Class Project Report, Spring 2014E 449/549 Sustainable Air Quality

Sustainability Transition of Sulfurous Air Quality 1960-2013

Emissions and Causality Drivers - Lesley Olson

Ambient Sulfurous Air Quality - Andrew Martahus

Control Measures - Jennifer Elwell

Instructor: Rudolf B. Husar

Washington University, St. Louis, MO, May 2, 2014

Sulfur Trends and Patterns

• Numerous health effects are associated with high PM2.5• Sulfate makes up a large mass

percent of PM2.5• Especially in the Eastern United

States

• Sulfur is anthropogenic dependent• Changes in regulations and

technology can easily be seen• There is a constant background

range

Trend of PM2.5 and Non-S PM2.5 Mass

Avg. PM2.5 Sulfate

Avg. PM2.5 – SulfateOrganics, Nitrate, Dust

Avg. PM2.5 Mass

Avg. PM2.5 Sulfate

Avg. PM2.5 – SulfateOrganics, Nitrate, Dust

Avg. PM2.5 Mass

Conterminous US Eastern US

Sulfate Spatial Pattern

2002-2006 2009-2013

Sulfur Wet Deposition

1985-1990 2003-2008

Background Concentration

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 20150

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

WHPA1 MOHO1 CRLA1 THSI1 KALM1TRIN1 OLYM1 SIME1 TRCR1 VIIS1

Year

Sulfa

te C

once

ntra

tion

(ug/

m^3

)

SIME1

TRCR1

TRIN1

CRLA1KALM1

MOHO1WHPA1

OLYM1

THSI1

Sulfate Concentration Driver

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

2

4

6

8

10

12

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

United States East of Mississippi East of Mississippi Emissions

Year

Sulfa

te C

once

ntra

tion

(ug/

m^3

)

Sulfu

r Dio

xide

Em

issio

ns (T

hous

ands

)

Seasonal Sulfate PatternsSeasonal

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

2

4

6

8

10

12

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

Views Summer Views Winter Husar August 1977Altshuller 1st Qrt Altshuller 3rd Qrt Emissions

Year

Sulfa

te C

once

ntra

tion

(ug/

m^3

)

Sulfu

r Dio

xide

Em

issin

s (Th

ousa

nds)

Winter

Urban and Rural

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

2

4

6

8

10

12

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

Views Urban Views Rural Altshuller UrbanAltshuller Rural Emissions

Year

Sulfa

te C

once

ntra

tion

(ug/

m^3

)

Sulfu

r Dio

xide

Em

issio

ns (T

hous

ands

)

Ru-ral

Summer

Urban

Regional and Seasonal Sulfate Trends

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

2

4

6

8

10

12

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

Views East Summer Views East WinterViews Midwest Summer Views Midwest WinterAltshuller East Summer Altshuller East WinterAltshuller Midwest Winter Altshuller Midwest SummerEmissions

Year

Sulfa

te C

once

ntra

tion

(ug/

m^3

)

Sulfu

r Dio

xide

Em

issio

ns (T

hous

ands

)

Winter

Summer

Concentration, Deposition, and Emissions

Absolute Normalized

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

2

4

6

8

10

12

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

Concentration DepositionAltshuller Concentration Emissions

Year

Sulfa

te C

once

ntra

tion

(ug/

m^3

)

Sulfu

r Dio

xide

Em

issio

ns (T

hous

ands

)

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Emissions Concentration Deposition

Year

Norm

alize

d Su

lfate

(200

5)

Carbon Dioxide