The number of dairy cows in Idaho has increased by approximately 80% in the last decade, with the majority of these facilities located in southern Idaho, causing air quality concerns in this region. To determine the potential air quality impacts of these facilities, we measured ammonia (NH 3), methane (CH 4), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) concentrations over the pens, wastewater storage pond, and composting area on a 700-cow open-lot dairy using open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (OP/FTIR). Concentrations were measured for one or two days at each location during January, March, June, and September. Median NH 3 concentrations over the pens, storage pond, and composting area ranged from 0.14 to 0.39 ppmv, 0.04 to 0.17 ppmv, and 0.06 to 0.22 ppmv, respectively, with concentrations tending to be lower in January. Average CH 4 concentrations over the pens, storage pond, and composting area ranged from 2.07 to 2.80 ppmv, 1.87 to 2.15 ppmv, and 1.71 to 1.76 ppmv, respectively. Average N 2 O concentrations ranged from 0.31 to 0.33 ppmv for all areas, which was similar to global background N 2 O concentrations. Combined ammonia emissions for the pen and storage pond areas, calculated with a backward Lagrangian stochastic inverse-dispersion technique, were 0.

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Over 32,000 interferograms measured during open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP/FT-1R) measurements at dairy and hog farms were evaluated for anomalies. Five types of anomalies could be distinguished: a reduction in the interferogram intensity because of weather-related optical misalignment; an increase in the amplitude of interferograms measured with too short a path-length that leads to a non-linear detector response; a periodic interference caused by wind-induced vibrations; the presence of spikes in the interferogram; and an increase in the noise level of the interferogram (and hence of the spectrum) because of the effect of electrical interference. Prior to testing for the presence of anomalous data, each interferogram is subjected to a high-pass filter. A noise level index is then calculated from the wings of the interferogram and interferograms are rejected if the value of this parameter is too high. When the criteria developed in this project are applied, OP/FT-1R spectra may be measured at 1-min intervals over a period of several days.

Since the development of electrospray ionization (ESI) for ion mobility spectrometry mass spectrometry (IMMS), IMMS have been extensively applied for characterization of gas-phase bio-molecules. Conventional ion mobility spectrometry (IMS), defined as drift tube IMS (DT-IMS), is typically a stacked ring design that utilizes a low electric field gradient. Field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) is a newer version of IMS, however, the geometry of the system is significantly different than DT-IMS and data are collected using a much higher electric field. Here we report construction of a novel ambient pressure dual gate DT-IMS coupled with a FAIMS system and then coupled to a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer (QITMS) to form a hybrid three-dimensional separation instrument, DT-IMS-FAIMS-QITMS. The DT-IMS was operated at~3 Townsend (electric field/number density (E/N) or (Td)) and was coupled in series with a FAIMS, operated at~80 Td. Ions were mobility-selected by the dual gate DT-IMS into the FAIMS and from the FAIMS the ions were detected by the QITMS for as either MS or MS n . The system was evaluated using cocaine as an analytical standard and tested for the application of separating three isomeric tri-peptides: tyrosine-glycine-tryptophan (YGW), tryptophan-glycine-tyrosine (WGY) and tyrosinetryptophan-glycine (YWG). All three tri-peptides were separated in the DT-IMS dimension and each had one mobility peak. The samples were partially separated in the FAIMS dimension but two conformation peaks were detected for the YWG sample while YGW and WGY produced only one peak. Ion validation was achieved for all three samples using QITMS.

During measurements of open-path Fourier transform infrared spectra, airborne dust may be present in the infrared beam. We have investigated the feasibility of identifying and quantifying the airborne particulate matter from spectra measured in this way. Although the results showed that analysis of the particulate matter was not able to be performed from these spectra, insight into the size and wavelength dependence of the Christiansen effect at wavelengths where the particles absorb strongly was obtained. Airborne particles larger than or equal to the wavelength of the incident radiation give rise to asymmetrical features in the spectrum caused by the Christiansen effect. However, the transmittance at wavelengths where the refractive index of the particles equals that of the atmosphere never reaches 1.0 because of absorption by the particles. As the particle size becomes much smaller than the wavelength of the incident radiation, the Christiansen effect becomes less pronounced and eventually is not exhibited.