1) Environmental Analysis Facility Mission and Goals

The Environmental Analysis Facility (EAF) is a chemical laboratory equipped to quantify atmospheric contaminants in minute quantities. The purpose of EAF is to characterize air pollutants and identify air emission sources. Most of the major source types are known (e.g., power plants, motor vehicles, refineries, etc.) but it is important to identify specific sources (e.g., diesel vs. gasoline exhaust) to understand interrelationships of various pollutants, and to identify additional sources to implement effective control strategies. EAF provides to private, state, and government agencies the tools needed to identify, control, and reduce atmospheric contaminants.

2) Brief History

AF was started in 1985 by Dr. Judith C. Chow. Old offices were converted into a temperature- and humidity-controlled clean room for gravimetric analyses and multi-elemental analyses using an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer. Additional laboratory rooms were made available as more analytical instruments were purchased. Over the last 19 years, EAF has developed into a world-class facility. Analytical instruments include:

• Agilent 1200 Series High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

• Agilent Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (TD-GC/MS) (2 units)

• Astoria Analyzer automated colorimetry (AC) system

• Dionex Model 3000 Ion Chromatograph (IC) (1 unit)

• Dionex Model 500 DX ion chromatograph (IC) (2 units)

• DRI Model 2001 thermal/optical carbon analyzers (8 units)

• DRI resuspension chamber

• PANalytical Epsilon 5 EDXRF

• Sartorius SE2, Mettler MT5 (2 units), Cahn 25, Cahn 31, and Cahn 33 microbalances

• Thermo (Carlo Erba) Model Flash EA1112 Combustion CHNS/O Analyzer

• Thermo elemental X series Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) with laser ablation, microwave, and hotblock digestions sytems

• Tobias TBX-10 densitometer

• Varian Model 880 double-beam atomic absorption (AA) spectrophotometer

Theresa Bohannan, Laboratory
Technician, runs analysis in
EAF's Carbon Laboratory.

EAF's Wet Chemistry Laboratory

Heather Saunders, Hourly
Student Laboratory Technician,
assists with loading of filters in the
Filter Preparation Laboratory.

Brenda Cristani, Laboratory
Coordinator, weighs filters
in EAF's Gravimetry Laboratory.

3) Product Description

a) Mass

Ambient and source aerosol mass concentrations by gravimetric analysis of filters before and after sampling.

b) Elemental analysis

Ambient and source aerosol elemental concentrations by energy dispersive X-ray florescence (EDXRF) and ICP-MS.

c) Ionic

Ambient and source anion and cation concentrations by ion chromatography, automatic colorimetry, and atomic absorption.

d) Carbon fractions

Ambient and source organic and elemental carbon fraction concentrations by thermal/optical reflectance and transmittance.

e) Aerosol sampling

Provide filter-based samplers, sampling media, filter holders, as well as training, consultation, and instrument setup for large and small field studies.

Provide and maintain continuous aerosol measuring equipment as well as data interpretation and validation of extensive datasets retrieved from these instruments.

Provide a dilution sampling system for the collection of samples directly from sources.

Speciation of carbon compounds by Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometry.

f) New procedures and methods

Continuously developing new and improved laboratory methods for the analysis of aerosol samples.

g) Standardization and auditing

Provide on-site and remote auditing of field operations.

h) Data management

Work with sponsoring agencies to ensure data is validated and transferred to appropriate databases in appropriate format.

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