HYDROCARBON MEASUREMENTS DURING THE 1992 SOUTHERN OXIDANTS STUDY ATLANTA INTENSIVE - PROTOCOL AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

A major component of the Southern Oxidants Study (SOS) 1992 Atlanta In tensive was the measurement of atmospheric nonmethane hydrocarbons. Am bient air samples were collected and analyzed by a network of strategi cally located automated gas chromatography (GC) systems (field systems ). In addition, an extensive canister sampling network was deployed. C ombined, more than 3000 chromatograms were recorded. The SOS science t eam targeted for quantitative analysis 56 compounds which may be subst antial contributors to ozone formation or used as air mass tracers. A quality assurance program was instituted to ensure that good measureme nts were being made throughout the network for each target compound. C ommon, high-quality standards were used throughout the network. The pe rformance of individual field systems was evaluated during the intensi ve through the analysis of challenge mixtures. This methodology helped to identify and correct analytical problems as they arose.