Lead and Arsenic Measurements Near Quemetco
Monitoring efforts near Quemetco have been ongoing for more than three decades for lead and since 2012 for arsenic. South Coast AQMD takes samples at a facility downwind of Quemetco. Samples are collected every six days and analyzed in South Coast AQMD’s laboratory. The map below shows the location of this sampling.
1Sampling location change occurred in 2001 from the U.S. Post Office to Closet World
Lead measurements are compared against the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and defined as a three-month rolling average of 0.15 ug/m3. The charts below summarize both the lead and arsenic measurements for each year since 1997. Levels are compared to the NAAQS standard for lead and arsenic relative exposure levels (RELs) established by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Longer term ambient total suspended particulate (TSP) lead levels collected at monitoring locations in Los Angeles and Pico Rivera, the network stations closest to Quemetco, are provided as a reference. The Los Angeles and Pico Rivera Stations are located away from potential emission sources.
Additional information regarding the Quemetco monitoring station is available in the South Coast AQMD Air Monitoring Network Plan.
Bar plot showing the mean, minimum, and maximum three-month rolling lead averages observed at Los Angeles, Pico Rivera, and Quemetco monitoring stations. The NAAQS for the three-month rolling lead average is included as reference.
Notes:
1. Sampling location change occurred in 2001 from the U.S. Post Office to Closet World.
Plot displaying no exceedances at Quemetco (Closet World) for the current NAAQS 3-month rolling average 0.15 ug/m3 lead standard. There were no exceedances of the previous 1.50 ug/m3 lead standard from 1997 until the 2008 revision.
Notes:
1. Sampling location change occurred in 2001 from the U.S. Post Office to Closet World.
2. Sampling at Closet World was temporarily paused beginning on December 20, 2006 due to parking lot construction. Sampling resumed on October 3, 2008.
Box whisker plot showing the minimum, first quartile (25%), median (50%), third quartile (75%), maximum, and average arsenic values observed at Quemetco (Closet World) monitoring station. The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment's chronic relative exposure level for arsenic (PDF)
is included for reference.
Notes:
1. The South Coast AQMD Rule 1420.1 fence line threshold for arsenic is 10.0 ng/m3.