Attribution of Particulate Sulfur in the Grand Canyon to Specific Point Sources Using Tracer-Aerosol Gradient Interpretive Technique (TAGIT)

ABSTRACT

Since aerosol particulate sulfur is generally a secondary airborne pollutant, most source attribution techniques require many assumptions about the transport and chemistry of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions. Uncertainties in our understanding of these processes impair our ability to generate reliable attribution information that is necessary for designing cost-effective pollution control policies. A new attribution technique using artificial tracer is presented in hopes of reducing the uncertainty of secondary aerosol source attribution. The Tracer-Aerosol Gradient Interpretive Technique (TAGIT) uses tracer data from a monitoring network to distinguish sites impacted by a source tagged with tracer from nonimpacted sites. Sites determined not to be influenced by the plume are considered to represent background particulate sulfur concentrations. The particulate sulfur attributable to the source at sites within the plume is calculated as the difference between observed and background particulate sulfur. TAGIT is applied to measurements made in the vicinity of the east and west ends of the Grand Canyon in order to attribute particulate sulfur to the sources within the Eastern Colorado River Valley (ECRV) and the Mohave Power Project (MPP), respectively. TAGIT results indicate that during the winter intensive field sampling experiment (January 15–February 13, 1992), an average of 59 + 12% of the particulate sulfur at Marble Canyon, AZ, was attributable to ECRV sources. Similarly, during the summer field sampling experiment (July 13–August 30, 1992), MPP is estimated to have contributed an average of 7 + 3% of the particulate sulfur at Meadview, AZ. Uncertainties associated with the assumptions of TAGIT are discussed and quantified. The attribution results suggest that SO₂-to-sulfate conversion rates are highly variable from day to day in this region.