Ecosystem Science Reports

Atmospheric Sciences

Project Title: Particulate Matter in BC: A Report on PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 Mass Concentrations up to the year 2000.

Completion Date: May 2003

Investigators: Bill Taylor, Pacific & Yukon Region, Environment Canada, in collaboration with Natalie Suzuki, BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection

Study Overview

A report describing ambient levels of particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) within the province of British Columbia was prepared to aid in airshed planning and management. The 130-page report details temporal trends and patterns in PM concentrations at various sites throughout British Columbia up to the year 2000. PM concentrations are highest in the interior of the province and lowest in coastal communities. There are also large seasonal variations that vary from one region of the Province to another. Seasonal and spatial variations arise due to regional patterns in land use and industrial development, proximity of monitoring sites to PM sources, and regional differences in geography and meteorological conditions. The report is a technical document which will be of value to regulatory officers, air quality planners and scientists mainly within the federal, provincial and regional levels of government.

Key Points for Decision-Makers

Key Scientific Findings

Key Points for Decision-Makers

PM Management

• Owing to large seasonal differences in PM concentrations that vary from one region of British Columbia to another, there is a need for each region to identify when it is most susceptible to higher concentrations and to develop PM management plans accordingly. These variations are particularly evident when comparing the highly urbanized Lower Fraser Valley with the interior of the province, and are a reflection of seasonal differences in source types and contributions and prevailing meteorology.
• PM management plans may require the cooperation of multi-levels of government, given the range of sources that have been identified as major emitters of PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, and the number of jurisdictions having authority over these sources.
• Separate approaches may be required to control PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, particularly where the focus is on reducing the more extreme concentrations.
• In the Lower Fraser Valley , source apportionment studies and emission inventories suggest that PM management approaches should include the control of both direct PM emissions and PM precursor emissions.
• In the interior, the significance of secondary PM has yet to be demonstrated; however, it would be prudent to begin identifying measures to reduce emissions of precursor gases such as NOx and SOx emissions which are overwhelmingly anthropogenic in nature.

Further Research

• In the interior, there is a need to apply source apportionment techniques based on the collection of speciated PM data, beginning in communities characterized by high PM concentrations and a number of different PM sources.
• The long-range transport of pollutants has been shown to influence local PM levels, as demonstrated during Kosa Asian dust events. Furthermore, the Canada-Wide Standard (CWS) for PM and Ozone contains provisions for identifying communities where background, natural or transboundary sources contribute to exceedances of the CWS, and for Keeping Clean Areas Clean. To meet these provisions under the CWS, and ultimately to develop emission reduction initiatives that will be effective in reducing local PM problems, it will be necessary to obtain improved estimates of background PM levels and to better understand the mechanisms for long-range transport.
• Meteorology plays a large role in the development of PM episodes. More needs to be known about the meteorological conditions and synoptic patterns most conducive to periods of poor air quality, as this will assist in our ability to predict such episodes.

Monitoring

• To facilitate the tracking of long-term trends, it will be necessary to develop and maintain a stable network of PM_2.5 stations that characterizes the major macroclimatic and ecologically distinct populated areas of the province.
  

Key Scientific Findings

• PM concentrations are highest in the interior and lowest in the coastal communities.
• Two predominant seasonal patterns of PM₁₀ exist.
  • In the Lower Fraser Valley, the highest PM₁₀ concentrations are observed during late summer while the lowest concentrations are found in late fall and winter.
  • At interior sites, the highest concentrations of PM₁₀ are typically observed in late winter/early spring, and the lowest concentrations occur in early winter as well as in early summer.
• Based on limited monitoring, the highest concentrations of PM_2.5 occur during the fall. The Lower Fraser Valley also experiences higher PM_2.5 concentrations during the later summer months, while the lowest concentrations typically occur during the winter.
• PM₁₀ concentrations are typically 30% higher at mid-week than on Sundays. There is also a diurnal pattern with peak concentrations occurring in mornings and evenings.
• PM concentrations can vary considerably from one community to the next due to regional patterns in land use and industrial development, proximity of monitoring sites to PM sources, and regional differences in geography and meteorological conditions.
• Occasionally, meteorological conditions persist that produce extended periods of high PM₁₀ concentrations during which the provincial ambient air quality objective of 50 µg/m³ is exceeded. Episodes typically last between two and six days. In the interior, PM₁₀ episodes are most likely to occur during February and March, although episodes have been reported in every month of the year. PM₁₀ episodes occur very rarely in the Lower Fraser Valley and coastal regions of BC.
• Based on the limited PM_2.5 data available in the province, nine of 11 PM_2.5 episodes up to 2000 have occurred in Prince George. PM_2.5 episodes are most frequent between September and February, with none occurring during the month of March when PM₁₀ episodes are most frequent in the province.
• PM levels do appear to be decreasing at a number of sites in the province; however, they remain at levels that are associated with increased risks of potential health effects.

Limitations/Caveats/Uncertainties Associated with the Findings

• A comprehensive evaluation of ambient levels of PM_2.5 has been hampered by a lack of data. A much longer record exists for PM₁₀ for which a provincial air quality objective exists. Our knowledge of particulate matter in BC is based largely on PM₁₀ monitoring augmented by limited measurements of PM_2.5
• Since concentrations of PM can vary widely over a small area, data from individual sites may not be representative of the air quality in the surrounding geographic area.
• The relatively short monitoring history at most sites precludes a robust trend analysis of PM₁₀ or PM_2.5 data.

References

The report is published in electronic form on Environment Canada's Green Lane web site in both official languages. The report may be downloaded for printing from the Green Lane in Adobe pdf format.

http://www.pyr.ec.gc.ca/EN/air/pm_report/index.shtml

http://www.pyr.ec.gc.ca/FR/air/pm_report/index.shtml

The report may also be found on the Provincial Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection web site.

http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/air/particulates/index.html

The correct citation for the report is:

Suzuki, N. and B. Taylor, 2003: Particulate Matter in BC: A Report on PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 Mass Concentrations up to 2000 . British Columbia Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection and Environment Canada - Pacific and Yukon Region.