Publication Date
Spring 1985
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Graduate Studies and Research
Advisor
Kenneth MacKay
Subject Areas
Environmental Studies
Abstract
The ambient air concentration of vinyl chloride downwind of the BKK Landfill in West Covina, CA is estimated using four air pollution screening models. BKK has accepted hazardous and municipal wastes since 1963. Disposal of waste solutions containing vinyl chloride was stopped in June, 1981 after exceedances of the California ambient air vinyl chloride standard were measured. Since then, however, vinyl chloride has continued to volatilize and diffuse to the landfill surface. The emission rate of vinyl chloride is estimated using pertinent landfill data including the concentration of vinyl chloride in landfill gas, the depth of the soil landfill cover, soil porosity, and the portion of the hilly landfill impacting two residential monitoring sites under different wind patterns. Due to the lack of onsite meteorological data, dispersion parameters in the screening models are estimated using data from the Ontario International Airport, 15 miles east of the landfill. Performance of the screening models is evaluated by comparing model estimates to monitoring data. A virtual point source screening model, recommended by the U.S. EPA (1981), estimates measured concentrations of vinyl chloride at BKK with an average error of 8% and is suggested for assessing toxic air pollution downwind of other hazardous waste landfills.
Recommended Citation
Baker, Lynton Worth, "An Evaluation of Screening Models for Assessing Toxic Air Pollution Downwind of Hazardous Waste Landfills" (1985). Master's Theses. 4571.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.v7zy-erg2
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4571
