Sites In Houston Research Articles

LyondellBasell makes progress at Houston site

LyondellBasell makes progress at Houston site

On the Applicability of Ground-Based Microwave Radiometers for Urban Boundary Layer Research.

Significant knowledge gaps exist in our understanding of urban boundary layer processes, particularly the hygrothermal state. The earth system community has successfully used microwave radiometers for several decades. However, the applicability in complex urban environments has never been adequately tested. Here, observations from a microwave radiometer are compared to radiosonde readings in a densely urbanized site in Houston, Texas. The site was influenced by both an urban heat island and the sea breeze phenomenon. The analysis showed significant disagreement between the virtual potential temperature predicted by the microwave radiometer and the radiosonde for all periods within the boundary layer. However, the values were reasonably comparable above the boundary layer. The microwave radiometer incorrectly predicted an inversion layer instead of a mixed layer during convective periods. The microwave radiometer measurements deviated from the radiosonde measurements throughout the lower troposphere for the relative humidity.

Prevalence, Incidence, and Predictors of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Infection Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States.

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) continues to cause substantial morbidity and mortality in populations at risk in the southern United States. Utilizing biospecimens from the Houston site of the Young Men's Affiliate Project, 351 men who have sex with men had blood tested for KS-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) IgG. Seroprevalence, seroconversion between time points, and demographic and clinical correlates were measured. KSHV prevalence was 36.7% and incidence was 8.9 per 100 person-years. Furthermore, prevalence and incidence were higher among Black individuals, people living with HIV, and those with a history of syphilis. Further research on KSHV risk may improve health disparities in KS diagnosis and outcomes.

Completion of Fetal Anatomy Evaluations in Women With Body Mass Index ≥ 50 kg/m2.

As maternal body mass index (BMI) increases, fetal anatomy ultrasound becomes more challenging, less sensitive, and less likely to be complete. We sought to report our experience of incomplete evaluation of anatomy in patients with BMI of 50 kg/m2 or greater. This is a retrospective cohort of singleton gestations in mothers with BMI of 50 kg/m2 or greater, undergoing anatomy evaluations between 2017 and 2021 at 9 maternal-fetal-medicine sites in Houston, TX. Patient variables and scan results were collected throughout pregnancy to provide a longitudinal assessment of the primary outcome, completion rate (percent of all scans which optimally captured 24 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine-recommended images). Secondary outcomes included the rate of optimal capture of each individual structure. In total, 293 patients with BMI ≥50 kg/m2 were identified. Only 28% of initial scans were complete, but over the entire pregnancy, a complete anatomic evaluation was achieved in 76% of women, largely due to weekly ultrasounds done for antenatal testing later in pregnancy. Neither BMI, placental location, nor amniotic fluid volume affected completion rate. The most difficult views are the outflow tracts, 4-chamber view, and spine. One quarter of women with BMI of 50 kg/m2 or greater will not have a complete fetal anatomic evaluation by the end of pregnancy, since even basic fetal anatomic views are technically challenging to complete. Solutions deserve further attention, and may include first trimester imaging, transvaginal imaging, and optimization of ultrasound machine settings.

Source apportionment of gaseous Nitrophenols and their contribution to HONO formation in an urban area

Nitrophenols (NPs) have significant impacts on human health, climate, and atmospheric chemistry. Despite numerous measurements of particulate NPs, still little is known about their gaseous atmospheric abundances, sources, and fate. Here, four gaseous NPs [2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP), 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), 2-nitrophenol (2-NP), and 2-Methyl-4-nitrophenol (2-Me-4-NP)] were continuously monitored during late Spring at an urban site in Houston, Texas. Among the four NPs, 4-NP showed the highest abundance, followed by 2-Me-4-NP, 2-NP, and 2,4-DNP with average concentrations of 1.07 ± 0.19 ppt, 0.47 ± 0.12 ppt, 0.41 ± 0.16 ppt, and 0.27 ± 0.09 ppt, respectively. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model identified seven sources: industrial NPs, secondary formation, phenol sources, acetonitrile source, natural gas/crude oil, traffic, and petrochemical industries/oil refineries. A zero-dimensional photochemical box model was used to simulate the observed 2-NP and 2,4-DNP. A 50.0% and 70.0% jNO2 was found to be consistent with the measured 2-NP and 2,4-DNP. This yields a nitrous acid (HONO) production of 7.5 ± 2.5 ppt/h from 06:00 to 18:00 Central Standard Time (CST) from both NPs. An extrapolation including other known NPs suggests a maximum HONO formation of 13.8 ppt/h. The results of this study suggest that using PMF analysis supplemented by photochemical box model provides identification of the NPs sources and their atmospheric implication to HONO formation.

Emission Ratios and Diurnal Variability of Volatile Organic Compounds and Influence of Industrial Emissions in Two Texas Cities

Changing urban emission landscapes and increasing population make it imperative to understand the driving forces for air quality in growing urban areas. Recent field studies in an industrial area in Houston and a semiurban area in San Antonio reveal unique emission signatures for these two growing Texas cities. A comparison of benzene, toluene, xylenes, isoprene, and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) was conducted for these two Texas locations and previous studies in other megacities. It was found that San Antonio had similar emission ratios as these megacities for benzene, toluene, and xylenes (1.10, 4.57, and 3.60 pptv ppbv−1 of CO, respectively), likely indicating a similar traffic emission source. Isoprene and MEK were of biogenic origin in San Antonio. However, analysis of emission ratios, diurnal trends, and comparison with emission inventories indicated that benzene, toluene, and MEK were likely associated with fugitive and stack emissions in the industrial corridor in Houston. Isoprene in Houston appeared to have mixed fugitive and biogenic sources in Houston, based on diurnal trends and emission ratio. The peak nighttime concentrations for benzene, toluene, xylene, isoprene, and MEK observed during the campaign were 66, 533, 21, 138, and 731 ppbv, respectively, in the Houston site. The emission ratio for xylenes (3.37 pptv ppbv−1 of CO) for the Houston site was similar to Paris, London, and Mexico City, despite emission inventories indicating high fugitive and stack emissions. The conditional probability function (CPF) analysis closely matched the direction of the industrial sources with the highest recorded emission levels as listed in the emission inventory for the Houston site. The estimated ozone production efficiency (OPE) for the industrial area in Houston indicated volatile organic compound (VOC)–limited conditions in the morning, which transitioned to nitrogen oxide (NOx)–limited conditions in the afternoon. Texas cities have complex emission scenarios, and future efforts to mitigate ozone and particulate matter may have to consider a variety of emission reduction strategies.

Exenatide as an adjunct to nicotine patch for smoking cessation and prevention of postcessation weight gain among treatment-seeking smokers with pre-diabetes and/or overweight: study protocol for a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial

IntroductionObesity and smoking are the two leading causes of preventable death in the USA. Unfortunately, most smokers gain weight after quitting. Postcessation weight gain (PCWG) is frequently cited as one...

Surveys of community garden affiliates and soils in Houston, Texas.

Although urban community food gardens have the capacity to strengthen and support neighborhoods in need, the benefits of such operations must be considered in tandem with the potential risks associated with urban environmental contamination. Therefore, research is needed to characterize existing community gardens in urban areas. In the present study, a survey of Houston, TX, community gardeners (N = 20) was conducted to better understand their risk-based knowledge and perceptions, current gardening practices, and willingness to implement risk mitigation measures. Soil samples collected from the beds (N = 22) and surrounding grounds (N = 24) of existing community garden sites in Houston, TX, were screened for trace and heavy metals using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The survey indicated that community gardeners had few concerns with regard to potential soilborne hazards and were generally willing to use diverse strategies to reduce potential hazards related to garden soil contamination. Ground and garden bed soil collected from community gardens were found to have excess concentrations of arsenic compared to federal health screening limits. The information provided here provides insight into possible discordance between community gardening risk perception and contamination risk that could be addressed through outreach, engagement, and remediation approaches.

Sensitivity of IROC phantom performance to radiotherapy treatment planning system beam modeling parameters based on community-driven data.

PurposeTreatment planning system (TPS) dose calculations have previously been shown to be sensitive to modeling errors, especially when treating with complex strategies like intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). This work investigates the dosimetric impact of several dosimetric and nondosimetric beam modeling parameters, based on their distribution in the radiotherapy community, in two commercial TPSs in order to understand the realistic potential for dose deviations and their clinical effects.Methods and materialsBeam models representing standard 120‐leaf Varian Clinac‐type machines were developed in Eclipse 13.5 (AAA algorithm) and RayStation 9A (v8.99, collapsed‐cone algorithm) based upon median values of dosimetric measurements from Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core (IROC) Houston site visit data and community beam modeling parameter survey data in order to represent a baseline linear accelerator. Five clinically acceptable treatment plans (three IMRT, two VMAT) were developed for the IROC head and neck phantom. Dose distributions for each plan were recalculated after individually modifying parameters of interest (e.g., MLC transmission, percent depth doses [PDDs], and output factors) according to the 2.5th to 97.5th percentiles of community survey and machine performance data to encompass the realistic extent of variance in the radiotherapy community. The resultant dose distributions were evaluated by examining relative changes in average dose for thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) locations across the two target volumes and organ at risk (OAR). Interplay was also examined for parameters generating changes in target dose greater than 1%.ResultsFor Eclipse, dose calculations were sensitive to changes in the dosimetric leaf gap (DLG), which resulted in differences from −5% to +3% to the targets relative to the baseline beam model. Modifying the MLC transmission factor introduced differences up to ± 1%. For RayStation, parameters determining MLC behaviors likewise contributed substantially; the MLC offset introduced changes in dose from −4% to +7%, and the MLC transmission caused changes of −4% to +2%. Among the dosimetric qualities examined, changes in PDD implementation resulted in the most substantial changes, but these were only up to ±1%. Other dosimetric factors had <1% impact on dose accuracy. Interplay between impactful parameters was found to be minimal.ConclusionFactors related to the modeling of the MLC, particularly relating to the leaf offset, can cause clinically significant changes in the calculated dose for IMRT and VMAT plans. This should be of concern to the radiotherapy community because the clinical effects of poor TPS commissioning were based on reported data from clinically implemented beam models. These results further reinforce that dose errors caused by poor TPS calculations are often involved in IROC phantom failures.

Characterizing anthropogenic methane sources in the Houston and Barnett Shale areas of Texas using the isotopic signature δ13C in CH4

Methane (CH4) is an important greenhouse gas with its mixing ratio increasing in the global atmosphere. Identifying fingerprints of CH4 emissions is critical to understanding potential impacts of various anthropogenic sources in the Greater Houston area (GHA) and extensive natural gas operations in the Barnett Shale area (BSA) of Texas. Stable carbon isotope ratios of CH4 (δ13CCH4) has been proposed to be a useful technique for differentiating individual CH4 sources. Measurements of CH4 mixing ratios and δ13CCH4 were sampled using a mobile laboratory equipped with cavity ring-down spectrometers (CRDS). Areal CH4 distributions and the background δ13CCH4 signature were obtained from filtered ambient signals; −47.0‰ (GHA) and − 48.5‰ (BSA) were calculated. The fingerprint of thirty-three anthropogenic sources in the two study areas were sampled with forty-four δ13C analyses conducted. Repeated measurements indicated the natural variation of δ13CCH4 signatures of individual CH4 sources. An unexpected massive CH4 fugitive leak was detected near the San Jacinto River Fleet site in Houston exhibiting an δ13CCH4 value around −42‰. Our results and findings demonstrate the utility of δ13CCH4for facilitating emission inventories and atmospheric modeling.

742. “Troponin Leaks” in Patients with Acute Respiratory Viral Infections Enrolled in SUPERNOVA: A Marker of Worse Clinical Outcomes

BackgroundCardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a specific marker of cardiac muscular injury. Many patients hospitalized with acute respiratory illness (ARI) have elevated cTnI levels but do not meet EKG criteria for an acute ischemic cardiac event. Troponin leaks could be due to demand ischemia or acute inflammation of the myocardium. We hypothesized that patients with viral ARI and elevated cTnI have worse cardiopulmonary outcomes than those with viral ARI and normal cTnI.MethodsFrom November 11, 2016–September 30, 2017 nasopharyngeal swabs from patients enrolled in SUPERNOVA ARI Study, a CDC/2-VA site, active surveillance platform to evaluate the incidence of viral infection in patients hospitalized with symptoms and/or signs of ARI, were tested using a FilmArray Respiratory Panel. Based on detection of any virus, patients were categorized as positive (vPCR+) or negative (vPCR−). Patient enrolled at the Houston site with cTnI obtained <48 hours of admission were included in the analysis. cTnI above upper limit of normal (>0.03 ng/dL) was defined as elevated. Demographic and clinical data were abstracted from chart review. Outcomes were myocardial infarction (MI) on admission, 30- and 90-day re-admissions due to cardio-respiratory illness and 30- and 90-day all-cause mortality. For the univariable analysis of baseline factors and outcomes we used unpaired t-tests for continuous variables and χ2 or Fisher exact test for categorical variables as appropriate.ResultsNinety-four of 332 cases were vPCR positive and cTnI levels on admission were available in 86. Demographics and comorbidities were all similar for the high (N = 42) and normal (N = 44) cTnI groups. Compared with normal cTnI group, those with high cTnI had similar 30- and 90-day readmission rates (14% vs. 9%, P = 0.4 and 26% vs. 16%, respectively, P = 0.2). However, 30- and 90-day mortality rates were higher for high cTnI patients (10% vs. 0% and 19% vs. 5%, P < 0.03).ConclusionTroponin elevation on patients with a documented viral respiratory infection is associated with higher 30- and 90-day mortality rates. Troponin leaks should not be dismissed as a trivial finding in this group of patients. Further work on its pathogenesis is warranted.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Source apportionment of organic aerosol and ozone and the effects of emission reductions

Formation of organic aerosol (OA) and ozone were simulated for the greater Houston area in September 2013 and 2028 (summer conditions) using the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx). We also simulated the background concentrations in the absence of US anthropogenic emissions. The 1.5-dimensional volatility basis set scheme was used to represent formation of primary and secondary OA (POA and SOA). The path-integral method for source apportionment was successfully extended to OA formation using the same numerical approach previously used for ozone and then applied to apportion the anthropogenic increment of OA and ozone to six emission source categories. The anthropogenic increment is the difference between the 2013 or 2028 simulation and the background simulation. Averaged over 21 air monitoring sites in Houston, point sources make the largest contribution to monthly average SOA and OA (25%–37%, depending on year) and to monthly maximum 8-h ozone (21%–26%). Onroad and then nonroad sources are the next most important in 2013, but their contributions diminish by 2028. The sources’ contributions to SOA correlate much more strongly with their NOx emissions than with their emissions of organic precursor species. Anthropogenic emissions enhance OA formation from biogenic emissions, and this enhancement is 46% and 48% of the total OA concentration in Houston in 2013 and 2028, respectively. Point sources make the largest contribution to the enhancement. Additional results for a larger regional area covering Texas and nearby states are also presented.

Influence of Seasonality and Circulating Cytokines on Serial QuantiFERON Discordances.

Objectives. An 18-month prospective study serially tested healthcare workers (HCWs) for tuberculosis infection (TBI) and reported discordant QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube® (QFT) results in some participants. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) measured by QFT in discordant individuals could be influenced by other circulating cytokines that vary seasonally at the time of phlebotomy. Methods. The CDC funded TBESC Task Order 18 (TO18) project to assess the use of Interferon Gamma Release Assays (IGRAs), T-SPOT.TB® and QFT, compared to the tuberculin skin test (TST) for the serial testing of TBI in HCW at 4 US sites. Unstimulated plasma from 9 discordant TO18 participants at 4 different time points from the Houston site was multiplexed to determine the association between circulating cytokines and antigen stimulated IFN-γ levels. Results. IL-12, IL-1β, IL-3, GCSF, and IL-7 were associated with the amount of IFN-γ measured in response to antigen stimulation. In addition to these cytokines, a significant relationship was found between a positive QFT result and the spring season. Conclusions. Allergens during the spring season can result in the upregulation of IL-1β and IL-3, and this upregulation was observed with the amount of IFN-γ measured in discordant results.

AkzoNobel boosts R&amp;D in Houston

AkzoNobel has completed a three-year, $3.5 million expansion of its paint research site in Houston. The site, which employs 40 scientists, supports research in protective, marine, and specialty coatings. The firm recently revealed plans to build a $13.2 million coatings research hub in Felling, England.

Ozone production by corona discharges during a convective event in DISCOVER-AQ Houston

An ozonesonde launched near electrically active convection in Houston, TX on 5 September 2013 during the NASA DISCOVER-AQ project measured a large enhancement of ozone throughout the troposphere. A separate ozonesonde was launched from Smith Point, TX (∼58 km southeast of the Houston site) at approximately the same time as the launch from Houston and did not measure that enhancement. Furthermore, ozone profiles for the descent of both sondes agreed well with the ascending Smith Point profile, suggesting a highly localized event in both space and time in which an anomalously large enhancement of 70–100 ppbv appeared in the ascending Houston ozonesonde data. Compared to literature values, such an enhancement appears to be the largest observed to date. Potential sources of the localized ozone enhancement such as entrainment of urban or biomass burning emissions, downward transport from the stratosphere, photochemical production from lightning NOx, and direct ozone production from corona discharges were investigated using model simulations. We conclude that the most likely explanation for the large ozone enhancement is direct ozone production by corona discharges. Integrating the enhancement seen in the Houston ozone profile and using the number of electrical discharges detected by the NLDN (or HLMA), we estimate a production of 2.48 × 1028 molecules of ozone per flash which falls within the range of previously recorded values (9.89 × 1026–9.82 × 1028 molecules of ozone per flash). Since there is currently no parameterization for the direct production of ozone from corona discharges we propose the implementation of an equation into a chemical transport model. Ultimately, additional work is needed to further understand the occurrence and impact of corona discharges on tropospheric chemistry on short and long timescales.

Examination of Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, V, and Zn in sediments collected around the downtown Houston, Texas area, using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy

The present study examines the concentration of selected metals in sediments around the downtown Houston, Texas area, as they were determined by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. A total of 19 sites in the Houston, Texas area were probed and the results were compared with sediments samples collected from a pristine area in the nearby Lake Charles, Louisiana. The idea in the study was to look into the effects of densely populated areas, automobile traffic, and human influence via manufacturing plants and companies on sediments and soils, and the relative amounts of metals present in those soils. For example, the Fe concentrations of P, Q, and R, the three samples form the Lake Houston site were found to be 22,200, 21,900, and 14,300parts per million (ppm) respectively. For some of the sampling sites multiple samples were taken, ensuring this way that the data were valid and precise.

WE‐G‐BRA‐05: IROC Houston On‐Site Audits and Parameters That Affect Performance

Purpose:To highlight the IROC Houston on‐site dosimetry audit program, and to investigate the impact of clinical conditions on the frequency of errors/recommendations noted by IROC Houston.Methods:The results of IROC Houston on‐site audits from 2000‐present were abstracted and compared to clinical parameters, this included 409 institutions and 1020 linacs. In particular, we investigated the frequency of recommendations versus year, and the impact of repeat visits on the number of recommendations. We also investigated the impact on the number of recommendations of several clinical parameters: the number and age of the linacs, the linac/TPS combination, and the scope of the QA program.Results:The number of recommendations per institution (3.1 average) has shown decline between 2000 and present, although the number of recommendations per machine (0.89) has not changed. Previous IROC Houston site visits did not Result in fewer recommendations on a repeat visit, but IROC Houston tests have changed substantially during the last 15 years as radiotherapy technology has changed. There was no impact on the number of recommendations based on the number of machines at the institution or the age of a given machine. The fewest recommendations were observed for Varian‐Eclipse combinations (0.71 recs/machine), while Elekta‐ Pinnacle combinations yielded the most (1.62 recs/machine). Finally, in the TG‐142 era (post‐2010), those institutions that had a QA recommendation (n=77) had significantly more other recommendations (1.83 per institution) than those that had no QA rec (n=12, 1.33 per institution).Conclusion:Establishing and maintaining a successful radiotherapy program is challenging and areas of improvement can routinely be identified. Clinical conditions such as linac‐TPS combinations and the establishment of a good QA program impact the frequency of errors/deficiencies identified by IROC Houston during their on‐site review process.

Direct ozone production rate measurements and their use in assessing ozone source and receptor regions for Houston in 2013

Mitigating ozone pollution involves reducing ozone production and relies on complex air-quality models to design reduction strategies and determine their effectiveness. However, modeled ozone does not always agree with observations. A complementary approach is to measure the ozone production rate directly, leading to the development of the Measurement of Ozone Production Sensor (MOPS). Two improved second-generation MOPSv2s were deployed for NASA's DISCOVER-AQ field campaign in September 2013 at the University of Houston, 5 km south of downtown, and Smith Point, at the mouth of the Houston Ship Channel. Median September P(O3) was low, consistent with the observed ambient ozone. The MOPSv2s provided statistically similar results when they were compared for 8 day sat the University of Houston. October measurements yielded a median ozone production rate of 27 ± 11 ppbv hr−1, falling within the range of calculated P(O3) from prior Houston field campaigns in 2006 and 2009. Additionally, diurnal patterns are similar to model-derived ozone production from these previous campaigns. An advection analysis for a high ozone event on 25 September 2013 indicates that the Houston site was in a local ozone source region, while Smith Point ozone was likely enhanced by transport from other areas.

Impact of updated traffic emissions on HONO mixing ratios simulated for urban site in Houston, Texas

Abstract. Recent measurements in Houston show that HONO traffic emissions are 1.7% of NOx emissions, which is about twice the previously estimated value of 0.8% based on tunnel measurements in 2001. The 0.8% value is widely used to estimate mobile emissions of HONO for air quality modeling applications. This study applies the newly estimated HONO / NOx ratio in the WRF–SMOKE–CMAQ modeling system and estimates the impact of higher HONO traffic emissions on its mixing ratios. Since applied emission inventory resulted in overestimates of NOx mixing ratios and because HONO emissions and chemical formation depend on the magnitude of NOx, thus, before proceeding with HONO emission modifications emissions of NOx were adjusted to reflect current emission trends. The modeled mixing ratios of NOx were evaluated against measured data from a number of sites in the Houston area. Overall, the NOx mean value dropped from 11.11 ppbv in the base case to 7.59 ppbv in the NOx-adjusted case becoming much closer to the observed mean of 7.76 ppbv. The index of agreement (IOA) is improved in the reduced NOx case (0.71 vs. 0.75) and the absolute mean error (AME) is lowered from 6.76 to 4.94. The modeled mixing ratios of HONO were evaluated against the actual observed values attained at the Moody Tower in Houston. The model could not reproduce the morning HONO peaks when the low HONO / NOx ratio of 0.008 was used to estimate HONO emissions. Doubling HONO emissions from mobile sources resulted in higher mixing ratios, and the mean value increased from 0.30 to 0.41 ppbv becoming closer to the observed mean concentrations of 0.69 but still low; AME was slightly reduced from 0.46 to 0.43. IOA for simulation that used the 2001 emission values is 0.63 while for simulation with higher HONO emission it increased to 0.70. Increased HONO emissions from mobile sources resulted in a 14% increase in OH during morning time at the location of the Moody Tower and 3% when averaged over an urban area. The increase calculated for daytime was 7 and 1% for the Moody Tower and the urban area, respectively. The impact on ozone was found to be marginal. This study results shed light on the underestimated HONO and OH in the morning from global/regional chemical transport models with the typical emission of 0.8% HONO emission out of the total NOx emissions.

Vehicle emissions of radical precursors and related species observed in the 2009 SHARP campaign

The 2009 Study of Houston Atmospheric Radical Precursors (SHARP) field campaign had several components that yielded information on the primary vehicular emissions of formaldehyde (HCHO) and nitrous acid (HONO), in addition to many other species. Analysis of HONO measurements at the Moody Tower site in Houston, TX, yielded emission ratios of HONO to the vehicle exhaust tracer species NOx and CO of 14 pptv/ppbv and 2.3 pptv/ppbv, somewhat smaller than recently published results from the Galleria site, although evidence is presented that the Moody Tower values should be upper limits to the true ratios of directly emitted HONO, and are consistent with ratios used in current standard emissions models. Several other Moody Tower emission ratios are presented, in particular a value for HCHO/CO of 2.4 pptv/ppbv. Considering only estimates of random errors, this would be significantly lower than a previous value, though the small sample size and possible systematic differences should be taken into account. Emission factors for CO, NOx, and HCHO, as well as various volatile organic compounds (VOCs), were derived from mobile laboratory measurements both in the Washburn Tunnel and in on-road exhaust plume observations. These two sets of results and others reported in the literature all agree well, and are substantially larger than the CO, NOx, and HCHO emission factors derived from the emission ratios reported from the Galleria site.Implications: Emission factors for the species measured in the various components of the 2009 SHARP campaign in Houston, TX, including HCHO, HONO, CO, CO2, nitrogen oxides, and VOCs, are needed to support regional air quality monitoring. Components of the SHARP campaign measured these species in several different ways, each with their own potential for systematic errors and differences in vehicle fleets sampled. Comparisons between data sets suggest that differences in sampling place and time may result in quite different emission factors, while also showing that different vehicle mixes can yield surprisingly similar emission factors.