Rotek Environmental Inc. services

One way to protect and assess air quality is through the development of Ambient Air Monitoring Programs. Data collected from continuous air monitoring instrumentation is generally used for one or more of the following purposes. assess compliance with ambient air quality criteria’s assist in process operation observe pollution trends and evaluate abatement strategies provide a data base for environmental and health related research assist in airshed management provide real-time information and data management address public concerns with respect to local air quality provide monitoring data in support of computer models forecasting and monitoring of smog advisories.

Particles in the atmosphere consist of either solid or fine liquid droplets. They include,smoke, fumes, dust, flyash,condensed vapours and pollen. Suspended particulates in ambient air serve as a vehicle for organic and inorganic chemical compounds. Unlike gaseous pollutants particulate matter (PM) can be a mixture of different sizes and chemical composition with varying health implications. It can be strongly affected by complex secondary interaction involving temperature, humidity, sunshine , gases and particulate composition.

Rotek Environmental Inc. provides a full range of monitoring requirements in support of Ambient Air Monitoring Networks. Along with providing technical expertise in the selection, operation and maintenance of specialized air monitoring instrumentation, we have proven experience in the area of Network Management. For several years, Rotek has provided contractual support for the Nanticoke Environmental Committee (NEC) air monitoring program. This network consists of state-of-the-art continuous air monitoring instrumentation, real- time telemetry, data acquisition and a number of particulate and VOC monitoring instruments. Monitoring is required in support of local airshed management, both Provincial and Federal monitoring programs and to assess off property impacts of local industries (Figure 1).

The availability of reliable, accurate and precise monitoring methods for VOCs is a primary need for Government agencies and Industry addressing daily monitoring requirements related to odour complaints, fugitive emissions and trend monitoring. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are organic chemicals that easily vaporize at room temperature. They are called organic because they contain the element carbon in their molecular structures.VOCs include a wide range of individual substances, such as hydrocarbons (for example benzene and toluene), halocarbons and oxygenates. Hydrocarbon VOCs are usually grouped into methane and other non-methane VOCs. Methane is an important component of VOCs, its environmental impact is principally related to its contribution to global warming and to the production of ground level or lower atmospheric ozone. Oxygenates arise in vehicle exhausts and via atmospheric chemical reactions.