Passive Ozone Sampler Monitoring Program
Overview
Locations
This low cost alternative for ozone monitoring, passive ozone samplers, was studied extensively prior to initiation of a routine monitoring network using the devices. Weekly ozone doses are measured in the parks highlighted on the map.
A list of parks where passive ozone samplers have been used, is available.
The ozone analyzers have been used for specialized studies at:
- Great Smoky Mountains NP - massive volunteer study of spatial O3 distribution, GIS mapping and models
- Great Smoky Mountains NP - for ozone injury coneflower studies
- Joshua Tree NP - spatial distribution of ozone, seasonal changes, comparison to existing monitoring
- Mount Rainier NP - spatial distribution and monitoring at vegetation injury plots
- Seqouia-Kings Canyon NP - spatial distribution of ozone
- Yosemite NP - spatial and vertical elevation distributions of ozone
Procedures
The field procedures for the passive ozone sampling are given in the standard operating procedures and documents below. The lab procedures can be obtained from Ogawa.
- Suggestions on design of a passive ozone monitoring study design: Passive Sampling Study Design (PDF)
- AWMA Air Toxics and Related Air Pollutants symposium presentation (PDF) with preliminary study results on the Ogawa passive samplers.
- Overview article of some results and a discussion of operations using the passive samples for ozone monitoring within the National Parks. PDF, 290 kb or version (PDF, 160kb) that includes estimates of costs.
- Journal article on NPS use of ozone passive samples, Spatial Distribution of Tropospheric Ozone in National Parks of California: Interpretation of Passive-Sampler Data, John D. Ray, The ScientificWorld (2001) 1, 483-497. View abstract. Request reprint from the author.
- Other articles from the International Symposium on Passive Sampling of Gaseous Air Pollutants in Ecological Effects Research, 2001, Riverside, CA. Symposium abstracts.
- Field operations Standard Operating Procedures for 2003 - field operations, list of parks, table of blanks and duplicates per month, sampler coding information (PDF)
Results
Results from the passive sampling program are used to determine baseline ozone values, look
for trends, estimate peak seasonal ozone values, fill in spatial characterizations of ozone, and to provide supporting data
for vegetation injury studies.
For a comprehensive overview of all the sites in the Passive Ozone program, including the
monitoring start and end dates and locations in latitude and longitude, please see our
site list (Excel format, 51kb). This site list is different from
the Locations site list, which primarily shows what year passive ozone monitoring was done at the
parks.
Tables of ozone concentration data expressed as weekly average ozone in ppb are available below:
| Year | HTML/PDF | Excel/CSV file |
 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | X | Data | Annual Map |
| 2004 | X | Data | Annual Map |
| 2003 | page 1 page 2 |
Data | Annual Map |
| 2002 | page 1 page 2 |
Data | Annual Map |
| 2001 | X | Data | Annual Map |
| 2000 | X | Data | Annual Map |
| 1999 | X | Annual Map | |
| 1998 | X | Annual Map | |
| 1997 | X | Annual Map | |
| 1996 | X | Annual Map | |
| 1995 | X | Annual Map |
Also available is the summary report on ozone monitoring using passive samplers ..... 1995-1996 draft (PDF 640 kb) and the data appendix (PDF 250 kb)
Spatial Distribution Studies
Several special studies have been done with ozone passive samplers to assess the representatives of ozone monitoring in complex terrain. Some samples are posted below and in the draft report and presentations above.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, summer 2000 ozone distribution special study web site and results. A large number of volunteers helped by doing the field portion of the passive sampler study.The red areas in the map of the park show where the seasonal average ozone is highest. These areas are mostly the higher elevation locations.
Also available is a poster about the study.
Map of Ozone Monitoring Sites in Southwest US
The ozone passive sampler data fills in information on baseline concentrations for a number of Class I areas that would not have gotten any ozone monitoring otherwise. The map to the right estimates the seasonal average ozone over a portion of the western US. Rural monitoring sites in the southwest have higher ozone than the northern areas of the western US.
Contacts
The ozone passive sampling program is run on a tiny budget with the assistance of the Air Resources Division, in-park staff, and the NPS monitoring network support contractor. For information, to join in the monitoring effort, or to suggest additional uses for the passive samplers, please contact:Dr. John D. Ray, program manager - (NPS-ARD) (303)969-2820
Contractors: These are the contractors and suppliers for the NPS ozone passive sampling program. [Not an endorsement]
- Research Triangle Institute (RTI), Dr. Eva Hardison (919) 541-5926 http://www.rti.org/index.cfm
- Air Resource Specialists (ARS), John Faust - (970) 484-7941
ARS is the field support contractor - they provide rainshields, support tees, monitoring assistance, and the database archive. http://www.air-resource.com/air-quality.php
References
Spatial Distribution of Tropospheric Ozone in National Parks of California: Interpretation of Passive-Sampler Data, John D. Ray, The ScientificWorld (2001) 1, 483-497. View abstract. Request reprint from the author.
Ogawa USA is the source for the passive sampler devices. http://ogawausa.com/passive.htm
- Ogawa & Co., USA, Inc. - Don Schaeffer - (954) 781-6223