Atmospheric Formaldehyde Monitoring in the Greater Houston Area in 2002
- 1 February 2004
- journal article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Applied Spectroscopy
- Vol. 58 (2), 243-247
- https://doi.org/10.1366/000370204322843002
Abstract
A laser spectrometer based on difference frequency generation (DFG) was deployed for real-time long-term monitoring of HCHO concentrations at an environmental monitoring site located at Deer Park, Texas, in the Greater Houston area. Three HCHO concentration measurements were made during the periods of July 20–31 (period I), August 2–14 (period II), and August 24–September 25 (period III), 2002. In periods I and II, differences in HCHO concentrations are apparent between day and night measurements, with elevated concentrations during daylight hours. Most of the HCHO peak values are less than 20 ppbV except for two intense peaks on August 02 (∼25 ppbV) and August 04 (∼30 ppbV). The formaldehyde concentration levels in ambient air at the measurement site are produced mainly by the photochemical oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) caused by intense sunlight during periods I and II. This observation was made based on a comparison with the ozone concentration, solar radiation, temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed data obtained from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). During period III, data collected by a time-integrating wet-chemical technique are compared to the data collected by the spectroscopic instrument.Keywords
This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- Design and performance of a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer for airborne formaldehyde measurementsJournal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2003
- Tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer for ground‐based measurements of formaldehydeJournal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 1997
- Comparison of tunable diode laser and long-path ultraviolet/visible spectroscopic measurements of ambient formaldehyde concentrations during the 1993 OH Photochemistry ExperimentJournal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 1997
- Performance of Dnph-Coated C18Cartridges for Sampling C1-C9Carbonyls in AirInternational Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 1995
- Development of Ozone Reactivity Scales for Volatile Organic CompoundsAir & Waste, 1994
- Production of aldehydes as primary emissions and from secondary atmospheric reactions of alkenes and alkanes during the night and early morning hoursAtmospheric Environment. Part A. General Topics, 1993
- Ambient levels of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and formic acid in southern California: results of a one-year baseline studyEnvironmental Science & Technology, 1991
- Gas-phase tropospheric chemistry of organic compounds: A reviewAtmospheric Environment. Part A. General Topics, 1990
- Urban air pollution in Brazil: Acetaldehyde and other carbonylsAtmospheric Environment. Part B. Urban Atmosphere, 1990
- The chemistry of carbonyl compounds in the atmosphere—A reviewAtmospheric Environment (1967), 1986