Air Quality and Monitoring

In addition to the six criteria pollutants, TCEQ’s monitoring network also measures a variety of air toxics that include hydrogen sulfide, volatile organic compounds, metals, and carbonyls. The specific pollutants measured at each monitoring station can be identified using the GeoTAM viewer.

Placement of air monitors is determined consistent with federal air monitoring rules using population trends, reported emissions inventory data, local meteorological data, and, if available, existing air monitoring data for a given area. In addition, TCEQ may prioritize monitor placement in areas with potential air quality issues, or to address local air quality concerns. TCEQ strives to strategically balance meeting federal monitoring requirements and state and local needs with available funding and staffing resources.

Each specific monitor location must meet strict siting criteria that include minimum spacing from trees or other obstructions, free of influences from specific sources, and logistical considerations, such as available space, power, and level terrain. Final site selection is contingent on TCEQ receiving proper access authorization from property owners for properties that meet these siting criteria.

TCEQ uses a variety of measures to ensure its air monitoring data is of the utmost quality. Air monitors are assessed daily to verify their operations remain within proper specifications. TCEQ personnel physically visit each monitoring station on a weekly basis to conduct various quality control checks and preventive maintenance activities. The monitoring instruments themselves must meet rigorous sampling and analytical requirements prescribed by federal air monitoring rules and undergo daily, weekly, and quarterly quality control checks to verify the instrument’s calibration, accuracy, and precision. In addition, independently calibrated instruments are used to perform quarterly and annual audits of the air monitors and their operation.

Finally, a validation assessment is performed on all data to verify TCEQ’s data quality objectives are met. The data are reviewed for outliers, regional comparability, quality assurance/quality control requirements, and other data quality assessment indicators. Data that do not meet these objectives completely are invalidated or denoted accordingly.

TCEQ air monitoring network is designed to measure pollutant concentrations for assessing regional air quality representative of areas frequented by the public. Monitors can measure the impact on air quality from industrial sources present in an area, but do not measure the emissions from individual sources or determine a source’s compliance with permitted emission limits. Data from the ambient air monitoring network is used to determine compliance with the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS), evaluate pollutant trends, forecast daily air quality conditions, perform air quality and human health impact studies, and inform regulatory decisions. Finally, while stationary air monitors may provide useful data during disasters or emergency events, they are not specifically intended for those purposes.

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