Title: Novel Observations and Quantified Source Apportionment of Ozone, Particulate Matter and Contributing Precursors in the El Paso Area
Institution(s) Represented: The University of Texas at Austin (Misztal, Hildebrandt Ruiz, Sullivan, Mcdonald-Buller, Kimura)
Lead PI: Pawel Misztal
AQRP Project Manager: Vincent Torres
TCEQ Project Liaison: Celinda Vallejo-Rodriguez
Awarded Budget: $280,810
Abstract
The United States Environmental Protection Agency recently lowered the annual National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter or particulate matter small than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) from 12 to 9 μg m-3. This new annual standard brings the El Paso region to near non-attainment for PM2.5, underlining the importance of understanding the composition and sources of PM2.5 and O3 in El Paso.
An improved understanding of El Paso organic aerosol and ozone is therefore essential and will directly benefit the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in guiding how to manage El Paso’s air quality.
Project 24-024 will focus on improving our understanding of the contributions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) to formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). This work will contribute with spatiotemporal observations of SOA composition and its gas-phase organic precursors, measured by a comprehensive suite of state-of-the-science instrumentation deployed in the University of Texas electric mobile laboratory. Work will include analysis of recently collected data in El Paso, conducting novel comprehensive mobile and stationary measurements in El Paso region, and air quality modeling by the Comprehensive Air-quality Model with extensions (CAMx).
The proposed work is highly relevant to the TCEQ AQRP priority research areas, and will contribute to knowledge about the sources contributing to high PM, O3 and VOC (e.g. toluene) episodes in this region.
Workplan & QAPP
Technical Reports:
November 2024
December 2024
January 2025
February 2025
March 2025
April 2025
May 2025
June 2025
July 2025
