APPENDIX E
July Campaign
Purpose:
To determine whether the PM 2.5 readings that are collected at 200 College St. (Wallberg
Building) and at 223 College St. (GAGE Institute) are representative of downtown
Toronto and two other spots in Toronto (Finch and St. Clair subway stations).
Theory:
The pDR1200 is a light-scattering photometer, which incorporates a pulsed, high output,
near-infrared light emitting diode source, a silicon detector/hybrid preamplifier,
collimating optics and a source reference feedback PIN silicon detector. The intensity of
the light scattered over the forward angle of 45o to 90o by the airborne particles passing
through the sensing chamber is linearly proportional to their concentration.
Mass Concentration of Particulate Matter 2.5 (2.5 µm or less in diameter) is measured by
the Nephelometer. PM 2.5 is obtained by attaching a pump with a flow rate of 4
liters/minute to the Nephelometer; the cyclone (original cyclone) will cut the air particles
allowing only particles 2.5 µm or less pass through into the Nephelometer. This was
figured out from the graph below.
E-1
The Nephelometer does not distinguish between particle sizes. It considers all airborne
particles to be similarly sized. In making this assumption, it can then display a mass
concentration.
The ambient air, though, does not keep the same distribution of air particles, thus the
calibration factor must change on a daily basis. In this experiment, the calibration factor
was determined twice a day by comparing with TEOM (Tapered Element Oscillating
Microbalance) instantaneous mass concentration of PM 2.5.
Materials:
Digital Camera
Nephelometer
Pump
Wristwatch




Sony Digital Malvica
pDR 1200 (MIE Inc)
SKC model 224PCXR3 (4 liters/min flow rate)
Seiko
Procedure:
 Tube connections
1. Using Tygon tubing, connect the Nephelometer to the pump. The cyclone
must be attached to the Nephelometer.
2. Using Tygon tubing, connect the cyclone to the drying tube.

Turn the pump ON (press ON/OFF switch).

Sampling with the Nephelometer
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Turn On Nephelometer from the ON/OFF switch.
Press NEXT twice (see LOGGING DISABLED).
Press ENTER.
Press NEXT six times (see START RUN: ENTER
READY:NEXT )
Press ENTER.
If the readings are abnormally high (anything over 0.150 mg/m3) check
that this is the correct reading by pressing EXIT then ENTER and then
ENTER again, repeat this a number of times until convinced that this is
correct.
When finished sampling press EXIT, then ENTER.
Press ON/OFF switch to turn the Nephelometer off.

Time synchronization. Make sure your wristwatch is synchronized with the
Nephelometer’s internal clock.

Daily Sampling routine
E-2
1. Take five-minute samples at the starting sampling point at Finch Station.
2. Take five-minute samples at the starting sampling point at St. Clair
Station.
3. At the Wallberg building, take a photo of the CN tower and Downtown
Toronto from the roof.
4. Take readings from Wallberg to the GAGE institute and on the map record
the time and concentration at these two locations.
5. Take readings from the roof of the GAGE Institute, meanwhile record the
instantaneous values every 20 seconds given by the TEOM.
6. Sample along the circuit described on the map; at each numbered site
record the time and the concentration.
7. When the circuit is completed take sample from the roof of the GAGE
Institute, meanwhile record the instantaneous values every 20 seconds
given by the TEOM.
8. Take photo of CN tower and Downtown Toronto from the roof of the
Wallberg building.
9. At this point data processing is done in WB133.
10. At the end of the day take samples again at St. Clair and Finch subway
stations.
E-3
Before starting the Data Processing make sure that the program called PDRcom is
installed on the computer. If it is not, install it from the disks that came with the
Nephelometer or download the software from www.mieinc.com.

Data Processing
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Turn on pDR (ON/OFF)
Press NEXT seven times (see CONNECT TO PC)
On computer go to Start  Program  MIE  PDR-com
Go to PDR button  Get Data
Open the first tag of the day (site a)  Save it as DATEa.csv (eg. Jul16a.csv)
Open the second tag of the day (site b)  Save it as DATEb.csv (eg.
Jul16b.csv)
7. Open the third tag of the day (sites 0 and 1)  Save it as DATEwal.csv (eg.
Jul16wal.csv)
8. Open the fourth tag of the day (first calibration against TEOM). Save it as
DATEt1.csv (eg. Jul16t1.csv)
9. Open one by one from the fifth tag to the second last tag of the day
(downtown circuit).  Save them as DATEdo#.csv (eg. Jul16do1.csv)
10. Open the last tag of the day (second calibration against TEOM). Save it as
DATEt2.csv (eg. Jul16t2.csv)
11. The previous days tags are to be opened and saved as
PREVIOUSDATEbev.csv and PREVIOUSDATEaev.csv respectively for
sites b and a (St. Clair and Finch subway stations)
12. Check to see that all of the tags have been saved under their proper names in
the directory C:\PDRCOM
13. Go to PDR button  Delete Data
14. Select all of the tags and delete them.
15. Copy all these files into a directory having the name DATE (eg. July 16)
16. Look at the map and notice where there was a sudden drop or a sudden
increase in mass concentration. If the concentration remains at a constant
value after a dropped value or a peaked value, then the second calibration
factor will be applied from then on to the data; if the concentration returns to
its previous value then the first calibration factor will continue to be valid.
17. In order to calculate the calibration factors open DATEt1.csv and DATEt2.csv
files.
 Average the instantaneous concentrations given by the TEOM
 Calibration factor = TEOM avg conc / pDR avg conc
 Note: use the same units, convert the Nephelometer data from mg/m3
to µm/m3 by multiplying it by 1000
 If there is no visible change in air (step 16) then the calibration factor
for the entire day is the average of the two calibration factors.
18. Apply the calibration factors:
 Multiply these calibration factors by all the data points from all the
tags.
E-4

Then create a new file named DATEall.xls (eg. Jul16all.xls) and in it
copy and paste all the calibrated concentrations, the date and the times
of each sample. (Note: make sure that the times are in increasing order,
and combine all the entries from all the tags).
 See example in Chart 1 for format outline of DATEall.xls
19. Save all the files as .xls files.
20. From the times recorded on the map identify what all the concentrations
where at all the sites.
 Create another column and name it Sites
 Beside each of the identified concentrations write down the name of
the site.
 For the two subway sites (Finch and St. Clair) average all the
concentrations and label the site name halfway through the sample (ie:
if the sample was 5 minutes long then label on the third minute)
 On another column beside the site name display the average of the
concentrations found at the site.
 Select the entire Sites column
 Press ALT+D, choose Filter  Auto Filter.
 Scroll down to choose the NON-BLANKS filtering options.
 Select using the mouse all of the columns
 Press CTRL+C to copy
 Go to the second sheet of the DATEall.xls file and paste by pressing
CTRL+V.
Chart 1 (DATEall.xls  not filtered)
Date
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
24-Jul
Time
08:23:34
08:24:34
08:25:34
08:26:34
08:27:34
08:28:34
08:29:34
08:55:38
08:56:38
08:57:38
08:58:38
08:59:38
09:00:38
10:22:19
10:23:19
10:24:19
10:25:19
10:26:19
Calibrated
concentration
(µg/m3)
Sites
52
48
48
49 a
49
51
52
50
52
51 b
48
50
47
36
38
39
35
33
Subway
averaged
concentration
(µg/m3)
50
50
0
1
E-5



Save DATEall.xls and exit Microsoft Excel.
Copy from the Floppy Disk the photos for the morning and afternoon shots
into the DATE folder.
Rename the photos according to the date and time that they were taken at (eg.
Jul16_13_15).
Results:
The graphs in Appendix 1 illustrate how the Nephelometer (pDR 1200) performs against
the TEOM in different days. For all the graphs the X-axis represents the time at which the
sample is taken, and the Y-axis represent the mass concentration in µg/m3. The
Nephelometer took samples from Finch Station, St. Clair Station and the downtown
circuit defined in the map on page 3; meanwhile the TEOM took samples at 223 College
St. (GAGE Institute). This was used to show whether the readings taken at the GAGE
Institute were representative of Downtown Toronto and some of North York. The graphs
for July 4,5,10,17 and 18 showed a very good match between the Nephelometer and the
TEOM. The graphs for July 6 and 9 were good matches but not quite as good as the
previous ones. The graph for July 16 showed a very good match but only between 10:30
AM to 12:00 PM. The other graphs in Appendix 1 did not show good matches between
the Nephelometer and the TEOM.
A better way to appreciate whether the readings taken at the Wallberg building are
representative of Downtown Toronto and North York is offered in Appendix 2. Appendix
2 displays a graph representing the concentration factors of all the sites, the X-axis
representing the site number and the Y-axis representing the concentration factor. All the
concentration factors were calculated using this formulae:
Concentration factor = Site # / [(Site 0 + Site 29)/2]
These concentration factors enable anybody that is taking a reading of PM 2.5 at the
Wallberg building, to approximate what the mass concentration at any other site on the
circuit is. Wallberg building can be considered as being representative of Downtown
Toronto and of North York because all the concentration factors are 1 within their
respective standard deviations.
In Appendix 3 there are two graphs that show how the mass concentration changed on a
daily basis at the Wallberg building and in front of the Union Station tunnel at Front St.
and York St. The first graph refers to sites 0 and 29, which are at the Wallberg building in
the morning and respectively the afternoon. The second graph refers to the Union Station
tunnel, which is site 10.Sites 0 and 29 are the sites to which we want to compare all the
sites to, site 10 is the most polluted site along the circuit. As it can be observed from
these two graphs they tend to follow the same trend. This means that the readings taken at
the Wallberg building are representative of the readings taken in front of the Union
Station tunnel at Front St. and York St.
E-6
Conclusion:
The readings taken at the Wallberg building are representative of the readings taken in
Downtown Toronto, at Finch Station and at St. Clair station. This was shown by the
graph in Appendix 2, and partially by the graphs in Appendix 3.
The readings taken at the GAGE Institute seem to also be representative of the readings
taken in Downtown Toronto, at Finch Station and at St. Clair station. The majority of
graphs displayed in Appendix 1 showed this.
Appendix 1:
July 3 TEOM vs pDR1200
9
6:
1
8
18
:0
5:
2
7
17
:3
9:
1
7
pDR 30 min Average (ug/m3)
12
:2
0:
4
7
12
:0
0:
4
7
11
:3
0:
4
7
11
:0
0:
4
7
10
:3
0:
4
1
10
:0
2:
0
08
:1
07
:4
3:
5
9
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
TEOM conc(ug/m3)
July 4 TEOM vs pDR1200
pDR 30 min Average (ug/m3)
E-7
TEOM conc(ug/m3)
:3
6
18
:
28
:1
3
17
:
59
:1
1
12
:
04
:0
1
12
:
00
:0
1
11
:
30
:0
1
11
:
00
:0
1
10
:
30
:0
1
10
:
00
:0
1
09
:
30
:5
7
08
08
:
07
:
41
:4
5
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
July 5 TEOM vs pDR 1200
pDR 30 min Average (ug/m3)
21
:2
0:
43
20
:5
6:
01
12
:4
4:
13
12
:3
0:
03
11
:5
9:
45
11
:3
0:
05
10
:5
5:
27
10
:3
0:
07
10
:0
0:
07
09
:2
4:
12
08
:1
7:
05
07
:4
7:
31
14.0
12.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
TEOM conc(ug/m3)
July 6 TEOM vs pDR1200
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
13:30:09
13:43:09
17:49:18
18:20:38
13:00:09
12:30:09
12:00:10
11:30:10
11:00:07
10:30:07
10:00:01
09:19:20
08:05:41
07:36:23
pDR 30 min Average (ug/m3)
TEOM conc(ug/m3)
July 9 Teom Vs pDR 1200
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
12:25:48
12:00:48
E-8
11:30:48
11:00:48
10:30:48
10:00:48
09:30:48
08:18:01
07:46:06
pDR 30 min Average (ug/m3)
TEOM conc(ug/m3)
July 10 Teom vs pDR 1200
25
20
15
10
5
0
18:59:17
18:29:38
12:24:13
12:00:13
11:30:13
11:00:13
10:30:13
10:00:13
09:30:13
08:26:13
07:53:42
pDR 30 min Average (ug/m3)
TEOM conc(ug/m3)
July 11 TEOM vs pDR 1200
20
15
10
5
0
11:09:51
11:00:51
10:30:51
10:00:51
09:08:52
08:14:28
07:45:47
pDR 30 min Average (ug/m3)
TEOM conc(ug/m3)
July 13 TEOM vs pDR 1200
25
20
15
10
5
0
08:00:28
09:14:50
pDR 30 min avg (ug/m3)
09:41:53
TEOM (ug/m3)
July 16 TEOM vs pDR 1200
60
40
20
0
10:00:36
10:30:36
11:00:36
11:30:36
pDR 30 min avg (ug/m3)
E-9
12:00:36
TEOM (ug/m3)
12:30:36
July 17 TEOM vs pDR 1200
30
20
10
0
09:59:55
10:29:55
10:59:55
11:29:55
pDR 30 min avg (ug/m3)
11:59:55
12:29:55
12:38:55
TEOM (ug/m3)
July 18 TEOM vs pDR 1200
30
20
10
0
07:56:20
08:29:19
09:59:58
10:29:58
pDR 30 min avg (ug/m3)
10:59:58
11:59:58
12:10:58
TEOM (ug/m3)
July 19 TEOM vs pDR 1200
50
40
30
20
10
0
18:21:05
18:51:10
12:29:42
12:50:32
12:18:34
12:00:34
11:30:34
10:58:34
10:30:34
10:00:34
09:30:34
09:00:13
pDR 30 min avg (ug/m3)
TEOM (ug/m3)
July 20 TEOM vs pDR 1200
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
E-10
11:59:42
Appendix 2:
11:29:42
10:59:53
10:29:53
09:59:53
09:05:11
08:14:33
07:45:09
pDR 30 min avg (ug/m3)
TEOM (ug/m3)
Appendix3:
E-11