To obtain timely data for the purpose of air quality assessment, air quality trend reporting
and to meet the requirements for inclusion of the data in provincial and national air
quality databases, a continuous method of analyzing Elemental and Organic Carbon
concentration in ambient air samples is used. This method is capable of measurement
updates at a rate of once every three hours or faster. A collection period from 1 to 12
hours can be specified by the operator. Readings from instruments of this method
enables the calculation of hourly/multi-hourly averaged concentrations of Elemental and
Organic Carbon. Commercially available Elemental and Organic Carbon analyzers are
used in the method.
This method is applicable to the measurement of Elemental and Organic Carbon
concentration in ambient air in the range of 0 - 50 micrograms per cubic meter (μg/m3) to
0 - 500 μg/m3.
This method adheres to the requirements of the current Air Monitoring Directive (AMD)
drafted by Alberta Environment in 1989 where applicable since this technology is not
included in the AMD. In some cases the limits and specifications exceed the
requirements of the current AMD and subsequent amendments. It should be considered
that the current and any future amendments or drafts of the AMD will be used as the
benchmark for requirements and criteria for ambient air monitoring practices conducted
in the Province of Alberta. Information used to write this procedure was also taken from
sources identified in the reference section.
