Regional Monitoring of Ambient Air Carbon Monoxide in Fairbanks, Alaska

Abstract

A method employing the timed fill of Mylar bags was used to obtain average carbon monoxide concentration values for ten locations in the Fairbanks, Alaska, area. The method is shown to be accurate, reliable, and inexpensive. The correlation coefficient between the bag sampling method and a continuous carbon monoxide analyzer was 0.945; correlation of carbon monoxide data from several locations to a reference in downtown Fairbanks showed a general decrease with distance from the reference analyzer. Analysis of data from Fairbanks shows that carbon monoxide concentrations during the winter months may have to be reduced 50-75% to achieve the State and National Ambient Air Quality Standards; the high levels of carbon monoxide are the result of emissions from automobile traffic during periods of severe inversion in the Fairbanks basin.