Articles | Volume 17, issue 13
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8411-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-8411-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
11 Jul 2017
Research article |
| 11 Jul 2017
Understanding the primary emissions and secondary formation of gaseous organic acids in the oil sands region of Alberta, Canada
John Liggio
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Samar G. Moussa
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Jeremy Wentzell
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Andrea Darlington
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Peter Liu
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Amy Leithead
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Katherine Hayden
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Jason O'Brien
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Richard L. Mittermeier
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Ralf Staebler
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
Mengistu Wolde
National Research Council Canada, Flight Research Laboratory, Ottawa, K1A
0R6, Canada
Shao-Meng Li
Air Quality Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5T4, Canada
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Cited
30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Quantifying the Primary Emissions and Photochemical Formation of Isocyanic Acid Downwind of Oil Sands Operations J. Liggio et al. 10.1021/acs.est.7b04346
- Cooperative desorption of H2O and CO from photo-excited cobalt oxide clusters: The evidence of photo-catalytic coupling M. Zhang et al. 10.1016/j.cplett.2019.01.050
- Size distribution and coating thickness of black carbon from the Canadian oil sands operations Y. Cheng et al. 10.5194/acp-18-2653-2018
- Seasonal Flux Measurements over a Colorado Pine Forest Demonstrate a Persistent Source of Organic Acids S. Fulgham et al. 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.9b00182
- Sources of elevated organic acids in the mountainous background atmosphere of southern China Y. Guo et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169673
- Measured Canadian oil sands CO2 emissions are higher than estimates made using internationally recommended methods J. Liggio et al. 10.1038/s41467-019-09714-9
- A decadal synthesis of atmospheric emissions, ambient air quality, and deposition in the oil sands region E. Horb et al. 10.1002/ieam.4539
- Measurement report: Enhanced photochemical formation of formic and isocyanic acids in urban regions aloft – insights from tower-based online gradient measurements Q. Yang et al. 10.5194/acp-24-6865-2024
- Organic carbon dry deposition outpaces atmospheric processing with unaccounted implications for air quality and freshwater ecosystems J. Liggio et al. 10.1126/sciadv.adr0259
- Top-Down Determination of Black Carbon Emissions from Oil Sand Facilities in Alberta, Canada Using Aircraft Measurements Y. Cheng et al. 10.1021/acs.est.9b05522
- Elucidating real-world vehicle emission factors from mobile measurements over a large metropolitan region: a focus on isocyanic acid, hydrogen cyanide, and black carbon S. Wren et al. 10.5194/acp-18-16979-2018
- Characterization of atmospheric water-soluble brown carbon in the Athabasca oil sands region, Canada D. Blanchard et al. 10.5194/acp-25-2423-2025
- An overview of selected emerging outdoor airborne pollutants and air quality issues: The need to reduce uncertainty about environmental and human impacts A. Robichaud 10.1080/10962247.2020.1723738
- Dissolved Organic Carbon in Lakes of the Athabasca Oil Sands Region: Is Color an Indicator of Acid Sensitivity? D. Blanchard et al. 10.1021/acs.est.1c00507
- Atmospheric evolution of emissions from a boreal forest fire: the formation of highly functionalized oxygen-, nitrogen-, and sulfur-containing organic compounds J. Ditto et al. 10.5194/acp-21-255-2021
- Estimates of exceedances of critical loads for acidifying deposition in Alberta and Saskatchewan P. Makar et al. 10.5194/acp-18-9897-2018
- Spaceborne Measurements of Formic and Acetic Acids: A Global View of the Regional Sources B. Franco et al. 10.1029/2019GL086239
- Contribution of emissions from the oil sands activities in Alberta, Canada to atmospheric concentration and deposition of nitrogen and sulfur species at a downwind site Y. You et al. 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124301
- High gas-phase mixing ratios of formic and acetic acid in the High Arctic E. Mungall et al. 10.5194/acp-18-10237-2018
- Changes of water chemistry from rainfall to stream flow in Obagbile Catchment, Southwest Nigeria M. Omogbehin & I. Oluwatimilehin 10.1016/j.regsus.2022.07.006
- Effect of relative humidity on SOA formation from aromatic hydrocarbons: Implications from the evolution of gas- and particle-phase species T. Chen et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145015
- Emerging investigator series: aqueous oxidation of isoprene-derived organic aerosol species as a source of atmospheric formic and acetic acids K. Bates et al. 10.1039/D3EA00076A
- Isoprene versus Monoterpenes as Gas-Phase Organic Acid Precursors in the Atmosphere M. Link et al. 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.1c00093
- Understanding the Impact of High-NOx Conditions on the Formation of Secondary Organic Aerosol in the Photooxidation of Oil Sand-Related Precursors K. Li et al. 10.1021/acs.est.9b05404
- Total organic carbon measurements reveal major gaps in petrochemical emissions reporting M. He et al. 10.1126/science.adj6233
- A theoretical study on gas-phase reactions of acrylic acid with chlorine atoms: mechanism, kinetics, and insights J. Sun et al. 10.1007/s11356-020-08100-z
- Aircraft-derived CH4 emissions from surface and in-situ mining activities in the Alberta oil sands region R. Staebler et al. 10.1016/j.aeaoa.2024.100280
- Theoretical Study on Criegee Intermediate’s Role in Ozonolysis of Acrylic Acid X. Lin et al. 10.1021/acs.jpca.8b11671
- Methane emissions from an oil sands tailings pond: a quantitative comparison of fluxes derived by different methods Y. You et al. 10.5194/amt-14-1879-2021
- Aqueous Photochemistry of 2-Methyltetrol and Erythritol as Sources of Formic Acid and Acetic Acid in the Atmosphere J. Cope et al. 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.1c00107
30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Quantifying the Primary Emissions and Photochemical Formation of Isocyanic Acid Downwind of Oil Sands Operations J. Liggio et al. 10.1021/acs.est.7b04346
- Cooperative desorption of H2O and CO from photo-excited cobalt oxide clusters: The evidence of photo-catalytic coupling M. Zhang et al. 10.1016/j.cplett.2019.01.050
- Size distribution and coating thickness of black carbon from the Canadian oil sands operations Y. Cheng et al. 10.5194/acp-18-2653-2018
- Seasonal Flux Measurements over a Colorado Pine Forest Demonstrate a Persistent Source of Organic Acids S. Fulgham et al. 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.9b00182
- Sources of elevated organic acids in the mountainous background atmosphere of southern China Y. Guo et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169673
- Measured Canadian oil sands CO2 emissions are higher than estimates made using internationally recommended methods J. Liggio et al. 10.1038/s41467-019-09714-9
- A decadal synthesis of atmospheric emissions, ambient air quality, and deposition in the oil sands region E. Horb et al. 10.1002/ieam.4539
- Measurement report: Enhanced photochemical formation of formic and isocyanic acids in urban regions aloft – insights from tower-based online gradient measurements Q. Yang et al. 10.5194/acp-24-6865-2024
- Organic carbon dry deposition outpaces atmospheric processing with unaccounted implications for air quality and freshwater ecosystems J. Liggio et al. 10.1126/sciadv.adr0259
- Top-Down Determination of Black Carbon Emissions from Oil Sand Facilities in Alberta, Canada Using Aircraft Measurements Y. Cheng et al. 10.1021/acs.est.9b05522
- Elucidating real-world vehicle emission factors from mobile measurements over a large metropolitan region: a focus on isocyanic acid, hydrogen cyanide, and black carbon S. Wren et al. 10.5194/acp-18-16979-2018
- Characterization of atmospheric water-soluble brown carbon in the Athabasca oil sands region, Canada D. Blanchard et al. 10.5194/acp-25-2423-2025
- An overview of selected emerging outdoor airborne pollutants and air quality issues: The need to reduce uncertainty about environmental and human impacts A. Robichaud 10.1080/10962247.2020.1723738
- Dissolved Organic Carbon in Lakes of the Athabasca Oil Sands Region: Is Color an Indicator of Acid Sensitivity? D. Blanchard et al. 10.1021/acs.est.1c00507
- Atmospheric evolution of emissions from a boreal forest fire: the formation of highly functionalized oxygen-, nitrogen-, and sulfur-containing organic compounds J. Ditto et al. 10.5194/acp-21-255-2021
- Estimates of exceedances of critical loads for acidifying deposition in Alberta and Saskatchewan P. Makar et al. 10.5194/acp-18-9897-2018
- Spaceborne Measurements of Formic and Acetic Acids: A Global View of the Regional Sources B. Franco et al. 10.1029/2019GL086239
- Contribution of emissions from the oil sands activities in Alberta, Canada to atmospheric concentration and deposition of nitrogen and sulfur species at a downwind site Y. You et al. 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124301
- High gas-phase mixing ratios of formic and acetic acid in the High Arctic E. Mungall et al. 10.5194/acp-18-10237-2018
- Changes of water chemistry from rainfall to stream flow in Obagbile Catchment, Southwest Nigeria M. Omogbehin & I. Oluwatimilehin 10.1016/j.regsus.2022.07.006
- Effect of relative humidity on SOA formation from aromatic hydrocarbons: Implications from the evolution of gas- and particle-phase species T. Chen et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145015
- Emerging investigator series: aqueous oxidation of isoprene-derived organic aerosol species as a source of atmospheric formic and acetic acids K. Bates et al. 10.1039/D3EA00076A
- Isoprene versus Monoterpenes as Gas-Phase Organic Acid Precursors in the Atmosphere M. Link et al. 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.1c00093
- Understanding the Impact of High-NOx Conditions on the Formation of Secondary Organic Aerosol in the Photooxidation of Oil Sand-Related Precursors K. Li et al. 10.1021/acs.est.9b05404
- Total organic carbon measurements reveal major gaps in petrochemical emissions reporting M. He et al. 10.1126/science.adj6233
- A theoretical study on gas-phase reactions of acrylic acid with chlorine atoms: mechanism, kinetics, and insights J. Sun et al. 10.1007/s11356-020-08100-z
- Aircraft-derived CH4 emissions from surface and in-situ mining activities in the Alberta oil sands region R. Staebler et al. 10.1016/j.aeaoa.2024.100280
- Theoretical Study on Criegee Intermediate’s Role in Ozonolysis of Acrylic Acid X. Lin et al. 10.1021/acs.jpca.8b11671
- Methane emissions from an oil sands tailings pond: a quantitative comparison of fluxes derived by different methods Y. You et al. 10.5194/amt-14-1879-2021
- Aqueous Photochemistry of 2-Methyltetrol and Erythritol as Sources of Formic Acid and Acetic Acid in the Atmosphere J. Cope et al. 10.1021/acsearthspacechem.1c00107
Latest update: 11 Jul 2025
Short summary
The emission and formation of gaseous organic acids from the oil sands industry in Canada is explored through aircraft measurements directly over and downwind wind of industrial facilities. Results demonstrated that the formation of organic acids through atmospheric chemical reactions dominated over the direct emissions from mining activities but could not be explicitly modeled. The results highlight the need for improved understanding of photochemical mechanisms leading to these species.
The emission and formation of gaseous organic acids from the oil sands industry in Canada is...
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