Airborne Measurements Of A Copper Smelter Plume In Montana PDF Download

The Monitoring Operations Division (MOD) of the Environmental Monitoring and Support Laboratory - Las Vegas developed a mobile sulfur dioxide (SO2) instrument package for use in the remote, rugged terrain surrounding The Anaconda Company's copper smelter at Anaconda, Montana. The self-contained instrument package was used to obtain ground-level SO2 measurements in the area impacted by the smelter plume. Wind speed, wind direction, and temperature were also recorded at the sampling site. The requirement for the package to be quickly deployed in an area impacted by the smelter plume necessitated the use of a helicopter to sling-load the package into position. Calibration of the instruments was performed before and after each sampling period. The primary area of interest for SO2 measurements was the mountainous terrain south of the smelter. During the 4 active months of the sutdy, the package was deployed 17 times. The primary and secondary SO2 standards were exceeded on a number of occasions. Source emission strength estimates, obtained by EPA-Region VIII are presented for those times when SO2 was measured at a site. These data can be used to normalize the recorded SO2 values to account for the varying SO2 emissions from the source.