lakes and streams acidic
• - Change the nutrient balance in coastal
  waters
• and large river basins
• - Damage sensitive forests
• Ozone
• Makes plants more susceptible to disease,
  insects, harsh weather
• Damages the leaves of trees and plants

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Questions Investigated

• How do the ozone and particulate concentrations
  correlate? And why?
• What factors explain this correlation?
• How does ozone vary with air temperature?
• Are the concentrations found in Melbourne high or
  low compared to the federal standards?

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Study Site
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Method(PM2.5)

• Data collected every three days
• Sampling period 24 hr
• Federal Reference Method sampler
• Ensure consistent data collection nationwide
• Unit µg/m3
• (Thermoandersen web site)

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Method(PM2.5)
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Method(Ozone)

• Hourly sampling data
• Daily Maximum
• 8 hr Average
• Instrument used Thermo Environmental Instruments
  Model 49C
• Uses UV photometry as its analysis method
• Unit ppb
• (EPA web site)

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Method(Ozone)
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Results

• Ozone and PM2.5 concentration in Melbourne from
  January to March 2002
• X-Y Scattered plot of the Ozone and PM2.5
  concentration in Melbourne from January to March
  2002
• Ozone concentration Vs Air Temperature in
  Melbourne from January to March 2002

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Discussion

• Federal Standards for PM2.5 are 65 µg/m3 for a
  24-hr sampling period (EPA web site)
• Average PM2.5 concentration for Melbourne
• between January 20 and March 30
• 8.22 µg/m3
• Federal Standards for Ozone are 0.08 ppm for a
  8-hr average (Valleyair web site)
• Average Ozone concentration (8-hr average)
• for Melbourne between January 20 and
• March 30
• 34 ppb 0.034 ppm

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Conclusion

• Ozone and Particulate peak concentrations occurs
  at the same time because they are both produced
  by photochemical reactions
• The correlation between the two concentrations
  is weak because there are other factors impacting
  them such as precipitation, wind speed, and
  forest fires
• The ozone increases with air temperature from
  January to March because the days become longer
  and a higher amount of sunlight reaches the earth
  surface.

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Sources

• R. P. Turco, Earth Under Siege, 1997
• http//www.thermoandersen.com/prod02.htm
• http//www.valleyair.org/aqinfo/attainment.htmFed
  eral20Standards
• http//www.epa.gov/ebtpages/air.html