|
Monitors & What They Measure
Monitoring sites are chosen to provide data for various purposes. Some are selected because they are probable "hot spots" for certain air pollutants while others are chosen to provide data that is representative of wider geographic areas. Local topography and pollution sources are both factors in determining the suitability of potential monitoring locations.
The table below contains the full list of monitoring sites across Massachusetts and the parameters measured at each of them. For more details on the network, see the Air Monitoring Topics above or the most recent Annual Air Quality Report.
Monitoring Sites and Parameters Measured
| Monitoring Sites |
Parameters Measured |
| |
O
z
o
n
e
|
P
M
2.5
|
P
M
2.5
h
o
u
r
l
y
|
P
M
2.5
S
p
e
c
i
a
t
e
d
|
P
M
10
|
L
e
a
d
|
C
O
|
S
O
2
|
N
O
x
*
|
N
O
y
|
P
A
M
S
|
T
o
x
i
c
s
|
B
l
a
c
k
C
a
r
b
o
n
|
M
e
t
|
O
t
h
e
r
**
|
|
Adams-Mt Greylock
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Amherst-UMass
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boston-Kenmore
|
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boston-Charlestown
|
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Boston-Long Island
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
Boston-Dudley Square
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
Boston-North End
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
Brockton-Post Office
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chicopee-Westover AFB
|
x
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
Fairhaven-Wood School
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
Fall River-Globe St.
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Haverhill-Consentino School
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
Lawrence-DEP Laboratory
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lowell-Old City Hall
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lynn-Water Treatment Plant
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
Milton-Blue Hill Observatory
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
Newbury-Plum Island
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
Pittsfield-78 Center St.
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pittsfield-1 South St.
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Springfield-Liberty St.
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
Springfield-1860 Main St.
|
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stow-USAF Laboratory
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
Truro-National Seashore
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
Waltham-UMass Field Station
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
Ware-Quabbin Summit
|
x
|
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
Worcester-Airport
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
x
|
|
|
Worcester-2 Washington St.
|
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Worcester-Summer St.
|
|
x
|
x
|
|
x
|
|
x
|
x
|
x
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LEGEND OF PARAMETER ACRONYMS
CO = Carbon Monoxide
SO2 = Sulfur Dioxide
*NOx = Nitric Oxide, including Nitrogen Dioxide
NOy = Total Reactive Oxides of Nitrogen
PM10 = Particulate Matter (10 microns & smaller)
PM2.5 = Fine Particulate Matter (2.5 microns & smaller)
PM2.5 Hourly
PM2.5 Speciated (chemicals that make up PM2.5) including IMPROVE PM Speciation (Ware & Truro)
PAMS = Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Station (hydrocarbon and aldehyde compounds measured for the study of ozone formation)
Toxics = Toxic Air Pollutants including Aldehydes, Metals & Volatile Organic Compounds
MET = Meteorological Data
**Other = Acid Rain (Waltham) & Upper Air Meteorology (Stow)
Massachusetts Air Monitors by the Numbers
Each of the 28 MassDEP-operated sites in the Massachusetts ambient air monitoring network features a unique combination of equipment.
Continuous Monitors
These instruments measure ambient air conditions 24 hours per day and report data as hourly averages. They generally fall into one of three categories:
1. Criteria Pollutant Monitors measure pollutants for which National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) have been set.
|
Parameters Measured
|
# Sites
|
|
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
|
5
|
|
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Nitric Oxide (NO), Total Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)
|
11
|
|
Ozone (O3)*
|
14
|
|
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
|
6
|
|
PM2.5 (fine particles)
|
10
|
* MassDEP also receives ozone (O3) data from the Wampanoag Tribal Site at Aquinnah on Martha's Vineyard. Given the importance of that site to the evaluation of ozone transported into the region from upwind areas, MassDEP includes data from that site on its website.
2. Meteorological Monitors track weather conditions
|
Parameters Measured
|
# Sites
|
|
Barometric Pressure (BP)
|
12
|
|
B-Band Ultraviolet Radiation
|
1
|
|
Precipitation
|
2
|
|
Profiler (Wind Speed/direction & Temperature at various altitudes)
|
1
|
|
Relative Humidity
|
12
|
|
Solar Radiation
|
12
|
|
Temperature
|
13
|
|
Wind Speed & Direction
|
12
|
3. Other Monitors
|
Parameters Measured
|
# Sites
|
|
Acid Deposition (Acidic compounds in precipitation)*
|
1
|
|
Black Carbon
|
3
|
| |
|
|
Photochemical Assessment (PAMS) of Ozone Precursors such as Hydrocarbons, Aldehydes, and NOx
|
4
|
|
Total Reactive Oxidized Nitrogen (NOy)
|
2
|
*This monitor, located in Waltham, is part of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP). There are two other NADP monitors in Massachusetts, in Truro and Ware, but they are not operated by MassDEP.
Intermittent Monitors
These instruments take discrete samples for a specific time period either daily, every third day or every sixth day. The data is averaged in intervals of between three and 24 hours. These monitors fall into one of two categories:
1. Criteria Pollutant Monitors measure pollutants for which National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) have been set.
|
Parameters Measured
|
# Sites
|
|
Coarse Particles (up to 10 microns)
|
6
|
|
Fine Particles (2.5 microns or smaller)
|
15
|
|
Lead (Pb)
|
1
|
2. Non-Criteria Pollutant Monitors measure pollutants for which NAAQS have not been set.
|
Parameters Measured
|
# Sites
|
|
Toxic Metals in Coarse Particles (up to 10 microns)
|
1
|
|
Photochemical Assessment (PAMS) for Volatile Organic Compounds
|
4
|
|
Speciated fine particles, metals, nitrates & organics
|
2
|
|
Toxics (VOCs)
|
2
|
|
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