Air quality research: improving management of chemical substances
The federal government’s Chemicals Management Plan (CMP) aims to improve the degree of protection in Canada against chemicals that are considered hazardous to the environment and human health. A main component of the Plan is an information gathering and assessment process for approximately 4,000 chemical substances in widespread commercial use. If an assessment determines a chemical substance may pose a risk to human health or the environment, regulatory measures may be developed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999).
Environment Canada’s Air Quality Research Division plays a key role in supporting the CMP and CEPA 1999 by generating scientific and technical knowledge, information, data and techniques to facilitate the assessment and management of risk associated with chemicals that can enter the atmosphere through their production, use or disposal. These activities support better decision-making and improve the prediction of the consequences of specific control and/or regulatory options. Some of the many ways in which the Division’s team of research scientists, chemists, engineers, and other specialists are delivering on these federal priorities include:
Methods Development
- Development and improvement of sampling and analytical methodologies for the measurement of chemical contaminants in the atmosphere
- Development of sorbent-impregnated PUF disks and PUF/XAD cartridges for air sampling of fluorinated contaminants
- Development of a new method for determining rare earth elements and other trace metals in particulate matter
- New analytical methodologies to measure platinum group elements in atmospheric aerosols
- Development of new reference method for volatile organic solvents used as solvents (2-methoxyethanol and 2-butoxyethanol)
- Development of lowest level of quantification for chlorinated paraffins
- Toxics Research
- Research is focused on improving scientific methods and data for hazardous air pollutants
- Determination of selected CMP metallic/organometallics in the atmosphere
- Study and quantification of siloxane compounds in ambient air (for example, in bio-gases) to determine levels and trends of these compounds in the environment
Monitoring and Surveillance
- Coordination and operation of integrated yet comprehensive monitoring to measure, monitor and assess air pollutants, e.g.,
- Canadian Air and Precipitation Chemistry Monitoring program for air constituents in rural and remote areas
- National Air Pollution Surveillance program for ambient air in urban areas
- Integrated Atmospheric Deposition program for toxics in the Great Lakes Basin
- Strategic monitoring and surveillance of CMP priority chemicals, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and related brominated contaminants
- Integration and expansion of existing monitoring to coordinate with multi-media monitoring of CMP priority chemicals such as PBDEs and polyfluroinated alkyl substances
Toxics Research
- Research is focused on improving scientific methods and data for hazardous air pollutants, such as:
- Determination of selected CMP metallic/organometallics in the atmosphere
- Study and quantification of siloxane compounds in amibent air (for example, in bio-gases), to determine levels and trends of these compounds in the environment
Specialized Research Facilities
- Specially designed and operated organic sample preparation laboratory for measuring low levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and regulated compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins and furans.
- Inorganic laboratory to develop and apply analytical methods to detect elements and anions in air particulates
- Comprehensive and modern analytical equipment (e.g., gas chromatography - time-of-flight mass spectrometry)