Volatile Organic Compounds and Carbonyls
The NY ambient air toxics monitoring program was first established in 1985 as part of the Governor's Air Monitoring Modernization Capital Budget Program. This monitoring network measures volatile organic compounds (VOCs) across NYS. The initial development of the network and analytical capabilities was part of a joint Staten Island/New Jersey Urban Air Toxics Assessment Project coordinated with EPA Region II from 1987 through 1989. The network expanded in 1990 to a statewide network.
NY's statewide toxics network comprises of 12 monitoring sites, including two National Air Toxics Trends Station (NAATS) sites, covering industrial, urban and rural areas. Composite 24-hr canister samples are collected on an every-sixth-day schedule. Whole air samples are routinely analyzed using a modified version of the EPA Method TO-15 for 42 VOCs using gas chromatography with a mass spectrometer detector. Carbonyls are sampled using cartridge containing 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography according to EPA Method TO-11a.
The NATTS Network was developed by EPA to fulfill the need for long-term hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) monitoring data of consistent quality. Among the principle objectives are assessing trends and emission reduction program effectiveness, assessing and verifying air quality models (e.g., exposure assessments, emission control strategy development, etc.), and as direct input to source-receptor models. The two NY NATTS sites, located in the Bronx (IS 52) and Rochester, are among 27 sites nationwide funded by EPA.
All network data are submitted to the EPA and can be accessed via the EPA Air Quality System (AQS) API in standard units. Summary information for the HAPs are available from EPA using the Monitor Values Report - Hazardous Air Pollutants service. For more information, contact us dar.web@dec.ny.gov.
