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The Environmental Technology Verification Program (ETV) was established
by the USEPA to verify the performance of innovative approaches
to quantify problems that affect human health or the environment.
The program was begun in October 1995, and has a number of public
and private stakeholders. The project was initiated by the USEPA
to speed the introduction of new technologies to the US and international
marketplaces by providing a platform for evaluating the performance
of new environmental sampling and monitoring methods.
The program has the following objectives, as described in the ETV
literature: "The purpose of ETV is to provide objective and
quality assured performance data on environmental technologies,
so that users, developers, regulators, and consultants can make
informed decisions about these technologies." "ETV verification
does not imply approval, certification, or designation by EPA, but
rather provides a quantitative assessment of the performance of
a technology under the specified test conditions."
The ETV Program recently completed an evaluation of fine particulate
monitors that included five instrument configurations from Rupprecht
& Patashnick (R&P). The test involving the R&P products
was carried out by Battelle of Columbus, Ohio, which manages the
ETV Advanced Monitoring Systems pilot program through a cooperative
agreement with the USEPA. The two test locations were in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, in the summer of 2000 and Fresno, California, during
December 2000 and January 2001.
The ETV fine particulate matter test included the following instrumentation
from R&P:
TEOM Series 1400a
PM-2.5 Monitor (operated at 50 °C)... Summary
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Full Report
The instrument measures the PM-2.5 mass concentration in real time
using R&P's patented TEOM mass measurement principle. For areas
with very high particulate nitrate concentrations, such as Fresno,
California, in the wintertime, R&P recommends the use of the
unit at a lower operating temperature than the 50 °C setting
used in the test.
TEOM Series 1400a
PM-2.5 Monitor with SES (operated at 30 °C)... Summary
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Report
With the addition of the Sample Equilibration System (SES) to the
TEOM Series 1400a monitor (see above), the instrument can operate
year-around at 30 °C. Representative short-term mass concentration
results are generated even under ambient temperature conditions
exceeding 30 °C and high relative humidity levels.
Series 5400 Ambient
Carbon Particulate Monitor... Summary
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Report
The Series 5400 monitor provides time-resolved measurements of the
organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC) fractions contained in
ambient particulate matter. Results from the monitor are generally
highly correlated with the various laboratory-based reference methodologies
for determining the OC and EC content of ambient particulate matter.
Series 8400N Ambient
Particulate Nitrate Monitor... Summary
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Report
The Series 8400N monitor generates highly time-resolved readings
of the particulate nitrate contained in ambient particulate matter.
Using a specially-designed sample handling system and a direct measurement
approach, the monitor avoids the difficulties involved in determining
ambient particulate nitrate concentrations using conventional filter
methodologies. NOTE: Instrument results from the Phase 2 site in
Fresno are low due to a high heat load in the monitoring station;
under these conditions, the ventilation of the Series 8400N monitor
sampling chamber was insufficient to maintain ambient temperature.
Series 8400S Ambient
Particulate Sulfate Monitor... Summary
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Report
The Series 8400S monitor utilizes a method similar to that of the
Series 8400N monitor (above) to determine the particulate sulfate
content of ambient particulate matter with a 10-minute time resolution.
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ETV Verification of R&P Monitors 
