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Yang Y, Zhou J, Xie C, Tian W, Xue M, Han T, Chen K, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Huang Y, Sun H, Liu C, Li SM. A New Methodology for High Spatiotemporal Resolution Measurements of Air Volatile Organic Compounds: From Sampling to Data Deconvolution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:12488-12497. [PMID: 38958408 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c05669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air is crucial for understanding their atmospheric impacts and advancing their emission reduction plans. This study presents an innovative integrated methodology suitable for achieving semireal-time high spatiotemporal resolution three-dimensional measurements of VOCs from ground to hundreds of meters above ground. The methodology integrates an active AirCore sampler, custom-designed for deployment from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), a proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) for sample analysis, and a data deconvolution algorithm for improved time resolution for measurements of multiple VOCs in air. The application of the deconvolution technique significantly improves the signal strength of data from PTR-MS analysis of AirCore samples and enhances their temporal resolution by 4 to 8 times to 4-11 s. A case study demonstrates that the methodology can achieve sample collection and analysis of VOCs within 45 min, resulting in >120-360 spatially resolved data points for each VOC measured and achieving a horizontal resolution of 20-55 m at a UAV flight speed of 5 m/s and a vertical resolution of 5 m. This methodology presents new possibilities for acquiring 3-dimensional spatial distributions of VOC concentrations, effectively tackling the longstanding challenge of characterizing three-dimensional VOC distributions in the lowest portion of the atmospheric boundary layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanrong Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jietao Zhou
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Conghui Xie
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Laboratory of Gas Instrument Testing, Center for Environmental Metrology, National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wang Tian
- PipeChina Institute of Science and Technology, PipeChina, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Ming Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Pollution Control, CNPC Research Institute of Safety and Environmental Technology, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Tianran Han
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Keyu Chen
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yuheng Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yayong Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yufei Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Haijiong Sun
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Chang Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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2
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Berthiaume A. Unveiling under-utilized public data on Canadian industrial pollutant transfers and disposals. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2024. [PMID: 38976300 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2024.2377327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Implications statement:Pollutant transfers and disposals data has not previously been widely used in environmental research. Here we demonstrate how it can be, in the context of SDG 12. Doing so can inspire more uptake by researchers and a broad range of other public users, both strengthening the justification for collecting this data, and bolstering public participation in environmental decision-making from a local to global scale. Doing so also provides the foundation for more in-depth analysis on the domestic and international transboundary movement of Canadian industrial pollutants in waste in the lens of SDG 12 - a topic that was beyond scope here but addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Berthiaume
- Science and Risk Assessment Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Department of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, Gatineau, Canada
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3
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Han T, Liggio J, Narayan J, Liu Y, Hayden K, Mittermeier R, Darlington A, Wheeler M, Cober S, Zhang Y, Xie C, Yang Y, Huang Y, Wolde M, Smyth S, Barrigar O, Li SM. Quantification of Methane Emissions from Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand Extraction in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38832692 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS) is an extraction process for heavy oil in Canada, with the potential to lead to higher CH4 venting than conventional oil sites, that have not been adequately characterized. In order to quantify CH4 emissions from CHOPS activities, a focused aerial measurement campaign was conducted in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan in June 2018. Total CH4 emissions from each of 10 clusters of CHOPS wells (containing 22-167 well sites per cluster) were derived using a mass balance computation algorithm that uses in situ wind data measurement on board aircraft. Results show that there is no statistically significant difference in CH4 emissions from CHOPS wells between the two provinces. Cluster-aggregated emission factors (EF) were determined using correspondingly aggregated production volumes. The average CH4 EF was 70.4 ± 36.9 kg/m3 produced oil for the Alberta wells and 55.1 ± 13.7 kg/m3 produced oil for the Saskatchewan wells. Using these EF and heavy oil production volumes reported to provincial regulators, the annual CH4 emissions from CHOPS were estimated to be 121% larger than CHOPS emissions extracted from Canada's National Inventory Report (NIR) for Saskatchewan. The EF were found to be positively correlated with the percentage of nonpiped production volumes in each cluster, indicating higher emissions for nonpiped wells while suggesting an avenue for methane emission reductions. A comparison with recent measurements indicates relatively limited effectiveness of regulations for Saskatchewan compared to those in Alberta. The results of this study indicate the substantial contribution of CHOPS operations to the underreporting observed in the NIR and provide measurement-based EF that can be used to develop improved emissions inventories for this sector and mitigate CH4 emissions from CHOPS operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianran Han
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Julie Narayan
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Yayong Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Katherine Hayden
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Richard Mittermeier
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Andrea Darlington
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Michael Wheeler
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Stewart Cober
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Yuheng Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Conghui Xie
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yanrong Yang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yufei Huang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Mengistu Wolde
- Flight Research Laboratory, National Research Council Canada Aerospace Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario K1V 1J8, Canada
| | - Steve Smyth
- Pollutant Inventories and Reporting Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau, Québec K1A 0H6, Canada
| | - Owen Barrigar
- Pollutant Inventories and Reporting Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau, Québec K1A 0H6, Canada
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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4
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He M, Ditto JC, Gardner L, Machesky J, Hass-Mitchell TN, Chen C, Khare P, Sahin B, Fortner JD, Plata DL, Drollette BD, Hayden KL, Wentzell JJB, Mittermeier RL, Leithead A, Lee P, Darlington A, Wren SN, Zhang J, Wolde M, Moussa SG, Li SM, Liggio J, Gentner DR. Total organic carbon measurements reveal major gaps in petrochemical emissions reporting. Science 2024; 383:426-432. [PMID: 38271520 DOI: 10.1126/science.adj6233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic organic carbon emissions reporting has been largely limited to subsets of chemically speciated volatile organic compounds. However, new aircraft-based measurements revealed total gas-phase organic carbon emissions that exceed oil sands industry-reported values by 1900% to over 6300%, the bulk of which was due to unaccounted-for intermediate-volatility and semivolatile organic compounds. Measured facility-wide emissions represented approximately 1% of extracted petroleum, resulting in total organic carbon emissions equivalent to that from all other sources across Canada combined. These real-world observations demonstrate total organic carbon measurements as a means of detecting unknown or underreported carbon emissions regardless of chemical features. Because reporting gaps may include hazardous, reactive, or secondary air pollutants, fully constraining the impact of anthropogenic emissions necessitates routine, comprehensive total organic carbon monitoring as an inherent check on mass closure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan He
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jenna C Ditto
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lexie Gardner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jo Machesky
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Tori N Hass-Mitchell
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Christina Chen
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Peeyush Khare
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bugra Sahin
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - John D Fortner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Desiree L Plata
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Brian D Drollette
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Katherine L Hayden
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jeremy J B Wentzell
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Richard L Mittermeier
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Amy Leithead
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Patrick Lee
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Andrea Darlington
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sumi N Wren
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Junhua Zhang
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Samar G Moussa
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Drew R Gentner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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5
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Fu L, Legge AH. Uncertainty and bias in Liggio et al. (2019) on CO 2 emissions from oil sands operations. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5406. [PMID: 37673887 PMCID: PMC10482826 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40818-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Long Fu
- Resource Stewardship Division, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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6
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Wren SN, McLinden CA, Griffin D, Li SM, Cober SG, Darlington A, Hayden K, Mihele C, Mittermeier RL, Wheeler MJ, Wolde M, Liggio J. Aircraft and satellite observations reveal historical gap between top-down and bottom-up CO 2 emissions from Canadian oil sands. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad140. [PMID: 37168672 PMCID: PMC10165801 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Measurement-based estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from complex industrial operations are challenging to obtain, but serve as an important, independent check on inventory-reported emissions. Such top-down estimates, while important for oil and gas (O&G) emissions globally, are particularly relevant for Canadian oil sands (OS) operations, which represent the largest O&G contributor to national GHG emissions. We present a multifaceted top-down approach for estimating CO2 emissions that combines aircraft-measured CO2/NOx emission ratios (ERs) with inventory and satellite-derived NOx emissions from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and TROPOspheric Ozone Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) and apply it to the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) in Alberta, Canada. Historical CO2 emissions were reconstructed for the surface mining region, and average top-down estimates were found to be >65% higher than facility-reported, bottom-up estimates from 2005 to 2020. Higher top-down vs. bottom-up emissions estimates were also consistently obtained for individual surface mining and in situ extraction facilities, which represent a growing category of energy-intensive OS operations. Although the magnitudes of the measured discrepancies vary between facilities, they combine such that the observed reporting gap for total AOSR emissions is ≥(31 ± 8) Mt for each of the last 3 years (2018-2020). This potential underestimation is large and broadly highlights the importance of continued review and refinement of bottom-up estimation methodologies and inventories. The ER method herein offers a powerful approach for upscaling measured facility-level or regional fossil fuel CO2 emissions by taking advantage of satellite remote sensing observations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumi N Wren
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Chris A McLinden
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Debora Griffin
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Stewart G Cober
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Andrea Darlington
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Katherine Hayden
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Cristian Mihele
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Richard L Mittermeier
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Michael J Wheeler
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Mengistu Wolde
- Flight Research Laboratory, National Research Council Canada Aerospace Research Centre, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J8, Canada
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, ON M3H 5T4, Canada
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7
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Horb EC, Wentworth GR, Makar PA, Liggio J, Hayden K, Boutzis EI, Beausoleil DL, Hazewinkel RO, Mahaffey AC, Sayanda D, Wyatt F, Dubé MG. A decadal synthesis of atmospheric emissions, ambient air quality, and deposition in the oil sands region. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2022; 18:333-360. [PMID: 34676977 PMCID: PMC9299045 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
This review is part of a series synthesizing peer-reviewed literature from the past decade on environmental monitoring in the oil sands region (OSR) of northeastern Alberta. It focuses on atmospheric emissions, air quality, and deposition in and downwind of the OSR. Most published monitoring and research activities were concentrated in the surface-mineable region in the Athabasca OSR. Substantial progress has been made in understanding oil sands (OS)-related emission sources using multiple approaches: airborne measurements, satellite measurements, source emission testing, deterministic modeling, and source apportionment modeling. These approaches generally yield consistent results, indicating OS-related sources are regional contributors to nearly all air pollutants. Most pollutants exhibit enhanced air concentrations within ~20 km of surface-mining activities, with some enhanced >100 km downwind. Some pollutants (e.g., sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides) undergo transformations as they are transported through the atmosphere. Deposition rates of OS-related substances primarily emitted as fugitive dust are enhanced within ~30 km of surface-mining activities, whereas gaseous and fine particulate emissions have a more diffuse deposition enhancement pattern extending hundreds of kilometers downwind. In general, air quality guidelines are not exceeded, although these single-pollutant thresholds are not comprehensive indicators of air quality. Odor events have occurred in communities near OS industrial activities, although it can be difficult to attribute events to specific pollutants or sources. Nitrogen, sulfur, polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), and base cations from OS sources occur in the environment, but explicit and deleterious responses of organisms to these pollutants are not as apparent across all study environments; details of biological monitoring are discussed further in other papers in this special series. However, modeling of critical load exceedances suggests that, at continued emission levels, ecological change may occur in future. Knowledge gaps and recommendations for future work to address these gaps are also presented. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:333-360. © 2021 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin C. Horb
- Resource Stewardship DivisionAlberta Environment and ParksCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Gregory R. Wentworth
- Resource Stewardship DivisionAlberta Environment and ParksEdmontonAlbertaCanada
- Present address: Environmental Protection BranchEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
| | - Paul A. Makar
- Air Quality Research DivisionEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Research DivisionEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Katherine Hayden
- Air Quality Research DivisionEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaTorontoOntarioCanada
| | | | | | | | - Ashley C. Mahaffey
- Resource Stewardship DivisionAlberta Environment and ParksCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Diogo Sayanda
- Resource Stewardship DivisionAlberta Environment and ParksCalgaryAlbertaCanada
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8
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Li K, Wentzell JJB, Liu Q, Leithead A, Moussa SG, Wheeler MJ, Han C, Lee P, Li SM, Liggio J. Evolution of Atmospheric Total Organic Carbon from Petrochemical Mixtures. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:12841-12851. [PMID: 34525806 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c02620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Reactive organic compounds play a central role in the formation of ozone and secondary organic aerosols. The ability to accurately predict their fate, in part, relies upon quantitative knowledge of the chemical and physical parameters associated with the total organic carbon (TOC), which includes both precursors and oxidation products that evolve in the atmosphere over short to long time scales. However, such knowledge, obtained via limited carbon closure experiments, has not been attained for complex anthropogenic emissions. Here we present the first comprehensive characterization of TOC in the atmospheric oxidation of organic vapors from light and heavy oil mixtures associated with oil sand operations. Despite the complexity of the investigated oil mixtures, we are able to achieve carbon closure (83-116%) within the uncertainties (±20%), with the degree of the closure being dependent upon the vapor composition and NOx levels. In contrast to biogenic precursors (e.g., α-pinene), the photochemical time scale required for a largely complete oxidation and evolution of chemical parameters is very long for the petrochemical vapors (i.e., ∼7-10 days vs ∼1 day), likely due to the lower initial precursor reactivity. This suggests that petrochemical emissions and their impacts are likely to extend further spatially than biogenic emissions, and retain more of their complex composition and reactivity for many days. The results of this work provide key parameters to regional models for further improving the representation of the chemical evolution of petrochemical emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Li
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen 5232, Switzerland
| | - Jeremy J B Wentzell
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Qifan Liu
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Amy Leithead
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Samar G Moussa
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Michael J Wheeler
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Chong Han
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Patrick Lee
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
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9
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Moussa SG, Staebler RM, You Y, Leithead A, Yousif MA, Brickell P, Beck J, Jiang Z, Liggio J, Li SM, Wren SN, Brook JR, Darlington A, Cober SG. Fugitive Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds from a Tailings Pond in the Oil Sands Region of Alberta. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:12831-12840. [PMID: 34524801 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c02325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Tailings ponds in the oil sands (OS) region in Alberta, Canada, have been associated with fugitive emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants to the atmosphere. However, the contribution of tailings ponds to the total fugitive emissions of VOCs from OS operations remains uncertain. To address this knowledge gap, a field study was conducted in the summer of 2017 at Suncor's Pond 2/3 to estimate emissions of a suite of pollutants including 68 VOCs using a combination of micrometeorological methods and measurements from a flux tower. The results indicate that in 2017, Pond 2/3 was an emission source of 3322 ± 727 tons of VOCs including alkanes, aromatics, and oxygenated and sulfur-containing organics. While the total VOC emissions were approximately a factor of 2 higher than those reported by Suncor, the individual VOC species emissions varied by up to a factor of 12. A chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model was used to estimate the contribution of the tailings pond to VOC pollution events in a nearby First Nations and Metis community in Fort McKay. CMB results indicate that Suncor Pond 2/3 contributed up to 57% to the total mass of VOCs measured at Fort McKay, reinforcing the importance of accurate VOC emission estimation methods for tailings ponds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samar G Moussa
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Ralf M Staebler
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Yuan You
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Amy Leithead
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Meguel A Yousif
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Peter Brickell
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - James Beck
- Suncor Energy Inc., Calgary, Alberta T2P 3Y7, Canada
| | - Zhimei Jiang
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Sumi N Wren
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Jeffrey R Brook
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 223 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R4, Canada
| | - Andrea Darlington
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Stewart G Cober
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
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10
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Godwin SC, Krkošek M, Reynolds JD, Bateman AW. Bias in self-reported parasite data from the salmon farming industry. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02226. [PMID: 32896013 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Many industries are required to monitor themselves in meeting regulatory policies intended to protect the environment. Self-reporting of environmental performance can place the cost of monitoring on companies rather than taxpayers, but there are obvious risks of bias, often addressed through external audits or inspections. Surprisingly, there have been relatively few empirical analyses of bias in industry self-reported data. Here, we test for bias in reporting of environmental compliance data using a unique data set from Canadian salmon farms, where companies monitor the number of parasitic sea lice on fish in open sea pens, in order to minimize impacts on wild fish in surrounding waters. We fit a hierarchical population-dynamics model to these sea-louse count data using a Bayesian approach. We found that the industry's monthly counts of two sea-louse species, Caligus clemensi and Lepeophtheirus salmonis, increased by a factor of 1.95 (95% credible interval: 1.57, 2.42) and 1.18 (1.06, 1.31), respectively, in months when counts were audited by the federal fisheries department. Consequently, industry sea-louse counts are less likely to trigger costly but mandated delousing treatments intended to avoid sea-louse epidemics in wild juvenile salmon. These results highlight the potential for combining external audits of industry self-reported data with analyses of their reporting to maintain compliance with regulations, achieve intended conservation goals, and build public confidence in the process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean C Godwin
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Martin Krkošek
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3B2, Canada
- Salmon Coast Field Station, General Delivery, Simoom Sound, British Columbia, V0P 1S0, Canada
| | - John D Reynolds
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Andrew W Bateman
- Salmon Coast Field Station, General Delivery, Simoom Sound, British Columbia, V0P 1S0, Canada
- Department of Geography, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, British Columbia, V8P 5C2, Canada
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11
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Wren SN, Mihele CM, Lu G, Jiang Z, Wen D, Hayden K, Mittermeier RL, Staebler RM, Cober SG, Brook JR. Improving Insights on Air Pollutant Mixtures and Their Origins by Enhancing Local Monitoring in an Area of Intensive Resource Development. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:14936-14945. [PMID: 33186032 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
An "event-based" approach to characterize complex air pollutant mixtures was applied in the Oil Sands region of northern Alberta, Canada. This approach was developed to better-inform source characterization and attribution of the air pollution in the Indigenous community of Fort McKay, within the context of the lived experience of residents. Principal component analysis was used to identify the characteristics of primary pollutant mixtures, which were related to hydrocarbon emissions, fossil fuel combustion, dust, and oxidized and reduced sulfur compounds. Concentration distributions of indicator compounds were used to isolate sustained air pollution "events". Diesel-powered vehicles operating in the mines were found to be an important source during NOx events. Industry-specific volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles were used in a chemical mass balance model for source apportionment, which revealed that nearby oil sands operations contribute to 86% of the total mass of nine VOC species (2-methylpentane, hexane, heptane, octane, benzene, toluene, m,p-xylene, o-xylene, and ethylbenzene) during VOC events. Analyses of the frequency distribution of air pollution events indicate that Fort McKay is regularly impacted by multiple mixtures simultaneously, underscoring the limitations of an exceedance-based approach relying on a small number of air quality standards as the only tool to assess risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumi N Wren
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Cris M Mihele
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Gang Lu
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Zhimei Jiang
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Deyong Wen
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Katherine Hayden
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Richard L Mittermeier
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Ralf M Staebler
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Stewart G Cober
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Jeffrey R Brook
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 223 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 1R4, Canada
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12
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Zhang Y, Wang F, Hudson-Edwards KA, Blake R, Zhao F, Yuan Z, Gao W. Characterization of Mining-Related Aromatic Contaminants in Active and Abandoned Metal(loid) Tailings Ponds. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:15097-15107. [PMID: 33167623 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c03368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
This study reports on the compositional diversity of organic compounds in metal(loid)-bearing tailings samples from both active and abandoned tailings ponds. Tailings samples were qualitatively analyzed by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOFMS). In addition, the priority PAHs (16), PAEs (6), and phenols (2) were quantitatively analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We attribute the presence of some of aromatic organics in studied tailings ponds to particular sources. Mineral floatation reagents are likely the major sources of small-ring aromatics in tailings ponds, and products from metallurgical processing and burning of fossil fuels in the mining area or further afield are also possible contributors and might be the main source of large-ring aromatics. We found that tailings ponds abandoned for decades can still have organics concentrations at levels of concern. Large-ring aromatics are generally more toxic than other contaminants, and these were more abundant in abandoned tailings ponds. This suggests that these large-ring organics do not readily decompose or biodegrade into less toxic byproducts, as do volatiles and many other organic compounds. Our aromatic contaminants database provides an important starting point for researchers to investigate and compare similar contaminants that might be also present in other tailings ponds and emphasizes the necessity of considering their transformations over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyue Zhang
- School of Energy & Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, 100083 Beijing, China
| | - Fei Wang
- School of Energy & Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, 100083 Beijing, China
| | - Karen A Hudson-Edwards
- Environment and Sustainability Institute and Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, U.K
| | - Ruth Blake
- The Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Yale University, 210 Whitney Avenue, 06511 New Haven, Connecticut United States
| | - Furong Zhao
- School of Energy & Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, 100083 Beijing, China
| | - Zhimin Yuan
- School of Energy & Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, 100083 Beijing, China
| | - Wei Gao
- School of Energy & Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-Oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, 100083 Beijing, China
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13
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Drollette BD, Gentner DR, Plata DL. Waste Containment Ponds Are a Major Source of Secondary Organic Aerosol Precursors from Oil Sands Operations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:9872-9881. [PMID: 32806916 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c01735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The surface mining and bitumen extraction of oil sands (OS) generates over one million barrels of heavy oil each day in the Alberta Oil Sands Region of Canada. Recent observations suggest that emissions from OS development contribute to secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation, but the chemical composition, mass fluxes, and sources of those emissions are poorly delineated. Here, we simulated OS extraction and used comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography to quantify and characterize direct air emissions, bitumen froth, residual wastewater, and tailings components, ultimately enabling fate modeling of over 1500 chromatographic features simultaneously. During the non-ice cover season, tailings ponds emissions contributed 15 000-72 000 metric tonnes of hydrocarbon SOA precursors, translating to 3000-13 000 tonnes of SOA, whereas direct emissions during the extraction process itself were notably smaller (960 ± 500 tonnes SOA yr-1). These results suggest that tailings pond waste management practices should be targeted to reduce environmental emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Drollette
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
- Exponent, Incorporated, Maynard, Massachusetts 01754, United States
| | - Drew R Gentner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Desiree L Plata
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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14
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Travis KR, Heald CL, Allen HM, Apel EC, Arnold SR, Blake DR, Brune WH, Chen X, Commane R, Crounse JD, Daube BC, Diskin GS, Elkins JW, Evans MJ, Hall SR, Hintsa EJ, Hornbrook RS, Kasibhatla PS, Kim MJ, Luo G, McKain K, Millet DB, Moore FL, Peischl J, Ryerson TB, Sherwen T, Thames AB, Ullmann K, Wang X, Wennberg PO, Wolfe GM, Yu F. Constraining remote oxidation capacity with ATom observations. ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS 2020; 20:7753-7781. [PMID: 33688335 PMCID: PMC7939060 DOI: 10.5194/acp-20-7753-2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The global oxidation capacity, defined as the tropospheric mean concentration of the hydroxyl radical (OH), controls the lifetime of reactive trace gases in the atmosphere such as methane and carbon monoxide (CO). Models tend to underestimate the methane lifetime and CO concentrations throughout the troposphere, which is consistent with excessive OH. Approximately half of the oxidation of methane and non-methane volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is thought to occur over the oceans where oxidant chemistry has received little validation due to a lack of observational constraints. We use observations from the first two deployments of the NASA ATom aircraft campaign during July-August 2016 and January-February 2017 to evaluate the oxidation capacity over the remote oceans and its representation by the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model. The model successfully simulates the magnitude and vertical profile of remote OH within the measurement uncertainties. Comparisons against the drivers of OH production (water vapor, ozone, and NO y concentrations, ozone photolysis frequencies) also show minimal bias, with the exception of wintertime NO y . The severe model overestimate of NO y during this period may indicate insufficient wet scavenging and/or missing loss on sea-salt aerosols. Large uncertainties in these processes require further study to improve simulated NO y partitioning and removal in the troposphere, but preliminary tests suggest that their overall impact could marginally reduce the model bias in tropospheric OH. During the ATom-1 deployment, OH reactivity (OHR) below 3 km is significantly enhanced, and this is not captured by the sum of its measured components (cOHRobs) or by the model (cOHRmod). This enhancement could suggest missing reactive VOCs but cannot be explained by a comprehensive simulation of both biotic and abiotic ocean sources of VOCs. Additional sources of VOC reactivity in this region are difficult to reconcile with the full suite of ATom measurement constraints. The model generally reproduces the magnitude and seasonality of cOHRobs but underestimates the contribution of oxygenated VOCs, mainly acetaldehyde, which is severely underestimated throughout the troposphere despite its calculated lifetime of less than a day. Missing model acetaldehyde in previous studies was attributed to measurement uncertainties that have been largely resolved. Observations of peroxyacetic acid (PAA) provide new support for remote levels of acetaldehyde. The underestimate in both model acetaldehyde and PAA is present throughout the year in both hemispheres and peaks during Northern Hemisphere summer. The addition of ocean sources of VOCs in the model increases cOHRmod by 3% to 9% and improves model-measurement agreement for acetaldehyde, particularly in winter, but cannot resolve the model summertime bias. Doing so would require 100 Tg yr-1 of a long-lived unknown precursor throughout the year with significant additional emissions in the Northern Hemisphere summer. Improving the model bias for remote acetaldehyde and PAA is unlikely to fully resolve previously reported model global biases in OH and methane lifetime, suggesting that future work should examine the sources and sinks of OH over land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R. Travis
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Colette L. Heald
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hannah M. Allen
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Eric C. Apel
- Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Stephen R. Arnold
- Institute for Climate and Atmospheric Science, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Donald R. Blake
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - William H. Brune
- Department of Meteorology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Xin Chen
- University of Minnesota, Department of Soil, Water and Climate, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Róisín Commane
- Dept. of Earth & Environmental Sciences of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Columbia University, Palisades, NY, USA
| | - John D. Crounse
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Bruce C. Daube
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - James W. Elkins
- Global Monitoring Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Mathew J. Evans
- Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories (WACL), Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, UK
- National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), University of York, York, UK
| | - Samuel R. Hall
- Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Eric J. Hintsa
- Global Monitoring Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science, University of Colorado, CO, USA
| | - Rebecca S. Hornbrook
- Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Michelle J. Kim
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Gan Luo
- Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, University of Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Kathryn McKain
- Global Monitoring Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science, University of Colorado, CO, USA
| | - Dylan B. Millet
- University of Minnesota, Department of Soil, Water and Climate, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Fred L. Moore
- Global Monitoring Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science, University of Colorado, CO, USA
| | - Jeffrey Peischl
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science, University of Colorado, CO, USA
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Thomas B. Ryerson
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Tomás Sherwen
- Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories (WACL), Department of Chemistry, University of York, York, UK
- National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS), University of York, York, UK
| | - Alexander B. Thames
- Department of Meteorology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Kirk Ullmann
- Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Xuan Wang
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Paul O. Wennberg
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Glenn M. Wolfe
- Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA
| | - Fangqun Yu
- Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, University of Albany, Albany, NY, USA
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15
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Gutierrez-Villagomez JM, Vázquez-Martínez J, Ramírez-Chávez E, Molina-Torres J, Trudeau VL. Profiling low molecular weight organic compounds from naphthenic acids, acid extractable organic mixtures, and oil sands process-affected water by SPME-GC-EIMS. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 390:122186. [PMID: 32006852 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Naphthenic acids (NAs) are complex mixtures of carboxylic acids from petroleum that have industrial applications and that may be released to the environment after oil spills. There is significant research on the chemical composition and toxicity of water-soluble NAs derived from oil sands mining in Alberta, Canada. Yet, little is known about low molecular weight organic compounds (LMWOC) from these sources. Headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry was used for LMWOC profiling of commercial NA blends, and an acid-extractable organics (AEOs) mixture from a tailings pond. From Sigma 1, Sigma 2, Merichem NAs and the AEO extract, 54, 56, 40 and 4 compounds were identified, respectively. These include aliphatic and cyclic hydrocarbons, carboxylic acids, alkylbenzenes, phenols, naphthalene and alkyl-naphthalene, and decalin compounds. A sample of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) and aqueous solutions of the NA blends were evaluated for matrix effects on LMWOC profiles. Principal component and clustering analyses revealed that LMWOC profiles of commercial extracts were closely related but distinct from the AEO and OSPW samples. Some of the identified LMWOC are reported to be genotoxic or carcinogenic, and therefore the NA mixtures and AEOs should be considered hazardous materials and further evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Vázquez-Martínez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Bioquímica, Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Irapuato (ITESI), Tecnológico Nacional de México (TecNM), Carretera Irapuato - Silao km 12.5 Colonia El Copal, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico; Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, CINVESTAV Unidad Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, Mexico
| | - Enrique Ramírez-Chávez
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, CINVESTAV Unidad Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, Mexico
| | - Jorge Molina-Torres
- Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioquímica, CINVESTAV Unidad Irapuato, Guanajuato, 36824, Mexico
| | - Vance L Trudeau
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada.
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16
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Cheng Y, Li SM, Liggio J, Gordon M, Darlington A, Zheng Q, Moran M, Liu P, Wolde M. Top-Down Determination of Black Carbon Emissions from Oil Sand Facilities in Alberta, Canada Using Aircraft Measurements. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:412-418. [PMID: 31834792 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Black carbon (BC) emissions from the Canadian oil sand (OS) surface mining facilities in Alberta were investigated using aircraft measurements. BC emission rates were derived with a top-down mass balance approach and were found to be linearly related to the volume of oil sand ore mined at each facility. Two emission factors were determined from the measurements; production-based BC emission factors were in the range of 0.6-1.7 g/tonne mined OS ore, whereas fuel-based BC emission factors were between 95 and 190 mg/kg-fuel, depending upon the facility. The annual BC emission, at 707 ± 117 tonnes/year for the facilities, was determined using the production-based emission factors and annual production data. Although this annual emission is in reasonable agreement with the BC annual emissions reported in the latest version of the Canadian national BC inventory (within 16%), the relative split between off-road diesel and stack sources is significantly different between the measurements and the inventory. This measurement evidence highlights the fact that the stack sources of BC may be overestimated and the off-road diesel sources may be underestimated in the inventory and points to the need for improved BC emission data from diesel sources within facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Cheng
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Mark Gordon
- Department of Earth and Space Science and Engineering, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Andrea Darlington
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Qiong Zheng
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Michael Moran
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Peter Liu
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada
| | - Mengistu Wolde
- National Research Council Canada, Flight Research Laboratory, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
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17
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Li K, Liggio J, Han C, Liu Q, Moussa SG, Lee P, Li SM. Understanding the Impact of High-NO x Conditions on the Formation of Secondary Organic Aerosol in the Photooxidation of Oil Sand-Related Precursors. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:14420-14429. [PMID: 31751130 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Oil sands (OS) are an important type of heavy oil deposit, for which operations in Alberta, Canada, were recently found to be a large source of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). However, SOA formation from the OS mining, processing, and subsequent tailings, especially in the presence of NOx, remains unclear. Here, photooxidation experiments for OS-related precursors under high-NOx conditions were performed using an oxidation flow reactor, in which ∼95% of peroxy radicals (RO2) react with NO. The SOA yields under high-NOx conditions were found to be lower than yields under low-NOx conditions for all precursors, which is likely due to the higher volatilities of the products from the RO2 + NO pathway compared with RO2 + HO2. The SOA yields under high-NOx conditions show a strong dependence on pre-existing surface area (not observed in previous low-NOx experiments), again attributed to the higher product volatilities. Comparing the mass spectra of SOA formed from different precursors, we conclude that the fraction of m/z > 80 (F80) can be used as a parameter to separate different types of SOA in the region. In addition, particle-phase organic nitrate was found to be an important component (9-23%) of OS SOA formed under high-NOx conditions. These results have implications for better understanding the atmospheric processing of OS emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Li
- Air Quality Process Research Section , Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto , Ontario M3H 5T4 , Canada
| | - John Liggio
- Air Quality Process Research Section , Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto , Ontario M3H 5T4 , Canada
| | - Chong Han
- Air Quality Process Research Section , Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto , Ontario M3H 5T4 , Canada
| | - Qifan Liu
- Air Quality Process Research Section , Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto , Ontario M3H 5T4 , Canada
| | - Samar G Moussa
- Air Quality Process Research Section , Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto , Ontario M3H 5T4 , Canada
| | - Patrick Lee
- Air Quality Process Research Section , Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto , Ontario M3H 5T4 , Canada
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- Air Quality Process Research Section , Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto , Ontario M3H 5T4 , Canada
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18
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Altshuler SL, Ahad JME, Chow JC, Duane C, Dubé M, Legge AH, Percy KE, Stevenson ED, Watson JG. Advances in science and applications in air pollution monitoring: A case study on oil sands monitoring targeting ecosystem protection. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2019; 69:1133-1141. [PMID: 31437101 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2019.1659192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason M E Ahad
- Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada , Québec , QC , Canada
| | - Judith C Chow
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology (SKLLQG), Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Xi'an, Shaanxi Province , People's Republic of China
- Desert Research Institute , Reno , NV , USA
| | - Calvin Duane
- Canadian Natural Resources Limited , Calgary , Alberta , Canada
| | - Monique Dubé
- Integrated Environmental Analytics & Prediction Branch, Alberta Environment and Parks , Edmonton , Alberta , Canada
| | | | - Kevin E Percy
- Atlantic Forest Research Collaborative, University of New Brunswick , Fredericton , New Brunswick , Canada
| | - Eric D Stevenson
- Bay Area Air Quality Management District , San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - John G Watson
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology (SKLLQG), Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Xi'an, Shaanxi Province , People's Republic of China
- Desert Research Institute , Reno , NV , USA
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19
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Zhang P, Chen T, Liu J, Liu C, Ma J, Ma Q, Chu B, He H. Impacts of SO 2, Relative Humidity, and Seed Acidity on Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation in the Ozonolysis of Butyl Vinyl Ether. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:8845-8853. [PMID: 31298843 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b02702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Alkyl vinyl ethers are widely used as fuel additives. Despite this, their atmospheric chemistry and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation potentials are still not well-known under complex pollution conditions. In this work, we examined the impact of SO2, relative humidity (RH), and particle acidity on the formation and oxidation state (OSc) of SOA from butyl vinyl ether (BVE) ozonolysis. Increasing SO2 concentration produced a notable promotion of SOA formation and OSc due to the significant increase in H2SO4 particles and formation of more highly oxidized components. Increased RH in the presence of SO2 appeared to promote, suppress, and dominate the formation and OSc of SOA in the dry range (1-10%), low RH range (10-42%), and moderate RH range (42-64%), respectively. This highlights the importance of competition between H2O and SO2 in reacting with the stabilized Criegee intermediate in BVE ozonolysis at ambient RH. Increased particle acidity mainly contributed to the change in chemical composition of BVE-dominated SOA but not to SOA formation. The results presented here extend previous analysis of BVE-derived SOA and further aid our understanding of SOA formation potential of BVE ozonolysis under highly complex pollution conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control , Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Tianzeng Chen
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control , Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Jun Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control , Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Changgeng Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control , Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
| | - Jinzhu Ma
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control , Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Xiamen 361021 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Qingxin Ma
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control , Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Xiamen 361021 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Biwu Chu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control , Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Xiamen 361021 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
| | - Hong He
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control , Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100085 , China
- Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Institute of Urban Environment , Chinese Academy of Sciences , Xiamen 361021 , China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049 , China
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20
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Chen X, Millet DB, Singh HB, Wisthaler A, Apel EC, Atlas EL, Blake DR, Bourgeois I, Brown SS, Crounse JD, de Gouw JA, Flocke FM, Fried A, Heikes BG, Hornbrook RS, Mikoviny T, Min KE, Müller M, Neuman JA, O'Sullivan DW, Peischl J, Pfister GG, Richter D, Roberts JM, Ryerson TB, Shertz SR, Thompson CR, Treadaway V, Veres PR, Walega J, Warneke C, Washenfelder RA, Weibring P, Yuan B. On the sources and sinks of atmospheric VOCs: an integrated analysis of recent aircraft campaigns over North America. ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS 2019; 19:9097-9123. [PMID: 33688334 PMCID: PMC7939023 DOI: 10.5194/acp-19-9097-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
We apply a high-resolution chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem CTM) with updated treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and a comprehensive suite of airborne datasets over North America to (i) characterize the VOC budget and (ii) test the ability of current models to capture the distribution and reactivity of atmospheric VOCs over this region. Biogenic emissions dominate the North American VOC budget in the model, accounting for 70 % and 95 % of annually emitted VOC carbon and reactivity, respectively. Based on current inventories anthropogenic emissions have declined to the point where biogenic emissions are the dominant summertime source of VOC reactivity even in most major North American cities. Methane oxidation is a 2x larger source of nonmethane VOCs (via production of formaldehyde and methyl hydroperoxide) over North America in the model than are anthropogenic emissions. However, anthropogenic VOCs account for over half of the ambient VOC loading over the majority of the region owing to their longer aggregate lifetime. Fires can be a significant VOC source episodically but are small on average. In the planetary boundary layer (PBL), the model exhibits skill in capturing observed variability in total VOC abundance (R 2 = 0:36) and reactivity (R 2 = 0:54). The same is not true in the free troposphere (FT), where skill is low and there is a persistent low model bias (~ 60 %), with most (27 of 34) model VOCs underestimated by more than a factor of 2. A comparison of PBL: FT concentration ratios over the southeastern US points to a misrepresentation of PBL ventilation as a contributor to these model FT biases. We also find that a relatively small number of VOCs (acetone, methanol, ethane, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, isoprene C oxidation products, methyl hydroperoxide) drive a large fraction of total ambient VOC reactivity and associated model biases; research to improve understanding of their budgets is thus warranted. A source tracer analysis suggests a current overestimate of biogenic sources for hydroxyacetone, methyl ethyl ketone and glyoxal, an underestimate of biogenic formic acid sources, and an underestimate of peroxyacetic acid production across biogenic and anthropogenic precursors. Future work to improve model representations of vertical transport and to address the VOC biases discussed are needed to advance predictions of ozone and SOA formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Dylan B. Millet
- Department of Soil, Water, and Climate, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | | | - Armin Wisthaler
- Institute for Ion Physics and Applied Physics, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Eric C. Apel
- Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Elliot L. Atlas
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Donald R. Blake
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Ilann Bourgeois
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Steven S. Brown
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - John D. Crounse
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Joost A. de Gouw
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Frank M. Flocke
- Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Alan Fried
- Institute of Arctic & Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Brian G. Heikes
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI, USA
| | - Rebecca S. Hornbrook
- Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Tomas Mikoviny
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kyung-Eun Min
- School of Earth Science and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Markus Müller
- Institute for Ion Physics and Applied Physics, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - J. Andrew Neuman
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Jeff Peischl
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Gabriele G. Pfister
- Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Dirk Richter
- Institute of Arctic & Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - James M. Roberts
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Thomas B. Ryerson
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Stephen R. Shertz
- Atmospheric Chemistry Observations & Modeling Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Chelsea R. Thompson
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Victoria Treadaway
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI, USA
| | - Patrick R. Veres
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - James Walega
- Institute of Arctic & Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Carsten Warneke
- Chemical Sciences Division, NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory, Boulder, CO, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | | | - Petter Weibring
- Institute of Arctic & Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Bin Yuan
- Institute for Environmental and Climate Research, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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21
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Yan B, Han L, Xiao H, Zhang J, Huang J, Hu W, Gu Y, Liu Q, Zeng H. Rapid Dewatering and Consolidation of Concentrated Colloidal Suspensions: Mature Fine Tailings via Self-Healing Composite Hydrogel. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:21610-21618. [PMID: 31117468 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b05692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Billions of tonnes of thick waste streams with highly concentrated colloidal suspensions from different origins have accumulated worldwide, exampled as over 220 km2 mature fine tailings (MFT) from oil sands production in north Alberta. Current treatment technologies are limited by slow yet insufficient water release and sludge consolidation. Herein, a self-healing composite hydrogel system is designed to convert concentrated aqueous colloidal suspensions (e.g., MFT with colloidal solid content >30 wt %) into a dynamic double cross-linked network for rapid dewatering and consolidation. The resultant composite hydrogel demonstrates an excellent dewatering performance so that over 50% of water could be rapidly released within 30 min by vacuum filtration. Furthermore, the formed infinite cross-linked network with self-healing ability can effectively trap fine particles of all sizes and capture small flocs during mechanical mixing, thereby enabling a low solid content at the ppm level in the released water. This new strategy outperforms all the previously reported treatment methods; under mechanical compression, over 80% of water is removed from the MFT, thereby generating a stackable material with >70 wt % solids within an hour. These results demonstrate a highly effective approach and provide insight into the development of advanced materials to tackle the challenging environmental slurry issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Yan
- College of Light Industry, Textile, and Food Engineering , Sichuan University , Chengdu 610065 , China
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB T6G 1H9 , Canada
| | - Linbo Han
- College of Health Science and Environmental Engineering , Shenzhen Technology University , Shenzhen 518118 , China
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB T6G 1H9 , Canada
| | - Hongyan Xiao
- College of Light Industry, Textile, and Food Engineering , Sichuan University , Chengdu 610065 , China
| | - Jiawen Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB T6G 1H9 , Canada
| | - Jun Huang
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB T6G 1H9 , Canada
| | - Wenjihao Hu
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB T6G 1H9 , Canada
| | - Yingchun Gu
- College of Light Industry, Textile, and Food Engineering , Sichuan University , Chengdu 610065 , China
| | - Qi Liu
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB T6G 1H9 , Canada
| | - Hongbo Zeng
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB T6G 1H9 , Canada
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22
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Brook JR, Cober SG, Freemark M, Harner T, Li SM, Liggio J, Makar P, Pauli B. Advances in science and applications of air pollution monitoring: A case study on oil sands monitoring targeting ecosystem protection. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2019; 69:661-709. [PMID: 31082314 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2019.1607689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The potential environmental impact of air pollutants emitted from the oil sands industry in Alberta, Canada, has received considerable attention. The mining and processing of bitumen to produce synthetic crude oil, and the waste products associated with this activity, lead to significant emissions of gaseous and particle air pollutants. Deposition of pollutants occurs locally (i.e., near the sources) and also potentially at distances downwind, depending upon each pollutant's chemical and physical properties and meteorological conditions. The Joint Oil Sands Monitoring Program (JOSM) was initiated in 2012 by the Government of Canada and the Province of Alberta to enhance or improve monitoring of pollutants and their potential impacts. In support of JOSM, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) undertook a significant research effort via three components: the Air, Water, and Wildlife components, which were implemented to better estimate baseline conditions related to levels of pollutants in the air and water, amounts of deposition, and exposures experienced by the biota. The criteria air contaminants (e.g., nitrogen oxides [NOx], sulfur dioxide [SO2], volatile organic compounds [VOCs], particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm [PM2.5]) and their secondary atmospheric products were of interest, as well as toxic compounds, particularly polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), trace metals, and mercury (Hg). This critical review discusses the challenges of assessing ecosystem impacts and summarizes the major results of these efforts through approximately 2018. Focus is on the emissions to the air and the findings from the Air Component of the ECCC research and linkages to observations of contaminant levels in the surface waters in the region, in aquatic species, as well as in terrestrial and avian species. The existing evidence of impact on these species is briefly discussed, as is the potential for some of them to serve as sentinel species for the ongoing monitoring needed to better understand potential effects, their potential causes, and to detect future changes. Quantification of the atmospheric emissions of multiple pollutants needs to be improved, as does an understanding of the processes influencing fugitive emissions and local and regional deposition patterns. The influence of multiple stressors on biota exposure and response, from natural bitumen and forest fires to climate change, complicates the current ability to attribute effects to air emissions from the industry. However, there is growing evidence of the impact of current levels of PACs on some species, pointing to the need to improve the ability to predict PAC exposures and the key emission source involved. Although this critical review attempts to integrate some of the findings across the components, in terms of ECCC activities, increased coordination or integration of air, water, and wildlife research would enhance deeper scientific understanding. Improved understanding is needed in order to guide the development of long-term monitoring strategies that could most efficiently inform a future adaptive management approach to oil sands environmental monitoring and prevention of impacts. Implications: Quantification of atmospheric emissions for multiple pollutants needs to be improved, and reporting mechanisms and standards could be adapted to facilitate such improvements, including periodic validation, particularly where uncertainties are the largest. Understanding of baseline conditions in the air, water and biota has improved significantly; ongoing enhanced monitoring, building on this progress, will help improve ecosystem protection measures in the oil sands region. Sentinel species have been identified that could be used to identify and characterize potential impacts of wildlife exposure, both locally and regionally. Polycyclic aromatic compounds are identified as having an impact on aquatic and terrestrial wildlife at current concentration levels although the significance of these impacts and attribution to emissions from oil sands development requires further assessment. Given the improvement in high resolution air quality prediction models, these should be a valuable tool to future environmental assessments and cumulative environment impact assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Brook
- a Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - S G Cober
- b Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
| | - M Freemark
- c National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change, Ottawa , Canada
| | - T Harner
- b Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
| | - S M Li
- b Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
| | - J Liggio
- b Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
| | - P Makar
- b Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario , Canada
| | - B Pauli
- c National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change, Ottawa , Canada
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23
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Measured Canadian oil sands CO 2 emissions are higher than estimates made using internationally recommended methods. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1863. [PMID: 31015411 PMCID: PMC6478833 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09714-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The oil and gas (O&G) sector represents a large source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. However, estimates of O&G emissions rely upon bottom-up approaches, and are rarely evaluated through atmospheric measurements. Here, we use aircraft measurements over the Canadian oil sands (OS) to derive the first top-down, measurement-based determination of the their annual CO2 emissions and intensities. The results indicate that CO2 emission intensities for OS facilities are 13-123% larger than those estimated using publically available data. This leads to 64% higher annual GHG emissions from surface mining operations, and 30% higher overall OS GHG emissions (17 Mt) compared to that reported by industry, despite emissions reporting which uses the most up to date and recommended bottom-up approaches. Given the similarity in bottom-up reporting methods across the entire O&G sector, these results suggest that O&G CO2 emissions inventory data may be more uncertain than previously considered.
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24
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Moore JW, Nowlan L, Olszynski M, Jacob AL, Favaro B, Collins L, Williams-Davidson GTL, Weitz J. Towards linking environmental law and science. Facets (Ott) 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2017-0106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Gaps between environmental science and environmental law may undermine sound environmental decision-making. We link perspectives and insights from science and law to highlight opportunities and challenges at the environmental science–law interface. The objectives of this paper are to assist scientists who wish to conduct and communicate science that informs environmental statutes, regulations, and associated operational policies (OPs), and to ensure the environmental lawyers (and others) working to ensure that these statutes, regulations, and OPs are appropriately informed by scientific evidence. We provide a conceptual model of how different kinds of science-based activities can feed into legislative and policy cycles, ranging from actionable science that can inform decision-making windows to retrospective analyses that can inform future regulations. We identify a series of major gaps and barriers that challenge the successful linking of environmental science and law. These include (1) the different time frames for science and law, (2) the different standards of proof for scientific and legal (un)certainty, (3) the need for effective scientific communication, (4) the multijurisdictional (federal, provincial, and Indigenous) nature of environmental law, and (5) the different ethical obligations of law and science. Addressing these challenges calls for bidirectional learning among scientists and lawyers and more intentional collaborations at the law–science interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan W. Moore
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Linda Nowlan
- West Coast Environmental Law, Vancouver, BC V9A 3N6, Canada
| | - Martin Olszynski
- Faculty of Law, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Aerin L. Jacob
- Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative and Liber Ero Fellowship Program, Canmore, AB T1W 1P6, Canada
| | - Brett Favaro
- Fisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL A1C 5R3, Canada
| | - Lynda Collins
- Faculty of Law, Centre for Environmental Law and Global Sustainability, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | | | - Jill Weitz
- Salmon Beyond Borders, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
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25
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Parrott JL, Marentette JR, Hewitt LM, McMaster ME, Gillis PL, Norwood WP, Kirk JL, Peru KM, Headley JV, Wang Z, Yang C, Frank RA. Meltwater from snow contaminated by oil sands emissions is toxic to larval fish, but not spring river water. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 625:264-274. [PMID: 29289775 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/23/2017] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED To assess the toxicity of winter-time atmospheric deposition in the oil sands mining area of Northern Alberta, embryo-larval fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) were exposed to snowmelt samples. Snow was collected in 2011-2014 near (<7km) oil sands open pit mining operations in the Athabasca River watershed and at sites far from (>25km) oil sands mining. Snow was shipped frozen back to the laboratory, melted, and amended with essential ions prior to testing. Fertilized fathead minnow eggs were exposed (<24h post-fertilization to 7-16days post-hatch) to a range of 25%-100% snowmelt. Snow samples far from (25-277km away) surface mining operations and upgrading facilities did not affect larval fathead minnow survival at 100%. Snow samples from sites near surface mining and refining activities (<7km) showed reduced larval minnow survival. There was some variability in the potencies of snow year-to-year from 2011 to 2014, and there were increases in deformities in minnows exposed to snow from 1 site on the Steepbank River. Although exposure to snowmelt from sites near oil sands surface mining operations caused effects in larval fish, spring melt water from these same sites in late March-May of 2010, 2013 and 2014 showed no effects on larval survival when tested at 100%. Snow was analyzed for metals, total naphthenic acid concentrations, parent PAHs and alkylated PAHs. Naphthenic acid concentrations in snow were below those known to affect fish larvae. Concentrations of metals in ion-amended snow were below published water quality guideline concentrations. Compared to other sites, the snowmelt samples collected close to mining and upgrading activities had higher concentrations of PAHs and alkylated PAHs associated with airborne deposition of fugitive dusts from mining and coke piles, and in aerosols and particles from stack emissions. CAPSULE Snow collected close to oil sands surface mining sites is toxic to larval fathead minnows in the lab; however spring melt water samples from the same sites do not reduce larval fish survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Parrott
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington L7S 1A1, ON, Canada.
| | - J R Marentette
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington L7S 1A1, ON, Canada
| | - L M Hewitt
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington L7S 1A1, ON, Canada
| | - M E McMaster
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington L7S 1A1, ON, Canada
| | - P L Gillis
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington L7S 1A1, ON, Canada
| | - W P Norwood
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington L7S 1A1, ON, Canada
| | - J L Kirk
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington L7S 1A1, ON, Canada
| | - K M Peru
- National Hydrology Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon S7N 3H5, SK, Canada
| | - J V Headley
- National Hydrology Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon S7N 3H5, SK, Canada
| | - Z Wang
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, River Road, Ottawa K1A 0H2 1A1, ON, Canada
| | - C Yang
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, River Road, Ottawa K1A 0H2 1A1, ON, Canada
| | - R A Frank
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington L7S 1A1, ON, Canada
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26
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Bari MA, Kindzierski WB. Ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in communities of the Athabasca oil sands region: Sources and screening health risk assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 235:602-614. [PMID: 29331893 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.12.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 11/26/2017] [Accepted: 12/17/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
An investigation of ambient levels and sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and associated public health risks was carried out at two northern Alberta oil sands communities (Fort McKay and Fort McMurray located < 25 km and >30 km from oil sands development, respectively) for the period January 2010-March 2015. Levels of total detected VOCs were comparatively similar at both communities (Fort McKay: geometric mean = 22.8 μg/m3, interquartile range, IQR = 13.8-41 μg/m3); (Fort McMurray: geometric mean = 23.3 μg/m3, IQR = 12.0-41 μg/m3). In general, methanol (24%-50%), alkanes (26%-32%) and acetaldehyde (23%-30%) were the predominant VOCs followed by acetone (20%-24%) and aromatics (∼9%). Mean and maximum ambient concentrations of selected hazardous VOCs were compared to health risk screening criteria used by United States regulatory agencies. The Positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was used to identify and apportion VOC sources at Fort McKay and Fort McMurray. Five sources were identified at Fort McKay, where four sources (oil sands fugitives, liquid/unburned fuel, ethylbenzene/xylene-rich and petroleum processing) were oil sands related emissions and contributed to 70% of total VOCs. At Fort McMurray six sources were identified, where local sources other than oil sands development were also observed. Contribution of aged air mass/regional transport including biomass burning emissions was ∼30% of total VOCs at both communities. Source-specific carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk values were also calculated and were below acceptable and safe levels of risk, except for aged air mass/regional transport (at both communities), and ethylbenzene/xylene-rich (only at Fort McMurray).
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Aynul Bari
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-57 South Academic Building, 11405-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9 Canada.
| | - Warren B Kindzierski
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-57 South Academic Building, 11405-87 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1C9 Canada
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27
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Wentworth GR, Aklilu YA, Landis MS, Hsu YM. Impacts of a large boreal wildfire on ground level atmospheric concentrations of PAHs, VOCs and ozone. ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT (OXFORD, ENGLAND : 1994) 2018; 178:19-30. [PMID: 29681759 PMCID: PMC5906807 DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
During May 2016 a very large boreal wildfire burned throughout the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) in central Canada, and in close proximity to an extensive air quality monitoring network. This study examines speciated 24-h integrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and volatile organic compound (VOC) measurements collected every sixth day at four and seven sites, respectively, from May to August 2016. The sum of PAHs (ΣPAH) was on average 17 times higher in fire-influenced samples (852 ng m-3, n = 8), relative to non-fire influenced samples (50 ng m-3, n = 64). Diagnostic PAH ratios in fire-influenced samples were indicative of a biomass burning source, whereas ratios in June to August samples showed additional influence from petrogenic and fossil fuel combustion. The average increase in the sum of VOCs (ΣVOC) was minor by comparison: 63 ppbv for fire-influenced samples (n = 16) versus 46 ppbv for non-fire samples (n = 90). The samples collected on August 16th and 22nd had large ΣVOC concentrations at all sites (average of 123 ppbv) that were unrelated to wildfire emissions, and composed primarily of acetaldehyde and methanol suggesting a photochemically aged air mass. Normalized excess enhancement ratios (ERs) were calculated for 20 VOCs and 23 PAHs for three fire influenced samples, and the former were generally consistent with previous observations. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report ER measurements for a number of VOCs and PAHs in fresh North American boreal wildfire plumes. During May the aged wildfire plume intercepted the cities of Edmonton (∼380 km south) or Lethbridge (∼790 km south) on four separate occasions. No enhancement in ground-level ozone (O3) was observed in these aged plumes despite an assumed increase in O3 precursors. In the AOSR, the only daily-averaged VOCs which approached or exceeded the hourly Alberta Ambient Air Quality Objectives (AAAQOs) were benzene (during the fire) and acetaldehyde (on August 16th and 22nd). Implications for local and regional air quality as well as suggestions for supplemental air monitoring during future boreal fires, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory R. Wentworth
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, 10th Floor 9888 Jasper Ave. NW, T5J 5C6, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Yayne-abeba Aklilu
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, 10th Floor 9888 Jasper Ave. NW, T5J 5C6, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Matthew S. Landis
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, 27709, NC, USA
| | - Yu-Mei Hsu
- Wood Buffalo Environmental Association, 100-330 Thickwood Blvd., T9K 1Y1, Fort McMurray, AB, Canada
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Liggio J, Stroud CA, Wentzell JJB, Zhang J, Sommers J, Darlington A, Liu PSK, Moussa SG, Leithead A, Hayden K, Mittermeier RL, Staebler R, Wolde M, Li SM. Quantifying the Primary Emissions and Photochemical Formation of Isocyanic Acid Downwind of Oil Sands Operations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:14462-14471. [PMID: 29210280 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b04346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Isocyanic acid (HNCO) is a known toxic species and yet the relative importance of primary and secondary sources to regional HNCO and population exposure remains unclear. Off-road diesel fuel combustion has previously been suggested to be an important regional source of HNCO, which implies that major industrial facilities such as the oil sands (OS), which consume large quantities of diesel fuel, can be sources of HNCO. The OS emissions of nontraditional toxic species such as HNCO have not been assessed. Here, airborne measurements of HNCO were used to estimate primary and secondary HNCO for the oil sands. Approximately 6.2 ± 1.1 kg hr-1 was emitted from off-road diesel activities within oil sands facilities, and an additional 116-186 kg hr-1 formed from the photochemical oxidation of diesel exhaust. Together, the primary and secondary HNCO from OS operations represent a significant anthropogenic HNCO source in Canada. The secondary HNCO downwind of the OS was enhanced by up to a factor of 20 relative to its primary emission, an enhancement factor significantly greater than previously estimated from laboratory studies. Incorporating HNCO emissions and formation into a regional model demonstrated that the HNCO levels in Fort McMurray (∼10-70 km downwind of the OS) are controlled by OS emissions; > 50% of the monthly mean HNCO arose from the OS. While the mean HNCO levels in Fort McMurray are predicted to be below the 1000 pptv level associated with potential negative health impacts, (∼25 pptv in August-September), an order of magnitude increase in concentration is predicted (250-600 pptv) when the town is directly impacted by OS plumes. The results here highlight the importance of obtaining at-source HNCO emission factors and advancing the understanding of secondary HNCO formation mechanisms, to assess and improve HNCO population exposure predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Liggio
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Craig A Stroud
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Jeremy J B Wentzell
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Junhua Zhang
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Jacob Sommers
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Andrea Darlington
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Peter S K Liu
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Samar G Moussa
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Amy Leithead
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Katherine Hayden
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Richard L Mittermeier
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Ralf Staebler
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
| | - Mengistu Wolde
- National Research Council Canada , Flight Research Laboratory, Ottawa, Ontario Canada , K1A 0R6
| | - Shao-Meng Li
- Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada , Toronto, Ontario Canada , M3H 5T4
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