7 Del. Admin. Code § 1103-1.0

Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 1, July 1, 2024

Section 1103-1.0 - General Provisions

1.1 Air quality standards are required to assure that ambient air quality shall be consistent with established criteria and shall serve to effectively and reasonably manage the air resources of the State of Delaware.

1.1.1 Primary air quality standards provide public health protection, including protecting the health of sensitive populations such as asthmatics, children, and the elderly.

1.1.2 Secondary air quality standards provide public welfare protection, including protection against decreased visibility and damage to crops, animals, vegetation, and buildings.

1.2 At such time as additional pertinent information becomes available with respect to applicable air quality criteria, recommendations shall be incorporated and the air quality standards shall be subject to revisions.

1.3 The absence of a specific ambient air quality standard shall not preclude actions by the Department to control contaminants to assure protection, safety, welfare, and comfort of the people of the State of Delaware.

1.4 Air quality standards are defined by frequency distribution presentations and arithmetic averages. The characteristic parameters describing the frequency distribution are the geometric mean and 99th percentile.

1.4.1 The geometric mean is defined as the Nth root of the product of N numbers. Assuming a log-normal cumulative frequency distribution, the 50th percentile value will be equal to the geometric mean.

1.4.2 The arithmetic average mean is defined as the sum of a set of values divided by the number of values.

1.4.3 The 99th percentile for a group of numbers is defined as that value which is exceeded by one percent of the numbers.

1.5 The ambient air quality values stated herein shall apply to all areas outside a source property line.

1.6 The sampling and analytical procedures and techniques employed to determine ambient air concentrations of contaminants shall be consistent with methods which result in a representative evaluation of the prevailing conditions. The following methods shall be used directly or employed as reference standards against which other methods may be calibrated;

1.6.1 Ambient concentrations of total suspended particulates shall be determined by the reference high volume method in accordance with 40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix B, Reference Method for the Determination of Suspended Particulate Matter in the Atmosphere (High-Volume Method), July 1, 2019.

1.6.2 Ambient concentrations of sulfur dioxide shall be determined by the reference or equivalent method in accordance with 40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix A-1, Reference Method Principle and Calibration Procedure for the Measurement of Sulfur Dioxide in the Atmosphere (Ultraviolet Fluorescence Method), July 1, 2019, or 40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix A-2, Reference Method for the Measurement of Sulfur Dioxide in the Atmosphere (Pararosaniline Method), July 1, 2019.

1.6.3 Ambient concentrations of carbon monoxide shall be determined by the reference method in accordance with 40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix C, Measurement Principle and Calibration Procedure for the Measurement of Carbon Monoxide in the Atmosphere (Non-Dispersive Infrared Photometry, July 1, 2019.

1.6.4 Ambient concentrations of ozone corrected for interferences due to nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide shall be determined by the reference method in accordance with 40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix D, Measurement Principle and Calibration Procedure for the Measurement of Ozone in the Atmosphere, July 1, 2019.

1.6.5 Ambient concentrations of methane and non-methane hydrocarbons shall be determined by the reference method in accordance with 40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix E, July 1, 2019.

1.6.6 Ambient concentrations of nitrogen dioxide shall be determined by the reference method in accordance with 40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix F, Measurement Principle and Calibration Procedure for the Measurement of Nitrogen Dioxide in the Atmosphere (Gas Phase Chemiluminescence), July 1, 2019.

1.6.7 Ambient concentrations of hydrogen sulfide shall be determined by gas chromatographic separation - flame photometric detection.

1.6.8 Ambient concentrations of lead shall be determined by the reference method in accordance with 40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix R, Reference Method for the Determination of Lead in Total Suspended Particulate Matter, July 1, 2019.

1.6.9 Ambient concentrations of PM₁₀ particulate shall be determined by a reference method in accordance with 40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix J, Reference Method for the Determination of Particulate Matter as PM₁₀ in the Atmosphere, July 1, 2019, or an equivalent method.

1.6.10 Ambient concentrations of PM_2.5 particulate shall be determined by the reference method based on 40 CFR, Part 50, Appendix L, Reference Method for the Determination of Fine Particulate Matter as PM_2.5 in the Atmosphere, July 1, 2019.

1.7 Air quality standards are expressed in metric units with the approximate equivalent volumetric units in parentheses. The standard conditions for air ambient monitoring is 760 mm. Hg and 25oC. The formula to convert metric units to parts per million (ppm) is:

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where MW is molecular weight of the contaminant being measured.

02/01/1981

7 Del. Admin. Code § 1103-1.0

17 DE Reg. 741 (1/1/2014)
26 DE Reg. 120 (8/1/2022) (Final)