| Abstract: | Abstract Open‐path Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry was used to continuously monitor 11 chlorinated hydrocarbon species in the region connecting two different industrial complexes for 24 hr. The single‐beam spectra obtained from open‐path FTIR were analyzed by newly developed software named COL1SB, which generates site‐specific background spectra as well as path‐averaged water vapor concentrations in addition to performing regression analyses. The path‐averaged water vapor concentrations calculated by the COL1SB agreed very well with those measured by a thermo‐hygrometer. In addition, site‐specific background spectra were generated by accounting for chemical absorption of 50 chemical species. The accurate estimation of path‐averaged water vapor concentrations, as well as the usage of site‐specific background spectra, enables chlorinated hydrocarbons to be measured by open‐path FTIR spectrometry at the ppb level. Among 11 chlorinated hydrocarbons considered here, trichlorofluoromethane, carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene were identified as major chlorinated hydrocarbons having concentrations above 1 ppb. Wind affected the temporal variations of these chlorinated hydrocarbons, indicating the importance of local transport. However, the effect of wind differed from one species to another because of different source characteristics. |
