Modeling Air Quality
Outdoor Air Pollution in Southeast Texas
Why Now?
Southeast Texas is home to some of the most vital oil refineries and chemical manufacturing plants in the United States. These industries along with other urban sources in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area can contribute to air pollution. In addition to measurements, computer modeling can be used to provide important information for communities about outdoor air pollution.
What We Did
The SETx-UIFL research team developed an air quality modeling platform for Southeast Texas. The geographic region (Figure 1) covered by the model includes Jefferson, Orange, Hardin, Jasper, and Newton Counties and extends into parts of eastern Texas and western Louisiana. The modeling platform uses information from a weather model and from federal and state databases of emissions from local industries, motor vehicles, and many other sources. The research team used the model to simulate nine air pollutants of interest.
Findings
Predictions by the model were used to investigate how different emission sources contributed to average air pollutant concentrations. For example, model predictions in Figure 2 show that emissions from local industrial sectors, fires, smaller area-wide sources, and onroad/offroad vehicles as well as transport of pollution from other areas outside of Southeast Texas counties can influence benzene, styrene, or acetonitrile concentrations at locations across Jefferson County. The contributions from each type of emission source to the predicted outdoor air concentrations varied by pollutant, location, and wind patterns. The results of the modeling provide additional information for air quality planning in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area.
More About SETx-UIFL
The Southeast Texas Urban Integrated Field Lab (SETx-UIFL) is one of four projects funded in 2022 by the U.S. Department of Energy to study how climate, environment, and urban changes affect cities. A team of over 80 researchers from UT, Lamar University, Texas A&M, Prairie View A&M, Oak Ridge National Lab, and Los Alamos National Lab has collected data and conducted modeling across hazards including flooding, hurricanes, heat stress, and air quality. Our Why: Southeast Texas faces numerous hazards, yet smaller communities like this one have often felt forgotten compared to larger cities. The SETx-UIFL was designed to explore the complex dynamics of disaster vulnerability for this economically and culturally vibrant region. We believe Southeast Texas is a bellwether for the entire Gulf Coast, and an exemplar for strategies that protect people and places. We hope this effort supports your path toward lasting resilience.
