STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR

1 SANTA BARBARA COUNTY AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR DATA REVIEW AND validation August 2017 SBCAPCD SOP Data Review and validation First Revision, August 2017 1 SANTA BARBARA COUNTY AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT Approval of STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOP) DATA REVIEW AND validation SBCAPCD SOP Data Review and validation First Revision, August 2017 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS DATA REVIEW AND validation Page(s) Date GENERAL DESCRIPTION 3 08/17 Purpose 3 Responsibilities 3 Personnel Qualifications 3 DATA ACQUISITION 4-5 08/17 Collecting Data 5 Data Storage 5 ENABLING/DISABLING CHANNELS IN SITE DATA LOGGERS 6-8 08/17 Enabling/Disabling Channels in 8872 Data Loggers 6 Enabling/Disabling Channels in 8832 Data Loggers 7 USING AIRVISION TO EDIT AND REVIEW DATA 9-15 08/17 Logging in to AirVision 9 Running Reports in AirVision 10 Editing Data in AirVision 11 List of AQS Null Codes, AirVision Data Flags.

2 And AQS Qualifier Codes 11 ONGOING REVIEW TO MINIMIZE DATA LOSS 16-17 08/17 MONTHLY LEVEL 1 DATA REVIEW AND PROCESSING 18-27 08/17 General Guidelines on Data Review 18 Level 1 Review PROCEDURES 19 MONTHLY LEVEL 2 DATA REVIEW 28-30 08/17 Monthly Level 2 Data Review PROCEDURES 28 MONTHLY LEVEL 3 DATA REVIEW 31-33 08/17 Monthly Level 3 Data Review PROCEDURES 31 REFERENCES 34 SBCAPCD SOP Data Review and validation First Revision, August 2017 3 GENERAL DESCRIPTION The SBCAPCD's air monitoring program collects real-time ambient air pollutant and meteorological values across Santa Barbara County. The program is designed to ensure the quality of the data collected and disseminated by the SBCAPCD, as part of the CARB Primary Quality Assurance Organization (PQAO). The data generated are used to determine which areas of Santa Barbara County are in attainment, or non-attainment of federal and State air quality standards , impacts from local sources, and/or the severity of air pollution in Santa Barbara County.

3 The data are also used in air models and real-time air quality public alerts. This STANDARD OPERATING Procedure (SOP) contains specific details on performing data acquisition, editing, and revision in SBCAPCD s Data Management/Acquisition System (AirVision), and also the general elements that should be evaluated during the multi-step data review and validation process. Purpose The purpose of this document is to outline how SBCAPCD monitoring staff are to handle, store, edit, and review ambient air quality data before releasing the data for use by various end-users. This SOP should be used in conjunction with the AirVision manual and is not intended to replace it. Responsibilities The station operator has the primary responsibility for distinguishing valid measurements from indications caused by malfunctioning instruments or source interference ( , roofing, gasoline vapors, or structure fires).

4 A second reviewer, usually one of the other station operators, is responsible for reviewing the work performed by the site operators and serve as the second level data reviewer to ensure that data is of sufficient quality outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs), Title 40, Appendix A to part 58, to be deemed data for record. The monitoring section supervisor provide further general oversight with a special emphasis on investigation of the highest measured pollutant concentrations and any measurements exceeding state or federal air quality standards . Personnel Qualifications Operation of the AirVision DAS and any data processing and editing should only be performed by properly trained personnel. Personnel should meet all minimum requirements and qualifications commensurate with their position or title. All air monitoring staff at SBCAPCD are hired as Air Quality Specialist I, II, III, or Monitoring/IT Supervisor positions.

5 Qualifications for the respective staff functions are typically first established through the successful completion of a probationary period with supervisorial oversight. Successive levels of responsibility are achieved via internal and external training classes, experience and a demonstrated display of abilities until a journey level is attained. SBCAPCD SOP Data Review and validation First Revision, August 2017 4 DATA ACQUISITION The task of data acquisition involves retrieving ambient air quality data from each analyzer, transmitting the data from the field stations to the District office central data acquisition system (DAS), and ingesting the data into a central database. Station operators are then able to review, edit and validate the air quality data. Figure 1 outlines the data collection, review, and validation process. Figure1: Data Collection, Data Review, and Data validation Process Gas Analyzers and Meteorological Sensors BAM Particulate Monitors Agilaire 8832/8872 Data Logger Agilaire AirVision Central Data System Level 1 Review Level 2 Review Supervisory Review Upload to AQS SBCAPCD SOP Data Review and validation First Revision, August 2017 5 Collecting Data SBCAPCD s data acquisition for gas and meteorological parameters is composed of two systems: A primary system utilizing the Agilaire 8832 or 8872 data logger, and a backup system utilizing each analyzer s internal data logging feature, only where the analyzer has the data logging capability.

6 The Agilaire 8832/8872 continuously polls each gas analyzer, via Ethernet utilizing Modbus protocol (or via back up voltage signal), and processes minute and hourly averages into data files. Meteorological parameters are acquired by the 8832/8872 data logger via voltage signals from the sensor. Particulate parameters (PM10 and ) are measured with the MetOne BAM 1020 and also have two systems. The primary data acquisition of hourly and operational parameters from the particulate monitors are accomplished by direct polling via the internet of each particulate monitor by the Districts AirVision central data acquisition system. The backup system utilizes the internal data logging feature of the BAM monitors. Both data acquisition systems are operated at all SBCAPCD ambient air monitoring stations for either primary data acquisition or for backup and troubleshooting, using the internal data logging feature of each analyzer where available.

7 Each station s 8832/8872 data logger is polled by the central AirVision server once each minute and sends the minute, hourly, and calibration data for all gas analyzer and meteorological sensors. The minute and hourly values include both concentration data and operational data from each gas analyzer. Each stations BAM monitor(s) are directly polled for concentration and operational parameters by the central AirVision server once each hour. SBCAPCD s station operators can view and edit the station s minute and hourly data using their PC workstation through an AirVision client software. The SBCAPCD central AirVision server is programmed to automatically send email alarms to the appropriate site operator whenever concentration or operational data exceeds normal/expected values. In the event of an intermittent failure of site data logger, SBCAPCD staff has the ability to utilize the backup system, if available, and download the data from each analyzer directly, then incorporate the data into central AirVision database.

8 Data Storage AirVision was developed by Agilaire, Inc., using Microsoft SQL server database. AirVision resides on a server maintained at SBCAPCD s office. SBCAPCD staff utilizes AirVision client software to review, edit, and generate reports of air quality data stored by AirVision in the SQL database. SBCAPCD SOP Data Review and validation First Revision, August 2017 6 ENABLING/DISABLING CHANNELS IN SITE DATA LOGGERS This section is a means of quickly navigating through the 8832 or 8872 data logger for the purpose of disabling or enabling a data channel. Enabling and disabling data channels are critical to alert real-time data users of the condition of instrumentation prior to releasing the data to the public. Data channels should be disabled prior to maintenance, repair, extended testing, audits, or calibrations. Note that typical site set up of the data logger/site calibrator automatically flag the appropriate channel when a calibration sequence is triggered.

9 Refer to the appropriate Agilaire data logger manual to set up a data logger, installing/removing instrumentation from a station, or other operations. BAM samplers automatically disable concentration data and indicate the reason through bad status bits whenever they are taken offline for maintenance, calibration, or other reasons. AirVision automatically applies the correct data flag to BAM data based on the flag mapping function. Enabling/Disabling Channels in 8872 Data Loggers Enabling/Disabling channels is accomplished with the use of the site node logger toolbox. The site node logger toolbox screen is accessed in the main menu under Utilities. Each channel has an option to disable data acquisition and flag the channel as maintenance with an M flag or simply disable the channel and apply a D flag. The only time data acquisition is stopped and the M: flag is applied is when true instrument maintenance or instrument removal from the station occurs.

10 Each channel has a column to disable data acquisition entirely (Enable), to acquire the data, but flag as disabled with a D flag, and a column to acquire the data, but flag as maintenance with a M flag. The Enable column is utilized to disable data acquisition when an instrument is removed from the site or powered down. The Disable Flag column is utilized whenever an analyzer or sensor is taken offline for purposes other than maintenance. And the Maintenance Flag column is utilized to take an analyzer or sensor offline to perform maintenance. Each column has a button to click on for each channel to accomplish the appropriate enabling/disabling. Figure 2 8872 Site Node Logger Toolbox Screen SBCAPCD SOP Data Review and validation First Revision, August 2017 7 Enabling/Disabling Channels in 8832 Data Loggers Agilaire 8832 data loggers also have the same ability to continue data acquisition, but flag data as either disabled D or in maintenance M.