Real-Time Wind-Activated Fenceline and Community Particulate Monitoring - Case Study

Abstract Description: In pursuit of maintaining and improving air quality in adherence to approval requirements, compliance-based ambient air monitoring programs have been instrumental. This presentation introduces a novel methodology to enhance traditional air samplers for evaluating the ambient air impacts of hazardous waste landfill operations on a nearby village. The facility’s emissions stem from active, inactive, and future landfill areas, exhaust from vehicles and equipment, and a waste receiving area. Consequently, Total Suspended Particulate Matter (TSP)—comprising smoke, dust, fly ash, and pollen—has been identified as a key monitoring parameter. In addition to TSP levels, the program includes an assessment of its constituents, such as various metals, due to the specific nature of the facility’s emission sources. To achieve these objectives, a filter-based monitoring unit was required for the program.

For this purpose, traditional TSP monitoring typically involves Hi-Vol samplers near sensitive receptors, collecting 24-hour samples. However, this approach faces limitations: varying wind directions during sampling complicate source identification, and long-term sampling is required to account for meteorological variability. Moreover, traditional methods are insufficient for timely responses to elevated concentrations or implementing immediate mitigations.

This case-study shows a focused monitoring approach that integrates traditional methods with targeted strategies to more effectively assess and mitigate air quality issues from specific sources. The program utilizes upwind, and downwind Hi-Vol samplers equipped with wind-direction-activated sensors. The upwind sampler, operating intermittently over a month, measures background TSP levels, while the downwind sampler, placed at a sensitive receptor within the village, captures emissions under specific conditions.

The wind-direction-activated sensors enable samplers to operate only when wind conditions establish a source-receptor relationship. Sampling halts when the wind direction deviates from the specified vector or after a total of 24 hours, ensuring alignment with ambient air quality objectives. This configuration also facilitates distinguishing between facility and background sources when elevated concentrations are detected. The methodology targets worst-case conditions, capturing maximum downwind concentrations to inform effective mitigation measures.
By incorporating real-time responsiveness into traditional samplers, this approach delivers more accurate, timely, and comprehensive air quality assessments, while maintaining reasonable capital and operating costs. It not only enhances decision-making for air quality and public health but also facilitates adaptive management strategies to address dynamic environmental conditions effectively.