Dust Emissions Joint Forum: Fine Fraction of Fugitive Dust

Final Report: Analysis of the Fine Fraction of Particulate Matter in Fugitive Dust (10/12/05) PDF (1.3MB)
This study was sponsored and supervised by the WRAP and conducted by Midwest Research Institute (MRI). One of its primary conclusion is that concentration measurements used to develop PM-2.5 emission factors in AP-42 were biased high by a factor of two, as compared to PM-2.5 measurements from US EPA reference method samplers. The results also show that the ratio of fine to coarse PM for fugitive dust should be around 0.1. Currently, the fine to coarse ratios in AP-42 range from 0.15 to 0.4 for most fugitive dust sources. This factor of two bias helps to explain why researchers often see a discrepancy in the proportion of fugitive dust found in PM-2.5 emission inventories as compared to the proportion on ambient filter samples. The results of this study will be used to improve PM-2.5 emission factors for paved and unpaved roads, wind blown dust, construction, and other fugitive dust sources. Specifically, the WRAP's Dust Emissions Joint Forum and MRI will propose appropriate revisions to the AP-42 emission factors and will post these proposals on this website.

Draft QA Plan (03/10/05) PDF

Scope of Work: Analysis if the Fine Fraction of Particulate Matter in Fugitive Dust (01/24/05) PDF

RFP: Analysis of the Fine Fraction of Particulate Matter in Fugitive Dust PDF or DOC