TITLE
Development of a Test Method for the Measurement of Gaseous
Methanol Emissions from Stationary Sources

AUTHOR(S)
B. Pate, M. Peterson, and R. K. Jayanty, RTI, RTP, NC and F.
Wilshire and J. Knoll, EPA/AREAL/MRDD, RTP, NC

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS
Research Triangle Institute           
Research Triangle Park, NC  27709


SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment
Laboratory
Research Triangle Park, NC

ABSTRACT
Methanol was designated under Title III of the Clean Air Act
Amendments of 1990 as a pollutant to be regulated.  The U.S. EPA,
through a contract with Research Triangle Institute, has developed
a test method for the measurement of methanol emissions from
stationary sources.  The methanol sampling train (MST) consists of
a glass-lined heated probe, two knockout traps and three sorbent
cartridges packed with Anasorb 747, a beaded, activated carbon. 
Anasorb 747 samples are desorbed with a 1:1 mixture of carbon
disulfide and N, N-dimethylformamide.  Samples are analyzed by gas
chromatography with flame ionization detection.

Following laboratory testing, field tests of the MST and the
National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) sampling
method for methanol were conducted at a paper and pulp mill. The
sampling location was an inlet vent to a softwood bleach plant
scrubber.  In accordance with EPA Method 301, two pairs of trains
were run in parallel test run, half of the trains were spiked with
a known amount of methanol.  The average percent recovery of the
spike was higher for the MST method than for the NCASI method. 
Both methods had a relative standard deviation of less than five
percent.  The practical limit of quantitation was about 2 ppm for
the MST method.