Carbonaceous Particulate Matter Artifacts Observed in the USEPA Coarse PM Pilot Speciation Study

摘要

The coarse PM pilot speciation study will continue sample collection through May 2011. Based on TOA analysis of samples collected over the first half of the one-year study we can draw some preliminary conclusions. First, OC mass loadings for the field blanks have decreased as the study progressed and the most-recent mass loadings are comparable to the trip blanks. Second, OC mass loadings on backup filters for the dichot minor flow (used to calculate PM_(10-2.5) concentrations) are statistically indistinguishable from the trip and field blanks.