Lab Description

Created in 1985, DRI's Environmental Analysis Facility (EAF) in Reno, Nevada, is a chemical laboratory equipped to quantify atmospheric contaminants in minute quantities. The facility specializes in complex analyses of environmental samples with an emphasis on suspended particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10 ) collected on samples from ambient air and source effluents. Mass, elements, ions, carbon fractions, and organic compounds are quantified to determine the levels of potentially toxic components and to apportion ambient concentrations to their sources.

The purpose of EAF is to characterize air pollutants and identify air emission sources. Most of the major source types such as power plants, motor vehicles, and refineries are known, 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.

The EAF has established several methods that are now in widespread use throughout the world, including the IMPROVE thermal/optical method for organic carbon, elemental carbon, and thermal carbon fractions. As a research laboratory, EAF professionals assist sponsors in designing air quality sampling and analysis programs to meet specific needs and supply sampling equipment, training, and report/publication preparation services in addition to laboratory analyses. EAF collaborates with many universities and private sector consultants to complement their expertise in air quality management, permitting, and assessment.

Product Description

Mass: ambient and source aerosol mass concentrations by gravimetric analysis of filters before and after sampling.

Elemental analysis: ambient and source aerosol elemental concentrations by energy dispersive X-ray florescence (EDXRF) and ICP-MS.

Ionic: ambient and source anion and cation concentrations by ion chromatography, automatic colorimetry, and atomic absorption.

Carbon fractions: ambient and source organic and elemental carbon fraction concentrations by thermal/optical reflectance and transmittance.

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.

New procedures and methods: continuously developing new and improved laboratory methods for the analysis of aerosol samples.

Standardization and auditing: provide on-site and remote auditing of field operations.

Data management: work with sponsoring agencies to ensure data is validated and transferred to appropriate databases in appropriate format.

Analytical Instruments

• 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