Ambient Air Testing and Monitoring

We are knowledgeable in the measurement of criteria pollutants as well as most of the pollutants listed in the TO and IO compendiums.

AAC’s staff has an extensive background pertaining to Atmospheric Chemistry and can provide guidance on Atmospheric Chemical transformation products, photochemical reactivity including MIR and OH rate constants, and measurement techniques for select gas and particle phase products including VOCs, carbonyls, organic acids, Peroxy Acyl Nitrates (PANs), and Ammonia.

YOUR AMBIENT AIR NEEDS

We can help you plan and carry out ambient air measurements including selecting the proper methods to use; selecting the correct sampling media for the application; calculating the amount of sample to be collected; calculating the required flow rates and sampling time; providing method reporting limits; providing the necessary sampling equipment and instructions; providing the sampling media along with all documentation (Chain of Custody, Sampling Procedures, Sampling Log sheets, etc) and additional supplies such as containers, vials or bottles; providing custom spiking solutions for field testing and audit purposes; providing analysis following agency or custom methods; and providing you with the final data package including QA/QC reports and Electronic Data when requested Deliverables (EDD).

AAC has extensive ambient air VOC and Carbonyl measurement experience using EPA methods TO-14, TO-15, TO-12, TO-11, TO-5, and TO-1 through 3. In addition, we have experience with most other TO methods including Phenols measurements using TO-8, and PAHs measurements using TO-13. Please see our Analytical Capabilities document for more details of what ambient air services we offer.

OUR CLIENTS

AAC has provided support for PAMS agencies for over 30 years following the methods described in the PAMS Technical Assessment Document (TAD) for speciated and Total NMOCs and for speciated Carbonyls. Agencies we have supported include SJVUAPCD, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (AZDEQ) as well as over ten different counties in the states of California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Michigan, and Arizona. We are currently involved in providing sampling media and analysis for NMOCs and Carbonyls for at least three PAMS agencies located in California.

As part of the various PAMS programs, AAC participates in the audit programs for both NMOCs and Carbonyls every year with results usually within a few percent of the target concentration. Please see our new PAMS flyer here.

EXPERTISE

We have extensive expertise with volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) analysis using a modified version of ASTM D-5504 to achieve a ~5 ppbv reporting limit for H2S and other speciated sulfur compounds.

AAC has over 30 years of experience in the measurement of ammonia, speciated amines, and organic acids using a variety of solutions and substrates.

We provide certified Sampling Media including Summa canisters and flow controllers for all types of ambient air measurements. Please Contact us for your specific needs.

AAC has participated in several large air pollution studies beginning with the Southern California Ozone Study (SCOS-97), moving on to the Southeast Lake Michigan Ozone Study and continuing to the present with the Los Angeles International Airport/City of Los Angeles study. We have managed several large field studies involving measurements of VOCs, Carbonyls, Ammonia, Nitric Acid, SVOCs including PAHs, PM2.5 and PM10 mass, speciated PM components including PAHS, OC/EC/TC, metals, hopanes and steranes, nitrate, sulfate, and other ions, etc. We can provide management and technical planning, sampling media and analysis, QAQC, and report writing for small to large field studies.

AAC has been involved in ambient passive measurements of Formaldehyde, Ozone, SO2, NO2, and other pollutants using a variety of device types.

Please see our Analytical Capabilities document for more details of what ambient air services we offer.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

We have a long history of Research and Development and are experts at developing new methods as well as improving existing ones to meet client's needs. We are often asked to expand the analyte list of existing methods and are experts at testing and validating additional analytes. We are also able to modify current methods based on our extensive chemistry knowledge and experience to meet specific client needs. We can perform method validation tests including spiking, stability, reproducibility, and gas phase recovery studies.

LEARN MORE

Please proceed to our Sampling Media and Equipment page to learn about what types of sampling equipment and media we can provide, to our Request Sampling Equipment and Media Form to place an order for sampling equipment and media, to our Request a Price Quote Form to get a price quote for sampling equipment, media and analysis, or to our Contact Us Form for general questions.