What and where we monitored
Monitoring dates: May 2006 to May 2007.
Air toxics monitored: Benzene, benzo(a)pyrene, formaldehyde, toluene and xylene.
Sampling frequency: 24-hour samples once every six days.
Number of samples analysed: Benzene, toluene and xylene — 58; benzo(a)pyrene — 59; formaldehyde — 54.
Location: Corner of Nicholson and Elgin Streets, Carlton.
Results of monitoring
We monitored benzo(a)pyrene, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene and xylene in a residential area near a busy road. The primary focus of this study was to monitor air toxics levels in an inner-city site impacted by high traffic numbers.
Concentrations of all air toxics monitored were below the health-based monitoring investigation levels.
Most samples recorded benzo(a)pyrene levels below the chemical analysis detection limit. We dound detectable levels of benzo(a)pyrene on a number of days during colder weather. We expected this because:
- polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from diesel engines and other combustion sources form more readily when the ambient temperature is low
- there is generally less dispersion of pollutants in winter due to lower winds.
24-hour results
| Sample date |
Benzene (ppb) |
Benzo(a)pyrene (ng/m3) |
Formaldehyde (ppb) |
Toluene (ppb) |
Xylene (ppb) |
| Annual investigation level |
3.0 |
0.3 |
Not applicable |
100.0 |
200.0 |
| 24-hour investigation level |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
40.0 |
1000.0 |
250.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Annual average |
0.7 |
0.2 |
Not applicable |
2.4 |
1.0 |
| Maximum 24-hour level |
Not applicable |
Not applicable |
4.0 |
7.0 |
3.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 21-May-06 |
1.0 |
Not sampled |
2.8 |
3.1 |
1.5 |
| 27-May-06 |
1.7 |
Not sampled |
3.3 |
5.5 |
2.3 |
| 02-Jun-06 |
1.3 |
0.7 |
2.3 |
4.2 |
2.2 |
| 08-Jun-06 |
1.6 |
0.8 |
3.6 |
4.8 |
2.4 |
| 14-Jun-06 |
1.4 |
0.6 |
2.7 |
5.0 |
2.6 |
| 20-Jun-06 |
1.9 |
1.4 |
3.8 |
7.0 |
3.4 |
| 26-Jun-06 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
0.2 |
| 02-Jul-06 |
1.0 |
Not detected |
Not sampled |
3.3 |
1.2 |
| 08-Jul-06 |
0.5 |
0.3 |
Not sampled |
1.4 |
0.9 |
| 14-Jul-06 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
3.3 |
3.6 |
1.9 |
| 20-Jul-06 |
1.8 |
1.0 |
3.4 |
5.4 |
1.6 |
| 26-Jul-06 |
1.2 |
0.4 |
2.7 |
4.7 |
2.6 |
| 01-Aug-06 |
0.6 |
0.4 |
1.9 |
2.3 |
1.1 |
| 07-Aug-06 |
1.7 |
3.2 |
1.2 |
3.4 |
6.6 |
| 13-Aug-06 |
0.8 |
0.2 |
2.1 |
2.7 |
1.2 |
| 19-Aug-06 |
0.5 |
Not detected |
2.3 |
1.8 |
0.8 |
| 25-Aug-06 |
0.3 |
Not detected |
Not sampled |
0.9 |
0.3 |
| 31-Aug-06 |
1.1 |
Not detected |
2.7 |
5.0 |
2.1 |
| 06-Sep-06 |
0.5 |
Not detected |
1.5 |
1.7 |
0.7 |
| 12-Sep-06 |
1.2 |
0.3 |
3.1 |
4.9 |
2.0 |
| 18-Sep-06 |
Not detected |
0.2 |
2.9 |
0.5 |
0.2 |
| 24-Sep-06 |
0.8 |
Not detected |
0.9 |
3.2 |
1.1 |
|
30-Sep-06
|
0.4
|
Not detected
|
1.2
|
1.1
|
0.7
|
| 06-Oct-06 |
0.4 |
Not detected |
1.6 |
1.5 |
0.6 |
| 12-Oct-06 |
0.5 |
Not detected |
1.9 |
1.8 |
0.6 |
| 18-Oct-06 |
Not detected |
Not detected |
1.5 |
0.6 |
0.3 |
| 24-Oct-06 |
0.8 |
Not detected |
2.7 |
3.6 |
1.5 |
| 30-Oct-06 |
0.6 |
Not detected |
1.6 |
2.0 |
0.7 |
| 5-Nov-06 |
0.4 |
Not detected |
Not sampled |
1.5 |
0.5 |
| 11-Nov-06 |
Not sampled |
Not detected |
2.1 |
Not sampled |
Not sampled |
| 17-Nov-06 |
0.4 |
Not detected |
1.1 |
1.1 |
0.4 |
| 23-Nov-06 |
0.4 |
Not detected |
1.3 |
1.1 |
0.6 |
| 29-Nov-06 |
Not detected |
Not detected |
1.0 |
0.5 |
0.2 |
| 05-Dec-06 |
Not sampled |
Not detected |
3.2 |
Not sampled |
Not sampled |
| 11-Dec-06 |
0.3 |
Not sampled |
3.1 |
0.7 |
0.3 |
| 12-Dec-06 |
Not sampled |
Not sampled |
3.1 |
Not sampled |
Not sampled |
| 17-Dec-06 |
0.4 |
Not detected |
2.8 |
0.8 |
0.2 |
| 23-Dec-06 |
Not detected |
Not detected |
1.0 |
0.5 |
0.2 |
| 29-Dec-06 |
0.3 |
Not detected |
2.4 |
0.7 |
0.2 |
| 04-Jan-07 |
0.5 |
Not detected |
3.3 |
2.0 |
0.5 |
| 10-Jan-07 |
0.8 |
Not detected |
3.8 |
2.7 |
0.7 |
| 16-Jan-07 |
0.6 |
Not detected |
4.0 |
2.3 |
0.6 |
| 22-Jan-07 |
Not detected |
Not detected |
1.6 |
0.7 |
0.3 |
| 28-Jan-07 |
0.3 |
Not detected |
1.0 |
0.6 |
0.2 |
| 03-Feb-07 |
0.4 |
Not detected |
1.8 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
| 9-Feb-07 |
0.5 |
Not detected |
3.0 |
2.4 |
0.8 |
| 15-Feb-07 |
0.7 |
Not detected |
2.7 |
2.5 |
0.7 |
| 21-Feb-07 |
0.5 |
Not detected |
Not sampled |
1.8 |
0.5 |
| 27-Feb-07 |
0.8 |
Not detected |
Not sampled |
3.3 |
1.1 |
| 05-Mar-07 |
0.3 |
Not detected |
Not sampled |
0.6 |
0.2 |
| 11-Mar-07 |
0.4 |
Not detected |
2.9 |
1.4 |
0.3 |
| 17-Mar-07 |
0.3 |
Not detected |
1.6 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
| 23-Mar-07 |
0.5 |
Not detected |
Not detected |
2.1 |
0.6 |
| 29-Mar-07 |
0.4 |
Not detected |
Not sampled |
1.0 |
0.4 |
| 04-Apr-07 |
0.5 |
Not detected |
2.2 |
1.7 |
0.8 |
| 10-Apr-07 |
0.8 |
Not detected |
ot sampled |
2.8 |
0.9 |
| 16-Apr-07 |
0.3 |
Not detected |
.8 |
1.0 |
0.4 |
| 22-Apr-07 |
Not sampled |
Not detected |
1.9 |
Not sampled |
Not sampled |
| 28-Apr-07 |
Not sampled |
0.2 |
3.6 |
Not sampled |
Not sampled |
| 04-May-07 |
0.3 |
Not detected |
.6 |
.1 |
0.3 |
| 10-May-07 |
1.3 |
0.6 |
2.7 |
5.6 |
2.2 |
| 16-May-07 |
0.8 |
Not detected |
1.8 |
3.6 |
1.3 |
| 22-May-07 |
0.3 |
Not detected |
1.1 |
0.9 |
0.4 |
Not applicable: A 24-hour investigation level is not specified for benzene and benzo(a)pyrene.
Not detected: Air toxic was below measurable levels.
Not sampled: No result is available due to sampling failure or error.
ppb: parts per billion (for every one billion litres of air there is one litre of the pollutant).
ng/m3: nanograms per cubic metre (1 billionth of a gram per cubic metre).
Detection limits
| Compound |
Benzene (ppb) |
Benzo(a)pyrene (ng/m3) |
Formaldehyde (ppb) |
Toluene (ppb) |
Xylene (ppb) |
| Detection limit |
0.3 |
0.2 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
0.2 |