Under the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda, Environment Canada is required to improve their understanding of the levels of contaminants that are being emitted to the air from oil sands-related sources. To help meet this requirement, a one-year study to measure air pollutants around the oil sands area will begin this summer (2012). This work also aligns with the delivery of the Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring. The information from this study will give researchers baseline data and a starting point for much larger or more specific studies in the future.

In preparation for this study, Environment Canada scientific and technical staff recently outfitted a small, specially designed trailer with state-of-the-art air quality monitoring equipment. This “Comprehensive Air Monitoring (CAM) Trailer” will allow the research team to move rapidly from one monitoring location to another to characterize the typical local atmospheric conditions, and identify episodes of air pollution using highly sensitive and advanced equipment. The trailer is also equipped to transmit the data via satellite to Environment Canada laboratories in Downsview, Ontario, providing near real-time information about the local air quality.

From the targeted locations, scientists will gain information about a variety of “criteria” air contaminants (nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, fine particulate matter [PM_2.5]), hydrogen sulphide, total reduced sulphur, speciated particulate matter, and particle size distributions. One objective of this study is to compare how the pollutants vary from location to location at the targeted sites with what is being measured at existing fixed or long-term monitoring sites. These results will potentially influence the location of the fixed sites and optimize their effectiveness.

Contact: Cristian Mihele, 416-739-5947, Air Quality Research