Sulfate Levels in the Southwest During the 1980 Copper Smelter Strike

Abstract

During the summer of 1980, most of the copper smelters in southern Arizona, New Mexico, and northwestern Texas were shut down by a strike. Particulate concentrations were measured at twelve remote sites in the region from August 1979 though September 1981. This paper compares the mean and maximum sulfate concentrations during the strike summer with those of the summers of 1979 and 1981. Comparisons were limited to the summer periods because of the large seasonal variation in the average conversion rate of sulfur dioxide to sulfate. During the strike summer, the mean sulfate concentrations throughout the region were approximately 1 ..mu..g/m/sup 3/. At the sites between 100 km and 600 km from the smelters, the mean and maximum sulfate concentrations during the non-strike summers were approximately twice the corresponding levels during the strike period. At the sites within 100 km, the mean levels in 1979 and 1981 were around three times those in 1980.