AIR QUALITY MONITORING - UK EQUIPMENT STUDY PUBLISHED
13 Jun 2006 09:45 AM
A study of the equipment used across the UK to monitor particle
matter in the air has been published today by Defra.
The Equivalence Programme for monitoring particulate matter is an EU
requirement of all Member States where they are not using the
standard 'reference' method. It ensures that the data produced by any
Member State can be interpreted alongside the data produced by others
to achieve a framework for comparison of air quality across Europe.
Particulate matter poses a public health risk in the UK, with 2005
levels reducing average life expectancy by up to about 8 months and
at an estimated cost of up to £9.1 to 21.4 billion per annum.
Unlike the standard 'reference' method of the EU first Daughter
Directive used by some countries, which produces data several days
after particles are collected, the majority of monitors in the UK's
network allow near real-time dissemination of information to the
public and gives sensitive individuals the opportunity to take
appropriate action should particulate levels increase.
The report published today is one of the first to be completed, and
one of the most extensive studies undertaken to date. It has been
reviewed by independent experts before publication. Findings indicate
that:
* The equivalence criteria are met by three of the monitor types
(Partisol 2025 Sequential Sampler; Tapered Element Oscillating
Micro-balance (TEOM) retrofitted with Filter Dynamic Measurement
System (FDMS) for PM10 and PM2.5; and the OPSIS SM200 by Beta)
without correction for slope and/or intercept.
* Two further monitor types (OPSIS SM200 by Mass, and Met One Beta
Attenuation Monitor (BAM)) meet the criteria after correction for
slope and/or intercept; and
* The TEOM method do not meet the equivalence criteria with or
without a correction factor. This result is consistent with
preliminary investigations carried out for Defra and the devolved
administrations.
Despite the TEOM's non-equivalence with the first Daughter Directive
reference method, the conclusions from its data corrected using the
current 1.3 factor would be broadly the same as those from the
reference method. Any difference would not provide under-estimated
readings but may actually over-estimate particulate levels in some
places.
The findings also indicate that most TEOMs retrofitted with FDMS
would achieve equivalence with the first Daughter Directive
requirements. TEOMs are widely used by local authorities in their
Local Air Quality Management regimes and information on what they
should do with data from TEOMs will be provided by Defra via their
local authority monitoring helpline (0870 190 6050;
www.laqmsupport.org.uk/).
The full report is published online at www.airquality.co.uk.
Notes for Editors
1. European Directive 96/62/EC sets out the current framework for the
assessment of twelve different pollutant species across the EU. In
order to achieve harmonisation of measurements across the member
states the Directive provides for the setting of European standards
for monitoring and analysis.
2. The First Daughter Directive 1999/30/EC (DD1) sets Limit Values
for particles within the PM10 fraction, based on measurements made
using the reference method EN12341 - a filter-based gravimetric
measurement method. In the UK, measurements of PM10 are largely
founded on the use of the Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance.
More recently, the EU Commission has proposed a Concentration Cap and
an Exposure Reduction Target for particles less than 2.5Um in
diameter and the European Standards Institute (CEN) has published the
standard reference method in EN14907.
3. Where a Member State chooses to employ monitoring methods outside
of the reference method, a programme of 'equivalence' must be
undertaken. In recognising the need for further guidance on such
programmes - the approach to be taken, the assessment criteria and
the methods of reporting - the European Commission has produced the
Guidance for the Demonstration of Equivalence of Ambient Air
Monitoring Methods, which sets out whether a candidate method can be
considered equivalent to the EU reference method.
4. This report summarises the results of the UK Particulate
Monitoring Programme, which has included the operation of seven
candidate instruments collocated with the EU reference method (Low
Volume Samplers for PM10 and PM2.5). Instruments included in the
programme are: Tapered Element Oscillating Micro-balance (TEOM); TEOM
retrofitted with Filter Dynamic Measurement System (FDMS); Partisol
2025 Sequential Sampler; OPSIS SM200 (Beta and Mass configurations);
Met-One Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM), and Met-One BAM retrofitted
with a heater (herein referred to as a "Smart BAM").
5. The programme has included operation of the monitoring equipment
across eight studies that collectively represent particulate
conditions typically encountered across the United Kingdom. Field
campaigns have been undertaken during summer and winter periods at
Teddington (SE England); Birmingham (Midlands); East Kilbride
(Scotland) and Bristol (SW England). All instruments were operated in
duplicate in order to determine the 'between-sampler' uncertainty.
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