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Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems

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1. Borosilcate Glass Manifold Figure 7 4 Alternate manifold design Where Cv Volume of the sample cane and extensions Mv Volume of the sample manifold and trap Lv Volume of the instrument lines Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 14 Another type of manifold that is being widely used is known as the ARB style manifold illustrated in Figure 7 4 This manifold has a reduced profile i e there is less volume in the cane and manifold therefore there is less of a need for by pass flow These manifolds allow the user more options than the other conventional manifolds If the combined flow rates are high enough with the instruments at the monitoring location by pass flow devices such as blower motors are not required Residence time Determination The residence time of pollutants within the sampling manifold is critical Residence time is defined as the amount of time that it takes for a sample of air to travel from the opening of the cane to the inlet of the instrument and is required to be less than 20 seconds for reactive gas monitors It is recommended that the residence time within the manifold and sample lines to the instruments be less than 10 seconds If the volume of the manifold does not allow this to occur then a blower motor or other device vacuum pump can be used to decrease the residence time The residence time for a mani
2. Figure 8 NPAP Performance Audit Results for Ozone Precursors 25 J 20 4 15 10 4 5 4 we a o d 5 4 Central 10 4 Central laboratory laboratory 2 analyzers audited 15 audited S analyzers audited audited 20 25 Carbonyls NOx Total VOC Total VOC manual automated Lower probability limit Upper probability limit System Audits Systems audits were performed at two sites during calendar year 2000 These audits evaluated areas such as siting criteria analyzer and sampler operation and maintenance operator training recordkeeping and serve as a general review of site operations In general both sites were performing well except for the following gt The Townsix site had vegetation which had grown too close to the analyzer inlet probes The vegetation was removed within one week with assistance from the County Parks and Recreation Department Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 20 of 24 A systems audit was also performed at the central analytical laboratory Results were good with only minor items noted for improvements Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 21 of 24 AIR TOXICS The Acme Reporting Organization monitors the ambient concentrations of air toxic compounds Three different methods are used depending on the class of air toxic compound Volatile organic compounds VOCs excluding carbonyls are measured by continuous analyzers on line gas chro
3. 0 00 e eee eee 2 13 12 2 Multi point Calibrations 0 0000000005 3 13 12 3 Level 1 Zero and Span Calibration 4 13 12 4 Level 2 Zero and Span Check 0 000 6 13 12 5 Physical Zero and Span Adjustments 6 13 12 6 Frequency of Calibration and Analyzer Adjustment 7 13 12 7 Automatic Self Adjusting Analyzers 10 13 12 8 Data Reduction using Calibration Information 11 13 12 9 Validation of Ambient Data Based on Calibration 13 13 Information 13 Inspection Acceptance for Supplies and Consumables 0 8 98 13 1 Supplies Management 0 0 00000 1 4 13 2 Standards and Reagents 0 00000 e eee 1 4 13 3 Volumetric Glassware 0 0 0 cece eee eee 3 4 134 Filters coc cialis vaste taut eens wal ads ee a ees 3 4 14 Data Acquisition and Information Management 0 8 98 14 General aes tcge tea es ea ae es ements 1 13 14 2 Data Acquisition 0 cece cece eee eee 6 13 14 3 The Information Management System 11 13 iv Section Page ASSESSMENT OVERSIGHT 15 Assessment and Corrective Action 15 1 Network ReviewS a iaaea a a ALE cece ADA ARRETA 1 15 15 2 Performance Evaluations 0 0 ccc cena 4 15 15 3 Technical Systems Audits 00 00008 9 15 15 4 Data Quality Assessments 0000000008 14 15 16 Reports to Manag
4. 13 1 Supplies Management Control of supplies and consumables is important to the success of the quality assurance program It is important that specifications for each item are prepared and adhered to during the procurement process When specifications are prepared the following points should be considered identity purity potency source tests to be conducted for quality and purity need for further purification storage and handling procedures and replacement dates As part of supplies management the following actions are recommended gt establish criteria and specifications for the important supplies and consumables gt check and test the supplies and consumables against specifications before placing them in use gt design and maintain a supplies management program to ensure the quality of reagents used in day to day operations paying particular attention to primary reference standards working standards and standard solutions gt decide on the kinds of purified water that are necessary and develop suitable tests and testing intervals to ensure the quality of water used in analytical work and for cleaning glassware gt purchase only Class A volumetric glassware and perform calibrations and recalibrations that are necessary to achieve reliable results gt establish procedures for cleaning and storing glassware with due consideration for the need for special treatment of glassware used in trace analysis gt discar
5. c Do any laboratory procedures deviate from the If yes are the deviations for lead analysis PM 10 reference equivalent or approved methods filter conditioning or other specify below d Have the procedures and or any changes been approved Date of Approval by EPA Complete the table below oP OOSOSOSOSOSOSC SCSCSY Eao O Oooo Others list by pollutant Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 25 of 50 f Is sufficient instrumentation available to conduct your laboratory analyses Yes___ No If no please indicate instrumentation needs Instrument Needed New or Replacement Year of Acquisition 2 Quality Control a Please complete the table for your agency s laboratory standards Primary Standard Secondary Standard Recertification Date E SO E Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 26 of 50 e Comment on the traceability of chemicals used in the preparation of calibration standards osion ve No comments S f Does the laboratory Purchase standard solutions such as those for use with lead or other AA analysis If the laboratory staff routinely make their own standard Attach an example solutions are procedures for such available g Are all calibration procedures documented Where title revision Unless fully documented attach a brief description of a calibration procedure h Are at least one duplicate one blank and one standard or Identify analyses
6. 3 USP and NF Grade These are chemical reference standards where identity and strength analysis are ensured 4 Pure c p chemically pure highest purity These are qualitative statements for chemicals without numerical meaning 5 Pure purified practical grades These are usually intended as starting substances for laboratory syntheses 6 Technical or commercial grades These are chemicals of widely varying purity Part II of this document which contains the reference and equivalent methods define the grades and purities needed for the reagents and gases required in the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program All reagent containers should be properly labeled either with the original label or at a minimum the reagent date prepared expiration date strength and preparer Leftover reagents used during preparation or analysis should never be returned to bottles 13 2 1 Primary Reference Standards A primary reference standard can be defined as a homogenous material with specific properties such as identity unity and potency that has been measured and certified by a qualified and recognized organization such as the NIST standard reference materials SRMs NIST maintains a catalog of SRMs that can be accessed through the Internet http Avww nist gov Primary reference standards are usually quite expensive and are often used to calibrate develop or assay working or secondary st
7. E 1 2 8 NON METHANE HYDROCARBON AUDIT NOTE Disconnect the Superblend 1 cylinder in the back of the audit van Connect Superblend 3 cylinder to the Superblend 1 cylinder line using the connector on the Superblend 3 cylinder The ambient level concentrations for each pollutant are determined by multiplying a dilution ratio times the concentration value for each pollutant at each audit level The dilution ratio and ambient level concentrations are determined using the following formula True CO Response Diution Ratio lt lt lt Superblend Bottle Co Concentration WHERE CO Display Value Aadco Ultrapure CO Intercept True CO Response CO Slope 1 Calibrate the CO instrument as described in Section E 1 2 4 2 NMHC Audit Point 1 Select Option 2 DATA ENTRY MENU from the ARB Van Audit Program s Main Menu Select Option M NMHC MENU from the Data Entry Menu Select Option 1 VAN CO Superblend cyl 2 and enter the CO analyzer responses for Ultrapure Zero Air High CO Low CO and Aadco Zero from the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 3 NMHC Audit Point 2 Press the Dasibi 1009 CP GAS switch ON Set the GAS thumbwheels to 460 to obtain Audit Point 1 concentration for NMHC After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Enter the ana
8. Promptness 100 DATA QUALITY ASSESSMENT Summary Assessment of the data quality for ARO particulate criteria pollutants showed that all samplers met goals for accuracy precision completeness and promptness System audits showed siting problems at three sites Two of these were corrected promptly while the third site had to be closed due to the construction of a large office building nearby Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 13 of 24 Promptness and Completeness At least 75 percent of scheduled monitoring data must be reported for purposes of determining attainment of NAAQS All data must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the reporting quarter Table 6 summarizes promptness and completeness data for particulate criteria pollutants Table 6 Data Quality Assessment for Promptness and Completeness Pollutant Promptness Completeness Precision Precision is determined by operating collocated samplers i e two identical samplers operated in the identical manner Due to the anticipated poor precision for very low levels of pollutants only collocated measurements above a minimum level 0 15 g m for lead 20 g m for PM and 6 g m for PM are used to evaluate precision Table 7 summarizes the results of collocated measurements made during the calendar year 2000 Table 7 Data Quality Assessment for Precision Collocated precision Collocated Pollutant measurements completed measurements within li
9. 6 Turn on the power to the Dasibi 1009 CP and press the air switch to the ON position 7 Turn on the Omega chart recorder power 8 Press START to begin the recorder logging It will log in with the correct time and the channels in use Record the date vehicle type of test performed and the name of the person performing the test 9 Drain the moisture from the compressed air water traps located on the back of the Aadco E 1 5 2 QUARTERLY AUDIT PRESENTATION LINE LOSS TEST Two 2 lines are used during the quarterly LINE LOSS test referred to as the INSIDE line and the OUTSIDE line INSIDE 1 4 Inch teflon line from the Instrument Port of the rear manifold through the needle valve to the Calibration Port of the front manifold OUTSIDE 1 2 Inch by 150 foot stainless steel braided line with 10 Ipm by pass rotameter glass tee and two feet of teflon line to connect to the front manifold NOTE Two manifolds are used in the audit vans The FRONT manifold is used to deliver the diluted sample or the zero and span gases to the van ozone and CO instruments and utilizes a 0 3 to 0 4 lpm by pass to keep a slight one inch of water positive pressure in the manifold to prevent any dilution with outside air Volume V Section E 1 5 Revision 5 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 9 4 98 Page 32 of 35 The REAR manifold is used to deliver the diluted pollutant concentrations of audit gases to the inlet probe of t
10. Inputs Data Validation Verification Verify measurement performance Verify measurement procedures and reporting requirements Implementation y Output Field data collection and associated he Quality Assurance Quality Control Activities Validated Verified Data Inputs Data Quality Assessment Review DQOs and design Assessment Conduct preliminary data review Select statistical test Verify assumptions Draw conclusions Data Validation Verification Data Quality Assessment i Output Conclusions Drawn From Data Figure 18 1 DQA in the context of the data life cycle Part 1 Section 18 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 9 DQA is a key part of the assessment phase of the data life cycle Fig 18 1 which is very similar to the ambient air QA life cycle described in Section 2 Fig 2 2 As the part of the assessment phase that follows data validation and verification DQA determines how well the validated data can support their intended use 18 1 Five Steps of the DQA Process As described in EPA QA G 9 the DQA process is comprised of five steps The steps are detailed below Since DQOs are available for the PM program they will be used as an example for the type of information that might be considered in each step The PM information is italicized and comes from a Model PM QAPP for a fictitious reporting organization c
11. OZONE switch is OFF Set the GAS thumbwheels on the Dasibi 1009 CP to 650 to obtain Level 1 concentrations of CO SO2 THC CH4 and NO provided the NO NOX instrument operating range is 0 1 ppm and the THC CH4 operating range is 0 20 ppm After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain the actual values Record the station s responses when the readings have stabilized and enter them into the computer NOTE All thumbwheel settings are approximate Thumbwheel adjustment will be necessary to obtain values in the correct audit ranges 5 Superblend Audit Point 3 Reset the GAS thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP to 300 At this point Level 1 concentrations of NO NOX and Level 2 concentrations of CO SO2 and THC CH4 if the operating range is 0 20 ppm are obtained After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the readings on the QA Audit Van Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s responses when the readings have stabilized and enter them into the computer 6 Superblend Audit Point 4 Press the Dasibi 1009 CP OZONE switch ON and readjust the OZONE thumbwheels to obtain the Level 1 NO2 con
12. cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Voc3 ppm Other response Method Permeation temperature Permeation rate ug min Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 9 of 58 Table A 2 continued E S flow rates Analyzer response Difference std E S Audit Concentration Point 5 i Number Ppm ppm MV chart Regression analysis audit concentration x vs Analyzer response y y mx b Slope m Intercept b Correlation r Comments Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 10 of 58 2 Sulfur Dioxide Audit Procedure Using Dynamic Dilution of a Gas Cylinder 2 1 Principle A dynamic dilution system is used to generate SO concentrations in air for auditing continuous ambient analyzers The audit procedure consists of diluting a gas cylinder of low SO concentration with clean dry dilution air Traceability is established by referencing the gas cylinder to an NIST SRM This procedure can be used to audit all commercially available SO total sulfur analyzers Variations in clean dry air must be made to accommodate operating characteristics of certain analyzers The procedure its applicability accuracy and apparatus requirements are discussed in the following subsections 2 2 Applicability Dynamic dilution can be used to supply SO audit concentrations in the range of 0 to 0 5 ppm Concentrations for challenging other operating ranges such as 0 to 50 ppb 0 to 0 2 ppm 0 to 1 0 ppm and 0 to 5 ppm can a
13. g Meta Xylene 5 Aadco 737R pure air system with CH4 burner and compressor capable of delivering a constant 20 lpm air supply measured at the output of the audit gas presentation line 6 Dasibi 1009 CP Gas Calibrator with ozone generator and ozone analyzer or Dasibi 1009 CP Gas Calibrator with ozone generator and an API 400 ozone analyzer 7 TECO 48 Carbon Monoxide CO analyzer 8 150 foot 1 2 teflon line with stainless steel braiding 9 10 lpm by pass rotameter and glass mixing tee 10 PX961 Electronic Barometer 11 30 1pm Vol o Flo 12 Portable or rack mounted computer printer and related audit software Volume V Section E 1 0 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 35 E 1 1 START UP PROCEDURES E 1 1 1 GENERATOR f 2 Open the generator compartment cover Check to ensure that the generator oil level is in the safe operating zone E 1 1 2 VAN INTERIOR 10 11 12 13 Ensure that the power source selector switch is in the neutral unloaded position Ensure that all circuit breakers are on Start the generator After the generator speed is stable 3 5 minutes place the power source selector switch in the generator position Remove the end cap from the 150 foot audit gas presentation line LINE Turn on the power to the compressor Turn on the power to the Aadco Turn on the power to the line conditioner Turn on the power to
14. 0 03 to 0 08 0 044 0 15 to 0 20 0 165 0 35 to 0 45 0 412 Station analyzer difference response ppm 0 042 4 6 0 159 3 6 0 394 4 4 A difference calculation is used to evaluate manual method audit data For example a hi vol sampler with a flow controller is audited using an ReF device A one point audit is performed at the normal operating flow rate with a glass fiber filter on the device The audit and station flow rates are compared on the basis of difference using Equation 1 29 and are designated as C and Cy respectively Table A 10 Least Squares Calculations m x x average x value N y average y value _ N X Y xy N slope m A yra x N intercept b y mx o ms correlation coefficient r 5 y 2 N E S variance of the y values N 1 x N x S variance of the x values _ _ N 1 Table A 11 Linear Regression Criteria Slope Excellent lt 5 Satisfactory 6 15 Unsatisfactory gt 15 Intercept Satisfactory lt 3 Unsatisfactory gt 3 Correlation coefficient Satisfactory 0 9950 to 1 0000 Unsatisfactory lt 0 9950 between analyzer response and audit conc between analyzer response and audit conc between analyzer response and audit conc of analyzer range of analyzer range linear analyzer response to audit conc nonlinear analyzer response to audit conc 8 2 Least Squares The data analysis described in Appendix A calculat
15. 10 from design condition flow rate Standard filter at beginning of weighing day 20 g of original weight Vol II S 2 10 4 Trouble shoot and reweigh weighing 5 exposed and 5 20 g of original weight Vol TI S 2 10 4 Trouble shoot and reweigh Reweighing filters unexposed day Poe PEE Fee sabes Vol II S 2 10 4 Trouble shoot and reweigh calibration check 2 gat 10mg reference refers to the QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume II The use of S refers to sections within Part 1 of Volume II The use of MS refers to method specific sections in Volume II Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 12 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter SO Ultraviolet Fluorescence Shelter Temperature Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been tested Temperature range Daily 20 to 30 C 40 CER Pt 53 20 over this temperature range Maintain temperature above sample Temperature control Daily 2 C Vol IL S7 1 X dewpoint Shelter should have a 24 hour temperature recorder Flag all data for which temperature range or fluctuations are Vol II MS 2 9 outside acceptance criteria Equipment SO analyzer Purchase Reference or equivalent method Vol II MS 2 9 Air flow controllers specification Flow rate regulated to 2 Flowmeters Accuracy 2 Detection Noise Purchase Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been Lower detectable level
16. As the air flow increases across the thermister the resistance of the thermister changes This change in resistance can be measured very accurately by electronic circuitry The mass flow circuitry can then be integrated with controlling loop circuit that can control monitor the flow instantaneously Usually MFC have two channels gas and diluant or air flow The gas portion of the unit allows for gases from compressed cylinders to be allowed in and metered The air flow side of the unit blends down the high concentration from the compressed cylinders to the desired working concentration The flow rate of both portions of the unit must be measured accurately It is important when purchasing a MFC calibrator that it meet the 40 CFR 50 requirements of have 2 accuracy Verification A verification is the process of checking one primary authority against another primary authority This can be done by inter comparing two primary standards against each other or an agency primary standard against another agencies primary standard or NIST standard Part I Appendix 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 7 Certification A certification is the process of checking a transfer standard against a primary standard and establishing a mathematical relationship that is used to adjust the transfer standard values back to the primary standard Calibration A calibration is the process of checking and adjusting the flow rate of a field calibration standard
17. Audit device ID number Regression coefficient Qta Slope m Intercept b _ Qat Slope m ____ Intercept b _ Other information Audited by Authorized by Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 52 of 58 8 Data Interpretation Interpretation of quality assurance audit results is not well defined and audit data must be assembled and presented so that interpretation is possible Subsection 8 1 discusses the data reporting requirements specified in Appendix A1 In addition to these requirements optional data interpretation methods including case examples are in Subsection 8 2 8 1 SLAMS Reporting Requirements Reference specifies the minimum data reporting procedures for automated and manual methods Compare the station responses obtained for each audit point C difference x 100 Equation 1 29 A where Cy station measured concentration ppm and C calculated audit concentration This comparison indicates the difference for each audit concentration generated and each analyzer re sponse recorded Table A 9 contains example audit data for an SO analyzer operating on a 0 to 0 5 ppm range As indicated by the data set the station analyzer shows a negative deviation of approximately 4 when compared to the audit concentrations Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 53 of 58 Table A 9 Example Audit Data for an SO Analyzer SLAMS Audit concentration concentration range ppm ppm
18. E 178 75 Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 50 Data Management gt Data flow from field and laboratory activities to a central data processing facility Extent of computerization of data management system and verification of media changes transcriptions and manual data entry Software used for processing and its documentation to include functional description of software test cases and configuration control for subsequent revisions System back up and recovery capabilities Data screening flagging and validation Data correction procedures and key personnel allowed to correct ambient air data Reports generated for in house distribution and for submittal to EPA Responsibility for preparing data for entry into the SAROAD and PARS systems and for responsibility for its final validation prior to submission QA QC Program gt Status of QA Program and its implementation Documentation of audit procedures integrity of audit devices and acceptance criteria for audit results Participation in the National Performance Audit Program for what pollutants and ranking of results gt Additional internal audits such as document reviews or data processing audits Procedure and implementation of corrective action Frequency of performance and concentration levels for precision checks for each criteria pollutant Reporting Preparation of precision and accuracy summaries for the PARS system Other in
19. Flowmeters Detection Limit Noise Lower detectable level Completeness 8 hour average Compressed Gases Dilution gas zero air Gaseous standards Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 14 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter CO Nondispersive Infrared Photometry Daily 20 to 30 C Daily lt i2 C Purchase Reference or equivalent method specification Flow rate regulated to 1 Accuracy 2 Purchase specification 75 of hourly averages for the 8 hour period Purchase lt 0 1 ppm CO specification Purchase NIST Traceable specification e g EPA Protocol Gas 40 CER Pt 53 20 Vol IL 7 1 40 CFR Pt 50 App C 40 CER Pt 53 20 amp 23 40 CFR Pt 50 8 40 CFR Pt 50 App C EPA 600 R97 12 Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been tested over this temperature range Maintain shelter temperature above sample dewpoint Shelter should have a 24 hour temperature recorder Flag all data for which temperature range or fluctuations are outside acceptance criteria Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been determined to meet these acceptance criteria Return cylinder to supplier Carbon monoxide in nitrogen or air EPA Protocol Gases have a 36 month certification period and must be recertified to extend the certification Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 15 of 20 Measurement Quality Objec
20. Gas manufacturers that blend clean dry air do not always adhere to the exact ambient proportions of O and N in these cases the O content should be verified by paramagnetic response 7 Sulfur Dioxide Gas Cylinder A compressed gas cylinder containing 50 to 100 ppm SO in air is used as the dilution source This cylinder must be traceable to an NIST SRM number 1661 1662 1663 or 1664 2 5 Procedure Equipment setup Assemble the audit equipment as required and verify that all equipment is operational If a dilution air system equipped with a catalytic oxidizer is used allow the oxidizer to warm up for 30 min Connect the gas regulator to the SO cylinder and evacuate the regulator as follows 1 With the cylinder valve closed connect a vacuum pump to the evacuation outlet on the regulator and start the pump 2 Open and close the evacuation port 3 Open and close the cylinder valve 4 Open and close the evacuation port 5 Repeat steps 2 through 4 five more times to be sure all O impurities are removed from the regulator If the regulator does not have an evacuation port but has a supported diaphragm the procedure can be conducted at the gas exit port For regulators that do not have an evacuation port but have an unsupported diaphragm use the following procedure 1 Connect the regulator to the cylinder and close the gas exit port 2 Open and close the cylinder valve to pressurize the regulator 3 Open the gas exit por
21. Guidance for Network Design and Optimum Site Draft published 12 15 97 Presently on AMTIC Exposure for PM2 5 and PM10 December 1997 www epa gov tin amtic Guideline for PM 10 Monitoring and Data Reporting Partially out of date May 1985 Guideline for Short Term Lead Monitoring in the Vicinity Superseded by Guidance for Conducting Ambient Air of Point Sources OAQPS Number 1 2 122 March 26 Monitoring for Lead Around Point Sources January 1979 1992 Network Design and Optimum Site Exposure Criteria for Basically current could be revised when new PM Particulate Matter EPA 450 4 87 009 May 1987 standard is proposed Guidance for Network Design and Optimum Exposure for Currently draft on AMTIC PM and PM Draft December 1997 Network Design and Site Exposure Criteria for Selected Partially out of date Noncriteria Air Pollutants EPA 450 4 84 022 September 1984 Appendix E and F to Network Design and Site Exposure Partially out of date Criteria for Selected Noncriteria Air Pollutants EPA 450 4 84 022a October 1987 Optimum Sampling Site Exposure Criteria for Lead Historical interest only EPA 450 4 84 012 February 1984 Optimum Site Exposure Criteria for SO2 Monitoring Should be revised when EPA promulgates final SO EPA 450 3 77 013 April 1977 regulation Part I Appendix 2 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 7 DOCUMENT TITLE STATUS Selecting Sites for Carbon Monoxide Monitoring EPA Current guidance bu
22. OPERATOR DATA READ FROM CHART DAS OTHER TYPE INSTRUMENT RANGE AND RESPONSE RANGE PPM RESPONSE PRE ZERO OZONE OFF OZONE ON HIGH 1ST PT NOX 1ST PT MED 2ND PT NOX 2ND PT LOW 3RD PT M XYLENE NOX OPT PT wmc Coms Ee O O erms __ Ee osma __ Taser _ C _ ocws _ wsnos _ CONVERTER MLD 98 REVSED 02 94 TEMP Figure E 1 1 1 QA Audit Station Data Worksheet Volume V Section E 1 1 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 11 of 35 E 1 1 4 VAN 03 INSTRUMENT OPERATIONAL CHECK NOTE The following section applies only to the Dasibi 1009 CP If the API 400 ozone analyzer is being used to measure the ozone output the following section does not apply 1 Turn the selector switch on the Dasibi 1009 CP to SAMP FREQ Record the sample frequency response on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 2 Turn the selector switch to CONT FREQ Record the control frequency on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 NOTE Make certain that both the sample frequency and the control frequency are within correct tolerance limits The sample frequency should be between 40 000 and 48 000 megahertz while the control frequency should be between 21 000 and 28 000 megahertz If the sample and control frequency are not within these ranges adjustment is not needed before the audit but needs
23. Par 5 1 Obstacle Distance Par 5 2 Unrestricted Airflow Par 5 2 Spacing between Station and Roadway Par 5 3 Spacing from Trees Par 5 4 Probe Material Par 9 Residence Time Par 9 Comments Should be 20m Teflon or pyrex glass Less than 20 seconds REQUIREMENTS OBSERVED CRITERIA MET 3 15 m above ground Greater than 1 m Twice the height the obstacle protrudes above probe Must include predominant wind 180 if on side of building Otherwise 270 See Table 2 No A 10 mif blocking daytime wind Citations from 40 CFR 58 Appendix E Part I Appendix 15 Section 1 Date 9 4 98 Page 9 of 11 IME PM NAMS SLAMS SITE EVALUATION Agency Site Name Make and Model of Instrument Site Address City amp State AIRS Site ID Date Observed by CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS OBSERVED CRITERIA MET Ooo S Ce 8 1 o R a scales D la a penthouses etc Spacing from Trees Par 8 2 Should be 20 m from dripline of trees Must be 10 m from dripline if a as trees are an obstruction ener ee canyon sites empi E e A predominant wind direction en eee a Par 8 2 the vicinity Distance between Co located lto4m Monitors Appendix A Par a 5 2 ne Par 8 3 Appendix E a a vegetative ground cover Comments Citations from 40 CFR 58 Appendix E A tree is considered an obstruction if the distance between the tree s and the sampler is less than the height that the tree
24. Taylor J K 1987 Quality Assurance of Chemical Measurements Lewis Publishers Chelsea Michigan 328pp Technical Assistance Document for Sampling and Analysis of Ozone Precursors EPA 600 8 91 215 October 1991 Technical Assistance Document for the Chemiluminescence Measurement of Nitrogen Dioxide EPA 600 4 75 003 Office of Research and Development Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC December 1975 Technical Assistance Document for the Calibration of Ambient Ozone Monitors EPA 600 479057 Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC September 1979 Technical Assistance Document for Sampling and Analysis of Toxic Organic Compounds in Ambient Air EPA 600 8 90 005 March 1990 Technical Support for Enhanced Air Quality Modeling Analysis for the Purpose of Development of the 1994 Ozone State Implementation Plan Guidance U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina Draft April 1993 Traceability Protocol for Establishing True Concentrations of Gases Used for Calibration and Audits of Air Pollution Analyzers Protocol No 2 June 15 1978 Available from the U S Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Quality Assurance Branch MD 77 Research Triangle Park NC Transfer Standards for Calibration of Air Monitoring Analyzers fo
25. The summary Statistics are Number of samples mean concentration median concentration standard deviation coefficient of variation maximum concentration minimum concentration interquartile range skewness and kurtosis These statistics will also be calculated for the percent differences at the collocated sites The results will be summarized in a table Particular attention will be given to the impact on the statistics caused by the observations noted in the quality assurance review In fact Palookaville may evaluate the influence of a potential outlier by evaluating the change in the summary statistics resulting from exclusion of the outlier Palookaville will generate some graphics to present the results from the summary statistics and to show the spatial continuity over Palookaville Maps will be created for the annual and three year means maxima and interquartile ranges for a total of 6 maps The maps will help uncover potential outliers and will help in the network design review Additionally basic histograms will be generated for each of the primary and QA samplers and for the percent difference at the collocated sites The histograms will be useful in identifying anomalies and evaluating the normality assumption in the measurement errors Step 3 Select the Statistical Test Select the most appropriate procedure for summarizing and analyzing the data based upon the reviews of the DQOs the sampling design and the preliminary data r
26. Vol I S 7 1 tested over this temperature range Maintain shelter temperature above sample dewpoint Shelter should have a 24 hour temperature recorder Flag all data for which temperature range or fluctuations are outside acceptance criteria Detection Limit Calculation based on multiple manual or automated analysis System detection limit 1 ppbC TAD Sect 2 8 2 3 and 40 CFR recommendations Calibration Triplicate analysis of multiple level propane standards over the Multipoint retention time Start of analytical season correlation coefficient gt 0 995 TAD 2 8 2 3 expected sample concentration range a minimum of three calibration standard levels Performance Evaluation NPAP prior to start of sampling In absence of specified objectives TAD 2 8 2 3 Useful for informing reporting agency for corrective actions season and twice during within 25 and technical systems audits monitoring season Precision Comparison of duplicate field samples or replicate sample Duplicate samples once 2weeks automated 25 RSD or RPD TAD 2 8 2 1 1 analysis using manual or automated field devices 10 manual QC Checks Retention time RT Response Factor within 10 RPD of TAD 2 8 2 3 Retention time checked versus annual PAMS retention time calibration check calibration curve cylinder provided to each site in the program Canister cleaning lt 10 ppbC total Canister cleaning per approved methodology Background carryover weekly and after lt 20 ppbC for both c
27. and CO Mean absolute difference gt 15 PAMS Volatile Organic Compounds Compound Specific Carbonyls Compound and level specific Description of NPAP Audit Materials Devices The following materials and devices are currently being used in NPAP High Volume PM 10 SSI Flow Audits The reference flow ReF device used for the high volume flow audit consists of a modified orifice a wind deflector a manometer and five resistance plates The ReF for the PM 10 size selective inlet SSI flow audit is similar except a filter is used as the only resistance Sulfur Dioxide Carbon Monoxide GDS Audits The gas dilution system GDS consists of a dilution device a zero air generator and a cylinder of gas containing approximately 30 ppm sulfur dioxide and 3000 ppm carbon monoxide Ozone TECO 165 Audit The audit device is self contained with its own zero air and ozone generation system Lead Audit The samples are 1 9 cm wide and 20 cm long glass fiber filter strips that have been spiked with an aqueous solution of lead nitrate and oven dried Two filter strips comprise a sample Dichotomous PM 10 Flow Audit The audit device consists of a laminar flow element LFE an inclined manometer an altimeter and a small dial thermometer It measures fine flow 15 00 Ipm and total flow 16 7 Ipm Ozone Nitrogen Dioxide Sulfur Dioxide Carbon Monoxide TECO 175 Audit The audit device is a combination of the TECO 165 and the GDS a
28. equipped with sliding trays or rails that allow easy installation of instruments If instrumentation needs to be repaired and then calibrated this can be performed on the bench top or within the rack Analyzers then can be allowed to warm up and be calibrated by a calibration unit Instruments that are to be tested are connected to the sample manifold and allowed to sample air in the same manner as if the analyzer is being operated within a monitoring station The analyzer s analog voltage is connected to a DAS and chart recorder and allowed to operate If intermittent problems occur then they can be observed on the chart recorder The analyzer can be allowed to operate over several days to see if the anomaly or problem reappears If it does there is a chart record of the problem If the instrument rack has a DAS and calibrator nightly auto calibrations can be performed to see how the analyzer reacts to known gas concentrations In addition the ozone recertification bench and rack are attached to a work bench The rack should house the ozone primary standard and the ozone transfer standards that are being checked for recertification Zero air is plumbed into this rack for the calibration and testing of ozone analyzers and transfer standards 11 2 Preventive Maintenance Every State and local agency should develop a preventive maintenance program Preventive maintenance is what its name implies maintaining the equipment within a network to prevent dow
29. geographical information systems good laboratory practice hazardous air pollutants interagency agreement Individual Development Plans information technology Information Transfer and Program Integration Division local area network Maximum Achievable Control Technology Monitoring and Quality Assurance Group measurement quality objectives monitoring planning area metropolitan statistical area management system review National Ambient Air Quality Standards national air monitoring station New England county metropolitan statistical area National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants National Institute of Standards and Technology National Performance Audit Program New Source Performance Standard Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards Office of Administration and Resources Management Office of Information Resources Management OMB ORD PAMS P amp A PC PE PR PMSA PSD PDW QA QA QC QAARWP QAD QAM QAO QAPP QMP RCRA SAMWG SCG SIPS SIRMO SLAMS SOP SOW SPMS SYSOP TSA TSP voc WAM Office of Management and Budget Office of Research and Development Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations precision and accuracy personal computer performance evaluation procurement request primary metropolitan statistical area Prevention of Significant Deterioration primary wind direction quality assurance quality assurance quality control quality assurance annual report and work plan EPA Quali
30. ment and reporting At the conclu sion of these introductory meetings the audit team may begin work as two or more independent groups as illustrated in Figure 15 3 To increase uniformity of site in spections it is suggested that a site checklist be developed and used The format for Regional TSAs are found in Appendix 15 The importance of the audit of data quality ADQ cannot be overstated Thus sufficient time and effort should be devoted to this activity so that the audit team has a clear understanding and complete documentation of data flow Its importance stems from the need to have documentation on the quality of ambient air monitoring data for all the criteria pollutants for which the agency has monitoring requirements The ADQ will serve as an effective framework for organizing the extensive amount of information gathered during the audit of laboratory field monitoring and support functions within the agency Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 12 of 15 The entire audit team should prepare a brief written summary of findings organized into the following areas planning field operations laboratory operations quality assurance quality control data management and reporting Problems with specific areas should be discussed and an attempt made to rank them in order of their potential impact on data quality For the more serious problems audit findings should be drafted Fig 15 4 The audit finding fo
31. menting an effective and nationally uniform audit program However the criteria presented can also prove useful to agencies under audit to provide them with descriptions of the program areas to be evaluated Clarification of certain sections special agency circumstances and regulation or guideline changes may require additional discussion or information For these reasons a list of contact names and telephone num bers are provided on the AMTIC Bulletin Board http www epa gov ttn amtic Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 50 The authority to perform systems audits is derived from the Code of Federal Regulation Title 40 specifically 40 CFR Part 35 which discusses agency grants and grant conditions and 40 CFR Part 58 which addresses installation operation and quality assurance of the SLAMS NAMS networks The regulations contained in 40 CFR Part 35 mandate the performance of audits of agency air monitoring programs by the Regional Administrators or their designees The specific regulatory requirements of an EPA acceptable quality assurance program are to be found in to 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A and in the document titled EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Environmental Data Operations The elements described in the document provide the framework for organizing the required operational procedures integrating quality assurance activities and documenting overall program operations 2 0 Guidelines f
32. stagnation types dominate the Ohio River Valley and northern Gulf Coast and a mixture of the two is observed in the rest of the eastern United States In areas where stagnation dominates the high ozone days a well defined primary wind direction Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 15 Raleigh NC 84 9 April 1 October 31 7 AM 6 PM INOTE Frequencies indicate direction rom which the ind is blowing ALM WINDS 1 38 Figure 6 1 Wind rose pattern PWD may not be available If no well defined PWD can be resolved the major axes of the emissions sources should be used as substitutes for the PWDs and the PAMS monitors should be located along these axes Meteorological conditions particularly those that can affect light transmission should also be considered in selecting the location for open path analyzers e g the influence of relative humidity on the creation of fog the percentage of heavy snow and the possible formation of haze etc The percent fog percent snow fall percent haze and hourly visibility from nearest airport may impact data completeness Although sites with high relative humidity may have data capture rates around 90 percent sites with relative humidity greater than 80 percent more than 20 percent of the time should be carefully assessed for data completeness or avoided Similarly severe fog snow fall or haze that affects visibility can affect data completeness and should be ke
33. the number of ambient measurements lost during the calibrations and the risk of collecting invalid data because of a malfunction or response problem with the analyzer that wouldn t be discovered until a calibration is carried out When a new monitoring instrument is first installed level 1 zero and span calibrations should be very frequent perhaps daily or 3 times per week because little or no information is available on the drift per formance of the analyzer Information on another unit of the same model analyzer may be useful however individual units of the same model may perform quite differently After enough information on the drift performance of the analyzer has been accumulated the calibration frequency can be adjusted to provide a suitable compromise among the various considerations mentioned above However prudence suggests that the calibration frequency should not be less than every two weeks If a biweekly frequency is selected and the level 1 zero span calibration is carried out on the same day as the one point precision check required in Subsection 3 of Appendices A and B of Part 58 the precision check must be done first To facilitate the process of determining calibration frequency it is strongly recommended that control charts be used to monitor the zero and span drift performance of each analyzer Control charts can be constructed in different ways but the important points are to visually represent and statistically monitor z
34. this may result from a larger than normal drop in the ambient room temperature or power line voltage Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 13 Void any data for any time interval for which malfunction of the sampling system is detected Suggestions for minimizing errors in reading strip charts are as follows gt chart readers should be trained with a standard strip of chart whose readings have been determined by one or more experienced readers gt when the new reader can perform adequately on the standard strip then permit him her to read new sample charts gt an individual should spend only a portion of a day reading strip charts since productivity reliability are expected to decrease after a few hours gt asenior technician should verify a percentage 5 10 of the reduced strip chart values If minimum performance criteria established for a particular network are not being met additional training is indicated gt use a chart reader to reduce technician fatigue and to achieve accuracy and consistency in data reduction 14 2 4 Automated Data Acquisition Requirements The use of a data logging device to automate data handling from a continuous sensor is not a strict guarantee against recording errors Internal validity checks are necessary to avoid serious data recording errors This section provides information on Data Acquisition Systems DAS a term signifying any system that collects stores summariz
35. zero and ee P adjustments made after precision checks q Are precision check control charts maintained Are precision check control charts maintained r Who has the responsibility for performing zero span checks s Are precision checks routinely performed within Please comment on any discrepancies concentration ranges and with a frequency which meets or exceeds the requirements of 40 CFR 58 Appendix A t Please identify person s with the responsibility for performance of precision checks on continuous analyzers Person s Title 3 Preventive Maintenance a Has the field operator been given any special training in performing preventive maintenance Briefly comment on background and or courses b Is this training routinely reinforced Yes __ No If no why not c If preventive maintenance is MINOR it is performed at check one or more field site __ Headquarters facilities___ equipment is sent to manufacturer d If preventive maintenance is MAJOR it is performed at check one or more field site__ Headquarters facilities___ equipment is sent to manufacturer e Does the agency have service contracts or agreements in place with instrument manufacturers Indicate below or attach additional pages to show which instrumentation is covered f Comment briefly on the adequacy and availability of the supply of spare parts tools and manuals available to the field operator to perform any necessary maintenance act
36. zero drift Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 57 of 58 Case 4 The data in Figure A 18 illustrate a nonlinear analyzer response An operating organization may not detect a nonlinear response if an analyzer is calibrated using only a zero and one upscale span concentration When an analyzer responds in a nonlinear fashion the audit data will show varying percent differences and the regression data will normally show a low correlation coefficient and possibly a significant zero intercept A graphic plot will verify suspected analyzer nonlinearity 0 5 Q iN T Oo wo T Oo N T r 0 9899 Station Measured Concentration ppm T Data for Figure A 18 Station Concentration Concentration Difference ppm ppm Case 5 The data illustrated in Figure A 19 show the results of an audit performed on a NOx analyzer The regression coefficients show an overall difference between the audit VA m 1 056 0 1 F i b 0 029 oe 0 0 2 0 3 0 4 Audit Concentration ppm Figure A 18 Audit data interpretation Case 4 0 5 concentrations and analyzer responses of 20 0 and an intercept of 0 011 ppm The analyzer response for the zero concentration and first four audit concentrations shows a constant bias which would be expected for the entire range Percent differences for the three remaining audit levels become increasingly large A graphic plot of the audit data indicates the analyzer con
37. 0 03 0 08 5 ZERO 03 OFF 03 ON Point ZERO ZERO ZERO zo ZERO ZERO zo zo O fa O EO Jan Se a nC A opa A e fof o ea o OPTIONAL M XYLENE 03 08 zero ZERO xxx xxx xxx ZERO ZERO ZERO zero zero Indicates Point 1 for NO NOX analyzers operating on a 0 1 0 ppm range Indicates Point 1 for NO NOX analyzers operating on a 0 0 5 ppm range pt 0 35 0 45 0 35 0 45 0 35 0 45 15 20 35 45 35 45 15 20 0 0 03 0 08 0 08 0 0 03 0 08 0 08 0 0 03 0 08 0 08 oos 08 0308 08 03 08 08 a Indicates Level 1 for THC CH4 analyzers operating on a 0 20 ppm range rx Indicates Level 1 for THC CH4 analyzers operating on a 0 10 ppm range Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 E 1 2 9 E 1 2 10 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 27 of 35 POST AUDIT CARBON MONOXIDE ANALYZER CALIBRATION After taking the final Aadco Zero reading Section E 1 2 5 step 12 record this reading on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 under both the Van CO Analyzer Response and the Post Audit Aadco Response Switch the sample pump on the Dasibi 1009 CP to the OFF position Turn the three way valve on the van s sample manifold from POSITION 1 Section E 1 2 4 to POSITION 2 Connect the 45 ppm CO compressed gas cylinder standard and adjust the by pass flow for a reading between 0 3 and 0 4 Ipm After the van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabil
38. 12 6 are exceeded ambient measurements should be invalidated back to the most recent point in time where such measurements are known to be valid Usually this point is the previous calibration or accuracy audit unless some other point in time can be identified and related to the probable cause of the excessive drift such as a power failure or malfunction Also data following an analyzer malfunction or period of non operation should be regarded as invalid until the next subsequent level 1 calibration unless unadjusted zero and span readings at that calibration can support its validity Part I Section 13 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page of 4 13 Inspection Acceptance for Supplies and Consumables Pollutant parameters are measured using either wet chemical techniques or physical methods Chemical analysis always involves the use of consumable supplies that must be replaced on a schedule consistent with their stability and with the rate at which samples are taken Currently used instruments require adequate supplies of chemicals for operation for 3 months so that the supplier can comply with the delivery schedules In some cases analytical reagents for specific air contaminants deteriorate rapidly and need protective storage The following information may be helpful when considering the use of these consumable items Much of the information presented below is derived from the document Quality Assurance Principles for Analytical Laboratories
39. 16 Equation 1 21 273 16 where P barometric pressure mm Hg and T cell temperature C Dial in the new span number on the photometer and display the correct entry 4 Switch the selector to the operate position and adjust the flowmeter to 2 I min Using the offset adjust control on the front panel of the photometer set the instrument to read between 0 005 and 0 010 while sampling clean dry air 5 Determine the true zero display reading by recording 10 consecutive display updates from the panel meter Calculate the mean of these 10 readings Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 44 of 58 Audit sequence Adjust the clean dry airflow rate through the O generator to meet the range specifications of the station analyzer and the O output capability of the generator Adjust the dilution clean dry air flow rate pf 10 to 50 of the station analyzer and photometer sample demand is generated Mark the data acquisition system to indicate that an audit is beginning and disconnect the sample line from the station manifold Plug the disconnected sample port to the station manifold 2 Connect the audit analyzer and photometer to the output manifold as shown in Figure A 12 Allow the station analyzer and photometer to sample the clean dry air until the station response is obtained That is until the response does not vary by more then 2 of the measurement range over a 5 min period Obtain the analyzer response from the station opera
40. 90 days after the end of the reporting quarter Table 3 summarizes promptness and completeness for gaseous criteria pollutant data Table 3 Data Quality Assessment for Promptness and Completeness Pollutant Promptness Completeness Carbon monoxide 100 Ozone 100 Sulfur dioxide 100 Nitrogen dioxide 100 om Precision At least once every two weeks precision is determined by sampling a gas of known concentration Table 4 summarizes the precision checks for gaseous criteria pollutants Table 4 Data Quality Assessment for Precision Precision checks Percentage within Pollutant completed limits Carbon monoxide CO Nitrogen dioxide NO 100 Sulfur dioxide SO 100 Bias The results of annual performance audits conducted by ARO personnel are shown in Figure 1 below The center line for each pollutant represents the average bias across all analyzers i e with all analyzers weighted equally The lower and upper probability limits represent the boundaries within which 95 percent of the individual bias values are expected to be distributed Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 10 of 24 Bias 10 8 6 4 2 o 2 4 6 8 10 Figure 1 ARO Performance Audit Results for Gaseous Criteria Pollutants ea aai RSJ a 6 analyzers 23 34 analyzers audited 25 analyzers ang yzelS audited audited audited Carbon Monexide Nitrogen Dioxide Ozone Sulfur Dio
41. 95 E 1 2 1 Station Data Retrieval E 1 2 2 Audit Program Initiation E 1 2 3 Ozone Audit E 1 2 4 Carbon Monoxide Analyzer Calibration E 1 2 5 CO THC CH4 NO2 And SO2 Audit E 1 2 6 H2S Audit E 1 2 7 Meta Xylene Check E 1 2 8 Non Methane Hydrocarbon Audit E 1 2 9 Post Audit Carbon Monoxide Analyzer Calibration E 1 2 10 Performance Audit Failures E 1 3 POST AUDIT PROCEDURES 1 4 11 01 95 E 1 3 1 Printing Audit Results E 1 3 2 Air Quality Data Action AQDA E 1 4 SHUT DOWN PROCEDURES VAN 1 4 11 01 95 E 1 4 1 Interior E 1 4 2 Exterior E 1 5 CALIBRATION CHECKS AND PROCEDURES 5 5 11 01 95 E 1 5 1 E 1 5 2 E 1 5 3 E 1 5 4 E 1 5 5 Quarterly LINE LOSS Start Up Procedure Quarterly Audit Presentation LINE LOSS Test Quarterly Instrument And Gas Recertification Quarterly Audit Gas Comparison With Standards Laboratory Annual Recertification Procedures Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 35 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 35 FIGURES Page Figure E 1 1 1 QA Audit Station Data Worksheet ccc eeesesseeseeseeseeseeecseeseeseeeeeeesaeeaeeeens 10 Figure E 1 1 2 QA Audit Van Data Worksheet ccecceccceseeseeseeeececeeseeseceeeeseeseeeaeeeeeeeeaeeaes 12 Figure E 1 2 1 Audit Gas Flow Chart 2 00 0 cccssccsesesseesceeeeecesceecesseeseeeceessesaeeaeeeeeaeeaeeeseees 25 Figure E 1 5 1 Quarterly Line Loss Test Form ceccssscssseeseesceeeeecseeseeeseecseseeseesseeaeeeseees 35 TABLES
42. Address Start Time Ty C Pa mm Hg Pipo mmHg Auditor Analyzer Serial Number Calibration standard Span source Last calibration date Frequency Range Calibration Comments Zero setting Data acquisition system Span setting Recorder Audit system Bubble flowmeter serial number Audit standard lt P psig ppm Clean dry air Catalytic oxidizer Yes No PoP Flow correction 4 2 a 5 Cp 760 mm T 273 Dilution air flow Volume cm Flowmeter Tl T2 T3 min c r cm3 min I T Volume Dilution air response Chart Voc3 ppm Other response Audit Point I Pollutant flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter Tl T2 T3 cm3 min min c r I Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Voc3 ppm Other response Audit Point II Pollutant flow measurement Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 15 of 58 Volume cm Flowmeter Tl T2 T min c r e cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Vig ppm Other response Audit Point III Pollutant flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter Tl Volume T2 T min Ch 7 cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Voc3 ppm Other response Audit Point IV Pollutant flow measurement Volume cm Flowmet
43. As a separate Standard Operating Procedure thd Briefly describe it or attach a copy c How is responsibility for implementing corrective actions on the basis of audits calibration problems zero span checks etc assigned Briefly discuss d How does the agency follow up on implemented corrective actions e Briefly describe two 2 recent examples of the ways n which the above corrective action system was employed to remove a problem area with I Audit Results Il Data Management Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 49 of 50 6 Audit Result Acceptance Criteria w O a Has the agency established and has it documented criteria to define agency acceptable audit results Comment a S E B OOOSOCOSOCSCSCSCSCSCSCSCNC Sd D E S E e a e b Were these audit criteria based on or derived from the If no please explain guidance found in Vol Il of the QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement System Section 2 0 12 If yes please explain any changes or assumptions made in the derivation c What corrective action may be taken if criteria are exceeded If possible indicate two examples of corrective actions taken within the period since the previous systems audit which are based directly on the criteria discussed above Corrective Action 1 Corrective Action 2 d As a goal the 95 percent probability limits for precision all pollutants and PM 10 accuracy should be less than 15 pe
44. Define statistical hypothesis tolerance limits and or confidence intervals 2 Conduct preliminary data review Review QA data and other available QA reports calculate summary statistics plots and graphs Look for patterns relationships or anomalies 3 Select the statistical test select the best test for analysis based on the preliminary review and identify underlying assumptions about the data for that test 4 Verify test assumptions decide whether the underlying assumptions made by the selected test hold true for the data and the consequences 5 Perform the statistical test perform test and document inferences Evaluate the performance for future use The G 9 document provides many appropriate statistical tests QAD is also developing statistical software to complement the document Both can be found on the QAD Homepage http es epa gov ncerqa OAQPS plans on performing data quality assessments for the pollutants of the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network at a yearly frequency for data reports and at a 3 year frequency for more interpretative reports Reporting organizations and State and local agencies are encouraged to implement data quality assessments at their levels Attaining the DQOs at a local level will ensure that the DQOs will be met when data is aggregated at higher levels Part I Section No 16 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page of 4 16 Reports to Management This section provides guidance and sugge
45. I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 32 of 50 bea eh r Are blank filters reweighed If no explain why not If yes how frequently s Are analyses performed on filters Indicate analyses other than Pb and mass which are routinely performed t Are sample weights and collection data recorded in a bound laboratory logbook u Are measured air volumes corrected to reference conditions If not indicate conditions routinely employed for both as given in CFR regulations Q of 760 mm Hg and 25 C internal and external reporting prior to calculating the Pb concentration LEAD a Is analysis for lead being conducted using atomic absorption If not has the agency received an equivalency designation of spectrometry with air acetylene flame their procedure b Is either the hot acid or ultrasonic extraction procedure being Which followed precisely c Is Class A borosilicate glassware used throughout the analysis d Is all glassware scrupulously cleaned with detergent soaked If not briefly describe or attach procedure and rinsed three times with distilled deionized water e If extracted samples are stored are linear polyethylene bottles used f Are all batches of glass fiber filters tested for background lead content At a rate of 20 to 30 random filters per batch of 500 or Indicate rate greater g Are ACS reagent grade HNO and HCI used in the analysis If not indicate grade used h Is a calibration cu
46. N A Spacing from Trees Par 3 3 Should be 20 m from dripline of trees 10 m when trees act as an obstruction Citations from 40 CFR 58 Appendix E Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 50 Section 2 EPA Regional Technical Systems Audits Information and Questionnaire 1 0 Scope The purpose of the guidance included here is to provide the background and appropriate technical criteria which form the basis for the air program evaluation by the Regional audit team To promote national uniformity in the evaluation of state and local agency monitoring programs and agencies performance all EPA Regional Offices are required to use the questionnaire that follows the audit finding and response forms Figures 15 4 and 15 5 in Section 15 and the systems audit reporting format that follows in Section 6 of this appendix upon implementing an audit The scope of a systems audit is of major concern to both EPA Regions and the agency to be evaluated A systems audit as defined in the context of this document is seen to include an appraisal of the following program areas network management field operations laboratory operations data management quality assurance and reporting The guidance provided concerning topics for discussion during an on site interview have been organized around these key program areas Besides the on site interviews the evaluation should include the review of some representative ambient air monitori
47. NO Response point 5 Site NO Response point 5 Do not make any adjustments to other 1009 CP settings Record the station s NO NOX responses when stable 9 Superblend Audit Point 7 Press the Dasibi 1009 CP OZONE switch OFF Set the GAS thumbwheels to 130 to obtain Level 3 concentrations of CO NO NOX SO2 and CH4 THC Level 1 concentration if the instrument operating range is 0 10 ppm After the van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Worksheet when the readings have stabilized and enter them into the computer 10 Superblend Audit Point 8 Press the Dasibi 1009 CP OZONE switch ON and readjust the OZONE thumbwheels to obtain the Level 3 NO2 concentration The nominal NO2 concentration Site NO Response point 7 Site NO response point 8 x 1 True NO Response point 7 Site NO Response point 7 Do not make any adjustments to other 1009 CP settings Record the station s NO NOX responses when stable 11 Superblend Audit Point 9 Press the Dasibi 1009 CP OZONE switch OFF Set the GAS thumbwheels to 50 to obtain an additional NO and THC CH4 level if the NO NOX operating range is 0 5 ppm or the THC CH4 operating range is 0 10 ppm After the audit van s chart record
48. No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 13 12 1 Calibration Standards In general ambient monitoring instruments should be calibrated by allowing the instrument to sample and analyze test atmospheres of known concentrations of the appropriate pollutant in air All such non zero test concentrations must be or be derived from local or working standards e g cylinders of compressed gas or permeation devices that are certified as traceable to a NIST primary standard Traceable is defined in 40 CFR Parts 507 and 58 as meaning that a local standard has been compared and certified either directly or via not more than one intermediate standard to a primary standard such as a National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material NIST SRM or a USEPA NIST approved Certified Reference Material CRM Normally the working standard should be certified directly to the SRM or CRM with an intermediate standard used only when necessary Direct use of a CRM as a working standard is acceptable but direct use of an NIST SRM as a working standard is discouraged because of the limited supply and expense of SRM s At a minimum the certification procedure for a working standard should gt establish the concentration of the working standard relative to the primary standard gt certify that the primary standard and hence the working standard is traceable to an NIST primary standard gt include a test of the stability of the wor
49. PM as specified in 40 CFR part 58 Appendix D Tables 6 7 and 6 8 identify the numbers of core SLAMs and NAMS goals for the PM Network Table 6 6 NAMS Station Number Criteria Approximate number of Stations per area Pollutant Population Category High Medium Low Conc Conc Conc CoO gt 500 000 NA NA NA Pb gt 500 000 NA NA NA NO gt 1 000 000 NA NA NA O gt 200 000 NA PM and SO gt 1 000 000 4 8 500 000 1 000 000 2 4 650 000 500 000 1 2 100 000 650 000 0 1 In addition to requiring reasonably consistent methodologies for sampling ozone precursors and meteorological parameters 40 CFR 58 and subsequently 40 CFR 58 Appendix D specifies minimum network requirements and sampling frequencies For clarity Table 2 of Appendix D of the codified Rule has been reformatted and follows as Table 6 9 More detailed explanations can be found in the PAMS Implementation Manual Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 13 of 15 Table 6 7 PM Core SLAMS Sites Related to MSA MSA Min Required Population No of Core Sites gt l Million gt 2 Million gt 4 Million gt 6 Million gt 8 Million Core SLAMS at PAMS are in addition to this number Table 6 9 PAMS Minimum Network Requirements MINIMUM NETWORK REQUIREMENTS Table 6 8 Goals for the Number of PM NAMS by Region EPA Number EPA Number Regi
50. Page Table E 1 2 1 Levels of Pollutant Concentrations ppm sssssseseeeesssesesresesrsrsrsrsrsrsrsrersererereen 26 T10N1BBK LMG STATE OF CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD MONITORING AND LABORATORY DIVISION QUALITY ASSURANCE SECTION VOLUME V AUDIT PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING APPENDIX E 1 PERFORMANCE AUDIT PROCEDURES FOR THRU THE PROBE CRITERIA AUDITS NOVEMBER 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 35 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 35 E 1 0 INTRODUCTION E 1 0 1 GENERAL INFORMATION The California Air Resources Board Air Monitoring Quality Assurance Procedures address the requirements for the set up and operation of the audit equipment used while conducting performance audits as specified by 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A Read the entire procedures before beginning the audit The Quality Assurance Section QAS conducts thru the probe audit by diluting known quantities of National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST traceable gases with 25 liters of pure air to achieve ambient levels then challenging the analyzers through the site s inlet probe This audit method tests the integrity of the ambient monitoring site s entire ambient air sampling system from the probe inlet to the air monitoring equipment In this method a gas calibrator is used to control the dilution of high concentration gases from compressed gas cylinders containing CO NO S02 CH4 CO H2S CO CH4
51. Photometer display Average Analyzer response Chart Vpc ppm Other Response Audit Point I Photometer display Average Analyzer response Chart Voc ppm Other Response Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 47 of 58 Audit Point II Photometer display Average Analyzer response Chart Voc ppm Other Response Audit Point III Photometer display Average Analyzer response Chart Voc ppm Other Response Audit Point IV Photometer display Average Analyzer response Chart Voc ppm Other Response Audit Point V Photometer display Average Analyzer response Chart Voc ppm Other Response Analyzer Point Number Audit concentration Response Concentration 9 ppm ppm difference Regression y mx b s Analyzer response ppm m audit b Slope m Intercept b Correlation r Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 48 of 58 7 Total Suspended Particulate Sampler Audit Procedure Using a Reference Flow Device ReF 7 1 Principle An ReF device is one type of orifice transfer standard and is used to audit a TSP hi vol sampler The ReF device uses orifice plates to audit the sampler flow rate by measuring the pressure drop caused by the flow of air through a restricting orifice A calibration equation is used to translate this pressure drop into a flow rate at either standard or
52. Photometer rechecked with NIST If OK Network STANDARD REFERENCE PHOTOMETER must be repaired Return cylinder to supplier If calibration updated at each zero span Invalidate data to last acceptable check adjust analyzer perform multipoint calibration If fixed calibration used to calculate data Invalidate data to last acceptable check adjust analyzer perform multipoint calibration Zero gas and at least four upscale calibration points Check verify accuracy of flow dilution Redo analysis If failure persists corrective action required Use information to inform reporting agency for corrective action and technical systems audits Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 6 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter O Ultraviolet Photometric Precision Single analyzer 1 2 weeks None 40 CFR Pt 58 App A Concentration 0 08 0 10 ppm Reporting organization 1 3 months 95 CI lt 15 EPA 600 4 83 023 Vol II App 15 S 6 Accuracy Single analyzer 25 of sites None 40 CFR Pt 58 App A Four concentration ranges If failure recalibrate and reanalyze quarterly all sites 95 CI 20 EPA 600 4 83 023 Repeated failure requires corrective action yearly Vol II App 15 S6 reference refers to the QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume II The use of S refers to sections within Part 1 of Volume II The use of MS refers to method specific sections in Volume II Annual
53. Routine Operations Complete the table Date of Last SOP Revision PM 2 5 C ed c Are SOPs prepared and available to field personnel which detail operations during episode monitoring d For what does each reporting organization within the agency monitor Reporting Organization of Sites Pollutants Comment Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 17 of 50 ete es e On average how often are most of your sites visited by a field operator f Is this visit frequency consistent for all reporting organizations If no why within your agency g On average how many sites does a single site operator have responsibility for h How many of the sites of your SLAMS NAMS network are hese with manifolds s I 1 Briefly describe most common manifold type describe most common manifold type Ill If the manifold is cleaned what is used V Is there sufficient air flow through the manifold at all times V Is there sufficient air low through the manifold at all times _ Approximate air flow VI Is there a conditioning period for the manifold after Length of time cleaning DWhat material is used for instrument lines 2 How often are lines changed j Has the agency obtained necessary waiver provisions to operate equipment which does not meet the effective reference and equivalency requirements k Please complete the table below to indicate which analyzers do not conform with the requirements of
54. Volume cm Flowmeter T1 T2 T min Ch I cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Vig ppm Other response Audit Point VI Pollutant flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter ii Volume T2 T min C Yatune cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Voc ppm Other response Audit Point V Pollutant flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter Tl Volume T2 T min Ca 7 cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Voc ppm Other response Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 36 of 58 TableA 5 continued Part 1 Location Date Analyzer model number Serial number Pollutant cylinder no Auditor Pollutant cylinder concentration Start time Stop time Zero setting Span setting Time constant Part II Audit Analyzer Point 5 3 Concentratio Analyzer concentration Number Fp cm min F cm min n ppm response ppm difference Part III REGRESSION ANALYSIS Analyzer response ppm m audit b Slope m Intercept b Correlation r Comments Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 37 of 58 5 Carbon Monoxide Audit Procedure Using Multiple Concentration Gas Cylinders 5 1 Principle Separate compressed gas cylinders which contain various CO concentrations are supplied in excess to a vented manifold the analyzer which is being audited samples each concentration until a stable response results 5 2 Applicabil
55. a determination of the homogeneity of the agency s reporting organizations and the appropriateness of pooling the Precision and Accuracy data within the reporting organizations 6 Appendix of Supporting Documentation contains a clean and legible copy of the completed questionnaire and any audit finding forms Additional documentation may be included if it contributes sig nificantly to a clearer understanding of audit results 7 0 Criteria For The Evaluation of State and Local Agency Performance Table 2 is designed to assist the audit team in interpretation of the completed questionnaire received back from the agency prior to the on site interviews It also provides the necessary guidance for topics to be further developed during the on site interviews The table is organized such that the specific topics to be covered and the appropriate technical guidance are keyed to the major subject areas of the questionnaire The left hand side of the page itemizes the discussion topics and the right hand side provides citations to specific regulations and guideline documents which establish the technical background necessary for the evaluation of agency performance Table 2 Criteria For The Evaluation of State and Local Agency Performance Planning General information on reporting organization and status State Implementation Plan of Air Program QA Plan and availability of SOPs U S EPA QAMS 005 80 Conformance of network design with regulation and Previou
56. a linear regression equation See Section 2 0 9 for details on data adjustment The critical range for many instruments is in the lower 10 of the scale It is critical that this be linear Every channel on a DAS should be calibrated In some newer DAS systems there is only one A D card voltage adjustment which is carried throughout the multiplexer This usually will adjust all channels It is recommended that DAS be calibrated once per year Part I Appendix 15 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page Appendix 15 Audit Information The following sections are included in the Appendix Section Description 1 Network Audit Checklist 2 EPA Regional Technical System Audit Information and Questionnaire 3 State and Local Audit Procedures 4 California Air Resources Board Thru The Probe Criteria Audits Part I Appendix 15 Section 1 Date 9 4 98 Page of 11 Section 1 Network Review Checklist The following checklist is intended to assist reviewers in conducting a network review The checklist will help the reviewer to determine if the network conforms with the network design and siting requirements specified in Appendices D and E Section I of the checklist includes general information on the network Section II addresses conformance with Appendix D requirements Section III includes pollutant specific evaluation forms to address conformance with Appendix E requirements In addition to completing the checklist during the network review the
57. accuracy Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 7 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter Lead Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Filter Checks Visual defect check All filters See reference Vol II MS 2 2 4 Discard any defective filters Filter Integrity Collection efficiency Purchase 99 40 CFR Pt 50 App B S 7 1 Measure using DOP test ASTM 2988 Reject shipment Integrity specification 2 4 mg max weight loss pH 6 to 10 Equipment Sampler Purchase Reference or equivalent method 40 CER Pt 53 9 specification 40 CFR Pt 50 App B S7 Flow rate transfer Purchase 0 02 std m min x standard specification Detection Limit LDL Not applicable 40 CFR Pt 50 App G S 2 This value is based on a collaborative test of the method Assumed air volume of 2 400 m ce e O l OOO Sampler calibration Orifice calibration unit On receipt and Indicated flow rate within 2 Vol I MS 2 8 1 Adopt a new calibration curve A rotary type gas displacement meter flow rate transfer yearly of actual flow rate Vol II MS 2 2 2 is the recommended NIST traceable reference standard standard Elapsed time meter Adjust or replace meter On receipt and 1 6 2 min 24 hours months On Off Timer On receipt and 1 3 30 min 24 hour months Sampler flow rate On receipt if audit deviation gt 7 after maintenance Checked against elapsed time meter Adjust or repair All points within 5 of full Rerun points
58. actual conditions 7 2 Applicability The procedure can be used to audit hi vol samplers with or without flow controllers operating in the flow range of 0 5 to 2 4 std m min Other types of orifice transfer standards may be used following the same procedures 7 3 Accuracy The accuracy of the audit procedure is approximately 2 when traceability is established by calibrating the ReF device to a Rootsmeter or other primary volume measurement device 7 4 Apparatus 1 ReF device An ReF device is an interfacing unit that attaches to the filter holder of a TSP hi vol sampler The device typically exhibits a sensitivity of 0 01 m min per 0 1 in pressure change The ReF device is equipped with five air restricting orifice plates which are used one at a time to vary the flow rate of the hi vol sampler A slack tube water manometer accompanies the ReF device and measures the pressure drop caused by the flow restriction of the plates A cylindrical plexiglass windflow deflector should be attached to the top of the ReF device to protect it from ambient air flow 2 Differential manometer A tube manometer capable of measuring at least 16 in of water is required 3 Barometer A barometer capable of measuring atmospheric pressure with an accuracy of 2 torr is re quired 4 Temperature indicator An indicator accurate to 1 C is required to determine ambient temperature 5 Glass fiber filter Glass fiber filters with at least 99 efficiency for co
59. adjustments would be a normal part of an overall scheme to maintain high levels of data quality In contrast after the fact adjustments or corrections are occasionally proposed to ambient data based on unanticipated events or discoveries This latter type of adjustment should be scrutinized completely before any changes are made to ambient data These changes should be discussed with the appropriate EPA Regional Office prior to enacting these changes In general such adjustments are discouraged as there is a substantial risk that they may cause more harm than good There is also a risk that such proposed adjustments might be used or might appear to be used for ulterior purposes If after scrutiny a special unprogrammed adjustment is determined to be appropriate and is made to a block of ambient data it is very important to ensure that the exact same adjustment is also made to any QA data precision and accuracy measurements obtained during the affected time period Any data quality calculations affected by the change should also be recomputed All such adjustments should be completely documented including the rationale and justification for the adjustment Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 15 15 Assessment and Corrective Action An assessment is an evaluation process used to measure the performance or effectiveness of a system and its elements It is an all inclusive term used to denote any of the following audit
60. an audit atmosphere at ambient pressure should be of sufficient diameter to ensure a minimum pressure drop at the analyzer connection and the manifold must be vented so that ambient air will not mix with the audit atmosphere during system operations Recommended manifold materials are glass or Teflon The sample line must be nonreactive and flexible therefore Teflon tubing is preferred 5 CO gas cylinder A compressed gas cylinder containing CO in an air matrix is used as the audit gas These cylinders must be traceable to an NIST SRM number 1677 1678 1679 1680 or 1681 and must be within the following concentration ranges 3 to 8 ppm 15 to 20 ppm 35 to 45 ppm and 80 to 90 ppm 6 Dilution air source The diluent source must be free of CO and water vapor Clean dry air from a compressed gas cylinder is suitable choices for dilution air A catalytic oxidizer connected in line is one method of scrubbing CO from the dilution air Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 38 of 58 5 5 Procedure Equipment setup Assemble the audit equipment as required and verify that all the equipment is operational If a clean dry air system equipped with a catalytic oxidizer is used for a zero air source allow the oxidizer to warm up for 30 min Connect the gas regulator to a CO cylinder and evacuate the regulator as follows 1 With the cylinder valve closed connect a vacuum pump to the evacuation outlet on the regulator and start the pump 2 Op
61. analyzer is then adjusted to produce the correct response Ozone analyzers are calibrated by on site generation of ozone whose concentration is determined by a separate analyzer which has its calibration traceable to the U S Environmental Protection Agency The site s analyzer is then adjusted to produce the same measured concentration as the traceable analyzer Manual samplers are calibrated by comparing their volumetric flow rate at one or more flow rates to the flow measured by a flow rate transfer standard Calibrations are performed when an instrument is first installed and at semi annual intervals thereafter Calibrations are also performed after instrument repairs or when quality control charts indicate a drift in response to quality control check standards Precision Precision is a measure of the variability of an instrument The precision of automated analyzers is evaluated by comparing the sample s known concentration against the instrument s response The precision of manual samplers is determined by collocated sampling the simultaneous operation of two identical samplers placed side by side The difference in the results of the two samplers is used to estimate the precision of the entire measurement process i e both field and laboratory precision Performance Audits The bias of automated methods is assessed through field performance audits Performance audits are conducted by sampling a blind sample i e a sample whose concentrat
62. and document the accuracy of the data generated by a measurement system A list of the specific audit procedures which are outlined in this section is contained in Table A 1 Procedures which use the principles of dynamic dilution gas phase titration UV photometry and flow rate measurement are presented The general guidelines for performance audits are the same for all procedures Table A 1 Audit Procedures 1 A performance audit should Pollutant Audit procedure be conducted only if Sulfur dioxide Dynamic dilution permeation tube calibration data are available for the analyzers or samplers Dynamic dilution compressed gas cylinder being audited Nitrogen dioxide Gas phase titration 2 A performance audit should Carbon monoxide Dynamic dilution compressed gas cylinder be conducted only if the site operator or representative is Multiple compressed gas cylinders present unless written Ozone Ultraviolet photometry permission is given to the auditor before the audit Total suspended particulate Flow rate measurement Before the audit a general procedures protocol including the audit policy and special instructions from the auditor should be provided to the agency being audited A signed acknowledgment that the audit has been completed should be obtained from the station operator The auditor should discuss the audit results with the site operator or representative at the conclusion of the audit A form
63. and C6H14 The gas calibrator is also used as an ozone source The API 400 ozone analyzer is used as a transfer standard for auditing the site s ozone analyzer A TECO 48 CO analyzer is calibrated at two known ambient level concentrations plus zero and is used to trace the amount of CO present in the diluted sample The amount of CO present in the diluted sample is then used to calculate the true concentrations of the other gases in the compressed gas cylinder at each audit level The gases and transfer standards used in the audits are certified on a quarterly basis by the Standards Laboratory of the Program Evaluation and Standards Section E 1 0 2 EQUIPMENT The current thru the probe audit system utilizes the following equipment 1 Mobile audit van with auxiliary 12 5 KW AC generator 2 Elgar 1001SL II Voltage stabilized line conditioner 3 Elgar 401SD 001 Selectable frequency oscillator 4 Compressed gas cylinder traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST a Carbon Monoxide 40 45 ppm High CO b Carbon Monoxide 6 8 ppm Low CO Volume V Section E 1 0 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 35 c Ultrapure Zero Air d Superblend 1 Carbon Monoxide CO Methane CH4 Sulfur Dioxide SO2 and Nitric Oxide NO e Superblend 2 Carbon Monoxide CO and Hydrogen Sulfide H2S f Superblend 3 Carbon Monoxide CO Methane CH4 and Hexane C6H14
64. and need not be certified Hence only one certified concentration standard is needed for the two point level 1 zero and span calibration Although lacking the advantages of the multi point calibration the two point zero and span calibration can be and should be carried out much more frequently Also two point calibrations are easily automated Frequent checks or updating of the calibration relationship with a 2 point zero and span calibration improves the quality of the monitoring data by helping to keep the calibration relationship more closely matched to any changes drift in the analyzer response As with any calibration the analyzer should be operating in its normal sampling mode and generally the test concentrations should pass through as much of the inlet and sample conditioning system as is practicable For NO SO and particularly for O wet or dirty inlet lines and particulate filters can cause changes in the pollutant concentration For PAMS sample inlet lines to the analyzer should be kept as short as possible Efforts should be made at least periodically to introduce the span calibration concentration into the sampling system as close to the outdoor sample inlet point as possible The calibration response under these conditions can then be compared to the response when the span concentration is introduced at the analyzer downstream of the sample inlet components as a check of the entire sample inlet system Some CO analyzers may
65. and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization functions policies decisions procedures operations or other activities of the Government or because of the informational value of data in them This section will provide guidance of documentation and records for the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program Table 5 1 Types of Information that Should be Retained Through Document Control State Implementation Plan Reporting agency information Organizational structure of monitoring program Personnel qualifications and training Quality management plan Document control plan Support contracts Management and Organization Site Information Network description Site characterization file Site maps pictures Environmental Data Operations QA Project Plans Standard operating procedures SOPs Field and laboratory notebooks Sample handling custody records Inspection maintenance records Any original data routine and QC Air quality index report Annual SLAMS air quality information Data summary reports Journal articles papers presentations Data Management Data algorithms Data management plans flowcharts Control charts Data quality assessments QA reports System audits Network reviews Data Reporting Quality Assurance Table 5 1 represents the categories and types of records and documents which are applicable to document control Inf
66. and the computer will recalculate the data and print out the number of copies requested If the information is not correct enter N and enter the correct information 5 Give the station operator one copy of the audit report and retain the other two copies for ARB use AIR QUALITY DATA ACTION AQDA NOTE AQDA S are issued when the audit reveals that the station s instruments are not operating within the prescribed limits These limits are defined in EPA s Volume II If the station being audited has failed the audit or a portion of the audit it will be necessary to issue an Air Quality Data Action AQDA Volume V Section E 1 3 Revision 4 November 1 1996 E 1 4 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 30 of 35 SHUT DOWN PROCEDURES VAN E 1 4 1 INTERIOR E 1 4 2 9 After printing the preliminary audit report exit the audit program by pressing escape ESC until the display on the computer screen reads ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO EXIT Y N Enter Y to exit the program and type PARK at the prompt This parks the heads on the computer and avoids damage to the hard disk Shut the computer off Turn off the power to the printer Turn off the power to the Dasibi 1009 CP Turn off the power to the TECO 48 Turn off the power to the Elgar Close all compressed gas cylinders valves Turn off the power to the Aadco compressor Turn off the power to the Methane Reactor Turn off the air co
67. and therefore sets the stage for program and project specific guidance The standards and regulations pertinent to the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program include CFR The CFR series provides the mandate for monitoring and the minimum requirements for the quality system It also requires the development of QA Project Plans for any SIPs QA Project Plans SOPs environmental data operations E4 F4 refers to the document American National Standard Specifications and Figure 4 1 Hierarchy of regulations and guidance Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs ANSI ASOC E4 1994 This document describes a basic set of mandatory specifications and non mandatory guidelines by which a quality system for programs involving environmental data collection can be planned implemented and assessed The EPA QA Order 5360 1 CHG 1 adheres to E4 under the authority of the Office of Management and Budget QAD guidance and regulations QAD refers to the EPA QA Division the organization within the EPA that is responsible for the Mandatory QA Program QAD is responsible for developing QA and QC requirements and for overseeing Agency wide implementation of the EPA Quality System QAD has developed a series of regulation guidance documents that describe how to plan implement and assess environmental data operations Figure 4 2 describes the documents and the stages in the EDO in wh
68. are less than or equal to 5 Measurement imprecision was established at 10 coefficient of variation CV For each sampler Palookaville will review the coefficient of variation calculated in Step 2 If any exceed 10 Palookaville may need to determine the sensitivity of the DQOs to larger levels of measurement imprecision Part 1 Section 18 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 9 Table 18 1 will be completed during each DQA The table summarizes which if any assumptions have been violated A check will be placed in each of the row column combinations that apply Ideally there will be no checks However if there are checks in the table the implication is that the decision error rates are unknown even if the bias and precision limits are achieved As mentioned above if any of the DOO assumptions are violated then Palookaville will need to reevaluate its DQOs Achievement of bias and precision limits Lastly Palookaville will check the assumption that at the three year level of aggregation the sampler bias is within 10 and precision is less than 10 The data from the collocated samplers will be used to estimate quarterly annual and three year bias and precision estimates even though it is only the three year estimates that are critical for the statistical test Since all the initial samplers being deployed by Palookaville will be FRMs the samplers at each of the collocated sites will be identical method designations As such it
69. are taken from data loggers or telemetry systems zero responses are usually not part of the computation for percent difference This is because any offset is normally programmed into the calculation the office computer performs before its data output E 1 2 2 AUDIT PROGRAM INITIATION 1 Turn on the computer 2 Select Option 2 FOX VAN AUDIT PROGRAM from the Quality Assurance Menu 3 Press the ENTER key to start the program Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 E 1 2 3 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 14 of 35 4 Select Option 1 SELECT SITE from the ARB Van Audit Program s Main Menu and enter the information requested by the computer prompt This information can be obtained from the Quality Assurance Site List 5 Press Escape ESC to return to the ARB Van Audit Program s Main Menu 6 Select Option 2 DATA ENTRY MENU from the ARB Van Audit Program s Main Menu Select Option 1 VAN OZONE from the Data Entry Menu to enter the audit van s responses for barometric pressure pre zero audit points and post zero Select Option 3 to enter the station s responses for the audit levels and instrument information 7 Press Escape ESC to return to the Data Entry Menu NOTE You may continue to access either the Van Ozone or the Station O3 by using the Escape ESC key This will allow you to update the files as the actual data are entered OZONE AUDIT True ozone ozone concentration at the si
70. area State implementation plan SIP The recommended period of concurrent monitoring is one year or one season of maximum pollutant concentration with a maximum term indexed to the subject pollutant NAAQS compliance interval e g three calendar years for O These requirements are intended to provide a bridge between point and open path air monitoring data to evaluate and promote continuity in understanding of the historical representation of the database Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 12 of 15 Sites at which open path analyzers are likely to be used to measure NO and O are generally going to be neighborhood scales of representativeness or larger Since NO and O concentration levels at such sites are likely to be homogeneous concurrent monitoring is not likely to be useful However concurrent monitoring would be required if data from the site were used for attainment designations In the future monitoring efforts for SO are likely to concentrate on assessing potential short term 5 minute average SO source related impacts and be conducted at source oriented micro to middle scale sites For such situations concurrent monitoring of SO may be useful Additional information on procedures for locating open path sites can be found in Appendix 6 B 6 4 Minimum Network Requirements Table 6 6 lists the appropriate numbers of stations for each NAMS as determined by population and concentrations categories for SO and
71. be defined in the monitoring network description This averaging approach is specified in 40 CFR part 50 Appendix N A CMZ should characterize an area of relatively similar annual average air quality i e the average concentrations at individual sites should not exceed the spatial average by more than 20 CMZs have dimensions of 4 50 km with boundaries defined by political demarcations with population attributes They could be smaller in densely populated areas with large pollutant gradients Each CMZ would ideally equal the collective zone of representation of one or more community oriented monitors within that zone The CMZ applicable only to PM is intended to represent the spatial uniformity of PM concentrations In practice more than one monitor may be needed with each CMZ to evaluate the spatial uniformity of PM concentrations and to accurately calculate the spatial average for comparison with the annual PM NAAQS When spatial averaging is used each MPA would be completely covered by one or more contiguous CMZs 6 2 Site Location Four criteria should be considered either singly or in combination when locating sites depending on the sampling objective Orient the monitoring sites to measure the following Impacts of known pollutant emission categories on air quality Population density relative to receptor dose levels both short and long term Impacts of known pollutant emission sources area and point on air quality Repre
72. be temporarily operated at reduced vent or purge flows or the test atmosphere may enter the analyzer at a point other than the normal sample inlet provided that such a deviation from the normal sample mode is permitted by the analyzer s operation or instruction manual and the analyzer s response is not likely to be altered by the deviation Any such operational modifications should be used with caution and the lack of effect should be verified by comparing test calibrations made before and after the modification The standards used for a level 1 zero and span calibration must be certified traceable as described previously under Section 12 1 The span standard should be a concentration between about 70 and 90 of the analyzer s full scale measurement range Adjustments to the analyzer may be made during the zero and span calibration However it is strongly recommended that unadjusted i e as is analyzer response readings be obtained before any adjustments are made to the analyzer As described later these unadjusted zero and span readings provide valuable information for 1 confirming the validity of or invalidating the measurements obtained immediately preceding the calibration 2 monitoring the analyzer s calibration drift and 3 determining the frequency of recalibration Accordingly the following procedure for a zero and span calibration is recommended 1 Disconnect the analyzer s inlet from the ambient intake and connect it to a calibr
73. calibrator manually or remotely using the data acquisition system if applicable Allow the calibrator to stabilize usually 2 3 minutes Read the value of the transfer standard and record the digital display or TWS on the calibrator Record 5 10 readings and average the values from the transfer standard gt Adjust the Thumb Wheel Settings to the next level that you wish to measure and repeat steps 3 It is recommended that a minimum of 5 levels be measured gt Repeat this procedure for the gas device using flows in the range of field calibration devices Repeat steps 3 4 Note with MFC calibrators the gas and diluant air are brought together in an internal mixing chamber The combined mixture is then shunted to the output of the calibrator It is important to disconnect the air flow source from the unit and cap the air input port before measuring the gas flow gt After the values have been averaged and tabulated adjust the values to STP See equation 1 Calculate the percent difference for each point using the transfer standard as the known Note make sure to apply the correction factor for the transfer standard to the raw outputs if necessary before calculating the regression Calculate the least squares regression of the air and gas flows using the primary standard as the abscissa gt Once the gas and air flows mass flow meters have been calibrated using the transfer standard the next step is to calculate the concentration that will
74. certified by A laboratory separate from this agency s but part of the same reporting organization a oe E emis OC l j Does the documentation include expiration data of certification Please attach an example of recent documentation of traceability k Is calibration equipment maintained at each site il For what pollutants 1 How is the functional integrity of this equipment documented m Please complete the table below for your agency s site standards up to 7 of the sites not to exceed 20 sites Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 20 of 50 Please complete the table below for Continuous Analyzers PM 10 Analyzers PM Analyzers a 0 oo n Are level 1 zero and span z s calibrations or calibration checks made for all continuous monitoring equipment and flow checks made for PM 10 and PM2 5 samplers 0 Does the agency have acceptance criteria for zero span checks I Are these criteria known to the field operations personnel II Are they documented in standard operating procedures If not indicate document and section where they can be found III Do the documents discussed in ID above indicate when Indicate an example zero span adjustments should and should not be made IV Are zero and span check consol chans maimtained PPP Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 21 of 50 ma OS p In keeping with 40 CFR 58 regulations are any necessary If no why not
75. collocated data and w is the weight for quarter q as specified by the scenario is Table 24 2 4 If the null hypothesis in the Wilcoxon signed rank test was not rejected then the coefficient of variation can be interpreted as a measure of precision If the null hypothesis in the Wilcoxon signed rank test was rejected the coefficient of variation has both a component representing precision and a component representing the squared bias Confidence in Bias and Precision Estimates 1 Follow the method described in Box 18 1 to estimate the probability that the sampler is generating observations consistent with the three year bias and precision DQOs The re sampling must be done for each collocated site Part 1 Section 18 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 9 of 9 Summary of Bias and Precision Estimation The results from the calculations and re sampling will be summarized in Table 18 3 There will be one line for each site operating a collocated sampler Table 18 3 Summary of Bias and Precision Collocated Three year Bias Estimate Three year Precision Estimate Null Hypothesis of Wilcoxon P Equation 1 Equation 2 Test Rejected Box 18 1 a a em Ge PIR ee es ees ee Step 5 Draw Conclusions from the Data Perform the calculations required for the statistical test and document the inferences drawn as a result of these calculations If the design is to be used again evaluate the performance of the sampling design B
76. complete the table below for each of the reporting organizations or agencies within the overall R O Data Acquisition Media Reporting Organization Pollutants a b c or combination y caries ci E A EES S site For samplers with flow controllers E 2h Log sheet Dixon chart___ Other__ specify On High volume samplers without flow controllers Ema Log sheet Dixon chart___ Other specify d What kind of recovery capabilities for data acquisition equipment are available to the field operator after power outages storms etc Briefly describe below e Using a summary flow diagram indicate below all data handling steps performed at the air monitoring site Identify the format frequency and contents of data submittals to the data processing section Clearly indicate points at which flow path differs for different criteria pollutants Be sure to include all calibration zero span and precision check data flow paths How is the integrity of the data handling system verified Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 24 of 50 C LABORATORY OPERATIONS 1 Routine Operations a What analytical methods are employed in support of your air monitoring network Analysis Methods PM 10 Pb PM 2 5 SO NO Others list by pollutant fae eee b Are bubblers used for any criteria pollutants in any If yes attach a table which indicates the number of sites agencies where bubblers are used the agency and pollutant s
77. components of the wind These random motions can be considered atmospheric turbulence which is either mechanical caused by structures and changes in terrain or thermal caused by heating and cooling of land masses or bodies of water If the scale of turbulent motion is larger than the size of the pollutant plume the turbulence will move the entire plume and cause looping and fanning if smaller it will cause the plume to diffuse and spread out If the meteorological phenomena impact with some regularity data may need to be interpreted in light of these atmospheric conditions Other meteorological condition to consider are atmospheric stability and lapse rate A useful way of displaying wind data is a wind rose diagram constructed to show the distribution of wind speeds and directions The wind rose diagram shown in Figure 6 1 represents conditions as they converge on the center from each direction of the compass More detailed guidance for meteorological considerations is available Relevant weather information such as stability wind roses are usually available from local National Weather Service stations For PAMS monitoring in many areas there are three types of high ozone days overwhelming transport weak transport or mixed transport and stagnation and stagnation The wind rose concept to site monitors is only applicable to the transport types but not applicable to the stagnation type In general transport types dominate north of 40 N
78. concentrations for lt 24 hours and for developing long term gt 24 hour ambient air quality standards The research requires that monitoring points be located so that the resulting data will represent the population group under evaluation Therefore the monitoring stations are established in the centers of small well defined residential areas within a community Data correlations are made between observed health effects and observed air quality exposures Requirements for aerometric monitoring in support of health studies are as follows gt the station must be located in or near the population under study gt pollutant sampling averaging times must be sufficiently short to allow for use in acute health effect studies that form the scientific basis for short term standards gt sampling frequency usually daily should be sufficient to characterize air quality as a function of time gt the monitoring system should be flexible and responsive to emergency conditions with data available on short notice 6 1 Monitoring Objectives and Spatial Scales With the end use of the air quality samples as a prime consideration the SLAMS NAMS networks should be designed to determine one of six basic monitoring objectives listed below Highest concentrations expected to occur in the area covered by the network Representative concentrations in areas of high population density Impact on ambient pollution levels of significant sources or source catego
79. correctly and reported in the correct units Errors in initializations can create problems when the data is collected and reported Read the manufacturer s literature before parameters are collected If the manufacturer does state how these parameters are collected request this information The following should be performed when setting up the initializations gt check the full scale outputs of each parameter gt calibrations should be followed after each initialization each channel of a DAS should be calibrated independently Appendix 14 provides an example of a DAS calibration technique gt review the instantaneous data stream if possible to see if the DAS is collecting the data correctly gt save the initializations to a storage medium if the DAS does not have this capability print out the initialization and store it at the central computer location and at the monitoring location gt check to see if the flagging routines are performed correctly data that is collected during calibrations and down time should be flagged correctly gt check the DAS for excessive noise Noisy data that is outside of the normal background is a concern Noisy data can be caused by improperly connected leads to the multiplexer noisy AC power or a bad multiplexer Refer to the owner s manual for help on noisy data gt check to see that the average times are correct Some DAS consider 45 minutes to be a valid hour while others consider 48 minutes Ag
80. developing a quality system evaluating the data or declaring an area obsa nonattainment The DQO will be based on the data A Biased 15 mean 13 6 requirements of the decision maker Decision makers need to feel confident that the data used to make environmental decisions are of adequate quality The data used in these decisions are never error free and always contain some level of uncertainty Because of these uncertainties or errors there is a possibility that decision makers may declare an area nonattainment when the area is actually in attainment false positive error or Figure 3 2 Effect of negative bias on the annual average attainment when actually the area is in resulting in a false negative decision error nonattainment false negative error Figures 3 1 and 3 2 illustrate how false positive and negative errors can affect a NAAQS attainment nonattainment decision based on an annual mean concentration value of 15 There are serious political economic and health consequences of making such decision errors Therefore decision makers need to understand and set limits on the probabilities of making incorrect decisions with these data Unbiased mean 14 gat Biased 15 mean 16 6 Probability Density o o o o 8 amp amp 8 o o p Probability Density o o o 8 g a o 2 o Concentration In order to set probability limits on decision er
81. feasible to include the entire ozone season or perhaps the entire calendar year Monitoring which is conducted on an intermittent schedule should be coincident with the previously established intermittent schedule for particulate matter sampling The codified ozone monitoring seasons for the PAMS affected States are displayed in Table 6 10 Table 6 10 Ozone Monitoring Seasons PAMS Affected States Month Month Month Month PM Sampling Schedule Table 6 11 represents the PM sampling schedule as discussed in CFR The 24 hour sample will be taken from midnight local standard time to midnight The frequency of sampling is minimally every six days and the specific day of the week is idendtified based upon the national sampling schedule Table 6 11 PM Sampling Schedule As per 40 CFR part 58 Section 58 13 and Appendix D At least 2 core PM2 5 sites in each MSA with population gt 1M At least 1 in 3 if collocated with continuous analyzer in priority 2 areas which are MSAs with gt 1 Million people and PM concentrations gt 80 of NAAQS At least 2 core PM2 5 sites in each MSA with population between 500K and 1M At least 1 in 3 if collocated with continuous analyzer 1 core PM2 5 site in each PAMS area daily sampling year round 1 site in areas suspected to have conc gt 24 hr PM2 5 NAAQS daily sampling encouraged during seasons of high concentrations otherwise 1 in 3 lin3 all other SLAMS lin6 SLAMS with Re
82. flow using a Vol o Flo or other suitable flow measurement device The site s inlet flow is determined by totaling the flow of all the instruments in use Record the flows on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 NOTE The audit van s line output flow must be a minimum of 1 Ipm greater than the station s probe inlet flow 6 If the audit van s line output flow exceeds the station s inlet flow by more than 10 liters a by pass must be used at the end of the line to vent excess flow NOTE A glass tee of equal interior diameter may be used as a by pass by inserting the teflon tubing attached to the line into the side port securing one end of the tee to the station s inlet probe and allowing the excess flow to be vented out the third port Some stations may contain only a single ozone analyzer in which case a 10 lpm by pass rotameter is attached to the end of the line with a 2 foot teflon tubing attached to the rotameter and the glass tee connected in the same fashion as above 7 Check for an internal by pass flow between 0 3 and 0 4 Ipm on the by pass rotameter 8 Record the station information on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 1 Volume V Section E 1 1 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 10 of 35 QA AUDIT STATION DATA WORKSHEET SITE NAME DATE SITE NUMBER CONTACT PERSON PHONE SITE ADDRESS CORRECTION FOR ZEROES YES NO DATAREADBY AUDITOR
83. following four basic requirements Equipment must be frequently and properly calibrated and maintained Section 12 Personnel must be qualified to make the analysis Section 4 Analytical procedures must be in accordance with accepted practice Section 9 1 above Complete and accurate records must be kept Section 5 ee ES Part I Section 9 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 3 As indicated these subjects are discussed in other sections of this document For the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program laboratory activities are mainly focused on the pollutants associated with manual measurements basically lead particulate matter and PAMS VOCs However many laboratories also prepare reference material test or certify instruments and perform other activities necessary to collect and report measurement data Each laboratory should define these critical activities and ensure there are consistent methods for their implementation Part I Section No 10 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 5 10 Quality Control Quality Control QC is the overall system of technical activities that measures the attributes and performance of a process item or service against defined standards to verify that they meet the stated requirements established by the customer QC is both corrective and proactive in establishing techniques to prevent the generation of unacceptable data and so the policy for corrective action should be outlined In
84. following list of action items is provided as a guide during an onsite visit of a monitoring station ensure that the manifold and inlet probe are clean estimate probe and manifold inside diameter and length inspect the shelter for weather leads safety and security check equipment for missing parts frayed cords etc check that monitor exhausts are not likely to be reentrained by the sampling inlet record findings in field notebook take photographs videotape in eight directions Part I Appendix 15 Section 1 Date 9 4 98 Page 2 of 11 NETWORK REVIEW CHECKLIST SECTION I GENERAL INFORMATION Reviewer Review Date 1 State or Local Agency Address Contact Telephone Number 2 Type of network review check all that apply SLAMS NAMS SPM Other 3 Network Summary Description Number of sites currently operating or temporarily inoperative 30 days not including collocated or index sites SLAMS NAMS PAMS SPM Other excluding a Carbonyls o ooo o o S o a a ee ee e 4 Network Description Date of most current official network description Copy available for review For each site are the following items included AIRS Site ID Sampling and Analysis Method Operative Schedule Monitoring Objective Scale of Representativeness Zip Code Any Proposed Changes 5 Date of last network review Part I Appendix 15 Sectio
85. for which this is routine operation spike included with a given analytical batch li Briefly describe the laboratory s use of data derived from blank analyses mesion ves fm comment S Do criteria exist which determine acceptable non acceptable blank data Please complete the table below Pollutant Blank Acceptance Criteria Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 27 of 50 j How frequently and at what concentration ranges does the lab perform duplicate analysis What constitutes acceptable agreement Please complete the table below k How does the lab use data from spiked samples Please indicate what may be considered acceptable percentage recovery by analysis Please complete the table below Pollutant Recovery Acceptance Criteria a 8 0 1 Does the laboratory routinely include samples of reference If yes indicate frequency level and material used material obtained from EPA within an analytical batch m Are mid range standards included in analytical batches If yes are such standards included as a QC check span check on analytical stability Please indicate the frequency level and compound used in the space provided below n Do criteria exist for real time quality control based on the results obtained for the mid range standards discussed above Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 28 of 50 If yes briefly discuss them below or indicate the document in which they can
86. gt Data quality assessment TOTAL AND SPECIATED VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS gt Program update gt Quality objectives for measurement data gt Data quality assessment AIR TOXIC COMPOUNDS gt Program update gt Quality objectives for measurement data gt Data quality assessment Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 24 Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 24 ACME REPORTING ORGANIZATION ANNUAL QUALITY ASSURANCE REPORT FOR 2000 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This summary describes the Acme Reporting Organization s ARO s success in meeting its quality objectives for ambient air pollution monitoring data ARO s attainment of quantitative objectives such as promptness completeness precision and bias are shown in Table 1 below ARO met these objectives for all pollutants with the exception of nitrogen dioxide The failure to meet completeness and timeliness goals for nitrogen dioxide was due to the breakdown of several older analyzers Replacement parts were installed and the analyzers are now providing data that meet ARO s quality objectives Table 1 Attainment of Quantitative Quality Objectives for Ambient Air Monitoring Data Measurement rrr NoYes Yes ee a a E Sulfur Dioxide Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs Other quality objectives for example those concerning siting recordkeeping etc were assessed via laboratory and field system audits The results of these audits indicate compliance with AR
87. how seriously a sample deviated beyond the acceptable limit so that the potential effects of the deviation can be evaluated during DQA Quality Control The quality control section of the QAPP specifies the QC checks that are to be performed during sample collection handling and analysis These include analyses of check standards blanks and replicates which provide indications of the quality of data being produced by specified components of the measurement process For each specified QC check the procedure acceptance criteria and corrective action and changes should be specified Data validation should document the corrective actions that were taken which samples were affected and the potential effect of the actions on the validity of the data Calibration Calibration of instruments and equipment and the information that should be presented to ensure that the calibrations gt were performed within an acceptable time prior to generation of measurement data gt were performed in the proper sequence gt included the proper number of calibration points gt were performed using standards that bracketed the range of reported measurement results otherwise results falling outside the calibration range should be flagged as such gt had acceptable linearity checks and other checks to ensure that the measurement system was stable when the calibration was performed When calibration problems are identified any data produced between th
88. local air pollution control agencies to meet their respective state implementation plan SIP requirements The SIPs provide for the implementation maintenance and enforcement of the national ambient air quality standards NAAQS in each air quality control region within a state National Air Monitoring Stations NAMS The NAMS 1 000 stations are a subset of the SLAMS network with emphasis being given to urban and multi source areas In effect they are key sites under SLAMS with emphasis on areas of expected maximum concentrations category A and stations which combine poor air quality with high population density category B Generally category B monitors would represent larger spatial scales than category A monitors Special Purpose Monitoring Stations SPMS Special Purpose Monitoring Stations provide for special studies needed by the State and local agencies to support SIPs and other air program activities The SPMS are not permanently established and can be adjusted to accommodate changing needs and priorities The SPMS are used to supplement the fixed monitoring network as circumstances require and resources permit If the data from SPMS are used for SIP purposes they must meet all QA and methodology requirements for SLAMS monitoring Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations PAMS A PAMS network is required in each ozone non attainment area that is designated serious severe or extreme The required networks will have from
89. means that the data that is collected on the DAS is the same value that is generated from the analyzer all the way to the AIRS data base This usually is accomplished by a data trail audit performance audits and calibrations Data Trail Audit The data trail audit consists of following a value or values collected by the DAS to the central data collection site and then eventually to AIRS A person other than the normal station operator should perform this duty The following procedure should be followed gt a data point should be collected from the DAS usually an hourly value and be checked on the DAS storage medium against the hard copy report gt the auditor goes to the central computer and checks to see if this hourly value is the same gt ifthe data has been submitted to airs then the airs data base should be checked as well Performance Audit The performance audit consists of challenging the instrument and DAS toa known audit source gas and observing the final response The response should correspond to the value of the audit source gas Calibrations The quality control aspects of data collection are well defined in terms of chart recorders DAS systems are much more complex but the approach to calibration of a DAS is similar to the chart recorder The calibration of a DAS is performed by inputting known voltages into the DAS and measuring the output of the DAS The DAS owner s manual should be followed It is recommended that DAS be c
90. most analyzers tends to change drift unpredictably with passing time These two conditions must be addressed in the mechanism that is used to process the raw analyzer readings into final concentration measurements Four practical methods are described below They are listed in order of preference with the first one being the most likely to minimize errors caused by differences between the actual analyzer response and the response curve used to calculate the measurements Part I Section 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 12 of 13 As would be expected the order also reflects decreasing complexity and decreasing difficulty of implementation The first 3 methods are best implemented with automatic data processing systems because of the number of calculations required Methods 3 and 4 could be used on a manual basis and are more labor intensive because of the need for more frequent and precise physical adjustment of analyzer zero and span controls 1 Linear Interpolation In this method the linear calibration curve used to convert analyzer readings to concentration values is defined by a slope and intercept which are updated at each calibration Both unadjusted and adjusted response readings are required for each calibration Each ambient concentration is calculated from individual slope and intercept values determined by linear interpolation between the adjusted slope and intercept of the most recent previous calibration and the unadjusted slope
91. of abatement strategies and development and validation of diffusion models Compliance Monitoring The information required for selecting the number of samplers and the sampler locations include isopleth maps population density maps and source locations The following are suggested guidelines gt the priority area is the zone of highest pollution concentration within the region one or more stations are to be located in this area gt close attention should be given to densely populated areas within the region especially when they are in the vicinity of heavy pollution gt the quality of air entering the region is to be assessed by stations situated on the periphery of the region meteorological factors e g frequencies of wind directions are of primary importance in locating these stations gt sampling should be undertaken in areas of projected growth to determine the effects of future development on the environment gt amajor objective of surveillance is evaluation of progress made in attaining the desired air quality for this purpose sampling stations should be strategically situated to facilitate evaluation of the implemented control tactics gt some information of air quality should be available to represent all portions of the regions Some stations will be capable of fulfilling more than one of the functions indicated for example a station located in a densely populated area can indicate population exposures and can also d
92. of custody procedure exist for laboratory If yes indicate date title and revision number where it can samples be found Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 30 of 50 5 Data Acquisition and Handling fae eee a Identify those laboratory instruments which make use of computer interfaces directly to record data Which ones use stripcharts integrators b Are QC data readily available to the analyst during a given analytical run c For those instruments which are computer interfaced indicate which are backed up by stripcharts d What is the laboratory s capability with regard to data recovery In case of problems can they recapture data or are they dependent on computer operations Discuss briefly e Has a users manual been prepared for the automated data Comment acquisition instrumentation f Please provide below a data flow diagram which establishes by a short summary flow chart transcriptions validations and reporting format changes the data goes through before being released to the data management group Attach additional pages as necessary Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 31 of 50 6 Specific Pollutants PM 10 and PM 2 5 and Lead ae em PM10 and PM 2 5 b Do filters meet the specifications in the Federal Register 40 CFR 50 c Are filters visually inspected via strong light from a view box If no comment on way imperfections are determined for pinholes and othe
93. of data gt organization and the control of the data flow from the field sites and the analytical laboratory gt input and validation of the data gt manipulation analysis and archival of the data gt submittal of the data into the EPA s AIRS database Both manual and computer oriented systems require individual reviews of all data tabulations As an individual scans tabulations there is no way to determine that all values are valid The purpose of manual inspection is to spot unusually high or low values outliers that might indicate a gross error in the data collection system In order to recognize that the reported concentration of a given pollutant is extreme the individual must have basic knowledge of the major pollutants and of air quality conditions prevalent at the reporting station Data values considered questionable should be flagged for verification This scanning for high low values is sensitive to spurious extreme values but not to intermediate values that could also be grossly in error Manual review of data tabulations also allows detection of uncorrected drift in the zero baseline of a continuous sensor Zero drift may be indicated when the daily minimum concentration tends to increase or decrease from the norm over a period of several days For example at most sampling stations the early morning 3 00 a m to 4 00 a m concentrations of carbon monoxide tend to reach a minimum e g 2 to 4 ppm If the minimum concentr
94. of the form y mx a where y represents the analyzer response x represents the pollutant concentration m is the slope and a is the x axis intercept of the best fit calibration line When this calibration relationship is subsequently used to compute concentration measurements x from analyzer response readings y the formula is transposed to the form x y a m As a quality control check on calibrations the standard error or correlation coefficient can be calculated along with the regression calculations A control chart of the standard error or correlation coefficient could then be maintained to monitor the degree of scatter in the calibration points and if desired limits of ac ceptability can be established Part I Section 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 13 12 3 Level 1 Zero and Span Calibration A level 1 zero and span calibration is a simplified two point analyzer calibration used when analyzer linearity does not need to be checked or verified Sometimes when no adjustments are made to the analyzer the level 1 calibration may be called a zero span check in which case it must not be confused with a level 2 zero span check see 12 4 Since most analyzers have a reliably linear or near linear output response with concentration they can be adequately calibrated with only two concentration standards two point calibration Furthermore one of the standards may be zero concentration which is relatively easily obtained
95. or are likely to take place gt results of special studies saturation sampling point source oriented ambient monitoring etc gt agencies which have proposed network modifications since the last network review In addition pollutant specific priorities may be considered e g newly designated ozone nonattainment areas PM o problem areas etc Once the agencies have been selected for review significant data and information pertaining to the review should be compiled and evaluated Such information might include the following gt network files for the selected agency including updated site information and site photographs gt AIRS reports AMP220 225 380 390 450 gt air quality summaries for the past five years for the monitors in the network gt emissions trends reports for major metropolitan areas Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 15 gt emission information such as emission density maps for the region in which the monitor is located and emission maps showing the major sources of emissions gt National Weather Service summaries for monitoring network area Upon receiving the information it should be checked to ensure it was the latest revision and for consistency Discrepancies should be noted on the checklist Appendix 15 and resolved with the agency during the review Files and or photographs that need to be updated should also be identified 15 1 2 Conformance to 40 CFR Part 58 App
96. outside limits until acceptable scale of best fit straight line Analytical calibration Reproducibility test Calibration stability Performance Evaluation NPAP Sampler performance Audit flow rate Precision Single analyzer Reporting organization Accuracy Single analyzer Reporting organization Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 8 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter Lead Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy On receipt Before first sample after every tenth sample after last sample 1 year at selected sites 1 3 months 1 6 days 1 3 months 25 of sites quarterly 5 deviation from calibration curve Mean absolute difference 15 Percentage difference 7 None 95 CI lt 15 Percentage difference 16 95 CI 20 Vol I MS 2 8 1 Vol II MS 2 8 5 Vol II S 16 3 40 CFR Pt 58 App A Vol II MS 2 2 8 40 CFR Pt 58 App A S 5 3 40 CFR Pt 58 App A S 5 3 Vol II MS 2 8 8 40 CFR Pt 58 App A S 3 4 EPA 600 4 83 023 Reproducibility 100 high response low response average response Responses should be corrected for the blank level If acceptance criterion is exceeded instrument should be checked by a service rep or qualified operator Alternate between two control standards with concentrations 1 ug mL or 1 to 10 ug mL Take corrective action and repeat the previous ten analyses Use information to inform reporting agency fo
97. performance evaluation management systems review peer review inspection and surveillance For the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program the following assessments will be discussed network reviews performance evaluations technical systems audits and data quality assessments 15 1 Network Reviews Conformance with network requirements of the Ambient Air Monitoring Network set forth in 40 CFR Appendices D and E are determined through annual network reviews of the ambient air quality monitoring system The annual review of the network is used to determine how well the network is achieving its required monitoring objectives and how it should be modified to continue to meet its objectives Most network reviews are accomplished by the EPA Regional Office however the following information can be useful to State and local organizations to prepare for reviews or assess their networks In order to maintain consistency in implementing and collecting information from a network review EPA has developed SLAMS NAMS PAMS Network Review Guidance The information presented in this section provides some excerpts from this guidance document 15 1 1 Network Selection Due to the resource intensive nature of network reviews it may be necessary to prioritize agencies and or pollutants to be reviewed The following criteria may be used to select networks gt date of last review gt areas where attainment nonattainment redesignations are taking place
98. protrudes above the sampler Part I Appendix 15 Section 1 Date 9 4 98 Page 10 of 11 Agency Site Name Site Address City amp State AIRS Site ID Date Observed by CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS SERVED ce ao MET 8 1 microscale 1 7 scales Leen Fi a ae ee etc i Spacing from Trees Par 8 2 Should be 20m fromtrees De 20 m from trees Pa A A A obstruction Bees jeal canyon sites ExEmpD E a predominant wind direction ena o de Par 8 2 the vicinity Distance between Co located 2to4m Monitors Appendix A Par 3 eee E at 8 3 Appendix E a a vegetative ground cover Comments Citations from 40 CFR 58 Appendix E Part I Appendix 15 Section 1 Date 9 4 98 Page 11 of 11 Agency Site Name Site Address City amp State AIRS Site ID Date Observed by CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS SERVED oa Ser MET Horizontal and Vertical Probe 3 15 m above ground Placement Par 3 1 gt 1m from supporting structure o Sooo Away from dirty dusty areas re If on side of building should be N A on side of prevailing winter wind Par 3 2 penthouses etc If neighborhood scale probe must be at a distance twice the height the obstacle protrudes above probe 270 arc of unrestricted airflow around vertical probes and wind during peak season must be included in arc 180 ifon side of building i No furnace or incineration flues N A or other minor sources of SO should be nearby
99. reconnect the analyzer sample line to the station manifold Make a notation of the audit stop time Have the station operator make a note on the data recorder to indicate the stop time and check all equipment to ensure that it is in order to resume normal monitoring activities Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 45 of 58 6 6 Calculations Record the audit data in the appropriate spaces of Table A 4 Percent difference The difference is calculated as follows difference Cu Ca x 100 Equation 1 23 where Cy station measured concentration ppm and C calculated audit concentration ppm Regression analysis Calculate by least squares the slope intercept and correlation coefficient of the station analyzer response data y versus the audit concentration data These data can be used to interpret analyzer performance Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 46 of 58 Table A 7 Ozone Audit Data Report Station Date Address Start Time Ty C Py mm Hg Po mmHg Auditor Analyzer Serial Number Calibration standard Span source Last calibration date Frequency Range Calibration Comments Zero setting Data acquisition system Span setting Recorder Audit system Serial number Clean dry air Sample frequency Cell temperature To C Control frequency 273 Span number calculation 45 684 x A 760 m f To Observed span number Dilution air
100. records copies are not normally admissible as evidence For neatness the field data may be transcribed or copied for incorporation in a final report but the originals should be kept on file Since these records may be subpoenaed it is important that all field notes be legible Raw Data Raw data includes any original factual information from a measurement activity or study recorded in laboratory work sheets records memoranda notes or exact copies thereof and that are necessary for the reconstruction and evaluation of the report of the activity or study Raw data may include photographs microfilm or microfiche copies computer printouts magnetic media including dictated observations and recorded data from automated instruments For automated information systems raw data is considered the original observations recorded by the information system that are needed to verify calculate or derive data that are or may be reported Organizations should critically review the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program and create a list of what the organization considers raw data and provide a means to store this information in a manner that is readily accessible Data Reporting In addition to samples and field records the report of the analysis itself may serve as material evidence Just as the procedures and data leading up to the final report are subject to the rules of evidence so is the report Written documents generally speaking are considered
101. required depending on the particular monitoring program Samples must be properly handled to ensure that there is no contamination and that the sample analyzed is actually the sample taken under the conditions reported For this reason samples should be kept in a secure place between the time they are collected and the time they are analyzed It is highly recommended that all samples be secured until discarded These security measures should be documented by a written record signed by the handlers of the sample Strip charts from automated analyzers must also be clearly and unambiguously identified The information must be placed upon each strip chart so as not to interfere with any of the data on the chart If the strip chart is very long the information should be placed at periodic intervals on the chart The markings should be indelible and permanently affixed to each strip chart Part I Section 8 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 4 Name of Sampling Organization Sample ID No Sample Type Date Collected Site Name Site Address Sampler Figure 8 1 Example sample label 8 1 2 Sample Collection To reduce the possibility of invalidating the results all collected samples must be carefully removed from the monitoring device and placed in sealed nonreactive containers The best method of sealing depends on the container in general the best way is to simply use a piece of tape to preclude accid
102. revision documentation dates for such documentation d Do the documentation standards follow the guidance offered If no what protocols are they based on by the EPA Software Documentation Protocols e What is the origin of the software used to process air monitoring data prior to its release into the SAROAD NADB database I Purchased Supplier Date of latest version Il Written in house Latest version Date lll Purchased with modifications in house Latest version f Is a user s manual available to data management personnel for all software currently in use at the agency for processing SLAMS NAMS data Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 36 of 50 a g Is there a functional description either included in the user s manual separate from it and available to the users from it and available to the users h Are the computer system contents including ambient air Briefly describe indicating at least the media frequency and monitoring data backed up regularly backup media storage location 1 What is the recovery capability how much time and data would be lost in the event of a significant computer problem j Are test data available to evaluate the integrity of the software 3 Data Validation and Correction ma O O O a Have validation criteria applicable to all pollutant data If yes indicate document where such criteria can be found processed by the reporting organizati
103. showing the audit concentrations station responses and other pertinent data recorded by the auditor should be given to the site operator or representative the form must indicate that the results are not official until the final report is issued If the site operator or representative is not on site at the conclusion of the audit the auditor should contact the agency before leaving the area or promptly when returning to the base of operations The auditor should document the verification of his equipment before and after the audit this verifi cation includes calibration and traceability data This information and a written record of the audit should be kept in a bound notebook in a secure location The auditor should use specific procedures that are consistent with the performance audit procedures manual Any deviation from these must be approved by the agency performing the audit All audit equipment and standards including standard gases permeation tubes flow measuring ap paratus and temperature and pressure monitors should be referenced to primary standards Verification of the total audit system output by performing an audit on calibrated instrumentation should be conducted before the audit The verification instrumentation should be calibrated using an independent set of equipment and standards Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 58 10 Upon arrival at the audit site all equipment should be inspected for transit damage Each au
104. such as downtown street canyons and traffic corridors where the general public would be exposed to maximum concentrations from mobile sources Because of the very steep ambient Pb gradients resulting from Pb emissions from mobile sources the dimensions of the Micro scale for Pb generally would not extend beyond 15 meters from the roadway Represents Pb air quality levels in areas up to several city blocks in size with dimensions on the order of approximately 100 meters to 500 meters However the dimensions for middle scale roadway type stations would probably be on the order of 50 150 meters because of the exponential decrease in lead concentration with increasing distances from roadways The middle scale may for example include schools and playgrounds in center city areas which are close to major roadways Middle Would characterize air quality conditions throughout some relatively uniform land use areas with dimensions in the 0 5 to 4 0 kilometer range Stations Neighborhood of this scale would provide monitoring data in areas representing conditions where children live and play Would be used to present ambient Pb concentrations over an entire metropolitan area with dimensions in the 4 to 50 kilometer range Neighborhood Would define conditions within some extended areas of the city that have a relatively uniform land use and range from 0 5 to 4 km Measurements on a neighborhood scale represent conditions throughout a homogeneous urban subregion
105. that the data for the reporting organizations it contains can be pooled d Describe any changes which will be made within the agency s monitoring program the next calendar year e Complete the table below for each of the pollutants monitored as part of your air monitoring network Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 11 of 50 a O f What is the most current official SLAMS Network Description e E e II Does it include the following for each site C emca OOOO S O i a a m E A T M a E ieee E E E Do Game O D e SO H What changes to the Air Monitoring Network are planned for the next period discuss equipment needs in section B 3 g D Does an overall SLAM NAMS Monitoring Plan exist j Has the agency prepared and implemented standard operating procedures SOPs for all facets of agency operation k Do the SOPs adequately address ANSI ASQC E 4 quality system required by 40 CFR App A Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 12 of 50 1 Clearly identify by section number and or document title major changes made to documents since the last on site review Title Section Pollutant s Affected m Does the agency have an implemented plan for operations during emergency episodes Indicate latest revision approval date and current location of Revision Date this plan Approved n During episodes are communications sufficient so that regulatory actions are based on real tim
106. the case of the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program QC activities are used to ensure that measurement uncertainty as discussed in Section 4 is maintained within acceptance criteria for the attainment of the DQO Figure 10 1 describes the process of accepting routine data which includes implementing and evaluating QC activities The QAD document titled EPA Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans provides additional guidance on this subject This document is available on the EPA QA Division Homepage http es epa gov ncerqa qa Figure 10 1 Flow diagram of the acceptance of routine data values There is a wide variety of techniques that fall under the category of QC Figure 10 2 lists a number of these activities Figures 10 1 and 10 2 illustrate the types QC and quality assessment activities used to assess data quality For the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A and the federal reference and equivalent methods in Part II of this document discuss a number of QC checks that are to be used The MQO tables included in Appendix 3 also identify the most critical QC samples However it is the responsibility of the State and local organizations through the development of their QAPP and quality system to develop and document the gt QC techniques gt frequency of the check and the point in the measurement process in which the check is introduced gt traceability of standards gt matrix of the check samp
107. the following formula CO Analyzer Slope and Intercept Readings From CO Analyzer Display Y Vs Zero and Span Cylinders of Known CO Concentration X in ppm The final pollutant concentrations are based on pre and post certification results of the audit van s CO calibration gases NOTE All responses are to be entered into the computer and on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet under the Van CO Analyzer response Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 17 of 35 The three way valve located next to the sample manifold has two positions that are used during the CO Analyzer Calibration Procedure These will be referred to as POSITION 1 and POSITION 2 POSITION 1 1 4 teflon line from the Instrument Port of the rear manifold through the needle valve to the Calibration Port of the front manifold POSITION 2 1 8 teflon line from the CO span cylinders Ultrapure Air to the pressure regulator 1 4 teflon line from the pressure regulator to the Calibration Port of the front manifold 1 Ensure that the CO analyzer has swarmed up for a minimum of 2 1 2 hours can be warming up during ozone audit or while driving to the site 2 Check the sample flow to the TECO 48 CO Analyzer It should be set for approximately 1 lpm 3 Readjust the needle valve on the by pass rotameter if necessary in POSITION 1 to obtain a by pass flow between 0 3 and 0 4 Ipm 4 Set the zero thumb
108. to be corrected prior to the next audit See Volume II Air Monitoring Quality Assurance Manual Appendix A Section A 1 2 3 3 Locate the TP GAS switch on the Dasibi 1009 CP if so equipped and switch it to the TP temperature position The display for the TP is the gas mass flow controller Record the temperature on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 The display should read 60 5 If the calibrator is not equipped with a TP GAS selector switch the temperature is read from the digital volt meter in the upper right hand corner Record the temperature on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 The temperature should be 35 3 If either temperature is not within the acceptable range the audit may not be performed 4 Turn the selector switch to the SPAN position and adjust the span to 5200 5210 5220 5230 and 5240 respectively There are a total of four selector switches The span selector switch is the third switch from the left on the front of the Dasibi 1009 CP under SPAN SET Allow sufficient time at each span position for the chart recorder to mark the chart 5 minutes These points should be within 0 2 of full scale at 0 10 20 30 and 40 on the chart Adjust the analog zero or span pots as necessary 5 Set the span setting to 5250 and confirm the correct setting when the display is updated The span setting is to remain at 5250 throughout the performance audit Ensure that the span setting has
109. to locating their air monitoring equipment in stand alone shelters with limited access or modify existing rooms to the recommended station design if funds and staff time are available In general air monitoring stations should be designed for functionality and ease of access i e instrumentation easily accessed for operation and repair In addition the shelter should be rugged enough to withstand any weather that the local area may generate In the past small utility trailers were the norm in monitoring shelters However in some areas this will not suffice Recently steel and aluminum storage containers are gaining wide acceptance as monitoring shelters It is recommended that monitoring stations be housed in Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 14 shelters that are fairly secure from intrusion or vandalism All sites should be located in fenced or secure areas with access only through locked gates or secure pathways The shelter s design dictates that they be insulated R 19 minimum to prevent temperature extremes within the shelter All foundations should be earthquake secured All monitoring shelters should be designed to control excessive vibrations and external light falling on the instruments and provide 110 220 VAC voltage throughout the year When designing a monitoring shelter make sure that enough electrical circuits are secured for the current load of equipment plus other instruments that may be added later
110. two to five sites depending on the population of the area There is a phase in period of one site per year which started in 1994 The ultimate PAMS network could exceed 90 sites at the end of the 5 year phase in period Part I Section 2 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 5 2 2 Ambient Air Monitoring QA Program Planning NAAMP DQOs Methods Training Guidance Figure 2 2 represents the stages of the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring QA Program The planning implementation assessment and reporting tools will be Reports Ambient Air Implementation briefly discussed below Data Quality Assessments QA QAPP development P amp A Reports Internal QC Activities QA Reports Life Cycle P amp A 2 2 1 Planning Audit Reports Planning activities include Assessments The National Ambient Air Management Systems Audits State EPA Plan NAAMP This is a document that Network Reviews describes how the QA activities that are the FRM Eopformance jyaldation responsibility of the EPA Regions and Headquarters will be implemented Figure 2 2 Ambient Air Quality Monitoring QA Program Data Quality Objectives DQOs DQOs are qualitative and quantitative statements derived from the outputs of the DQO Process that 1 clarify the study objective 2 define the most appropriate type of data to collect 3 determine the most appropriate conditions from which to collect the data and 4 specify tolerable limits on decision errors which will be
111. urban scale measurements Typically these sites will be located near the downwind edge of the photochemical grid model domain There are three fundamental criteria to consider when locating a final PAMS site sector analysis distance and proximate sources 77 These three criteria are considered carefully by EPA when approving or disapproving a candidate site for PAMS 6 3 Monitor Placement SLAMS NAMS Final placement of the monitor at a selected site depends on physical obstructions and activities in the immediate area accessibility availability of utilities and other support facilities in correlation with the defined purpose of the specific monitor and its design Because obstructions such as trees and fences can significantly alter the air flow monitors should be placed away from obstructions It is important for air flow around the monitor to be representative of the general air flow in the area to prevent sampling bias Detailed information on urban physiography e g buildings street dimensions can be determined through Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 11 of 15 visual observations aerial photography and surveys Such information can be important in determining the exact locations of pollutant sources in and around the prospective monitoring site areas Network designers should avoid sampling locations that are unduly influenced by down wash or ground dust e g a rooftop air inlet near a stack or a groun
112. which more intensive community and statewide studies of air pollution can be conducted Urban sampling stations are usually located in the most densely populated areas of the region In most regions there are several urban sites Non urban stations encompass various topographical categories such as farmland desert forest mountain and coast Non urban stations are not selected specifically to be clean air control sites for urban areas but they do provide a relative comparison between some urban and nearby non urban areas Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 15 In interpreting trends data limitations imposed by the network design must be considered Even though precautions are taken to ensure that each sampling site is as representative as possible of the designated area it is impossible to be certain that measurements obtained at a specific site are not unduly influenced by local factors Such factors can include topography structures sources of pollution in the immediate vicinity of the site and other variables the effects which cannot always be accurately anticipated but nevertheless should be considered in network design Comparisons among pollution levels for various areas are valid only if the sites are representative of the conditions for which the study is designed Research Monitoring Air monitoring networks related to health effects are composed of integrating samplers both for determining pollutant
113. 0 Part 53 U S Government Printing Office 1996 Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 58 U S Government Printing Office 1996 Cox William M and Shao Hang Chu Meteorologically Adjusted Ozone Trends in Urban Areas A Probabilistic Approach Tropospheric Ozone and the Environment II Air and Waste Management Association Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 1992 Criteria For Assessing The Role of Transported Ozone Precursors in Ozone Nonattainment Areas EPA 450 4 9 1 015 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina May 1991 Curran Thomas C et al Establishing Data Quality Acceptance Criteria for Air Pollution Data Transactions of the 35 Annual Conference of the American Society for Quality Control May 27 29 1981 Dorosz Stargardt Geri Initial Implementation of the Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations PAMS Network U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina 1993 Easton W C Use of the Flame Photometric Detector Method for Measurement of Sulfur Dioxide in Ambient Air A Technical Assistance Document EPA 600 4 78 024 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 27711 May 1978 Ellis E C Technical Assistance Document for the Chemiluminescence Measurement of Nitrogen Dioxide EPA 600 4 75 003 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 27711 December 1975 Enhanced Ozone Monitoring Network Desig
114. 0 1 Flow rate transfer 2 over the expected range of 40 CFR Pt 50 App M S 8 2 Checked against NIST traceable primary standard Vol II MS 2 10 1 Balance Calibration 1 year Vol IL MS 2 10 4 Calibrate and maintain according to the manufacturer s recommendations Elapsed time meter Standard Periodically ambient conditions Performance Evaluation NPAP 1 year at selected Mean absolute difference 15 Vol II S 16 3 Use information to inform reporting agency for corrective action and sites technical systems audits Precision Single analyzer 1 6 days 5 g m forconc 80 ug m 40 CFR Pt 50 App M S 4 1 Both PM10 values must be gt 20 ug m Reporting 1 3 months 7 for conc gt 80 ug m 40 CFR Pt 58 App A S 5 3 organization 95 CI lt 15 EPA 600 4 83 023 Accuracy Single analyzer 25 of sites None 40 CFR Pt 58 App A Transfer standards different then those used in calibration Recalibrate Annual accuracy quarterly all sites 95 CI 20 EPA 600 4 83 023 before any additional sampling Invalidate data to last acceptable flow yearly Vol II App 15 S6 check if difference gt 10 Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 11 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter PM10 Dichotomous Sampler QC Checks Field calibration flow check 40 CFR Pt 50 App M S 8 2 Trouble shoot and recalibrate sampler 1 month Percentage difference 7 Vol II MS 2 10 3 from sampler s indicated flow rate or
115. 3 To observe pollution trends throughout the region including non urban areas 4 To provide a data base for research and evaluation of effects urban land use and transportation planning development and evaluation of abatement control strategies and development and validation of diffusion models These different objectives could potentially require different DQOs making the development of DQOs complex However if one were to establish DQOs based upon the objective requiring the most stringent data quality requirements one could assume that the other objectives could be met Therefore the DQOs have been initially established based upon ensuring that decision makers can make attainment nonattainment decisions in relation to the NAAQS within a specified degree of certainty Part I Section 3 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 6 Appendix 3 will eventually contain information on the DQO process for each criteria pollutant Since the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network was established prior to the development of the DQO Process a different technique was used to establish data quality acceptance levels Therefore all criteria pollutants are being reviewed in order to establish DQOs using the current DQO process 3 3 Measurement Quality Objectives Once a DQO is established the quality of the data must be evaluated and controlled to ensure that it is maintained within the established acceptance criteria Measurement quality objectiv
116. 40 CFR 53 for NAMS SLAMS or SIP related SPM s Pollutant 1 Please comment briefly and prioritize your currently identified instrument needs Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 18 of 50 2 Quality Control a Please indicate the frequency of multi point calibrations Reporting Organization Pollutant Frequency a eee b Are field calibration procedures included in the document Location site lab etc SOPs c Are calibrations performed in keeping with the guidance in If no why section Vol II of the QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems d Are calibration procedures consistent with the operational If no why requirements of Appendices to 40 CFR 50 or to analyzer operation instruction manuals e Have changes been made to calibration methods based on manufacturer s suggestions for a particular instrument f Do standard materials used for calibrations meet the Comment on deviations requirements of appendices to 40 CFR 50 EPA reference methods and Appendix A tp 40 CFR traceability of materialsto NIST SRMs or CRMs h Please list the authoritative standards used for each type of flow measurement indicate the frequency of calibration standards to maintain field material device credibility Primary Standard Frequency of Calibration Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 19 of 50 a eS ae D Where do filed operations personnel obtain gaseous standards Are those standards
117. 5 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 9 4 98 Page 34 of 35 2 Dasibi 1008 PC The Standards Laboratory recertifies the UV Photometer against a Primary Photometer The slope and intercept derived from this certification are used to calculate true ozone concentrations The Dasibi 1008 PC is used in areas inaccessible to the audit van 3 Gases The High and Low Carbon Monoxide Standards H2S and Superblend Gas Standards NO CH4 SO2 CO and C6H14 CH4 CO are recertified by the Standards Laboratory The concentrations obtained from certification are entered into the van standard s file and are used to determine the true values during a performance audit QUARTERLY AUDIT GAS COMPARISON WITH STANDARDS LABORATORY At the beginning of each quarter an in house audit will be performed with the Program Evaluation and Standards Section The purpose of this audit is to verify the actual concentration of the gases at the end of the audit presentation line This audit is to be performed following the standard Performance Audit format outlined in Sections E 1 2 3 E 1 2 4 E 1 3 and E 1 4 of this procedure The results obtained from this audit can be used to correct the computer generated audit gas concentrations to actual audit gas concentrations in the event that there is a greater than 3 6 percent difference between the calculated and actual values ANNUAL RECERTIFICATION PROCEDURES 1 Annual certifications are performed on the TECO 48 Carbon Monoxide
118. 50 for reference methods Because any analyzer that meets the requirements of the specified measurement principle and calibration procedure may be designated as a reference method there are numerous reference Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 12 of 14 methods for CO NO and O Further information on this subject is in the preamble to 40 CFR part 53 Part II of this Handbook provides details on many of the current reference or equivalent methods Except for the unique reference methods for SO particulates and Pb specified in 40 CFR Part 50 all reference and equivalent methods must be officially designated as such by EPA under the provisions of 40 CFR part 53 Notice of each designated method is published in the Federal Register at the time of designation In addition a current list of all designated reference and equivalent methods is maintained and updated by EPA whenever a new method is designated This list can be found on the AMTIC Bulletin Board http www epa gov ttn amtic obtained from the Quality Assurance Coordinator at any EPA Regional Office or from the National Environmental Research Laboratory MD 77 RTP NC 27711 Moreover any analyzer offered for sale as a reference or equivalent method after April 16 1976 must bear a label or sticker indicating that the analyzer has been designated as a reference or equivalent method by EPA Sellers of designated automated methods must comply with the co
119. A Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 47 of 50 4 Documentation and Data Processing Review Qwesion ves fo comment S a Does the agency periodically review its record keeping activities Please list below areas routinely covered by this review the date of the last review and changes made as a direct result of the review Y N ea le b Are data audits specific re reductions of strip charts or If no please explain similar activities routinely performed for criteria pollutants data reported by the agency d Are they consistent with the recommendations of Sections If no why not 16 4 2 3 of Vol II of the QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems e What is the frequency and level as a percentage of data processed of these audits Audit Frequency Period of Data Audited of Data Rechecked f Identify the criteria for acceptable non acceptable result from a data processing audit for each pollutant as appropriate Pollutant Acceptance Criteria Data Concentration Level Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 48 of 50 me 8 g Are procedures documented and implemented for corrective If yes where are such corrective action procedures actions based on results of data audits which fall outside the documented established limits 5 Corrective Action System Comment o a Does the agency have a comprehensive Corrective Action program in place and operational
120. A certification is the process which ensures the traceability and viability of various QC standards Standard traceability is the process of transferring the accuracy or authority of a primary standard to a field usable standard Traceability protocols are available for certifying a working standard by direct comparison to an NIST SRM Certification requirements are included in Section 10 as well as the individual methods in Part 2 Calibrations Calibrations should be carried out at the field monitoring site by allowing the analyzer to sample test atmospheres containing known pollutant concentrations Calibrations are discussed in Section 12 2 2 3 Assessments Assessment as defined in E2 are evaluation processes used to measure the performance or effectiveness of a system and its elements It is an all inclusive term used to denote any of the following audit performance evaluation management systems review peer review inspection or surveillance Assessments for the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program as discussed in Section 15 include Technical Systems Audits TSA A TSA is an on site review and inspection of a State or local agency s ambient air monitoring program to assess its compliance with established regulations governing the collection analysis validation and reporting of ambient air quality data Both EPA and State organizations perform TSAs Procedures for this audit are included in Appendix 15 and discussed in gen
121. A noncorrosive two stage stainless steel regulator with an evacuation port is suggested 4 Ozone Generator An 0 generator that produces a stable concentration is required during the gas phase titration sequence of the audit An ultraviolet lamp generator is recommended 5 Reaction Chamber A glass chamber used for the quantitative reaction of 0 with NO should have sufficient volume 100 to 500 cm for the residence time to be lt 2 min Elongated glass bulbs such as Kjeldahl connecting flasks are suitable 6 Mixing Chamber A glass or Teflon chamber is used to mix the NO NO or 0 with dilution air The inlet and outlet should be of sufficient diameter so that the chamber is at atmospheric pressure under normal operation and sufficient turbulence must be created in the chamber to facilitate thorough mixing Chamber Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 18 of 58 volumes in the range of 150 to 250 cm are sufficient Glass tine Flowmeter Kjeldahl connecting flasks are P suitable mixing chambers 7 Output Manifold and FI y P cantar Flowmeter hae vw X LK ino e OD Sample Line An output Reaction Chamber manifold used to supply the Fno analyzer with an audit atmosphere at ambient Flow aie pressure should be of aoe sufficient diameter to ensure a minimum pressure drop at the Output Manifold anal
122. Analyzer Barometric Pressure Transducer Thermometers and Ultrapure Air 2 TECO 48 CO Analyzer Certified by the Standards Laboratory against NIST traceable primary CO standards for the 0 50 ppm range only A linearity check is also performed at the same time to verify that the instrument is linear throughout the entire operating range 3 Barometric Pressure Transducer Certified by the Standards Laboratory against a mercury manometer and a Wallace amp Tiernan pressure gauge A slope and intercept are derived from this certification and entered into the van standards file to be used in the correction of ozone and PM10 data to the standard barometric pressure of 760 mm Hg 4 Hi Vol Orifice Certified by the Standards Laboratory against a Primary Roots Meter The slope and intercept derived from the certification are entered into the van standards file and are used to calculate Hi Vol sampler flow rates Volume V Section E 1 5 Revision 5 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 9 4 98 Page 35 of 35 INSTRUMENT ID DATE QUARTER If 2 3 4 VEHICLE VAN A VAN B J TRUE OZONE PREVIOUS QUARTER LINE LOSS INSIDE OUTSIDE zero S Ree Pee CG 6 a ea AVERAGE Ps ARAE DIFFERENCE SE AVERAGE Paver DIFFERENCE D TT fc ia CT Sone ee ie i DETIENE SEN AVERAGE Pc AVERAGE DIFFERENCE CO Co A ECEE CEEE EA E TT AVERAGE o RAE DIFFERENCE APRO O eee aes AVERAGE
123. Board Part I Appendix 2 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 7 QA RELATED AMBIENT MONITORING DOCUMENTS STATUS Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume I A Field Guide to Environmental Quality Assurance U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 600 R 94 038a April 1994 Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume II Ambient Air Specific Methods U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 600 R 94 038b April 1994 Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume III Stationary Source Specific Methods U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 600 R 94 038c September 1994 Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume IV Meteorological Measurements U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 600 R 94 038d Revised April 1994 Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume V Precipitation Measurement Systems Interim Edition EPA 600 R 94 038e April 1994 Interim edition replaces EPA 600 4 77 027a revised 1990 final updated edition expected early 1998 Interim edition replaces EPA 600 4 77 027b revised 1992 final updated edition expected late 1995 Interim edition replaces EPA 600 4 82 042a b final updated edition expected early 1996 Air Monitoring Strategy for State Implementation Plans Historical interest only EPA 450 2 77 010 June 1977 Guideline on the
124. Concentration Difference indicates either a nonlinear response or a true negative zero response Recalculation of the regression coeffi cients excluding the zero audit data indicates the true zero lies at approximately 0 016 ppm This situation is most commonly encountered when auditing analyzers that use log amplifiers logic counter circuitry or data loggers that are incapable of recording a negative response Flame photometric and UV photometric analyzers may exhibit audit data of this kind Case 3 Figure A 17 illustrates a data set which indicates a positive response to the audit zero air con centration An inspection of the difference data shows a large positive difference at the lower audit con 0 5 o D So i w P Station Measured Concentration ppm z 2 r 0 9997 m 0 980 b 0 014 l 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 Audit Concentration ppm Figure A 17 Audit data interpretation Case 3 0 5 centrations and negligible differences at the higher audit Data for Figure A 17 Audit Concentration ppm Station Concentration Difference ppm concentrations The slope of the regression line indicates a difference between the audit concentrations and analyzer responses of 2 0 with an intercept that is not significantly different from the zero air response The data indicate that the audit zero air source has a positive bias or the problem may be caused by analyzer positive
125. Date 8 98 Page 40 of 58 Analyzer model number Serial number Pollutant cylinder no Auditor Pollutant cylinder concentration Start time Stop time Zero setting Span setting Time constant Part II Audit NIST Analyzer Point cylinder reference Analyzer concentration Number number conc ppm response ppm difference Part III REGRESSION ANALYSIS Analyzer response ppm m audit b Slope m Intercept b Correlation r Comments Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 41 of 58 6 Ozone Audit Procedure Using Ultraviolet Photometry 6 1 Principle O concentrations are generated by using a UV generator transfer standard and each atmosphere is verified by using UV photometry The UV photometry procedure for O audits is based on the Lambert Beer absorption law e acl Transmittance us i lo Equation 1 20 where a the absorption coefficient of O at 254 nm 308 4atm cm at 0 C and 760 torr c the O concentration atm and l the optical path length cm 6 2 Applicability The procedure can be used to audit all types of commercially available O analyzers which operate in a range of 0 to Ippm 6 3 Accuracy The accuracy of the audit procedure should be within 2 5 if the O source is a photometer or transfer standard and flow rates are determined to using EPA recommended procedures 6 4 Apparatus An UV photometric system which is used for auditin
126. Description of results and responses to Appendix 16 problems Control chart Shows whether a repetitive process stays Figure 12 3 of this Handbook within QC limits Black box report Shows if project goals were met Executive Summary of Appendix 16 Bar charts Shows relationships between numerical Included in most graphic and spreadsheet values programs X Y scatter charts Shows relationships between two Included in most graphic and spreadsheet variables programs Probability limit charts Show a numerical value with its Figure 1 of Appendix 16 associated precision range Part I Section No 16 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 4 16 1 4 Annual Quality Assurance Report The annual quality assurance report an example is provided in Appendix 16 should consist of a number of sections that describe the quality objectives for measurement data and how those objectives have been met A suggested organization might include Executive Summary of Report to Management The executive summary should be a short no more than two page section that summarizes the annual quality assurance report to management It should contain a checklist graphic that lets the reader know how the reporting organization has met its goals for the report period In addition a short discussion of future needs and plans should be included Introduction This section describes the quality objectives for measurement data and serves as an overview of the reporting o
127. Devices capable of maintaining constant flow rates to within 2 are required Suitable flow controllers include brass micro metering valves in tandem with a precision regulator mass flow controllers capillary restrictors and porous plug restrictors 3 Flowmeters Flowmeters capable of measuring pollutant and diluent gas flow rates to within 2 are required NIST traceable soap bubble flowmeters calibrated mass flow controllers mass flowmeters and calibrated orifice capillary and porous plug restrictors are suitable 4 Mixing chamber A glass or Teflon chamber is used to mix the CO with dilution air The inlet and outlet should be of sufficient diameter so that the chamber is at atmospheric pressure under normal operation and sufficient turbulence must be created in the chamber to facilitate thorough mixing Chamber volumes in the range of 100 to 250 cm are sufficient Glass Kjeldahl connecting flasks are suitable mixing chambers 5 Output manifold and sample line An output manifold used to supply the analyzer with an audit atmosphere at ambient pressure should be of sufficient diameter to ensure a minimum pressure drop at the analyzer connection and the manifold must be vented so that ambient air will not mix with the audit atmosphere during system operations Recommended manifold materials are glass or Teflon The sample line must be nonreactive and flexible therefore Teflon tubing is preferred Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98
128. Figure 7 1 represents one shelter design that has proven adequate The first feature of the shelter is that there are two rooms separated by a door The reasons for this are two fold The entry and access should be into the computer data review area This allows access to the site without having to open the room that houses the equipment It also isolates Cable Conduit the equipment from cold hot air that can come into the shelter when someone enters Also the Data Acquisition System DAS data review area is isolated from the noise and vibration of the equipment This area can be a place where the operator can print data and prepare samples for the laboratory This also gives the operator an area where cursory data review can take place If something is observed during this initial review then Figure 7 1 Example design for shelter possible problems can be corrected or investigated at that time The DAS can be linked through cables that travel through conduit into the equipment area The conduit is attached to the ceiling or walls and then dropped down to the instrument rack Instrument Rack Temp Sensor The air conditioning heating unit should be mounted to heat and cool the equipment room When specifying the unit make sure it will cool the room on the warmest and heat on the coldest days of the year Also make sure the electrical circuits are able to carry the load If necessary keep the door closed between
129. I Section 2 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 5 reviewers Effective implementation of the QAPP assists project managers in keeping projects on schedule and within the resource budget Internal QC Activities Quality Control QC is the overall system of technical activities that measures the attributes and performance of a process item or service against defined standards to verify that they meet the stated requirements established by the customer that are used to fulfill requirements for quality In the case of the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network QC activities are used to ensure that measurement uncertainty is maintained within established acceptance criteria for the attainment of the DQOs Federal regulation provides for the implementation of a number of qualitative and quantitative checks to ensure that the data will meet the DQOs Each of the checks attempts to evaluate phases of measurement uncertainty Some of these checks are discussed below and in Section 10 Precision and Accuracy P amp A Checks These checks are described in the Code of Federal Regulations as well as a number of sections in this document in particular Section 10 These checks can be used to provide an overall assessment of measurement uncertainty Zero Span Checks These checks provide an internal quality control check of proper operation of the measurement system These checks are discussed in Section 10 and 12 Annual Certifications
130. Implementation of the Ambient Air Monitoring Regulations 40 CFR Part 58 EPA 450 4 79 038 November 1979 Model Quality Assurance Project Plan for the PM Ambient Air Monitoring Program March 1998 Historical interest only Presently on AMTIC www epa gov ttn amtic pmqa html Quality Management EPA Quality Systems Requirements for Environmental Programs EPA QA R 1 Guidance for Developing Quality Systems for Environmental Data Operations EPA QA G 1 EPA Requirements for Quality Management Plans EPA QA R 2 U S Environmental Protection Agency QAD August 1994 Guidance for Preparing Quality Management Plans EPA QA G 2 Available in Summer 1998 Fall 1998 Final version of this document is expected to be available in Summer 1998 Unsure when available Part I Appendix 2 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 7 DOCUMENT TITLE STATUS Guidance for the Management Systems Review Process Available in Summer 1998 EPA QA G 3 Draft January 1994 EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans Final version of this document will be available in QA R 5 Current Version Draft August 1994 Spring 1997 Guidance on Quality Assurance Project Plans EPA G Final February 1998 5 EPA 600 R 98 018 Policy and Program Requirements to Implement the Current basis for EPA QA program updated in 1995 Mandatory Quality Assurance Program Order 5360 1 draft Order April 1984 Data Quality Objectives Da
131. MS and National Air Monitoring Stations NAMS networks gt monitoring compounds volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides referred to as ozone precursors that can produce the criteria pollutant ozone This monitoring is conducted as part of the Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations PAMS network gt monitoring toxic air pollutants The purpose of this report is to summarize the results of quality assurance activities performed by ARO to ensure that the data meets its quality objectives This report is organized by ambient air pollutant category e g gaseous criteria pollutants air toxics The following are discussed for each pollutant category gt program overview and update gt quality objectives for measurement data gt data quality assessment DATA QUALITY Data quality is related to the need of users for data of sufficient quality for decision making Each user specifies their needed data quality in the form of their data quality objectives DQOs Quality objectives for measurement data are designed to ensure that the end user s DQOs are met Measurement quality objectives are concerned with both with quantitative objectives such as representativeness completeness promptness accuracy precision and detection level and qualitative objectives such as site placement operator training and sample handling techniques QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCEDURES Quality assurance is a general term for the procedures used t
132. Manufacturers spec 42C 2 15 g for unexposed filters lt 3 ug 15 ug difference QA Guidance Document 2 12 Reference 2 12 Sec 7 Part 50 App L Sec 8 2 2 12 Sec 7 10 2 12 sec 7 2 QAPP Sec 13 16 QAPP Sec 13 16 2 12 Sec 10 2 2 12 Sec 7 8 2 12 Sec 4 3 and 7 3 2 12 Tab 7 1 QAPP Sec 13 16 Information Provided Filter stabilization equilibrium Laboratory contamination Verification of equipment operation Verification of equipment operation Verification of equipment operation Laboratory technician operation Balance accuracy stability Standards verification Primary standards verification Weighing repeatability filter stability Part I Section 10 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 5 Part I Section No 10 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 5 Other elements of an organization s QAPP that may contain related sampling and analytical QC requirements include gt Sampling Design which identifies the planned field QC samples as well as procedures for QC sample preparation and handling gt Sampling Methods Requirements which includes requirements for determining if the collected samples accurately represent the population of interest gt Sample Handling and Custody Requirements which discusses any QC devices employed to ensure samples are not tampered with e g custody seals or subjected to other unacceptable conditions during transport gt Analytical Methods Require
133. NO Other settings Audit system Bubble flowmeter serial number Audit standard lt P psig ppm Clean dry air Flow correction FO Pa Pno 298K _ 760 mm T 273 Dilution air flow Volume cm Flowmeter Tl T2 T3 cm3 min I min c r Ozone generator flow Volume cm Flowmeter T1 T2 T3 cm3 min I min c r Analyzer response clean dry air Chart Vdc ppm NO NO NO Table A 4 continued Part 1 NO NO AUDIT NO NO x Audit point I 10 Pollutant flow measurement Volume Tl T2 T3 I Analyzer response NO NO Audit point II 20 Pollutant flow measurement Volume Tl T2 T3 I Analyzer response NO NO x Audit point I 40 Pollutant flow measurement Volume Tl T2 I T3 Analyzer response NO NO NO NO NOx NO NO NOx NO Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 25 of 58 Flowmeter Volume min C 7 cm3 min NO NO audit concentration ppm Chart Vdc ppm Flowmeter Volume min Ca 7 cm3 min NO NOx audit concentration ppm Chart Vdc ppm Flowmeter Volume min Ch 7 cm3 min NO NOx audit concentration ppm Chart Vdc ppm Table A 4 continued NO NO x Audit point IT 60 Pollutant flow measure
134. O ozone O and sulfur dioxide SO to determine attainment of Federal NAAQS and State ambient air quality standards Monitoring of these pollutants is conducted continuously by a network of automated stations PROGRAM UPDATE At the beginning of 2000 the Acme Reporting Organization operated 38 ambient air monitoring stations that measured gaseous criteria pollutants On March 1 2000 a station was opened at Townone to monitor CO NO O and SO The station at Towntwo which monitored NO O and SO was closed in April 2000 QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR MEASUREMENT DATA The Quality Objectives for the Acme Reporting Organization s ambient air monitoring of gaseous criteria pollutants are shown in Table 2 below Table 2 Quality Objectives for Gaseous Criteria Pollutants Data Quality Indicator Objective Promptness 100 DATA QUALITY ASSESSMENT Summary Assessment of the data quality for ARO gaseous criteria pollutants showed that all instruments met goals for accuracy precision completeness and promptness System audits showed siting problems at three sites two of these were corrected promptly while the third site had to be closed due to the construction of a nearby large office building Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 9 of 24 Promptness and Completeness At least 75 percent of scheduled monitoring data must be reported for purposes of determining attainment of NAAQS All data must be submitted within
135. O Corrective Action Request Part A To be completed by requestor To John S Visor Organization Responsible for Action _ ARO Ambient Air Monitoring Section Urgency O Emergency failure to take action immediately may result in injury or property damage O Immediate 4 hours X Urgent 24 Routine 7 days hours O As resources allow For Information only From _ William Operator phone _ 000 555 1000 fax __ 000 555 1001 e mail _billo localhost Copies to Always send a copy to the ARO Site Coordinator at 115 Generic Office Building Townone XX 00001 Problem Identification Site Location __Townsix site System _ sample inlet Date problem identified _ Aug 1 2000 he a aaa Nature of problem __ Glass sample inlet and dropout trap broken during removal of weeds from site Recommended Action _ Replace broken parts Signature _ William Operator Date Aug 1 2000 Part B to be completed by responsible organization Problem Resolution Date corrective action taken August 4 2000 Summary of Corrective Action _ Replacement parts were ordered and received The new parts were installed within three days of the request Data from the days with a cracked sample inlet will be flagged as questionable Effectiveness of corrective action __ Sample inlet restored to new condition Signature _ John Visor Date Aug 4 2000 Phone __ 000 555 2000 Fax 000 555 2001 e mail _ jsv localhost Send c
136. O generator setting Chart Voc C ORIG NO Spm NO pein NO gt 4 NO orig NO rey ppm Chart Voc ppm NO TN Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 28 of 58 Table A 4 continued NO Audit Point IV Chart Voc ORIG Analyzer response NO ppm NOx ppm O generator setting Chart Voc ORIG NO ppm NO ppm NO2 NO org NO rem _____ ppm Chart Voc C ppm NO ppm Chart Voc ORIG NO Audit Point V Analyzer response NO ppm NOx ppm O generator setting Chart Voc ORIG NO ppm NOx ppm NO3 NO org NO rey __ _ ppm Chart Voc ppm NO ppm Calculated concentration from NO or NOx audit calibration equation y mx b Part III Data Tabulation NO Channe Point Audit Conc ppm Concentration Response Analyzer audit ppm ppm E 8 Analyzer response ppm m audit b Slope m Intercept b Correlation r Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 29 of 58 Table A 4 continued NOx Channel Audit Conc ppm Point Concentration Response Analyzer audit NO NO NO Total ppm ppm a ee OO ae OO we a a Analyzer response ppm m audit b Slope m Intercept b _ Correlation r NO Channel Point Audit Conc ppm Concentration Response Analyzer audit ppm ppm fe a aaa E d EEE EE Dee e o a Analyzer response ppm m a
137. O s standard operating procedures except for the following gt The Towntwo site was shadowed by a 20 story office building which was recently completed This site was closed in July 2000 gt The Townfour site had problems with vandalism A new more secure fence was installed in April and the sheriff s department increased patrols in the area to prevent reoccurrences gt Newly acquired laboratory analytical instruments did not have maintenance logs New logs were obtained and personnel were instructed on their use A spot check approximately one month later indicated the new logs were in use A review of equipment inventories identified three older sulfur dioxide ambient air monitors that based on our past experience are likely to experience problems Cost information and a schedule for replacement has been prepared and submitted to management for funding Based on this schedule the new monitors will be installed before the end of 2001 Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 24 INTRODUCTION The Acme Reporting Organization ARO conducts ambient air monitoring programs for the State Bureau of Environmental Quality and local air quality management districts These programs involve gt monitoring of criteria pollutants to determine the National Ambient Air Quality Standards NAAQS attainment status of state and local air quality This monitoring is conducted as part of the State and Local Air Monitoring Stations SLA
138. Offices and the 170 state and local agencies that operate the SLAMS NAMS PAMS PSD air pollution monitors Also included in the NPAP are approximately 135 organizations governmental and private that operate air monitors at PSD sites Participation in the NPAP is required for agencies operating SLAMS NAMS PAMS PSD monitors as per Section 2 4 of 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A and Section 2 4 of 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix B Participation in the NPAP program is also mandatory for the 22 agencies which monitor for photochemical oxidants under EPA s Photochemical Assessment Monitoring PAMS program These agencies monitor for carbonyl compounds volatile organic compounds NO and ozone The NPAP s goal is to provide audit materials and devices that will enable EPA to assess the proficiency of agencies that are operating monitors in the SLAMS NAMS PAMS PSD networks To accomplish this the NPAP has established acceptable limits or performance criteria based on the data quality needs of the SLAMS NAMS PAMS PSD requirements for each of the audit materials and devices used in the NPAP All audit devices and materials used in the NPAP are certified as to their true value and that certification is traceable to a National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST standard material or device wherever possible The audit materials used in the NPAP are as representative and comparable as possible to the calibration materials and actual air samples used and or coll
139. Operating Procedures and the Quality Assurance Plan 2 Audit Participation Indicate frequency of participation in an audit program Include as necessary the agency s participation in the National Performance Audit Program NPAP as required by 40 CFR Part 58 Comment on audit results and any corrective actions taken 3 Accuracy and Precision As a goal the 95 probability limits for precision all pollutants and TSP accuracy should be less than 15 At 95 probability limits the accuracy for all other pollutants should be less than 20 Using a short narrative and a summary table compare the reporting organization s performance against these goals over the last two years Explain any deviations Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 50 4 Discussion includes a narrative of the way in which the audit results above are being interpreted It should clearly identify the derivation of audit results which affect both data quality and overall agency oper ations and should outline the basis in regulations and guideline documents for the specific mutually agreed upon corrective action recommendations 5 Conclusions and Recommendations should center around the overall performance of the agency s monitoring program Major problem areas should be highlighted The salient facts of mutually agreed upon corrective action agreements should be included in this section An equally important aspect to be considered in the conclusion is
140. P s governing those operations gt Were the environmental data operations performed on the correct time and date originally specified Many environmental operations must be performed within a specific time frame for example the NAAQS samples for particulates are collected once every six days from midnight to midnight The monitor timing mechanisms must have operated correctly for the sample to be collected within the time frame specified gt Did the sampler or monitor perform correctly Individual checks such as leak checks flow checks meteorological influences and all other assessments audits and performance checks must have been acceptably performed and documented gt Did the environmental sample pass an initial visual inspection Many environmental samples can be flagged qualified during the initial visual inspection gt Were the environmental data operations performed to meet data quality objectives designed for those specific data operations and were the operations performed as specified The objectives for environmental data operations must be clear and understood by all those involved with the data collection 17 3 Data Validation Methods Data validation is a routine process designed to ensure that reported values meet the quality goals of the environmental data operations Data validation is further defined as examination and provision of objective evidence that the particular requirements for a specific intended u
141. PA 600 4 75 003 Office of Research and Development Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC December 1975 13 Guidelines for Development of a Quality Assurance Program Reference Method for the Continuous Measurement of Carbon Monoxide in the Atmosphere EPA R4 73 028a Office of Research and Monitoring U S Environmental Protection Agency Washington DC June 1973 14 Technical Assistance Document for the Calibration of Ambient Ozone Monitors EPA 600 479057 Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC September 1979 STATE OF CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD MONITORING AND LABORATORY DIVISION QUALITY ASSURANCE SECTION VOLUME V AUDIT PROCEDURES MANUAL FOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING APPENDIX E PERFORMANCE AUDIT PROCEDURES FOR THRU THE PROBE CRITERIA AUDITS Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 35 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 35 NOVEMBER 1995 TABLE OF CONTENTS APPENDIX E PERFORMANCE AUDIT PROCEDURES FOR THRU THE PROBE CRITERIA AUDITS PAGES REVISION DATE E 1 PERFORMANCE AUDIT PROCEDURES E 1 0 INTRODUCTION 2 4 11 01 95 E 1 0 1 General Information E 1 0 2 Equipment E 1 1 START UP PROCEDURES 5 4 11 01 95 E 1 1 1 Generator E 1 1 2 Van Interior E 1 1 3 Site Set Up E 1 1 4 Van O3 Instrument Operational Check E 1 2 THRU THE PROBE AUDIT 16 4 11 01
142. Page 11 of 13 notations notes and calibration information that the station operators provide for the group The review process for the station operator could include gt SO reviewing calibration information the hourly data and any flags that could effect data and recording any information on the daily summaries that might be vital to proper review of the data gt SO at regular intervals bringing strip charts daily summaries monthly maintenance sheets and site log notes to the laboratory for secondary review gt SO at the laboratory reviewing the data and marking any notations or invalidations that occurred providing strip charts daily summaries site notes and monthly maintenance sheets for ready access by the data processing staff gt DP reviewing all hand reduced data calibrations precision data station notes and monthly maintenance sheets for the month checking a percentage of all calibrations and strip chart data for comparison against the DAS and if significant differences are observed determining what corrective action steps are required 14 2 4 5 DAS Data Handling and Reporting This section presents standard data handling and reporting techniques that should be used by reporting agencies Initialization Errors All data acquisition systems must be initialized The initialization consists of an operator setting up the parameters so that the voltages produced by the instruments can be read scaled
143. Page 31 of 58 6 Dilution air source The diluent source must be free of CO and water vapor Clean dry air from a compressed gas cylinder is suitable choices for dilution air A catalytic oxidizer connected in line is one method of scrubbing CO from the dilution air 7 CO gas cylinder A compressed gas cylinder containing 100 to 200 ppm CO in an air or N matrix is used as the CO dilution source If the CO standard is contained in a N matrix the zero air dilution ratio cannot be less than 100 1 This cylinder must be traceable to an NIST SRM number 1677 1678 1679 1680 or 1681 4 5 Procedure Equipment setup Assemble the audit equipment as required and verify that all the equipment is operational If a clean dry air system equipped with a catalytic oxidizer is used allow the oxidizer to warm up for 30 min Connect the gas regulator to the CO cylinder and evacuate the regulator as follows 1 With the cylinder valve closed connect a vacuum pump to the evacuation outlet on the regulator and start the pump 2 Open and close the evacuation port 3 Open and close the cylinder valve 4 Open and close the evacuation port 5 Repeat steps 2 through 4 five more times to be sure all 2 impurities are removed from the regulator If the regulator does not have an evacuation port but has a supported diaphragm the procedure can be conducted at the gas exit port For regulators that do not have an evacuation port but have an unsupported diap
144. Park North Carolina October 1991 Quality Control Practice in Processing Air Pollution Samples U S Environmental Protection Agency APTD 1132 March 1973 Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement System Volume 1 Principles EPA 600 9 76 005 March 1976 Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume ll Ambient Air Specific Methods EPA 600t4 77 027a Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume I Ambient Air Specific Methods EPA 600 4 77 027a May 1977 Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume ll Ambient Air Specific Methods EPA 600t4 77027a5 Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC Quality Control Practice in Processing Air Pollution Samples U S Environmental Protection Agency APTD 1132 March 1973 Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume IV Meteorological Measurements EPA 600 4 82 060 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina 1989 Rethinking The Ozone Problem In Urban And Regional Air Pollution National Research Council National Academy Press Washington D C 1991 Rhodes R C Guideline on the Meaning and Use of Precision and Accuracy Data Required by 40 CFR Part 58 App
145. Precursor concentrations on this scale of a few kilometers will become well mixed and can be used to assess exposure impacts and track emissions Neighborhood data will provide information on pollutants relative to residential and local business districts VOC sampling at Site 2 is characteristic of a neighborhood scale Measurements of these reactants are ideally located just downwind of the edge of the urban core emission areas Further definition of neighborhood and urban scales is provided in Appendix D of 40 CFR 58 and Reference 9 Would represent concentration distributions over a metropolitan area Monitoring on this scale relates to precursor emission distributions and control strategy plans for an MSA CMSA PAMS Sites 1 3 and 4 are characteristic of the urban scale Part I Appendix 6 B Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 6 Appendix 6 B Procedures for locating Open Path Instruments The following figures represent procedures for locating open path instruments for various pollutants based upon different sampling scales Part I Appendix 6 B Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 6 Procedures for Locating NO Source Impact Stations Assemble background material emissions inventories meteorological data topographic population land use maps wind roses existing monitoring data stack parameters etc Is the objective to determine annual or Annual impacts short term impacts Use emis
146. QA Guidance Document 2 12 Reference Sec 6 3 Sec 6 3 amp 8 4 Sec 8 4 Sec 6 6 amp 8 4 Sec 6 6 amp 8 4 Sec 6 4 Sec 6 4 and 8 4 Sec 6 4 and 8 4 Sec 6 5 Sec 8 2 not described Sec 10 2 Sec 10 2 Sec 10 2 Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 19 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter PM Requirement Frequency Acceptance Criteria 40 CFR QA Guidance Reference Document 2 12 Reference Precision Collocated samples every 6 days for 25 of sites CV lt 10 Part 58 App A Sec 3 5 and 5 5 Sec 10 2 not described Single analyzer 1 3 mo CV lt 10 not described not described Single Analyzer 1 yr CV lt 10 not described not described Reporting Org 1 3 mo CV lt 10 not described Calibration amp Check Standards Flow Rate Transfer Std 2 of NIST traceable Std Part 50 App L Sec 9 1 amp 9 2 Sec 6 3 Field Thermometer 0 1 C resolution not described Sec 4 2 amp 6 4 0 5 C accuracy Field Barometer 1 mm Hg resolution not described 5 mm Hg accuracy Working Mass Stds 0 025 mg not described Sec 4 3 and 7 3 Primary Mass Stds 0 025 mg not described Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 20 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter PAMS Volatile Organic Compounds VOC Requirement Acceptance Criteria Information Action Shelter Temperature Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been Temperature range Daily 20 to 30 C
147. RS Site ID Date Observed by CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS OBSERVED CRITERIA MET eae een ees Vertical Probe Placement Par 2 7 m above ground for 7 1 microscale Oo e I scales ToS a penthouses etc ifferenti Oo canyon sites Furnace or Incinerator Flues Recommended that none are in Spacing from Station to Road 5 15 m for microscale Par 7 3 See Table 4 for other scales J d Spacing from Trees Par 7 4 Should be 20 m from trees PNA 10 m if trees are an obstruction Comments Citations from 40 CFR 58 Appendix E Part I Appendix 15 Section 1 Date 9 4 98 Page 7 of 11 HIC NITROGEN DIOXIDE NAMS SLAMS SITE EVALUATION Agency Site Name Site Address City amp State AIRS Site ID Date Observed by CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS OBSERVED CRITERIA MET ee E a e a l ee e A r 6 1 Ea eel hia A E Structure Par 6 1 ee ees ed protrudes above probe side of building Roadway Par 6 3 z Spacing from Trees Par 6 4 Should be 20m 10 mif trees are an Eee ae y Probe Material Par 9 Teflon or pyrex glass Residence Time Par 9 Lessthan 20 seconds Comments A Citations from 40 CFR 58 Appendix E Part I Appendix 15 Section 1 Date 9 4 98 Page 8 of 11 IID OZONE NAMS SLAMS SITE EVALUATION Agency Site Name Site Address City amp State AIRS Site ID Date Observed by CRITERIA Vertical Probe Placement Par 5 1 Spacing from Supporting Structure
148. Records 0 00000 cece eee eee MEASUREMENT ACQUISITION 6 Sampling Process Design 6 1 Monitoring Objectives and Spatial Scales 6 2 Site Location yh cae be ae Sec babe Sed eee Sees eek 6 3 Monitor Placement 0 0 e eee ee eee eee ee 6 4 Minimum Network Requirements 6 5 Sampling Schedules 0 e cece eee eee Revision 0 gt Date 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 Section Page Revision Date 7 Sampling Methods 0 8 98 7 1 Environmental Control 0 0 22 eee eee 1 14 7 2 Sampling Probes and Manifolds 4 14 7 3 Reference and Equivalent Methods 11 14 8 Sample Handling and Custody 0 8 98 8 1 Sample Handling psss scoi api apr irns ADE Vaa ARRERA 1 4 8 2 Chain of Custody 0 0 cece eee eee eee 3 4 9 Analytical Methods 0 8 98 9 1 Standard Operating Procedures 00 1 3 9 2 Good Laboratory Practices 0 0 e cee eee 2 3 9 3 Laboratory Activities 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 3 10 Quality Control 0 8 98 10 1 Use of Computers in Quality Control 5 5 11 Instrument Equipment Testing Inspection and 0 8 98 Maintenance 11 1 Instrumentation 0 0 1 5 11 2 Preventive Maintenance 0 0000000 eee 3 5 12 Instrument Calibration and Frequency 0 8 98 12 1 Calibration Standards
149. SEPA United States Office of Air Quality EPA 454 R 98 004 Environmental Protection Planning and Standards August 1998 Agency Research Triangle Park NC 27711 Air Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume II Part 1 Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program Quality System Development Foreword This document represents Volume II of a 5 volume quality assurance QA handbook series dedicated to air pollution measurement systems Volume I provides general QA guidance that is pertinent to the remaining volumes Volume II is dedicated to the Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Program and the data collection activities of that program The intent of the document is twofold The first is to provide additional information and guidance on the material covered in the Code of Federal Regulations pertaining to the Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Program The second is to establish a set of consistent QA practices that will improve the quality of the nation s ambient air data and ensure data comparability among sites across the nation Therefore the document is written for technical personnel at State and local monitoring agencies and is intended to provide enough information to develop a quality system for ambient air quality monitoring The information in this document was revised developed by many of the organizations implementing the Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Program Therefore the guidance has been peer re
150. ST traceability is used as the pollutant source Permeation rates between 0 5 to 1 5 ug min fulfill the auditing requirements Traceability is established by referencing the permeation device to an NIST SRM number 1625 1626 or 1627 Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 58 8 Permeation Tube Storage A storage device capable of keeping the permeation tube encased in dry air is required small cases containing Drierite or silica gel will serve this purpose The useful life of a permeation tube will vary among vendor types a 9 mo life can be used for estimating purposes low temperature 2 to 5 C will prolong the tube life Do not freeze the permeation tube 1 5 Procedure Equipment Setup Remove the permeation tube from the storage case insert it into the permeation chamber and start the carrier flow approximately 50 cm min_ across the tube Set the permeation temperature at the desired setting and allow the permeation source to equilibrate For changes of 1 or 2 C an equilibrium period of 3 h should suffice For changes of 10 C or when the source is removed from low temperature storage an equilibrium period of 24 h is advisable Several commercially available permeation calibrators use a carrier flow to maintain a constant temperature around the tube during transport In this instance equilibration is not necessary because the oven temperature is continuously maintained within 0 10 C of the desired permeation temperature Aud
151. Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 23 of 58 Converter efficiency NO cony is calculated for each audit point using Equation 1 14 and is used to determine the NO analyzer converter efficiency using Equation 1 15 NOx orig and NOx rem are calcu lated from the NOx audit calibration equation INO conv NOp 4 INOxloric INOxdrem Equation 1 14 converter NO cony __ x 100 efficiency NO Equation 1 15 3 6 Calculations Record the audit data in the appropriate spaces of Table A 4 Percent difference The difference is calculated as follows Cua difference x 100 C Equation 1 16 where Cy station measured concentration ppm and C calculated audit concentration ppm Regression analysis Calculate by least squares the slope intercept and correlation coefficient of the station analyzer response data y versus the audit concentration data These data can be used to interpret analyzer performance 3 7 Reference References 4 through 6 8 10 and 12 provide additional information on the NO audit procedure Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 24 of 58 Table A 4 Gas Phase Audit Data Report Station Date Address Start Time Ty C Pa Analyzer mm Hg Pipo mmHg Auditor Serial Number Calibration standard Span source Last calibration date Frequency Range Calibration Comments Flow settings Zero setting NO NO NO NO NO Span setting
152. State and local organizations also conduct performance audits Detailed information on the procedures for this audit can be found in Appendix 15 15 3 Technical Systems Develop Audit Schedule Audits Contact Reporting Organization Sos to Ser TeVe Dates A systems audit is an on site review and inspection of a State or i 4 Revise Schedule as Necessary local agency S ambient ar monitoring program to assess its 3 compliance with established regula tions governing the collection analysis validation and reporting of ambient air quality data A systems audit of each state or autonomous agency within an EPA is ce ema SRNE Initiate Travel Plans Region is performed every three years by a member of the Regional E A Quality Assurance QA staff Reporting Organization QA Officer Detailed discussions of the audits performed by the EPA and the State and local organizations are Contact Reporting Organization to Discuss Audit Procedures Firm Dates for On Site Visits Develop Checklist of Points for Discussion Provided by Reporting Organization found m Appendix 15 the information presented in this section provides general guidance for conducting technical systems Contact Agency to Set Specific audits A systems audit should Finalize Travel Plans with Information Interview and Site Inspection Times consist of three separate phases gt pre audit ac
153. System that is until the response does not vary more than 2 of the Test measurement range over a 5 min Atmosphere Audit Manifold Exhaust period Obtain the station response and concentration from the station operator and record the data in the appropriate blanks on the data form Figure A 5 Schematic configuration utilized in auditing the gas analyzers 2 Generate the SLAMS audit concentrations which yer ewe eT Concentration range ppm are compatible with the analyzer range as audit atmospheres consistent with the requirements in 1 0 03 0 08 Appendix A 2 0 15 0 20 E 3 0 35 0 45 Generate the audit concentrations by adjusting the 4 0 80 0 90 pollutant flow rate Fp and the total flow rate Ft to provide the necessary dilution factor Calculate the audit concentration as follows Fp SO F SO3 srp Equation 1 3 T where SO audit concentration of SO ppm Fp pollutant flow rate cm min Fr total flow rate cm min equal to the sum of the pollutant flow rate Fp and the dilution flow rate Fp SO srp concentration of the standard cylinder ppm 3 Generate the highest audit concentration first and consecutively generate audit points of decreasing concentration Allow the analyzer to sample the audit atmosphere until a stable response is obtained Obtain the station response and concentration from the station operator and record the data in the appropriate spac
154. about the method by which the reagents for a particular test were prepared or about the competence of the laboratory technician preparing these items the credibility of the ambient air samples and the test results will be diminished It is essential that a careful record be kept listing the dates the reagents were prepared by whom and their locations at all times from preparation until actual use Prior to the test one individual should be given the responsibility of monitoring the handling and the use of the reagents Each use of the reagents should be recorded in a field or lab notebook Calibration of an analyzer establishes the quantitative relationship between actual pollutant concentration input in ppm ppb ug m etc and the analyzer s response chart recorder reading output volts digital output etc This relationship is used to convert subsequent analyzer response values to corresponding pollutant concentrations Since the response of most analyzers has a tendency to change somewhat with time drift the calibration must be updated or the analyzer s response must be adjusted periodically to maintain a high degree of accuracy Each analyzer should be calibrated as directed by the analyzer s opera tion or instruction manual and in accordance with the general guidance provided here For reference meth ods for CO NO and O detailed calibration procedures may also be found in the appropriate appendix to 40 CFR Part 507 Additional
155. actices GLPs refer to general practices that relate to many if not all of the measurements made in a laboratory They are usually independent of the SOP and cover subjects such as maintenance of facilities records sample management and handling reagent control and cleaning of laboratory glassware In many cases the activities mentioned above may not be formally documented because they are considered common knowledge Although not every activity in a laboratory needs to be documented the activities that could potentially cause unnecessary measurement uncertainties or have caused significant variance or bias should be cause to generate a method In 1982 the Organization for Economic Co operation and Development OECD developed principles of good laboratory practice The intent of GLP is to promote the quality and validity of test data by covering the process and conditions under which EDOs are planned performed monitored recorded and reported The principles include gt test facility organization and personnel gt quality assurance program gt facilities gt apparatus material and reagents gt test systems gt test and reference substances gt standard operating procedures gt performance of the study gt reporting of study results gt storage and retention of records and material 9 3 Laboratory Activities For ambient air samples to provide useful information or evidence laboratory analyses must meet the
156. acy of the environmental data operations of the reporting organization 5 0 Data and Information Management Audits With the implementation of automated data acquisition systems the data management function has become increasingly complex Therefore a complete systems audit must include a review of the data processing and reporting procedures starting at the acquisition stage and terminating at the point of data entry into the AIRS computer system The process of auditing the data processing trail will be dependent on size and organizational characteristics of the reporting organization the volume of data processed and the data acquisition system s characteristics The details of performing a data processing audit are left therefore to Regional and reporting organization personnel working together to establish a data processing audit trail appropriate for a given agency Besides establishing and documenting processing trails the data processing audits procedure must involve a certain amount of manual recomputation of raw data The preliminary guidance provided here for the number of data to be manually recalculated should be considered a minimum enabling only the detection of gross data mishandling a For continuous monitoring of criteria pollutants the Regional audit lead should choose two 24 hour periods from the high and low seasons for that particular pollutant per local agency per year In most cases the seasons of choice will be winte
157. against a transfer standard 3 Hierarchy of Standards NIST Standards The highest authority lies with the NIST The NIST keeps a set of standards that is referenced by all manufacturers of glassware standard equipment and electronic primary standards Primary Standards The next level is a primary standard Every state or local agency contractor or laboratory should have at a minimum one primary standard Normally once you have received a primary standard from the manufacturer it will not need to be re verified by NIST However if a shift is observed contact the manufacturer to reverify your primary standard against the manufacturer s standards If two primary standards exist for flow devices then one should be considered the alpha unit etc It is good laboratory practice that the alpha unit always remain in the laboratory and should not be used outside unless you suspect the unit is not operating correctly then it should be sent to the manufacturer for repair and re certification to NIST standards If the agency has two primary standards the beta unit can be a traveling instrument but should be crossed referenced once per year to verify that neither unit has shifted its standards Primary standards should agree with one another within 2 Transfer Standards The next level of traceability is the transfer standard Transfer standards can be many different devices It is recommended that if one type of device be used as a transfer standa
158. al adjustment limits were set at 15 ppb for zero and 7 for span shown as broken lines in Figure 12 1 although most of the span adjustments and all of the zero adjustments were made before these limits were reached These limits could have been set wider because the calibration slope and intercept used to calculate the ambient readings were updated at each zero span calibration Narrower limits may be needed if the calibration curve used to calculate the ambient data is not updated at each zero span calibration The total net cumulative zero drift over the entire 180 day period ignoring zero adjustments was 1 77 ppb indicating that the analyzer s zero stability was good Total net cumulative span drift ignoring span adjust ments was 15 45 indicating that the analyzer should be watched closely for continued positive span drift Most of the individual zero and span drifts i e the net change from one zero span calibration to the next were small The average of the absolute values of these individual zero drifts ignoring zero adjustments was 0 80 ppb and the average of the absolute values of the individual span drifts ignoring span adjustments was 2 95 percent In view of these relatively low values the frequency of zero span calibrations could be reduced say to twice a week or every 4 days particularly if level 2 zero span checks were used between the level 1 zero span calibrations However such reduced calibration frequency would t
159. al that generally Data Stoldge is a DC voltage This voltage varies directly with Medium the concentration collected Most instruments Figure 14 1 DAS flow diagram Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 9 of 13 output is a DC voltage in the 0 1 or 0 5 volts range gt the voltage is measured by the multiplexer which allows voltages from many instruments to be read at the same time gt the multiplexer sends a signal to the a d converter which changes the analog voltage to a low amperage digital signal gt the a d converter send signals to the central processing unit cpu that directs the digital electronic signals to a display or to the random access memory ram which stores the short term data until the end of a pre defined time period gt the cpu then shunts the data from the ram to the storage medium which can be magnetic tape computer hard drive or computer diskette gt the computer storage medium can be accessed remotely or at the monitoring location The data transfer can occur via modem to a central computer storage area or printed out as hard copy In some instances the data can be transferred from one storage medium i e hard drive to a diskette or tape to another storage medium 14 2 4 2 DAS Quality Assurance Quality Control Quality assurance aspects of the DAS deal with whether the system is being operated within some given guidance Usually this
160. alibrated once per year An example of a calibration technique can be found in Appendix 14 Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 10 of 13 14 2 4 3 DAS Data Transfer Data transfer is usually accomplished in three ways hard copy printout downloading data from internal storage medium to external storage medium or digital transfer via the telephone lines Hard copy report Most DAS have the ability to create a hard copy report Usually this report is in tabular format showing minute 5 minute or hourly averages vs hours in the day Agencies are encouraged to keep hard copy printouts for several reasons gt the hard copy report can be reviewed by the station operators during site visits to ascertain the quality of the data gt the hard copy reports can be compared against the strip charts at the site for validation gt notes can be made on the hard copy reports for later review by data review staff gt this creates a back up to the electronically based data External Storage This term refers to storing and transferring the data on diskettes or tape Many DAS have the ability to download data to diskette or cassette tape The data can then be hand transferred to a central office for downloading and data review Digital Transfer There are many commercially available DAS which allow access to the computer via the telephone and modem These systems allow fast and effective ways to download data to a central locati
161. ality of data or the quality system should follow this line At times it is appropriate to obtain information from a level higher than the normal lines of communication as shown by the dashed line from a local agency to the EPA Regional Office This is appropriate as long as decisions are not made during these information seeking communications If important decisions are made at various locations along the line it is important that the information is disseminated in all directions in order that improvements to the quality system can reach all organizations in the Program Nationwide communication will be accomplished through AMTIC and the subsequent revisions to this Handbook Part I Section 1 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 5 1 3 The Handbook Steering Committee The Handbook Steering Committee is made up of representatives from following four entities in order to provide representation at the Federal State and local level gt OAQPS OAQPS is represented by the coordinator for the Handbook and other representatives of the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring QA Team gt Regions A minimum of 1 representative from each EPA Regional Office gt NERL A minimum of one representative NERL represents historical knowledge of the Handbook series as well as the expertise in the reference and equivalent methods program and QA activities gt SAMWG A minimum of three members from SAMWG who represent State and local air monitoring o
162. alled Palookaville The Model QAPP was developed to help States and local organizations develop QAPPs based upon the new R 5 QAPP requirements Step 1 Review DQOs and Sampling Design Review the DQO outputs to assure that they are still applicable If DQOs have not been developed specify DQOs before evaluating the data e g for environmental decisions define the statistical hypothesis and specify tolerable limits on decision errors for estimation problems define an acceptable confidence probability interval width Review the sampling design and data collection documentation for consistency with the DQOs The PM DQOs define the primary objective of the PM ambient air monitoring network PM NAAQS comparison translate the objective into a statistical hypothesis 3 year average of annual mean PM concentrations less than or equal to 15 ug m and 3 year average of annual 98th percentiles of the PM concentrations less than or equal to 65 g m and identify limits on the decision errors incorrectly conclude area in non attainment when it truly is in attainment no more than 5 of the time and incorrectly conclude area in attainment when it truly is in non attainment no more than 5 of the time The CFR contains the details for the sampling design including the rationale for the design the design assumptions and the sampling locations and frequency If any deviations from the sampling design have occurred these will be indic
163. analyzer and perform multipoint calibration If fixed calibration factors are used to calculate data invalidate data to last acceptable zero span check adjust analyzer and perform multipoint calibration Flowmeter calibration should be traceable to NIST standards Use information to inform reporting agency for corrective action and technical systems audits Concentration 0 08 0 10 ppm Four concentration ranges If failure recalibrate analyzer and reanalyze samples Repeated failure requires corrective action reference refers to the QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume II The use of S refers to sections within Part 1 of Volume II The use of MS refers to method specific sections in Volume II Shelter Temperature Temperature range Temperature control Equipment O analyzer Detection Noise Lower detectable level Completeness seasonal Maximum 1 hour concentration Transfer standard Qualification and certification Recertification to local primary standard Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 4 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter O Ultraviolet Photometric 20 to 30 C 2 C Daily Daily Purchase specification Reference or equivalent method Purchase specification 75 values from 9 01 AM to 9 00 PM LST 4 or 4 ppb whichever greater RSD of six slopes 3 7 Std dev of six intercepts 1 5 Upon receipt of t
164. and inlet probes are clean gt estimate probe and manifold inside diameters and lengths gt inspect the shelter for weather leaks safety and security gt check equipment for missing parts frayed cords etc gt check that monitor exhausts are not likely to be introduced back to the inlet gt record findings in field notebook and or checklist Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 15 gt take photographs videotape in the 8 directions gt document site conditions with additional photographs videotape 15 1 4 Checklists and Other Discussion Topics Checklists are provided in Appendix 15 to assist network reviewers SLAMS NAMS and PAMS in conducting the review In addition to the items included in the checklists other subjects for possible discussion as part of the network review and overall adequacy of the monitoring program include gt installation of new monitors gt relocation of existing monitors gt siting criteria problems and suggested solutions gt problems with data submittals and data completeness gt maintenance and replacement of existing monitors and related equipment gt quality assurance problems gt air quality studies and special monitoring programs gt other issues proposed regulations funding 15 1 5 Summary of Findings Upon completion of the network review a written network evaluation should be prepared The evaluation should include any deficiencies identified in th
165. and intercept of the first subsequent calibration Because of the need for subsequent level 1 calibration information this method cannot be used for real time calculation of concentration readings Also some contingency arrangement such as method 2 must be employed when a subsequent calibration is missing e g following a disabling malfunction Physical zero and span adjustments to the analyzer are needed only to maintain an appropriate scale range or to avoid scale nonlinearity due to cumulative drift in excess of design values Within these constraints data invalidation limits should be based on net change from one calibration to the next rather than on total cumulative drift because the calibration is continually updated A significant problem with this method is acquiring the requisite calibration data and making sure it is merged correctly with the ambient data to facilitate the required calculations Some automated data acquisition systems support this application by making special provisions to acquire and process periodic zero and span data One way to ensure that the zero span data are correctly merged with the ambient readings is to code the zero and span values directly into the data set at the location corresponding to the time of calibration replacing the normal hourly reading that is lost anyway because of the calibration This data can be marked such as with a negative sign to differentiate it from ambient data and later delete
166. andards It is important that primary reference standards are maintained stored and handled in a manner that maintains their integrity These samples should be kept under secure conditions and records should be maintained that document chain of custody information Part I Section 13 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 4 13 2 2 Standard Solutions Most laboratories maintain a stock of standard solutions The following information on these solutions should be kept in a log book gt identity of solution gt strength gt method of preparation reference to SOP gt standardization calculations gt recheck of solution for initial strength gt date made expiration date gt initials of the analyst As mentioned above all standard solutions should contain appropriate labeling as to contents and expiration dates 13 2 3 Purified Water Water is one of the most critical but most often forgotten reagent in the laboratory The water purification process should be documented from the quality of the starting raw water to the systems used to purify the water including how the water is delivered the containers in which it is stored and the tests and the frequency used to ensure the quality of the water 13 3 Volumetric Glassware Use of the appropriate glassware is important since many preparation and analysis require the development of reagents standards dilutions and controlled delivery systems It is suggested that Cla
167. anifold and connect it to the audit manifold as shown in Figure A 7 Cap the sample port on the station manifold The audit atmosphere must be introduced Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 21 of 58 through any associated filters or sample pretreatment apparatus to duplicate the path taken by an ambient sample Record the analyzer type and other identification data on the data form Table A 4 Conduct the NO NO and NO audits as follows NO NO Audit The NO NO audit involves generating concentrations to challenge the calibration of the NO and NOx channels of the analyzer Data collected during this audit are used to construct a calibration curve that will be used later for calculating the NO audit concentrations NO NO Audit Procedure 1 Introduce clean dry air into the audit manifold at a flow rate in excess of 10 to 50 of the analyzer sample demand Allow the analyzer to sample the clean dry air until a stable response is obtained that is until the response does not vary more than 2 of the measurement range over a 5 min period Record the readings for the NO NOx and NO channels and have the station operator report the audit responses in concentration units Record these data and the responses of all three channels in Table A 4 2 Generate upscale NO audit concentrations corresponding to 10 20 40 60 and 90 of the full scale range of the analyzer by adjusting the flow rate of the NO standard For each audit co
168. ant roles in developing and implementing satisfactory air monitoring programs EPA s responsibility under the Clean Air Act CAA as amended in 1990 includes setting National Ambient Air Quality Standards NAAQS for pollutants considered harmful to the public health and environment ensuring that these air quality standards are met or attained in cooperation with States through national standards and strategies to control air emissions from sources and ensuring that sources of toxic air pollutants are well controlled Within the area of quality assurance the EPA is responsible for developing the necessary tools and guidance so that State and local agencies can effectively implement their monitoring and QA programs Figure 1 1 represents the primary organizations responsible for the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program The responsibilities of Figure 1 1 Ambient Air Program Organization each organization follow 1 1 Organization Responsibilities 1 1 1 Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards OAQPS OAQPS is the organization charged under the authority of the CAA to protect and enhance the quality of the nation s air resources OAQPS sets standards for pollutants considered harmful to public health or welfare and in cooperation with EPA s Regional Offices and the States enforces compliance with the standards through state implementation plans SIPs and regulations controlling emissions from stationary sources OAQPS evaluat
169. ar obstructions not generally representative obstruction in readings Pollutant Considerations A sampling site or an array of sites for one pollutant may be appropriate for another pollutant species because of the configuration of sources the local meteorology or the terrain Pollutants undergo changes in their compositions between their emission and their detection therefore the impact of that change on the measuring system should be considered Atmospheric chemical reactions such as the production of O in the presence of NO and hydrocarbons HCs and the time delay between the emission of NO and HCs and the detection peak of O values may require either a sampling network for the precursors of O and or a different network for the actual O measurement The success of the PAMS monitoring program is predicated on the fact that no site is unduly influenced by any one stationary emissions source or small group of emissions sources Any significant influences would cause the ambient levels measured by that particular site to mimic the emissions rates of this source or sources rather than following the changes in nonattainment area wide emissions as intended by the Rule For purposes of this screening procedure if more than 10 of the typical lower end concentration measured in an urban area is due to a nearby source of precursor emissions then the PAMS site must be relocated or a more refined analysis conducted than is presented here Detai
170. ared with observed accomplishments and deficiencies and the Figure 15 5 Post audit activities audit findings are reviewed in detail Within thirty 30 calendar days of the completion of the audit the audit report should be prepared and submitted The technical systems audit report is submitted to the audited agency Itis suggested that a cover letter be used to reiterate the fact that the audit report is being provided for review and written comment The letter should also indicate that should no written comments be received by the audit lead within thirty 30 calendar days from the report date it will be assumed acceptable to the agency in its current form and will be formally distributed without further changes If the agency has written comments or questions concerning the audit report the audit team should review and incorporate them as appropriate and subsequently prepare and resubmit a report in final form within thirty 30 days of receipt of the written comments Copies of this report should be sent to the agency director or his her designee for internal distribution The transmittal letter for the amended report should indicate official distribution and again draw attention to the agreed upon schedule for corrective action implementation 15 3 4 Follow up and Corrective Action Requirements Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 14 of 15 As part of corrective action and follow up an audit finding response
171. art I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 10 of 14 7 2 3 Probe and Manifold Maintenance After an adequately designed sampling probe and or manifold has been selected and installed the following steps will help in maintaining constant sampling conditions ed Conduct a leak test For the conventional manifold seal all ports and pump down to approximately 1 25 cm water gauge vacuum as indicated by a vacuum gauge or manometer connected to one port Isolate the system The vacuum measurement should show no change at the end of a 15 min period Establish cleaning techniques and a schedule A large diameter manifold may be cleaned by pulling a cloth on a string through it Otherwise the manifold must be disassembled periodically and cleaned with distilled water Soap alcohol or other products that may contain hydrocarbons should be avoided when cleaning the sampling train These products may leave a residue that may affect volatile organic measurements Visible dirt should not be allowed to accumulate Plug the ports on the manifold when sampling lines are detached Maintain a flow rate in the manifold that is either 3 to 5 times the total sampling requirements or at arate equal the total sampling requirement plus 140 L min Either rate will help to reduce the sample residence time in the manifold and ensure adequate gas flow to the monitoring instruments Maintain the vacuum in the manifold lt 0 64 cm water gauge Keeping the vacuum low
172. as exit port and allow the gas to purge the regulator 4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 five more times close the gas exit port and open the cylinder valve Connect the dilution air source and NO cylinder to the audit device as shown in Figure A 6 Use 1 8 in o d tubing of minimum length for the connection between the NO cylinder and the audit device Dynamic parameter specifications The flow conditions used in the GPT audit system are selected to assure a complete NO O reaction The gas flow rates must be adjusted according to the following relation ships Pp NO pc X te 2 75 ppm min Equation 1 6 F INO xc INO sp Fo Fro Equation 1 7 V RC tk _ _ 2 min Equation 1 8 Fo Fro where PR dynamic parameter specification determined empirically to ensure complete reaction of the available 0 ppm min NO ec NO concentration in the reaction chamber ppm tr residence time of the reactant gases in the reaction chamber min NO srp concentration of the NO gas cylinder ppm Fyo NO flow rate standard cm min Fo O generator air flow rate standard cm min and Vrc volume of the reaction chamber cm The flow conditions to be used in the GPT audit system are selected according to the following sequence Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 20 of 58 1 Determine Fy the total flow ra eal cal bed rate required at the output manifold F analyzer s demand plus 10 to 50 exces
173. as hearsay and are not admissible as evidence without a proper foundation A proper foundation consists of introducing testimony from all persons having anything to do with the major portions of the test and analysis Thus the field operator all persons having custody of the samples and the analyst would be required to lay the foundation for the introduction of the test report as evidence To ensure compliance with legal rules all test reports should be filed in a safe place by a custodian having this responsibility Although the field notes and calculations are not generally included in the summary report these materials may be required at a future date to bolster the acceptability and credibility of the report as evidence in an enforcement proceeding Therefore the full report including all original notes and calculation sheets should be kept in the file Signed receipts for all samples strip charts or other data should also be filed The original of a document is the best evidence and a copy is not normally admissible as evidence Microfilm snap out carbon copies and similar contemporary business methods of producing copies are acceptable in many jurisdictions if unavailability of the original is adequately explained and if the copy was made in the ordinary course of business In summary although all original calculations and test data need not be included in the final report they should be kept in the agency s files It is a good rule t
174. as illustrated in Figure 14 2 To accomplish this there are two primary EPA EPA User players AIRS users and the AIRS data Screeing file EPA Validates data NOTIFY EPA base administrator ADBA released to using SCAN After that data is ready user validation data is for UPDATE UPDATEd The AIRS users are responsible for the following steps in the update process Figure 14 2 Data input flow diagram LOAD transfers transactions either from tape or a database into a screening file EDIT checks the validity of the transactions in the screening file and produces a report to identify errors CORRECT alters removes or creates transactions in the screening file in order to fix errors identified in the EDIT NOTIFY informs the ADBA that transactions in the screening file are ready to be updated This function can also be used to cancel a request to update a particular screening file for updating Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 13 of 13 MESSAGE allows the user and the ADBA to track the above mentioned functions performed to a screening file when they were performed and who performed them DELETE removes any transactions that exist in a screening file The ADBA primarily performs the following functions in the updating process SCAN produces a report used by the ADBA to coordinate the update processing across several screening files This function also locks the screening file to prevent
175. ated and their potential effect carefully considered throughout the entire DOQA Step 2 Conduct Preliminary Data Review Review QA reports calculate basic statistics and generate graphs of data Use this information to learn about the structure of the data and identify patterns relationships or potential anomalies A preliminary data review will be performed to uncover potential limitations to using the data to reveal outliers and generally to explore the basic structure of the data The first step is to review the quality assurance reports The second step is to calculate basic summary statistics generate graphical presentations of the data and review these summary statistics and graphs Review Quality Assurance Reports Palookaville will review all relevant quality assurance reports that describe the data collection and reporting process Particular attention will be directed to looking for anomalies in recorded data missing values and any deviations from standard operating procedures This is a qualitative review However any concerns will be further investigated in the next two steps Part 1 Section 18 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 9 Calculation of Summary Statistics and Generation of Graphical Presentations Palookaville will generate some summary statistics for each of its primary and QA samplers The summary statistics will be calculated at the quarterly annual and three year levels and will include only valid samples
176. ath length must not exceed 1 kilometer for analyzers in neighborhood urban or regional scales or 300 meters for middle scale monitoring sites These path limitations are necessary in order to produce a path concentration representative of the measurement scale and to limit the averaging of peak emitter bolted to cap concentration values In addition the selected path length should be long enough to encompass plume meander and expected plume width during periods when high concentrations are expected In areas subject to frequent periods of rain snow fog or dust a shortened monitoring path length should be considered concrete pipe Be to minimize the loss of monitoring data due to these wae Bement temporary optical obstructions Mounting of Components and Optical Path Alignment Since movements or instability can misalign the optical path causing a loss of light and less accurate measurements or poor readings highly stable optical platforms are critical Steel buildings and wooden platforms should be avoided as they tend to move more than brick buildings when wind and temperature conditions vary Metal roofing will for example expand when heated by the sun in the summer A concrete pillar with a wide base placed upon a stable base material has been found to work well in field studies A sketch of an optical platform is included in Figure 7 7 Figure 7 7 Optical mounting platform P
177. ation Flowmeter calibration should be traceable to NIST standards Use information to inform reporting agency for corrective action and technical systems audits Concentration 8 to 10 ppm Aggregation of a quarters measured precision values Four concentration ranges If failure recalibrate and reanalyze Repeated failure requires corrective action reference refers to the QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume II The use of S refers to sections within Part 1 of Volume II The use of MS refers to method specific sections in Volume II Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 16 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter PM Requirement Frequency Acceptance Criteria 40 CFR QA Guidance Reference Document 2 12 Reference Filter Holding Times Pre sampling all filters lt 30 days before sampling Part 50 App L Sec 8 3 Sec 7 9 Post sampling Weighing lt 10 days at 25 C from sample end date Sec 7 11 lt 30 days at 4 C from sample end date Sampling Period All data 1380 1500 minutes Part 50 App L Sec 3 3 or value if lt 1380 and exceedance of NAAQS Detection Limit Lower DL All data 3 Part 50 App L Sec 3 1 Upper Conc Limit All data 3 Part 50 App L Sec 3 2 Sampling Instrument Flow Rate every 24 hours of op lt 5 of 16 67 Part 50 App L Sec 7 4 lt 2 CV s measured lt 5 average for lt 5 min s Filter Temp Sensor lt 5 C of ambient for lt 30mi
178. ation differs significantly from this a zero drift may be suspected Zero drift could be confirmed by review of the original strip chart In an automated data processing system procedures for data validation can easily be incorporated into the basic software The computer can be programmed to scan data values for extreme values outliers or ranges These checks can be further refined to account for time of day time of week and other cyclic conditions Questionable data values are then flagged on the data tabulation to indicate a possible error Other types of data review can consist of preliminary evaluations of a set of data calculating some basic statistical quantiles and examining the data using graphical representations 17 2 Data Verification Methods Data verification is defined as the confirmation by examination and provision of objective evidence that specified requirements have been fulfilled These requirements for each data operation is included in the organizations QAPP and in SOPs The data verification process involves the inspection analysis and acceptance of the field data or samples These inspections can take the form of technical systems audits internal or external or frequent inspections by field operators and lab technicians Questions that might be asked during the verification process include Section 17 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 5 gt Were the environmental data operations performed according to the SO
179. ation of to assure proper function Dee eineaPrerence pat 50 App L Bee 8 PECO CV lt 10 Part 58 App A Sec 3 5 5 5 Sec 10 3 Part 58 App A Sec 3 5 1 every 6 days 1 2wk automated 1 3mo manual Alyr Alyr Alyr A yr 2 25 of sites 4 yr l yr l yr l yr l yr l yr 4 of transfer standard lt 80 mL min lt 80 mL min 42 C 10 mm Hg 10 4 of audit standard lt 80 mL min lt 80 mL min 42 C 10 mm Hg not described not described not described Part 58 App A Sec 3 5 3 not described not described not described not described not described Sec 10 3 Sec 10 2 Measurement system precision Instrument bias accuracy Sampler function Sampler function Calibration drift and memory effects Calibration drift and memory effects Measurement system bias External verification bias accuracy Sampler function Sampler function Calibration drift and memory effects Calibration drift and memory effects Table 10 pyn Laboratory QC Checks Requirement Frequency Blanks Lot Blanks 3 lot Lab Blanks 3 per batch Calibration Verification Balance Calibration Lab Temp Calibration Lab Humidity Calibration Accuracy Balance Audit l year Balance Check beginning every 10th samples end Calibration standards Working Mass Stds Primary Mass Stds Precision Duplicate filter weighings 1 per weighing session Acceptance Criteria 15 ug difference 15 ug difference
180. ation recorded before initiating the audit Before the auditor leaves the station audit calculations should be performed to ensure that no extraneous or inconsistent differences exist in the data Sometimes a recording mistake is found after leaving the station and the error cannot be rectified without returning to the test site 1 Sulfur Dioxide Audit Procedure Using Dynamic Permeation Dilution 1 1 Principle Audit concentrations are generated by a dynamic system which dilutes an SO permeation source with clean dry air This method can be used to audit all commercially available SO total sulfur analyzers Several variations in clean dry air must be made to accommodate operating characteristics of certain analyzers The procedure its applicability precision and accuracy and apparatus requirements are discussed in the following subsections 1 2 Applicability The dynamic dilution method can be used to supply SO audit concentrations in the range of 0 to 0 5 ppm Concentrations for challenging other operating ranges such as 0 to 50 ppb 0 to 0 2 ppm 0 to 1 0 ppm and 0 to 5 ppm can also be generated by using this procedure 1 3 Accuracy The accuracy of the audit procedure should be within 2 5 if the SO permeation source is referenced and if gas flow rates are determined using EPA recommended procedures 1 4 Apparatus An audit system which uses a dynamic permeation dilution device to generate concentrations is illustrated in Figure A 2 The
181. ation system Leave the analyzer in its normal sampling mode and make no other adjustments to the analyzer except as mentioned previously for some CO analyzers 2 Sample and measure the span test concentration and record the unadjusted stable as is span response reading S NOTE All analyzer response readings should be recorded in the analyzer s nor mal output units e g millivolts percent of scale etc the same units used for the calibration curve If these units are concentration units they should be identified as indicated or uncorrected to Part I Section 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 13 differentiate them from the actual concentration units that are used for reporting actual ambient concentration measurements 3 Sample and measure the zero test concentration standard and record the unadjusted stable zero reading Z 4 Perform any needed analyzer adjustments flow pressure etc or analyzer maintenance 5 If adjustment of the zero is needed see sections 12 5 and 12 6 or if any adjustments have been made to the analyzer adjust the zero to the desired zero reading Record the adjusted stable zero reading Z Note that if no zero adjustment is made the Z Z Offsetting the zero reading e g to 5 of scale may help to observe any negative zero drift that may occur If an offset A is used record the non offset reading that is record Z A 6 Sample and measure the span test conce
182. ations On a regular basis the supervisor should review the preventive maintenance schedule with the station operators 11 2 1 Instrumentation Log Each instrument and support equipment with the exception of the instrument racks should have a Instrumentation Repair Log The log can be a folder or bound notebook that contains the repair and calibration history of that particular instrument Whenever multipoint calibrations instrument maintenance repair or relocation occur detailed notes are written in the instrumentation log The log contains the most recent multipoint calibration report a preventive maintenance sheet and the acceptance testing information If an instrument is malfunctioning and a decision is made to relocate that instrument the log travels with that device The log can be reviewed by staff for possible clues to the reasons behind the instrument malfunction In addition if the instrument is shipped to the manufacturer for repairs the log always travels with the instrument This helps the non agency repair personnel with troubleshooting instrument problems 11 2 2 Station Maintenance Station maintenance is a portion of preventive maintenance that does not occur on a routine basis These tasks usually occur on an as needed basis The station maintenance items are checked monthly or whenever an agency knows that the maintenance needs to be performed Examples of some station maintenance items include gt floor cleanin
183. ay be essential elements in proving the compliance status of a facility that is it may be necessary to introduce the sample or the test results as evidence in an enforcement proceeding These will not be admitted as evidence unless it can be shown that they are representative of the conditions that existed at the time that the test was conducted Therefore each step in the testing and analysis procedure must be carefully monitored and documented There are basically four elements in the evidentiary phase of an overall quality assurance program 1 Data collection includes testing preparation and identification of the sample strip charts or other data 2 Sample handling includes protection from contamination and tampering during transfer between individuals and from the sampling site to the evidence locker i e chain of custody Analysis includes storage of samples prior to and after analysis as well as data interpretation 4 Preparation and filing of test report includes evidentiary requirements and retention of records iS Part I Section 5 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 5 Failure to include any one of these elements in the collection and analysis of ambient air monitoring data may render the results of the program inadmissible as evidence or may seriously undermine the credibility of any report based on these data Environmental data operations include all the operations required to successfully measure and repor
184. ay require more frequent multipoint calibration if they cannot be calibrated adequately with 2 point calibrations Specific requirements for calibration can be found in the guidance methods Part II and summarized in Appendix 3 The calibrations referred to below would normally be 2 point zero and span level 1 calibrations However a multi point calibration can always substitute for a 2 point calibration An analyzer should be calibrated or recalibrated gt upon initial installation gt following physical relocation gt after any repairs or service that might affect its calibration gt following an interruption in operation of more than a few days gt upon any indication of analyzer malfunction or change in calibration gt at some routine interval see below Analyzers in routine operation should be recalibrated periodically to maintain close agreement between the calibration relationship used to convert analyzer responses to concentration measurements and the actual response of the analyzer The frequency of this routine periodic recalibration is a matter of judgment and is a tradeoff among several considerations including the inherent stability of the analyzer under the prevailing conditions of temperature pressure line voltage etc at the monitoring site the cost and inconvenience of Part I Section 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 13 carrying out the calibrations the quality of the ambient measurements needed
185. be blended down from the high concentration gas cylinder The equation for this calculation follows C G Fg Fg Fa equation 2 where C Final concentration of gas from the output of calibrator in ppm G Gas concentration from NIST traceable cylinder in ppm Fg Flow rate of the cylinder gas through the MFC cc min Fa Flow rate of air through the MFC cc min 7 2 Permeation Calibration Standards Permeation devices work on a different principle from the MFC type of calibration standard The permeation device allows a calibrated volume of air to pass over a permeation tube of a known permeation rate It is the measurement of the flow rate to STP that is critical to the success of calibration of instruments gt Allow the calibration standard permeation device and transfer standard to warm up sufficiently Note Most permeation devices must be operated at a specific temperature range for the operator to know the Part I Appendix 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 7 permeation rate Allow sufficient time for the permeation device to warm up to this temperature See the manufacturer s manual for guidance gt Attach the output of the permeation device to the input of the transfer standard Set the flow rate TWS or rotometer to the desired setting Actuate the calibration standard calibrator manually or remotely using the data acquisition system if applicable Allow the calibrator to stabilize Read the value of the t
186. be contains from 0 2 to 10 micrograms of each dirivatized carbonyl compound A blank cartridge is typically included with each audit sample set The audit is conducted on the same schedule as the PAMS VOC audit Each PAMS agency recovers the carbonyl compounds from the three DNPH tubes and reports the results to EPA The PAMS carbonyl audit was added to the NPAP in 1995 15 2 2 PM FRM Performance Evaluation The Federal Reference Method FRM Performance Evaluation is a quality assurance activity which will be used to evaluate measurement system bias of the PM monitoring network The pertinent regulations for this performance audit are found in 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A section 3 5 3 The strategy is to collocate a portable FRM PM air sampling instrument with an established routine air monitoring site operate both monitors in exactly the same manner and then compare the results of this instrument against the routine sampler at the site For allocation of FRM evaluations every method designation must gt allocate 25 of sites including collocated sites even those collocated with FRM instruments to FRM performance evaluations values of 5 and greater round up each year All sites would be audited within 4 years gt have at least 1 monitor evaluated gt be evaluated at a frequency of 4 per year Since performance evaluations are independent assessments Figure 15 1 was developed to define independence for the FRM performance eva
187. be found o Are appropriate acceptance criteria documented for each type of analysis conducted Are they known to at least the analysts working with respective instruments 3 Preventive Maintenance eee ee a For laboratory equipment who has responsibility for major and or minor preventive maintenance Person Title at the manufacturer s facility c Is a maintenance log maintained for each major laboratory Comment instrument d Are service contracts in place for the following analytical instruments La Atomic Absorption Spectrometer LI cmoa o O S Awomatedcotoimeee o d S 4 Record Keeping me OOOO o Discuss sample routing and special needs for analysis or attach a copy of the latest SOP which covers this Attach a flow chart if possible C Are logbooks kept for al analytical laboratory instrumens PPP Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 29 of 50 Question ves xo comment c Do these logbooks indicate Caw O D E E D E E T E a T E d Is there a logbook which indicates the checks made on weights e E a e Are logbooks maintained to track the preparation of filters for the field o a O Deae o o CI e a Are logbooks kept which track filters returning from the field for analysis g How are data records from the laboratory archived Where Who has the responsibility Person Title How long are records kept Years h Does a chain
188. be outside area of major NO emissions Part I Appendix 6 B Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 6 Procedures for Locating SO Population Exposure Middle Scale Stations Assemble background material meteorological data topographic population landuse maps wind roses existing monitoring data etc Determine the prevailing winter wind direction and the direction toward the maximum emission zone of the city From emissions inventory data maps or survey identify all SO2 source points in the general upwind directions from each prospective monitoring site up to 200 meters out from the site Construct 10 degree plume sectors from each source point in downwind direction for all source points previously identified Eliminate specific sites located within 10 degrees plume sectors and buildings with stack s from consideration Choose sites such that impacts from SO2 sources in other directions are minimized Final site Part I Appendix 6 B Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 6 Procedures for Locating SO Point Source Impact Middle Scale Stations Assemble background material meteorological data topographic population landuse maps wind roses existing monitoring data etc Annual impact point Using point source data annual meteorology simulate an annual SO2 pattern around the source Establish sites for monitoring peak impacts of subjec
189. be the media coverage and frequency of such reporting e What fraction of the SLAMS sites by pollutant reported less than 75 of the data adjusted for seasonal monitoring and site start ups and terminations Percent of Sites lt 75 Data Recovery Eoo e ee ee o Nivogendiowee oo o o e H e carton monte OP Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 43 of 50 a e e f Does the agency s annual report as required in 40 CFR 58 26 include the following Data summary required in Appendix F a ee Annual precision and accuracy information described in Section 5 2 of Appendix A Location date pollution source and duration of all ee EEEH reaching the significant harm levels Certification Certification by a senior officer in the State or his designee a senior officer in the State or his designee g Please provide the dates at which the annual reports have been submitted for the last 2 years Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 44 of 50 E QUALITY ASSURANCE QUALITY CONTROL 1 Status of Quality Assurance Program Comment If yes have changes to the plan been approved by the EPA Please provide Date of Original Approval Date of Last Revision Date of Latest Approval b Do you have any revisions to your QA Program Plan still pending a Does the agency have an EPA approved quality assurance program plan If no why not c Is the QA Plan ful
190. ble e g ANSI ASTM Class 2 Not applicable Vol II MS 2 10 4 40 CFR Pt 50 App M S 7 2 e e 40 CFR Pt 50 App M S 9 3 40 CFR Pt 50 App M S 7 4 40 CFR Pt 53 9 40 CFR Pt 50 App M 7 3 40 CFR Pt 50 App M S 7 5 Vol II MS 2 10 4 Vol II MS 2 10 4 40 CFR Pt 50 App M S 3 1 Discard any defective filters As measure by DOP test ASTM 2988 Reject shipment Following 2 months storage at ambient temp and relative humidity Reject filters Repeat equilibration Keep thermometer in balance room and record temperature daily Keep hygrometer in the balance room and record humidity daily This acceptance criterion is inconsistent with other acceptance criteria for balance that are in the quality assurance handbook The lower limit of the mass concentration is determined by the repeatability of filter tare weights assuming the nominal air sample volume for the sampler wocrmmrsoamKs23 Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 10 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter PM10 Dichotomous Sampler Sampler Calibration Flow control device On installation after lt 4 difference from 40 CFR Pt 50 App M S 7 1 Adopt new calibration curve if no evidence of damage otherwise repairs after out of manufacturers spec and actual Vol I MS 2 10 2 replace limits flow check On receipt and 1 6 15 min months 40 CFR Pt 50 App M 7 1 Adjust or replace Vol II MS 2 1
191. cal Survey USGS maps as well as from land use maps Table 6 3 Relationships of Topography Air Flow and Monitoring Site Selection Topographical Influence on air flow Influence on monitoring site selection feature Slope Valley Downward air currents at night and on cold Slopes and valleys as special sites for air monitors because days up slope winds on clear days when pollutants generally are well dispersed concentration valley heating occurs Slope winds and levels not representative of other geographic areas valley channeled winds tendency toward possible placement of monitor to determine concentration down slope and down valley winds levels in a population or industrial center in valley tendency toward inversions Sea or lake breezes inland or parallel to Monitors on shorelines generally for background readings shoreline during the day or in cold weather or for obtaining pollution data on water traffic land breezes at night Sharp ridges causing turbulence air flow Depends on source orientation upwind source emissions around obstructions during stable generally mixed down the slope and siting at foot of hill conditions but over obstructions during not generally advantageous downwind source emissions unstable conditions generally down washed near the source monitoring close to a source generally desirable if population centers adjacent or if monitoring protects workers Natural or manmade Eddy effects Placement ne
192. calibration information is contained in References 29 30 76 77 100 and 111 and in Part II Calibrations should be carried out at the field monitoring site by allowing the analyzer to sample test atmospheres containing known pollutant concentrations The analyzer to be calibrated should be in operation for at least several hours preferably overnight prior to the calibration so that it is fully warmed up and its operation has stabilized During the calibration the analyzer should be operating in its normal sampling mode and it should sample the test atmosphere through all filters scrubbers conditioners and other components used during normal ambient sampling and through as much of the ambient air inlet system as is practicable All operational adjustments to the analyzer should be completed prior to the calibration see section 12 7 Analyzers that will be used on more than one range or that have auto ranging capability should be calibrated separately on each applicable range Calibration documentation should be maintained with each analyzer and also in a central backup file Doc umentation should be readily available for review and should include calibration data calibration equation s and curve if prepared analyzer identification calibration date analyzer location calibration standards used and their traceabilities identification of calibration equipment used and the person conducting the calibration Part I Section 12 Revision
193. carried along with the data until the validity of the samples can be proven This information can be included in the remark section of Figure 8 2 or documented on another form A chain of custody form should be used to track the handling of the samples through various stages of storage processing and analysis at the laboratory Figure 8 3 is an example of a laboratory chain of custody form Laboratory Plant Sample Number Number of Sample Description Container Person responsible for samples Date Sample Number Relinquished Received By Reason for change in custody By Figure 8 3 Example laboratory chain of custody form Part I Section 9 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 3 9 Analytical Methods The choice of methods used for any EDO should be influenced by the DQO From the DQO and an understanding of the potential population uncertainty one can then determine what measurement uncertainty is tolerable and select the method most appropriate in meeting that tolerance Methods are usually selected based upon their performance characteristics precision bias limits of detection ease of use and their reliability in field and laboratory conditions Since both field and analytical procedures have been developed for the criteria pollutants in the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program and can be found in Part II of this document this section will discuss the general concepts of
194. cated Pb an PM 10 samplers a 2 4 meter separation distance between collocated samplers must be met l _ For collocated PM 5 samplers a 1 4 meter separation distance between collocated samplers must be met Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 14 Table 7 3 Minimum Separation Distance Between Sampling Probes and Roadways Roadway ave daily Minimum separation distance in meters between roadways and probes or monitoring paths at traffic vehicles per various scales day 0 NO cCoO Pb PAMS Nei ghbor Neighbor Neighbor Micro Middle Neighbor amp Urban amp Urban Urban Reg 500 f ao a _ _ soo e of _ ww os o soo t seo _ Middle Scale Suitable for Category a site but not preferred Neighborhood Scale Suitable for category b Site Unacceptable at all traffic levels Urban Scale o 2 ko k 2 w O a 2 ko 3 E c 2 o 2 D 2 E KR i N BQ f E fo E Preferred area for category a site microscale if ADT of Affecting Roads x 10 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Distance of PM10 and PM2 5 Samplers from Nearest Traffic Lane meters Figure 7 6 Acceptable areas for PM and PM micro middle neighborhood and urban samplers except for microscale street canyon sites Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 9 of 14 Open Path Monitoring To ensure that open path monitoring data are representative of the i
195. ce and an ohm voltmeter Place a wire lead across the input of the DAS multiplexer With this shorted out the DAS should read zero If the output does not read zero adjust the output according to the owners manual After the background zero has been determined it is time to adjust the full scale of the system Most DAS system work on a 1 5 or 10 volt range i e the full scale equals an output of voltage In the case of a 0 1000 ppb range instrument 1 00 volts equals 1000 ppb Accordingly 500 ppb equals 0 5 volts 500 milivolts To get the DAS to be linear throughout the range of the instrument being measured the DAS must be tested for linearity Attach the voltage source to a voltmeter Adjust the voltage source to 1 000 volts this is critical that the output be 1 000 volts Attach the output of the voltage source the DAS multiplexer The DAS should read 1000 ppb Adjust the DAS voltage A D card accordingly Adjust the output of the voltage source to 0 250 volts The DAS output should read 250 ppb Adjust the A D card in the DAS accordingly Once you have adjusted in the lower range of the DAS check the full scale point With the voltage source at 1 000 volts the output should be 1000 ppb If it isn t then adjust the DAS to allow the high and low points to be as close to the source voltage as possible In some cases the linearity of the DAS may be in question If this occurs the data collected may need to be adjusted using
196. ce to have each recipient sign a chain of custody form for the sampling data Figure 8 2 is an example of a form which may be used to establish the chain of custody This form should accompany the samples or strip charts at all times from the field to the laboratory All persons who handle the data should sign the form When using the U S Postal Service to transport sampling data only certified or registered mail should be used and a return receipt should be requested When using the United Parcel Service or similar means of shipment information describing the enclosed sampling data should be placed on the bill of lading Similarly when using next day services a copy of the receipt including the air bill number should be kept as a record The package should be marked Deliver to Addressee Only and it should be addressed to the specific person authorized to receive the package Project Name Remarks Number amp Type of Container Samplers Signature Station Description Relinquished By signature Received By signature Print Comments Figure 8 2 Example field chain of custody form Part I Section 8 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 4 Once the samples arrive at their destination the samples should first be checked to ensure that their integrity is intact Any samples whose integrity are questionable should be flagged and these flags should be
197. centration The nominal NO2 concentration Site NO Response point 3 Site NO Response point 4 x 1 True NO point 3 Site Net NO Response point 3 Do not make any adjustments to other Dasibi 1009 CP settings Record the station s NO NOX responses when stable NOTE If an ozone audit was performed prior to the NO2 audit it is possible to use the thumbwheel settings obtained during that audit to determine the correct levels of ozone necessary to perform the Gas Phase Titration portion of the NO2 audit The amount of NO titrated should not exceed 90 of the original NO concentration if possible 7 Superblend Audit Point 5 Press the OZONE switch OFF Set the GAS thumbwheels to 230 to obtain Level 2 concentrations of NO NOX only After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the readings on the QA Audit Van Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain the actual values Record the station s response when the readings have stabilized and enter them into the computer Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 20 of 35 8 Superblend Audit Point 6 Press the Dasibi 1009 CP OZONE switch ON and readjust the OZONE thumbwheels to obtain the Level 2 NO2 concentration The nominal NO2 concentration Site No Response Point 5 Site NO Response point 6 x 1 True
198. cial Publication 260 U S Department of Commerce National Bureau of Standards Washington DC 1984 85 Edition 7 Transfer Standards for Calibration of Air Monitoring Analyzers for Ozone Technical Assistance Doc ument EPA 600 4 79 056 Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC September 1979 8 Quality Assurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume Il Ambient Air Specific Methods EPA 600t4 77027a5 Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 9 Investigation of Flow Rate Calibration Procedures Associated with the High Volume Method for De termination of Suspended Particulates EPA 600 4 78 047 Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC August 1978 10 List of Designated Reference and Equivalent Methods Available from the U S Environmental Pro tection Agency Office of Research and Development Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Research Triangle Park NC 11 Use of the Flame Photometric Detector Method for Measurement of Sulfur Dioxide in Ambient Air Technical Assistance Document EPA 600 4 78 024 U S Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Research Triangle Park NC May 1978 12 Technical Assistance Document for the Chemiluminescence Measurement of Nitrogen Dioxide E
199. cted growth of the air quality surveillance network Outlining present data flow requires a review of the origin of each data form the editing procedures applied the calculations performed the application of quality control procedures and the reports for which each form is used The purpose of outlining the data flow is to identify data elements that are subjected to similar checks and to similar calculating procedures and to classify them according to their points of origin Once again this procedure provides a means of preventing unnecessary duplication As a final step in systematic data management the data system should be continually updated The following items are suggested for review gt what operations are duplicated in the system gt how can the system be changed to eliminate needless duplications gt how do the manual systems and computerized systems augment each other gt are the data formats identification codes and other elements compatible throughout the system gt can reporting schedules be changed to minimize the filing and retrieval of each data record Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 13 gt can special techniques such as the use of multi part forms be applied to minimize data transposition gt are filing and retrieval systems sufficiently flexible to allow expansion or upgrading at minimum cost 14 2 Data Acquisition All ambient air monitoring data will eventually be
200. ctronic flow meters wet test meters pressure gauges or pressure flow transducers These devices usually have a certain amount of error involved in their operation and can drift with time Therefore they must be verified against a primary standard on a known set schedule Calibration Standards Calibration standards are devices that are specifically designed to be placed in a monitoring location and can be used to calibrate air monitoring instruments See Section 12 for definitions and cautions concerning calibrations of air quality instruments These devices are commercially available from a number of vendors These units usually are permeation devices or mass flow calibrators MFC The flow rates of these devices are verified by the transfer standard on a set schedule Permeation devices Permeation devices are calibration units that pass a known volume of air over a permeation tube The permeation tube is a small cylinder usually steel that has a permeable membrane at one end Usually the tube is filled with a liquid that permeate out through the membrane at a given rate at a very narrow temperature range By knowing the permeation rate and the air flow rate a NIST traceable concentration in parts per million can be calculated Mass Flow Controller MFC are a device that works on the principle of heat loss The mass flow meter within the MFC has a small thermister that is sensitive to heat loss A potential voltage is applied to the thermister
201. d level inlet near an unpaved road in these cases the sample intake should either be elevated above the level of the maximum ground turbulence effect or placed at a reasonable distance from the source of ground dust Depending on the defined monitoring objective the monitors are placed according to exposure to pollution Due to the various physical and meteorological constraints discussed above tradeoffs will be made to locate a Site in order to optimize representativeness of sample collection The consideration should include categorization of sites relative to their local placements Suggested categories relating to sample site placement for measuring a corresponding pollution impact are identified in Table 6 5 Table 6 5 Relationships of Topography Air Flow and Monitoring Site Selection Station Category Characterization A ground level Heavy pollutant concentrations high potential for pollutant buildup A site 3 to 5 m 10 16 ft from major traffic artery and that has local terrain features restricting ventilation A sampler probe that is 3 to 6 m 10 20 ft above ground B ground level Heavy pollutant concentrations minimal potential for a pollutant buildup A site 3 to 15 m 15 50 ft from a major traffic artery with good natural ventilation A sampler probe that is 3 to 6 m 10 20 ft above ground C ground level Moderate pollutant concentrations A site 15 to 60 m 5 200 ft from a major traffic artery A sampler pr
202. d based on the zero and highest test concentrations respectively to provide the desired scale range within the analyzer s specifications see section 12 5 For analyzers in routine operation unadjusted as is analyzer zero and span response readings should be obtained prior to making any zero or span adjustments NO NO NO analyzers may not have individual zero and span controls for each channel the analyzer s opera tion instruction manual should be consulted for the proper zero and span adjustment procedure Zero and span controls often interact with each other so the adjustments may have to be repeated several times to obtain the desired final adjustments After the zero and span adjustments have been completed and the analyzer has been allowed to stabilize on the new zero and span settings all calibration test concentrations should be introduced into the analyzer for the final calibration The final post adjusted analyzer response readings should be obtained from the same device chart recorder data acquisition system etc that will be used for subsequent ambient measurements The analyzer readings are plotted against the respective test concentrations and the best linear or nonlinear if appropriate curve to fit the points is determined Ideally least squares regression analysis with an appropriate transformation of the data for non linear analyzers should be used to determine the slope and intercept for the best fit calibration line
203. d chipped and etched glassware 13 2 Standards and Reagents In some cases reagents are prepared prior to sampling Some of these reagents will be used to calibrate the equipment while others will become an integral part of the sample itself In any case their integrity must be carefully maintained from preparation through analysis If there are any doubts about the method by which the reagents for a particular test were prepared or about the competence of the laboratory technician preparing these items the credibility of the ambient air samples and the test results will be diminished It is essential that a careful record be kept listing the dates the reagents were prepared by Part I Section 13 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 4 whom and their locations at all times from preparation until actual use Prior to the test one individual should be given the responsibility of monitoring the handling and the use of the reagents Each use of the reagents should be recorded in a field laboratory notebook Chemical reagents solvents and gases are available in various grades Reagents can be categorized into the following 6 grades Primary standard Each lot is analyzed and the percentage of purity is certified 2 Analyzed reagents Can fall into 2 classes a each lot is analyzed and the percentages of impurities are reported and b conformity with specified tolerances is claimed or the maximum percentages of impurities are listed
204. d fixing problems with equipment personnel training infrastructure needs etc A report to management should not solely consist of tabulations of analyzer by analyzer precision and accuracy check results for criteria pollutants This information is required to be submitted with the data each quarter and is thus already available to management through AIRS Instead the annual quality assurance report to management should summarize and discuss the results of such checks These summaries from individual reporting organizations can be incorporated into additional reports issued by the State and or the EPA Regional Office This section provides general information for the preparation of reports to management and includes gt the types of reports that might be prepared the general content of each type of report and a suggested frequency for their preparation gt sources of information that can be tapped to retrieve information for the reports gt techniques and methods for concise and effective presentation of information Part I Section No 16 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 4 Appendix 16 presents examples of two types of reports to management the annual quality assurance report to management and a corrective action request 16 1 Guidelines for Preparation of Reports to Management 16 1 1 Types of QA Reports to Management Listed in Table 16 1 are examples of typical QA reports to management An individual reporting organizati
205. d from the final report printout When zero and span data is acquired automatically by a data acquisition system for direct computer processing the system must be sufficiently sophisticated to gt ensure that zero or span data is never inadvertently reported as ambient measurements gt ignore transient data during the stabilization period before the analyzer has reached a stable zero or span response this period may vary considerably from one analyzer to another gt average the stable zero and span readings over some appropriate time period so that the zero or span reading obtained accurately represents the analyzers true zero or span response gt ignore ambient readings for an appropriate period of time immediately following a zero or span reading until the analyzer response has restabilized to the ambient level concentration 2 Step Change Update This method is similar to Method 1 above except that the adjusted slope and intercept of the most recent calibration are used to calculate all subsequent ambient readings until updated by another calibration i e no interpolation No unadjusted zero or span readings are used and ambient measurements can be calculated in real time if desired The same comments concerning physical zero and span adjustments and data invalidation limits given for Method 1 apply as well as the comments concerning zero and span data acquired automatically by a data acquisition system Part I Section 12 Revisi
206. d laboratory conditions monitoring objectives level of data quality required expertise of assigned personnel cost of control procedures and pollutant concentra tion levels Standard Traceability Traceability is the process of transferring the accuracy or authority of a primary standard to a field usable standard Gaseous standards permeation tubes and devices and cylinders of compressed gas used to obtain audit concentrations of CO SO and NO must be working standards certified by comparison to NIST SRM s Traceability protocols are available for certifying a working standard by direct comparison to an NIST SRM Direct use of an NIST SRM is discouraged because of the limited supply and expense NIST SRM availability and ordering procedures are given in Reference 6 Test concentrations for O must be obtained by means of a UV photometric calibration procedure Subsection A 10 4 or by a certified transfer standard Flow measurements must be made by an instrument that is traceable to an authoritative volume or other standard Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 58 General Discussion of Audit Procedures The benefits of a performance audit are twofold From a participant standpoint agencies are furnished a means of rapid self evaluation of a specific monitoring operation The EPA is furnished a continuing index of the validity of the data reported to the air quality data bank The performance audit is used to validate
207. d to meet these specifications by passing it through silica gel for drying by treating it with 0 to convert any NO to NO and by passing it through activated charcoal 6 14 mesh and a molecular sieve 6 16 mesh type 4A to remove NO O or hydrocarbons Silica gel maintains its drying efficiency until it has absorbed 20 of its weight it can be regenerated in definitely at 120 C Addition of cobalt chloride to the surface of the gel provides a water absorption indicator A transparent drying column is recommended The activated charcoal and molecular sieve have a finite absorption capability because it is difficult to determine when the capability has been exceeded both should be replaced either before each audit or after 8 hrs of use Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 43 of 58 8 Ultraviolet photometer The UV photometer consists of a low pressure mercury discharge lamp collimator optics an absorption cell a detector and signal processing electronics as illustrated in Figure A 12 The photometer must be capable of measuring the transmittance 1 lo at a wavelength of 254 NM with sufficient precision for the standard deviation of concentration measurements not to exceed the greater of 0 005ppm or 3 of the concentration Because the low pressure mercury lamp radiates at several wavelengths the photometer must incorporate suitable means to be sure that no O is generated in the cell by the lamp and at least 99 5 of the radiation s
208. de variety of backgrounds and expertise This team may then divide into groups once on site so that both audit coverage and time utilization can be Audit Team Interview of Reporting Organization Director Finalize Audit Trails and Complete Data Audit Prepare Audit Result Summary of a Overall operations b data audit findings c laboratory operations d field operations Complete audit finding forms and debreifing report Discuss Findings with Key Personnel QA Officer On Site Audit Complete Figure 15 3 On site activities Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 11 of 15 optimized A possible division may be that one group assesses the support laboratory and headquarters operations while another evaluates sites and subsequently assesses audit and calibration information The audit lead should confirm the proposed audit schedule with the audited organization immediately prior to traveling to the site 15 3 2 On Site Activities The audit team should meet initially with the audited agency s director or his her designee to discuss the scope duration and activities involved with the audit This should be followed by a meeting with key personnel identi fied from the completed question naire or indicated by the agency QAO Key personnel to be inter viewed during the audit are those in dividuals with responsibilities for planning field operations laboratory operations QA QC data manage
209. der and secure the device to the holder by tightening the four wingnuts at each corner of the sample filter holder 3 Place the 18 hole resistance plate in the ReF device close the lid and fasten the lid using the two wingnuts Place the wind deflector in position and then connect and zero the water manometer 4 Start the sampler motor and allow it to stabilize A warm up time of 5 min should be allowed Record the pressure drop shown on the manometer in H2O ambient temperature C barometric pressure mm Hg and station flow rate obtained from the station operator on the data form in Table A 8 If the barometric pressure cannot be determined by an audit barometer because of high elevations that exceed the limits of the barometer determine the barometric pressure by using Equation A 24 5 Repeat steps 3 and 4 using the remaining resistance plates 6 At the conclusion of the audit have the station operator replace the filter and reset the sampler timer as it was before the audit 7 6 Calculations Calculate the audit flow rate at standard conditions for those hi vols with flow rates corrected to standard temperature and pressure Equation 1 25 Qsrp sd m Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 50 of 58 where Qsrp Standard flow rate m3 min m and b calibration coefficients determined during calibration of the ReF device using flow rates corrected to standard conditions AH pressure drop shown on the ma
210. ders are operated under high pressure Always bleed of pressure to the connecting lines before and after operation of the standard This will assure that the unit will not be damaged gt Use caution whenever using electronic equipment Read the directions carefully to avoid electrical shock Part I Appendix 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 7 5 Primary Standard Verification Generally primary standards do not need to be re verified to NIST standards However if the primary standard is a bubble piston or electronic type of instrument it is recommended that it be re verified against another primary standard If the agency suspects that the primary standard is not operating correctly it is recommended that it be sent to the manufacturer for repair and re calibration The following procedure should be used when verifying a primary standard gt Allow the primary standards to warm up sufficiently gt Attach the alpha primary standard to an air flow generating device Note it is useful if MFC calibrator is available for this test The MFC can meter air gas flows and allow the user to change the flow rate in the ranges normally used by the primary standard Attach tubing to the primary standard from the output of the air supply With most primary standards the gas flow range is 0 200 cc min while the air flow is 0 10 liters min Since this is a large difference the primary standard usually are purchased with two or three sets o
211. dinating the Steering Committee responsible for continued improvement of the Handbook gt seeking resolution on Handbook issues gt incorporating agreed upon revisions into the Handbook gt reviewing and revising if necessary the Handbook Vol ID every three years Specific MQAG leads for the various QA activities e g precision and accuracy training etc can be found within the OAQPS Homepage on the Internet http www epa gov oar oaqps qa and on the AMTIC Bulletin Board under Points of Contact QA QC contacts 1 1 2 EPA Regional Offices EPA Regional Offices have been developed to address environmental issues related to the states within their jurisdiction and to administer and oversee regulatory and congressionally mandated programs The major quality assurance responsibilities of EPA s Regional Offices in regards to the Ambient Air Quality Program are the coordination of quality assurance matters between the various EPA offices and the State and local agencies This role requires that the Regional Offices make available to the State and local agencies the technical and quality assurance information developed by EPA Headquarters and make known to EPA Headquarters the unmet quality assurance needs of the State and local agencies Another very important function of the Regional Office is the evaluation of the capabilities of State and local agency laboratories to measure the criteria air pollutants These reviews are accomplished thr
212. ditor should have a quality control checklist or a specified procedure that can be used to verify system integrity Before starting the audit the auditor should record the following data the site address PEDCo Environmental Inc operating agency type of analyzer being 11499 Chester Road audited zero and span settings type of Cincinnati Ohio 45246 0100 in station calibration used and general operating procedures These data may be used later to determine the cause of dis crepancies between the audit concentrations Parameter and station responses The auditor should also mark the data record with a stamp similar to the one shown in Figure A 1 to verify that the audit was performed and to prevent the audit data from being transcribed and mistaken for ambient monitoring data Before disconnect ing a monitor or sampler from its ambient sampling mode have the station operator make a note on the data acquisition system to indicate that an audit is being performed Performance Audit by Auditor Figure A 1 Audit identification stamp All station responses should be converted by the station operator to engineering units e g ppm or ug m by using the same procedures used to convert the actual ambient data This procedure allows evaluation of the total monitoring system the station operator equipment and procedures Upon completion of the audit all monitoring equipment must be reconnected and returned to the con figur
213. e Record these readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet and enter the average of the ten readings into the computer Record the site s Level 1 ozone response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 1 and into the computer under the Station O03 HIGH response NOTE Stabilization time will vary from site to site depending on the instrument response but verify a stable trace reading for at least 10 minutes Normal Level 1 ozone is a setting between 35 and 60 on the MAN 03 thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP 4 O3 Audit Point 3 Set the thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP for a number sufficient to reach the Level 2 ozone response of 0 15 to 0 20 ppm When the readings have stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the appropriate display Step 2 above Record these readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet and enter the average of the ten readings into the computer Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 16 of 35 Record the site s Level 2 ozone response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 1 and into the computer under the Station O3 MEDIUM response NOTE Normal Level 2 ozone is a setting between 20 and 40 on the MAN O3 thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP 5 O3 Audit Point 4 Set the thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP for a number sufficient to reach the Level 3 ozone response of 0 03 to 0 08 ppm When the readings have stabilized take ten consec
214. e Historical site information can help determine and evaluate changes in measurement values at the site The quality assurance project plan should include specific documentation of site characteristics for each monitoring station This information will assist in providing objective inputs into the evaluation of data gathered at that site Typically the site identification record should include Data acquisition objective e g air quality standards monitoring Station type Instrumentation checklist manufacturer s model number pollutant measurement technique etc Sampling system Spatial scale of the station site category i e urban industrial suburban commercial etc physical location i e address AQCR UTM coordinates etc Influential pollutant sources point and area sources proximity pollutant density etc 7 Topography hills valleys bodies of water trees type and size proximity orientation etc picture of a 360 view from the probe of the monitoring site 8 Atmospheric exposure unrestricted interferences etc 9 Site diagram sample flowsheet service lines equipment configuration etc 10 Site audits dice eo oy Environmental Data Operations A quality assurance program associated with the collection of ambient air monitoring data must include an effective procedure for preserving the integrity of the data Ambient air test results and in certain types of tests the sample itself m
215. e Presentation Methods for Use in Reports to Management eee Summary of Violations of DQO Assumptions ww eee eee Weights for Estimating Three Year Bias and Precision sw ke eee ee Summary of Bias and Pr cision x ech Saree sieew Ra av aw iad eee Ra ae ace wa ial sa viii Section Page AIRS ADBA AMTIC APTI AQSSD AWMA CAA CBI CFR CMD CO CSA DCO DD DQA DQAO DQOs EDO EMAD EPA EPAAR ESD ETSD FAR FEM FIPS FRM GIS GLP HAP IAG IDP IT ITPID LAN MACT MQAG MQOs MPA MSA MSR NAAQS NAMS NECMSA NESHAP NIST NPAP NSPS OAQPS OARM OIRM Acronyms and Abbreviations Aerometric Information Retrieval System AIRS data base administrator Ambient Monitoring Technical Information Center Air Pollution Training Institute Air Quality Strategies and Standards Division Air and Waste Management Association Clean Air Act confidential business information Code of Federal Regulations Contracts Management Division Contracting Officer consolidated statistical area Document Control Officer Division Director data quality assessment Deputy QA Officers data quality objectives environmental data operation Emissions Monitoring and Analysis Division Environmental Protection Agency EPA Acquisition Regulations Emission Standards Division Enterprise Technology Services Division Federal Acquisition Regulations Federal Equivalent Method Federal Information Processing Standards Federal Reference Method
216. e converter efficiency falls below 96 an Air Quality Data Action AQDA request will need to be issued All data will be deleted for the period of time that the converter efficiency is out of the correct control limits c In the event that an analyzer fails the performance audit a diagram of the audit setup should be drawn This will facilitate the issuing of an AQDA request and make possible troubleshooting easier in the future The diagram should include the setup of the site s inlet probe manifold and delivery system The diagram should also include the analyzers being audited and the method of hook up to the site s inlet probe Any other pertinent information should be included that could have affected the audit results In addition to the diagram a list of troubleshooting procedures that were used to correct or determine possible problems should be included Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 22 of 35 E 1 2 6 H2S AUDIT NOTE Turn the three way valve in the back of the audit van from Superblend cylinder 1 Super1 to Superblend cylinder 2 Super 2 Open the valve on Super 2 and adjust the regulator for 15 psi Close the valve on Super 1 The ambient level concentrations for each pollutant are determined by multiplying a dilution ratio times the concentration value for each pollutant at each audit level The dilution ratio and ambient level concentrations are determined using t
217. e data o Identify the section of the emergency episode plan where quality control procedures can be found 2 Network Design and Siting a Indicate by Site ID any non conformance with the requirements of 40 CFR 58 Appendices D and E Site ID Reason for Non Conformance b Please provide the following information on your previous Network Review required by 40 CFR 58 20d Review performed on Date Performed by Location and title of review document Briefly discuss all problems uncovered by this review Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 13 of 50 submitted for all monitoring sites within the network e Who has custody of the current network documents f Does the current level of monitoring effort site placement instrumentation etc meet requirements imposed by current grant conditions g How often is the network design and siting reviewed Frequency Date of last review h Provide a summary of the monitoring activities conducted as the SLAMS NAMS network by the agency I Monitoring is seasonal for indicate pollutant and month of high and low concentrations Pollutant High Concentrations Collocated Y N II Monitoring is year round for indicate pollutant Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 14 of 50 ee oS 2d 2 U O D Does the number of collocated monitoring sites meet the requirements of 40 CFR 58 Appendix A j Does the agency monitor and or analyze for non cr
218. e documented in an organization s QAPP The QAPP is then implemented by the State or local organization under the premise that if it is followed the DQOs should be met Reconciliation with the DQO involves reviewing both routine and QA QC data to determine whether the DQOs have been attained and that the data is adequate for its intended use This process of evaluating the data against the DQOs has been termed data quality assessment DQA The DQA process has been developed for cases where formal DQOs have been established However these procedures can also be used for data that do not formally have DQOs Guidance on the DQA process can be found in the document titled Guidance for Data Quality Assessment EPA QA G 9 This document focuses on evaluating data for fitness in decision making and also provides many graphical and statistical tools DQA is built on a fundamental premise Data quality as a concept is meaningful only when it relates to the intended use of the data By using the DQA Process one can answer two fundamental questions 1 Can the decision or estimate be made with the desired confidence given the quality of the data set 2 How well can the sampling design be expected to perform over a wide range of possible outcomes Quality Assurance Assessment Planning QC Performance Routine D outing Data Evaluation Data Data Quality Objectives Process Quality Assurance Project Plan Development
219. e generated by adding 0 to known NO concentrations These audit data are used to evaluate the calibration of the NO NO NO analyzer channels and to calculate analyzer converter efficiency 3 2 Applicability The procedure can be used to supply audit concentrations of NO NO NO in the range of 0 010 to 2 0 ppm 3 3 Accuracy The accuracy of the audit procedure should be within 2 5 if the NO gas cylinder concen tration is referenced and if the gas flow rates are determined by using EPA recommended procedures 3 4 Apparatus Audit system A typical gas phase titration system is illustrated in Figure A 6 All connections and components downstream from the 0 generator and the pollutant source must be constructed of nonreactive glass or Teflon material The seven components of the system are discussed below 1 Flow Controllers Devices capable of maintaining constant flow rates to within 2 are required Suitable flow controllers include brass for air or stainless steel for NOx micro metering valves in tandem with a precision regulator mass flow controllers capillary restrictors and porous plug restrictors 2 Flowmeters Flowmeters capable of measuring pollutant and diluent gas flow rates to within 2 are required NIST traceable soap bubble flowmeters calibrated mass flow controllers or mass flowmeters and calibrated orifice capillary and porous plug restrictors are all suitable for flow determination 3 Gas Cylinder Regulator
220. e program 40 CFR Part 58 App A requires the development of operational procedures for training These procedures should include information on gt personnel qualifications general and position specific gt training requirements by position gt frequency of training Appropriate training should be available to employees supporting the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program commensurate with their duties Such training may consist of classroom lectures workshops teleconferences and on the job training 4 2 1 Suggested Training Over the years a number of courses have been developed for personnel involved with ambient air monitoring and quality assurance aspects Formal QA QC training is offered through the following organizations gt Air Pollution Training Institute APTI hitp www epa gov oar oaq apti html gt Air amp Waste Management Association AWMA http www2 awma org gt American Society for Quality Control ASQC http www asqc org products educat html gt EPA Institute gt EPA Quality Assurance Division QAD http es epa gov ncerqa qal gt EPA Regional Offices In addition OAQPS uses contractors and academic institutions to develop and provide training for data collection activities that support regulatory efforts throughout OAQPS as well as the States and Regions The OAQPS QA Program maintains a list of available courses Table 4 1 provides a suggested sequence of core QA related ambient air monitor
221. e reporting forms can eliminate the problem of misplaced decimals Table 14 1 Data Reporting Requirements Acceptability limits for start stop Pollutant Decimal Places ug m times flow rate and other routine PM2 5 15 system checks performed by the PM10 50 operator should appear on the data ie recording form as a reminder to the Sulfur dioxide i ba act operator If a value outside these limits Nitrogen dioxide poe Carbon monoxide of acceptability is recorded the Ozone operator should flag the value for the PAMS attention of individuals performing part per billion carb ee Dene eenn gow treen data validation functions Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 13 14 2 2 Data Errors in Intermittent Sampling The most common errors in recording data in the field are transposition of digits and incorrect placement of decimal points These errors are almost impossible to detect The decimal error can be avoided to some extent by providing an operator with the guidelines in Table 14 1 that are listed by the concentrations reported in the AIRS data base 14 2 3 Data Errors in Continuous Sampling Data errors in continuous sampling primarily include errors in recording device functioning errors in strip chart reading for manual techniques or in data transmission for automated techniques of data recording Strip chart errors Errors due to recording device malfunctions of strip charts can occur General guidelin
222. e review corrective actions needed to address the deficiencies and a schedule for implementing the corrective actions The kinds of discrepancies deficiencies to be identified in the evaluation include discrepancies between the agency network description and the AIRS network description and deficiencies in the number location and or type of monitors Regions are encouraged to send copies of the SLAMS NAMS and PAMS network reviews to OAQPS s Monitoring and Quality Assurance Group Also the AIRS has an area for the entry of these reviews 15 2 Performance Evaluations Performance evaluations PEs are a means of independently verifying and evaluating the quality of data from a measurement phase or the overall measurement system This is accomplished through the use of samples of known composition and concentration or devices that produce a known effect These samples can be introduced into the measurement system as single blind identity is known but concentration is not or double blind concentration and identity unknown These samples can be used to control and evaluate bias accuracy and precision and to determine whether DQOs or MQOs have been satisfied PEs can also be used to determine inter and intra laboratory variability and temporal variability over long projects Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 15 15 2 1 National Performance Audit Program The NPAP is a cooperative effort among OAQPS the 10 EPA Regional
223. e suspect calibration event and any subsequent recalibration should be flagged to alert data users Data Reduction and Processing Checks on data integrity evaluate the accuracy of raw data and include the comparison of important events and the duplicate keying of data to identify data entry errors Data reduction is an irreversible process that involves a loss of detail in the data and may involve averaging across time for example hourly or daily averages or space for example compositing results from samples thought to be physically equivalent such as the PM spatial averaging techniques Since this summarizing process produces few values to represent a group of many data points its validity should be well documented in the QAPP Potential data anomalies can be investigated by simple statistical analyses The information generation step involves the synthesis of the results of previous operations and the construction of tables and charts suitable for use in reports How information generation is checked the requirements for the outcome and how deviations from the requirements will be treated should be addressed Section 17 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 5 17 1 Data Review Methods The flow of data from the field environmental data operations to the storage in the database requires several distinct and separate steps gt initial selection of hardware and software for the acquisition storage retrieval and transmittal
224. e the least squares regression of the air and gas flows using the primary standard as the abscissa Note at this time the relationship of the transfer standard and the primary standard must be examined In some cases the response of the transfer standard may not be 1 1 with the primary standard If this is the case then the correlation coefficient must the factor examined in accepting or rejecting the transfer standard as a useable standard It is recommended that the correlation coefficient be no less than 0 9990 Also if the agency deems it necessary the slope intercept and correlation coefficient may be averaged over a period of time to ascertain the relative drift of the transfer standard in relationship to the primary It is recommended that a new transfer standard be tested at least twice to ascertain the drift of the instrument If the slope and intercept or the transfer standard relative to a primary is not exactly 1 1 then a slope and intercept factor must be applied to the output of the transfer standard whenever it is used in a field situation By using the equation y mx b where y raw reading from transfer standard m slope factor of the linear regression x adjusted reading of the transfer standard and b the intercept of the linear regression then the adjusted value for every reading on the transfer standard is x y b m Every value read on the transfer standard should be adjusted using this equation By performing this deri
225. e variety of PM measurement principles that could be employed for candidate Class III equivalent methods the designation requirements are not explicitly provided in 40 CFR Part 53 Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 14 of 14 Table 7 5 Performance Specifications for Automated Methods Performance Parameter Units SO O CO NO Def and test procedure Sec 4 Interference equivalent ppm 53 23 d Each Interferant 02 02 1 02 Total Interferant 0 06 0 06 0 04 6 Span drift 24 hour 53 23 e 20 of upper range limit percent 20 10 20 80 of upper range limit 5 0 42 5 5 0 10 Precision ppm 53 23 e 20 of upper range limit 0 01 0 01 0 5 0 02 80 of upper range limit 0 015 0 01 0 5 0 03 Part I Section 8 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page of 4 8 Sample Handling and Custody A critical activity within any data collection phase is the process of handling samples in the field through the transit stages through storage and through the analytical phases Documentation ensuring that proper handling has occurred is part of the custody record 8 1 Sample Handling In the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program only the manual methods of lead particulates PM and PM and PAMS samples are handled In particular one must pay particular attention to the handling of filters for PM It has been suggested that the process of filter handling may be where the largest portion of measurement error occu
226. e when the capability has been exceeded both should be replaced either before each audit or after 8 hrs of use Nitric oxide gas cylinder A compressed gas cylinder containing 50 to 100 ppm NO in N is used as the NO dilution source This cylinder must be traceable to an NIST SRM number 1683 1684 1685 1686 or 1687 3 5 Procedure Equipment setup Assemble the audit equipment as required and verify that all equipment is operational If a clean dry air system equipped with a catalytic oxidizer and or O lamp is used allow the oxidizer and or O lamp to warm up for 30 minutes Connect the gas regulator to the NO cylinder and evacuate the regulator as follows 1 With the cylinder valve closed connect a vacuum pump to the evacuation outlet on the regulator and start the pump 2 Open and close the evacuation port Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 19 of 58 3 Open and close the cylinder 4 Open and close the evacuation port 5 Repeat steps 2 through 4 five more times to be sure all O impurities are removed from the regulator If the regulator does not have an evacuation port but has a supported diaphragm the procedure can be conducted at the gas exit port For regulators that do not have an evacuation port but have an unsupported diaphragm use the following procedure 1 Connect the regulator to the cylinder and close the gas exit port 2 Open and close the cylinder valve to pressurize the regulator 3 Open the g
227. ected in the SLAMS NAMS PAMS PSD networks The audit material gas cylinder ranges used in the NPAP are specified in the Federal Register The NPAP is managed by the Monitoring and Quality Assurance Group of OAQPS The mailing address for the NPAP is NPAP Project Officer US EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards MD 14 Research Triangle Park NC 27711 The NPAP audits are accomplished using a variety of mailable audit systems The participants use these audit systems to generate pollutant concentrations and flowing air streams which are introduced into their sampling system The pollutant concentrations and air stream flow rate are unknown to the audit participants The outputs from the sampler that result from the use of the audit system are recorded on a data form returned to EPA and compared to the concentration or flow rate that should have been generated by the audit system under the environmental conditions at the site The differences between the EPA expected certified values and the NPAP participants reported values are calculated and returned to the participant Table 15 1 lists the acceptance criteria for the audit material Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 15 Table 15 1 NPAP Acceptance Criteria High volume PM 10 SSD difference gt 15 for 1 or more flows Dichot PM 10 difference gt 15 for 1 or more flows Pb analytical difference gt 15 for 1 or more levels SO NO O
228. ection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina November 1991 Catalog of NBS Standard Reference Materials NBS Special Publication 260 U S Department of Commerce National Bureau of Standards Washington DC 1984 85 Edition Clean Air Act Clean Air Act Ozone Design Value Study Preliminary Draft U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina April 1993 Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 58 Appendix A U S Government Printing Office 1996 Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 58 Appendix B U S Government Printing Office 1996 Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 58 Appendix C U S Government Printing Office 1996 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 21 28 29 30 31 32 33 Part 1 References Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 8 Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 58 Appendix D U S Government Printing Office 1996 Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 58 Appendix E U S Government Printing Office 1996 Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 58 Appendix F U S Government Printing Office 1996 Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 58 Appendix G U S Government Printing Office 1996 Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 50 U S Government Printing Office 1996 Code of Federal Regulations Title 40 Part 51 U S Government Printing Office 1996 Code of Federal Regulations Title 4
229. ectives into major critical questions gt facilitates the development of clear statements of program objectives and constraints which will optimize data collection plans gt provides a logical structure within which an iterative process of guidance design and feedback may be accomplished efficiently The DQO process contains the following steps gt the problem to be resolved gt the decision gt the inputs to the decision gt the boundaries of the study gt the decision rule gt the limits on uncertainty gt study design optimization The DQO Process is fully discussed in the document titled Guidance for the Data Quality Objectives Process EPA OA G4 and is available on the EPA QA Division Homepage http es epa gov ncerqa qa The EPA QA Division also provides a software program titled Data Quality Objectives DQO Decision Error Feasibility Trials DEFT This software can help individuals develop appropriate sampling designs based upon the outputs of the DQO Process 3 2 Ambient Air Quality DQOs As indicated above the first step in the DQO process is to identify the problems that need to be resolved The objectives problems of the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program as mentioned in Section 2 are 1 To judge compliance with and or progress made towards meeting the NAAQS To activate emergency control procedures that prevent or alleviate air pollution episodes as well as develop long term control strategies
230. ecurity must be continuous If the samples are put in a vehicle lock the vehicle After delivery to the laboratory the samples must be kept in a secured place To ensure that none of the sample is lost in transport mark all liquid levels on the side of the container with a grease pencil Thus any major losses which occur will be readily ascertainable When using passivated stainless steel canisters for PAMS the canister pressure upon receipt should be recorded and compared to the final sample collection pressure to indicate canister leakage and sample loss Part I Section 8 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 4 8 2 Chain Of Custody If the results of a sampling program are to be used as evidence a written record must be available listing the location of the data at all times This chain of custody record is necessary to make a prima facie showing of the representativeness of the sampling data Without it one cannot be sure that the sampling data analyzed was the same as the data reported to have been taken at a particular time The data should be handled only by persons associated in some way with the test program A good general rule to follow is the fewer hands the better even though a properly sealed sample may pass through a number of hands without affecting its integrity Each person handling the samples or strip charts must be able to state from whom the item was received and to whom it was delivered It is recommended practi
231. ed as guidance in the development of detailed quality assurance project plans for State and local monitoring operations Earlier versions of the Handbook focused on the six criteria pollutants monitored at the State and Local Ambient Monitoring Stations SLAMS and National Ambient Monitoring Stations NAMS This edition includes quality assurance guidance for the Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations PAMS open path monitoring and the fine particulate standard PM The majority of the PAMS and open path information are derived from the Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations Implementation Manual and the Network Design Siting and Quality Assurance Guidelines for the Ultraviolet Absorption Spectrometer UV DOS Open Path Analyzer respectively 0 2 Handbook Structure The document has been segregated into two parts Part 1 includes general guidance pertaining to the development and implementation of a quality system based upon QA R5 and Part 2 includes the methods grouped by pollutant and written as guidance for the preparation of standard operating procedures Part I Introduction Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 2 0 3 Shall Must Should and May This Handbook uses the accepted definitions of shall must should and may as defined in ANSI ASQC E4 1994 gt shall must When the element and deviation from specification will constitute non conformance with 40 CFR and the Clean Air Act gt should when the ele
232. ed from the AMP220 report in AIRS The number of monitors required based on concentration levels and population can be determined from the AMP450 report and the latest census population data For PAMS the required number and type of monitoring sites and sampling requirements are based on the population of the affected MSA CMSA or ozone nonattainment area whichever is larger PAMS minimum monitoring network requirements are summarized in Table 6 9 Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 15 15 1 2 2 Location of Monitors For SLAMS the location of monitors is not specified in the regulations but is determined by the Regional Office and State agencies on a case by case basis to meet the monitoring objectives specified in Appendix D Adequacy of the location of monitors can only be determined on the basis of stated objectives Maps graphical overlays and GIS based information is extremely helpful in visualizing or assessing the adequacy of monitor locations Plots of potential emissions and or historical monitoring data versus monitor locations are especially useful For NAMS locations are based on the objectives specified in Appendix D Most often these locations are those that have high concentrations and large population exposure Population information may be obtained from the latest census data and ambient monitoring data from the AIRS AMP450 Quick Look Report For PAMS there is considerable flexibility when l
233. ed with indirect sources shopping centers stadia and office buildings which attract significant numbers of pollutant emitters Homogeneous urban subregions with dimensions of a few kilometers Represents conditions close to sources of NOx such as roads where it would be expected that suppression of O concentrations would occur Represents conditions throughout some reasonably homogeneous urban subregion with dimensions of a few kilometers Useful for developing testing and revising concepts and models that describe urban regional concentration patterns Used to estimate concentrations over large portions of an urban area with dimensions of several kilometers to 50 or more kilometers Such measurements will be used for determining trends and designing area wide control strategies The urban scale stations would also be used to measure high concentrations downwind of the area having the highest precursor emissions Used to typify concentrations over large portions of a metropolitan area and even larger areas with dimensions of as much as hundreds of kilometers Such measurements will be useful for assessing the ozone that is transported into an urban area Dimensions from about 100 meters to 0 5 kilometer These measurements would characterize the public exposure to NO in populated areas Same as for O Same as for O Appendix 6 A Revision No 0 Date 9 4 98 Page 4 of 4 Pollutant Spatial Scale Characteristics Would typify areas
234. ediately before or immediately after these readings are determined by suitable reason to be invalid then the precision bias and accuracy readings should also be invalidated Any data quality calculations using the invalidated readings should be redone Also the precision bias or accuracy checks should be rescheduled preferably in the same calendar quarter The basis or justification for all data invalidations should be permanently documented Section 17 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 5 Certain criteria based upon CFR and field operator and laboratory technician judgement may be used to invalidate a sample or measurement These criteria should be explicitly identified in the organizations QAPP Many organizations use flags or result qualifiers to identify potential problems with data or a sample A flag is an indicator of the fact and the reason that a data value a did not produce a numeric result b produced a numeric result but it is qualified in some respect relating to the type or validity of the result or c produced a numeric result but for administrative reasons is not to be reported outside the organization Flags can be used both in the field and in the laboratory to signify data that may be suspect due to contamination special events or failure of QC limits Flags can be used to determine if individuals samples data or samples from a particular instrument will be invalidated In all cases the sample data should be thor
235. edures Standard operating procedures are written documents that detail the method for an operation analysis or action with thoroughly prescribed techniques and steps It is officially approved as the method for all routine activities especially those that are involved in the environmental data operations which generally involve repetitious operations performed in a consistent manner SOPs should be written by individuals performing the procedures that are being standardized Individuals with appropriate training and experience with the process need to review the SOPs and the SOPs should be approved by the supervisor of the personnel responsible for writing the document For documentation purposes the approving official should sign and date the title page of the SOP More details of SOPs are discussed in Section 9 Field and Laboratory Notebooks Manual recording of data are sometimes required for ambient air tests Standardized forms should be utilized to ensure that all necessary information is obtained These forms should be designed to clearly identify the process tested the date and time location of the test station and operating personnel This information may determine the credibility of the data and should not be erased or altered Any errors should be crossed out with a single line and the correct value recorded above the crossed out number Part I Section 5 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 5 Do not discard original field
236. edures staffing and facilities to conduct the tests and analyses needed to implement the SLAMS NAMS monitoring and the quality assurance plans C Data and Data Management 1 Data Processing and Submittal Comment on the adequacy of the agency s staff and facilities to process and submit air quality data as specified in 40 CFR 58 35 and the reporting requirements of 40 CFR 58 Appendices A and F Include an indication of the timeliness of data submission by indicating the fraction of data which are submitted more than forty five 45 days late 2 Data Review A brief discussion of the agency s performance in meeting the 75 criteria for data completeness Additionally discuss any remedial actions necessary to improve data reporting 3 Data Correction Discuss the adequacy and documentation of corrections and or deletions made to preliminary ambient air data and their consistency with both the agency s QA Manual and Standard Operating Procedures and any revised protocols 4 Annual Report Comment on the completeness adequacy and timeliness of submission of the SLAMS Annual Report which is required under 40 CFR 58 26 D Quality Assurance Quality Control 1 Status of Quality Assurance Plan Discuss the status of the Agency s Quality Assurance Plan Include an indication of its approval status the approval status of recent changes and a general discussion of the consistency determined during the systems audit between the Agency Standard
237. efore determining whether the monitored data indicate compliance with the PM NAAQS Palookaville must first determine if any of the assumptions upon which the statistical test is based are violated This can be easily checked in Step 5 because of all the work done in Step 4 In particular as long as gt in Table 18 1 there are no checks and gt in Table 18 3 e the three year bias estimate is in the interval 10 10 and e the three year precision estimate is less than or equal to 10 then the assumptions underlying the test appear to be valid As a result if the observed three year average PM concentration is less than 15 ug m and the observed three year average 98th percentile is less than 65 g m the conclusion is that the area seems to be in compliance with the PM NAAQS with an error rate of 5 If any of the assumptions have been violated then the level of confidence associated with the test is suspect and will have to be further investigate DQA without DQOs Even though DQOs based upon the EPA G 4 guidance has not been developed for all criteria pollutants a process very similar to this approach was originally used In addition State and local organizations collect enough types of QA QC data to estimate the quality of there data and should be able to express the confidence in that information 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Part 1 References Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 8 Refe
238. eight components of the system are discussed below Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 58 1 Permeation Chamber A constant temperature chamber capable of maintaining the temperature around the permeation tube to an accuracy of 0 10 C is required The permeation oven should be equipped with a readout that is sensitive enough to verify the temperature of the permeation device during normal Flow Mixing i operation Controller Flowmeter p 2 Flow Controllers Devices capa ble of maintaining constant flow rates to within 2 are required cue Flowmeter The ard Oven Suitable flow controllers include stainless steel micro metering valves in tandem with a precision Output Manifold regulator and with mass flow Vent lt Ss J controllers capillary restrictors ae le and porous plug restrictors Extra Outlets Capped When Not in Use To Inlet of Analyzer Being Audited 3 Flowmeters Flowmeters capa ble of measuring pollutant and dilu ent gas flow rates to within 2 are required NIST traceable soap bubble flowmeters calibrated mass flow controllers or mass flowmeters and calibrated orifice capillary and porous plug restrictors are suitable Figure A 2 Schematic diagram of a permeation audit system 4 Mixing Chamber A glass chamber is used to mix SO with dilution air The inlet and outlet should be of sufficient diameter
239. el required After the analyzer response stabilizes record the NO and NOx responses on the data form Calculate and record NO gry and NOx pry using the NO and NOx audit calibration equations derived during the NO NO audit Note NO kem should be approximately 0 08 to 0 12 ppm for each audit point 5 Calculate and record the NO audit concentration NO NO3 NO Joric NO rem Equation 1 13 6 Obtain the NO station response and concentration from the station operator and record on the data form 7 Generate the highest audit concentration level first and consecutively generate audit points of decreasing NO concentration Allow the analyzer to sample the audit atmospheres until stable responses are obtained Obtain the necessary data and record in the appropriate spaces in Table A 4 8 If desired additional points at upscale concentrations different from those specified in step 2 may be generated These additional audit points plus the zero air point obtained at the start of the audit will enhance the statistical significance of the audit data regression analysis 9 After supplying all audit sample concentrations and recording all data reconnect the analyzer sample line to the station manifold Make a notation of the audit stop time Have the station operator make a note on the data recorder to indicate the stop time and check all equipment to ensure that it is in order to resume normal monitoring activities Appendix 15
240. ement 16 1 Guidelines for the preparation of reports to Management icc sepitan aR EE E oad endnote ieee 2 4 DATA VALIDATION AND USABILITY 17 Data Review Verification Validation 17 1 Data Review Methods 0 0000 cece eee eee 3 5 17 2 Data Verification Methods 000 000s 3 5 17 3 Data Validation Methods 0000 cece eee 4 5 18 Reconciliation with Data Quality Objectives 18 1 Five Steps of the DQA Process 4 2 9 References Appendices 2 QA Related Guidance Documents for Ambient Air Monitoring Activities 3 Measurement Quality Objectives 6 A Characteristics of Spatial Scales Related to Each Pollutant 6 B Procedures for Locating Open Path Instruments 7 Summary of Probe Siting Criteria 12 Calibration of Primary and Secondary Standards for Flow Measurements 14 Example Procedure for Calibrating a Data Acquisition System 15 Audit Information 16 Examples of Reports to Management Revision Date 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 8 98 Acknowledgments This QA Hand Book is the product of the combined efforts of the EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards the EPA National Exposure Research Laboratory the EPA Regional Offices and the State and local organizations The development and review of the material found in this document was accomplished through the activities of the Red Book Steering Com
241. ement of Carbon Monoxide in the Atmosphere EPA R4 73 028a Office of Research and Monitoring U S En vironmental Protection Agency Washington DC June 1973 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 6l 62 Part 1 References Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 8 Guidelines for Evaluation of Air Quality Data U S Environmental Protection Agency Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards OAQPS No 1 2 015 January 1974 P 21 Guidelines of Air Quality Monitoring Network Design and Instrument Siting U S Environmental Protection Agency Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards OAQPS No 1 2 012 Revised September 1975 Draft Guidelines for Evaluation of Air Quality Trends U S Environmental Protection Agency Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards OAQPS No 1 2 014 December 1974 Guidelines for Development of a Quality Assurance Program Reference Method for the Continuous Measurement of Carbon Monoxide in the Atmosphere EPA R4 73 028a Office of Research and Monitoring U S En vironmental Protection Agency Washington DC June 1973 Hughes E E A Procedure for Establishing Traceability of Gas Mixtures to Certain National Bureau of Standards SRM s EPA 600 7 81 010 May 1981 U S EPA Hunike Elizabeth T Standard Operating Procedure for Performing the Routine Activities of the AREAL Coordinator of the National Performance Audit Program U S Environmenta
242. emissions losses and transport Appendix 6 A Revision No 0 Date 9 4 98 Page 3 of 4 Pollutant Spatial Scale Characteristics SO CO O NO Middle Neighborhood Urban Regional Micro Middle Neighborhood Middle Neighborhood Regional Middle Neighborhood Urban Assessing the effects of control strategies to reduce urban concentrations especially for the 3 hour and 24 hour averaging times and monitoring air pollution episodes This scale applies in areas where the SO concentration gradient is relatively flat mainly suburban areas surrounding the urban center or in large sections of small cities and towns May be associated with baseline concentrations in areas of projected growth Data from this scale could be used for the assessment of air quality trends and the effect of control strategies on urban scale air quality Provide information on background air quality and interregional pollutant transport Measurements on this scale would represent distributions within street canyons over sidewalks and near major roadways This category covers dimensions from 100 meters to 0 5 kilometer In certain cases it may apply to regions that have a total length of several kilometers If an attempt is made to characterize street side conditions throughout the downtown area or along an extended stretch of freeway the dimensions may be tens of meters by kilometers Also include the parking lots and feeder streets associat
243. en and close the evacuation port 3 Open and close the cylinder valve 4 Open and close the evacuation port 5 Repeat steps 2 through 4 five more times to be sure all O impurities are removed from the regulator If the regulator does not have an evacuation port but has a supported diaphragm the procedure can be conducted at the gas exit port For regulators that do not have an evacuation port but have an unsupported diaphragm use the following procedure 1 Connect the regulator to the cylinder and close the gas exit port 2 Open and close the cylinder valve to pressurize the regulator 3 Open the gas exit port and allow the gas to purge the regulator 4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 five more times then close the gas exit port and open the cylinder valve The regulator should remain under pressure Connect the gas cylinder to the audit device Repeat the procedure for each cylinder Station Manifold Audit sequence After all the equipment has OL been assembled and set up have the station phy operator mark the strip chart recorder to indicate To Anal aox y ri that an audit is beginning Information such as the Data sre at Station Bie auditor s name start time date and auditing Analyzers Aquisition ae System organization should be entered If it is not possible to enter written comments the Start and Test oe stop times should be recorded to preclude the
244. ence between the initial and final weights of the filter when weighed and handled under simulated sampling conditions equilibration initial weighing placement on inoperative sampler removal from a sampler re equilibration and final weighing gt Alkalinity Less than 0 005 milliequivalent gram of filter following at least 2 months storage at ambient temperature and relative humidity Note Some filters may not be suitable for use with all samplers Due to filter handling characteristics or rapid increases in flow resistance due to episodic loading some filters although they meet the above criteria may not be compatible with the model of sampler chosen It would be prudent to evaluate more than one filter type before purchasing large quantities for network use In some cases EPA Headquarters may have national contracts for acceptable filters which will be supplied to State and local organizations Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 13 14 Data Acquisition and Information Management 14 1 General Success of the Ambient Air Quality Program objectives rely on data and their interpretation It is critical that data be available to users and that these data are gt reliable gt of known quality gt easily accessible to a variety of users gt aggregated in a manner consistent with it prime use In order to accomplish this activity information must be collected and managed in a manner that protects and ens
245. ency guidelines should be referred to before setting up averaging times Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 12 of 13 14 3 The Information Management System Eventually all required data will reside in the AIRS data base The AIRS database is divided into 4 subsystems two of which are important to the ambient air monitoring 1 the air quality subsystem AQS including air quality data and monitoring site descriptions and 2 the geographic common subsystem which contains geographic and other codes common to the other 3 subsystems and database control information Information on the AQS is described in 5 users manual AIRS Volume AQI1 Air Quality Data Dictionary AIRS Volume AQ2 Air Quality Data Coding Manual AIRS Volume AQ3 Air Quality Data Storage Manual AIRS Volume AQ4 Air Quality Data Retrieval Manual AIRS Volume AQ5 Ad hoc Retrieval Manual SIM ce ROE Recommended procedures for coding key punching and data editing are described in various sections of these users manuals These documents should be available to data management personnel The AQS system contains a number of files in which data are entered and stored 14 3 1 Data Input User LOAD Data User User in EDIT Data CORRECT One of the functions of the AIRS is to read Screening File Errors transactions coded by State local and orrected Screening File regional users of AIRS validate these transactions and use them to update the AIRS database
246. end to increase the average error between the actual analyzer response and the calibration curve used to calculate the ambient measurements Reduced calibration frequency would also increase the risk of collecting invalid data because of potentially increased delay in discovering a malfunction or serious response change If either of the average zero or average span drift is large more frequent zero span calibration should be considered A final pair of statistics that should be calculated is the standard deviations of the individual zero and span drifts respectively again ignoring zero and span adjustments These values 2 53 ppb and 2 12 respec tively for the charts shown in Figure 12 1 provide a measure of the typical drift performance of the ana lyzer A band equal to 3 standard deviations can be established to represent normal performance of the analyzer Such a band is represented on the charts of Figure 12 1 by the I bands at the right edge of the charts Any excursion outside of these bands is an indication of a possible performance problem that may need corrective action or additional scrutiny In continuous monitoring the total cumulative drift average of the absolute values of the individual drifts and the standard deviation of the individual drifts should be calculated on a running basis over the last 100 or so days Figure 12 2 summarizes some of the ranges and control chart limits discussed previously These limits are s
247. endices A and B EPA60014 83 023 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 27711 June 1983 Screening Procedures for Ambient Air Quality Data EPA 450 2 78037 OAQPS 1 2 092 July 1978 Selecting Sites for Carbon Monoxide Monitoring EPA 450 3 75 077 September 1975 Selecting Sites for Monitoring Total Suspended Particulates EPA 450 3 77 018 December 1977 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 Part 1 References Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 8 Selecting Sites for Carbon Monoxide Monitoring EPA 450 3 75 077 September 1975 Selecting Sites for Monitoring Total Suspended Particulates EPA 450 3 77 018 December 1977 Sexton F W F F McElroy R M Mickie Jr V L Thompson and J A Bowen Performance Test Results and Comparative Data for Designated Reference and Equivalent Methods for Ozone EPA 600 4 83 003 U S En vironmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 27711 April 1983 Shao Hang Chu Meteorological Considerations in Siting Monitors of Photochemical Pollutants presented at the Regional Photochemical Measurement and Modeling Study Conference San Diego California November 1993 Singer Donald C and Ronald P Upton Guidlines for Laboratory Quality Auditing 1993 ASQC Quality Press Milwaukee WI 411 pp Site Selection for the Monitoring of Photochemical Air Pollutants EPA 450 3 78 013 April 1978
248. endix D Network Design Requirements With regard to 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix D requirements the network reviewer must determine the adequacy of the network in terms of number and location of monitors specifically 1 is the agency meeting the number of monitors required by the design criteria requirements and 2 are the monitors properly located based on the monitoring objectives and spatial scales of representativeness 15 1 2 1 Number of Monitors For SLAMS the number of monitors required is not specified in the regulations with the exception of PM 5 stations but rather is determined by the Regional Office and State agencies on a case by case basis to meet the monitoring objectives specified in Appendix D Adequacy of the network may be determined by using a variety of tools including the following gt maps of historical monitoring data gt maps of emission densities gt dispersion modeling gt special studies saturation sampling gt best professional judgement gt SIP requirements gt revised monitoring strategies e g lead strategy reengineering air monitoring network For NAMS areas to be monitored must be selected based on urbanized population and pollutant concentration levels To determine whether the number of NAMS are adequate the number of NAMS operating is compared to the number of NAMS specified in Appendix D and summarized in Table 6 6 in this Handbook The number of NAMS operating can be determin
249. ensed by the detector is 254 nm radiation This goal can be achieved by prudent selection of the optical filter and detector response characteristics The length of the light path through the absorption cell must be known with an accuracy of at least 99 5 In addition the cell and associated plumbing O from contact with cell walls and gas handling components 9 Barometer A barometer with an accuracy of torr is required to determine the absolute cell pressure 10 Temperature indicator A temperature indicator accurate to 1 C is required to determine cell temperature 6 5 Procedure Equipment setup Assemble the audit equipment according to figure A 12 Allow the photometer and O generator to warm up for approximately 1 h or until the normal operating cell temperature 6 to 8 C above ambient is attained Photometer adjustment Dasibi Several checks are made after the photometer has reached normal operating temperature 1 Switch the photometer to sampling frequency Using Table A 7 record and calculate the mean of five consecutive readouts The mean sample frequency should be between 45 0 and 49 0 2 Switch the photometer to control frequency Using table A 7 record and calculate the mean of five consecutive readouts the mean control frequency should be between 23 0 and 28 0 3 Switch the photometer to span Record this span number and calculate the new span number as follows Span number 45 684 x EA x b T 273
250. ent optional adjust and recalibrate analyzer Analyzer adjustment optional 3 10 to 15 ppb 20 to 30 ppb 20 to 25 o 15 pp 2 to 3 ppm CO 1 to 1 5 ppm CO Invalidate data adjust Adjust analyzer and recalibrate and recalibrate analyzer Figure 12 2 Suggested zero and span drift limits when calibration is used to calculate measurements is updated at each zero span calibration and when fixed calibration is used to calculate measurements as a valid zero span calibration as discussed in this section If the automatic calibrations do not qualify as level 1 calibrations because the zero and span readings cannot be read from the strip chart for example then the analyzer must receive manual zero span calibrations as if it had no automatic capabilities In this case the automatic zero and span adjustments should be ignored except that manual calibrations should be separated in time as much as possible from the occurrence of the automatic calibrations for maximal benefit It may sometimes happen that automatic and manual calibrations interact producing a detrimental effect on the monitoring data If so the automatic calibrations should be discontinued or adjusted to avoid continuation of the conflict 12 8 Data Reduction Using Calibration Information As noted previously an analyzer s response calibration curve relates the analyzer response to actual concentration units of measure and the response of
251. ent Air Quality Surveillance Program A quality system as defined by The American National Standard Specifications and Guidelines for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs is a structured and documented management system describing the policies objectives principles organizational authority responsibilities accountability and implementation plan for ensuring the quality in its work processes products and services The quality system provides the framework for planning implementing and assessing work performed by the organization and for carrying out required quality assurance QA and quality control QC An organizations quality system for the Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Program is described in their QA project plan Second the Handbook provides additional information and guidance on the material covered in the Code of Federal Regulations CFR pertaining to the Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Program Based on the intent the first part of the Handbook has been written in a style similar to a QA project plan as specified in the draft EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Environmental Data Operations EPA QA R5 Earlier versions of the Handbook contained many of the sections required in QA RS and because many State and local agencies as well as EPA are familiar with these elements it was felt that the Handbook would be more readable in this format The information can be us
252. ental opening of the container and to act as a sufficient safeguard where all other aspects of the chain of custody procedure are observed However when there is any possibility of temporary access to the samples by unauthorized personnel the sample containers or envelopes should be sealed with a self adhesive sticker which has been signed and numbered by the operating technician This sticker must adhere firmly to ensure that it cannot be removed without destruction The samples should then be delivered to the laboratory for analysis It is recommended that this be done on the same day that the sample is taken from the monitor If this is impractical all the samples should be placed in a carrying case preferably locked for protection from breakage contamination and loss 8 1 3 Transportation In transporting samples and other monitoring data it is important that precautions be taken to eliminate the possibility of tampering accidental destruction and or physical and chemical action on the sample Attributes that can effect the integrity of samples include temperature extremes air pressure air transportation and the physical handling of samples packing jostling etc These practical considerations must be dealt with on a site by site basis and should be documented in the organizations QAPP and site specific SOPs The person who has custody of the samples strip charts or other data must be able to testify that no tampering occurred S
253. eporting agency for corrective action and technical systems audits Concentration 8 to 10 ppm Aggregation of a quarters measured precision values Four concentration ranges If failure recalibrate and reanalyze Repeated failure requires corrective action H _ reference refers to the QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume II The use of S refers to sections within the handbook The use of MS refers to sections of the method for the particular pollutant Part I Section 4 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page of 4 4 Personnel Qualifications Training and Guidance 4 1 Personnel Qualifications Personnel assigned to ambient air monitoring activities are expected to have met the educational work experience responsibility personal attributes and training requirements for their positions In some cases certain positions may require certification and or recertification These requirements should be outlined in the position advertisement and in personal position descriptions Records on personnel qualifications and training should be maintained and should be accessible for review during audit activities These records should be retained as described in Section 5 4 2 Training Adequate education and training are integral to any monitoring program that strives for reliable and comparable data Training is aimed at increasing the effectiveness of employees and their organization As part of a quality assuranc
254. er T1 T2 T min Ch atune cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Voc3 ppm Other response Audit Point V Pollutant flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter Tl T2 T min C Caune cm3 min T T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Voc3 ppm Other response Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 16 of 58 Table A 3 continued flow rates Analyzer response Difference Audit Concentration Point Pollutant Total 2 Analyzer Number cm min cm min ppm MV chart audit ppm Regression analysis audit concentration x vs Analyzer response y y mxt b Slope m Intercept b Correlation r Comments Auditor Audit Method Zero Setting Span setting Equivalency reference no Station Calibration source Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 17 of 58 3 Nitrogen Dioxide Audit Procedure Using Gas Phase Titration 3 1 Principle The auditing procedure is based on the gas phase reaction between NO and O NO 0 gt NO 0 Equation 1 5 The generated NO concentration is equal to the NO concentration consumed by the reaction of 0 with ex cess NO The NO and NOx channels of the chemiluminescence yox analyzer are audited with known NO concentrations produced by a dynamic dilution system which uses clean dry air to dilute a gas cylinder containing NO in nitrogen After completion of the NO NO audits stoichiometric mixtures of NO in combination with NO ar
255. er trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Worksheet when the readings have stabilized and enter them into the computer NOTE If Superblend Audit Point 9 is not needed for a lower NO and or THC CH4 level proceed to Step 12 This point may be used for Meta Xylene Meta Xylene Procedure Section E 1 2 7 12 Superblend Audit Point 10 Press the Dasibi 1009 CP GAS switch to OFF After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Worksheet when the readings have stabilized and enter them into the computer a _Converter Efficiency The converted NO2 concentration is used at each point to determine the NO NOX analyzer converter efficiency The converter efficiency is calculated as follows CE NO NOX NO 100 Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 21 of 35 Where CE Converter Efficiency NO NO orig NO rem NO Slope NOX NOX orig NOX rem NOX Slope b In the event that th
256. eral terms in Section 16 Network Reviews The network review is used to determine how well a particular air monitoring network is achieving its required air monitoring objective s and how it should be modified to continue to meet its objective s Network reviews are discussed in Section 16 Part I Section 2 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 5 Performance Evaluations Performance evaluations are a type of audit in which the quantitative data generated in a measurement system are obtained independently and compared with routinely obtained data to evaluate the proficiency of an analyst laboratory or measurement system The following performance evaluations are included in the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program State Performance Evaluations Audits These performance evaluation audits are used to provide an independent assessment on the measurement operations of each instrument by comparing performance samples or devices of known concentrations or values to the values measured by the instrument This audit is discussed in Section 16 NPAP The goal of the NPAP is to provide audit material and devices that will enable EPA to assess the proficiency of agencies who are operating monitors in the SLAMS NAMS PAMS and PSD networks NPAP samples or devices of known concentration or values but unknown to the audited organization are compared to the values measured by the audited instrument This audit is discussed in Secti
257. erating range if the air conditioning heating system fails Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 14 7 2 Sampling Probes And Manifolds 7 2 1 Design of Probes and Manifolds for Automated Methods Some important variables affecting the sampling manifold design are the diameter length flow rate pressure drop and materials of construction Con siderations for these parameters are discussed below for both a vertical laminar flow and a conventional manifold design Vertical laminar flow design Figure 7 2 is an example of a vertical laminar flow manifold By the proper selection of a large diameter vertical inlet probe and by maintaining a laminar flow throughout the sample air is not permitted to react ORIFICE METER BLOWER 150 2 min FOR FLOW MEASUREMENT with the walls of the probe Numerous materials such as glass PVC plastic galvanized steel and Figure 7 2 Vertical laminar flow manifold stainless steel can be used for constructing the probe Removable sample lines constructed of Teflon or glass can be used to provide each device with sample air Inlet line diameters of 15 cm with a flow rate of 150 L min are necessary if diffusion losses and pressure drops are to be minimized The sampling rate should be maintained to insure laminar flow conditions This configuration has the following advantages gt a 15 cm pipe can be cleaned easily by pulling a cloth through it with a string gt sampling por
258. ero and span drift and to be alerted if the drift becomes excessive so that corrective action can be taken Examples of simple zero and span control charts are shown in Figure 12 1 Such control charts make important use of the unadjusted zero and span response readings mentioned in Section 12 3 In the zero drift chart of Figure 12 1 cumulative zero drift is shown by plotting the zero deviation in ppb for each zero span calibration relative to a nominal calibration curve intercept 0 scale percent slope 200 scale percent per ppm for a nominal scale range of 0 5 ppm This zero deviation may be calculated as follows D p 2 X 1000 ppb ppm where D zero deviation from the reference calibration e g nominal or original calibration ppb Z unadjusted zero reading e g scale percent I intercept of reference calibration e g scale percent m slope of reference calibration e g scale percent ppm Similarly cumulative span drift may be shown by plotting the percent deviation in the slope of the calibration curve relative to the reference calibration This percent deviation in the span slope may be calculated as follows m m D X 100 percent s m o where D span deviation from reference calibration percent m slope of reference calibration e g scale percent ppm m slope of current analyzer calibration slope e g scale percent ppm S unadjusted span reading e g sca
259. es reports prints calculates or transfers data The transfer is usually from an analog or digital format to a digital medium In addition this section will discuss limitations with data collected with DAS Uncertainty of data will be discussed and how to ascertain the quality of the data DAS have been available to air quality professionals since the early 1980s The first systems were single and multi channel systems that collected data on magnetic media This media was usually hand transferred to a central location or laboratory for downloading to a central computer With the advent of digital data transfer from the stations to a central location the need to hand transfer data has diminished However errors in data reporting can occur with strip chart as well as digital data For DAS there are two sources of error between the instrument sensor and the recording device 1 the output signal from the sensor and 2 the errors in recording by the data logger This ae section will relate how to ascertain quality data Ambient Seana eee Converter from DAS Storage BAM 14 2 4 1 DAS Data Acquisition Layout and Medium Memory Collection On Site Hardcopy Printer Report Figure 14 1 shows the basic transfer of data from aa the instrument to the final product a hard copy Computer report or transfer to a central computer The j instrument has a voltage potenti
260. es the accuracy of the audit data at specific operating levels within an analyzer s range Because this method compares the operating differences at a maximum of four points its use in determining overall analyzer performance is limited With an increase in the number and range of audit points generated linear regression analysis can be used to aid in evaluating analyzer performance data This method involves supplying a zero concentration and five upscale concentrations corresponding to approximately 10 20 40 60 and 90 of the analytical range The regression coefficients are calculated by designating the audit concentration ppm as the abscissa x variable and the station analyzer response ppm as the ordinate y variable The resultant straight line y mx b minimizes the sum of the squares of the deviations of the data points from the line Table A 10 summarizes the calculations by the method of least squares and Table A 11 lists criteria which may be used to evaluate the regression data in terms of analyzer performance The slope and intercept describe the data set when fitted to a line the correlation coefficient de scribes how well the straight line fits the data points Presently Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 54 of 58 0 5 Station Conc Difference ppm Soal E E 0 3 F Z 0 2 r 0 9999 E m 0 958 E b 0 000 my 0 4 H there are no published criteria for judgin
261. es are designed to evaluate and control various phases sampling preparation analysis of the measurement process to ensure that total measurement uncertainty is within the range prescribed by the DQOs MQ0Os can be defined in terms of the following data quality indicators Precision defined above Bias defined above Representativeness defined above Detectability defined above Completeness a measure of the amount of valid data obtained from a measurement system compared to the amount that was expected to be obtained under correct normal conditions Data completeness requirements are included in the reference methods 40 CFR Pt 50 Comparability a measure of confidence with which one data set can be compared to another For each of these attributes acceptance criteria can be developed for various phases of the EDO Various parts of 40 CFR have identified acceptance criteria for some of these attributes In theory if these MQOs are met measurement uncertainty should be controlled to the levels required by the DQO Tables of the most critical MQOs can be developed Table 3 1 is an example of an MQO table for carbon monoxide MQO tables for the remaining criteria pollutants can be found in Appendix 3 Section No 3 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 6 Table 3 1 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter CO Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter CO Nondispersive Infrared Photometry Shelter Temperature Tempe
262. es in Table A 3 4 If desired additional points at upscale concentrations different from those specified in step 2 may be generated Generation of these audit concentrations plus a post audit lean dry air response will enhance the statistical significance of the audit data regression analysis Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 13 of 58 5 After supplying all audit sample concentrations and recording all data reconnect the analyzer sample line to the station manifold Make a notation of the audit stop time Have the station operator make a note on the data recorder to indicate the stop time and check all equipment to ensure that it is in order to resume normal monitoring activities 2 6 Calculations Record the data in Table A 3 in the appropriate spaces difference The difference is calculated as follows Difference a x 100 Equation 1 4 where Cy the station measured concentration ppm C the calculated audit concentration ppm Regression analysis Calculate by the method of least squares the slope intercept and correlation coef ficient of the station analyzer response data y versus the audit concentration data x These data can be used to interpret the analyzer performance 2 7 References References 4 through 6 and 10 and 11 provide additional information on this SO audit procedure Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 14 of 58 Table A 3 SO Audit Data Report Station Date
263. es the need to regulate potential air pollutants and develops national standards works with State and local agencies to develop plans for meeting these standards monitors national air quality trends and maintains a database of information on air pollution and controls provides technical guidance and training on air pollution control strategies and monitors compliance with air pollution standards Within the OAQPS Emissions Monitoring and Analysis Division the Monitoring and Quality Assurance Group MQAG is responsible for the oversight of the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network MQAG has the responsibility to gt ensure that the methods and procedures used in making air pollution measurements are adequate to meet the programs objectives and that the resulting data are of satisfactory quality gt operate the National Performance Audit Program NPAP gt evaluate the performance of organizations making air pollution measurements of importance to the regulatory process gt implement satisfactory quality assurance programs over EPA s Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network Part I Section 1 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 5 gt ensure that guidance pertaining to the quality assurance aspects of the Ambient Air Program are written and revised as necessary gt render technical assistance to the EPA Regional Offices and air pollution monitoring community In particular to this Handbook OAQPS will be responsible for gt coor
264. es to avoid errors or loss of data caused by mechanical problems follow gt perform a daily check to assure an adequate supply of strip chart paper gt check the ink level in the recorder pen to verify that the level is adequate for the next sampling period and that the pen tip is not blocked gt perform a daily check to verify that the pen on the recorder aligns with the baseline of the strip chart during the instrument zero check gt verify the timing of the strip chart drive against a standard timepiece immediately after installation of the recorder and at intervals dictated by experience with the recorder gt replace recorder pens and soak in cleaning solution occasionally gt examine the strip chart for apparent evidence of chart drag or malfunction and mark suspected intervals When reviewing a strip chart typical signs of system malfunction are gt a straight trace for several hours other than minimum detectable gt excessive noise as indicated by a wide solid trace or erratic behavior such as spikes that are sharper than possible with the normal instrument response time noisy outputs usually result when analyzers are exposed to vibrations gt along steady increase or decrease in deflection gt acyclic pattern of the trace with a definite time period indicating a sensitivity to changes in temperature or parameters other than the pollutant concentration gt periods where the trace drops below the zero baseline
265. esponse Compare the INSIDE line response to the OUTSIDE line response to arrive at a percent difference for each level Total all three levels and divide the total by three to arrive at the average percent difference Add this average percent difference to the previous line loss percent difference has to be within 1 Divide this by two to arrive at the current quarter line loss NOTE QUARTERLY LINE LOSS TEST FORM ozone response should be within 2 5 of the manifold ozone response 18 Press the ozone on the Dasibi 1009 CP OFF 19 Repeat steps 6 through 9 for a total of three readings 20 Drain the moisture from the Aadco water traps 21 Turn the compressor off 22 Turn the Aadco off 23 Turn the Dasibi 1009 CP off 24 Turn the Elgar 1001 SL off 25 Turn the chart recorder off 26 Disconnect the OUTSIDE line from the front manifold and reconnect the INSIDE line 27 Remove the 10 lpm by pass rotameter and glass tee from the OUTSIDE line and recap the line 28 Rewind the OUTSIDE line back onto the reel E 1 5 3 QUARTERLY INSTRUMENT AND GAS RECERTIFICATION 1 Dasibi 1009 CP The Standards Laboratory recertifies the UV Photometer against a Primary Photometer and checks the mass flow controllers The slope and intercept derived from the ozone certification are entered into the van standards file and used to calculate true van ozone concentrations Volume V Section E 1 5 Revision 5 November 1 1995 E 1 5 4 E 1 5
266. essed Gases Dilution gas zero air Gaseous standards Daily Daily Purchase specification Purchase specification Purchase specification Purchase specification 20 to 30 C 27C Reference or equivalent method Flow rate regulated to 2 Accuracy 2 Free of contaminants NIST Traceable e g EPA Protocol Gas 40 CFR Pt 53 20 Vol II S 7 1 4 Vol II MS 2 3 2 40 CFR Pt 53 9 40 CFR Pt 50 App F S 2 2 EPA 600 4 75 003 40 CFR Pt 53 20 amp 23 e 40 CFR Pt 50 11 EPA 600 4 75 003 40 CFR Pt 50 App F S 1 3 EPA 600 R 97 121 Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been tested over this temperature range Maintain shelter temperature above sample dewpoint Shelter should have a 24 hour temperature recorder Flag all data for which temperature range or fluctuations are outside acceptance criteria Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been determined to meet these acceptance criteria Return cylinder to supplier Nitric oxide in nitrogen EPA Protocol Gases have a 24 month certification period and must be recertified to extend the certification Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 3 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter NO Chemiluminescence Calibration Multipoint calibration at least 5 points Convertor efficiency Zero span check level 1 Flowmeters Performance Evaluation NPAP State audits P
267. et probes The vegetation was removed within one week after the problem was reported Personnel from the County Parks and Recreation Department provided assistance removing the vegitation Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 12 of 24 PARTICULATE CRITERIA POLLUTANTS The Acme Reporting Organization monitors the ambient concentrations of three particulate criteria pollutants gt lead gt PM particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 10 micrometers and gt PM particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to a nominal 2 5 micrometers This monitoring is used to determine attainment of Federal NAAQS and State ambient air quality standards Monitoring of these pollutants is conducted by sampling for 24 hours every six days by a network of manually operated samplers PROGRAM UPDATE At the beginning of 2000 the Acme Reporting Organization operated 22 ambient air monitoring stations that measured particulate criteria pollutants On March 1 2000 a station was opened at Townone to monitor PM PM and lead The station at Towntwo which monitored PM PM and lead was closed in April 2000 QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR MEASUREMENT DATA The Quality Objectives for the Acme Reporting Organization s ambient air monitoring of particulate criteria pollutants are shown in Table 5 below Table 5 Quality Objectives for Particulate Criteria Pollutants Data Quality Indicator Objective
268. eturned to the originator and other copies are sent to the supervisor and the applicable files for the record Section 17 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 5 17 Data Review Verification and Validation Data review verification and validation are techniques used to accept reject or qualify data in an objective and consistent manner Verification can be defined as confirmation by examination and provision of objective evidence that specified requirements have been fulfilled Validation can be defined as confirmation by examination and provision of objective evidence that the particular requirements for a specific intended use are fulfilled It is important to describe the criteria for deciding the degree to which each data item has met its quality specifications as described in an organization s QAPP This section will describe the techniques used to make these assessments In general these assessment activities are performed by persons implementing the environmental data operations as well as by personnel independent of the operation such as the organization s QA personnel and at some specified frequency The procedures personnel and frequency of the assessments should be included in an organization s QAPP These activities should occur prior to submitting data to AIRS and prior to final data quality assessments that will be discussed in Section 18 Each of the following areas of discussion should be considered during the data r
269. eview Identify the key underlying assumptions that must hold for the statistical procedures to be valid The primary objective for the PM mass monitoring is determining compliance with the PM NAAQS As a result the null and alternative hypotheses are H X 15 ug m and Y 65 ug m H X gt 15 ug m or Y gt 65 ug m where X is the three year average PM concentration and Y is the three year average of the annual 98th percentiles of the PM concentrations recorded for an individual monitor The exact calculations for X and Y are specified in 40 CFR Part 50 Appendix N The null hypothesis is rejected that is it is concluded that the area is not in compliance with the PM NAAQS when the observed three year average of the annual arithmetic mean concentration exceeds 15 05 g m or when the observed three year average of the annual 98th percentiles exceeds 65 5 g m If the bias of the sampler is greater than 10 and less than 10 and the precision is within 10 then the error rates Type I and Type II associated with this statistical test are less than or equal to 5 The definitions of bias and precision will be outlined in the following step Part 1 Section 18 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 9 Step 4 Verify Assumptions of Statistical Test Evaluate whether the underlying assumptions hold or whether departures are acceptable given the actual data and other information about the study The assumptions behind the stati
270. eview verification validation processes Some of the discussion applies to situations in which a sample is separated from its native environment and transported to a laboratory for analysis and data generation others are applicable to automated instruments The following information is an excerpt from EPA G 5 Sampling Design How closely a measurement represents the actual environment at a given time and location is a complex issue that is considered during development of the sampling design Each sample should be checked for conformity to the specifications including type and location spatial and temporal By noting the deviations in sufficient detail subsequent data users will be able to determine the data s usability under scenarios different from those included in project planning Sample Collection Procedures Details of how a sample is separated from its native time space location are important for properly interpreting the measurement results Sampling methods and field SOPs provide these details which include sampling and ancillary equipment and procedures including equipment decontamination Acceptable departures for example alternate equipment from the QAPP and the action to be taken if the requirements cannot be satisfied should be specified for each critical aspect Validation activities should note potentially unacceptable departures from the QAPP Comments from field surveillance on deviations from written sampling plans als
271. f the AREAL Coordinator of the NPAP Analysis of Protocol Gases An Ongoing Quality Historical interest only Assurance Audit U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 600 A 93 168 May 1993 Guideline on the Meaning and Use of Precision and Some items out of date e g SAROAD versus AIRS Accuracy Data Required by 40 CFR Part 58 Appendices no PM 10 etc A and B U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 600 4 83 023 June 1983 Issues Concerning the Use of Precision and Accuracy Historical interest only Data Special Report U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 450 4 84 006 February 1984 Part I Appendix 2 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 7 DOCUMENT TITLE STATUS Guidance for the Data Quality Assessment Practical Final January 1998 Methods for Data Analysis EPA QA G 9 EPA 600 R 96 084 System Audits National Air Audit System Guidance Manual for FY National audit report discontinued in FY89 1988 FY 1989 U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 450 2 88 002 February 1988 Network Design and Siting Enhanced Ozone Monitoring Network Design and Siting Criteria Guidance Document EPA 450 4 9 1 033 November 1991 PAMS Implementation Manual EPA 454 B 93 051 March 1994 Guidance for Conducting Ambient Air Monitoring for Designed to supersede EPA 450 4 8 1 006 assuming Lead Around Lead Point Sources January 1992 change in lead NAAQS and revised EPA lead policy policy has been changed but not NAAQS
272. f participants to certify transfer standards and or calibrate monitoring instrumentation Audit data summaries provide a relative performance ranking for each participating agency when compared to the other participants for a particular pollutant These data could be used as a preliminary assessment of laboratory operations at the different local agencies B Precision and Accuracy Reporting System PARS Data which provide detailed information on precision and accuracy checks for each local agency and each pollutant on a quarterly basis These data summaries could be used to identify out of control conditions at different local agencies for certain pollutants C AIRS AP430 Data Summaries which provide a numerical count of monitors meeting and those not meeting specifications on monitoring data completeness on a quarterly basis together with an associ ated summary of precision and accuracy probability limits In addition the program will provide data summaries indicating the percent of data by site and or by state for each pollutant Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 50 4 0 Selection of Monitoring Sites for Evaluation It is suggested that approximately five percent 5 of the sites of each local agency included in the reporting organization be inspected during a systems audit Many reporting organizations contain a large number of monitoring agencies while in other cases a monitoring agency is its own reporting organi
273. f scheduled monitoring data must be reported All data must be submitted within six months after the end of the reporting quarter Table 13 summarizes promptness and completeness for ambient air toxics monitoring data Table 13 Data Quality Assessment for Promptness and Completeness Pollutant Promptness Completeness Carbonyl 100 Volatile organic compounds 100 Inorganic compounds 100 Precision At least once every two weeks precision for automated VOC analysis is determined by sampling a gas of known concentration Precision for manual VOC sampling carbonyl sampling and inorganic sampling is obtained by analysis of duplicate samples Duplicates are taken at a frequency of one duplicate for every 10 samples Table 14 summarizes the precision check results for 2000 Table 14 Data Quality Assessment for Precision Precision checks Precision checks Pollutant completed within limits Bias The results of the annual performance audits conducted by ARO personnel are shown in Figure 9 below For the automated VOC analyzers the center line represents the average bias across all sites i e with all sites weighted equally For the carbonyl manual VOC and inorganic analyses the center line represents the average of all audit samples for the central analytical laboratory The lower and upper probability limits represent the boundaries within which 95 percent of the individual bias values are expected to be distributed All measure
274. f volumes Attach the air flow measuring device to the primary standard Making sure that the ports are open allow air to pass through the primary standard Record the barometric pressure and the shelter temperature gt If using a MFC set the flow rate Thumb Wheel Settings TWS to the desired setting Allow the calibrator to stabilize usually 2 3 minutes Read the value of the alpha primary standard Record 5 10 readings and average Without changing the TWS attach the beta primary standard Record the response of this unit and average Record these on to a sheet gt Adjust the Thumb Wheel Settings to the next level that you wish to measure and repeat step 3 It is recommended that a minimum of 5 levels be measured gt Repeat this procedure for the gas device using flows in the range of the primary standard flow device Repeat steps 3 4 gt After the values have been averaged and tabulated adjust the values to Standard Temperature and Pressure STP For air monitoring standard temperature is 298 Kelvin 29 92 inches of Mercury Calculate the percent difference for each point using the alpha primary standard as the known Also calculate the least squares regression of the air and gas flows using the alpha as the abscissa Calculations Since primary standards are volumetric measuring devices the flows must be corrected to standard temperature and pressure i e 298 Kelvin and 29 92 in Hg inches of mercury The following equat
275. ficiency Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 22 of 58 NO Audit The NO audit involves generating NO concentrations in combination with approximately 0 10 ppm of NO to challenge the calibration of the NO channel of the analyzer The NO audit concen trations are calculated from the responses of the NO channel of the analyzer using the NO audit calibration equation obtained during the NO NO x audit NO Audit Procedure 1 Verify that the O generator air flow rate Fo is adjusted to the value determined earlier Dynamic parameter specifications 2 Generate the SLAMS audit concentrations which are compatible with the analyzer range consistent with the Appendix A requirements 3 Generate an NO concentration which is approximately 0 08 to 0 12 ppm higher than the NO audit concentration level required Allow the analyzer Audit point Concentration range ppm 1 0 03 0 08 i to sample this concentration until a stable response is 2 0 15 0 45 f 3 0 35 0 45 obtained that is until the response does not vary more 4 0 80 0 90 than 2 of the measurement range over a 5 minute period Record the NO and NOx responses on the data form Calculate and record NO opig and NOxlorig using the NO and NOx audit calibration equations derived during the NO NOx audit 4 Adjust the 0 generator to generate sufficient 0 to produce a decrease in the NO concentration equivalent to the NO audit concentration lev
276. fold system is determined in the following way First the volume of the cane manifold and sample lines must be determined using the following equation Total Volume Cv My Lv Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 14 Each of the components of the sampling system must be measured individually To measure the volume of the components use the following calculation V pi d 2 L Where V volume of the component pi 3 14159 L Length of the component d inside diameter Once the total volume is determined divide the volume by the flow rate of all instruments This will give the residence time If the residence time is greater than 10 seconds attach a blower or vacuum pump to increase the flow rate and decrease the residence time It has been demonstrated that there are no significant losses of reactive gas O concentrations in conventional 13 mm inside diameter sampling lines of glass or Teflon if the sample residence time is 10 seconds or less This is true even in sample lines up to 38 m in length which collect substantial amounts of visible contamination due to ambient aerosols However when the sample residence time exceeds 20 seconds loss is detectable and at 60 seconds the loss is nearly complete Calibrator Gas gt Analyzer Analyzer Figure 7 5 Positions of calib
277. for the analyzer to fully stabilize This stabilization time may be substantial for some analyzers Also obtain unadjusted re sponse readings before adjustments are made as described in the previous section on level 1 zero and span calibration Zero and span adjustments do not necessarily need to be made at each calibration In fact where only rela tively small adjustments would be made it is probably more accurate not to make the adjustments because of the difficulty of making precise adjustments mentioned earlier An appropriate question then is how much zero or span drift can be allowed before a physical zero or span adjustment should be made to an an alyzer Part I Section 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 13 Ideally all ambient measurements obtained from an analyzer should be calculated or adjusted on the basis of the most recent zero and span or multipoint calibration or on the basis of both the previous and subsequent calibrations see section 12 9 In this case considerable drift i e deviation from an original or nominal re sponse curve can be allowed before physical adjustments must be made because the calibration curve used to calculate the ambient measurements is kept in close agreement with the actual analyzer response The chief limitations are the amount of change in the effective scale range of the analyzer that can be tolerated and possible loss of linearity in the analyzer s response due to excessive deviatio
278. form Fig 15 6 is generated by the audited organization for each finding form submitted by the audit team The audit finding response form is signed by the audited organizations director and sent to the organization responsible for oversight who reviews and accepts the corrective action The audit response form should be completed by the audited organization within 30 days of acceptance of the audit report Audit Finding Response Form Audit Title Audit Finding Finding Cause of the problem Actions taken or planned for correction Responsibilities and timetable for the above actions Prepared by Date Reviewed by Remarks Is this audit finding closed When File with official audit records Send copy to auditee Figure 15 6 Audit response form Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 15 of 15 15 4 Data Quality Assessments A data quality assessment DQA is the statistical analysis of environmental data to determine whether the quality of data is adequate to support the decision which are based on the DQOs Data are appropriate if the level of uncertainty in a decision based on the data is acceptable The DQA process is described in detail in Guidance for the Data Quality Assessment Process EPA QA G 9 in Section 18 and is summarized below 1 Review the data quality objectives DQOs and sampling design of the program review the DQO and develop one if it has not already been done
279. fs AVERE DIFFERENCE Quarterly line loss Current Quarter Line Loss Previous Quarter Line Loss 2 QA FORM LLI QUARTERLY LINE LOSS f Figure E 1 5 1 Quarterly Line Loss Test Form Volume V Section E 1 5 Revision 5 November 1 1995 Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 24 Appendix 16 Examples of Reports to Management The following example of an annual quality assurance report consist of a number of sections that describe the quality objectives for selected sets of measurement data and how those objectives have been met Sections include gt Executive Summary gt Introduction and gt Quality information for each ambient air pollutant monitoring program The report is titled Acme Reporting Organization Annual Quality Assurance Report for 2000 Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 24 ACME REPORTING ORGANIZATION ANNUAL QUALITY ASSURANCE REPORT FOR 2000 Prepared by Quality Assurance Department Acme Reporting Organization 110 Generic Office Building Townone XX 00001 April 2001 ACME REPORTING ORGANIZATION ANNUAL QUALITY ASSURANCE REPORT FOR 2000 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION gt Data quality gt Quality assurance procedures GASEOUS CRITERIA POLLUTANTS gt Program update gt Quality objectives for measurement data gt Data quality assessment PARTICULATE CRITERIA POLLUTANTS gt Program update gt Quality objectives for measurement data
280. g gt shelter inspection gt air conditioner repair gt AC filter replacement gt weed abatement gt roof repair gt general cleaning Part I Section 11 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 5 11 2 3 Station Log The station log is a chronology of the events that occur at the monitoring station The log is an important part of the equation because it contains the narrative of problems and solutions to problems The site log notes should be written in a narrative rather than technical details The technical details belong in the instrumentation log The items that belong in the station log are gt the date time and initials of the person s who have arrived at the site gt brief description of the weather i e clear breezy sunny raining gt brief description of exterior of the site Any changes that might affect the data for instance if someone is parking a truck or tractor near the site this may explain high NOx values etc gt any unusual noises vibrations or anything out of the ordinary gt description of the work accomplished at the site i e calibrated instruments repaired analyzer gt detailed information about the instruments that may be needed for repairs or troubleshooting 11 2 4 Routine Operations Routine operations are the checks that occur at specified periods of time during a monitoring station visit The duties are the routine day to day operations that must be performed in order to opera
281. g O analyzers is illustrated in Figure A 12 The system consists of an O source and a standard UV photometer Components of the system are discussed below 1 Ozone generator An O generator that produces a stable O concentration is required An UV lamp generator is recommended 2 Flow controllers Devices capable of maintaining constant flow rates to within 2 are required Suitable flow controllers include brass micro metering valves in tandem with a precision regulator mass flow controllers capillary restrictors and porous plug restrictors 3 Flowmeters Flowmeters capable of measuring pollutant and diluent gas flow rates to within 2 are required NIST traceable soap bubble flowmeters calibrated mass flow controllers mass flowmeters and calibrated orifice capillary and porous plug restrictors are suitable 4 Mixing chamber A glass or Teflon chamber is used to mix the O with dilution air The inlet and outlet should be of sufficient diameter so that the chamber is at atmospheric pressure under normal operation and sufficient turbulence must be created in the chamber to facilitate thorough mixing Chamber volumes in the range of 100 to 500 cm are sufficient Glass Kjeldahl connecting flasks are suitable mixing chambers Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 42 of 58 Flow Flowmeter Controller owmele Flow 9s Mixing Output Manifold p Controller Flowmeter Gene
282. g analyzer performance Criteria are normally oe 1 f fi i 1 i fi specified by the operating agency Figure A 13 DA a a aa ne shows an example audit data set that is analyzed Audit Concentration ppm both by the difference and least squares technique Figure A 13 Example of audit data regression analysis Analyzer Concentration Analyzer Concentration Ka Audit Concentration 45 Audit Concentration b Systematic differences between station values and audit values a Audit data from an ideal station Analyzer Concentration ty by 45 Audit Concentration c Linear and systematic differences between station values and audit values Analyzer Concentration Analyzer Concentration a L 45 Audit Concentration Audit Concentration d e Differences resulting from inaccurate calibration standard Figure A 15 Multiple audit data variations The slope shows an average difference of 4 2 which agrees with the difference data The zero intercept of 0 000 agrees with the analyzer response during the audit this indicates a nonbias response The correlation coefficient of 0 9999 indicates a linear response to the audit points It can be deduced that the difference of the slope index is caused by the calibration source i e the standard pollutant source flow measurement apparatus and the dilution air source Fi
283. ges b Specified at 760 mm Hg and 25 C 6 0 Audit Reporting The Systems Audit Report format discussed in this section has been prepared to be consistent with guidance offered by the STAPPA ALAPCO Ad Hoc Air Monitoring Audit Committee The format is considered as acceptable for annual systems audit reports submitted to the OAQPS audit team members shall use this framework as a starting point and include additional material comments and information provided by the agency during the audit to present an accurate and complete picture of its operations and performance evaluation At a minimum the systems audit report should include the following six sections 1 Executive Summary summarizes the overall performance of the agency s monitoring program It should highlight problem areas needing additional attention and should describe any significant conclusions and or broad recommendations 2 Introduction describes the purpose and scope of the audit and identifies the audit team members key agency personnel and other section or area leaders who were interviewed It should also indicate the agency s facilities and monitoring sites which were visited and inspected together with the dates and times of the on site audit visit Acknowledgment of the cooperation and assistance of the Director and the QAO should also be considered for inclusion 3 Audit Results presents sufficient technical detail to allow a complete understanding of the agenc
284. gional Office waiver Tn accordance with future EPA guidance Status of sites is examined during annual network review Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 14 7 Sampling Methods Ambient air sampling is primarily concerned with the atmospheric concentrations of such pollutants as particulates SO NOx CO and photochemical oxidants To establish the basic validity of such ambient air monitoring data it must be shown that gt the proposed sampling method complies with the appropriate testing regulations gt the equipment is accurately sited gt the equipment was accurately calibrated using correct and established calibration methods gt the organization implementing the data collection operation are qualified and competent For example if the only reasonable test site has a less than ideal location the data collection organization must decide whether a representative sample can be obtained at the site This determination should be recorded and included in the program s protocol Although after the fact site analysis may suffice in some instances good quality assurance techniques dictate that this analysis be made prior to expending the resources required to collect the data The purpose of this section is to describe the attributes of the sampling system that will ensure the collection of data of a quality acceptable for the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program 7 1 Environmental Control 7 1 1 Mon
285. gure A 14 illustrates data varia tions which may be encountered when auditing a monitored network Figure A 14 a represents audit results in which the analyzer response agrees perfectly with the generated audit concentrations Figure A 14 b represents data from a group of stations showing constant systematic differences i e differences independent of concentration levels between stations and between stations and the audit system A network of stations showing linear systematic differences that may or may not be independent of concentration is shown in Figure A 14 c This example is more representative of audit data resulting from a network of stations Figure A 14 d and Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 55 of 58 A 14 e illustrates two special cases of the general case shown in Figure A 14 c Analysis of the data for a grouping of stations such as for a given State not only yields precision and accuracy estimates but may also provide clues as to the proper corrective action to take if larger than acceptable differences are observed For example Figure A 14 d shows constant relative differences within stations that vary among stations Such data patterns can result for example from errors in the calibration standards if high concentration cylinders and dilution are used for calibration Constant systematic absolute differences within stations such as Figure A 14 b may indicate contaminated zero and dilution air
286. h are subjected to overwhelming incoming transport of ozone The 1 Sites are located in the predominant morning upwind direction from the local area of maximum precursor emissions and at a distance sufficient to obtain urban scale measurements Typically these sites will be located near the upwind edge of the photochemical grid model domain Neighborhood Maximum ozone precursor emissions impacts located immediately downwind using the same morning wind direction as for locating Site 1 of the area of maximum precursor emissions and are typically placed near the downwind boundary of the central business district CBD or primary area of precursor emissions mix to obtain neighborhood scale measurements Neighborhood Maximum ozone precursor emissions impacts second most predominant morning wind direction Urban Maximum ozone concentrations occurring downwind from the area of maximum precursor emissions Locations for 3 Sites should be chosen so that urban scale measurements are obtained Typically these sites are located 10 to 30 miles from the fringe of the urban area Extreme downwind monitoring of transported ozone and its precursor concentrations exiting the area and will identify those areas which are potentially contributing to overwhelming ozone transport into other areas The 4 Sites are located in the predominant afternoon downwind direction from the local area of maximum precursor emissions at a distance sufficient to obtain
287. he following formulae CO Chart Value ppm Aadco Zero Response ppm CO Analyzer Slope H2S CO Concentration ppm Dilution Ratio Values for H2S in ppm Dilution Ratio x High Concentration Value 1 Calibrate the CO instrument as described in Section E 1 2 4 2 H2S Audit Point 1 Select option 2 DATA ENTRY MENU from the ARB Van Audit Program s Main Menu Select option F H2S MENU from the Data Entry Menu Select Option 1 VAN CO Superblend cyl 2 and enter the CO analyzer responses for Ultrapure Zero Air High CO Low CO and Aadco from the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 3 H2S Audit Point 2 Press the Dasibi 1009 CP GAS switch ON Set the GAS thumbwheels to 460 to obtain Audit Point 1 concentration for H2S After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet and enter them into the computer 4 H2S Audit Point 3 Set the GAS thumbwheels on the Dasibi 1009 CP to 230 to obtain Audit Point 2 concentration for H2S After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Enter the analyzer
288. he pressure drop shown on the manometer in H2O ambient temperature 1 C barometric pressure mm Hg and station flow rate obtained from the station operator on the data form in Table A 8 If the barometric pressure cannot be determined by an audit barometer because of high elevations that exceed the limits of the barometer determine the barometric pressure PA as follows PA 760 elevation in meters x 0 076 Equation 1 24 5 At the conclusion of the audit have the station operator replace the filter and reset the sampler timer as it was before the audit Samplers without flow controllers A hi vol sampler not equipped with a constant flow controller is typically calibrated in terms of actual flow rates Audit calculations are performed as shown in Subsection 7 6 Note It is imperative to know whether the hi vol was calibrated in terms of actual conditions at the time of calibration seasonal average conditions or the flow rates have been corrected to standard temperature and pressure The comparison between audit and station flow rates MUST be made with the same units and corrections Conduct the audit as follows 1 Remove the filter holder clamp from the sampler If a filter is in place for an upcoming sampling period have the station operator remove the filter and store it until the audit is completed Attempt to schedule audits so they do not interfere with normal sampling runs 2 Place the ReF device on the filter hol
289. he station being audited This manifold works under a positive pressure of 30 psi and delivers a flow rate between 15 and 30 Ipm 1 Warm up the Dasibi 1009 CP for a least one hour prior to performing the LINE LOSS check 2 Uncap the OUTSIDE line and connect a 10 Ipm by pass rotameter and a glass tee to it by use of a 1 4 inch teflon line 5 feet is sufficient 3 Press the air switch on the Dasibi 1009 CP to the ON position and adjust the air thumbwheel setting to achieve an output flow of 15 Ipm or greater 4 Connect the INSIDE line to the front manifold on the instrument rack and adjust the by pass flow for 0 3 to 0 4 lpm using the in line needle valve s 5 Disconnect the INSIDE line from the front manifold and connect the OUTSIDE line Adjust the by pass flow rate to 0 3 to 0 4 Ipm by partially blocking the open end of the glass tee using masking tape or other suitable material 6 Disconnect the OUTSIDE line and reconnect the INSIDE line Readjust the by pass flow between 0 3 and 0 4 Ipm if needed 7 Allow the ozone response to establish a stable trace on the chart recorder for at least 10 minutes When the trace has stabilized take 10 consecutive readings from the Dasibi 1009 CP display and record them on Quarterly Line Loss Test Form Figure E 1 5 1 8 Disconnect the INSIDE from the front manifold and reconnect the OUTSIDE LINE Readjust the by pass flow between 0 3 and 0 4 Ipm if needed 9 Allow the ozone response
290. hese reports are generated annually and evaluate the precision and accuracy data against the acceptance criteria discussed in Section 3 QA Reports A QA report provides an evaluation of QA QC data for a given time period to determine whether the data quality objectives were met Discussions of QA reports can be found in sections 16 and 18 Meetings and Calls Various national meetings and conference calls can be used as assessment tools for improving the network It is important that information derived from the avenues of communication are appropriately documented annual QA Reports Part I Section 3 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 6 3 Data Quality Objectives Data collected for the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program are used to make very specific decisions that can have an economic impact on the area represented by the data Data quality objectives DQOs are a full set of performance constraints needed to design an environmental data operation EDO including a specification of the level of uncertainty that a decision maker data user is willing to accept in the data to which the decision will apply Throughout this document the term oar decision maker is used This term represents l re individuals that are the ultimate users of ambient air Figure 3 1 Effect of positive bias on the annual average estimate resulting in a false positive decision error data and therefore may be responsible for setting the NAAQS
291. hragm use the following procedure 1 Connect the regulator to the cylinder and close the gas exit port 2 Open and close the cylinder valve to pressurize the regulator 3 Open the gas exit port and allow the gas to purge the regulator 4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 five more times then close the gas exit port and open the cylinder valve The regulator should remain under pressure Connect the gas cylinder to the audit device Repeat the procedure for each cylinder Audit sequence After all the equipment has Station Manifold O E been assembled and set up have the station Lfd operator mark the strip chart recorder to To Analyzers indicate that an audit is beginning Infor Data Misel mation such as the auditor s name start time T in date and auditing organization should be entered If it is not possible to enter written comments the start and stop times should Test ip pip Nf Atmosphere Audit Manifold B Exhaust be recorded to preclude the use of audit data as monitoring data After recording the data disconnect the analyzer sample line from the Figure A 9 Schematic of configuration utilized in auditing the gas station manifold and connect it to the audit analyzers manifold as shown in Figure A 9 Cap the sample port on the station manifold The a Station Analyzers Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 32 of 58 audit atmosphere must be introduced thro
292. ications terms of the warranty time limits for delivery and for acceptance testing and what happens in the event that the analyzer delivered falls short of the requirements Upon receiving the new analyzer the user should carefully read the instruction or operating manual provided by the manufacturer of the analyzer The manufacturer s manual should contain information or instructions concerning gt unpacking and verifying that all component parts were delivered gt checking for damage during shipment gt checking for loose fittings and electrical connections gt assembling the analyzer gt installing the analyzer gt calibrating the analyzer gt operating the analyzer gt preventive maintenance schedule and procedures gt trouble shooting gt list of expendable parts Following analyzer assembly an initial verification that the instrument is calibrated should be performed to determine if the analyzer is operating properly Analyzer performance characteristics such as response time noise short term span and zero drift and precision should be checked during the initial calibration or measured by using abbreviated forms of the test procedures provided in 40 CFR Part 53 Acceptance of the analyzer should be based on results from these performance tests Once accepted reference and euntem analyzers are warranted by the manufacturer to operate within the required performance limit for one year 11 1 2 Support Instr
293. ich they apply Many of these documents and can be downloaded from the Internet http es epa gov ncerqa qa 4 3 2 Program Specific Guidance Based upon the standards and regulations the Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards ORD and other organizations implementing air monitoring have developed guidance specific to the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program This Handbook provides the majority of the guidance necessary for the State and local agencies to develop QA project plans specific to their data collection needs Other guidance has been developed specific to a part of the measurement system i e calibration techniques or to specific methods A listing of this guidance is included in Appendix 2 It is anticipated that the majority of these documents will be available through the Internet most likely on the AMTIC bulletin board 4 3 3 Project Specific The term project specific refers to the environmental data operations that occur at each State and local organization operating a monitoring network An environmental data operation refers to the work performed to obtain use or report information pertaining to environmental processes and conditions Part I Section 4 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 4 juourssassy enD eyed Joy uepmo 6 5 JUIUISSISSY erep AreypIouy sJUoUIssassy yeoruyooy uo sourpiny dour loans vep 30 i suoneorroods so 90101d Uo Byep unnoy epaqa uonegjuv
294. ies are discussed in individual methods found in Part II of this Volume of the Handbook Part I Section 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 13 12 2 Multi point Calibrations Multi point calibrations consist of three or more test concentrations including zero concentration a concen tration between 80 and 90 of the full scale range of the analyzer under calibration and one or more intermediate concentrations spaced approximately equally over the scale range Multi point calibrations are used to establish or verify the linearity of analyzers upon initial installation after major repairs and at specified frequencies Most modern analyzers have a linear or very nearly linear response with con centration If a non linear analyzer is being calibrated additional calibration points should be included to adequately define the calibration relationship which should be a smooth curve Multi point calibrations are likely to be more accurate than two point calibrations because of the averaging effect of the multiple points and because an error in the generation of a test concentration or in recording the analyzer s response is more likely to be noticed as a point that is inconsistent with the others For this reason calibration points should be plotted or evaluated statistically as they are obtained so that any deviant points can be investigated or repeated immediately Most analyzers have zero and span adjustment controls which should be adjuste
295. in which case all results would tend to be on one side of the 45 line Figure A 14 e illustrates a case in which stations were calibrated using a high concentration span level but not multipoint concentrations or zero point The use of regression analysis is not as straightforward when the intercept is significantly different from zero and or the correlation is low lt 0 995 In these instances the auditor must rely on his experience to draw conclusions about the cause of a high or low intercept a low correlation and the subsequent meaning of the results The five most commonly encountered audit cases are discussed in the following subsections Case 1 The data set and data plot in Figure A 15 illustrates a case in which the difference and the linear regression analysis of audit data must be used jointly to characterize analyzer performance Inspection of the difference for each audit point shows large negative differences at the low concentrations and small dif ferences at the upper concentrations The slope of the regression line indicates an overall slope of 2 2 and a significant intercept of 0 014 The following statements apply to the regression data 1 Analyzer zero drift may have occurred 2 The dilution air source used to calibrate the analyzer has a bias not of sufficient purity 3 The calibration procedure used by the operator is not correct Data for figure A 15 Station 0 5 Concentration Concentration Difference
296. ing courses for ambient air monitoring staff and QA managers marked by asterisk The suggested course sequences assume little or no experience in QA QC or air monitoring Persons having experience in the subject matter described in the Part I Section 4 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 4 courses would select courses according to their appropriate experience level Courses not included in the core sequence would be selected according to individual responsibilities preferences and available resources Table 4 1 Suggested Sequence of Core QA related Ambient Air Training Courses for Ambient Air Monitoring and QA Personnel General Quality Assurance Considerations for Ambient Air Monitoring Under Revision 9 98 APTI SI 471 Quality Audits for Improved Performance AWMA Statistics for Effective Decision Making ASQC Courses recommended for QA Managers 4 3 Regulations and Guidance Information on the proper implementation of the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring QA Program has been developed at three levels as indicated in Figure 4 1 The top two levels shaded provide standards regulations and guidance that form the basis for implementation documents for specific projects A discussion of the information in these levels follow Part I Section 4 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 4 4 3 1 Standards and Regulations At the highest level standards and regulations determine what QA is required for the monitoring program
297. inimum numbers of samples required for appropriate summary statistics should be taken At least 75 of the total possible observations must be present before summary statistics are calculated The exact requirements follow Time Interval Minimum number of observations averages 3 h running average 3 consecutive hourly observations 8 h running average 6 hourly observations 64h 18 hourly observations Monthly 61 daily averages Quarterly 3 consecutive monthly averages Yearly 9 monthly averages with at least 6 monthly averages quarter For intermittent sampling data there must be at least five observations quarter if one month has no observations the remaining two months must have at least two 7 If validation procedures indicate that the criteria in item 6 are not fulfilled the minimum numbers must be valid observations the sampling frequency should be increased during the period in which corrective measures are being pursued More extensive treatments of sampling frequencies as related to data analysis are in references 7 50 and 55 Section 4 3 of 40 CFR 58 Appendix D stipulates that the PAMS monitoring should be conducted annually throughout the months of June July and August as a minimum In most States these months Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 15 of 15 incorporate the periods when peak ozone values are likely to occur EPA however encourages the States to extend the PAMS monitoring period whenever
298. ion illustrates how to calculate the standard temperature and pressure correction factor Fc Fr Pm 29 92 in Hg 298 K Tm equation 1 Where Fc Corrected flow rate to standard conditions Fr Uncorrected flow rate readings Pm Atmospheric barometric pressure at the site in Hg Tm Shelter temperature in degrees Kelvin i e 273 Kelvin temperature in degrees C 6 Transfer Standard Certification After the Primary Standard has been certified to NIST standards or verified against another primary standard the traceability of the primary standard can be transferred to the field transfer standard Part I Appendix 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 7 Generally transfer standards should be re verified on a regular basis or if the agency suspects that the transfer standard baseline has drifted or malfunctioned The transfer standard must always be verified against a primary standard The following procedure should be used when verifying a transfer standard gt Allow the primary standard and transfer standard to warm up sufficiently gt Attach the primary standard to an air flow generating device Note it is useful if MFC calibrator is available for this test The MFC can meter air gas flows and allow the user to change the flow rate in the ranges normally used by the primary and transfer standard With most primary and transfer standards the gas flow range is 0 200 cc min while the air flow is 0 10 l
299. ion No 0 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 15 Logistics Logistics is the process of dealing with the procurement maintenance and transportation of material and personnel for a monitoring operation This process requires the full knowledge of all aspects of the data collection operation including Planning Staffing Reconnaissance Procurement of goods and services Training Communications Scheduling Inventory Safety Atmospheric considerations Atmospheric considerations may include spatial and temporal variabilities of the pollutants and their transport Effects of buildings terrain and heat sources or sinks on the air trajectories can produce local anomalies of excessive pollutant concentrations Meteorology must be considered in determining not only the geographical location of a monitoring site but also such factors as height direction and extension of sampling probes The following meteorological factors can greatly influence the dispersal of pollutants Wind speed affects the travel time from the pollutant source to the receptor and the dilution of polluted air in the downwind direction The concentrations of air pollutants are inversely proportional to the wind speed Wind direction influences the general movements of pollutants in the atmosphere Review of available data can indicate mean wind direction in the vicinity of the major sources of emissions Wind variability refers to the random motions in both horizontal and vertical velocity
300. ion and Review of Site Specific Test Current guidance Plans OAQPS December 1991 Guideline on the Identification and Use of Air Quality Currently being updated by MQAG Data Affected by Exceptional Events EPA 450 4 86 007 July 1986 Part I Appendix 2 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 7 DOCUMENT TITLE STATUS IntraAgency Task Force Report on Air Quality Indicators Not a policy or guidance document could be updated EPA 450 4 81 015 February 1981 to include more modern analysis and presentation techniques Screening Procedures for Ambient Air Quality Data Could be updated to include more modern computer EPA 450 2 78 037 July 1978 programs and newer screening procedures Third Generation Air Quality Modeling System Vol 4 Being updated Project Verification and Validation EPA 600 R 94 220d June 1994 draft in review Validation of Air Monitoring Data U S Environmental Partially out of date Protection Agency EPA 600 4 80 030 June 1980 Part I Appendix 3 Revision No Date 8 98 Page 1 of 20 Appendix 3 Measurement Quality Objectives Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 2 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter NO Chemiluminescence Reference Information Action Shelter Temperature Temperature range Temperature control Equipment NO analyzer Air flow controllers Flowmeters Detection Noise Lower detectable level Completeness Hourly Data Compr
301. ion densities thus they are often used in health effects research networks These stations are also designed as part of the air pollution episode warning system The goal in siting stations is to correctly match the spatial scale represented by the sample of monitored air with the spatial scale most appropriate for the monitoring objective of the station The representative measurement scales of greatest interest are shown below Micro Concentrations in air volumes associated with area dimensions ranging from several meters up to about 100 meters Middle Concentrations typical of areas up to several city blocks in size with dimensions ranging from about 100 meters to 0 5 kilometer Neighborhood Concentrations within some extended area of the city that has relatively uniform land use with dimensions in the 0 5 to 4 0 kilometers range Urban Overall citywide conditions with dimensions on the order of 4 to 50 kilometers This scale would usually require more than one site for definition Regional Usually a rural area of reasonably homogeneous geography and extends from tens to hundreds of kilometers National Global Concentrations characterizing the nation and the globe as a whole Table 6 1 illustrates the relationships among the four basic monitoring objectives and the scales of representativeness that are generally most appropriate for that objective Appendix 6 A provides more detailed spatial characteristics for each pollutant while Table 6 2 pro
302. ion is known but not to the operator Bias is evaluated by comparing the measured response to the known value Typically performance audits are performed annually using blind samples of several different concentrations System Audits System audits indicate how well a sampling site conforms to the standard operating procedures as well as how well the site is located with respect to its mission e g urban or rural sampling special purpose sampling site etc System audits involve sending a trained observer QA Auditor to the site to review the site compliance with standard operating procedures Some areas reviewed include site location possible obstruction presence of nearby pollutant sources site security site characteristics urban versus suburban or rural site maintenance physical facilities maintenance type and operational quality of equipment buildings etc recordkeeping sample handling storage and transport Laboratory Quality Assurance Laboratory quality control includes calibration of analytical instrumentation analysis of blank samples to check for contamination and analysis of duplicate samples to evaluate precision Quality assurance is accomplished through laboratory performance and system audits Calibration Laboratory analytical instruments are calibrated by comparing the instrument s response when sampling standards of known concentration level The difference between the measured and known concentrations i
303. ion of corrective actions initiated based on audit or precision results d Does the agency prepare Precision and Accuracy summaries If no please attach examples of recent summaries including other than Form 1 a recent Form 1 e Who has the responsibility for the calculation and preparation of data summaries To whom are such P and A summaries delivered Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 42 of 50 f Identify the individual within the agency who receives the results of the agency s participation in the NPAP and the internal distribution of the results once received Principal Contact for NPAP is name title 6 External Reporting a For the current calendar year or portion thereof which ended at least 90 calendar days prior to the receipt of this questionnaire please provide the following percentages for required data submitted Submitted on Time Monitoring Qtr 1 Jan 1 March 31 2 Apr 1 June 30 3 July 1 Sept 30 4 Oct 1 Dec 31 On Time within 90 calendar days after the end of the quarter in which the data were collected b Identify the individual within the agency with the responsibility for preparing the required 40 CFR 58 Appendix F and G reporting inputs Name Title c Identify the individual within the agency with the responsibility for reviewing and releasing the data Name Title d Does the agency regularly report the Pollutant Standard Index PSI Briefly descri
304. is difficult to determine which of the collocated samplers is closer to the true PM concentration Palookaville will calculate an estimate of precision A bias measure will also be calculated but it can only describe the relative difference of one sampler to the other not definitively indicate which sampler is more true Following are the algorithms for calculating precision and bias This are similar but differ slightly from the equations in 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A Table 18 1 Summary of Violations of DQO Assumptions Violate Measurement Errors Data Complete Measurement CV Site 24 Hour Standard Non Normal 12 samples per gt 10 ONLY quarter Primary Samplers a A a S ee o ey a ee ee a er E 5 ss es QA Samplers ee ee Ce re E A Before describing the algorithm first some ground work When less than three years of collocated data are available then the three year bias and precision estimates must be predicted Palookaville s strategy for accomplishing this will be to use all available quarters of data as the basis for projecting where the bias and precision estimates will be at the end of the three year monitoring period Three year point estimates will be computed by weighting the quarterly components using the most applicable of the following assumptions Part 1 Section 18 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 9 1 Most recent quarters precision and bias are most representative of what the f
305. ision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 14 In addition Table 7 2 summarizes the probe and monitoring path siting criteria while Table 7 3 summarizes the spacing of probes from roadways This information can be found in 40 CFR part 58 Appendix E For PM and PM Figure 7 6 provides the acceptable areas for micro middle neighborhood and urban samplers with the exception of microscale street canyon sites Table 7 2 Summary of Probe and Monitoring Path Siting Criteria Pollutant Scale maximum Height from ground Horizontal and vertical Distance from trees to monitoring path length to probe or 80 of distance from supporting probe of monitoring meters monitoring path structures to probe or 90 path meters monitoring path A meters meters Middle 300m 3 15 gt l gt 10 Neighborhood Urban and Regional 1 km ove Micro Middle 300m 3 0 5 3 15 Neighborhood I km On Middle 300m Neighborhood Urban and Regional 1 km Ozone precursors Neighborhood and for PAMS P Urban 1km NO Middle 300m Neighborhood and Urban 1 km Micro Middle 2 7 micro 2 15 gt 2 all scales horizontal gt 10 all scales Neighborhood Urban all other scales distance only and Regional 1 km PM yo F Micro Middle 2 7 micro 2 15 gt 2 all scales horizontal gt 10 all scales Neighborhood U all other scales distance only and Regional Micro Middle 2 7 micro 2 15 gt 2 all scales horizonta
306. it sequence After all the equipment has been assembled and set up have the station operator mark the strip chart recorder to indicate that an audit is beginning The auditor s name start time date and auditing agency should be entered if it is not possible to record written comments on the chart record the start and stop times to preclude the use of audit data as monitoring data After TE recording these data disconnect the 4 analyzer sample line from the station To Analyzers manifold and connect it to the audit Sain Data Teletype manifold as shown in Figure A 3 PEENI TE Aquisition Printout Analyzers Salen in Cap the sample port on the station Volts manifold The audit atmosphere must be introduced through any associated fine ne n Audit Manifold Exhaust filters or sample pretreatment apparatus to duplicate the path taken by an ambient sample Record the analyzer type and other identification data on the data form Table A 2 Conduct the audit as shown in steps Station Manifold A Figure A 3 Schematic configuration utilized in auditing the gas analyzers 1 5 below 1 Introduce into the audit manifold a clean dry air gas at a flow rate Concentration in excess of 10 to 50 of the analyzer sample demand Allow the Audit Point Range ppm analyzer to sample the clean dry air until a stable response is 1 0 03 0 08 obtained tha
307. iteria air and or toxic air pollutants If j is yes complete forms below Monitoring Method Instrument SOP Available Y N 3 Organization Staffing and Training a Key Individuals Agency Director Slams Network Manager Quality Assurance Officer Field Operations Supervisor Laboratory Supervisor Data Management Supervisor SLAMS Reporting Supervisor b Number of personnel available to each of the following program areas Comment on need for additional personnel Network Design and Siting Resources and Facilities Data and Data Management c Og II Does it make use seminars courses EPA sponsored college level courses Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 15 of 50 III Indicate below the 3 most recent training events and identify the personnel participating in them 4 Facilities a Identify the principal facilities where the work is performed which is related to the SLAMS NAMS network Do not include monitoring sites but do include any work which is performed by contract or other arrangements b Indicate any areas of facilities that should be upgraded Identify by location c Are there any significant changes which are likely to be implemented to agency facilities before the next systems audit Comment on your agency s needs for additional physical space laboratory office storage etc Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 16 of 50 B FIELD OPERATIONS 1
308. iters min Since this is a large difference the primary and transfer standard usually are purchased with two or three sets of volumes Making sure that the ports are open allow air to pass through the primary standard Attach the output of the primary standard to the input of the transfer standard Record the barometric pressure and the shelter temperature Note if the primary or transfer standard are piston type of instrument this can cause the non piston type of standard flow rates to fluctuate over a wide range If this is the case then the procedure as outlined in section 5 should be used substituting the transfer standard for the beta primary standard gt Tf using a MFC set the flow rate Thumb Wheel Settings to the desired setting Allow the calibrator to stabilize usually 2 3 minutes Read the value of the primary standard and the transfer standard Record 5 10 readings and average the values from the primary standard and the transfer standard gt Adjust the Thumb Wheel Settings to the next level that you wish to measure and repeat step 3 It is recommended that a minimum of 5 levels be measured gt Repeat this procedure for the gas device using flows in the range of the primary and transfer standard flow devices Repeat steps 3 4 gt After the values have been averaged and tabulated adjust the values to STP See equation 1 Calculate the percent difference for each point using the primary standard as the known Also calculat
309. itoring Station Design State and local agencies should design their monitoring stations with the station operator in mind Careful thought to safety ease of access to instruments and optimal work space should be given every consideration If the station operator has these issues addressed then he she will be able to perform their duties more efficiently and diligently Having the instruments in an area that is difficult to work in creates frustration and prolongs downtime The goal is to optimize data collection and quality This must start with designing the shelter and laboratory around staff needs and requirements The following is a description of the optimal station and laboratory design The EPA is aware that monitoring stations may be located in urban areas where space and land are at a premium especially in large cities that are monitoring for NO and CO In many cases the monitoring station is located in a building or school that is gracious enough to allow an agency to locate their equipment there Sometimes a storage or janitorial closet is all that is available However this can pose serious problems If the equipment is located in a closet then it is difficult for the agency to control the temperature humidity light vibration and chemicals that the instruments are subjected to In addition security can also be an issue if people other than agency staff have access to the equipment State and local agencies should give serious thought
310. ity The procedure can be used to audit all types of CO analyzers Concentrations of CO in the range of 0 to 100 ppm can be generated 5 3 Accuracy The accuracy of the audit procedure should be within 2 5 if the CO gas cylinder concen tration is referenced and if gas flow rates are determined using recommended procedures 5 4 Apparatus A system used to generate audit concentrations is illustrated in Figure A 10 The six components of the system are discussed below 1 Gas cylinder regulator A brass regulator is acceptable A low dead space two stage regulator should be used to achieve rapid equilibration 2 Flow controllers Devices capable of maintaining constant flow rates to within 2 are required Suitable flow ke Flowmeter controllers include brass micro metering Cylinder valves in tandem with a precision Regulator regulator mass flow controllers capillary restrictors and porous plug restrictors Output Manifold 3 Flowmeters Flowmeters capable of w a measuring pollutant and diluent gas flow ee eee To Inlet of Analyzer rates to within 2 are required Eenes NIST traceable soap bubble flowmeters Figure A 10 Schematic diagram of a dynamic audit system calibrated mass flow controllers mass flowmeters and calibrated orifice capillary and porous plug restrictors are suitable 4 Output manifold and sample line An output manifold used to supply the analyzer with
311. ity control are defined standard traceability procedures are discussed and data interpretation procedures are specified relative to the requirements of Appendix A Quality Assurance and Control Emphasis on quality assurance is increasing in the environmental community Since its introduction in the manufacturing industry 30 years ago quality assurance has expanded in scope to include all phases of environmental monitoring Quality assurance consists of two distinct and equally important functions One function is the assessment of the quality of the monitoring data by estimating their precision and accuracy The other function is the con trol and improvement of data quality by implementing quality control policies and procedures and by taking corrective actions These two functions form a control loop where the assessment indicates when data quality is inadequate and where the control effort must be increased until the data quality is acceptable Each agency should develop and implement a quality control program consisting of policies procedures specifications standards corrective measures and documentation necessary to 1 provide data of adequate quality to meet monitoring objectives and 2 minimize loss of air quality data because of malfunctions and out of control conditions The selection and degree of specific control measures and corrective actions depend on a number of factors such as the monitoring methods and equipment field an
312. ity of application comparability with other data and increased credibility of measurements However designation as a reference or equivalent method provides no guarantee that a particular analyzer will always operate properly Appendices A and B require the monitoring organization to establish an internal QC program Specific guidance for a minimum QC program is described in Section 10 of this Handbook The definitions and specifications of reference and equivalent methods are given in 40 CFR part 53 For most monitoring applications the distinction between reference and equivalent methods is unimportant and either may be used interchangeably Reference and equivalent methods may be either manual or automated analyzers For SO particulates and Pb the reference method for each is a unique manual method that is completely specified in 40 CFR part 50 appendices A B and G respectively all other approved methods for SO and Pb qualify as equivalent methods As yet there is no provision in the regulations for designating equivalent methods for particulates For CO NO and O Part 50 provides only a measurement principle and calibration procedure applicable to reference methods for those pollutants Automated methods analyzers for these pollutants may be designated as either reference methods or equivalent methods depending on whether the methods utilize the same measurement principle and calibration procedure specified in Part
313. ivities Do you feel that this is adequate to prevent any significant data loss g Is the agency currently experiencing any recurring problem with equipment or manufacturer s If so please identify the equipment and or manufacturer and comment on steps taken to remedy the problem Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 22 of 50 4 Record Keeping ma e a Is a log book s maintained at each site to document site visits Other uses preventive maintenance and resolution of site operational problems and corrective actions taken b Is the logbook maintained currently and reviewed Frequency of Review periodically If no is it stored at other location s specify c Once entries are made and all pages filled is the logbook sent to the laboratory for archiving d What other records are used Zero span record Gas usage log Log of precision checks Control charts A record of audits Please describe the use and storage of these documents e Are calibration records or at least calibration constants available to field operators Please attach an example field calibration record sheet to this questionnaire Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 23 of 50 5 Data Acquisition and Handling a With the exception of PM 10 are instrument outputs that is data recorded to a stripcharts b magnetic tape acquisition system c digitized and telemetered directly to agency headquarters Please
314. ized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record them on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 under the Post Audit Hi CO Analyzer Response Enter the response into the computer Disconnect the 45 ppm CO standard and connect the Ultrapure Zero Air Compressed Gas Cylinder After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 under the Post Audit Ultrapure Analyzer Response Enter the response into the computer Disconnect the Ultrapure cylinder Switch the three way valve on the van s sample manifold from POSITION 2 to POSITION 1 Switch the sample pump on the Dasibi 1009 CP to the ON position and readjust the needle valve to obtain a by pass flow reading between 0 3 and 0 4 Ipm After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized the van s instruments are now ready for the van shut down procedure Section E 1 4 PERFORMANCE AUDIT FAILURES If the results of an audit indicate a failed condition the entire system should be checked for possible failure causes The System includes everything from the van operation to the station instrument operation NOTE Ifthe possible cause for the failed condition is determined during any point in the investigation the problem should be resolved if possible and the audit resumed However an AQDA will need to be i
315. k Steering Committee plans on meeting quarterly to discuss any pertinent issues or proposed changes Contents Section Foreword gt beh netsh hi a a he hotats Contents yeas tied aa edt watered amp sees decd the EAS Acknowledgments 0 00 cece eee eee e nee eens Figtites andTables enee saatla ccs aesulanas wean wat ne nelena das Acronyms and Abbreviations 0 00 cece cece eee eens PROJECT MANAGEMENT 0 Introduction 0 1 Intent of Handbook 06 ccc eee 0 2 Handbook Structure nnn 0 0 ccc cece eee 0 3 Shall Must Should May 2 00 e eee eee ee eee 0 4 Handbook Review and Distribution 1 Program Organization 1 1 Organization Responsibilities 000 1 2 Lines of Communication 0 00000 1 3 The Handbook Steering Committee 2 Program Background 2 1 Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network 2 2 Ambient Air Monitoring QA Program 3 Data Quality Objectives 3 1 The DOO Process prora eira a ee ee 3 2 Ambient Air Quality DQOs 0 cece eee eee 3 3 Measurement Quality Objectives 000 4 Personnel Qualification Training and Guidance 4 1 Personnel Qualifications 0 0 0 000000 c cece eee eee 42 Fratino ea 32s cok ak oan ima eae ahine sae bam ame Rae 4 3 Regulations and Guidance 00 00 000 5 Documentation and
316. king standard over several days gt specify a recertification interval for the working standard Certification of the working standard may be established by either the supplier or the user of the standard Test concentrations of ozone must be traceable to a primary standard UV photometer as described in 40 CFR Part 50 Appendix D Reference 67 describes procedures for certifying transfer standards for ozone against UV primary standards Test concentrations at zero concentration are considered valid standards Although zero standards are not required to be traceable to a primary standard care should be exercised to ensure that zero standards are indeed adequately free of all substances likely to cause a detectable response from the analyzer Periodi cally several different and independent sources of zero standards should be compared The one that yields the lowest response can usually but not always be assumed to be the best zero standard If several independent zero standards produce exactly the same response it is likely that all the standards are adequate The accuracy of flow measurements is critically important in many calibration procedures Flow or volume measuring instruments should be calibrated and certified at appropriate intervals usually 3 to 6 months against NIST or other authoritative standards such as a traceable bubble flow meter or gas meter Flow rate verifications calibrations acceptance criteria methods and frequenc
317. l gt 10 all scales Neighborhood U all other scales distance only and Regional N A Not applicable ee Monitoring Path for open path analyzers is applicable only to middle or neighborhood scale CO monitoring and all applicable scales for monitoring SO O O precursors and NO B When probe is located on a rooftop this separation distance is in reference to walls parapets or penthouses located on roof Should be gt 20 meters from the dripline of tree s and must be 10 meters from the dripline when the trees s act as an obstruction P _ Distance from sampler probe or 90 of monitoring path to obstacle such as a building must be at least twice the height the obstacle protrudes above the sampler probe or monitoring path Sites not meeting this criterion may be classified as middle scale E Must have unrestricted air flow 270 around probe or sampler 180 if the probe is on the side f a building _ The Probe sampler or monitoring path should be away from minor sources such as a furnace or incineration flues The separation distance is dependent on the height of the minor sources s emission point such as a flue the type of fuel or waste bed and the quality of fuel sulfur ash or lead content This criterion is designed to avoid undue influences from minor sources S _ For microscale CO monitoring sites he probe must be gt 10 meters from a street intersection and preferably at a midblock location 4 _ For collo
318. l 1977 Ozone and Carbon Monoxide Areas Designated Nonattainment U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina October 26 1991 Paur R J and F F McElroy Technical Assistance Document for the Calibration of Ambient Ozone Monitors EPA 600 4 79 057 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 27711 September 1979 Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations Implementation Manual EPA 454 B 93 051 Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 Part 1 References Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 8 Protocol for Establishing Traceability of Calibration Gases Used With Continuous Source Emission Monitors August 25 1977 Available from the U S Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Quality Assurance Branch MD 77 Research Triangle Park NC Purdue Larry J Continuous Monitoring of VOC Precursors presented at the VOC Workshop Assessment and Evaluation Amersfoort The Netherlands January 26 27 1993 Purdue Larry J Dave Paul Dayton Joann Rice and Joan Bursey Technical Assistance Document for Sampling and Analysis of Ozone Precursors EPA 600 8 91 215 U S Environmental Protection Agency Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory Research Triangle
319. l Protection Agency AREAL Office of Research and Development AREAL RTP SOP QAD 553 September 1993 Hunt William F Jr and Nash O Gerald The Enhanced Ozone Monitoring Network Required by the New Clean Air Act Amendments 91 160 3 Air and Waste Management Association Vancouver 1991 Hunt W F The Precision Associated with the Sampling Frequency of Log Normally Distributed Air Pollutant Measurements JAPCA 22 September 1972 Interim Guidelines and Specifications for Preparing Quality Assurance Project Plans QAMS 005 80 U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 600 4 83 004 1983 Interim Guidelines and Specifications for Preparing Quality Assurance Program Plans QAMS 004 80 U S Environmental Protection Agency Office of Monitoring Systems and Quality Assurance Office of Research and Development EPA 600 8 83 024 June 1983 Investigation of Flow Rate Calibration Procedures Associated with the High Volume Method for Determination of Suspended Particulates EPA 600 4 78 047 Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC August 1978 Kopecky M J and B Roger Quality Assurance for Procurement of Air Analyzers 33rd Annual Technical Conference Transactions American Society for Quality Control Houston TX May 1979 List of Designated Reference and Equivalent Methods U S Environmental Protection Agency Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laborator
320. l agencies to implement quality assurance programs in all phases of the data collection process including the field their own laboratories and in any consulting and contractor laboratories which they may use to obtain data Specific responsibilities as it relates to the Handbook include gt serving as a representative for the State and local agencies on the Handbook Steering Committee gt assisting in the development of QA guidance for various sections gt reporting issues and comments to Regional Contacts or on the AMTIC Bulletin Board 1 1 4 Reporting Organizations 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A defines a reporting organization as a State subordinate organization within a State or other organization that is responsible for a set of stations that monitor the same pollutant and for which precision or accuracy assessments can be pooled States must define one or more reporting organization for each pollutant such that each monitoring station in the State SLAMS network is included in one and only one reporting organization Common factors that should be considered by States in defining a reporting organization include operation by a common team of field operators common calibration facilities oversight by a common quality assurance organization and support by a common laboratory or headquarters PED a Reporting organizations are used as one level of aggregation in the evaluation of quarterly and yearly data quality assessments
321. l and storage times List of analytical methods used for criteria pollutants and adherence to reference method protocols Additional analyses performed to satisfy regional state or local requirements Laboratory quality control including the regular usage of duplicates blanks spikes and multi point calibrations Participation in EPA NPAP and method for inclusion of audit materials in analytical run Documentation and traceability of laboratory measurements such as weighing humidity and temperature determinations Preventive maintenance in the laboratory to include service contracts on major pieces of instrumentation Laboratory record keeping and chain of custody procedures to include inspection of logbooks used Adequacy of Laboratory facilities Health and Safety practices and disposal of wastes Data acquisition handling and manipulations system establishing data flow in the laboratory data back up system and data reduction steps Data validation procedures establishing an audit trail for the laboratory to the central data processing facility gt QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol Il Section 2 0 9 QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol Il 40 CFR 50 plus Appendices A through G potentially K for PM 1 O 40 CFR 58 Appendix C Requirements for SLAMS analyzers QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol Il Instruction Manuals for Designated Analyzers QA Handbook for Air Pollution Mea
322. laboratory standards certification process Organization 3rd Level Supervision Organization 2nd Level Supervision Organization 2nd Level Supervision Organization 1st Level Supervision Organization 1st Level Supervision Organization 1st Level Supervision Organization 1st Level Supervision Organization Personnel Routine Field Sampling Organization Personnel QA Lab Analysis Organization Personnel QA Field Sampling Organization Personnel Routine Lab Analysis Figure 1 Organizations planning to implement the FRM Performance Audit must submit a plan demonstrating independence to the EPA Regional Office responsible for overseeing quality assurance related activities for the ambient air monitoring network Figure 15 1 Definition of independent assessment The following activities will be established for federal implementation gt field personnel assigned to each EPA Region the hours based upon the number of required audits in the Region gt 2 National laboratories one in Region 4 and one in Region 10 to serve as weighing labs Information on the FRM performance evaluation can be found in the FRM Performance Evaluation Implementation Plan found on the AMTIC Bulletin Board Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 9 of 15 15 2 3 State and Local Organization Performance Audits In addition to NPAP
323. late filters in line with the instrument Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 11 of 14 Table 7 4 Techniques for Quality Control of Support Services Support Service Parameters affecting Control techniques quality Laboratory and Purity specifications vary among Develop purchasing guides calibration gases manufacturers Variation among lots Overlap use of old and new cylinders Atmospheric interferences Adopt filtering and drying procedures Composition Ensure traceability to primary standard Reagents and water Commercial source variation Develop purchasing guides Batch test for conductivity Purity requirements Redistillation heating deionization with ion exchange columns Atmospheric interferences Filtration of exchange air Generation and storage Maintenance schedules from manufacturers equipment 7 3 Reference And Equivalent Methods For monitoring ina SLAMS or NAMS network either reference or equivalent methods are usually required This requirement and any exceptions are specified in 40 CFR part 58 Appendix C In addition reference or equivalent methods may be required for other monitoring applications such as those associated with prevention of significant deterioration PSD Requiring the use of reference or equivalent methods helps to assure the reliability of air quality measurements including ease of specification guarantee of minimum performance better instruction manuals flexibil
324. ld be appropriate for the evaluation of possible short term exposure public health effects of particulate matter pollution This scale also includes the characteristic concentrations for other areas with dimensions of a few hundred meters such as the parking lot and feeder streets associated with shopping centers stadia and office buildings Measurements in this category would represent conditions throughout some reasonably homogeneous urban subregion with dimensions of a few kilometers and of generally more regular shape than middle scale Much of the PM2 5 exposures are expected to be associated with this scale of measurement This category also include industrial and commercial neighborhoods as well as residential This class of measurement would be made to characterize the particulate matter concentration over an entire metropolitan or rural area Such measurements would be useful for assessing trends in area wide air quality and hence the effectiveness of large scale air pollution control strategies These measurements would characterize conditions over areas with dimensions of as much as hundreds of kilometers Using representative conditions for an area implies some degree of homogeneity in that area For this reason regional scale measurements would be most applicable to sparsely populated areas with reasonably uniform ground cover Data characteristics of this scale would provide information about larger scale processes of particulate matter
325. le gt level of concentration of analyte of interest Part I Section No 10 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 5 gt actions to be taken in the event that a QC check identifies a failed or changed measurement system gt formulae for estimating data quality indicators gt procedures for documenting QC results including control charts gt description of how the data will be used to determine that measurement performance is acceptable Tables 10 1 and 10 2 provide an example of the QC criteria established for the PM network Some of the elements identified above are included in this table Figure 10 2 Types of quality control and quality assessment activities Table 10 1 PM Field QC Checks Acceptance Criteria CFR Reference 2 12 Reference Information Provided Calibration Standards Flow Rate Transfer Std Field Thermometer Field Barometer Calibration Verification Flow Rate FR Calibration FR multi point verification One point FR verification External Leak Check Internal Leak Check Temperature Calibration Temp multi point verification One point temp Verification Pressure Calibration Pressure Verification Clock timer Verification Blanks Field Blanks Precision Checks Collocated samples Accuracy Flow rate audit External Leak Check Internal Leak Check Temperature Check Pressure Check Audits external assessments FRM Performance audit Flow rate audit External Leak Check Internal Leak Check Te
326. le and notify agency personnel that they will be given a chance to comment in writing within a certain time period on the prepared audit report in advance of any formal distribution 15 3 3 Post Audit Activities Travel Back to Regional Headquarters The major post audit activity is the preparation of the systems audit report The report will include gt audit title and number and any other identifying Incorporate Comments and Revise Documents information gt audit team leaders audit team participants and audited participants Issue Copies to Reporting Organization Director for Distribution and Written Comment gt background information about the project purpose of Incorporate WAEN COMMEN Received the audit dates of the audit particular measurement from Reporting Organization phase or parameters that were audited and a brief description of the audit process Submit Final Draft Report for gt summary and conclusions of the audit and corrective Internal Regional Review action requirements gt attachments or appendices that include all audit evaluations and audit finding forms Revise Report and Incorporate Comments as Necessary To prepare the report the audit team should meet and compare observations with collected documents and Gas ae results of interviews and discussions with key personnel istribute to Reporting Organization i i f Director OAQPS and Region Expected QA project plan implementation is comp
327. le percent Z unadjusted zero reading e g scale percent C span concentration Part I Section 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 9 of 13 Where physical zero or span adjustments have been made to the analyzer marked by diamonds along the horizontal axes in Figure 12 1 both the unadjusted Z S and the adjusted readings Z S are plotted substitute Z for Z and S for S in the formulas The connecting line stops at the unadjusted reading makes a Vertical transition representative of the physical adjustment then continues from the adjusted reading Tot Net Zero Drift ppb A77 Number of Drift Periods 60 Avg Drift Period days 2 48 Avg Zero Drift Period ppb 0 03 Std Dev Zero Drift ppb 2 53 Avg Abs zero Drift Period days 0 80 30 20 g 10 E L 5 0 o aa O S 10 20 30 LP i gt i gt 30 60 90 120 150 180 Day of Year Tot Net Span Drift ppb 15 45 Number of Drift Periods 60 Avg Drift Period days 2 48 Avg Zero Drift Period ppb 0 26 Std Dev Span Drift ppb 2 12 Avg Abs zero Drift Period days 2 95 15 10 5 0 g c E eee clot esis ee 10 15 Le Lf i gt C 30 60 90 120 150 180 Day of Year Figure 12 1 Examples of simple zero and span charts Part I Section 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 10 of 13 The charts in Figure 12 1 cover a period of 180 days with zero span calibration every 2 or 3 days 2 5 days on the average Practic
328. led procedures can be found in the PAMS Implementation Manual None of the factors mentioned above stand alone Each is dependent in part on the others However the objective of the sampling program must be clearly defined before the selection process can be initiated and the initial definition of priorities may have to be reevaluated after consideration of the remaining factors and before the final site selection While the interactions of the factors are complex the site selection problems can be resolved Experience in the operation of air quality measurement systems estimates of air quality Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 10 of 15 field and theoretical studies of air diffusion and considerations of atmospheric chemistry and air pollution effects make up the required expertise needed to select the optimum sampling site for obtaining data representative of the monitoring objectives 6 2 1 PAMS Site descriptions The PAMS network array for an area should be fashioned to supply measurements which will assist States in understanding and solving ozone nonattainment problems EPA has determined that for the larger areas the minimum network which will provide data sufficient to satisfy a number of important monitoring objectives should consist of five sites as described in Table 6 4 Table 6 4 Site Descriptions of PAMS Monitoring Sites Description Upwind and background characterization to identify those areas whic
329. litan Planning Areas and Community Monitoring Zones Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area PMSA are single counties or groups of counties that are the component metropolitan portions of a mega metropolitan area PMSAs are similar the MSAs with the additional characteristic of having a degree of integration with surrounding metropolitan areas Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area CSA are a group of PMSAs having significant economic and social integration New England County Metropolitan Statistical Area NECMSA is a county based alternative for the city and town based New England MSAs and CMSAs Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 15 Monitoring Planning Area MPA are defined by SIPs as the basic planning unit for PM monitoring A MPA is acontiguous geographic area with established well defined boundaries MPAs may cross state lines and can be further subdivided into Community Monitoring Zones A MPA does not necessarily correspond to the boundaries within which pollution control strategies will be applied MPAs will normally contain at least 200 000 people though portions of a state not associated with MSAs can be considered as a single MSA Optional MPAs may be designated for other areas of a state MPAs in MSAs are completely covered by one or more Community Monitoring Zones Community Monitoring Zone CMZ When spatial averaging is utilized for making comparisons to the annual PM NAAQS CMZs must
330. llection of 0 3 um diameter particles are suitable 7 5 Procedure Samplers equipped with flow controllers A hi vol sampler equipped with a flow controller is typically calibrated in terms of standard flow rate Audit calculations are performed as shown in Section 12 11 6 Note It is imperative to know whether the hi vol was calibrated in terms of actual conditions at the time of calibration seasonal average conditions or the flow rates have been corrected to standard temperature and pressure The comparison between audit and station flow rates MUST be made with the same units and corrections Conduct the audit as follows 1 Remove the filter holder clamp from the sampler If a filter is in place for an upcoming sampling period have the station operator remove the filter and store it until the audit is completed Attempt to schedule audits so they do not interfere with normal sampling runs 2 Place a clean glass fiber filter on the filter screen and place the ReF device on top of the filter Securely fasten the ReF device to the holder using the four wingnuts at each corner of the sampler filter holder Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 49 of 58 3 With no resistance plate in the ReF device close the lid and fasten it using the two wingnuts Place the wind deflector in position and then connect and zero the water manometer 4 Start the sampler motor and allow it to stabilize A warm up time of 25 min should be allowed Record t
331. llowing formulae CO Response ppm Aadco Zero Response ppm CO Analyzer Slope High CO Standard ppm Dilution Ratio Values for CO THC CH4 NO NOX SO2 in ppm Dilution Ratio x High Concentration Value in ppm for that pollutant IMPORTANT The status of the methane burner should be monitored throughout the audit This can be done by checking the heater lights on the monitor to insure that they are cycling on and off 1 Check the station instruments operating ranges before starting Point 1 If the NO NOX operating range is 0 0 5 ppm or the THC CH4 operating range is 0 10 ppm disconnect the sample line to the instrument at the manifold and cap the manifold NOTE In the event that an Ozone audit was performed prior to the NO NOX audit it is possible to use the thumbwheel settings obtained from the ozone audit to determine the correct levels of ozone necessary to perform the Gas Phase Titration portion of Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 19 of 35 the NO NOX audit 2 Open the valve on the Superblend compressed gas cylinder and adjust the regulator to 15 psi 3 Superblend Audit Point 1 Record all zero instrument responses on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 1 and the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 These responses will also be entered into the computer 4 Superblend Audit Point 2 Press the Dasibi 1009 CP GAS switch ON
332. logs were in use Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 17 of 24 TOTAL AND SPECIATED VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS PAMS The Acme Reporting Organization monitors the ambient concentrations of ozone precursors volatile organic compounds VOCs carbonyls and nitrogen oxides that can produce the criteria pollutant ozone This monitoring is conducted as part of the Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations PAMS network Nitrogen dioxide one of the nitrogen oxides measured in PAMS is also a criteria pollutant and its measurement is described under the gaseous criteria pollutant section above Total nitrogen oxides NO measurements are obtained continuously by a network of automated stations Volatile organic compounds VOCs excluding carbonyls are measured by continuous analyzers on line gas chromatographs at selected sites The remaining sites use automated samplers to collect VOC canister samplers which are then transported to the laboratory for analysis Carbonyls are collected in adsorbent sampling tubes which are transported to the laboratory for analysis PROGRAM UPDATE At the beginning of 2000 the Acme Reporting Organization operated 5 ambient air monitoring stations that measured ozone precursors On March 1 2000 a station was opened at Townone to monitor VOCs carbonyls and NO QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR MEASUREMENT DATA The Quality Objectives for the Acme Reporting Organization s ambient air monitoring of ozone p
333. lso be readily generated by using this procedure 2 3 Accuracy The accuracy of the audit procedure should be within 2 5 if the SO gas cylinder concentration is referenced and if gas flow rates are determined using EPA recommended procedures 2 4 Apparatus An audit system which uses a dynamic dilution device to generate audit concentrations is illustrated in Figure A 4 The seven components of the device are discussed below 1 Gas Cylinder Regulator A stainless steel gas regulator is acceptable A low dead space two stage regulator should be used to achieve rapid equilibration A purge assembly is helpful 2 Flow Controllers Devices capable of maintaining constant flow rates to within 2 are required Suitable flow controllers include stainless steel micro metering valves in tandem with a precision regulator mass flow controllers capillary restrictors and porous plug restrictors 3 Flowmeters Flowmeters capa ble of measuring pollutant and Fr diluent gas flow rates to within Controller Flowmeter Chamber 2 are required NIST traceable soap bubble flowmeters calibrated mass flow controllers or mass flowmeters and oe aeon calibrated orifice capillary and Controller bi Vutec porous plug restrictors are suitable for flow determination Output Manifold 4 Mixing Chamber A glass or F Teflon chamber is used to mix the SO with dilution air The inlet To I
334. luation to allow State and local organizations to implement this activity Since the regulations define the performance evaluations as an NPAP like activity EPA has made arrangements to implement this audit State locals can determine on a yearly basis to utilize federal implementation by directing their appropriate percentage of grant resources back to the OAQPS or implement the audit themselves Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 15 Independent assessment an assessment performed by a qualified individual group or organization that is not part of the organization directly performing and accountable for the work being assessed This auditing organization must not be involved with the generation of the routine ambient air monitoring data An organization can conduct the FRM Performance Audit if it can meet the above definition and has a management structure that at a minimum will allow for the separation of its routine sampling personnel from its auditing personnel by two levels of management as illustrated in Figure 1 In addition the pre and post weighing of audit filters must be performed by separate laboratory facility using separate laboratory equipment Field and laboratory personnel would be required to meet the FRM Performance Audit field and laboratory training and certification requirements The State and local organizations are also asked to consider participating in the centralized field and
335. lumes of the Handbook and will continue to assist in the following activities for Handbook Volume II gt serving on the Steering Committee gt providing overall guidance gt participating in the Handbook review process gt developing and submitting new methods including the appropriate QA QC Gtk i OAQPS ecnnical y Expertise National Oversight EPA Regions 1 10 Regional Oversight State Air Pollution Control Agency Local Agency Oversight State Air Pollution Control Agency Local Agency Oversight Reporting Organizations QA Oversight Local Agency Figure 1 2 Lines of communication Reporting Organizations QA Oversight Local Agency 1 2 Lines of Communication In order to maintain a successful Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program effective communication is essential Figure 1 2 illustrates the lines of communication between the different organizations responsible for this program The figure represents a general model Specific lines of communication within an EPA Region may be different as long as it is understood and maintained among all air monitoring organizations Lines of communication will ensure that decisions can be made at the most appropriate levels in a more time efficient manner It also means that each organization in this structure must be aware of the regulations governing the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program Any issues that require a decision especially in relation to the qu
336. ly implemented ae o d Are copies of QA Plan or pertinent sections available to agency personnel e Which individuals routinely receive updates to QA Plan 2 Audits and Audit System Traceability fees Ge a Does the agency maintain a separate audit calibration support facility laboratory b Has the agency documented and implemented specific audit procedures c Have audit procedures been prepared in keeping with the requirements of Appendix A to 40 CFR 58 d Do the procedures meet the specific requirements for independent standards and the suggestions regarding om personnel and equipment e Are SRM or CRM materials used to routinely certify audit materials f Does the agency routinely use NIST SRM or CPM materials g Does the agency audit the Meteorological sites For audits only ___ For calibrations only __ For both __ For neither secondary standards are employed__ Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 45 of 50 o o S _ a E E E h Are SRM or CRM materials used to establish traceability of calibration and zero span check materials provided to field operations personnel D Specifically for gaseous standards how is the traceability of audit system standard materials established certified by the QA support laboratory which is part of this agency j Are all agency traceability and standardization methods used Indicate document where such methods can be found docume
337. lyzer s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet when the readings have stabilized then enter them into the computer 4 NMHC Audit Point 3 Reset the GAS thumbwheels on the Dasibi 1009 CP to 230 to obtain Audit Point 2 concentrations for NMHC After the audit van s chart recorder indicates a stable trace for CO take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet when the readings have stabilized then enter them into the computer 5 NMHC Audit Point 4 Reset the GAS thumbwheels on the Dasibi 1009 CP to 130 to obtain Audit Point 3 concentrations for NMHC After the audit van s chart recorder indicates a stable trace for CO take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 25 of 35 to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet when the readings have stabilized then enter them into the computer 6 NMHC Audit Point 5 Press the Dasibi 1009 CP GAS switch to OFF After the audit van s cha
338. marked correctly on the chart 6 Turn the selector switch back to the OPERATE position 7 Adjust the sample flow rate for 2 8 Ipm and record the flow rate on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 Volume V Section E 1 1 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 12 of 35 SITE NAME AUDIT DATE SITE NUM TECO 48 ID API 400 ID VAN A B VAN FLOW STAION FLOW AUDITORS QUARTER 1 2 3 4 STANDARDS VERSION AUDIT OZONE DISPLAY OZONE DISPLAY OZONE POINT SETTING AIR AVE VAN CO ANALYZER RESPONSES CYLINDER PRE AUDIT POST AUDIT CONTENT AAADCO HICO LOWCO ULTRAPURE AADCO HI CO ULTRAPURE AUDIT MODE THUMBWHEEL DISPLAY DISPLAY DISPLAY POINT OZONE GAS AIR GAS AVERAGE READINGS ZERO XXXXX XXXX XXXXX XXXX HIGH XXXXX XXXXX MIDDLE XXXXX XXXXX OPTION XXXXX XXXXX M XYLENE XXXXX OPT NO XXXXX ZERO XXXXX XXXXX XXXX Figure E 1 1 2 QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Volume V Section E 1 1 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 13 of 35 E 1 2 THRU THE PROBE AUDIT E 1 2 1 STATION DATA RETRIEVAL The data responses for each pollutant at each level of testing are taken from the data aquisition system used for record The data aquisition system varies from strip chart recorders to data logger systems to telemetry systems The data are read or interpreted by the station operator in most locations and reported t
339. matographs at selected sites The remaining sites use automated samplers to collect VOC cannister samplers which are then transported to the laboratory for analysis Carbonyls are collected with adsorbent sampling tubes which are transported to the laboratory for analysis Inorganic compounds are collected on PM filters as part of particulate criteria pollutant monitoring and analyzed after weighing for PM mass by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry ICP MS This monitoring is conducted as part of the Air Toxics monitoring network PROGRAM UPDATE At the beginning of 2000 the Acme Reporting Organization operated five ambient air monitoring stations that measured ambient air toxics On March 1 2000 a station was opened at Townone to monitor air toxics QUALITY OBJECTIVES FOR MEASUREMENT DATA The Quality Objectives for the Acme Reporting Organization s ambient air monitoring of ambient air toxics are shown in Table 12 below Table 12 Quality Objectives for Air Toxics Data Quality Indicator Objective Precision Bias Completeness Promptness DATA QUALITY ASSESSMENT Summary Assessment of the data quality for ambient air toxics showed that all instruments met goals for accuracy precision completeness and promptness System audits showed siting problems at two sites both of these were corrected promptly Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 22 of 24 Promptness and Completeness At least 75 percent o
340. ment Volume Tl T2 T3 Analyzer response NO NO x Audit point IT 90 Pollutant flow measurement Volume Tl T2 T3 Analyzer response I NO NOx NO I NO NOx NO NO NO audit calibration equation y mx b NO audit concentration x vs Analyzer response in chart y Slope m Intercept b Correlation r Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 26 of 58 Flowmeter Volume min C F 2 cm3 min NO NO audit concentration ppm Chart Vdc ppm Flowmeter Volume min Ca 7 cm3 min NO NO audit concentration ppm Chart Vdc ppm NO audit concentration x vs Analyzer response in chart y Slope m Intercept b Correlation r Table A 4 continued Part II NO Audit NO Audit Point I Analyzer response NO Audit Point II Analyzer response NO Audit Point III Analyzer response Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 27 of 58 Chart Voc C ORIG a ppm NO ppi O generator setting Chart Voc C ORIG NO som NO pia NO NO orig NO rev ppm Chart Voc ppm NO ppa Chart Voc a 1 ORIG NO oth NO opi O generator setting Chart Voc ORIG NO ppi NO Ppi NOz 4 NO orig NO rey ppm Chart Voc ppm NO ppi Chart Voc C ORIG Aa ppm NO ppm
341. ment is recommended gt may when the element is optional or discretionary 0 4 Handbook Review and Distribution The information in this Handbook was revised and or developed by many of the organizations implementing the Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Program see Acknowledgments It has been peer reviewed and accepted by these organizations and serves to provide consistency among the organizations collecting and reporting ambient air data This Handbook is accessible as a PDF file on the Internet under the AMTIC Homepage http www epa gov ttn amtic The document can be read and printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader software which is freeware available from many Internet sites including the EPA web site The Internet version is write protected and will be updated every three years It is recommended that the Handbook be accessed through the Internet AMTIC will provide information on updates to the Handbook Hardcopy versions are available by writing or calling OAQPS Library MD 16 RTP NC 27711 919 541 5514 Recommendations for modifications or revisions are always welcome Comments should be sent to the appropriate Regional Office Ambient Air Monitoring contact or posted on AMTIC The Handbook Steering Committee will meet quarterly to discuss any pertinent issues and proposed changes Part I Section 1 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 5 1 Program Organization Federal State Tribal and local agencies all have import
342. ments which includes information on the subsampling methods and information on the preparation of QC samples e g blanks and replicates and gt Instrument Calibration and Frequency which defines prescribed criteria for triggering recalibration e g failed calibration checks 10 1 Use of Computers for Quality Control With the wide range of economical computers now available consideration should be given to a computer system that can process and output the information in a timely fashion Such a computer system should be able to gt compute calibration equations gt compute measures of linearity of calibrations e g standard error or correlation coefficient gt plot calibration curves gt compute zero span drift results gt plot zero span drift data gt compute precision and accuracy results gt compute control chart limits gt plot control charts gt automatically flag out of control results gt maintain and retrieve calibration and performance records Part I Section 11 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 5 11 Instrument Equipment Testing Inspection and Maintenance Implementing an ambient air monitoring network with the various types of equipment needed is no easy task It is important that all equipment used to produce data are tested inspected and maintained in sound condition Every piece of equipment has an expected life span Through proper testing inspection and maintenance programs orga
343. ments represent the average of all audit species Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 23 of 24 Bias 25 20 15 10 5 0 5 10 15 20 25 Figure 9 ARO Performance Audit Results for Air Toxic Compounds 7 eo Vj Vj YA kaaa dential Central entra Central laboratory laboratory laboratory 2 analyzers audited audited audited audited Carbonyls Inorganics VOC automated VOC manual SSS Lower probability limit O Upper probability limit Figure 10 shows the results of the external performance audits performed with the National Performance Audit Program NPAP which is administered by the U S EPA Bias 25 20 15 10 5 o 5 10 15 20 25 Figure 10 NPAP Performance Audit Results for Air Toxic Compounds m Central Sentral laboratory laboratory 2 analyzers audited audited S analyzers audited audited Carbonyls NOx VOC automated YOC manual Lower probability limit Upper probability limit Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 24 of 24 System Audits Systems audits were performed at two sites during the calendar year 2000 These audits evaluated areas such as siting criteria analyzer and sampler operation and maintenance operator training recordkeeping and serve as a general review of site operations No significant problems we
344. mits Flow rate precision Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 14 of 24 A flow rate precision check is conducted at least every two weeks for PM and PM samplers The flow should be within 10 of the specified value Results are shown in Table 8 Table 8 Flow Rate Precision Checks for Particulate Criteria Pollutants Pollutant Flow rate bias Precision Checks Precision Checks completed within limits Results of the annual flow rate audits conducted by ARO personnel are shown in Figure 3 below The center line for each pollutant represents the average bias across all sampler i e with all sampler weighted equally The lower and upper probability limits represent the boundaries within which 95 percent of the individual bias values are expected to be distributed 10 8 6 4 2 0 Bias 2 4 6 8 10 Figure 3 ARO Flow Rate Performance Audit Results for Particulate Samplers K KGW 5 samplers audited Lead 6 samplers audited PM10 RNggggggsgssssgg KS FD _ LAAN 6 samplers audited PM2 5 Lower probability limit Upper probability limit Figure 4 shows the results of external flow rate audits for PM and lead samplers performed with the National Performance Audit Program NPAP which is administered by the U S EPA Currently NPAP audits of PM samplers involve sampler collocation rather tha
345. mittee The following individuals are acknowledged for their contributions State and Local Organizations Douglas Tubbs Ventura County APCD Ventura CA Michael Warren California Office of Emergency Services Sacramento CA Alice Westerinen California Air Resources Board Sacramento CA Charles Pieteranin New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Trenton NJ EPA Regions Region 1 Norman Beloin Mary Jane Cuzzupe 2 Clinton Cusick Marcus Kantz 3 Victor Guide Theodore Erdman 4 Dennis Mikel Jerry Burger Chuck Padgett 5 Gordon Jones 6 Kuenja Chung 7 Doug Brune 8 Richard Edmonds Ron Heavner Gordan MacRae Joe Delwiche 9 Manny Aquitania Bob Pallarino 10 Laura Castrilli National Exposure Research Laboratory William Mitchell Frank McElroy David Gemmill Research Triangle Institute Jim Flanagan Cynthia Salmons Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards Joseph Elkins David Musick Joann Rice Shelly Eberly A special thanks to Monica Nees who provided an overall edit on the document vi Number 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 3 1 3 2 4 1 4 2 6 1 7 1 7 2 7 3 7 4 7 5 7 6 7 1 8 1 8 2 8 3 10 1 10 2 12 1 12 2 14 1 14 2 15 1 15 2 15 3 15 4 15 5 15 6 18 1 Title Ambient air program organization ww cece eect eee e nee neces Lines OF COMMUNICATION sa ava v le ranen ya oe RE Fee Hee HOw ee a be See Hele Os Ambient air quality monitoring process wk kk eee cent ene e nee nes Ambient Air Quality Moni
346. mperature Audit Pressure Audit If multi point failure l yr 1 4 weeks every 5 sampling events every 5 sampling events If multi point failure on installation then 1 yr 1 4 weeks on installation then 1 yr 1 4 weeks 1 4 weeks 2 of NIST traceable Std 0 1 C resolution 0 5 C accuracy 1 mm Hg resolution 5 mm Hg accuracy 2 of transfer standard 2 of transfer standard 4 of transfer standard 80 mL min 80 mL min 2 of standard 2 Cof standard 4 Cof standard 10 mm Hg 10 mm Hg 1 min mo Part 50 App L Sec 9 1 9 2 not described not described not described not described Part 50 App L Sec 9 2 Part 50 App L Sec 9 2 5 Part 50 App L Sec 7 4 Part 50 App L Sec 9 3 Part 50 App L Sec 9 3 Part 50 App L Sec 7 4 Sec 6 3 Sec 4 2 and 8 3 Sec 6 3 and 6 6 Sec 8 3 Sec 8 3 Sec 8 3 Sec 8 3 Sec 6 4 Sec 6 4 and 8 2 Sec 6 4 and 8 2 Sec 6 5 Sec 8 2 not described Part I Section 10 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 5 Certification of Traceability Certification of Traceability Certification of Traceability Calibration drift and memory effects Calibration drift and memory effects Calibration drift and memory effects Sampler function Sampler function Calibration drift and memory effects Calibration drift and memory effects Calibration drift and memory effects Calibration drift and memory effects Calibration drift and memory effects Verific
347. mplemented as follows Determine M the number of collocated pairs per quarter for the remaining 12 Q quarters default is M 15 or can use M average number observed for the previous Q quarters Randomly select with replacement M collocated pairs per quarter for each of the future 12 Q quarters in a manner consistent with the given weighting scenario Scenario 1 Select pairs from latest quarter only Scenario 2 Select pairs from any quarter Scenario 3 Select pairs from any quarter except the latest one Result from this step is complete collocated data for a three year period from which bias and precision estimates can be determined Based on the filled out three year period from step 2 calculate three year bias and precision estimate using Equation 1 where w 1 for each quarter Repeat steps 2 and 3 numerous times such as 1000 times Determine P the fraction of the 1000 simulations for which the three year bias and precision criteria are met P is interpreted as the probability that the sampler is generating observations consistent with the three year bias and precision DQOs Part 1 Section 18 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 9 The algorithms for determining whether the bias and precision DQOs have been achieved for each sampler follow Bias Algorithm 1 For each measurement pair estimate the percent relative bias d aes hn ee i Y X 2 where X represents the concentration recorded by the prima
348. n Data Completeness Pat 50 App N Sec 2 Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 17 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter PM Requirement Filter Visual Defect Check Filter Conditioning Environment Equilibration Temp Range Temp Control Humidity Range Humidity Control Pre post sampling RH Balance Filter Checks Lot Blanks Exposure Lot Blanks Lab QC Checks Field Filter Blank Lab Filter Blank Balance Check Duplicate Filter Weighing Frequency All Filters All filters 3 filters per lot 3 filters per lot 10 or 1 per weighing session 10 or 1 per weighing session beginning every 10th sample end 1 per weighing session Acceptance Criteria See reference 24 hours minimum 20 23 C 2 C SD over 24 hr 30 40 RH or _ 5 sampling RH but gt 20 RH 5 SD over 24 hr 5 RH located in filter conditioning environment less than 15 g change between weighings less than 15 g change between weighings g change between weighings g change between weighings lt 3 g g change between weighings 40 CFR QA Guidance Reference Document 2 12 Reference Part 50 App L Sec 6 0 Part 50 App L Sec 8 2 Part 50 App L Sec 8 3 3 8 3 2 not described not described Part 50 App L Sec 8 3 Part 50 App L Sec 8 3 not described Sec 7 9 not described Sec 7 11 Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 18 of 20 Mea
349. n instruments must be fully operable at the onset of an episode For the instrument to be maintained in peak operating condition either personnel must be stationed at the sites during an episode or automated equipment must be operated that can provide automatic data transmission to a central location Monitoring sites should be located in areas where human health and welfare are most threatened gt in densely populated areas gt near large stationary sources of pollution gt near hospitals gt near high density traffic areas gt near homes for the aged A network of sites is useful in determining the range of pollutant concentrations within the area but the most desirable monitoring sites are not necessarily the most convenient Public buildings such as schools firehouses police stations hospitals and water or sewage plants should be considered for reasons of access security and existing communications Trends Monitoring Trends monitoring is characterized by locating a minimal number of monitoring sites across as large an area as possible while still meeting the monitoring objectives The program objective is to determine the extent and nature of the air pollution and to determine the variations in the measured levels of the atmospheric contaminants in respect to the geographical socio economic climatological and other factors The data are useful in planning epidemiological investigations and in providing the background against
350. n 1 Date 9 4 98 Page 3 of 11 Modifications made since last network review Number of Monitors Carbon Monoxide o ooo o d O tea o o S d O Nitrogen Dioxide o d O Ozne S o S d eM S o e e O PM 5 a a Sulfur Dioxide o o d d O Total Suspended Particulate ForPAMS d d O Carbonys oS o d d O Meteorological Measurements vos o S S d E 7 Network Design and Siting Summarize any nonconformance with the requirements of 40 CFR 58 Appendices D and E found in Sections II and AIRS Site ID Site Type Reason for Nonconformance VOC Carbonyls Met 8 List problems found actions to be taken corrective measures etc called for in the last network review that still have not been addressed Part I Appendix 15 Section 1 Date 9 4 98 Page 4 of 11 Is the Agency meeting the number of monitors required based on 40 CFR Part 58 requirements SLAMS NAMS PAMS If no explain Is the Agency operating existing monitors according to 40 CFR Part 58 requirements SLAMS NAMS PAMS If no explain Are monitors properly located based on monitoring objectives and spatial scales of representativeness specified in Appendix D SLAMS NAMS PAMS If no explain For PAMS when C or F sampling frequency is used has an ozone event forecasting
351. n analyzer malfunction or period of non operation should be regarded as invalid until the next subsequent level 1 calibration unless unadjusted zero and span readings at that calibration can support its validity 17 3 2 Manual Methods For manual methods the first level of data validation should be to accept or reject monitoring data based upon results from operational checks selected to monitor the critical parameters in all three major and distinct phases of manual methods sampling analysis and data reduction In addition to using operational checks for data validation the user must observe all limitations acceptance limits and warnings described in the reference and equivalent methods per se that may invalidate data It is further recommended that results from performance audits evaluations required in 40 CFR 58 Appendices A and B not be used as a sole criteria for data invalidation because these checks performance audits are intended to assess the quality of the data Part 1 Section 18 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 9 18 0 Reconciliation with Data Quality Objectives Section 3 described the data quality objective DQO process which is an important planning tool to determine the objectives of an environmental data operation to understand and agree upon the allowable uncertainty in the data and with that optimize the sampling design This information along with sampling and analytical methods and appropriate QA QC should b
352. n and Siting Criteria Guidance Document EPA 450 4 9 1 033 November 1991 EPA Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans EPA QA G 5 U S Environmental Protection Agency QAD External Working Draft November 1996 EPA Requirements for Quality Management Plans EPA QA R 2 U S Environmental Protection Agency QAD August 1994 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 Part 1 References Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 8 EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Environmental Data Operations EPA QA R 5 U S Environmental Protection Agency QAD Interim Draft Final August 1994 EPA Traceability Protocol for Assay and Certification of Gaseous Calibration Standards Revised September 1993 EPA 600 R93 224 September 1993 Garfield Frederick M Quality Assurance Principles for Analytical Laboratories Association of Official Analytical Chemists Arlington VA 1984 Gerald Nash O William F Hunt Jr Geri Dorosz Stargardt and Neil H Frank Requirements for the Establishment of Enhanced Ozone Monitoring Networks presented at the Air and Waste Management EPA Symposium Measurement of Toxic and Related Air Pollutants Durham North Carolina May 4 7 1993 Good Automated Laboratory Practices EPA 2185 U S Environmental Protection Agency QAD August 10 1995 Guidance for the Data Quality Objectives Process U S En
353. n flow rate checks Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 15 of 24 10 8 6 4 2 o Bias 2 4 6 8 10 Figure 4 NPAP Flow Rate Audit Results for Particulate Samplers __ 5 samplers audited 3 samplers audited Lead PM10 6 samplers audited Lnn PM2 5 Lower probability limit Upper probability limit Measurement Bias Measurement bias is evaluated for PM analyzers by collocated sampling using a audit sampler For internal audits the collocated measurements provide an estimate of bias resulting from sampler operations For external NPAP audits the collocated measurements provide an estimate of bias resulting from both sampler and laboratory operations Measurement bias for lead is evaluated by use of standard lead test samples This provides an estimate of the bias resulting from laboratory operations The results of the annual performance audits of PM and lead conducted by ARO personnel are shown in Figure 5 below 10 8 6 4 2 o Bias 2 4 6 8 10 Figure 5 ARO Measurement Performance Audit Results for Particulate Criteria Pollutants o 5 audit samples Lead 6 samplers audited PM2 5 Lower probability limit Upper probability limit Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 16 of 24 Figure 6 shows
354. n from the design range Cumulative drifts of up to 20 or 25 of full scale from the original or nominal zero and span values may not be unreasonable subject to the limitations mentioned above In situations where it is not possible to update the calibration curve used to calculate the ambient readings after each zero and span calibration then the ambient readings must be calculated from the most recent multipoint calibration curve or from a fixed nominal or universal calibration curve section 12 9 In this case the zero and span calibrations serve only to measure or monitor the deviation drift error between the actual analyzer response curve and the calibration curve used to calculate the ambient measurements Since this error must be kept small physical zero and span adjustments are much more critical and should be made before the error becomes large More information on drift limits and determining when physical zero and span adjustments are needed is contained in the next section on frequency of calibration 12 6 Frequency of Calibration and Analyzer Adjustment As previously indicated a multipoint calibration should be carried out on new analyzer s or after major repairs to establish analyzer linearity It is also appropriate to carry out a multipoint calibration on each analyzer in routine operation at least twice per year to reverify linearity although an annual multipoint audit may serve in lieu of one of these Nonlinear analyzers m
355. natively multiple paths may be used advantageously to obtain both wider area coverage and peak concentration sensitivity Table 6 2 Summary of Spatial Scales for SLAMS NAMS PAMS and Open Path OP Sites Spatial Scale Scale Applicable for SLAMS Scales Required for NAMS CO NO Pb PM co O NO Pb PMyy Micro Middle ii ms k Neighborhood Urban Regional _ Only permitted if representative of many such microscale environments in a residential district for middle scale at least two gt Either urban or regional scale for regional transport sites 6 1 1 Monitoring Boundaries The standards refer to several boundaries that are defined below These definitions are derived from the document entitled Guidance for Network Design and Optimum Site Exposure for PM and PM jo Metropolitan Statistical Area MSA are designated by the U S Office of Management and Budget OMB as having a large population nucleus together with adjacent communities having a high degree of economic and social integration with that nucleus MSA boundaries correspond to portions of counties that often include urban and nonurban areas MSAs are useful for identifying which parts of a state have sufficient populations to justify the installation of a compliance monitoring network Their geographical extent may be too big for defining the boundaries of Metropo
356. ncentration level generated calculate the NO concentration NO a NO F xX T STD Equation 1 12 where NO NO NOy audit concentration ppm the NO impurity in the stock standard should be negligible Fp pollutant flow rate cm min F total flow rate cm min and NO srp concentration of the standard cylinder ppm NOTE Alternatively the upscale NO audit concentrations may be generated by maintaining a constant pollutant flow rate F and varying the dilution air flow rate Fp In this case the entries for dilution air flow and pollutant flow in Table A 4 should be reversed and clearly indicated 3 Generate the lowest audit concentration level first and consecutively generate audit points of increasing concentration Allow the analyzer to sample the audit atmosphere until a stable response is obtained Record the audit concentration Obtain the station response and concentration from the station operator for the NO NOx and NO channels and record the data in the appropriate spaces in Table A 4 4 Prepare audit calibration curves for the NO and NO channels by using least squares Include the zero air points The audit concentration is the x variable the analyzer response in chart is the y variable The NO audit calibration curve will be used to determine the actual audit concentrations during the generation of the NO atmospheres The NOx audit calibration curve will be used to determine NO converter ef
357. nd calculating the Kolmogorov Smirnoff test statistic if sampler size greater than 50 All three techniques are provided by standard statistical packages and by the statistical tools provided in EPA QA G 9D Data Quality Evaluation Statistical Tools DataQUEST If the plot or statistics indicate possible violations of normality Palookaville may need to determine the sensitivity of the DQOs to departures in normality Decision error can occur when the estimated 3 year average differs from the actual or true 3 year average This is not really an assumption as much as a statement that the data collected by an ambient air monitor is stochastic meaning that there are errors in the measurement process as mentioned in the previous assumption The limits on precision and bias are based on the smallest number of required sample values in a 3 year period In the development of the DQOs the smallest number of required samples was used The reason for this was to ensure that the confidence was sufficient in the minimal case if more samples are collected then the confidence in the resulting decision will be even higher For each of the samplers Palookaville will determine how many samples were collected in each quarter If this number meets or exceeds 12 then the data completeness requirements for the DQO are met The decision error limits were set at 5 Again this is more of a statement If the other assumptions are met then the decision error limits
358. nd report data 15 Data Management and Records Management Or ON ea SOPs should follow the guidance document Guidance for the Preparation of Standard Operating Procedures EPA QA G 6 Copies of this document are available through the QAD office as well as the QAD Homepage http es epa gov ncerqa Part I Section 9 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 3 Many of these operational procedures listed above are included in the EPA reference and equivalent methods and EPA guidance documents However it is the organization s responsibility to develop its own unique written operational procedures applicable to air quality measurements made by the organization SOPs should be written by individuals performing the procedures that are being standardized SOPs for the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program environmental data operations must be included in QAPPs either by reference or by inclusion of the actual method If a method is referenced it must be stated that the method is followed exactly or an addendum that explains changes to the method must be included in the QAPP If a modified method will be used for an extended period of time the method should be revised to include the changes to appropriate sections In general approval of SOPs occur during the approval of the QAPP Individuals with appropriate training and experience with the particular SOPs in the QAPP need to review the SOPs 9 2 Good Laboratory Practices Good laboratory pr
359. nditioning units if they were used 10 After placing the generator power switch in the UNLOADED position shut off the generator 11 Secure all loose articles or equipment in preparation for transportation to another location EXTERIOR l 2 Remove the audit presentation LINE from the site s inlet probe Reel in the audit presentation LINE and cap the end Tighten the securing bolt on the LINE reel to prevent the LINE from unrolling while in transit Secure the ladder and safety cones if used in the the audit van Verify that the van steps are up If the steps are electric turn the power off Volume V Section E 1 4 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 9 4 98 Page 31 of 35 E 1 5 CALIBRATIONS CHECKS AND PROCEDURES E 1 5 1 QUARTERLY LINE LOSS START UP PROCEDURE The purpose of the line loss test is to determine the actual ozone concentration that is being delivered to the end of the audit presentation line The line is 150 feet long and there is an expected ozone loss due to the length of the line By analyzing the ozone concentration before and after the line it is possible to determine the amount of ozone loss due to the line This percentage loss is then used to correct for true ozone 1 Plug in the audit van land line 2 Place the Generator Land Line switch in the LAND LINE position 3 Turn on the Aadco 4 Turn on the compressor 5 Turn on the Elgar line conditioner power
360. nditions summarized below 1 A copy of the approved operation or instruction manual must accompany the analyzer when it is delivered to the ultimate purchaser 2 The analyzer must not generate any unreasonable hazard to operators or to the environment 3 The analyzer must function within the limits of the performance specifications in Table 7 5 for at least 1 year after delivery when maintained and operated in accordance with the operation manual 4 Any analyzer offered or sale as a reference or equivalent method must bear a label or sticker indicating that it has been designated as a reference or equivalent method in accordance with 40 CFR Part 53 5 If such an analyzer has one or more selectable ranges the label or sticker must be placed in close proximity to the range selector and must indicate which range or ranges have been designated as reference or equivalent methods 6 An applicant who offers analyzers for sale as reference or equivalent methods is required to maintain a list of purchasers of such analyzers and to notify them within 30 days if a reference or equivalent method designation applicable to the analyzers has been canceled or if adjustment of the analyzers is necessary under 40 CFR part 53 11 b to avoid a cancellation Aside from occasional malfunctions consistent or repeated noncompliance with any of these conditions should be reported to EPA at the address given previously In selecting designated methods remember tha
361. ne and lead In 1970 the CAA was signed into law The CAA and its amendments provides the framework for all pertinent organizations to protect air quality As illustrated in Figure 2 1 air quality samples are generally collected for one or more of the following objectives Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Process C EPA Responsibility State Implementation Plan Adjust Classification Continue Air Quality Measurement Figure 2 1 Ambient air quality monitoring process gt to judge compliance with and or progress made towards meeting ambient air quality standards gt to activate emergency control procedures that prevent or alleviate air pollution episodes as well as develop long term control strategies gt to observe pollution trends throughout the region including non urban areas gt to provide a data base for research and evaluation of effects urban land use and transportation planning development and evaluation of abatement control strategies and development and validation of diffusion models With the end use of the air quality samples as a prime consideration the network should be designed to 1 determine the highest concentrations expected to occur in the area covered by the network 2 determine representative concentrations in areas of high population density 3 determine the impact on ambient pollution le
362. next level of validation h What criteria are applied for data to be deleted Discuss briefly D What criteria are applied to cause data to be reprocessed Discuss j Is the group supplying data provided an opportunity to review data and correct erroneous entries k Are corrected data resubmitted to the issuing group for cross checking prior to release 4 Data Processing a Does the agency generate data summary reports Are the data used for in house distribution and use Publication b Please list at least three 3 reports routinely generated providing the information requested below Report Title Period Covered Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 38 of 50 ea o a c Have special procedures been instituted for pollution index If yes provide brief description reporting d Who at the agency has the responsibility for submitting data to AIRS Name Title Is the data reviewed and approved by an officer of the agency prior to submittal e Are those persons different from the individuals who submit data to PARS If yes provide name and title of individual responsible for PARS data submittal Name Title PARS data review and approval name f How often are data submitted to AIRS g How and or in what form are data submitted TO AIRS TO PARS h Are the recommendations and requirements for data coding and submittal in the AIRS User s Manual Are the
363. next to the trace Record the CO analyzer s response on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 18 of 35 NOTE The CO analyzer response should be within 0 2 chart divisions of the expected value If adjustments are made to either the zero or span thumbwheels the calibration points must be rerun 11 Disconnect the Ultrapure Zero Air cylinder Switch from POSITION 2 to POSITION 1 on the three way valve Turn the compressed gas cylinders off Switch the Valve Pump on the Dasibi 1009 CP ON If necessary readjust the by pass flow between 0 3 and 0 4 Ipm 12 Select option 2 DATA ENTRY MENU from the ARB Van Audit Program s Main Menu Select Option 2 VAN CO Superblend cylinder 1 Enter the CO analyzer responses for Ultrapure High CO Low CO and AADCO NOTE After entering the chart responses it is possible to enter estimated chart responses until the best response for each audit level of the performance audit is obtained It will then be possible to adjust the GAS thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP to obtain these levels during the audit E 1 2 5 CO THC CH4 NO2 AND SO2 AUDIT The ambient level concentrations for each pollutant are determined by multiplying a dilution ratio times the concentration value for each pollutant at each audit level The dilution ratio and ambient level concentrations are determined using the fo
364. ng sites and the monitoring data processing procedure from field acquisition through reporting into the AIRS computer system The systems audit results should present a clear complete and accurate picture of the agency s acquisition of ambient air monitoring data The following topics are covered in the subsections below gt a discussion of 1 the requirements on the agency operating the SLAMS network 2 program facets to be evaluated by the audit and 3 additional criteria to assist in determining the required extent of the forthcoming audit gt arecommended audit protocol for use by the Regional audit team followed by a detailed discussion of audit results reporting gt criteria for the evaluation of State and local agency performance including suggested topics for dis cussion during the on site interviews gt a questionnaire organized around the six key program areas to be evaluated and gt a bibliography of APA guideline documents which provides additional technical background for the different program areas under audit Section 15 of this Handbook provides a general description of the audit process which includes planning implementation and reporting and complements the material in this appendix It is suggested that Section 15 should be read and understood The guidance provided in this section is addressed primarily to EPA Regional audit leads and members of the Regional audit teams to guide them in developing and imple
365. nizations can be assured that equipment is capable of operating at acceptable performance levels Some procedures for equipment testing inspection and maintenance are explained below or in other sections Due to the enormous amount of equipment that potentially could be used in the Ambient Air Monitoring Program this section can not provide guidance on each type of equipment In most cases the manufacturers of the equipment provide inspection and maintenance information in the operating manuals What is important is that State and local organizations in the development of the QAPP and a quality system should address the scheduling and documentation of routine testing inspection and maintenance Many organizations develop detailed maintenance documents for ambient air monitoring some for each monitoring site Elements to include in testing inspection and maintenance documents would include gt equipment lists by organization or station gt spare equipment parts lists by equipment including suppliers gt inspection maintenance frequency by equipment gt testing frequency and source of the test concentrations or equipment gt equipment replacement schedules gt sources of repair by equipment gt service agreements that are in place gt monthly check sheets and entry forms for documenting testing inspection maintenance performed Testing inspection and maintenance procedures should be available at each monitoring stati
366. nlet of Analyzer os Being Audited and outlet should be of sufficient diameter so that the chamber is at atmospheric pressure under normal operation and sufficient turbulence must be created in the chamber to facilitate thorough mixing Chamber volumes in the range of 100 to 500 cm are sufficient Glass Kjeldahl connecting flasks are suitable mixing chambers Vent lt Extra Outlets Capped When Not in Use betas Figure A 4 Schematic diagram of a dilution audit system Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 11 of 58 5 Output Manifold and Sample Line An output manifold used to supply the analyzer with an audit atmosphere at ambient pressure should be of sufficient diameter to ensure a minimum pressure drop at the analyzer connection and the manifold must be vented so that ambient air will not mix with the audit atmosphere during system operations Recommended manifold materials are glass or Teflon The sample line must be nonreactive and flexible therefore Teflon tubing is preferred 6 Dilution Air Source The diluent source must be free of sulfur contaminants and water vapor clean dry air from a compressed gas cylinder Grade 0 1 may be used When auditing a flame photometric analyzer a diluent source which contains approximately 350 ppm CO is required A clean air system may be used however the system must not remove the CO from the ambient airstream In all cases the O content of the diluent air must be 20 9 0 2
367. nometer in H O Pb barometric pressure mm Hg and T ambient temperature in degrees Kelvin 273 16 C Perform this calculation for each flow rate comparison and calculate the difference for each audit point as follows Ps F difference E x 100 Equation 1 26 where F the station measured flow rate std m min and F the audit flow rate std m min For samplers calibrated in terms of actual or seasonal average conditions calculate the audit flow rate in terms of actual conditions 760 P Qacr Qsrb T 2 Equation 1 29 298 16 where Qacr the actual flow rate m min Qsrp the standard flow rate m min P the barometric pressure mm Hg and T the ambient temperature in degrees Kelvin 273 16 Note If seasonal temperature and barometric pressure were used in the calibration of the hi vol sampler then P seasonal barometric pressure mm Hg and T seasonal ambient temperature in degrees Kelvin 273 16 C convert from m min to ft min by multiplying by 35 31 7 7 References References 8 and 9 provide additional information on the TSP audit procedure Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 51 of 58 Table A 8 Hi vol Sampler Audit Data Report Station location Date Barometric pressure Time Temperature Sampler serial number Serial number Flow controller number Plate Audit 3 Number manometer Response m min reading in H O
368. ns This person should be identified in the organizational structure in the QAPP To assist or assure user competence users should be provided with clear standard operating procedures SOPs to enable them to perform the assigned functions and sufficient training to clarify these SOPs Once an information management system is in place data should be made available to the system in a timely manner Personnel responsible for local and central systems should be of sufficient number for the timely and proper implementation of the information management system 14 1 2 Quality Assurance As part of the quality assurance responsibility a group individual needs to be identified whose responsibilities would be primarily those of system and data inspection audit and review The objective of QA is to provide proof that the information management system operates in a correct manner consistent with its recommended functions 14 1 3 Facilities The facility used to house the information management system should have provisions to regulate the environmental conditions temperature humidity electricity adequately to protect the systems against data loss The facility should also have adequate storage capability for the automated information management system and provide for retention of raw data including archives of computer resident data Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 13 14 1 4 Equipment Information management system eq
369. nt calibration at least 5 points Zero span check level 1 Flowmeters Performance Evaluation NPAP State audits Precision Single analyzer Reporting organization Accuracy Single analyzer Reporting organization Upon receipt adjustment or 1 6 months 1 2 weeks 1 3 months 1 year at selected sites 1 year 1 weeks 1 3 months 25 of sites quarterly all sites yearly All points within 2 of full scale of best fit straight line Zero drift 2to3 ppm Span drift 20 to 25 Zero drift 1 to 1 5 ppm Span drift 15 Accuracy 2 Mean absolute difference 15 State requirements None 95 CI 15 None 95 CI 20 Vol II S 12 6 Vol I MS 2 6 1 Vol II S 12 6 Vol II S 12 6 Vol II App 12 Vol II S 16 3 Vol II pp 15 S 3 40 CFR Pt 58 App A EPA 600 4 83 023 Vol II App 15 S 5 40 CFR Pt 58 App A Zero gas and at least four upscale calibration points Points outside acceptance criterion are repeated If still outside criterion consult manufacturers manual and invalidate data to last acceptable calibration If calibration updated at each zero span invalidate data to last acceptable check adjust analyzer perform multipoint calibration If fixed calibration used to calculate data invalidate data to last acceptable check adjust analyzer perform multipoint calibration Flowmeter calibration should be traceable to NIST standards Use information to inform r
370. nt is written for technical personnel at State and local monitoring agencies to assist them to develop and implement a quality system for the Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Program 17 KEY WORDS AND DOCUMENT ANALYSIS a DESCRIPTORS b IDENTIFIERS OPEN ENDED TERMS c COSATI Field Group QA Handbook Vol II Air Pollution control Lg 18 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT 19 SECURITY CLASS Report 21 NO OF PAGES Unclassified Release Unlimited 20 SECURITY CLASS Page 22 PRICE Unclassified EPA Form 2220 1 Rev 4 77 PREVIOUS EDITION IS OBSOLETE
371. nt operations At the same time a schedule should be set for the exit interview used to debrief the agency director or his her designee on the systems audit outcome As part of this scheduling the audit lead should indicate any special requirements such as access to specific areas or activities The audit lead should inform the agency QAO that the QAO will receive a questionnaire which is to be reviewed and completed Table 15 2 Suggested Elements of an Audit Plan Audit Title Official title of audit that will be used on checksheets and reports Audit Number Year and number of audit can be combined 91 1 91 2Date of audit Scope Establishes the boundary of the audit and identifies the groups and activities to be evaluated The scope can vary from general overview total system to part of system which will effect the length of the audit Purpose What the audit should achieve Standards Standards are criteria against which performance is evaluated These standards must be clear and concise and should be used consistently when auditing similar facilities or procedures The use of audit checklists is suggested to assure that the full scope of an audit is covered An example checklist for the Regional RSA is found in Appendix 15 A Audit team Team lead and members Auditees People that should be available for the audit from the audited organization This should include the Program Manager Principal Investigator organizations QA Represe
372. ntative and other management and technicians as necessary Documents Documents that should be available in order for the audit to proceed efficiently Too often documents are asked for during an audit when auditors do not have the time to wait for these documents to be found Documents could include QMPs QAPjPs SOPs GLPs control charts raw data QA QC data previous audit reports etc Timeline A timeline of when organizations auditors auditees will be notified of the audit in order for efficient scheduling and full participation of all parties The audit lead should emphasize that the completed questionnaire is to be returned within one 1 month of receipt The information within the questionnaire is considered a minimum and both the Region and the agency under audit should feel free to include additional information Once the completed questionnaire has been received it should be reviewed and compared with the pertinent criteria and regulations The PARS and completeness data as well as any other information on data quality can augment the documentation received from the reporting organization under audit This preliminary evaluation will be instrumental in selecting the sites to be evaluated and in the decision on the extent of the monitoring site data audit The audit Iteam should then prepare a checklist detailing specific points for discussion with agency personnel The audit team should be made of several members to offer a wi
373. nted k Do the traceability and standardization methods conform with the guidance of VOL Il of the Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems For cylinder gases 1 Does the agency have identifiable auditing equipment If yes provide specific identification specifically intended for sole use for audits m How often is auditing equipment certified for accuracy against standards and equipment of higher authority n As a result of the audit equipment checks performed have pass fail acceptance criteria been decided for this equipment Indicate what these criteria are with respect to each pollutant Where are such criteria documented Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 46 of 50 3 National Performance Audit Program NPAP And Additional Audits a Identify the individual with primary responsibility for the required participation in the National Performance Audit Program For gaseous materials name title For laboratory materials name title Qestio ve No comment S b Does the agency currently have in place any contracts or similar agreements either with another agency or outside contractor to perform any of the audits required by 40 CFR 58 If yes has the agency included QA requirements with this agreement Date By Whom maoo 0 O e Does the agency participate in the National Performance If no why not Summarize below Audit Program NPAP as required under 40 CFR 58 Appendix
374. ntended monitoring objective s specific path siting criteria are needed 40 CFR part 58 Appendix E contains specific location criteria applicable to monitoring paths after the general station siting has been selected based on the monitoring objectives spatial scales of representativeness and other considerations presented in Appendix D The new open path siting requirements largely parallel the existing requirements for point analyzers with the revised provisions applicable to either a probe for point analyzers a monitoring path for open path analyzers or both as appropriate Criteria for the monitoring path of an open path analyzer are given for horizontal and vertical placement spacing from minor sources spacing from obstructions spacing from trees and spacing from roadways These criteria are summarized in Table 7 2 Cumulative Interferences on a Monitoring Path To control the sum effect on a path measurement from all the possible interferences which exist around the path the cumulative length or portion of a monitoring path that is affected by obstructions trees or roadways must not exceed 10 percent of the total monitoring path length This limit for cumulative interferences on the monitoring path controls the total amount of interference from minor sources obstructions roadways and other factors that might unduly influence the open path monitoring data Monitoring Path Length For NO O and SO the monitoring p
375. ntime and costly repairs Preventive maintenance is an ongoing portion of quality control Since this is an ongoing process it normally is enveloped into the daily routines In addition to the daily routines there are monthly quarterly semi annually and annually scheduled activities that must be performed Preventive maintenance is the responsibility of the station operators and the supervisory staff It is important that the supervisor reviews the preventive maintenance work and continually checks the schedule The supervisor is responsible for making sure that the preventive maintenance is being accomplished in a Part I Section 11 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 5 timely manner Preventive maintenance is not a static process Procedures must be updated for many reasons including but not limited to new models or types of instruments and new or updated methods Each piece of equipment analyzers and support equipment should have a bound notebook that contains all preventive maintenance and repair data for that particular instrument This notebook should stay with the instrument wherever it travels The preventive maintenance schedule is changed whenever an activity is moved or is completed For instance if a multipoint calibration is performed in February instead of the March date then the six month due date moves from August to September The schedule is constantly in flux because repairs must be followed by calibrations or verific
376. ntration If span adjustment is needed see sections 12 5 and 12 6 adjust the span response to the desired value allowing for any zero offset used in the previous step Record the final adjusted stable span reading S If no span adjustment is made and no offset is used then S S 7 If any adjustments made to the zero span or other parameters or if analyzer maintenance was carried out allow the analyzer to restabilize at the new settings then recheck the zero and span readings and record new values for Z and S if necessary If the calibration is updated for each zero span calibration see section 12 9 the new calibration relationship should be plotted using the Z and S readings or the intercept and slope should be determined as follows I intercept Z M slope S Z span concentration 12 3 1 Documentation All level 1 zero or span calibrations should be documented in a chronological format Documentation should include analyzer identification date standard used and its traceability equipment used the individual conducting the span calibration the unadjusted zero and drift span responses and the adjusted zero and span responses Again quality control charts are an excellent form of documentation to graphically record and track calibration results See Section 12 6 for a discussion on control chats Level 1 zero and span documentation should be maintained both in a central file and at the monitoring site Part I Secti
377. nts be free of ozone NO NO SO to 0 001 ppm and CO and Hydrocarbons to 0 1 ppm There are many commercially available systems However simple designs can be obtained by using a series of canisters See Section 12 for more guidance on zero air 11 1 3 Laboratory Support State and local agencies should employ full laboratory facilities These facilities should be equipped with all equipment to test repair troubleshoot and calibrate all analyzers and support equipment necessary to operate the Ambient Air Monitoring Networks In some cases a State or local agency may have a central laboratory The laboratory should be designed to accommodate the air quality lab shop and PM and PM filter rooms and enforcement instrumentation support activities The air quality portion consists of several benches flanked by instrument racks One bench and rack are dedicated to ozone traceability The other instrument racks are designated for calibration and repair A room should be set aside to house spare parts and extra analyzers A manifold sample cane should be mounted behind the bench If possible mount a sample cane through the roof to allow any analyzers that are being tested to sample outside air Any excess calibration gas can be exhausted to the atmosphere It is recommended that the pump room be external to the building to eliminate noise Each bench area should have an instrument rack that is attached to the bench The instrument rack should be
378. o ensure that a particular measurement meets the quality requirements for its intended use In addition to performing tests to determine bias and precision additional quality indicators such as sensitivity representativeness completeness timeliness documentation quality and sample custody control are also evaluated Quality assurance procedures fall under two categories gt quality control procedures built into the daily sampling and analysis methodologies to ensure data quality and gt quality assessment which refers to periodic outside evaluations of data quality Some ambient air monitoring is performed by automated equipment located at field sites while other measurements are made by taking samples in the field which are transported to the laboratory for analysis For this reason it is useful to divide quality assurance procedures into two parts field quality assurance and laboratory quality assurance Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 24 Field Quality Assurance Quality control of automated analyzers and samplers consists of calibration and precision checks The overall precision of sampling methods is measured using collocated samplers Quality assurance is evaluated by periodic performance and system audits Calibration Automated analyzers except ozone are calibrated by comparing the instrument s response when sampling a cylinder gas standard mixture to the cylinder s known concentration level The
379. o file all reports together in a secure place Keeping these documents under lock and key will ensure that the author can testify at future court hearings that the report has not been altered Data Management Much of the data collected for the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program will be collected through the use of automated systems These systems must be effectively managed and documented by using a set of Part I Section 5 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 5 guidelines and principles by which adherence will ensure data integrity Discussions of data management activities and the requirements for documentation can be found in section 15 Quality Assurance Quality assurance information is necessary to document the quality of data This information should be retained in a manner that it can be associated with the routine data that it represents QA Information include gt Control charts Use of control charts is explained in section 12 gt Data quality assessments DQAs These assessments are a statistical and scientific evaluation of the data set to determine the validity and performance of the data collection design and to determine the adequacy of the data set for its intended use Further discussion on DQAs can be found in section 16 gt QA Reports Reports pertaining to the quality of data usually related to some aggregate quarterly yearly etc focusing on measurement quality attributes and data quality objective
380. o should be noted Sample Handling Details of how a sample is physically treated and handled during relocation from its original site to the actual measurement site are extremely important Correct interpretation of the subsequent measurement results requires that deviations from the sample handling section of the QAPP and the actions taken to minimize or control the changes be detailed Data collection activities should indicate events that occur during sample handling that may affect the integrity of the samples At a minimum investigators should evaluate the sample containers and the preservation methods used and ensure that they are appropriate to the nature of the sample and the type of data generated from the sample Checks on the identity of the sample e g proper labeling and chain of custody records as well as proper physical chemical storage Section 17 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 5 conditions e g chain of custody and storage records should be made to ensure that the sample continues to be representative of its native environment as it moves through the analytical process Analytical Procedures Each sample should be verified to ensure that the procedures used to generate the data were implemented as specified Acceptance criteria should be developed for important components of the procedures along with suitable codes for characterizing each sample s deviation from the procedure Data validation activities should determine
381. o the auditor who records this data on a station data worksheet for later transfer to the computer in the audit van for computing the final results The strip chart data retrieval is done by taking pre and post zero response in parts per million along with a response at each of the three levels of the audit The zero is not used in calculating the percent deviation if the technician does not normally use zero correction in reducing the strip chart data Many of the districts are using electronic data loggers which store data at the site until collected on a weekly or monthly basis The data are handled like the chart recorder data except they are read off a display at each level of test then recorded by the auditor on the worksheet for later transfer to the computer Several of the districts have strip charts and telemetry systems which send data to the home office The telemetry data are considered the primary data reduction method and the strip charts are the back up The telemetry is updated every few minutes on dedicated telephone lines and the data are averaged and stored in the home office computer The station results are obtained by the station operator calling the office at each level of audit for analyzer results or dialing the office computer through telephone modem and directly receiving the data going into the office computer These results are recorded on the station data worksheet for later entry into the audit van computer When data
382. obe that is 3 to 6 m 10 20 ft above ground D ground level Low pollutant concentrations A site 60 gt m gt 200 ft for a traffic artery A sampler probe that is 3 to 6 m 10 20 ft above ground E air mass Sampler probe that is between 6 and 45 m 20 150 ft above ground Two subclasses 1 good exposure from all sides e g on top of building or 2 directionally biased exposure probe extended from window F source oriented A sampler that is adjacent to a point source Monitoring that yields data directly relatable to the emission source 6 3 1 Concurrent Open Path Monitoring In addition to requirements for establishing a new site 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix D addresses requirements for changing to an open path monitor at an existing SLAMS site Changes must be made with careful consideration given to the impact of the change on the network site s ability to meet the intended goals Appendix D requires that the effects of the change on the monitoring data be quantified if possible or at least characterized Appendix D requires concurrent nominally collocated monitoring in all cases where an open path analyzer is intended to replace a criteria pollutant point monitor which meets either of the following 1 data collected at the site represent the maximum concentration for a particular nonattainment area or 2 data collected at the site are currently used to characterize the development of a nonattainment
383. ocating each PAMS within a nonattainment area or transport region The three fundamental criteria which need to be considered when locating a final PAMS site are 1 sector analysis the site needs to be located in the appropriate downwind or upwind sector approximately 45 using appropriate wind directions 2 distance the sites should be located at distances appropriate to obtain a representative sample of the areas precursor emissions and represent the appropriate monitoring scale and 3 proximate sources 15 1 3 Conformance to 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix E Probe Siting Requirements Applicable siting criteria for SLAMS NAMS and PAMS are specified in Appendix E The on site visit itself consists of the physical measurements and observations needed to determine compliance with the Appendix E requirements such as height above ground level distance from trees paved or vegetative ground cover etc Prior to the site visit the reviewer should obtain and review the following gt most recent hard copy of site description including any photographs gt data on the seasons with the greatest potential for high concentrations for specified pollutants gt predominant wind direction by season The checklist provided in Appendix 15 is also intended to assist the reviewer in determining conformance with Appendix E In addition to the items on the checklist the reviewer should also do the following gt ensure that the manifold
384. ocument the changes in pollutant concentrations resulting from mitigation strategies used in the area Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 15 Emergency Episode Monitoring For episode avoidance purposes data are needed quickly in no less than a few hours after the pollutant contacts the sensor While it is possible to obtain data rapidly by on site manual data reduction and telephone reporting there is a trend towards using automated monitoring networks The severity of the problem the size of the receptor area and the availability of resources all influence both the scope and sophistication of the monitoring system It is necessary to use continuous air samplers because of the short durations of episodes and the control actions taken must be based on real time measurements that are correlated with the decision criteria Based on episode alert criteria and mechanisms now in use 1 h averaging times are adequate for surveillance of episode conditions Shorter averaging times provide information on data collecting excursions but they increase the need for automation because of the bulk of data obtained Longer averaging times gt 6 hours are not desirable because of the delay in response that these impose After an alert is announced data are needed quickly so that requests for information on the event can be provided Collection and analysis must be accomplished rapidly if the data are to be useful immediately Collectio
385. of equivalent methods are acceptable for SLAMS or SLAMS related PM monitoring But not all types of equivalent methods may be equally suited to various PM monitoring requirements or applications Class I equivalent methods are very similar to reference methods with only minor deviations and must meet nearly all of the reference method specifications and requirements The requirements for designation as Class I equivalent methods are only slightly more extensive than the designation requirements for reference methods Also because of their substantial similarity to reference methods Class I equivalent methods operate very much the same as reference methods Class II equivalent methods are filter collection based methods that differ more substantially from the reference method requirements The requirements for designation as Class II methods may be considerably more extensive than for reference or Class I equivalent methods depending on the specific nature of the variance from the reference method requirements Class III equivalent methods cover any PM methods that cannot qualify as reference or Class I or II equivalent methods because of more profound differences from the reference method requirements This class encompasses PM methods such as continuous or semi continuous PM analyzers and potential new PM measurement technologies The requirements for designation as Class III methods are the most extensive and because of the wid
386. of precision bias and accuracy 1 1 5 National Exposure Research Laboratory NERL The mission of NERL is to develop scientific information and assessment tools to improve the Agency s exposure risk assessments identify sources of environmental stressors understand the transfer and transformation of environmental stressors and develop multi media exposure models The NERL provides the following activities gt develops improves and validates methods and instruments for measuring gaseous semi volatile and non volatile pollutants in source emissions and in ambient air gt supports multi media approaches to assessing human exposure to toxic contaminated media through development and evaluation of analytical methods and reference materials and provides analytical and method support for special monitoring projects for trace elements and other inorganic and organic constituents and pollutants gt develops standards and systems needed for assuring and controlling data quality gt assesses whether emerging methods for monitoring criteria pollutants are equivalent to accepted Federal Reference Methods and are capable of addressing the Agency s research and regulatory objectives gt provides an independent audit and review function on data collected by NERL or other appropriate clients Part I Section 1 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 5 Historically NERL was responsible for the development and maintenance of all five vo
387. ols heating baths pumps from regulated circuits Temperature Method description or Regulated air conditioning system 24 hour temperature manufacturer s specifications recorder use electric heating and cooling only Humidity Method description or Regulated air conditioning system 24 hour temperature manufacturer s specifications recorder With respect to environmental temperature for designated analyzers most such analyzers have been tested and qualified over a temperature range of 20 C to 30 C few are qualified over a wider range This temperature range specifies both the range of acceptable operating temperatures and the range of temperature change which the analyzer can accommodate without excessive drift The latter the range of temperature change that may occur between zero and span adjustments is the most important When one is outfitting a shelter with monitoring equipment it is important to recognize and accommodate the instrument with the most sensitive temperature requirement To accommodate energy conservation regulations or guidelines specifying lower thermostat settings designated analyzers located in facilities subject to these restrictions may be operated at temperatures down to 18 C provided the analyzer temperature does not fluctuate by more than 10 C between zero and span adjustments Operators should be alert to situations where environmental temperatures might fall below 18 C such as during night hour
388. olumns or TAD 2 8 2 3 Background testing according to TAD calibration amp RT lt 10 ppbC per column Part I Appendix 6 A Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page of 4 Appendix 6 A Characteristics of Spatial Scales Related to Each Pollutant The following tables provides information in order to match the spatial scale represented by the monitor with the monitoring objectives This information can also be found in 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix D Appendix 6 A Revision No 0 Date 9 4 98 Page 2 of 4 Pollutant Spatial Scale Characteristics PM o Neighborhood Urban Regional Middle Neighborhood Urban Regional Areas such as downtown street canyons and traffic corridors generally not extending more than 15 meters from the roadway but could continue the length of the roadway Sites should be located near inhabited buildings or locations where the general public can be expected to be exposed to the concentration measured Measurements of this type would be appropriate for the evaluation of possible short term public health effects of particulate matter pollution This scale also includes the characteristic concentrations for other areas with dimensions of a few hundred meters such as the parking lot and feeder streets associated with shopping centers stadia and office buildings In the case of PM10 unpaved or seldom swept parking lots associated with these sources could be an important source in addition to the vehicular emissions
389. on 11 1 Instrumentation 11 1 1 Analyzers Except for the specific exceptions described in Appendix C of Part 58 monitoring methods used for SLAMS monitoring must be a reference or equivalent method designated as such by the 40 CFR Part 53 see Section 7 3 Among reference and equivalent methods a variety of analyzer designs and features are available For some pollutants analyzers employing different measurement principles are available and some analyzer models provide a higher level of performance than others that may only meet the minimum performance specifications see Table 7 5 Accordingly in selecting a designated method for a particular monitoring application consideration should be given to such aspects as gt the suitability of the measurement principle gt analyzer sensitivity gt susceptibility to interferences that may be present at the monitoring site gt requirements for support gases or other equipment gt reliability gt maintenance requirements gt initial as well as operating costs Part I Section 11 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 5 gt features such as internal or fully automatic zero and span checking or adjustment capability etc References 60 68 69 70 and 95 may be helpful in evaluating and selecting automated analyzers It is important that the purchase order for a new reference or equivalent analyzer specify the designation by the EPA and document the required performance specif
390. on The EPA recommends using these systems for the following reasons gt Incase of malfunction of an ambient instrument the senior staff at the central location can try to diagnose any problems and decide a course of action gt Downloading the data allows the data processing team to get a head start on reviewing the data gt When pollution levels are high or forecasted to be high this allows the pollution forecaster the ability to check trends As stated previously the measurement instruments produce an analog voltage that is collected by a DAS and averaged for a particular time period e g one hour The data is stored by the DAS and may be retrieved via phone line and modem by a central computer The data should be stored on a central computer until the end of the month as preliminary data The station operators lab technician should print out the data at the monitoring station and submit a report outlining any corrections or changes to the preliminary data that is stored In addition to the electronic collected data the analog output of the analyzers should be recorded on chart recorders This serves as a back up system in case of DAS failure 14 2 4 4 DAS Data Review The data review is an ongoing process that is performed by the station operators SO and the data processing team DP It would be extremely difficult for the data processing team to review the raw data without the Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98
391. on to Standard Photometer if recertified via a transfer standard EPA Standard Reference Photometer recertification Ozone analyzer calibration Zero span check level 1 Multipoint calibration at least 5 points Performance Evaluation NPAP State audits Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter O Ultraviolet Photometric Purchase specification 1 2 weeks Upon receipt adjustment or 1 6 months 1 year at selected sites 1 year 5 preferably 3 Regression slopes 1 00 0 03 and two intercepts are 0 3 ppb Difference Determination of Ozone by Ultraviolet Analysis draft Protocol for Recertification of Standard Reference Photometers TRC Environmental Document Regression slope 1 00 0 01 and intercept lt 3 ppb Free of O or any substance that EPA 600 4 79 057 might react with O e g NO NO hydrocarbons and particulates Zero drift Span drift 20 to 30 ppb Vol II S 12 6 20 to 25 Zero drift 10 to 15 ppb Vol II S 12 6 Span drift 15 s Linearity error lt 5 40 CFR Pt 50 App D S 5 2 3 EPA 600 4 79 057 S 5 Vol II S 12 2 Mean absolute difference 15 Vol I S 16 3 State requirements Vol II App 15 S 3 The local primary standard is a standard in its own right but it must be repaired and recertified if the acceptance criterion is exceeded 9 replicate analysis over 12 conc ranges Disagreement must be resolved EPA Standard Reference
392. on 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 13 12 4 Level 2 Zero and Span Check A level 2 zero and span check is an unofficial check of an analyzer s response It may include dynamic checks made with uncertified test concentrations artificial stimulation of the analyzer s detector electronic or other types of checks of a portion of the analyzer etc Level 2 zero and span checks are not to be used as a basis for analyzer zero or span adjustments calibration updates or adjustment of ambient data They are intended as quick convenient checks to be used between zero and span calibrations to check for possible analyzer malfunction or calibration drift Whenever a level 2 zero and span check indicates a possible calibration problem a level 1 zero and span or multipoint calibration should be carried out before any corrective action is taken If a level 2 zero and span check is to be used in the quality control program a reference response for the check should be obtained immediately following a zero and span or multipoint calibration while the analyzer s calibration is accurately known Subsequent level 2 check responses should then be compared to the most recent reference response to determine if a change in response has occurred For automatic level 2 zero and span checks the first scheduled check following the calibration should be used for the reference re sponse It should be kept in mind that any level 2 check that involves only par
393. on 16 PM Federal Reference Method FRM Performance Evaluation The FRM Performance Evaluation is a quality assurance activity which will be used to evaluate measurement system bias of the PM monitoring network The pertinent regulations for this performance evaluation are found in 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A The strategy is to collocate a portable FRM PM air sampling instrument with an established routine air monitoring instrument operate both monitors in exactly the same manner and then compare the results of this instrument against the routine sampler at the site This evaluation is discussed in Section 16 2 2 4 Reports All concentration data will require data assessments to evaluate the attainment of the DQOs and reports of these assessments or reviews The following types of reports as discussed in Section 16 should include Data quality assessment DQA is the scientific and statistical evaluation to determine if data are of the right type quality and quantity to support their intended use DQOs QA QC data can be statistically assessed at various levels of aggregation to determine whether the DQOs have been attained Data quality assessments of precision bias and accuracy can be aggregated at the following three levels gt Monitor monitor method designation gt Reporting Organization monitors in a method designation all monitors gt National monitors in a method designation all monitors P amp A Reports T
394. on No 0 Date 8 98 Page 13 of 13 3 Major Calibration Update In this method the calibration slope and intercept used to calculate ambient measurements are updated only for major calibration i e monthly or quarterly multi point calibrations All ambient measurements are calculated from the most recent major calibration Between major calibrations periodic zero and span calibrations are used to measure the difference between the most recent major calibration and the current instrument response Whenever this difference exceeds the established zero span adjustment limits see sections 12 5 and 12 6 physical zero and or span adjustments are made to the analyzer to restore a match between the current analyzer response and the most recent major calibration Neither adjusted nor unadjusted zero or span readings are used in the calculation of the ambient concentra tions 4 Universal Calibration A fixed universal calibration is established for the analyzer and used to calculate all ambient readings All calibrations are used to measure the deviation of the current analyzer response from the universal calibration Whenever this deviation exceeds the established zero and span adjustment limits physical zero and or span adjustments are made to the analyzer to match the current analyzer response to the universal calibration 12 9 Validation of Ambient Data Based on Calibration Information When zero or span drift validation limits see section
395. on been established and title revision date documented b Does documentation exist on the identification and applicability of flags i e identification of suspect values within the data as recorded with the data in the computer files c Do documented data validation criteria employ address limits on and for the following I Operational parameters such as flow rate measurements or flow rate changes Il Calibration raw data calibration validation and calibration equipment tests HI All special checks unique to a measurement system E IV Tests for outliers in routine data as part of screening process V Manual checks such as hand calculation of concentrations and their comparison with computer calculated data d Are changes to data submitted to NADB documented in a If no why not permanent file Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 37 of 50 Tome O Oe O e Are changes performed according to a documented Standard If not according to the QA Project Plan please attach a copy Operating Procedure or your Agency Quality of your current Standard Operating Procedure Assurance Project Plan f Who has signature authority for approving corrections Name Program Function g Are data validation summaries prepared at each critical point Please indicate the points where such summaries are in the measurement process or information flow and forwarded performed with the applicable block of data to the
396. on may have others to add to the list or may create reports that are combinations of those listed below Table 16 1 Types of QA Reports to Management Suggested Reporting Frequency Type of QA Report Contents to Management Week Month Quarter Year Send Corrective action Description of problem recommended request action required feedback on resolution of problem Control chart with Repetitive field or lab activity control summary limits versus time Prepare monthly or whenever new check or calibration samples are used National Performance Summary of SLAMS NAMS and x x x Audit Program results NPAP audit results State and local Summary of audit results x x organization recommendations for action as needed performance audits System audits Summary of system audit results x x recommendations for action as needed Quality assurance Executive summary Precision bias and x report to management system and performance audit results Network reviews by Review results and suggestions for x x EPA Regional Office actions as needed 16 1 2 Sources of Information Information for inclusion in the various reports to management may come from a variety of sources including records of precision and accuracy checks results of systems and performance audits laboratory and field instrument maintenance logbooks NPAP audits etc Table 16 2 lists useful sources and the type of information expected to be found Par
397. on of NAMS Region of NAMS VOC SAMPLING FREQUENCY REQUIREMENTS Requirement 8 3 Hour Samples Every Third Day 8 3 Hr Samples 5 Hi Event Previous Days amp Every 6th Day 1 24 Hour Sample Every Sixth Day CARBONYL SAMPLING FREQUENCY REQUIREMENTS FREQ POPULATION OF MSA CMSA TYPE SITE LOCATION Aor C 1 LESS THAN 500 000 5 or CE 2 500 000 Aor C TO BE 2 1 000 000 tad 3 Aor C 1 1 000 000 va D TO 2 000 000 B E 2 Aor C 3 Aor C 1 GREATER BE 2 2 000 000 Aor C 3 Aor C 4 Type Requirement D 8 3 Hour Samples Every Third Day E 83 Hour Samples Everyday F 8 3 Hr Samples 5 Hi Event Previous Days amp Every 6th Day MINIMUM PHASE IN OPERATING YEARS AFTER NUMBER OF SITE LOCATION PROMULGATION SITES OPERATING RECOMMENDATION 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 1 2 3 4 4 1 2 3 4 5 5 1 2 2 3 4 Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 14 of 15 6 5 Sampling Schedules Current Federal regulations specify the frequency of sampling for criteria pollutants to meet minimum State implementation plan SIP surveillance requirements Continuous sampling is specified except for 24 hour measurements of PM PM see below Pb and TSP and 24 hour integrated values of SO and NO The 24 hour samples PM Pb and TSP should be taken from midnight local standard time to midnight and thus rep
398. oncentration equals the CO gas cylinder 1 3 8 concentration 2 15 20 3 35 45 4 If desired additional points at upscale 4 80 90 concentrations different from those specified in step 2 may be generated Generation of these audit concentrations plus a post audit clean dry air response will enhance the statistical significance of the audit data regression analysis 5 After supplying all audit concentrations and recording all data reconnect the analyzer sample line to the station manifold Make a notation of the audit stop time Have the station operator make a note on the data recorder to indicate the stop time and check all equipment to ensure that it is in order to resume normal monitoring activities 5 6 Calculations Record the audit data in the appropriate spaces of Table A 4 Percent difference The difference is calculated as follows Cu Ca difference x 100 Ci Equation 1 19 where Cy station measured concentration ppm and C calculated audit concentration ppm Regression analysis Calculate by least squares the slope intercept and correlation coefficient of the station analyzer response data y versus the audit concentration data These data can be used to interpret analyzer performance 5 7 References References 4 through 6 10 and 13 provide additional information on the CO audit procedure Table A 6 Carbon Monoxide Audit Data Report Part 1 Location Date Appendix 15 Section 3
399. oncentrations different from those specified in step 2 may be generated Generation of these audit concentrations plus a post audit clean dry air response will enhance the statistical significance of the audit data regression analysis 5 After supplying all audit concentrations and recording all data reconnect the analyzer sample line to the station manifold Make a notation of the audit stop time and have the station operator make a note on the data recorder to indicate the stop time Have the station operator check all equipment to ensure that it is in order to resume normal monitoring activities 1 6 Calculations Tabulate the data in Table A 2 in the appropriate blank spaces difference The difference is calculated as follows Cu Ga Difference a x 100 Equation 1 2 where Cy the station measured concentration ppm C the calculated audit concentration ppm Regression analysis Calculate by the method of least squares the slope intercept and correlation coef ficient of the station analyzer response data y versus the audit concentration data x These data can be used to interpret the analyzer performance 1 7 Reference References 4 through 6 and 10 and 11 provide additional information on this SO audit procedure Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 58 Table A 2 Sulfur Dioxide Data Report Station Date Address Start Time Ty KORE SN mm Hg Po mm Hg Auditor Analy
400. opies of the completed form to the requestor and the ARO Site Coordinator at 115 Generic Office Building Townone XX 00001 ARO form CAR 1 May 1 1999 TECHNICAL REPORT DATA Please read Instructions on reverse before completing 1 REPORT NO A 3 RECIPIENT S ACCESSION NO EPA 454 R 98 004 4 TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5 REPORT DATE Quality ssurance Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems 1998 Volume II Part 1 Ambient Air Qualiy Monitoring Program Quality System Development 7 AUTHOR S 8 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO Michael Papp Coordinator 9 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10 PROGRAM ELEMENT NO U S Environmental Protection Agency Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards if CONIRACTIGRANT NO MD 14 Research Triangle Park NC 27711 12 SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS 13 TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED Director Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards Office of Air and Radiation 14 SPONSORING AGENCY CODE U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 200 04 Research Triangle Park NC 27711 15 SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 16 ABSTRACT The Handbook provides additional information and guidance on the material covered in the Code of Federal Regulations pertaining to the Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Program and establishes a set of consistent QA practices that will improve the quality of the nation s ambient air data and ensure data comparability among sites across the nation The docume
401. or Preliminary Assessment and Audit Systems Planning In performing a systems audit of a given agency the Regional audit lead is seeking a complete and accurate picture of that agency s current ambient air monitoring operations Past experience has shown that four 4 person days should be allowed for an agency operating 10 20 sites within close geographical proximity The exact number of people and the time allotted to conduct the audit are dependent on the magnitude and complexity of the agency and on the EPA Regional Office resources During the allotted time frame the Regional QA audit team should perform those inspections and interviews recommended in the questionnaire This includes on site interviews with key program personnel evaluations of some ambient air monitoring sites operated by the agency and scrutiny of data processing procedures 3 0 Frequency of Audits The EPA Regional Office retains the regulatory responsibility to evaluate agency performance every three years Regional Offices are urged to use the questionnaire that follows the audit finding and response forms Figs 15 4 and 15 5 and the audit reporting format in Section 6 0 of this appendix Utilizing the forms mentioned above will establish a uniform basis for audit reporting throughout the country The primary screening tools to aid the EPA Regional QA audit team are A National Performance Audit Program NPAP Data which provide detailed information on the ability o
402. ormation on key documents in each category follow It should be noted that the list contains documents that may not be applicable to particular organizations and therefore is not meant to be a list of required documentation This list should also not be construed as the definitive list of record and document types Statute of Limitations As stated in 40 CFR part 31 42 in general all information considered as documentation and records should be retained for 3 years from the date the grantee submits its final expenditure report unless otherwise noted in the funding agreement However if any litigation claim negotiation audit or other action involving the records has been started before the expiration of the 3 year period the records must Part I Section 5 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 5 be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it or until the end of the regular 3 year period whichever is later Management and Organization Documentation for many of the document types listed in Table 5 1 for this category can be found in a single document a quality management plan which is a blueprint for how an organizations quality management objectives will be attained The EPA QA Division provides requirements for quality management plans that State and local organizations may find helpful Site Information Site information provides vital data about each monitoring sit
403. ough network reviews and technical systems audits whose frequency is addressed in the Code of Federal Regulations To be effective in these roles the Regional Offices must maintain their technical capabilities with respect to air pollution monitoring Specific responsibilities as it relates to the Handbook include gt serving as a liaison to the State and local reporting agencies for their particular Region gt serving on the Handbook Steering Committee gt fielding questions related to the Handbook gt reporting issues that would require Steering Committee attention gt serving as a reviewer of the Handbook and participating in its revision 1 1 3 State and Local Agencies 40 CFR Part 58 defines a State Agency as the air pollution control agency primarily responsible for the development and implementation of a plan SIP under the Act CAA Section 302 of the CAA provides a more detailed description of the air pollution control agency 40 CFR Part 58 defines the Local Agency as any local government agency other than the state agency which is charged with the responsibility for carrying out a portion of the plan SIP Part I Section 1 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 5 The major responsibility of State and local agencies is the implementation of a satisfactory monitoring program which would naturally include the implementation of an appropriate quality assurance program It is the responsibility of State and loca
404. oughly reviewed by the organization prior to any invalidation Flags may be used alone or in combination to invalidate samples Since the possible flag combinations can be overwhelming and can not always be anticipated an organization needs to review these flag combinations and determine if single values or values from a site for a particular time period will be invalidated The organization should keep a record of the combination of flags that resulted in invalidating a sample or set of samples These combinations should be reported to the EPA Region and can be used to ensure that the organization evaluates and invalidates data in a consistent manner Procedures for screening data for possible errors or anomalies should also be implemented References 41 and 90 recommend several statistical screening procedures for ambient air quality data that should be applied to identify gross data anomalies Additional information on validation of air monitoring data is contained in references 89 and 110 17 3 1 Automated Methods When zero or span drift validation limits see Section 12 are exceeded ambient measurements should be invalidated back to the most recent point in time where such measurements are known to be valid Usually this point is the previous calibration or accuracy audit unless some other point in time can be identified and related to the probable cause of the excessive drift such as a power failure or malfunction Also data following a
405. ponent of error Precision is estimated by various statistical techniques using some derivation of the standard deviation gt Bias the systematic or persistent distortion of a measurement process which causes error in one direction Bias will be determined by estimating the positive and negative deviation from the true value as a percentage of the true value gt Detectability The determination of the low range critical value of a characteristic that a method specific procedure can reliably discern Accuracy has been a term frequently used to represent closeness to truth and includes a combination of precision and bias error components This term has been used throughout the CFR and in some of the sections of this document If possible it is recommended that an attempt be made to distinguish measurement uncertainties into precision and bias components Part I Section 3 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 6 3 1 The DQOs Process The DQO process is used to facilitate the planning of EDOs It asks the data user to focus their EDO efforts by specifying the use of the data the decision the decision criteria and the probability they can accept making an incorrect decision based on the data The DQO process gt establishes a common language to be shared by decision makers technical personnel and statisticians in their discussion of program objectives and data quality gt provides a mechanism to pare down a multitude of obj
406. ppm ppm A similar data set is frequently encountered when auditing analyzers that use a calibration system supply ing scrubbed ambient air as the diluent source High ambient concentrations of impurities are often difficult to remove from ambient air without the addition of auxiliary scrubbers Spent sorbent materials may also generate impure dilution air which causes a detectable 0 1 absolute analyzer response bias during the audit 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 Audit Concentration ppm Station Measured Concentration ppm Figure A 15 Audit data interpretation Case 1 Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 56 of 58 Case 2 Figure A 16 shows that Case 2 is similar to Case 1 but the zero response is accurate The percent data range from large negative differences at low concentration levels to negligible differences at high concentration levels However the regression slope indicates a difference of 0 2 between the audit con centrations and analyzer responses and a zero intercept of 0 009 Inspection of the individual differences 0 5 Ci Oa With Zero Intercept r 0 9996 m 1 026 E Pa oa b 0 016 S amp 8 L 5 0 2 F Without Zero Intercept r 0 9991 aoa L m 1 001 oe b 0 009 os l l l j l 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 Audit Concentration ppm Figure A 16 Audit data interpretation Case 2 0 5 Data for Figure A 16 Audit Concentration ppm Station
407. pt to less than 20 percent of the time The time of day or season when such conditions occur should also be determined to ensure that representative data from various time periods and seasons are collected No more than 20 percent of data in any time period should be lost as a result of the aforementioned meteorological conditions Sometimes high data capture at locations with frequent fog or other obscurant conditions can be enhanced by using a shorter path length of 50 to 100 meters However this can be done only for microscale sites Meteorological data considerations therefore should include the following measurements 1 hourly precipitation amounts for climatological comparisons 2 hourly relative humidity 3 percent haze and 4 airport visibility Topography Both the transport and the diffusion of air pollutants are complicated by topographical features Minor topographical features may exert small influences major features such as deep river valleys Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 9 of 15 or mountain ranges may affect large areas Before final site selection review the topography of the area to ensure that the purpose of monitoring at that site will not be adversely affected Table 6 3 summarizes important topographical features their effects on air flow and some examples of influences on monitoring site selection Land use and topographical characterization of specific areas can be determined from U S Geologi
408. r Ozone Technical Assistance Document EPA 600 4 79 056 Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC September 1979 107 108 109 110 111 Part 1 References Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 8 U S Environmental Protection Agency Ambient Monitoring Guidelines for Prevention of Significant De terioration PSD EPA 450 2 78 019 OAQPS 1 2 0 96 May 1978 Use of the Flame Photometric Detector Method for Measurement of Sulfur Dioxide in Ambient Air Technical Assistance Document EPA 600 4 78 024 U S Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Research Triangle Park NC May 1978 Validation of Air Monitoring Data EPA 600 4 80 030 U S Environmental Protection Agency June 1980 Validation of Air Monitoring Data U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 600 4 80 030 June 1980 Von Lehmden D J Suppression Effect of CO2 on FPD Total Sulfur Air Analyzers and Recommended Corrective Action Proceedings 4th Joint Conference on Sensing Society pp 360 365 1978 Part I Appendix 2 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page of 7 Appendix 2 QA Related Guidance Documents for Ambient Air Monitoring Activities The following documents provide guidance on various aspects of the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program It is anticipated that many of these documents will be available on the Internet and the AMTIC Bulletin
409. r and summer The pollutant and time interval choices are left to the discretion of the Regional audit lead b For manual monitoring four 24 hour periods per local agency per year should be recomputed The Regional audit lead should choose the periods for the data processing audit while planning the systems audit and inspecting the completeness records provided by the AIRS AP430 data The recommended acceptance limits for the differences between the data input into AIRS and that recalculated during the Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 50 on site phase of the systems audit are given in Table 1 Systems audits conducted on large reporting organizations e g four local agencies require recomputation of eight 24 hour periods for each of the criteria pollutants monitored continuously This results from two 24 hour periods being recomputed for each local agency for each pollutant monitored during a given year For manual methods sixteen 24 hour periods are recomputed consisting of four periods per local agency per year Table 1 Acceptance Criteria for Data Audits Data Acquisition Mode Pollutants Measurement Range Tolerance Limits ppm Automatic Data Retrieval SO O NO 0 0 5 or 0 1 0 3ppb CO 0 20 or 0 50 0 3ppm Strip chart Records SO O NO 0 0 5 or 0 1 0 20 ppb CO 0 20 or 0 50 lppm Manual Reduction TSP 2 ug m Pb 0 1 ug m a Appropriate scaling should be used for higher measurement ran
410. r capability single sample sampler or a multiple filter capability sequential sample sampler provided no deviations are necessary in the design and construction of the sample collection components specified in the reference method regulation A PM method is not a reference method until it has been demonstrated to meet all the reference method regulatory requirements and has been officially designated by EPA as a reference method for PM s Equivalent methods for PM have a much wider latitude in their design configuration and operating principle than reference methods These methods are not required to be based on filter collection of PM 5 therefore continuous or semi continuous analyzers and new types of PM measurement technologies are not precluded as possible equivalent methods Equivalent methods are not necessarily required to meet all the requirements specified for reference methods but they must demonstrate both comparability to reference method measurements and similar PM measurement precision The requirements that some but not all candidate methods must meet to be designated by EPA as equivalent methods are specified in 40 CFR Part 53 To minimize the difficulty of meeting equivalent method designation requirements three classes of equivalent methods have been established in the 40 CFR Part 53 regulations based on a candidate method s extent of deviation from the reference method requirements All three classes
411. r corrective action and technical systems audits Recalibrate before any additional sampling Both lead values must be gt 0 15 ug m Analyze three audit samples in each of the two concentration ranges The audit samples shall be distributed as much as possible over the entire calendar quarter reference refers to the QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume II The use of S refers to sections within Part 1 of Volume II The use of MS refers to method specific sections in Volume II Reporting Units Filter Checks Visual defect check Filter Integrity Collection efficiency Integrity Alkalinity Filter Conditioning Equilibration time Temperature range Temperature control Humidity range Humidity control Equipment Sampler Flow rate transfer standard Analytical balance Mass reference standards Detection Limit LDL Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 9 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter PM10 Dichotomous Sampler All filters Purchase specification All Filters Purchase specification Purchase specification Purchase specification Purchase specification Not applicable See reference 99 5 ug m lt 25 0 microequivalents gram at least 24 hours 15 to30 C 3 C 20 to 45 relative humidity 5 relative humidity Reference or equivalent method 2 accuracy NIST traceable Sensitivity 0 1 mg NIST tracea
412. r imperfections d Are filters permanently marked with a serial number Lid Indicate when and how this is accomplished e Are unexposed filters equilibrated in controlled conditioning If no why not environment which meets or exceeds the requirements of 40 CFR 50 f Is the conditioning environment monitored ait i Indicate frequency Are the monitors properly calibrated PT Indicate frequency g Is the balance checked with Class S weights each day it is Le If no indicate frequency of such checks used h Is the balance check information placed in QC logbook a If no where is it recorded i Is the filter weighed to the nearest milligram If not what mass increment j Are filter serial numbers and tare weights permanently If no indicate where recorded in a bound notebook k Are filters packaged for protection while transporting to and from the monitoring sites 1 How often are filter samples collected Indicate average lapse time hrs between end of sampling and laboratory receipt m Are field measurements recorded in logbook or on filter folder n Are exposed filters reconditioned for at least 24 hrs in the same conditioning environment as for unexposed filters If no why not 0 Are exposed filters removed from folders etc before conditioning p Is the exposed filter weighed to the nearest milligram q Are exposed filters archived When Where Indicate retention period Part
413. r is corrected internally fortemperature and pressure so the computer does not correct it further 2 O3 Audit Point 1 Make certain that switches on the Dasibi 1009 CP are in the correct audit positions before continuing These positions are as follows a The Air Switch is ON b The Ozone switch is OFF c The Auto Man switch is in the MAN position d The Latch Load switch is in the LOAD position When the zero has stabilized take 10 consecutive readings from the Dasibi 1009 CP or the API 400 display and record them on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 Record the average of the ten readings on the worksheet and enter this average into the computer for the Audit Van PRE ZERO response Record the site s zero response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 1 and enter it into the computer under the Station O3 PRE ZERO response NOTE The 10 consecutive readings taken from the van ozone analyzer displays are to be taken at 30 second intervals 5 minute averages NOTE Normal zero response for the Dasibi 1009 CP or the API 400 is between 002 ppm while the station response is usually between 01 ppm 3 O3 Audit Point 2 Set the thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP for a number sufficient to reach the Level 1 ozone response of 0 35 to 0 45 ppm Press the OZONE switch to the ON position When the readings have stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the appropriate display Step 2 abov
414. ransfer standard and record the TWS or rotometers on the calibrator Record 5 10 readings and average the values from the transfer standard gt Adjust the Thumb Wheel Settings or rotometer to the next level that you wish to measure and repeat steps 2 It is recommended that a minimum of 5 levels be measured Once the flow rates have been measured the calculation for permeation devices concentrations is as follows C Pr Mv Ft Mw equation 3 where C Concentration in ppm Pr permeation rate of permeation tube at a known temperature usually as ug min Mv Molar gas constant at standard pressure 24 45 liters mole Mw Molecular weight of the permeation gas grams mole Ft STP flow rate of diluant air across the permeation tube liters min REFERENCES 1 Code of Federal Regulations Title40 Part 50 definitions 2 Code of Federal Regulations Title40 Part 50 Appendix A section 10 3 Code of Federal Regulations Title40 Part 50 Appendix C section 2 2 Part I Appendix 14 Revison No 1 Date 8 98 Page of 2 Appendix 14 Example Procedure for Calibrating a Data Aquisition System Part I Appendix 14 Revison No 1 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 2 The following is an example of a DAS calibration The DAS owner s manual should be followed The calibration of a DAS is performed by inputting known voltages into the DAS and measuring the output of the DAS l 2 The calibration begins by obtaining a voltage sour
415. ransfer standard 1 3 months Gf at a fixed site New slope 0 05 of previous 40 CFR Pt 53 20 Vol II S 7 1 Determination of Ozone by Ultraviolet Analysis draft 40 CFR Pt 53 9 EPA 600 4 79 057 40 CFR Pt 53 20 amp 23 e 40 CFR Pt 50 App H S 3 EPA 600 4 79 056 EPA 600 4 79 057 Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been tested over this temperature range Maintain shelter temperature above sample dewpoint Shelter should have a 24 hour temperature recorder Flag all data for which temperature range or fluctuations are outside acceptance criteria Air flow controllers must be capable of regulating air flows as necessary to meet the output stability and photometer precision requirements The photometric measurement of absorption is not directly related to flow rate but may be indirectly related due to thermal or other effects Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been determined to meet these acceptance criteria A missing daily maximum ozone value may be assumed to be less than the standard if valid daily maxima on the preceding and following days do not exceed 75 percent of the standard 6 comparison runs that include at minimum 6 concentrations per comparison run including 0 and 90 5 of upper range A single six point comparison run Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 5 of 20 Local primary standard Certification recertificati
416. ration line in sampling manifold Placement of tubing on the Manifold If the manifold that is employed at the station has multiple ports See Figures 7 3 and 7 4 then placement of the instrument lines can be crucial Ifa manifold similar to Figure 7 5 is used it is suggested that instruments requiring lower flows be placed towards the bottom of the manifold The general rule of thumb states that the calibration line if used placement should be in a location so that the calibration gases flow past the instruments before the gas is evacuated out of the manifold Figure 7 5 illustrates two potential introduction ports for the calibration gas The port at the elbow of the sampling cane provides more information about the cleanliness of the sampling system 7 2 2 Placement of Probes and Manifolds Probes and manifolds must be placed to avoid introducing bias to the sample Important considerations are probe height above the ground probe length for horizontal probes and physical influences near the probe Some general guidelines for probe and manifold placement are gt probes should not be placed next to air outlets such as exhaust fan openings gt horizontal probes must extend beyond building overhangs gt probes should not be near physical obstructions such as chimneys which can affect the air flow in the vicinity of the probe gt height of the probe above the ground depends on the pollutant being measured Part I Section 7 Rev
417. rator Cc j 1i a IT Extra Outlets Capped When Not in Use To Inlet of Analyzer Being Audited Two way Flow Controller UV Photometeter Detector Absorption Cell Special Processing Electronicss Flowmeter Flow Controller Figure A 12 Schematic diagram of an ultraviolet photometric audit system 5 Output manifold An output manifold used to supply the analyzer with an audit atmosphere at ambient pressure The manifold should be of sufficient diameter to ensure minimum pressure drop at the output ports and the manifold must be vented so that ambient air will not mix with the audit atmosphere during system operations Recommended manifold materials are glass or Teflon 6 Sample line and connecting lines The sample lines and connecting lines downstream of the O generator must be made of non reactive material such as Teflon 7 Dilution air system Clean dry air from a compressed gas cylinder Grade 0 1 is a suitable source of dilution air however if large volumes of air 5 liters min or greater are required purified compressed air is preferred The clean dry air must be free of contaminants such as such as NO NO 03 or reactive hydrocarbons that would cause detectable responses on the NOx analyzer or that might react with NO or NO in the audit system The air can be purifie
418. rature range Temperature control Equipment CO analyzer Flow controllers Flowmeters Detection Limit Noise Lower detectable level Completeness 8 hour average Compressed Gases Dilution gas zero air Gaseous standards Daily Daily Purchase specification Purchase specification Purchase specification Purchase specification 20 to 30 C lt 2 C Reference or equivalent method Flow rate regulated to 1 Accuracy 2 75 of hourly averages for the 8 hour period lt 0 1 ppm CO NIST Traceable e g EPA Protocol Gas 40 CFR Pt 53 20 Vol II S 7 1 40 CFR Pt 50 App C 23 40 CFR Pt 53 20 amp 23 40 CFR Pt 50 8 40 CFR Pt 50 App C EPA 600 R97 12 Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been tested over this temperature range Maintain shelter temperature above sample dewpoint Shelter should have a 24 hour temperature recorder Flag all data for which temperature range or fluctuations are outside acceptance criteria Instruments designated as reference or equivalent have been determined to meet these acceptance criteria Return cylinder to supplier Carbon monoxide in nitrogen or air EPA Protocol Gases have a 36 month certification period and must be recertified to extend the certification Section No 3 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 6 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter CO Nondispersive Infrared Photometry Calibration Multipoi
419. rcent At 95 percent probability limits the accuracy for all other pollutants should be less than 20 percent Using a short narrative and a summary table compare the reporting organizations performance against these goals over the last year Explain any deviations Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 50 of 50 NOTE Precision and accuracy are based on reporting organizations therefore this question concerns the reporting organizations that are the responsibility of the agency Complete the tables below indicating the number of reporting organizations meeting the goal stated above for each pollutant by quarter I Precision Goals Report level 2 checks unless otherwise directed by Regional Office of Reporting Organization of Reporting Organization e To the extent possible describe problems preventing the meeting of precision and accuracy goals Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 58 Section 3 State and Local Audit Procedures 40 CFR 58 Appendix A outlines the minimum quality assurance requirements for state and local air monitoring stations SLAMS All subsequent revisions to Appendix A have been included in the preparation of this document Quality assurance guidelines for PSD monitoring are found in 40 CFR 58 Appendix B This section describes performance audit procedures for each automated and manual monitoring method referenced in Appendix A In addition quality assurance and qual
420. rd for an agency This will eliminate any error that may occur from different types of standards It is recommended that transfer standards be calibrated at least every six months Electronic type of transfer standards sometimes have problems with baseline drift If this appears to be a problem then verification of the transfer standard should occur more often If an agency is small one transfer standard may be sufficient However most agencies will have many transfer standards and will probably need to reverify on a staggered schedule Calibration Standards As discussed earlier calibration standards can be MFC or permeation devices These units are calibrated by the transfer standards These should be calibrated quarterly or if a shift in response occurs with the instruments It is also recommended that the flow rates of calibration standards be calibrated when a cylinder is changed or a permeation tube is replaced 4 Cautions The following precautions should be taken before verifying or calibrating standards gt When checking calibration standards always ventilate the monitoring shelter properly Gas concentrations may be generated that can be health hazards gt Always transport the transfer standards in its protective carrying case The internal hardware can be damaged by sudden jolts gt Do not leave the transfer standards in the sun or a closed car Extreme heat can damage the internal computer gt Zero air systems and gas cylin
421. re found except for the following gt The Townsix site had vegetation which had grown too close to the analyzer inlet probes The vegetation was removed within one week with assistance from the County Parks and Recreation Department A systems audit was also performed at the central analytical laboratory No significant problems were found Example of Corrective Action Form A corrective action request should be made whenever anyone in the reporting organization notes a problem that demands either immediate or long term action to correct a safety defect a operational problem or a failure to comply with procedures A typical corrective action request form with example information entered is shown below A separate form should be used for each problem identified The corrective action report form is designed as a closed loop system First it identifies the originator that person who reports and identifies the problem states the problem and may suggest a solution The form then directs the request to a specific person or persons i e the recipient who would be best qualified to fix the problem Finally the form closes the loop by requiring that the recipient state how the problem was resolved and the effectiveness of the solution The form is signed and a copy is returned to the originator and other copies are sent to the supervisor and the applicable files for the record Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 25 of 24 AR
422. recision Single analyzer Reporting organization Accuracy Single analyzer Reporting organization gt 1 6 months after failure of QC check or after maintenance During multipoint calibrations 1 2 weeks 1 3 months 1 year at selected sites 1 year 1 2 weeks 1 3 months 25 of sites quarterly all sites yearly Residence time lt 2 min Dynam parameter gt 2 75 ppm min All points within 2 of full scale of best fit straight line 96 Zero drift 20 to 30 ppb Span drift 20 to 25 Zero drift 10 to 15 ppb Span drift 15 Accuracy 2 Mean absolute difference 15 State requirements None 95 Confidence Interval 15 None 95 Confidence Interval 20 40 CFR Pt 50 App F S 1 Vol II S 12 6 Vol II MS 2 3 2 40 CFR Pt 50 App F Vol I MS 2 3 2 Vol II S 12 6 Vol II MS 2 3 2 Vol II S 12 6 Vol II MS 2 3 2 Vol II App 12 NPAP QAPP Vol II App 15 S 3 40 CFR Pt 58 App A EPA 600 4 83 023 Vol II App 15 S 6 40 CFR Pt 58 App A EPA 600 4 83 023 Vol II App 15 S 3 Zero gas and at least four upscale calibration points Points outside acceptance criterion are repeated If still outside consult manufacturers manual and invalidate data to last acceptable multipoint calibration or zero span check Replace or service converter If calibration factors are updated after each zero span invalidate data to last acceptable zero span check adjust
423. recommendations and requirements for data coding and submittal in the PARS User s Guide followed closely j Does the agency routinely request a hard copy printout on submitted data ron AS M E EE om Pat T E Comment on any routine deviations in coding procedures Comment on any routine deviations in coding and or computational procedures k Are records kept for at least 3 years by the agency in an orderly accessible form If yes does this include raw data__ calculation__ QC data__ and reports__ Ifno please comment 1 In what format are data received at the data processing center Specify appropriate pollutant a concentration units ___ b chart____ c voltages d other Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 39 of 50 ma O O O m Do field data include the following documentation Cam o S T y M E E E e E Collection data flow time date Date of Laboratory Analysis if applicable Operator Analyst ae i n Are the appropriate calibration equations submitted with the data to the processing center If not explain o Provide a brief description of the procedures and appropriate formulae used to convert field data to concentrations prior to input into the data bank If no specify conditions used p Are all concentrations corrected to EPA standard 298 K 760 mm Hg temperature and pressure condition before input to the AIRS q Are data reduction audits performed on a ro
424. recursors are shown in Table 9 below Table 9 Quality Objectives for Ozone Precursors Data Quality Indicator Objective Precision VOC Carbonyls Bias NO 15 Completeness 75 Bias VOC Carbonyls Promptness 100 DATA QUALITY ASSESSMENT Summary Assessment of the data quality for ozone precursors showed that all instruments met goals for accuracy precision completeness and promptness System audits showed siting problems at two sites both of these were corrected promptly Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 18 of 24 Promptness and Completeness At least 75 percent of scheduled monitoring data must be reported All data must be submitted within six months after the end of the reporting quarter Table 10 summarizes promptness and completeness data for ozone precursors Table 10 Data Quality Assessment for Promptness and Completeness Ozone precursor Promptness Completeness Nitrogen Oxides NO 100 Total VOCs Total non 100 87 methane hydrocarbons Speciated VOCS 100 Precision At least once every two weeks precision for nitrogen oxides NO and automated VOC analysis were determined by sampling a gas of known concentration Precision for manual VOC sampling and carbonyl sampling is obtained by analysis of duplicate samples Duplicates are taken at a frequency of one duplicate for every 10 samples Table 11 summarizes the precision check results for 2000 Table 11 Data Quality Asses
425. rences Air Quality Monitoring Site description Guideline U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park N C OAQPS No 1 2 019 1974 Draft Air Quality Monitoring Site description Guideline U S Environmental Protection Agency research Triangle Park N C OAQPS No 1 2 019 1974 Draft AIRS Users Guide Volume AQ2 Air Quality Data Coding U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina 1993 AIRS Users Guide Volume AQ3 Air Quality Data Storage U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina 1993 AIRS Users Guide Volume AQ4 Air Quality Data Retrieval U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina 1993 AIRS Users Guide Volume AQ5 AIRS Ad Hoc Retrieval U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina 1993 Akland G Design of Sampling Schedule JAPCA 22 April 1972 Ambient Monitoring Guidelines for Prevention of Significant Deterioration PSD EPA 450 4 87 007 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park May 1987 American National Standard Specifications and Guidelines for Quality Systems for Environmental Data Collection and Environmental Technology Programs ANSI ASQC E4 1994 American Society for Quality Control 1994 Berg Neil J et al Enhanced Ozone Monitoring Network Design and Siting Criteria Guidance Document EPA 450 4 91 033 U S Environmental Prot
426. resent calendar days to permit the direct use of sampling data in standard daily meteorological summaries The frequency of sampling is minimally every six days and the specific day of the week is idendtified based upon the national sampling schedule The following are recommended frequencies for noncontinuous hi vol and impinger sampling to adequately define SO and NO levels 1 The most polluted sites in an urban area should be sampled at frequencies greater than the minimum requirements 2 Sites where the highest 24 hour and annual averages are expected should yield the most frequent particulate samples 3 Areas of maximum SO and NO concentrations should be sampled using continuous monitors in place of SO NO impingers if possible 4 Noncritical sites sites with other than maximum concentration can be sampled intermittently Intermittent sampling calls for adopting a systematic sampling schedule that considers statistical relationships for characterizing an air pollutant for a given time period and area see items 6 and 7 below Any schedule which provides 61 samples yr and 5 quarter in accordance with item 6 below is satisfactory but not as convenient as the systematic schedule of every 6th day for example 5 Downwind sites monitoring SO NO and particulate matter from isolated point sources should use continuous instruments for gaseous pollutants and should sample at least once every 6 days for particulate matter 6 The m
427. ressurizing the instruments or not enough flow starving the instruments 4 Following this if necessary check the path of the audit gas from the probe inlet to the back of the instruments This can be accomplished by visually examining the probe inlet probe line manifold all related teflon lines and any in line filters 5 If no possible cause can be determined during this examination the next step is to remove the audit presentation line from the station s inlet probe and connect it to the back of the instrument manifold then rechecking the instruments for proper response 6 If the instruments still indicate a failed condition the last step is to remove the audit presentation line from the instrument manifold and checking for the proper response at the back of the instruments Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 E 1 3 E 1 3 1 E 1 3 2 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 29 of 35 POST AUDIT PROCEDURES PRINTING AUDIT RESULTS 1 After final CO calibration verify that all the audit van s and station s responses have been correctly entered 2 Select Option 3 PRINT MENU from the ARB Van Audit Program s Main Menu 3 Select Option 1 AUDIT RESULTS from the Print Menu 4 Verify that the correct site information is being displayed If not type in the correct site number Enter P for Preliminary results and then 3 for number of copies to be printed Enter Y if the information is correct
428. rformance 4 7 Reference References 4 through 10 and 13 provide additional information on the CO audit procedure Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 34 of 58 Table A 5 Carbon Monoxide Audit Data Report Station Date Address Start Time Ty C Pa mm Hg Pipo mm Hg Auditor Analyzer Serial Number Calibration standard Span source Last calibration date Frequency Range Calibration Comments Zero setting Data acquisition system Span setting Recorder Audit system Bubble flowmeter serial number Audit standard P psig ppm Clean dry air Catalytic oxidizer Yes No Ry P Flow correction a HO _298 K Cp 760 mm T 273 Dilution air flow Volume cm Flowmeter Tl Volume T2 T min C 7 cm3 min T3 Clean dry air response Chart Voc3 ppm Other response Audit Point I Pollutant flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter T1 c Volume i T2 T min F 7 cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Vie ppm Other response Table A 5 continued Audit Point II Pollutant flow measurement Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 35 of 58 Volume cm Flowmeter T1 7 T2 i min Ch 1 cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Voc3 ppm Other response Audit Point III Pollutant flow measurement
429. rganization s structure and functions It also briefly describes the procedures used by the reporting organization to assess the quality of field and laboratory measurements Quality information for each ambient air pollutant monitoring program These sections are organized by ambient air pollutant category e g gaseous criteria pollutants air toxics Each section includes the following topics gt program overview and update gt quality objectives for measurement data gt data quality assessment 16 1 5 Corrective Active Request A corrective action request should be made whenever anyone in the reporting organization notes a problem that demands either immediate or long term action to correct a safety defect a operational problem or a failure to comply with procedures A typical corrective action request form with example information entered is shown in Appendix 16 A separate form should be used for each problem identified The corrective action report form is designed as a closed loop system First it identifies the originator that person who reports and identifies the problem states the problem and may suggest a solution The form then directs the request to a specific person or persons i e the recipient who would be best qualified to fix the problem Finally the form closes the loop by requiring that the recipient state how the problem was resolved and the effectiveness of the solution The form is signed and a copy is r
430. rganizations The mission of the committee is to provide a mechanism to meet the goals of the Handbook which are to provide guidance on quality assurance techniques that can help to ensure that data meet the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program objectives and to ensure data comparability across the Nation The Steering Committee will meet quarterly to discuss emerging ambient air monitoring issues that have the potential to effect the Handbook Issues may surface from comments made by State and local agencies to Regional liaisons AMTIC bulletin board comments or the development revision of regulations The committee will also attempt to meet on an annual basis at a relevant national air meeting This will provide another forum to elicit comments and suggestions from agencies implementing ambient air monitoring networks Part I Section 2 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 5 2 Program Background 2 1 Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network The purpose of this section is to describe the general concepts for establishing the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network The majority of this material as well as additional details can be found in the CAA 40 CFR Part 58 and their references Between the years 1900 and 1970 the emission of six principal pollutants increased significantly The principal pollutants also called criteria pollutants are particulate matter PM and PM sulfur dioxide carbon monoxide nitrogen dioxide ozo
431. ries General background concentration levels Extent of regional pollutant transport among populated areas and in support of secondary standards 6 Welfare related impacts in more rural and remote areas Di ma TE These six objectives indicate the nature of the samples that the monitoring network will collect which must be representative of the spatial area being studied In the case of PAMS the design criteria are site specific and therefore there are specific monitoring objectives associated with each location for which PAMS stations are required see Table 6 4 Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 15 Sampling equipment requirements are generally divided into three categories consistent with the desired averaging times 1 Continuous Pollutant concentrations determined with automated methods and recorded or displayed continuously 2 Integrated Pollutant concentrations determined with manual or automated methods from integrated hourly or daily samples on a fixed schedule 3 Static Pollutant estimates or effects determined from long term weekly or monthly exposure to qualitative measurement devices or materials Air monitoring sites that use automated equipment to continually sample and analyze pollutant levels may be classified as primary Primary monitoring stations are generally located in areas where pollutant concentrations are expected to be among the highest and in areas with the highest populat
432. rm has been designed such that one is filled out for each major deficiency that requires formal corrective action They inform the agency being audited about a serious finding that may compromise the quality of the data and therefore require specific corrective actions They are initiated by the audit team and discussed at the debriefing During the debriefing discussion evidence may be presented that reduces the significance of the finding in which case the finding may be removed If the audited agency is in agreement with the finding the form is signed by the agency s director or his her designee during the exit interview If a disagreement occurs the QA Team should record the opinions of the agency audited and set a time at some later date to address the finding at issue Audit Finding Audit Title Audit Finding Finding Discussion QA Lead Signature Audited Agencies Signature Figure 15 4 Audit finding form The audit is now completed by having the audit team members meet once again with key personnel the QAO and finally with the agency s director to present their findings This is also the opportunity for the agency to present their disagreements The audit team should simply state the audit results including an indication of the potential data quality impact During these meetings the audit team should also discuss the systems Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 13 of 15 audit reporting schedu
433. rocess All software changes should follow carefully planned procedures including a pre install test protocol and appropriate documentation update 5 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES SOPs Control of even the most carefully designed and implemented systems will be thwarted if appropriate procedures are not followed The principles implies the development of clear directions and Standard Operating Procedures SOPs the training of all users and the availability of appropriate user support documentation Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 13 6 DISASTER Consistent control of a system requires the development of alternative plans for system failure disaster recovery and unauthorized access The control principle must extend to planning for reasonable unusual events and system stresses The principles listed above apply to both the local and central information management systems In order to address these principles the following elements will be discussed Personnel Quality Assurance Facilities Equipment Security Standard Operating Procedures Software Data Entry Raw Data Data transfer Records Archive Reporting 14 1 1 Personnel Each organization responsible for data on automated systems should identify a person within the organization responsible for this information management system This person should have adequate education training and experience to enable him her to perform the assigned system functio
434. rol 3 Preventative Maintenance 4 Record Keeping 5 Data Acquisition and Handling 6 Specific Pollutants PM 10 and PM 2 5 Lead D Data and Data Management 1 Data handling 2 Software Documentation 3 Data Validation and Correction 4 Data Processing 5 Internal Reporting 6 External reporting E Quality Assurance Quality Control 1 Status of Quality Assurance Program 2 Audits and Audits System Traceability 3 National Performance Audit Program NPAP and Additional Audits 4 Documentation and data Processing Review 5 Corrective Action System 7 Audit Result Acceptance Criteria Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 10 of 50 A NETWORK MANAGEMENT 1 General a Is there an organization chart showing the agency s structure and its reporting organization attach charts b Basis for the current structure of the agency s reporting organization Field operations for all local agencies conducted by a common team of field aa eT Common calibration facilities are used for all local Common calibration facilities are used for all local agencies _ Precision checks performed by common staff for all local agencies Accuracy checks performed by common staff for all local agencies Data handling follows uniform procedure for all local agencies Traceability of all standards by one central support laboratory One central analytical laboratory handles all analyses for manual methods c Does the agency feel
435. rors one needs to understand and control uncertainty Uncertainty is used as a generic term to describe the sum of all sources of error associated with an EDO Uncertainty can be illustrated as follows equation 1 Where S overall uncertainty S population uncertainty spatial and temporal S Measurement uncertainty data collection m Part I Section 3 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 6 The estimate of overall uncertainty is an important component in the DQO process Both population and measurement uncertainties must be understood Population uncertainties The most important data quality attribute of any ambient air monitoring network is representativeness This term refers to the degree in which data accurately and precisely represent a characteristic of a population parameter variation at a sampling point a process condition or an environmental condition Population uncertainty the spatial and temporal components of error can effect representativeness These uncertainties can be controlled through the selection of appropriate boundary conditions the area and the time period to which the decision will apply and the development of a proper statistical sampling design see Section 6 Appendix H of the QAD document titled EPA Guidance for Quality Assurance Project Plans provides a very good dissertation on representativeness It does not matter how precise or unbiased the measurement values are if a site is unrepre
436. round material meteorological data topographic population land use maps wind roses existing monitoring data etc Is the monitor to characterize neighbor Neighborhood hood or urban conditions Is the purpose to define Determine most frequent typical or highest High concentration areas wind direction associated concentrations with important photochemical activity Determine most frequent Typical city concentrations wind speed and direction for b fe Select prospective moni periods of important tori ind fi photochemical activity Cone E AE wang most frequent direction and outside area of city influence Select reasonably typical homogeneous neighbor i Use emissions inventories to hood near geographical define extent of area of important VOC and NO emissions center of region but removed from influence of major NO sources Final site Select prospective monitoring area in direction from city that is most frequently downwind during periods of photochemical activity Distance to upwind edge of city should be about equal to the distance travelled by air moving for 5 to 7 hours Final site at wind speeds prevailing during periods of photochemical activity For health related purposes a monitor out of the major NO emissions area but in a populated neighborhood is desirable Prospective areas should always
437. rs Due to the manner in which concentrations are determined it is critical that samples are handled as specified in SOPs The various phases of sample handling include gt labeling gt sample collection and gt transportation 8 1 1 Sample Labeling and Identification Care must be taken to properly mark all samples and monitoring device readings to ensure positive identi fication throughout the test and analysis procedures The rules of evidence used in legal proceedings require that procedures for identification of samples used in analyses form the basis for future evidence An admission by the laboratory analyst that he she cannot be positive whether he she analyzed sample No 6 or sample No 9 for example could destroy the validity of the entire test report Positive identification also must be provided for any filters used in the program If ink is used for marking it must be indelible and unaffected by the gases and temperatures to which it will be subjected Other methods of identification can be used bar coding if they provide a positive means of identification and do not impair the capacity of the filter to function Each sampling transport container should have a unique identification to preclude the possibility of interchange The number of the container should be subsequently recorded on the analysis data form Figure 8 1 shows a standardized identification sticker which may be used Additional information may be added as
438. rt recorder indicates a stable trace for CO take ten consecutive readings from the analyzer display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet when the readings have stabilized then enter them into the computer AUDIT STANDARDS DATA SHEET HIGH CONCENTRATION BLEND HIGH CONCENTRATION BLEND AMBIENT LEVEL GASES CO 14 500 ppm CO 14 800 ppm 7 ppm and 45 ppm CO NO 330 ppm H2S 320 ppm Ultra Pure Air CH4 6 600 ppm Nist Traceable S02 150 ppm Calibration Standard HIGH CONCENTRATION BLEND CO 15 350 ppm C6H14 557 ppm CH4 _ 6 680 ppm ALL CYLINDER CONCENTRATIONS ARE APPROXIMATE DASIBI 1009 CP Calibrator API 400 Ozone Analyzer TECO 48 CO with Ozone Source and Analyzer Ozone Photometer 0 50 ppm Range AIR FLOW 25 LITERS PER MINUTE DILUTED CONCENTRATION CO NO CH4 SO2 H2S C6H14 AUDIT VAN DELIVERY SYSTEM DILUTION RATIO De CO response ppm Superblend Cylinder CO Concentration ppm AUDIT MONITORING STATION INLET TRUE CONCENTRATION Superblend Concentrations x Dilution Ratio Figure E 1 2 1 Audit Gas Flow Chart Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 26 of 35 Table E 1 2 1 LEVELS OF POLLUTANT CONCENTRATIONS PPM STEP 03 PPM 1 ZERO 2 0 35 0 45 3 0 15 0 20 4
439. rve available having concentrations that cover the linear absorption range of the atomic absorption instrumentation D Is the stability of the calibration curve checked by alternately If not indicate frequency remeasuring every 10th sample aconcentration 1 g Pb ml 10 g Pb ml j Are measured air volumes corrected to reference conditions as If not indicate conditions routinely employed for both given in CFR regulations Q a of 760 mm Hg and 25 C prior internal and external reporting to calculating the Pb concentration k In either the hot or ultrasonic extraction procedure is there always a 30 min H O soaking period to allow HNO trapped in the filter to diffuse into the rinse water Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 33 of 50 a d D Is a quality control program in effect that includes periodic Comment on lead QC program or attach applicable SOP quantification of 1 lead in 3 4 x 8 glass fiber filter strips containing 100 300 g Pb strip and or 2 a similar strip with 600 1000 g strip and 3 blank filter strips with zero Pb content to determine if the method as being used has any bias m Are blank Pb values subtracted from Pb samples assayed If not explain why Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 34 of 50 D DATA AND DATA MANAGEMENT 1 Data Handling a Is there a procedure description or a chart which shows a complete data sequence from point of acquisition to poin
440. ry of Spatial Scales for SLAMS NAMS PAMS and Open Path Sites sw Relationships of Topography AIR Flow and Monitoring Site Selection Site Descriptions of PAMS Monitoring Sites ww eee ee eee Relationships of Topography Air Flow and Monitoring Site Selection eee NAMS Station Number Criteria cece eee ees PM Core SLAMS Sites related to MSA wd eee eee eee Goals for the Number of PM NAMS by Region eee ee eee PAMS Minimum Network Requirements ws eee eee eee Ozone Monitoring Seasons PAMS Affected States wk eee PM2 5 Sampling Schedule 2226 sees Sieh ese shin see ese Riese 0 ek ie aoe ue vb le ole wae Environment Control Parameters ww cc eee eee ees Summary of Probe and Monitoring Path Siting Criteria ww eee Minimum Separation Distance Between Sampling Probes and Roadways Techniques for Quality Control of Support Services ww eee eee Performance Specifications for Automated Methods see eee eee eee PMs Field QG Checks Srianta ettr a etd sciate R iS etedsbiate aig elle tants ge AN PM laboratory QC Checks 6 ccc eee etnies Routine Operations esses eer are en ea he a Pete a RS te ee Pelee el Data Reporting Requirements 6 eee eect tenn enne eae NPAP Acceptance Critenas 3 hdstiotehidele tah ues ELEN swdaluds bw E heel Suggested Elements of an Audit Plano ccc eee aes Types of QA Reports to Management 6 cee eet nen e eens Sources of Information for Preparing Reports to Management 6 ee
441. ry sampler and Y represents the concentration recorded by the collocated sampler 2 Summarize the percent relative bias to the quarterly level D according to p where n is the number of collocated pairs in quarter q for site j 3 Summarize the quarterly bias estimates to the three year level using i hn Equation 1 where n is the number of quarters with actual collocated data and w is the weight for quarter q as specified by the scenario in Table 18 2 4 Examine D to determine whether one sampler is consistently measuring above or below the other To formally test this an non parametric test will be used The test is called the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and is described in EPA QA G 9 If the null hypothesis is rejected then one of the samplers is consistently measuring above or below the other This information may be helpful in directing the investigation into the cause of the bias Part 1 Section 18 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 9 Precision Algorithm 1 For each measurement pair calculate the coefficient of variation according to Equation 20 from Section 14 and repeated below d CV i Fa 2 Summarize the coefficient of variation to the quarterly level CV according to P where n is the number of collocated pairs in quarter q for site j 3 Summarize the quarterly precision estimates to the three year level using Equation 2 where n is the number of quarters with actual
442. s To Analyzers Dat Teletype Aquisition Printout 2 Determine Fy the flow rate of vee NO required to generate the lowest NO concentration required Tesi at the output manifold during the Atmosphere Audit Manifold Exhaust GPT approximately 0 15 ppm Station Analyzers System Figure A 7 Schematic of configuration utilized in auditing the gas analyzers es Equation 1 9 F NO NO STD 3 Measure the system s reaction chamber volume must be in the range of approximately 100 to 500 cm 4 Compute FO F INO sry Fro X oer Q 2 75 yg Equation 1 10 5 Compute tg using Equation 1 8 verify that t lt 2 min 6 Compute Fp Fp Fr Fo Fxo Equation 1 11 where Fp diluent air flow standard cm min Adjust Fo to the value determined above Fo should not be further adjusted during the NO NO or NO audit procedures only Fy or Fp and the O generator settings are adjusted during the course of the audit Audit sequence After all the equipment has been assembled and set up have the station operator mark the strip chart recorder to indicate that the audit is beginning Information such as the auditors name start time date and auditing organization should be entered If it is not possible to enter written comments the start and stop times should be recorded to preclude the use of audit data as monitoring data After recording the data disconnect the analyzer sample line from the station m
443. s are discussed in Sections 3 and 18 gt Evaluation Audits Assessments of various phases of the environmental data operation are discussed in section 16 Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 15 6 Sampling Process Design The selection of a specific monitoring site includes four major activities Developing and understanding the monitoring objective and appropriate data quality objectives Identifying the spatial scale most appropriate for the monitoring objective of the site Identifying the general locations where the monitoring site should be placed Identifying specific monitoring sites hae ae This section describes the general concepts for establishing the State and Local Air Monitoring Stations SLAMS National Air Monitoring Stations NAMS Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations PAMS and open path monitoring Additional details can be found in 40 CFR Part 58 3 and the PAMS Implementation Manual tE Air quality samples are generally collected for one or more of the following purposes gt to judge compliance with and or progress made towards meeting ambient air quality standards gt to activate emergency control procedures that prevent or alleviate air pollution episodes gt to observe pollution trends throughout the region including nonurban areas gt to provide a data base for research evaluation of effects urban land use and transportation planning development and evaluation
444. s Systems Audit report completeness of network documentation QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol II Organization staffing and adequacy of Ambient Air Specific Methods Section 2 0 1 educational background and training of key personnel 40 CFR 58 Appendices D and E Adequacy of current facilities and proposed modifications gt OAQPS Siting Documents available by pollutant gt QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol 1 Principles Section 1 4 Vol Il Ambient Air Specific Methods Section 2 0 5 Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 50 Field Operations gt Routine operational practices for SLAMS network and conformance with regulations Types of analyzers and samplers used for SLAMS network Adequacy of field procedures standards used and field documentation employed for SLAMS network Frequency of zero span checks calibrations and credibility of calibration equipment used Traceability of monitoring and calibration standards Preventive maintenance system including spare parts tools and service contracts for major equipment Record keeping to include inspection of some site log books and chain of custody procedures Data acquisition and handling system establishing a data audit trail from the site to the central data processing facility Laboratory Operations gt Routine operational practices for manual methods used in SLAMS network to include quality of chemica
445. s is updated each zero span calibration and when fixed calibration is used to calculate measurements DAS flow diagram aki5 44 i y40 564545 oF 444 ARES US OSES SEES Gee Ee Ee oe Datainputflow diagram fi kag Sh Sheds ee SNS TNGN GNSS ASAE TARAS ASEAN ERE Definition of independent assessment ws ke eet eee nee ences Pre auditactivities 365 858 C85 4G heed SON ade ES dea e eee es Ue dees O site activities bee soho aa an EN eee EES SCE ES ERE EEE SER EE EET ER ESS SS Audit ndine formin iS icds sag Seales GoGo 3S4 SSNS EAA E AEA ESN GA ASABE AG ASS POst audit actiVIti s eke kk ea a a ek be eae ta Oe ete oe eee rea eee eee eee Audit response formi 6644 5 4544 Fhe NASA ASS ASAE ASA EA Ra aS ASS DQA in the context of the datalifecycle kk eee cee een eens vii Section Page 1 1 1 4 2 1 2 3 3 1 3 1 4 3 4 4 6 8 7 2 7 4 75 75 7 6 718 719 8 2 8 3 8 4 10 1 10 2 12 9 Number 3 1 4 1 5 1 6 1 6 2 6 3 6 4 6 5 6 6 6 7 6 8 6 9 6 10 7 5 10 1 10 2 16 1 16 2 16 3 18 1 18 2 18 3 Tables Title Measurement Quality Objectives ParameterCO ww eee eee Suggested Sequence of Core QA related Ambient Air Training Courses for Ambient Air Monitoring and QA Personnel 0 ccc cnc een een e ene eae Types of Information That Should be Retained Through Document Control Relationship Among Monitoring Objectives and Scales of Representativeness Summa
446. s or weekends Temperatures below 18 C may necessitate additional temperature control equipment or rejection of the area as a sampling site Shelter temperatures above 30 C also occur due to temperature control equipment that is malfunctioning lack of adequate power capacity or shelters of inadequate design for the environmental conditions Occasional fluctuations above 30 C may require additional assurances that data quality is maintained Sites that continually have problems maintaining adequate temperatures may necessitate additional temperature control equipment or rejection of the area as a sampling site If this is not an option a waiver to operate beyond the required temperature range should be sought with the EPA Regional Office if it can be shown that the site can meet established data quality requirements In order to detect and correct temperature fluctuations a 24 hour temperature recorder at the analyzer site is suggested These recorders can be connected to data loggers and should be considered official documentation that should be filed see Section 5 Many vendors offer these type of devices Usually they are thermocouple thermistor devices of simple design and are generally very sturdy Reasons for using electronic shelter temperature devices are two fold 1 through remote interrogation of the DAS the agency can tell if values collected by air quality instruments are valid and 2 that the shelter temperature is within a safe op
447. s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet when the readings have stabilized and enter them into the computer 5 H2S Audit Point 4 Set the GAS thumbwheels on the Dasibi 1009 CP to 130 to obtain Audit Level 3 concentration for H2S After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet when the readings have stabilized and enter them into the computer Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 E 1 2 7 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 23 of 35 6 H2S Audit Point 5 Press the 1009 CP GAS switch to OFF After the audit van s chart recorder trace for CO has stabilized take ten consecutive readings from the display and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Enter the analyzer s response into the computer to obtain actual values Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet when the readings have stabilized then enter them into the computer META XYLENE CHECK After completing the last audit point of the Superblend dilution but prior to the final zero perform the following steps for meta xylene if the sta
448. s then used to adjust the instrument to produce the correct response Blank Analysis A blank sample is one that has intentionally not been exposed to the pollutant of interest Analysis of blank samples reveals possible contamination in the laboratory or during field handling or transportation Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 24 Duplicate Analysis Duplicate analyses of the same sample are performed to monitor the precision of the analytical method Performance Audits Regular performance audits are conducted by having the laboratory analyze samples whose physical or chemical properties have been certified by an external laboratory or standards organization The difference between the laboratory s reported value and the certified values is used to evaluate the analytical method s accuracy System Audits System audits indicate how well the laboratory conforms to its standard operating procedures System audits involve sending a trained observer QA Auditor to the laboratory to review compliance with standard operating conditions Areas examined include record keeping sample custody equipment maintenance personnel training and qualifications and a general review of facilities and equipment Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 24 GASEOUS CRITERIA POLLUTANTS The Acme Reporting Organization monitors the ambient concentrations of the gaseous criteria pollutants carbon monoxide CO nitrogen dioxide N
449. scheme been submitted and reviewed If no explain Network Design Review Determined by check all that apply Dispersion modeling Special studies including saturation sampling Best professional judgement Other specify Comment for example SO dispersion modeling for urbanized area A PM 10 saturation study for urbanized area B etc Evaluation was based on the following information check all that apply emission inventory data traffic data AIRS site reports meteorological data topographic dataO site photographs videotape etc climatological data historical data J other specify Part I Appendix 15 Section 1 Date 9 4 98 Page 5 of 11 SECTION III EVALUATION OF CONFORMANCE WITH APPENDIX E REQUIREMENTS IIA CARBON MONOXIDE NAMS SLAMS SITE EVALUATION Agency Site Name Site Address City amp State AIRS Site ID Date Observed by CRITERIA REQUIREMENTS OBSERVED CRITERIA MET Yes Placement Par 4 1 E E neighborhood scale Spacing from Obstructions 270 or180 ifon side of Par 4 2 building Spacing from Roads Par 4 3 2 10 m from edge of nearest traffic lane for microscale 10 m from intersection preferably at mO o a neighborhood scale n Feral ON MU of trees Comments Citations from 40 CFR 58 Appendix E Part I Appendix 15 Section 1 Date 9 4 98 Page 6 of 11 Agency Site Name Site Address City amp State AI
450. se are fulfilled A progressive systematic approach to data validation must be used to ensure and assess the quality of data The purpose of data validation is to detect and then verify any data values that may not represent actual air quality conditions at the sampling station Effective data validation procedures usually are handled completely independently from the procedures of initial data collection Because the computer can perform computations and make comparisons extremely rapidly it can also make some determination concerning the validity of data values that are not necessarily high or low Data validation procedures should be recommended as standard operating procedures One way to do this is to test the difference between successive data values since one would not normally expect very rapid changes in concentrations of a pollutant during a 5 min or 1 h reporting period When the difference between two successive values exceeds a predetermined value the tabulation can be flagged with an appropriate symbol Quality control data can support data validation procedures If data assessment results clearly indicate a serious response problem with the analyzer the agency should review all pertinent quality control information to determine whether any ambient data as well as any associated assessment data should be invalidated When precision bias or accuracy assessment readings are obtained during any period for which the ambient readings imm
451. sentative area wide air quality Powe To select locations according to these criteria it is necessary to have detailed information on the location of sources of emissions geographical variability of ambient pollutant concentrations meteorological conditions and population density Therefore selection of the number locations and types of sampling stations is a complex process The variability of sources and their intensities of emissions terrains meteorological conditions and demographic features requires that each network be developed individually Thus selection of the network will be based upon the best available evidence and on the experience of the decision team The sampling site selection process involves considerations of the following factors Economics The amount of resources required for the entire data collection activity including instrumentation installation maintenance data retrieval data analysis quality assurance and data interpretation Security Experience has shown that in some cases a particular site may not be appropriate for the establishment of an ambient monitoring station simply due to problems with the security of the equipment in a certain area If the problems cannot be remedied via the use of standard security measures such as lighting fences etc then attempts should be made to locate the site as near to the identified sector as possible while maintaining adequate security Part I Section 6 Revis
452. sentative of the population it is presumed to represent Assuring the collection of a representative air quality sample depends on the following factors gt selecting a network size that is consistent with the monitoring objectives and locating representative sampling sites gt determining restraints on the sampling sites that are imposed by meteorology local topography emission sources and the physical constraints and documenting these gt planning sampling schedules that are consistent with the monitoring objectives Measurement uncertainties are the errors associated with the EDO including errors associated with the field preparation and laboratory measurement phases At each measurement phase errors can occur that in most cases are additive The goal of a QA program is to control measurement uncertainty to an acceptable level through the use of various quality control and evaluation techniques In a resource constrained environment it is most important to be able to calculate evaluate the total measurement system uncertainty S and compare this to the DQO If resources are available it may be possible to evaluate various phases field laboratory of the measurement system Three data quality indicators are most important in determining total measurement uncertainty gt Precision a measure of mutual agreement among individual measurements of the same property usually under prescribed similar conditions This is the random com
453. sions data annual meteorology Select potential monitoring and appropriate models sites as close to peak to identify areas of concentrations as possible highest annual impacts From emission inventory data and maps identify all major source points in the upwind directions from each potential monitoring site up to 200 to 250 meters away from the site Final site Choose sites with the least impacts from other sources Short term Use appropriate meteo rological and source emissions data to determine areas of highest short term impacts Part I Appendix 6 B Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 6 Procedures for Locating NO and NO Neighborhood Scale Stations Assemble background material meteorological data topographic population land use maps wind roses existing monitoring data etc Identify areas of major NO emissions Identify most frequent wind directions emphasizing directions associated with low wind speeds Identify prospective siting areas downwind of major NO emissions areas and near the edge of the urban emissions region For health related monitoring emphasis would be given to populated areas Final site Avoid areas influenced by large point sources Part I Appendix 6 B Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 6 Procedures for Locating O Neighborhood and Urban Scale Stations Assemble backg
454. sment for Precision Precision checks Precision checks Ozone precursor completed within limits Total VOCs Total non 90 91 methane hydrocarbons Speciated VOCS Bias The results of the annual performance audits conducted by ARO personnel are shown in Figure 7 below For NO and the automated VOC analyzers the center line represents the average bias across all sites i e with all sites weighted equally For the carbonyl and manual VOC analyses the center line represents the average of all audit samples for the central analytical laboratory The lower and upper probability limits represent the boundaries within which 95 percent of the individual bias values are expected to be distributed Carbonyl and Total VOC measurements represent the average of all audit species Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 19 of 24 Figure 7 ARO Performance Audit Results for Ozone Precursors 25 20 4 15 4 10 4 5 4 we a o F 5 4 Central 10 4 Central laboratory laboratory 2 analyzers audited 15 audited S analyzers audited audited 20 25 Carbonyls NOx Total VOC Total VOC manual automated Lower probability limit Upper probability limit Figure 8 shows the results of the external performance audits performed with the National Performance Audit Program NPAP which is administered by the U S EPA
455. so that the chamber is at atmospheric pressure under normal operation and sufficient tur bulence must be created in the chamber to facilitate thorough mixing Chamber volumes in the range of 100 to 500 cm are sufficient Glass Kjeldahl connecting flasks are suitable mixing chambers 5 Output Manifold and Sample Line An output manifold used to supply the analyzer with an audit at mosphere at ambient pressure should be of sufficient diameter to ensure a minimum pressure drop at the analyzer connection and the manifold must be vented so that ambient air will not mix with the audit atmosphere during system operations Recommended manifold materials are glass or Teflon The sample line must be nonreactive and flexible therefore Teflon tubing is preferred 6 Dilution Air Source The diluent source must be free of sulfur contaminants and water vapor clean dry air from a compressed gas cylinder Grade 0 1 may be used When auditing a flame photometric analyzer a diluent source which contains approximately 350 ppm CO is required A clean air system may be used however the system must not remove the CO from the ambient airstream In all cases the O content of the diluent air must be 20 9 0 2 Gas manufacturers that blend clean dry air do not always adhere to the exact ambient proportions of O and N in these cases the O content should be verified by paramagnetic response 7 Sulfur Dioxide Permeation Tube An SO permeation tube with NI
456. specification determined to meet these acceptance criteria Completeness Annual standard Quarterly 24 hour standard 24 hours 3 hour standard 3 hours Compressed Gases Dilution gas zero air Purchase SO free 21 O 78 N 300 to Vol II MS 2 9 2 Return cylinder to supplier It is recommended that a clean air specification 400 ppm CO 0 1 ppm aromatics system be used instead of compressed air cylinders Gaseous standards Purchase NIST Traceable e g permeation EPA 600 R97 121 Sulfur dioxide in nitrogen EPA Protocol Gases have a 24 month specification tube or EPA Protocol Gas certification period for concentrations between 40 and 499 ppm and a 36 month certification period for higher concentrations Part I Appendix No 3 Revision No Date 9 4 98 Page 13 of 20 Measurement Quality Objectives Parameter SO Ultraviolet Fluorescence Calibration Multipoint calibration at least 4 points Zero span check level 1 Flowmeters Performance Evaluation NPAP State audits Precision Single analyzer Reporting organization Accuracy Annual accuracy check Reporting organization Upon receipt adjustment or 1 6 months 1 2 weeks 1 3 months 1 year at selected sites 1 year 1 2 weeks 1 3 months 25 of sites quarterly all sites yearly All points within 2 of full scale of best fit straight line Zero drift Span drift 20 to 30 ppb 20 to 25 Zero drift 10 to 15 ppb Span drif
457. ss A glassware be used in all operations requiring precise volumes SOPs requiring volumetric glassware should specify the size type required for each specific operation 13 4 Filters Filters are used for the manual methods for the criteria pollutants PM PM and Pb No commercially available filter is ideal in all respects The sampling program should determine the relative importance of certain filter evaluation criteria e g physical and chemical characteristics ease of handling cost The reference methods for the PM PM and Pb present detailed acceptance criteria for filters some of the basic criteria that must be met regardless of the filter type follows gt Visual inspection for pinholes tears creases or other flaws which may affect the collection efficiency of the filter which may be consistent through a batch This visual inspection would also be made prior to filter installation and during laboratory pre and post weighings to assure the Part I Section 13 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 4 integrity of the filter is maintained and therefore the ambient air sample obtained with each filter adequately represents the sampled pollutant conditions gt Collection efficiency Greater than 99 as measured by DOP test ASTM 2988 with 0 3 micrometer particles at the sampler s operating face velocity gt Integrity pollutant specific measured as the concentration equivalent corresponding to the differ
458. ssued to the site operator to indicate an AS IS failure unless the cause of the failure is determined to be the audit van set up In this case the problem should be corrected and the audit restarted with no AQDA issued Beginning with the audit van all instruments need to be checked to ensure proper operation This will include all the following unless the cause for failure is discovered and resolved Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 28 of 35 a Check the van calibrator Is the air flow set correctly What values do the mass flow controllers indicate If doing an ozone audit are the switches set correctly Are the thumbwheels set to the correct values Does the display on the API ozone analyzer indicate the correct ozone level b If doing a gaseous audit is the TECO 48 CO analyzer indicating the correct CO range Is the methane reactor cycling on and off c Is the compressor running Is the Aadco cycling Are the input and output pressures set correctly Is the by pass set between 0 3 and 0 4 Ipm d Are all the lines connected to the manifolds Are the lines to the instruments connected Are any leaks detected 3 When all of these have been checked for proper operation the next step is to ensure that the station being audited is receiving enough flow to the inlet probe The flow can be checked with a Vol O Flo to determine whether the station is receiving too much flow p
459. standard operating procedures and good laboratory practices as they relate to the reference and equivalent methods 9 1 Standard Operating Procedures In order to perform sampling and analysis operations consistently standard operating procedure SOPs must be written as part of the QAPP Standard operating procedures SOPs are written documents that detail the method for an operation analysis or action with thoroughly prescribed techniques and steps and is officially approved as the method for performing certain routine or repetitive tasks SOPs should ensure consistent conformance with organizational practices serve as training aids provide ready reference and documentation of proper procedures reduce work effort reduce error occurrences in data and improve data comparability credibility and defensibility They should be sufficiently clear and written in a step by step format to be readily understood by a person knowledgeable in the general concept of the procedure Elements to include in SOPs are Scope and Applicability Summary of Method Definitions Health and Safety Warnings Cautions Interferences Personnel Qualifications Apparatus and Materials 9 Instrument or Method Calibration 10 Sample Collection 11 Handling and Preservation Sample Preparation and Analysis 12 Troubleshooting 13 Data Acquisition Calculations amp Data Reduction 14 Computer Hardware amp Software used to manipulate analytical results a
460. stical test include those associated with the development of the DQOs in addition to the bias and precision assumptions Their method of verification will be addressed in this step Note that when less than three years of data are available this verification will be based on as much data as are available The DQO is based on the annual arithmetic mean NAAQS For each primary sampler Palookaville will determine which if either of the PM NAAQS is violated In the DQO development it was assumed that the annual standard is more restrictive than the 24 hour standard If there are any samplers that violate ONLY the 24 hour NAAQS then this assumption is not correct The seriousness of violating this assumption is not clear Conceptually the DQOs can be developed based on the 24 hour NAAQS and the more restrictive bias and precision limits selected However Palookaville will assume the annual standard is more restrictive until proven otherwise Normal distribution for measurement error Assuming that measurement errors are normally distributed is common in environmental monitoring Palookaville has not investigated the sensitivity of the statistical test to violate this assumption although small departures from normality generally do not create serious problems Palookaville will evaluate the reasonableness of the normality assumption by reviewing a normal probability plot calculating the Shapiro Wilk W test statistic if sample size less than 50 a
461. stions to air monitoring organizations on how to report the quality of the aerometric data and how to convey personnel information and requests for assistance concerning quality control and quality assurance problems The guidance offered here is primarily intended for reporting organizations that provide data to one or more of these national networks gt SLAMS State and Local Air Monitoring Stations gt NAMS National Air Monitoring Stations a subset of SLAMS gt PAMS Photochemical Air Monitoring Stations gt PSD Prevention of Significant Deterioration stations gt Air Toxics This guidance may also be useful in preparing reports that summarize data quality of other pollutant measurements such as those made at Special Purpose Monitoring Stations and state specific programs Several kinds of reports can be prepared the size and frequency of the reports will depend on the information requested or to be conveyed A brief corrective action form or letter style report might ask for attention to an urgent problem On the other hand an annual quality assurance report to management would be a much larger report containing sections such as gt executive summary gt network background and present status gt quality objectives for measurement data gt quality assurance procedures gt results of quality assurance activities gt recommendations for further quality assurance work with suggestions for improving performance an
462. surement Quality Objectives Parameter PM Requirement Calibration Verification Flow Rate FR Calibration FR multi point verification One point FR verification External Leak Check Internal Leak Check Temperature Calibration Temp M point Verification One point temp Verification Pressure Calibration Pressure Verification Clock timer Verification Accuracy FRM Performance Evaluation External Leak Check Internal Leak Check Temperature Audit Pressure Audit Balance Audit Accuracy Flow Rate Audit Frequency If multi point failure l yr 1 4 weeks every 5 sampling events every 5 sampling events If multi point failure on installation then 1 yr 1 4 weeks on installation then 1 yr 1 4 weeks 1 4 weeks 25 of sites 4 yr Alyr Alyr Alyr A yr 2 l yr 1 2wk automated 4 yr manual Acceptance Criteria 2 of transfer standard 2 of transfer standard 4 of transfer standard 80 mL min 80 mL min 2 of standard 2 Cof standard 4 Cof standard 10 mm Hg 10 mm Hg 1 min mo 10 lt 80 mL min lt 80 mL min 2 C 10 mm Hg Manufacturers specs 4 of audit standard 40 CFR Reference Part 50 App L Sec 9 2 Part 50 App L Sec 9 2 5 Part 50 App L Sec 9 2 Part 50 App L Sec 7 4 Part 50 App L Sec 9 3 Part 50 App L Sec 9 3 Part 50 App L Sec 7 4 Part 58 App A Sec 3 5 not described not described not described not described not described Part 58 App A Sec 3 5
463. surement Systems Vol II Ambient Air Specific Methods Section 2 0 9 QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol II Ambient Air Specific Methods Section 2 0 7 40 CFR 58 Appendix A Section 2 3 QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol Il Section 2 0 6 QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol II Ambient Air Specific Methods Sections 2 0 3 and 2 0 9 40 CFR 50 Appendices A and B and QA Handbook Vol 11 40 CFR 58 Appendix C List of Designated Reference and Equivalent Methods Refer to locally available protocols for analysis of aldehydes sulfate nitrate pollens hydrocarbons or other toxic air contaminants U S EPA APTD 1132 Quality Control Practices in Processing Air Pollution Samples 40 CFR 58 Appendix C List of Designated Reference and Equivalent Methods 40 CFR 58 Appendix A Section 2 4 QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol ll Section 2 0 10 40 CFR 58 Appendix C List of Designated Reference and Equivalent Methods 40 CFR 58 Appendix C List of Designated Reference and Equivalent Methods QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol Il Section 2 0 6 Handbook for Analytical Quality Control in Water and Wastewater Laboratories QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol Il Sections 2 0 3 and 2 0 9 Annual Book of ASTM Standards Part 41 1 978 Standard Recommended Practice for Dealing with Outlying Observations
464. t 15 Accuracy 2 Mean absolute difference 15 State requirements None 95 CI lt 15 None 95 CI 20 reference refers to the QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Volume II sections in Volume II Vol II S 12 6 Vol II MS 2 9 2 Vol II S 12 6 Vol II S 12 6 Vol II App 12 Vol II S 16 3 Vol II App 15 S 3 40 CFR Pt 58 App EPA 600 4 83 023 Vol II S 16 S2 40 CFR Pt 58 App A EPA 600 4 83 023 Vol II S 16 Zero gas and at least three upscale points Note two pages from Section 2 4 Calibration Procedures of Vol H MS 2 9 2 are missing from the 1994 reprinting of the QA Handbook If calibration updated at each zero span Invalidate data to last acceptable check adjust analyzer perform multipoint calibration If fixed calibration used to calculate data Invalidate data to last acceptable check adjust analyzer perform multipoint calibration Flowmeter calibration should be traceable to NIST standards Use information to inform reporting agency for corrective action and technical systems audits Concentration 0 08 0 10 ppm Four concentration ranges If failure recalibrate and reanalyze Repeated failure requires corrective action The use of S refers to sections within Part 1 of Volume II The use of MS refers to method specific Shelter Temperature Temperature range Temperature control Equipment CO analyzer Flow controllers
465. t and allow the gas to purge the regulator Repeat steps 2 and 3 five more times then close the gas exit port and open the cylinder valve The regulator should remain under pressure Connect the gas cylinder to the audit device Repeat the procedure for each cylinder Audit sequence Before disconnecting the analyzer from the station manifold mark the data recorder to indicate that an audit is beginning The auditor s name start time date and auditing organization should be recorded If it is not possible to record written comments the start and stop times should be recorded to preclude the use of audit data as monitoring data After recording these data disconnect the analyzer sample line from the station manifold and connect it to the audit manifold as shown in Figure A 5 Cap the sample port on the station manifold The audit atmosphere must be introduced through any associated filters or sample pretreatment apparatus to duplicate the path taken by an ambient sample Record the analyzer type and other identification data on the data form Table A 3 Conduct the audit by following steps 1 through 5 below Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 12 of 58 1 Introduce into the audit manifold a J OU LJ U clean dry air gas at a flow rate in i excess of 10 to 50 of the To Analyzers analyzer sample demand Allow the Si Data ee analyzer to sample the clean dry air Aquisition until a stable response is obtained Analyzers in Volts
466. t designation of a method indicates only that it meets certain minimum standards Competitive differences still exist among designated analyzers Some analyzers or methods may have performance operational economic or other advantages over others A careful selection process based on the individual air monitoring application and circumstances is very important Some of the performance tests and other criteria used to qualify a method for designation as a reference or equivalent method are intended only as pass fail tests to determine compliance with the minimum standards Test data may not allow quantitative comparison of one method with another PM Reference and Equivalent Methods All formal sampler design and performance requirements and the operational requirements applicable to reference methods for PM are specified in Appendix L of 40 CFR Part 507 EPA 1997a These requirements are quite specific and include explicit design specifications for the type of sampler the type of Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 13 of 14 filter the sample flow rate and the construction of the sample collecting components However various designs for the flow rate control system the filter holder the operator interface controls and the exterior housing are possible Hence various reference method samplers from different manufacturers may vary considerably in appearance and operation Also a reference method may have a single filte
467. t I Section No 16 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 4 Table 16 2 Sources of Information for Preparing Reports to Management Information Source Expected Information and Usefulness State implementation plan Types of monitors locations and sampling schedule Quality assurance program and project plans Data quality indicators and goals for precision accuracy completeness timeliness Quality objectives for measurement data document Quality objectives for measurement data Audit procedures and frequency Laboratory and field instrument maintenance logbooks Record of maintenance activity synopsis of failures recommendations for equipment overhaul or replacement Laboratory weighing room records of temperature humidity A record of whether or not environmental control in the weighing room is adequate to meet goals Audit results NPAP local etc Results of audit tests on ambient air pollutant measurement devices 16 1 3 Methods of Presenting Information Reports to Management are most effective when the information is given in a succinct well summarized fashion Methods useful for distilling and presenting information in ways that are easy to comprehend are listed in Table 16 3 Several of these methods will be available on line in the revised AIRS database others are available in commercially available statistical and spreadsheet computer programs Table 16 3 Presentation Methods for Use in Reports to Management Written text
468. t a value within the data quality objectives Documentation for environmental data operations would include gt QA Project Plans Documents how environmental data operations are planned implemented and assessed during the life cycle of a program project or task See below gt Standard operating procedures SOPs Written documents that detail the method for an operation analysis or action with thoroughly prescribed techniques and steps See Section 9 and below gt Field and laboratory notebooks Any documentation that may provide additional information about the environmental data operation e g calibration notebooks temperature records site notes maintenance records etc See below gt Sample handling custody records Records tracing sample handling from the site through analysis including transportation to facilities sample storage and handling between individuals within facilities Section 12 provides more information on this activity Quality Assurance Project Plans As mentioned in the assistance agreement sections of 40 CFR parts 30 54 Non State an Local Gov and 31 45 State and Local Gov quality assurance programs must be established In addition to the grant requirements 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A states that each quality assurance program must be described in detail in accordance with the EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Environmental Data Operations Standard operating proc
469. t are not limited to gt software source code gt software and or hardware acceptance tests gt records Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 13 gt hardware maintenance records gt records of problems and corrective actions gt records of qa activities inspections etc gt records of backups and recoveries 14 1 12 Reporting Reporting will be discussed in Section 14 2 14 1 13 Systematic Data Management An orderly process of data management based on the analysis of all data handling procedures and their interrelationships is sometimes referred to as a systems approach This kind of systematic overview of the total data function is accomplished in three phases gt surveying current and future reporting requirements gt outlining the present routine flow of data within and outside the agency gt redesigning the current system to allow maximum functional overlap of filing and retrieval routines A survey of current reporting requirements involves summarizing and categorizing the reports currently required and their important data elements The purpose of this analysis is to identify report elements that require similar input to allow optimum scheduling and to differentiate between required reports and those provided as a service Future reporting requirements will be based on projected legal requirements projected developments of systems for communicating with various data banks and proje
470. t is until the response does not vary more than 12 of 2 0 15 0 20 the measurement range over a 5 min period Obtain the station 3 0 35 0 45 response and concentration from the station operator and record the 4 0 80 0 90 data in the appropriate blanks on the data form 2 Generate SLAMS audit concentrations which are compatible with the analyzer range as audit atmos pheres consistent with the requirements in Appendix A Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 58 Generate the concentrations by adjusting the dilution air flow rate Fp and the permeation device air flow rate Fo to provide the necessary dilution factor Calculate the concentrations as follows 3 S0 x 3 82 x 10 Equation 1 1 C D where SO SO audit concentration ppm Pp permeation flow rate at the specified temperature ug SO min Fc carrier flow rate over the permeation tube standard liters min and Fp diluent air flow rate standard liters min 10 converts liters to m and the 3 82 x 10 converts ug SO cm to ppm SO at 25 C and 760 mm Hg 3 Generate the highest audit concentration first and consecutively generate audit points of decreasing concentration Allow the analyzer to sample the audit atmosphere until a stable response is obtained Obtain the station response and concentration from the station operator and record the data in the appropriate spaces in Table A 2 4 If desired additional points at upscale c
471. t of submission of data to EPA Please provide below a data flow diagram indicating both the data flow within the reporting organization and the data received from the various local agencies b Are data handling and data reduction procedures documented c In what format and medium are data submitted to data processing section Please provide separate entry for each reporting organization Reporting Organization Data Format Medium Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 35 of 50 d How often are data received at the processing center from the field sites and laboratory at least once a week every l 2 weeks once a month e Is there documentation accompanying the data regarding any media changes transcriptions and or flags which have been placed into the data before data are released to agency internal data processing Describe How are the data actually entered to the computer system Digitization of stripcharts Manual or computerized transcriptions Other g Is a double key entry system used for data at the processing center duplicate card decks prepared re ame If no why not h Have special data handling procedures been adopted for air If yes provide brief description pollution episodes 2 Software Documentation K b Does the agency have the PARS user s guide available E en c Does the Data Management Section have complete software If yes indicate the implementation date and latest
472. t of the analyzer s system cannot provide information about the portions of the system not checked and therefore cannot be used as a verification of the overall analyzer calibration 12 5 Physical Zero and Span Adjustments Almost all ambient monitoring instruments have physical means by which to make zero and span ad justments These adjustments are used to obtain the desired nominal scale range within the instruments specifications to provide convenient nominal scale units and to periodically adjust the instruments re sponse to correct for calibration drift Note NO NO NOy analyzers may not have individual zero and span controls for each channel If that is the case the zero and span controls must be adjusted only under the con ditions specified in the calibration procedure provided in the analyzer s operation instruction manual Precise adjustment of the zero and span controls may not be possible because of 1 limited resolution of the controls 2 interaction between the zero and span controls and 3 possible delayed reaction to ad justment or a substantial stabilization period after adjustments are made Precise adjustments may not be necessary because calibration of the analyzer following zero and span adjustments will define the precise response characteristic calibration curve Accordingly zero and span adjustments must always be followed by a calibration Allow sufficient time between the adjustments and the calibration
473. t out of date 450 3 75 077 September 1975 Selecting Sites for Monitoring Total Suspended Historical interest only Particulates EPA 450 3 77 018 December 1977 Site Selection for the Monitoring of Photochemical Air Need for revision partially met through PAMS Pollutants EPA 450 3 78 013 April 1978 Implementation Manual EPA 454 8 98 05 1 Ambient Air Monitoring Methods Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations Implementation Manual EPA 454 B 93 051 October 1994 Technical Assistance Document for Sampling and Currently being revised sections being included in Analysis of Toxic Organic Compounds in Ambient Air PAMS Implementation Manual EPA 600 8 90 005 March 1990 EPA QA G 6 Guidance for the Preparation of Standard Operating Procedures for Quality Related Operations Final EPA 600 R 96 027 November 1995 Ambient Air Monitoring Costs Guidance for Estimating Ambient Air Monitoring Costs Partially out of date need longer amortization for Criteria Pollutants and Selected Air Toxic Pollutants schedule EPA 454 R 93 042 October 1993 Ambient Monitoring Guidelines for Prevention of Partially out of date Significant Deterioration PSD EPA 450 4 87 007 May 1987 EPA Traceability Protocol for Assay and Certification of Current guidance Gaseous Calibration Standards EPA 600 R 93 224 Revised September 1993 Guidebook Preparation and Review of Emission Test Current guidance Reports January 10 1992 Guidebook Preparat
474. t point source Short term impact points Using procedures for isolated point source monitoring appropriate meteorological data and emission rates determine the locations of peak 3 and 24 hour impact points Select siting areas close to peak concentration points as possible From inventory maps or survey identify all source points in the upwind directions from each prospective monitoring site up to 200 meters out from the site The upwind directions are toward the subject point source locations from each monitoring site plus other directions for the annual impact point station Construct 10 degree plume sectors from each source in the downwind direction for all source points previously identified Eliminate specific sites located within 10 degrees plume sectors and buildings with stacks from consideration Choose sites such that impacts from SO2 sources in other directions are minimized Annual impact point site From wind statistics determine frequency of downwind conditions Do mobile sampling either as routine or to adjust permanent site location Part I Appendix 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page of 7 Appendix 12 Calibration of Primary and Secondary Standards for Flow Measurements Part I Appendix 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 7 Calibration of Primary and Secondary Standards for Flow Measurements 1 Introd
475. ta Quality Objectives for the Toxic Air Monitoring Historical interest only System Stages I and IT December 1987 Data Quality Objectives for the Urban Air Toxic Historical interest only Monitoring Program Stages I and IT June 6 1988 Guidance on Applying the Data Quality Objectives Basically current guidance Process for Ambient Air Monitoring Around Superfund Sites Stages I and IT EPA 450 4 89 015 August 1989 Guidance on Applying the Data Quality Objectives Basically current guidance Process for Ambient Air Monitoring Around Superfund Sites Stage IIT EPA 450 4 90 005 March 1990 Decision Error Feasibility Trials DEFT Software for the Final September 1994 Data Quality Objectives Process QA G 4D EPA 600 R 96 056 The Data Quality Objectives Process Case Studies EPA Expected to be available in Fall 1998 QA G 4CS Guidance for the Data Quality Objectives Process U S Final September 1994 QA G 4 EPA 600 R 96 055 Ambient Air Monitoring Data Quality Objectives DQOs Incorporated DQOs in PAMS Implementation Manual for the Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations Program preliminary draft report July 9 1992 Hunike Elizabeth T and Joseph B Elkins The National Historical interest only not a policy or guidance Performance Audit Program NPAP EPA 600 A 93 document 143 1993 Hunike Elizabeth T Standard Operating Procedure for Current Performing the Routine Activities of the AREAL Coordina
476. tal Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 27711 September 1979 Michie R M Jr F F McElroy J A Sokash V L Thompson and B P Fritschel Performance Test Results and Comparative Data for Designated Reference and Equivalent Methods for Nitrogen Dioxide EPA 600 4 83019 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 27711 June 1983 Michie R M Jr F F McElroy F W Sexton and V L Thompson Performance Test Results and Comparative Data for Designated Equivalent Methods for Sulfur Dioxide EPA600 4 84 015 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 27711 January 1984 Michie R M Jr F F McElroy J A Sokash V L Thompson D P Dayton and C R Sutcliffe Performance Test Results and Comparative Data for Designated Reference Methods for Carbon Monoxide EPA 600 4 83 013 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park NC 27711 June 1983 On Site Meteorological Instrumentation Requirements to Characterize Diffusion from Point Sources EPA 600 9 81 020 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina 1981 On Site Meteorological Program Guidance for Regulatory Modeling Applications EPA 450 4 87 013 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina 1987 Optimum Sampling Site Exposure Criteria for Lead EPA 450 4 84 012 February 1984 Optimum Site Exposure Criteria for SO2 Monitoring EPA 450 3 77 013 Apri
477. te a monitoring network at optimal levels Some typical routine operations are detailed in Table 11 1 Table 11 1 Routine Operations Visit PrintData O X So o Mark Charts O X Sooo o Check Exterior X Change Filters J x J f Drain Compressor S x o LeakTest o S a e o Check Desiccant J o Sooo O X _Inspecttubing So S X Inspect manifold and cane f f o connections In addition to these items the exterior of the building sample cane meteorological instruments and tower entry door electrical cables and any other items deemed necessary to check should be inspected for wear corrosion and weathering Costly repairs can be avoided in this manner Part I Section 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 13 12 Instrument Calibration and Frequency Prior to the implementation of a sampling and analysis program a variety of sampling and analysis equip ment must be calibrated All data and calculations involved in these calibration activities should be recorded in a calibration log book It is suggested that this log be arranged so that a separate section is designated for each apparatus and sampler used in the program In some cases reagents are prepared prior to sampling Some of these reagents will be used to calibrate the equipment while others will become an integral part of the sample itself In any case their integrity must be carefully maintained from preparation through analysis If there are any doubts
478. te s inlet probe is determined by applying an ozone correction factor to the net display reading from the Dasibi 1009 CP then applying the altitude correction factor if applicable and multiplying by the line loss correction factor one minus the line loss percentage as indicated by the following formula True Ozone ppm O3 Display Response ppm O3 Zero Response ppm x Ozone Calibration Correction Factor x Altitude Correction Factor x Line Loss Correction Factor NOTE If the audit van uses the API 400 ozone analyzer to measure the ozone generated by the Dasibi 1009 CP true ozone is determined by applying an ozone correction factor to the net display reading from the API 400 ozone analyzer then multiplying by the line loss correction factor True Ozone ppm O3 Display Response O3 Zero Response ppm x Ozone Calibration Correction Factor x Line Loss Correction Factor 1 If not in Option 1 VAN OZONE of the Data Entry Menu return there and enter the current barometric pressure The barometric pressure is taken from the reading of the barometric pressure display Enter the display reading on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 and into the computer NOTE If the API 400 Ozone Analyzer is being used to measure the true ozone Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 15 of 35 concentration enter A when prompted to do so The API 400 ozone analyze
479. ternal reports used to track performance and corrective action implementation Summary air data reports required by regulations Completeness legibility and validity of P amp A data on Form 1 QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol Section 2 0 3 QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol ll Section 2 0 9 QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol Sections 2 0 3 and 2 0 9 Validation of Air Monitoring Data EPA 600 4 80 030 Screening Procedures for Ambient Air Quality Data EPA450 2 78 037 QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol Section 2 0 9 AQS Manual Series Vol Il AIRS User s Manual EPA 40 CFR 58 Appendix A and QAMS 005 80 QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol ll Sections 2 0 16 and 2 0 12 40 CFR 58 Appendix A QA Handbook for Air Pollution Measurement Systems Vol ll Section 2 0 10 40 CFR 58 Appendix A PARS User s Manual in preparation 40 CFR 58 Appendix A 40 CFR 58 Appendices F and G 40 CFR 58 Appendix A Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 9 of 50 Systems Audit Long Form Questionnaire A Network Management 1 General 2 Network Design and Siting 3 Organization Staffing and Training 4 Facilities B Field Operations 1 Routine Operations 2 Quality Control 3 Preventative Maintenance 4 Record Keeping 5 Data Acquisition and Handling C Laboratory Operations 1 Routine Operations 2 Quality Cont
480. the barometric pressure transducer Turn on the power to the gas calibrator API 400 ozone analyzer and the CO analyzer Press the air switch on the Dasibi 1009 CP to the ON position Turn on the power to chart recorder and press START STOP The chart recorder will log in with the current time and the channels that are in use Ensure that the yellow POWER light is lit to indicate the logging mode if not press START STOP again Drain all water from the two 2 compressed air water traps located on the back of the Aadco Allow a one hour warm up time for the Dasibi 1009 CP Allow a 2 1 2 hour warm up time for the TECO 48 Volume V Section E 1 1 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 9 of 35 E 1 1 3 SITE SET UP 1 Attach approximately 2 to 5 feet of 1 4 teflon tubing to the open end of the 150 foot audit gas presentation line if necessary This will depend on the site s inlet probe configuration 2 Check the Aadco compressor and all cooling fans for normal operation Recheck and purge any residual water from the water traps 3 Ensure that the air switch on the Dasibi 1009 CP is in the ON position and the air flow thumbwheel is set to obtain a flow of 25 0 liters per minute lpm 4 Record the site name site number date air monitoring personnel present and the auditors names on the van and site charts 5 Before taking the line up to the site s inlet probe measure the van s output
481. the computer and equipment room to lessen the load on the heating or cooling equipment All air quality instrumentation should be located in an instrument rack or equivalent The instruments and their support equipment are placed on sliding trays or rails By placing the racks away from the wall the rear of the instruments are accessible The trays or rails allows the site operators access to the instruments without removing them from the racks Most instrument vendors offer sliding rails as an optional purchase 7 1 2 Sampling Environment A proper sampling environment demands control of all physical parameters external to the samples that might affect sample stability chemical reactions within the sampler or the function of sampler components The important parameters to be controlled are summarized in Table 7 1 Part I Section 7 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 14 Table 7 1 Environment Control Parameters Parameter Source of specification Method of Control Instrument vibration Manufacturer s specifications Design of instrument housings benches etc per manufacturer s specifications Light Method description or Shield chemicals or instruments that can be affected by manufacturer s specifications natural or artificial light Electrical voltage Method description or Constant voltage transformers or regulators separate manufacturer s specifications power lines isolated high current drain equipment such as hi v
482. the results of external performance audits for PM and lead performed with the National Performance Audit Program NPAP which is administered by the U S EPA 10 8 6 4 2 Figure 6 NPAP Measurement Audit Results for Particulate Criteria Pollutants as un a o cca 6 samplers 4 4 5 audit samples audited 6 4 8 4 10 Lead PM2 5 Lower probability limit Upper probability limit System Audits Systems audits were performed at approximately one fourth of the sites and at the central analytical laboratory during calendar year 2000 These audits evaluated areas such as siting criteria equipment operation and maintenance operator training recordkeeping and served as a general review of site operations No significant problems were observed except for the following gt The Towntwo site was shadowed by a 20 story office building which was recently completed This site was closed in July 2000 gt The Townfour site had problems with repeated vandalism A new more secure fence was installed in April and the sheriff s department increased patrols in the area to prevent reoccurrences No significant problems were found in the laboratory audits except for failure to keep maintenance logs on several newly acquired analytical instruments New logs were obtained and personnel instructed on their use A spot check approximately one month later indicated the
483. the user access to the screening file during the updating activity UPDATE changes values and files on the AIRS database identified during the SCAN process This process also removes any transactions from the screening file that have been updated and releases the screening file back to the user 14 3 2 Processing of Quality Assurance Information It is of the utmost importance that all precision and accuracy assessment readings from an analyzer be processed exactly as ambient readings recorded at that time would be processed Many automated data acquisition and processing systems do not include provision for handling such extra readings and this capability may be difficult to incorporate into such systems unless it is done in the early planning stage External or hand processing of such readings should be discouraged unless it is done with extreme care and assurance that processing is identical to the way ambient readings are processed by the automated system Perhaps the best way to handle such readings is to enter them into the automatic processing system in such a way that the system thinks they are actual ambient readings and processes them accordingly After processing the readings can be removed from the final ambient data listing and used in the data quality assessment calculations 14 3 3 Non Programmed Adjustments to Ambient Data Adjustments to ambient data made routinely according to a documented pre established procedure pro grammed
484. themselves Measurements in this category would represent conditions throughout some reasonably homogeneous urban subregion with dimensions of a few kilometers This category also includes industrial and commercial neighborhoods as well as residential This class of measurement would be made to characterize the particulate matter concentration over an entire metropolitan or rural area Such measurements would be useful for assessing trends in area wide air quality and hence the effectiveness of large scale air pollution control strategies These measurements would characterize conditions over areas with dimensions of as much as hundreds of kilometers Using representative conditions for an area implies some degree of homogeneity in that area For this reason regional scale measurements would be most applicable to sparsely populated areas with reasonably uniform ground cover Data characteristics of this scale would provide information about larger scale processes of particulate matter emissions losses and transport Areas such as downtown street canyons and traffic corridors where the general public can be expected to be exposed to maximum concentrations from mobile sources In some circumstances the microscale is appropriate for particulate stations core SLAMS on the microscale should however be limited to urban sites that are representative of long term human exposure and of many such microenvironments in the area Measurements of this type wou
485. tically Since data will be transferred to a central repository the Aerometric Information Retrieval System AIRS any formatting accomplished at the local level that enhances the ease of transferring the data to the central data structure will be most advantageous The procedures for transmitting data to the AIRS data base can be found in section 14 2 and 14 3 14 1 9 Raw Data Raw data are worksheets records memoranda notes or exact copies thereof that are the result of original observations and activities of a study and are necessary for the reconstruction and evaluation of that study Raw data may include photographs microfilm or microfiche copies computer printouts magnetic media and recorded data from automated instruments 40 CFR 792 3 Data entered into a system directly by keyboard or automatically by lab test devices are considered raw data Organizations should define raw data above this minimum and make provisions for their storage and retrieval 14 1 10 Data Transfer Data transfer is discussed in more detail in Sections 14 2 and 14 3 14 1 11 Records and Archive As mentioned in Section 5 all raw data documentation and records should be retained for an appropriate period of time Correspondence and other documentation relating to interpretation and evaluation of data collected analyzed processed or maintained on automated data collection systems should also be retained Other records to be maintained include bu
486. tinction between raw and processed data gt entry of data gt verification of manually or electronically input data gt interpretation of error codes flags and corrective action gt changing data gt data analysis processing transfer storage and retrieval gt backup and recovery gt electronic reporting if applicable 14 1 7 Software Software either developed internally or off the shelf must accurately perform its intended function Tests of the software prior to implementation should occur and be documented Algorithms should be checked Part I Section 14 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 13 and source code reviewed as part of the process Source code including processing comments should be archived Procedures for reporting software problems and corrective action should be in place 14 1 8 Data Entry Formatting Organizations using information management systems should ensure that data input is traceable to the person entering it Also instruments transmitting data to the system should be identified It should be possible to trace each record transmitted back to the source instrument including the date and time of generation Any change in data entry after initial entry should have an audit trail which indicates the new value the old value a reason for change and person who entered the change As part of a organizations QAPP procedures should exist for validating the data entered manually or automa
487. tion being audited has an operating THC CH4 analyzer If the station has an SO2 analyzer interference for SO2 can also be checked at the same time 9 Press the GAS thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP to OFF Switch the Dasibi 1009 CP internal pump to the OFF position If the Station being audited has a Ozone Analyzer disconnect the line from the sample distribution manifold and cap off the open port Turn the AADCO CYLINDER Valve on the front of the audit van s instrument rack to the CYLINDER position Turn the pressure valve on the Meta xylene compressed gas cylinder to the OPEN position Increase the regulator pressure until the pressure gauge on the front of the van s instrument rack reads between 15 and 20 psi Record the station s response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet when the readings have stabilized and enter them into the computer Turn the pressure valve on the Meta Xylene cylinder to the OFF position Turn the AADCO CYLINDER valve back to the AADCO position Switch the Dasibi 1009 CP internal pump back to the ON position 10 Reconnect the station Ozone analyzer 11 When the station s zero response has stabilized take ten consecutive readings and record the average of the ten readings on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet Enter the response into the computer Volume V Section E 1 2 Revision 4 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 8 98 Page 24 of 35
488. tives Parameter CO Nondispersive Infrared Photometry Calibration Multipoint calibration at least 5 points Zero span check level 1 Flowmeters Performance Evaluation NPAP State audits Precision Single analyzer Reporting organization Accuracy Single analyzer Reporting organization Upon receipt adjustment or 1 6 months 1 2 weeks 1 3 months 1 year at selected sites 1 year 1 2 weeks 1 3 months 25 of sites quarterly all sites yearly All points within 2 of full scale of best fit straight line Zero drift 2to3 ppm Span drift 20 to 25 Zero drift 1 to 1 5 ppm Span drift 15 Accuracy 2 Mean absolute difference 15 State requirements None 95 CI 15 None 95 CI 20 Vol II S 12 6 Vol I MS 2 6 1 Vol II S 12 6 Vol II S 12 6 Vol II App 12 Vol II S 16 3 Vol II pp 15 S 3 40 CFR Pt 58 App A EPA 600 4 83 023 Vol II App 15 S 5 40 CFR Pt 58 App A Zero gas and at least four upscale calibration points Points outside acceptance criterion are repeated If still outside criterion consult manufacturers manual and invalidate data to last acceptable calibration If calibration updated at each zero span invalidate data to last acceptable check adjust analyzer perform multipoint calibration If fixed calibration used to calculate data invalidate data to last acceptable check adjust analyzer perform multipoint calibr
489. tivities Figure 15 2 Pre audit activities gt on site audit activities gt post audit activities Summary activity flow diagrams have been included as Figures 15 2 15 3 and 15 5 respectively The reader may find it useful to refer to these diagrams while reading this guidance 15 3 1 Pre Audit Activities At the beginning of each fiscal year the audit lead or a designated member of the audit team should establish a tentative schedule for on site systems audits of the agencies within their Region It is suggested that the audit lead develop an audit plan This plan should address the elements listed in Table 15 2 The audit plan is not a major undertaking and in most cases will be a one page table or report However the document Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 10 of 15 represents thoughtful and conscious planning for an efficient and successful audit The audit plan should be made available to the organization audited with adequate lead time to ensure that appropriate personnel and documents are available for the audit Three months prior to the audit the audit lead should contact the quality assurance officer QAO of the organization to be audited to coordinate specific dates and schedules for the on site audit visit During this initial contact the audit lead should arrange a tentative schedule for meetings with key personnel as well as for inspection of selected ambient air quality monitoring and measure me
490. to establish a stable trace on the chart recorder for at least 10 minutes When the trace has stabilized take ten 10 consecutive readings from the Dasibi 1009 CP display and record them on the Quarterly Line Loss Test Form Figure E 1 5 1 10 Repeat steps 6 through 9 for a total of three readings 11 Adjust the ozone thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP to achieve Level 1 Table E 1 2 1 concentrations of ozone This setting is usually between 30 and 60 on the MAN thumbwheel Press the ozone switch ON 12 Repeat steps 6 through 9 for a total of three readings 13 Adjust the ozone thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP to achieve Level 2 Table E 1 2 1 concentrations of ozone This setting is usually between 20 and 40 on the MAN thumbwheel 14 Repeat steps 6 through 9 for a total of three readings Volume V Section E 1 5 Revision 5 November 1 1995 Appendix 15 Section 4 Date 9 4 98 Page 33 of 35 15 Adjust the ozone thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP to achieve Level 3 Table E 1 2 1 concentrations of ozone This setting is usually between 10 and 20 on the MAN thumbwheel 16 Repeat steps 6 through 9 for a total of three readings 17 To figure the quarterly line loss total the readings for the INSIDE line for each level and divide this total by the number of readings Record the results under the average for that level Repeat this process for the OUTSIDE line Add the zero correction to each level to arrive at the corrected r
491. tor and record the data and the photometer response in the appropriate spaces in table A 7 3 Generate the following SLAMS audit concentrations which are compatible with the analyzer range as audit atmospheres consistent with the Appendix A requirements Record ten consecutive display updates of the photometer for each audit point Calculate and record the mean of these ten updates Record the station Audit point Concentration range ppm ae i a analyzer response Both the photometer and station DEN analyzer readings should be taken only after a stable i a g 90 response is exhibited by both instruments Calculate the audit concentrations 0 Rp Rz Equation 1 22 where O the audit concentration of O3 ppm Rp the mean of the 10 photometer display updates and Rz the average photometer clean dry air offset 4 Generate the highest audit concentration level first by adjusting the O output of the generator the amount of dilution air or the amount of clean dry air flowing through the generator Then consecutively generate the decreasing concentrations 5 If desired additional points at upscale concentrations different from those specified in step 3 may be gen erated Generation of these audit concentrations plus a post audit clean dry air response will enhance the statistical significance of the audit data regression analysis 6 After supplying all audit concentrations and recording all data
492. tor of the National Performance Audit Program U S Environmental Protection Agency AREAL Office of Research and Development AREAL RTP SOP QAD 553 September 1993 Part I Appendix 2 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 4 of 7 DOCUMENT TITLE STATUS Quality Assurance Project Plan for the National Revision of the NPAP QAPP Performance Audit Program NPAP U S Environmental Protection Agency September 15 1993 Includes the following Standard Operating Procedures SOP QAD 004 Audit Systems Verification Center Operational Procedures SOP QAD 508 Calibration of ReF Devices for Surveying Performance of Hi Vol Sampler Flow Rates SOP QAD 510 Conducting the Lead NPAP Audit SOP QAD 512 Calibration of a Pulsed Fluorescent SO2 Analyzer SOP QAD 520 SO2 Audit Device Calibration SOP QAD 521 Conducting the Sulfate Nitrate NPAP Audit SOP QAD 523 Analysis of NO NO2 NOx in Gas Cylinders SOP QAD 542 NO2 Audit Device Quality Assurance Operation Checks SOP QAD 543 Quality Assurance Checks of Dichot PM 10 Audit Devices SOP QAD 544 Conducting an Ozone National Performance Audit SOP QAD 546 Computer Data Entry Report Printing and Maintenance for the NPAP SOP QAD 547 Conducting Performance Audits for Carbon Monoxide SOP QAD 548 Data Validation for Data Bases of the NPAP SOP QAD 549 Analysis of CO in Gas Cylinders with GFC Analysis SOP QAD 55 1 Editing NPAP Data Bases SOP QAD 553 Performing the Routine Activities o
493. toring QA Program wwe eee eee Effect of positive bias on the annual average estimate resulting in a false positive decision error Effect of negative bias on the annual average estimate resulting in a false negative decision error Hierarchy of regulations and guidance wk ke eee nunne EPA QA Division Guidance Documents 6 de eee eee eee eens Wind rose pattemn matiaoi oses oa cee oo ek Oa eG DE eS Oe Ce ee R Example desten for shelter sera aii nE E saya td E E tide Hiss entig die Meececsy Caden wicca Vertical laminar flow manifold 6 cece cee eee Conventional manifold system wc KEk K KE eens Alternate manifold Systemi S oteras o4 ots Sees ee eG Oe OE Oe VE Ow ee A Positions of calibration line in sampling manifold ws ee ene Acceptable areas for PM10 and PM2 5 micro middle neighborhood and urban samplers except for microscale street canyon SiteS soe ne eee cece E E nee E e Ee Opticalimounting platiorm sooro Ba ccer ee ted dee eee es eee Ee eee oes ee Ses Example samplelab le cach ant A n itis etnias ah eta ta ee as ae Rea ee a es Example field chain of custody form 6 ee ccc nunne Example laboratory chain of custody form wk eee cee cette eens Flow diagram of the acceptance of routine data values 6 ee eee ee eee Types of quality control and quality assessment activities 6 eee eee eee Examples of simple zero and span control charts 6 eee eee eee Suggested zero and span drift limits when calibration is used to calculate measurement
494. transferred and stored in AIRS As stated in 40 CFR Part 58 the State shall report all criteria pollutant data and information specified by the AIRS Users Guide Volume II Air Quality Data Coding and Volume III Air Quality Data Storage to be coded into the AIRS AQS Format The following sections provides some information on these requirements 14 2 1 Standard Forms for Reporting Data forms are used to provide a consistent format for recording information that will eventually be entered into an electronic data base Examples of standard forms and procedures to be followed in completing these forms can be found in the appropriate AIRS AQS manuals but any form can be generated by the State and local organization as long as the appropriate data is submitted to AIRS If computer techniques are used for recording results the computer system must be designed to maintain compatibility between the AIRS station codes and the codes used by the computer program Whenever station parameters change or when a station is moved updated site identification information should be submitted to the AIRS Identification errors can be avoided by preprinting entry forms with the station identification If this technique is adopted control must be employed to be certain that unused forms are discarded and new ones printed when the station identification changes Preprinting the pollutant I D and the proper decimal points Table 14 1 for that pollutant on th
495. ts can be cut into the pipe at any location and if unused can be plugged with stoppers of similar composition gt metal poses no breakage hazard gt there is less potential for sample contamination than there is with smaller tubes Conventional manifold design In practice it may be difficult to achieve vertical laminar flow because of the elbows within the intake manifold system Therefore a conventional horizontal manifold system should be constructed of inert materials such as Pyrex glass and or Teflon and in modular sections to enable frequent cleaning The system Figure 7 3 consists of a vertical candy cane protruding through the roof of the shelter with a horizontal sampling manifold connected by a tee to the vertical section Connected to the other vertical outlet of the tee is a bottle for collecting heavy particles and moisture before they enter the horizontal section A small blower 1700 L min at 0 cm of water at static pressure is at the exhaust end of the system to provide a flow through the system of approximately 85 to 140 L min Particulate monitoring instruments such as nephelometers each have separate intake probes that are as short and as straight as possible to avoid particulate losses due to impaction on the walls of the probe F 2m 3 60Ft Figure 7 3 Conventional manifold system Borosilicate Glass Sample Cane 1m Roof Insulated R 19 PVC Pipe Teflon Ferrule I FEP Teflon Tubing to Analyzers
496. ty Assurance Division quality assurance manager quality assurance officer quality assurance project plan quality management plan Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Standing Air Monitoring Workgroup Source Characterization Group State Implementation Plans servicing information resources management officer state and local monitoring stations standard operating procedure statement or scope of work special purpose monitoring stations system operator technical system audit total suspended solids volatile organic compound Work Assignment Manager Part I Introduction Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page of 2 0 Introduction 0 1 Intent of the Handbook This document is Volume II of a 5 volume quality assurance QA handbook series dedicated to air pollution measurement systems Volume I provides general QA guidance that is pertinent to the four remaining volumes Volume II is dedicated to the Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Program and the data collection activities of that program This guidance is one element of a quality management system whose goal is to ensure that the Ambient Air Quality Surveillance Program provides data of a quality that meets the program objectives and is implemented consistently across the Nation The intent of the Handbook is twofold First the document is written for technical personnel at State and local monitoring agencies to assist them in developing and implementing a quality system for the Ambi
497. uction Air pollution monitoring quality control procedures call for flow calibrations to be performed on field calibration devices These field standard calibration units require a mass flow or volumetric flow calibration to ascertain the final concentration of the gas This appendix will examine the how to obtain a flow device that is traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology NIST This discussion will also discuss secondary and primary standards and the establishment of their traceability 2 Definitions Traceability This term is defined in 40 CFR Parts 50 and 58 as meaning that a local standard has been compared and certified either directly or via not more than one intermediate standard to a primary standard such as a National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material NIST SRM Primary Standard This is a flow device that is certified to be directly traceable to the NIST SRM These devices usually provide paperwork that proves that the device is traceable Bubblemeters volumetric burettes and some piston devices can be considered to be primary standards Check with the vendor for certification of a primary standard The primary standard should remain in the central laboratory and not be moved Transfer Standard A transfer standard is a device that is certified against a primary standard These standards usually travel to monitoring stations Transfer standards can be volumetric ele
498. udit b Slope m _ Intercept b _ Correlation r Converter efficiency Point Number NO cony ppm Percent converter efficiency Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 30 of 58 4 Carbon Monoxide Audit Procedure Using Dynamic Dilution of a Gas Cylinder 4 1 Principle A dynamic calibration system used to generate CO concentrations for auditing continuous ambient analyzers consists of diluting a CO gas cylinder with clean dry air 4 2 Applicability Dynamic dilution can be used to audit all types of CO analyzers CO concentrations in the range of 0 to 100 ppm can be generated 4 3 Accuracy The accuracy of the audit procedure should be within 2 5 if the CO gas cylinder concen tration is referenced and if gas flow rates are determined using recommended procedures 4 4 Apparatus An audit system which uses a fw FOUNI f dynamic dilution device to ee generate audit Glean Dry concentrations is illustrated in Figure A 8 The seven components of ene Flowmeter Tube and Oven the system are discussed below Output Manifold 1 Gas cylinder regulator A brass regulator is acceptable A low dead Being Audited space two stage regulator should be used to achieve rapid equilibration T Lo WI Extra Outlets Capped To Inlet of Analyzer When Not in Use Figure A 8 Schematic diagram of a dilution audit system 2 Flow controllers
499. udit systems It uses the same zero air generation system as the GDS the ozone generation system of the TECO 165 and a gas cylinder containing approximately 3000 ppm carbon monoxide 30 ppm sulfur dioxide and 30 ppm nitric oxide The ozone generation system is used with the pollutant gas to convert nitric oxide to nitrogen dioxide via a gas phase titration Part I Section 15 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 7 of 15 PAMS Volatile Organic Compound VOC Audit This audit uses a gas transfer system GTS stock concentrated compressed gas mixtures containing PAMS compounds and 1 5L compressed gas audit cylinders The stock mixtures are mixed and diluted using the GTS and the resulting mixture is placed in the 1 5L audit cylinders These audit cylinders are pressurized to 800 1000 psi to yield recoverable gas volumes of 60 to 80 L Three audits are scheduled for each year Each of the 22 PAMS agencies receives one cylinder for each audit The cylinders contain between 15 and 35 PAMS analytes at concentrations from 10 to 60 ppbv as carbon The PAMS VOC audit was added to the NPAP in 1995 There are plans to phase out the treated aluminum cylinders for replacement with humidified SUMMA or Silcosteel stainless steel canisters PAMS Carbonyl Compound Audit This audit uses three glass tubes containing dinitrophenylhydrazene DNPH coated silica gel which have been spiked with solutions containing acetone formaldehyde and acetaldehyde Each tu
500. uggested but they could be modified somewhat at the discretion of the monitoring agency There are also other ways to control chart 12 7 Automatic Self Adjusting Analyzers Some air monitoring analyzers are capable of periodically carrying out automatic zero and span calibrations and making their own zero and span self adjustments to predetermined readings How should such automatic zero span calibrations be treated If the automatic zero span calibration meets all the requirements discussed previously for level 1 zero and span calibrations i e traceable standards that pass through the sample inlet and sample conditioning system and both the adjusted and unadjusted zero and span response readings can be obtained from the data recording device then the calibration may be treated Part I Section 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 11 of 13 Calibration updated at each zero span Fixed calibration used to calculate data Span Zero Adjust analyzer and recalibrate Drift Drift Invalidate data adjust and recalibrate analyzer 20 to 30 ppb 420 to 25 10 to 15 ppb 2 to 3 ppm CO 1 to 1 5 ppm CO Analyzer adjustment optional Adjust and recalibrate analyzer Normal analyzer 3 std dev i 3 std dev range i Normal analyzer range Adjustment optional 1 std dev 1 std dev k Analyzer adjustment ik Analyzer adjustment not recommended o not recommended 1 std dev 1 std dev Adjustm
501. ugh any associated filters or sample pretreatment apparatus to duplicate the path taken by an ambient sample Record the analyzer type and other identification data on the data form Table A 5 Conduct the audit as follows 1 Introduce into the audit manifold a clean dry air at a flow rate in excess of 10 to 50 of the analyzer sample demand Allow the analyzer to sample the clean dry air until a stable response is obtained that is until the response does not vary more than 2 of the measurement range over a 5 min period Obtain the station response and concentration from the station operator and record the data in the appropriate spaces on the data form 2 Generate the SLAMS audit concentrations Audit point Concentration Range ppm which are compatible with the analyzer range as audit atmospheres consistent with the Appendix A 1 3 8 requirements 2 15 20 3 35 45 Generate the audit concentrations by adjusting the 4 80 90 pollutant flow rate Fp and the total flow rate F to provide the necessary dilution factor Calculate the audit concentration as follows Fp CO F x CO srp Equation 1 17 T where CO audit concentration of CO ppm Fp pollutant flow rate cm min F total flow rate cm min equal to the sum of the pollutant flow rate Fp and the dilution flow rate F and CO s p concentration of the standard cylinder ppm 3 Generate the highest audit concentration level first and consec
502. uipment should be of appropriate design and capacity to function according to the specifications Guidelines for the minimum hardware specifications of the system should be developed Hardware should be on a maintenance schedule Backup and recovery procedures should be accomplished on a routine basis and should be incorporated into SOPs 14 1 5 Security Information management systems need to be safeguarded against accidental or deliberate gt Modification or destruction of data This relates to maintaining the integrity of the data which would include developing policy procedures for computer use password protection and authorization data entry i e double entry verification checks etc editing and transfer gt Unavailability of data or services Ensuring that data does not get lost i e data backup policies and storage on more than one media or system or that services are not interrupted maintenance of hardware surge protection backup systems gt Unwanted disclosure of data This relates to confidentiality and ensuring that secured or confidential data can not accidentally or deliberately be disclosed 14 1 6 Standard Operating Procedures Standard operating procedures SOPs are protocols for routine activities involved in a data collection activity which generally involve repetitious operations performed in a consistent manner SOPs should be established for gt maintaining system security gt defining raw data dis
503. umentation Experience of the State and local staff plays the major role in the selection of support equipment Preventive maintenance ease of maintenance and general reliability play a crucial role in the selection of support equipment The following examples show some support equipment and some typical features to look for when selecting this equipment gt Calibration Standards Calibration standards are normally two types Mass Flow Controlled MFC or permeation devices See Appendix 12 for details on these type of devices Normally it is recommended that they are 110 VAC compatible with DAS systems for automated calibrations and have true transistor transistor logic TTL gt Data Acquisition Systems DAS It is recommended that DAS have 16 bit logic have modem capabilities allow remote access and control and be able to initiate automated calibrations gt Analog Chart Recorders It is recommended that chart recorders be able to have multi pen capablities accept multi voltage inputs i e be able to accept 1 5 or 10 volt inputs and be programmable gt Instrument Racks Instrument racks should be constructed of steel and be able to accept sliding trays or rails Open racks help to keep instrument temperature down and allow air to circulate through easily Part I Section 11 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 3 of 5 gt Zero Air Systems Zero air systems should be able to deliver 10 liters min of air that is free of contamina
504. ures its integrity Most of the data collected from the Ambient Air Monitoring Program will be collected through automated systems at various facilities These systems must be effectively managed by using a set of guidelines and principles by which adherence will ensure data integrity The EPA has a document entitled Good Automated Laboratory Practices GALP The GALP defines six data management principles 1 DATA The system must provide a method of assuring the integrity of all entered data Communication transfer manipulation and the storage recall process all offer potential for data corruption The demonstration of control necessitates the collection of evidence to prove that the system provides reasonable protection against data corruption 2 FORMULAE The formulas and decision algorithms employed by the system must be accurate and appropriate Users cannot assume that the test or decision criteria are correct those formulas must be inspected and verified 3 AUDIT An audit trail that tracks data entry and modification to the responsible individual is a critical element in the control process The trail generally utilizes a password system or equivalent to identify the person or persons entering a data point and generates a protected file logging all unusual events 4 CHANGE A consistent and appropriate change control procedure capable of tracking the system operation and application software is a critical element in the control p
505. use Atmosphere __ Audit Manifold Exhaust of audit data as monitoring data After recording the data disconnect the analyzer sample line from the station manifold and connect it to the audit manifold as shown in Figure A 11 Cap the sample port on the station manifold The audit atmosphere must be introduced through any as sociated filters or sample pretreatment apparatus to duplicate the path taken by an ambient sample Record the analyzer type and other identification data on the data form Table A 6 Figure A 11 Schematic of configuration in auditing the gas analyzers Conduct the audit as follows 1 Introduce into the audit manifold a zero air gas at a flow rate in excess of 10 to 50 of the analyzer sample demand Allow the analyzer to sample the zero air until a stable response is obtained that is until Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 39 of 58 the response does not vary more than 2 of the measurement range over a 5 min period Obtain the station response and concentration from the station operator and record the data in the appropriate spaces on the data form 2 Generate the SLAMS audit concentrations which are compatible with the analyzer range as audit atmospheres consistent with the Appendix A requirements are 3 Generate the highest audit concentration level first Audit point Concentration range ppm and consecutively generate decreasing concentrations The audit c
506. used as the basis for establishing the quantity and quality of data needed to support the decision This process is discussed in Section 3 Methods Reference methods and measurement principles have been written for each criteria pollutant Since these methods can not be applied to the actual instruments acquired by each State and local organization they should be considered as guidance for detailed standard operating procedures that would be developed as part of an acceptable QA project plan Training Training is a part of any good monitoring program Training activities are discussed in Section 4 Guidance This QA Handbook as well as many other guidance documents have been developed for the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program A list of these documents is included in Appendix 2 2 2 2 Implementation Implementation activities include QA Project Plan QAPP Development Each State and local organization must develop a QAPP The primary purpose of the QAPP is to provide an overview of the project describe the need for the measurements and define QA QC activities to be applied to the project all within a single document The QAPP should be detailed enough to provide a clear description of every aspect of the project and include information for every member of the project staff including samplers lab staff and data reviewers The QAPP facilitates communication among clients data users project staff management and external Part
507. utine basis ae If yes at what frequency r Are there special procedures available for handling and If no comment processing precision accuracy calibrations and span checks If yes provide a brief description Span checks Calibration data Precision data Accuracy data Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 40 of 50 eee eee s Are precision and accuracy data checked each time they are Please comment and or provide a brief description of recorded calculated or transcribed to ensure that incorrect checks performed values are not submitted to EPA t Is a final data processing check performed prior to submission If yes document procedure briefly of any data If no explain Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 41 of 50 5 Internal Reporting a What reports are prepared and submitted as a result of the audits required under 40 CFR Appendix A Please include an example audit report and by attaching a coversheet identify the distribution such reports are given within the agency b What internal reports are prepared and submitted as a result of precision checks also required under 40 CFR 58 Appendix A Report Title Frequency Please include an example of a precision check report and identify the distribution such reports receive within the agency a e O c Do either the audit or precision reports indicated include a If yes identify report s and section numbers discuss
508. utive readings from the appropriate display Step 2 above Record these readings on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet and enter the average of the ten readings into the computer Record the site s Level 2 ozone response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 1 and into the computer under the Station O3 MEDIUM response NOTE Normal Level 3 ozone is a setting between 10 and 20 on the MAN O3 thumbwheel on the Dasibi 1009 CP 6 O3 Audit Point 5 Press the ozone switch to the OFF position When the zero has stabilized take 10 consecutive readings from the the appropriate display Step 2 above and record them on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 Record the average of the ten readings on the worksheet and enter this average into the computer for the Audit Van POST ZERO response Record the site s zero response on the QA Audit Station Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 1 and enter it into the computer under the Station O3 POST ZERO response 7 If the site contains only an ozone analyzer the preliminary ozone audit report may be printed out at this time Refer to Section E 1 3 1 E 1 2 4 CARBON MONOXIDE ANALYZER CALIBRATION The concentrations of CO NO CH4 and SO2 present in the diluted gas is determined by certifying the TECO 48 CO analyzer using Ultrapure air Aadco zero air and NIST traceable span gases in the 45ppm and 7ppm CO ranges then tracing the amount of CO present in the diluted sample as indicated by
509. utively generate audit points of decreasing concentrations Allow the analyzer to sample the audit atmosphere until a stable response is obtained Obtain the station response and concentration from the station operator and record the data in appropriate spaces in Table A 5 4 If desired additional points at upscale concentrations different from those specified in step 2 may be generated Generation of these audit concentrations plus a post audit clean dry air response will enhance the Statistical significance of the audit data regression analysis 5 After supplying all audit sample concentrations and recording all data reconnect the analyzer sample line to the station manifold Make a notation of the audit stop time Have the station operator make a note on the data recorder to indicate the stop time and check all equipment to ensure that it is in order to resume normal monitoring activities Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 33 of 58 4 6 Calculations Record the audit data in the appropriate spaces of Table A 4 Percent difference The difference is calculated as follows C difference a x 100 A Equation 1 18 where Cy station measured concentration ppm and C calculated audit concentration ppm Regression analysis Calculate by least squares the slope intercept and correlation coefficient of the station analyzer response data y versus the audit concentration data These data can be used to interpret analyzer pe
510. uture quarters will be 2 All previous quarters precision and bias are equally representative of what the future quarters will be 3 Something unusual happened in the most recent quarter so the most representative quarters are all the previous ones minus the most recent Each of these scenarios results in weights that will be used in the following algorithms The weights are shown in Table 18 2 where the variable Q represents the number of quarters for which observed bias and precision estimates are available Note that when Q 12 that is when there are bias and precision values for all of the quarters in the three year period then all of the following scenarios result in the same weighting scheme Table 18 2 Weights for Estimating Three Year Bias and Precision Latest quarter most representative w 12 Q 1 for latest quarter w 1 otherwise All quarters equally representative w 12 Q for each quarter Latest quarter unrepresentative w for latest quarter w 11 Q 1 otherwise In addition to point estimates Palookaville will develop confidence intervals for the bias and precision estimates This will be accomplished using a re sampling technique The protocol for creating the confidence intervals are outlined in Box 18 1 Box 18 1 Method for Estimating Confidence in Achieving Bias and Precision DQOs Let Z be the statistic of interest bias or precision For a given weighting scenario the re sampling will be i
511. vation all transfer standard values are adjusted back to the primary standard 7 Calibration of Field Standard After the transfer standard has been certified to a primary standard the traceability of the transfer standard can be transferred to the field calibration standard Generally calibration standards should be re calibrated on a regular basis or if the agency suspects that the calibration standard baseline has drifted or malfunctioned The calibration standard must always be verified against a transfer or primary standard The following procedure should be used when verifying a transfer standard Part I Appendix 12 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 6 of 7 7 1 Mass Flow Calibration Standards gt Allow the calibration standard and transfer standard to warm up sufficiently gt Note if the calibration standard is a MFC calibrator then the calibration standard response will be a TWS or a digital display Attach tubing to the transfer standard from the output of the calibration standard With most MFC calibrators the gas flow range is 0 200 cc min while the air flow is 0 10 liters min Since this is a large difference the transfer standard usually are purchased with two or three sets of volumes Making sure that the ports are open allow air to pass through the transfer standard Record the barometric pressure and the shelter temperature gt Set the flow rate TWS to the desired setting Actuate the calibration standard
512. vels of significant sources or source categories 4 determine the general background concentration levels Part I Section 2 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 2 of 5 5 determine the extent of regional pollutant transport among populated areas and in support of secondary standards and 6 determine the welfare related impacts in more rural and remote areas such as visibility impairment and effects on vegetation These six objectives indicate the nature of the samples that the monitoring network will collect and will be used during the development of data quality objectives Section 3 As one reviews the objectives it becomes apparent that it will be rare that sites can be located to meet more than two or three objectives Therefore each organization needs to prioritize their objectives in order to choose the sites that are most representative of that objective and will provide data of adequate quality Through the process of implementing the CAA a number of ambient air quality monitoring networks have been developed The EPA s Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Program is carried out by State and local agencies and consists of four major categories of monitoring stations or networks that measure the criteria pollutants These stations are described below State and Local Air Monitoring Stations SLAMS The SLAMS consist of a network of 4 000 monitoring stations whose size and distribution is largely determined by the needs of State and
513. verter efficiency is decreasing with increasing audit concentration 1 20 8 F s 5 8 E 50 6 H 1S 3 50 4 gt By g r 0 9991 0 2 m 0 800 fi b 0 011 n l l 0 0 2 0 4 0 6 0 8 1 Audit Concentration ppm Figure A 19 Audit data interpretation Case 5 Data for Figure A 19 Audit Station Concentration Concentration Difference ppm ppm 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 58 of 58 References 1 40 CFR 58 Appendix A Quality Assurance Requirements for State and Local Air Monitoring Stations SLAMS Ambient Air Quality Surveillance 2 Ref 1 July 1 1984 3 40 CFR 58 Appendix B Qauality Assurance Requirements for Prevention of Significant Deterioration PSD Air Monitoring 4 Traceability Protocol for Establishing True Concentrations of Gases Used for Calibration and Audits of Air Pollution Analyzers Protocol No 2 June 15 1978 Available from the U S EnvironmentalProtection Agency Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Quality Assurance Branch MD 77 Research Triangle Park NC 5 Protocol for Establishing Traceability of Calibration Gases Used With Continuous Source Ernission Monitors August 25 1977 Available from the U S Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Quality Assurance Branch MD 77 Research Triangle Park NC 6 Catalog of NIST Standard Reference Materials NIST Spe
514. vides a summary for SLAMS NAMS PAMS and open path sites Table 6 1 Relationship Among Monitoring Objectives and Scales of Representativeness Monitoring Objective Appropriate Siting Scale Highest Concentration Micro middle neighborhood sometimes urban Population Neighborhood urban Source impact Micro middle neighborhood General background Neighborhood regional Regional Transport Urban regional Welfare related Urban regional There is the potential for using open path monitoring for microscale spatial scales For microscale areas however siting of open path analyzers must reflect proper regard for the specific monitoring objectives and Part I Section 6 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 15 for the path averaging nature of these analyzers Specifically the path averaging nature of open path analyzers could result in underestimations of high pollutant concentrations at specific points within the measurement path for other ambient air monitoring situations In open path monitoring monitoring path lengths must be commensurate with the intended scale of representativeness and located carefully with respect to local sources or potential obstructions For short term high concentration or source oriented monitoring the monitoring path may need to be further restricted in length and be oriented perpendicular to the wind direction s determined by air quality modeling leading to the highest concentration if possible Alter
515. viewed and accepted by these organizations and should serve to provide consistency among the organizations collecting and reporting ambient air data This document has been written in a style similar to a QA project plan as specified in the document EPA Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans for Environmental Data Operations EPA QA R5 Earlier versions of the Handbook contained many of the sections required in EPA QA RS and since many State and local agencies as well as the EPA are familiar with these elements it was felt that the document would be more readable in this format This document is available on hardcopy as well as accessible as a PDF file on the Internet under the Ambient Monitoring Technical Information Center AMTIC Homepage http www epa gov ttn amtic The document can be read and printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader software which is freeware that is available from many Internet sites including the EPA web site The Internet version is write protected and will be updated every three years It is recommended that the Handbook be accessed through the Internet AMTIC will provide information on updates to the Handbook Hardcopy versions are available by writing or calling OAQPS Library MD 16 RTP NC 27711 919 541 5514 Recommendations for modifications or revisions are always welcome Comments should be sent to the appropriate Regional Office points of contact identified on AMTIC bulletin board The Handboo
516. vironmental Protection Agency Quality Assurance Management Staff EPA QA G 4 March 14 1994 Guidance for the Development and Approval of Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations Network Plans Preliminary Draft U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina June 1993 Guidance for the Data Quality Assessment Process EPA QA G 9 U S Environmental Protection Agency QAD EPA 600 R 96 084 July 1996 Guidance for the Preparation of Standard Operating Procedures SOPs EPA QA G 6 U S Environmental Protection Agency QAD November 1995 Guideline on the Meaning and Use of Precision and Accuracy Data Required by 40 CFR Part 58 Appendices A and B U S Environmental Protection Agency EPA 600 4 83 023 June 1983 Guideline on Modification to Monitoring Seasons for Ozone U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina March 1990 Guideline for the Interpretation of Ozone Air Quality Standards EPA 450 4 79 003 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina January 1979 Guideline for the Implementation of the Ambient Air Monitoring Regulations 40 CFR Part 58 EPA 450 4 79 038 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina November 1979 Guideline for PM 10 Episode Monitoring Methods EPA 450 4 83 005 February 1983 Guidelines for Development of a Quality Assurance Program Reference Method for the Continuous Measur
517. wheels on the TECO 48 CO Analyzer so the display reads zero 0 0 0 1 5 When the zero display has stabilized mark it on the chart and record the reading on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet under pre audit Aadco Zero Figure E 1 1 2 6 Turn off the valve pump on the Dasibi 1009 CP 7 Switch from POSITION 1 to POSITION 2 on the three way valve Connect the 45 ppm CO compressed gas cylinder standard and adjust the cylinder s pressure regulator for a by pass flow between 0 3 and 0 4 lpm 8 Adjust the span thumbwheels on the TECO 48 CO analyzer until the display matches the actual span value When the chart recorder indicates a stable trace for CO record the cylinder number on the chart next to the trace Record the CO analyzer s response on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet under pre audit High CO Figure E 1 1 2 9 Disconnect the 45 ppm CO standard and connect the 7 ppm CO standard Adjust the cylinder s pressure regulator to obtain a by pass flow between 0 3 and 0 4 Ipm When the chart recorder indicates a stable trace for CO record the cylinder number on the chart next to the trace Record the CO analyzer s response on the QA Audit Van Data Worksheet Figure E 1 1 2 10 Disconnect the 7 ppm standard and connect the Ultrapure Zero Air Cylinder Adjust the cylinder s pressure regulator to obtain a by pass flow between 0 3 and 0 4 Ipm When the chart recorder indicates a stable trace for CO record the cylinder number on the chart
518. will help to prevent the development of leaks 7 2 4 Support Services Most of the support services necessary for the successful operation of ambient air monitoring networks can be provided by the laboratory The major support services are the generation of reagent water and the preparation of standard atmospheres for calibration of equipment Table 7 4 summarizes guidelines for quality control of these two support services In addition to the information presented above the following should be considered when designing a sampling manifold suspending strips of paper in front of the blower s exhaust to permit a visual check of blower operation positioning air conditioner vents away from the manifold to reduce condensation of water vapor in the manifold positioning sample ports of the manifold toward the ceiling to reduce the potential for accumulation of moisture in analyzer sampling lines and using borosilicate glass stainless steel or their equivalent for VOC sampling manifolds at PAMS sites is to avoid adsorption and desorption reactions of VOC s on FEP Teflon if moisture in the sample train poses a problem moisture can absorb gases namely NO and SO wrap the manifold and instrument lines with heat wrap a product that has heating coils within a cloth covering that allows the manifold to be maintained at a constant temperature make sure the manifold has a moisture trap and that it is emptied often use of water resistant particu
519. wojdwy samnpssoig suryeiodQ paepurys suredoig JO souepInyH uonejuouns0p qOg suryg oloig VO Uo souRpIMy sD syusUINd0g ddURpINs UOISIAIG V VdA TH ANSI SJUTLI SUOD BdINOSIY sjeos Aupen somepunog Apm lt asn p puz ug yorrasoyy 10 SOOd aro SIOIIO UOISIDOpP uo spun spoyjour pan tree punjiodng 103 sso001g OOd Sr 9 sued Surdures uo douerpiny g NI uorsooq ss D i 3uryeul uorsroop ss v01Id OOd y uo vuepmo y JOJI UOISIO p uo syur IMI UOS suluuryd enu suIUUP g Part I Section 5 Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 1 of 5 5 Documentation and Records Organizations that perform EDOs and management activities must establish and maintain procedures for the timely preparation review approval issuance use control revision and maintenance of documents and records A document from a records management perspective is a volume that contains information which describes defines specifies reports certifies or provides data or results pertaining to environmental programs As defined in the Federal Records Act of 1950 and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 now 44 U S C 3101 3107 records are books papers maps photographs machine readable materials or other documentary materials regardless of physical form or characteristics made or received by an agency of the United States Government under Federal Law or in connection with the transaction of public business
520. xide S Lower probability limit Upper probability limit Figure 2 shows the results of external performance audits performed with the National Performance Audit Program NPAP administered by the U S EPA Bias 10 8 6 4 2 0 2 4 6 38 10 Figure 2 NPAP Performance Audit Results for Gaseous Criteria Pollutants im 3 analyzers audited 5 analyzers 3 analyzers 6 analyzers audited audited audited Carbon Monoxide Nitrogen Dioxide Ozone Sulfur Dioxide S Lower probability limit Upper probability limit Appendix 16 Revision No 1 Date 8 98 Page 11 of 24 System Audits Systems audits were performed at approximately 25 percent of the sites during the calendar year 2000 These audits evaluated areas such as siting criteria analyzer operation and maintenance operator training recordkeeping and serve as a general review of site operations No significant problems were observed except for the following gt The Towntwo site was shadowed by a 20 story office building which was recently completed This site was closed in July 2000 gt The Townfour site had problems with repeated vandalism A new more secure fence was installed in April and the sheriff s department increased patrols in the area to prevent reoccurrences gt The Townsix site had vegetation which had grown too close to the analyzer inl
521. y Research Triangle Park North Carolina November 12 1993 List of Designated Reference and Equivalent Methods Available from the U S Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory Research Triangle Park NC 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 Part 1 References Revision No 0 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 8 Liu L J Sally Petros Koutrakis Helen H Suh James D Mulik and Robert M Burton Use of Personal Measurements for Ozone Exposure Assessment A Pilot Study Environmental Health Perspectives Journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Vol 101 No 4 September 1993 Ludwig F L and E Shelar Site Selection for the Monitoring of Photochemical Air Pollutants EPA 450 3 78 013 U S Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park North Carolina April 1978 Ludwig F L and J H S Kealoha Selecting Sites for Carbon Monoxide monitoring EPA 450 3 75 077 September 1975 McClenney William A Instrumentation to Meet Requirements for Measurement of Ozone Precursor Hydrocarbons in the U S A U S Environmental Protection Agency Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory Research Triangle Park North Carolina 1993 McElroy F F Transfer Standards for the Calibration of Ambient Air Monitoring Analyzers for Ozone EPA 600 4 79 056 U S Environmen
522. y opera tions The information obtained during the audit should be organized using the recommended subjects and the specific instructions given below A Network Design and Siting 1 Network Size Provide an overview of the network size and the number of local agencies responsible to the state for network operation Part I Appendix 15 Section 2 Date 8 98 Page 5 of 50 2 Network Design and Siting Describe any deficiencies in network design or probe siting discovered during the audit Indicate what corrective actions are planned to correct deficiencies 3 Network Audit briefly discuss the conclusions of the last network annual audit and outline any planned network revision resulting from that audit 4 Non criteria Pollutants Briefly discuss the agency s monitoring and quality assurance activities related to non criteria pollutants B Resources and Facilities 1 Instruments and Methods Describe any instrument nonconformance with the requirements of 40 CFR 50 51 53 and 58 Briefly summarize agency needs for instrument replacement over and above nonconforming instruments 2 Staff and Facilities Comment on staff training adequacy of facilities and availability of NIST traceable standard materials and equipment necessary for the agency to properly conduct the bi weekly precision checks and quarterly accuracy audits required under 40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A 3 Laboratory Facilities Discuss any deficiencies of laboratory proc
523. yzer connection and the To n e S manifold must be vented so EE E EEE that ambient air will not mix Ma Boing Audited with the audit atmosphere Figure A 6 Schematic diagram of a gas phase titration audit system during system operations Recommended manifold mate rials are glass or Teflon The sample line must be nonreactive and flexible therefore Teflon is preferred Dilution air system Clean dry air from a compressed gas cylinder Grade 0 1 is a suitable source for dilution air however if large volumes of clean dry air gt 5 liters min are required purified compressed air is preferred The clean dry air must be free of contaminants such as NO NO 0 or reactive hydrocarbons that would cause detectable responses on the NOx analyzer or that might react with NO or NO in the audit system The air can be purified to meet these specifications by passing it through silica gel for drying by treating it with 0 to convert any NO to NO and by passing it through activated charcoal 6 14 mesh and a molecular sieve 6 16 mesh type 4A to remove NO O or hydrocarbons Silica gel maintains its drying efficiency until it has absorbed 20 of its weight it can be regenerated in definitely at 120 C Addition of cobalt chloride to the surface of the gel provides a water absorption indicator A transparent drying column is recommended The activated charcoal and molecular sieve have a finite absorption capability because it is difficult to determin
524. zation For smaller local agencies no fewer than two 2 sites should be inspected To insure that the selected sites represent a fair cross section of agency operations one half of the sites to be evaluated should be selected by the agency itself while the other half should be selected by the Regional QA audit team The audit team should use both the Precision and Accuracy Reporting System PARS and the AIRS computer databases in deciding on specific sites to be evaluated High flexibility exists in the outputs obtainable from the AIRS AP430 computer program data completeness can be assessed by pollutant site agency time period and season These data summaries will assist the audit team in spotting potentially persistent operational problems in need of more complete on site evaluation At least one site showing poor data completeness as defined by AIRS must be included in those selected to be evaluated If the reporting organization under audit operates many sites and or its structure is complicated and perhaps inhomogeneous then an additional number of sites above the initial 5 level should be inspected so that a fair and accurate picture of the state and local agency s ability to conduct field monitoring activities can be obtained At the completion of the site evaluations the audit team is expected to have established the adequacy of the operating procedures the flow of data from the sites and be able to provide conclusions about the adequ
525. zer Serial Number Calibration standard Span source Last calibration date Frequency Range Calibration Comments Zero setting Data acquisition system Span setting Recorder Audit system Bubble flowmeter serial number Audit standard 2P psig ppm Clean dry air Catalytic oxidizer Yes No Flow correction Pa 2 298 K Cp 760 mm T 273 Dilution air response Chart Vie ppm Other response Audit Point I Dilution flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter T1 T2 T min C Yune cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Voc3 ppm Other response Audit Point I Dilution flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter Tl T2 T min Ch Kaune cm3 min T3 i Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Vie ppm Other response Appendix 15 Section 3 Date 8 98 Page 8 of 58 Table A 2 continued Audit Point III Dilution flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter Tl C Volume T2 T min r 7 cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Vie ppm Other response Audit Point IV Dilution flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter T1 _ f c Volume T2 7 min F F cm3 min T3 Audit concentration ppm Analyzer response Chart Vic ppm Other response Audit Point V Dilution flow measurement Volume cm Flowmeter Tl Volume T2 T min C 7

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