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 method for simultaneously collecting a variety of
reactive gases and atmospheric fine particles in ambient air is used. The Versatile Air
Pollution Sampler (VAPS) consisting of the commercially available URG™ Model 3000-
02N computerized sampling pump and annular denuder system (ADS) are used in this
method.
“At this stage, this method is a unified, consensus, tentative, draft method intended for
further application and testing. Users should be advised that the method has not yet
been adequately tested, optimized, or standardized. Many of the specifications have
been initially established by technical judgment but have not been subjected to
ruggedness testing. In some cases, alternative techniques, equipment, or specifications
may be acceptable or superior. In applying the method, users are encouraged to
consider alternatives, with the understanding that they should test any such alternatives
to determine their adequacy and confirm and document their advantages.”
This method adheres to the requirements of the current Air Monitoring Directive (AMD)
drafted by Alberta Environment in 1989. 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.