Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

Aquatic Acidification Index pilot study to measure airborne sulfur and nitrogen oxide concentrations: NADP Ammonia Concentration- one sampler

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Metadata Provider

  • Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative

    • Address:
      705 Spear Street
      South Burlington, Vermont 05403
      United States of America

      Phone: (802) 391-4135
      Email: femc@uvm.edu
      Website: www.uvm.edu/femc

Abstract

    Acidification of waterbodies is linked to deposition of sulfur and nitrogen oxides. This project will assess the relationship between a proposed index of aquatic acidification due to airborne pollutants and the concentrations in air of ammonia, ammonium, nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides. Data comes from participation in both the Ammonia Monitoring Network (AMoN) and EPA's CASTNet. AMoN is a NADP network measuring NH3 concentrations across the United States with the goal of providing long term trends in ambient NH3 concentrations and depositions. The VMC air quality site began participating in this network in November 2012 as a component of the AAI. CASTNET is a national air quality monitoring network designed to provide data to assess trends in air quality, atmospheric deposition, and ecological effects due to changes in air pollutant emissions.CASTNET measurements are used to assess long-term, regional trends in sulfur and nitrogen pollutants.

People

  • Miriam Pendleton: Principal Investigator

  • Rich Scheffe: Principal Investigator

Keywords

  • acid rain, air quality, ammonia, ammonium, aquatic acidification index,

Organizations

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) : lead
  • Vermont Monitoring Cooperative : partner

Geographic Coverage

  • Coordinates

Data Table

  • Title: NADP Ammonia Concentration- one sampler
  • Start Date: 2012-11-20
  • Description: Weekly ammonia concentration from single sampler

  • Purpose: Provide a consistent, long-term record of ammonia gas (NH3) concentrations from Vermont for use in the aquatic acidification model

  • Condensed Title: Z0312_VT99_rep

  • Object Name: VMC.312.413

  • Data Type: mySQL
  • Citation: Any published use of NADP data or information must acknowledge the NADP as the source. A suggested citation is: National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NRSP-3). 2015. NADP Program Office, Illinois State Water Survey,University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61820. We request one copy of any printed publication using NADP data be sent to the NADP Program Office at the address below: NADP Program Office Illinois State Water Survey 2204 Griffith Drive Champaign, IL 61820 nadp@isws.illinois.edu

  • Online Distribution: https://www.uvm.edu/femc/data/archive/project/aquatic-acidification-index-pilot-study-to/dataset/nadp-ammonia-concentration-one-sampler

Attribute List

    Attribute Name: AIRVOL
    • Label: AIRVOL
    • Description: Sample Volume
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Unit: cubic meters
    Attribute Name: CHNGDATE
    • Label: CHNGDATE
    • Description: Most recent date and time any data values were edited within the NADPID set
    • Storage Type: datetime
    • Measurment Type: datetime
    • String Format: M-DD-YYYY hh:mm:ss
    Attribute Name: CONC
    • Label: CONC
    • Description: Gaseous ammonia concentration, missing values are indicated by -9.00
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Unit: ug/m^3
    Attribute Name: ENDDATE
    • Label: ENDDATE
    • Description: End date and time of sample exposure, GMT
    • Storage Type: datetime
    • Measurment Type: datetime
    • String Format: M-DD-YYYY hh:mm:ss
    Attribute Name: EXPTIME
    • Label: EXPTIME
    • Description: Sample exposure time
    • Storage Type: time
    • Measurment Type: datetime
    • String Format: other
    • Unit: Minutes
    Attribute Name: EXTRACTVOL
    • Label: EXTRACTVOL
    • Description: Filter extract solution volume
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Unit: mL
    Attribute Name: NADPID
    • Label: NADPID
    • Description: Unique NADP identifier of individual sample sets consisting of one or more sample replicates and a travel blank deployed together.
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: NH4
    • Label: NH4
    • Description: Measured ammonium ion concentration of filter extract, in mg/L of solution as NH4+; missing values are indicated by -9.00
    • Storage Type: decimal
    • Measurment Type: ratio
    • Unit: mg/L
    Attribute Name: NOTES
    • Label: NOTES
    • Description: Sample notes flags
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: QR
    • Label: QR
    • Description: Quality rating Code, A = Fully qualified with no problems, B= Valid data with minor problems, C = invalid data
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: REPLICATE
    • Label: REPLICATE
    • Description: Sample replicate (A,B,C) or travel bank (T)
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: SITEID
    • Label: SITEID
    • Description: Two-letter location designator followed by a two digit number
    • Storage Type: text
    • Measurment Type: nominal
    Attribute Name: STARTDATE
    • Label: STARTDATE
    • Description: Start date and time of sample exposure, GMT
    • Storage Type: datetime
    • Measurment Type: datetime
    • String Format: M-DD-YYYY hh:mm:ss

Methods

  • Current Methods
    • Ammonia and ammonium collection
      • Started: 2012-11-20
      • Method Description: Passive diffusion-type samplers are deployed for two week periods year-round. Each sampler accumulates ammonia and ammonium for the period then is collected and shipped to a central laboratory for analysis using sonification and flow injection analysis.

    • Atmospheric pollutants and meteorological dat
      • Method Description: Each CASTNET site measures atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen pollutants and cations. Concentrations of ambient sulfur and nitrogen species are collected and measured weekly (Tuesday to Tuesday, 168 hours) via a three-stage filter pack, and the data are averaged over the 1-week period.


Sampling Equipment

  • Current Equipment
    • Ammonia sampler
      • Started: 2012-11-20
      • Sampling Description: One or more Radiello-brand diffusion-type passive samplers are attached to a plastic shelter mounted on a pole two meters above any surfaces.

Site Characteristics

  • Site Description: Mount Mansfield site located at 400 m elevation on the west slope in the field station at Proctor Maple Research Center. Consistent with National Atmospheric Deposition Program/AMoN Siting Criteria



  • Site Description: As of October 2011, eighty two CASTNET sites were operational at eighty distinct locations. Most CASTNET sites are located in rural or remote locations away from pollutant emission sources and heavily populated areas



  • Site Description: The network design of CASTNET involves the measurement of rural, regionally representative concentrations of sulfur and nitrogen species to estimate dry deposition fluxes and to assess trends over time and space. Eastern U.S. sites are selected based on the following factors: (1) regional representation (2) distance from major pollutant sources (3) long-term availability, (4) accessibility, and (5) contribution to overall geographic coverage.



  • Site Description: For the western CASTNET sites, the limited number of sites and higher diversity of the region make it difficult to follow spatial patterns. Therefore, site selection in the west focuses primarily on locations where specific research issues can be addressed, and where natural resources are at risk.