1. Ramifications of Charlotte Regional Growth and Weekday Activities on Primary and Secondary Emissions
Jenny L. Perry and Patrick M. Owens
Department of Chemistry
Winthrop University

2. Objectives Show Charlotte regional growth by traffic volumes
Characterize trends in NOy, CO, and Ozone monitoring data
Understand how daily traffic fluctuations affect pollutant levels

3. Approach Taken
Characterize daily traffic patterns and growth using available traffic data
Examine daily and long-term trends in primary pollutants NOy and CO; relate traffic patterns to primary pollutants
Assess emission patterns from power plants
Evaluate changes in Ozone concentrations; compare the long-term ozone trend to traffic growth, precursor trends, & temperature

4. Traffic, Monitor, and Power Plant Sites

5. Traffic Sites

6. I-77 Traffic Volume vs Time of Day
(June-August )
6000
4000
2000
Time of Day (Hour)
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

7. Fluctuations of Average Traffic Volume
(All Sites)
1.25
1.05 S M T W R F SA
7-8 AM
0.85
5-6 PM
0.65
Daily
0.45
0.25
Day of Week

8. (South Blvd: May-Sept., I-77: June-August)
Average Daily Traffic Volume vs Year
(South Blvd: May-Sept., I-77: June-August)
75000
65000
55000
45000
South Blvd
I-77
35000
25000
15000
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
Year

9. I-77 Average Traffic Volume vs Year
(June-August)
5500
4750
4000
Hourly
7-8 AM
3250
5-6 PM
2500
1750
1000
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
Year

10. South Blvd Average Traffic Volume vs Year
(May-September)
3750
3250
2750
Hourly
2250
7-8 AM
1750
5-6 PM
1250
750
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
Year

13. Average 7-8 Am CO Concentrations vs Year
(May-September )
775
725
675
625
575
County Line
525
Plaza
475
425
375
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Year

14. Concentrations vs Year
Average 7-8 AM NO
Concentrations vs Year y
(May-September ) 32 31 30 29 28
County Line 27
Plaza 26 25 24 23
1995
1996
1997
1998
Year

15. Regional NOx Sources 1997 Gaston County Power Plant Emissions
12,930 tons (Allen)
3,780 tons (Riverbend)
1996 Mecklenburg County Emissions
17,295 tons (mobile sources)
687 tons (stationary sources)

16. Allen Average NOx Emissions vs Time of Day
(May-September )
0.46
0.44
0.42
0.4
0.38 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23
Time of Day
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

17. Allen Plant CO2 Emissions vs Time of Day
(May-September )
240
190
140 90 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23
Time of Day
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

18. (Allen and Riverbend Plants, May-Sept. 1997-1998)
Fluctuations in Average 7-8 AM CO2 and NOx
(Allen and Riverbend Plants, May-Sept )
1.05 1 S M
T-F SA
0.95
CEM CO2
0.9
CEM NOx
0.85
0.8
0.75
Day of Week

19. Daily Fluctuations of 7-8 AM CO, NOy and Traffic
(All Monitors)
1.22
1.12
1.02
0.92 S M
T-F SA
Noy
0.82 CO
0.72
Traffic
0.62
0.52
0.42
0.32
Day of Week

20. Daily Fluctuations in Average 1-hr Max O3 (May-Sept. 1990-1998)
1.05
1.03
County Line
1.01
Arrowwood
0.99 S M
T-F SA
Plaza
0.97
0.95
Day of Week

21. Daily Fluctuations in O3 by Average Max 8hr
(May-September )
1.04
1.02
County Line 1
Arrowwood S M
T-F SA
Plaza
0.98
0.96
Day of Week

24. Average May-Sept. High Daily Temperatures
87.5 88
86.8 87
85.6
85.6 86 85
83.6
83.6
83.5
83.1 84
82.1 83 82 81 80 79
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998

25. Monthly Maximum Temperatures
1990
1991
100
1992
1993 95
1994 90
1996 85 80
1997
1998 75 70
1995
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep

26. July Max Avg Temp and 8 hr O3 Levels
0.08
100
0.07 95
0.06 90
0.05
0.04 85
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Max 8Hr Ozone
Max Daily Temp

27. August Max Avg Temp and 8 hr O3 Levels
0.08 92
0.07
0.06 87
0.05
0.04 82
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Max 8Hr Ozone
Max Daily Temp

30. Changes in May-Sept Average Daily Maximum 8 Hr Ozone Level

32. Holiday Fluctuations in 1hr Max O3, & 7-8 AM CO, NOy & Traffic
(Labor and Memorial Day, F-R Week, All Monitors, 17 Weeks of O3 Data)
1.55
1.35
1.15 O3
0.95 CO S M T W R F SA
0.75
NOy
Traffic
0.55
0.35
0.15
Day of Week

34. Conclusions
Weekend traffic reductions correlate with NOy and to a lesser extent with CO
Weekend traffic reduction appears to have little immediate effect on Ozone levels; there seems to be a small cumulative effect from current and previous days’ activities
Power production emulates traffic pattern; NOx power plant emissions vary little within each week

35. Conclusions
Average May-Sept daily 7-8 AM NOy and 7-8 AM CO levels in the region appear to be on the rise
Average daily maximum Ozone readings at all three monitoring sites in Mecklenburg County have been rising since 1994
Long-term trends in ozone are influenced by temperature

36. Acknowledgements
North Carolina Division of Air Quality (Steve Few, Brian Timin)
City of Charlotte Department of Transportation (Charles Able)
South Carolina Department of Transportation (Joe Boozer)

37. Additional Supporting O3 and Temperature Graphs
O3 and temperature graphs for the months of May, June and September follow. The months of July and August are depicted in the presentation.

38. May Max Avg Temp and 8 hr O3 Levels
0.07 88 83
0.06 78
0.05 73
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Max 8Hr Ozone
Max Daily Temp

39. June Max Avg Temp and 8 hr O3 Levels
0.075 96 91
0.065 86
0.055 81
0.045 76
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Max 8Hr Ozone
Max Daily Temp

40. September Max Avg Temp and 8 hr O
Levels 3
0.075 86
0.065
0.055 81
0.045
0.035 76
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
Max 8Hr Ozone
Max Daily Temp