VOC’s/CFC’s and Ozone

Dan Gloudemans

Presentation Overview

VOC’s Ozone

Formation, natural/other VOC’s

Destruction, natural/other CFC’s

Measurement / EPA AQI Ozone hole/ Home Ozone exposure What is being done about Ozone?

Clean Air Act OTC CARB/OTC

Ozone in the Midwest?

Brief VOC overview

Organic Compound – contains carbon and hydrogen Ie: octane, butane…, sugar

VOC = Volatile Organic Compound, organics that evaporate easily

VOC’s are compounds that lead to the formation of ground level Ozone – “smog”

VOC’s can be found in anything from paints to deodorant

Good/Bad Ozone – “Good up high, bad nearby”

Ozone is beneficial in Stratosphere blocks many ultra violet rays (λ < 320 nm)

But is very harmful in Troposphere it is a highly reactive gas that can affect the normal

functioning of the lungs

Formation of Ozone (O3) “natural”

Ozone first formed - ~500 million years ago, after release of Oxygen

Ozone formation – atomic Oxygen Most natural ozone formation occurs in the Tropics

“Chapman reactions” So called after S. Chapman who is famous for his paper 'A theory of upper-atmosphere ozone, Mem. Roy. Meteorol. Soc.' in 1930 which set out the first theoretical explanation of the ozone layer in the stratosphere.

…Other formation of Ozone - Groundlevel

Photochemical reaction of NOx (collectively NO and NO2) with VOC’s in the presence of sunlight

Destruction of Ozone - “natural”

Ozone destruction by UV radiation – very similar fashion

Ozone concentration highest in the poles!

…Other Destruction of Ozone

CFC’s among others Organic molecules – H’s replaced with Halogens Cl

and F

Measurement of Ozone

Reported in Dobson Units (DU)

Imagine all ozone on the surface of the earth evenly (vs. reality of the strato/troposhpere)

1 DU = 0.01 mm of Ozone 300 DU a typical value Thus, 300 DU = 3 mm O3

spread evenly across earth

AQI – Air Quality Index

Measures presence of 5 pollutants ground-level ozone particle pollution carbon monoxide sulfur dioxide nitrogen dioxide

0-500 Scale 100 is National Air quality standard ~200 – unhealthy to very unhealty – whole

population could be affected >300 - Hazardous

The “Ozone Hole”

Over Antarctica First noticed in 1970’s

British Antarctic Survey (BAS) First discovered/measured in

1985 TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer).

Findings thought faulty Eventually confirmed Graph shows measurements

above the Halley Bay research station

Home Exposure to VOC’s

EPA's Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM)

Found that VOC level are often 2 to 5 times higher indoors

The relative danger varies greatly Length and level of exposure

nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, nausea, fatigue, dizziness.

What is being done about Ozone?

US adopted Montreal Protocol in 1987 – limit CFC’s States most dangerous phased out by 2000

Clean Air Act All class I substances outlawed by Jan 1 2000

chlorofluorocarbon-11 (CFC–11) chlorofluorocarbon-12 (CFC–12) + others

All class II substances outlawed by Jan 1 2030 hydrochlorofluorocarbon-21 + various other

Ozone “Action Days” Days > 90F, little or no wind Encourage to reduce emmisions, and protect

OTC – Regional effort

OTC = Ozone Transport Commission Several northeastern states (13 total) Created under Clean Air Act (CAA) amendments

in 1990 Focus on Ground Level Ozone - specifically NOx

emissions - during May – Sept “Ozone Season” NOx Budget Program – sell or store unused

allowances Regional emissions trading program

OTC - Progress

OTC – but room for More progress

CARB/OTC

California Air Resource Board In addition to NOx, these two regulate VOC

emmisions Consumer Products

Wisconsin Ozone?

Yes! Southeastern Wisconsin During Action Days

Combining errands Fueling car gas tanks at night Mowing lawns after 6:00 p.m Properly inflating vehicle tires Carpooling, biking, walking or riding the bus to

work

Midwestern Ozone problem areas

US EPA, Region 5

What about Minnesota?

Questions?

References

• EPA – “air Now”• How VOCs Contribute To Formation Of Ground-Level Ozone. Chemical

& Engineering News, 1/24/2005, Vol. 83 Issue 4, p26, 1/3p; (AN 16120478)

• Chemical & Engineering News; 1/24/2005, Vol. 83 Issue 4, p25, 3p, 1c “SMOG, POLICY AND CHEMISTRY.”

• http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/aw/air/ozone/OzActionNotice.htm