The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) is conducting a year-long Survey of Fine Urban Particles (SURFUP) preparatory to implementing EPA's new particulate matter standard.  SURFUP has the dual purposes of: 1) determining the chemical character and temporal distribution of fine particle concentrations in urbanized areas of the State, and 2) establishing the foundation for a permanent, statewide fine particle (PM2.5) monitoring network.  The study is to be funded by a supplemental environmental penalty negotiated by the CTDEP Bureau of Air Management and overseen by the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) at the University of Connecticut.

The CTDEP has purchased and will operate candidate "Federal Reference Method" samplers to measure PM2.5 mass at two urban sites and one coastal site which is expected to experience significant transport of fine particles.  PM10 will also be monitored at the survey sites in order to anchor the survey data to the existing PM10 data base.  IMPROVE samplers with three modules (A, B and C) will supply samples for detailed compositional analysis.  The transport sampler is to be located at the Type I/III  PAMS site in Westport on the coast of Long Island Sound which is already equipped to monitor ozone and VOC's seasonally and SO₂, NOx, wind speed, wind direction, temperature and solar radiation on a year round basis.  The New Haven SURFUP site currently houses collocated PM10 samplers as well as a variety of meteorological sensors.  Those parameters will be augmented by collocated PM2.5 samplers and a TEOM with a centrifugal-style, 2.5 micron inlet for continuous fine particle measurement.  The final SURFUP site at Bridgeport will measure PM2.5 mass, PM10 mass, wind speed and wind direction.

Initial plans are to sample every sixth day beginning in mid-October of 1997.  Once stable, network-wide performance is obtained, sample frequency may be increased to every third day, especially for the summer of 1998.  Discussion is also underway regarding the possibility of sampling for PAH's on a limited basis (~50 samples) in order to more fully characterize the organic carbon portion of fine particles.

For further details contact Alan Leston, e-mail: alan.leston@po.state.ct.us, phone 860-424-3513, FAX 860-424-4065.