PAMS Analysis during COVID-19 Lockdowns in New York City
Presentation overview
Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS) are used in the monitoring of volatile organic compounds, including ozone precursors. These are compounds of interest in urban environments around the world as their presence is believed to contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone and urban smog.
In this webinar, Pete Furdyna from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) gives us a walk-through of its automated PAMS monitoring system located at the New York Botanic Gardens in the Bronx in New York City, and explains how they have achieved and regularly maintain exceptional data quality. Pete also provides some insights into the effects that limited automotive traffic in New York City during COVID-19 lockdowns had on PAMS data.
His presentation focuses on monitoring of ozone precursors in accordance with the US EPA PAMS program. He shares his experiences on PAMS monitoring including challenges encountered, how they were overcome with Markes’ on-line systems, and useful tips and considerations for maintaining optimum system performance.
By viewing this presentation you will learn:
- How NYSDEC achieved excellent data stability over extended sampling periods.
- How water can be effectively managed for sample integrity and to achieve sub-ppb levels of detection for ozone precursor VOCs.
- Benefits of using hydrogen carrier gas for continuous, robust and unattended monitoring in remote locations.
- Multi-gas enabled thermal desorption instruments provide you with the ability to operate your TD–GC–MS analysis using hydrogen carrier gas; this is a more sustainable gas option that is ideal for use in remote locations and wherever using cylinders is difficult
- See how this technology is being used by analysts like you, to address some of the challenges faced in environmental monitoring.
Presenters
Pete Furdyna
Environmental Chemist III, NYSDEC, USA
Pete Furdyna is an environmental chemist with more than 35 years’ experience in industrial, environmental, and regulatory settings. With a specialty in analytical method development and validation, he has been with the NYSDEC Bureau of Air Quality Surveillance since 2012.
Laura Miles
Senior Application Chemist, Markes International, UK
As senior application specialist in the thermal desorption business unit, Laura is responsible for developing new methods and testing Markes International’s suite of thermal desorbers for new and emerging applications. Laura joined Markes International as a customer support specialist in 2014 before moving to work in application development. As part of her current role Laura works closely with key opinion leaders in collaborations across a variety of market areas and she is a specialist in environmental analysis, breathomics and defence and forensics.
