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Lisa Graham, ERMD:
Collaboration with ESTC’s Emissions Research and Measurement Division (ERMD) and ASTD’s Air Quality Research Division (AQRD)
- Three projects are currently underway with ERMD and AQRD staff to continue the
study of atmospheric impacts of vehicle emissions.
- For the first project, the AQRD mobile laboratory, CRUISER, was here for two weeks
(Jan 29-Feb 9) to make measurements on fresh vehicle emissions (gasoline cars and diesel
trucks) to develop a library of chemical signatures for use in interpreting ambient
measurements made across Canada over the last 2 years. These source signatures will
be used to do source apportionment analysis on the ambient measurements to determine
the relative contribution of transportation sources to air quality in various
locations across Canada.
- The second project involves measuring the carbon isotope signature of fresh vehicle
emissions. The carbon isotope signature can be used to estimate the age of atmospheric
aerosols (e.g. freshly emitted vehicle particles from vehicles or particles transported
into an area from elsewhere) and for differentiating between fossil and contemporary
carbon (e.g. biomass burning).
- The third project involves measuring the uptake of gaseous hydrocarbon emissions
by existing acidic and neutral aerosols, thus increasing the organic carbon content
of the aerosols by way of gaseous emissions, not by direct particle emissions.
- These three projects are supported by PERD Particles POL and the Climate Change
Technology and Innovation Initiative (CCT&II) Transportation programs and by ERMD
and AQRD.
Richard Turle, AAQD:
Canada Wide Standard – Reference Method
- The report coauthored by Richard Turle, Development and implementation of
the CCME Reference Method for the Canada-Wide Standard for Petroleum Hydrocarbons
(PHC) in soil: a case study, was published in the February edition of the journal:
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.
Richard Turle, AAQD:
New NAPS site in Ottawa
- In cooperation with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Agriculture
Canada, a new National Air Pollution Surveillance site has recently become
operational. This site located at the Central Experimental Farm, will measure
ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and particulate
matter as PM 2.5.
- Environment Canada has provided the equipment to measure ozone, nitrogen oxides
and PM 2.5. The site will be used by the Ontario Ministry to report their daily air
quality index for the area. Environment Canada will use the data for the establishment
of long term trends needed for a variety of air quality programs. Unlike other sites
in Ontario, this site is operated directly by the Analysis and Air Quality Division
of the Environmental Technology Centre. This operation provides useful information
on the characteristics of monitoring instruments, as well as problems with maintaining
the equipment including calibration, and quality assurance/control of the data; these
issues are applicable throughout the entire NAPS network.
- In fall 2007, this site will be included in the accreditation assessment to ISO
Standard 17025 provided by the Canadian Association of Environmental Analytical
Laboratories.
Chung Chiu, AAQD:
Analytical Method Being Developed for Chlorinated Paraffins
- Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are chlorinated derivatives of n-alkanes having
carbon chain lengths ranging from 10 to 38 and a chlorine content ranging from 30
to 70%. They are used as additives in lubricants, plasticizers and flame retardants.
Commercially produced CPs can be classified into three categories: short-chain
(C10-13), medium-chain (C14-17) and long-chain (C>17).
- All three groups of CPs are being proposed to be added to the toxic substances
list of the CEPA 1999. Due to the complexity of the CP mixtures and lack of available
analytical standards, no reliable analytical method that can be used for routine
analysis is currently available.
- As a result, a decision was made in 2005 by Analysis and Air Quality Division
(AAQD) to develop a simple, low cost screening method to determine CP in environmental
samples with a reasonable uncertainty and accuracy. The principle of this method is
based on the dechlorination and hydrogenation of CPs by catalyst material at the GC
injector and quantification as alkanes with mass spectrometry. The validation of this
method is expected to be completed by May 2007.
Chung Chiu, AAQD:
Development of New Reference Method for VOCs
- 2-methoxyethanol (ME) and 2-butoxyethanol (BE) are volatile organic compounds used
mainly as solvents for formulations such as paints, inks, cleaning fluids, anti-icing
agents and sealants. They were added recently to the list of toxic substances
under CEPA.
- A reference method for the measurement of these compounds in various products is
being developed and the draft of this method is anticipated to be completed by December,
2007. Various techniques commonly used by commercial laboratories for VOC sample
preparation and analysis including solvent extraction, headspace, SPME, twister bar,
purge & trap and thermal desorption would be evaluated and included in the reference
method with estimated uncertainty.
Dr. Jacqueline Bélanger, GTD:
Meeting with AIST in Tsukuba, Japan
- As a follow up to a visit at ESTC from Dr. H. Shimada, Director of the Research
Institute for Innovation in Sustainable Chemistry (ISC) at the National Institute of
Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan in June 2006,
Dr. Jacqueline Bélanger, Head-Science, Green Technologies, visited with Dr. H. Shimada
and his research group in Tsukuba, Japan on February 10, 2007. Various presentations
were made from EC and AIST scientists. Japan just awarded AIST a grant to look into
micro-reactors, which includes non-conventional thermodynamics. Dr. Bélanger is the
leader of a PERD-funded project on non-conventional thermodynamics and its potential
impact on climate change related activities. Both parties are looking into a potential
collaborative agreement that would involve the exchange of scientists for various
periods of time.
Dr. Carl E. Brown, ESTD:
Dr. Carl Brown named leader of the CRTI Chemical Science Cluster
- Dr. Carl Brown has been named as the leader of the CRTI Chemical Science
Cluster. Dr.Brown takes over as Cluster Leader from Dr. Merv Fingas who recently
retired from EC after 31 years of service. The Cluster is working on a two year
rolling work plan, moving specifically into the areas of interoperability,
exercises and training.
- The Cluster has been rotating meetings among member labs, affording the
group an opportunity to tour each others labs. The most recent Cluster meeting
was held at Environment Canada’s lab at 355 River Road, Ottawa on February 19th.
Lee Beaudette, BMD:
Biological Methods Division Participates in First Forum of the Canadian Regulatory System for Biotechnology Program
- On January 22 and 23, a forum on biotechnology product regulation was held in
Gatineau - the first time all five federal departments and agencies who receive funding
from the Canadian Regulatory System for Biotechnology (CRSB) program have gathered to
discuss research findings and potential areas of future collaboration.
- As a recipient of CRSB funding over the past few years and for the next 3 years,
the Biological Methods Division (BMD) provided 2 oral presentations and 3 posters
describing past, current and future research in support of Environment Canada’s
biotechnology regulatory obligations.
- Our presentations were well received by participants and future partnerships with
the CFIA and Health Canada researchers are being fostered.
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February
