UNITS OF MEASURE

Two basic sets of units are used by the engineering and science community. They are:
a. US-CS (United States Customary units) (e.g., pounds, inches, degrees Fahrenheit)
b. S (nternationa! System of Units) (e.g., grams, meters, degrees Ce!sius)
The typica! units used depend on the matri" studied.
Solids
Concentrations of substances in a so!id are genera!!y gi#en as mass of substance per unit
mass of solid. For e"amp!e, the concentration of $$T (a now-banned, but once common!y used
insecticide to contro! the spread of ma!aria) in the tissue of a bird wou!d be gi#en as g $$T%&g
tissue. The concentration of 'C( (a high!y ch!orinated reca!citrant organic once common!y used
for a #ariety of purposes inc!uding as a hydrau!ic f!uid in e!ectric generators) in sediments wou!d
be gi#en as mg 'C(%&g sediment.
For so!ids:
) g%&g * ) ppb (part per bi!!ion + by weight)
) mg%&g * ) ppm (part per mi!!ion by weight)
Liquids
Concentrations of substances in a !i,uid (for C-- )./0, that wi!! usua!!y mean water) are
genera!!y gi#en as mass of substance per unit volume of solution. Con#entiona! units are mg%1,
g%1, ng%1 (mg * mi!!igram, 1 * !iter, g * microgram, ng * nanogram). Things get confusing
when we ha#e to dea! with ppm or ppb units. 'art of the confusion originates from the definition
of ppm or ppb. 2ne shou!d rea!!y define ppm (or ppb, ppt, etc.) in terms of whether the units are
on a weight (w%w) or #o!ume (#%#) basis, or a combination of the two (w%# or #%w) basis.
3ote, the e,ua!ity:
) mg%1 * ) ppm (w%# or weight%#o!ume)
) g%1 * ) ppb (w%#)
does not depend on the specific gra#ity of the so!ution.
f we are dea!ing with ppm (or ppb, etc.) on a weight (w%w) basis, things get a !itt!e more
comp!icated. For di!ute so!utions, where ) !iter of so!ution weights appro"imate!y )/// g (i.e.,
the specific gra#ity of the so!ution is )./) the fo!!owing set of e,ui#a!encies are true.
Then:
) mg%1 * ) g%m
0
) ppm (w%w)
) g%1 * ) mg% m
0
) ppb (w%w)
n some situations, the so!ution is concentrated or we must dea! with a non-a,ueous
!i,uid (such as gaso!ine), the specific gra#ity may not be e,ua! to )./ and
mg%1 * ppm (w%w) Specific gra#ity of the so!ution
g%1 * ppb (w%w) Specific gra#ity of the so!ution
For e"amp!e, a sediment + water mi"ture contains ) g%1 of 'C(s (po!ych!orinated bipheny!s).
The specific gra#ity of the sediment + water mi"ture is )./4. 5hat is the concentration of 'C(s
in ppm (w%w)6
(w%w) ppb /.7
)./4
g%1 )
=

Gases
For most air po!!ution wor&, it is customary to e"press po!!utant concentrations in
#o!umetric terms. For e"amp!e, the concentration of a gaseous po!!utant in ppm units is the
#o!ume of the po!!utant per mi!!ion #o!umes of the air mi"ture:
(#%#) ppm )
air of #o!umes )/
po!!utant gaseous of #o!ume )
4
=
2ne can use the notation (#%#) or by #o!ume to denote that the concentrations are gi#en in
#o!umetric units.
8t times, gaseous concentrations are e"pressed using mi"ed units of mass per units
#o!ume (e.g., g%m
0
or mg%m
0
). The re!ationship between ppm (#%#) and mg%m
0
depends on the
density of the po!!utant which depends on its pressure, temperature and mo!ecu!ar weight.
The idea! gas !aw ('9 * n:T, where ' * pressure (atm), 9 * #o!ume ()), n * mass of substance
(mo!es), : * idea! gas constant (/./;< atm 1 mo!
-)
=
-)
), T * abso!ute temperature (C > <?0) in
degrees =e!#in) is used to con#ert units.
Standard temperature and pressure are defined as ) atm and / C (<?0 =). Under these
conditions one mo!e of an idea! gas occupies a #o!ume of <<.@ 1.
mo!
1
<<.@
atm )
=) (<?0 )
= mo!
1 atm
(/./;<

'
:T

n
9
=

= =
Using (oy!eAs 1aw ('9 * constant or ')9) * '<9<) for constant temperature conditions
and Char!esAs 1aw (9%T * constant or 9)T) * 9<T<) for constant pressure conditions, we can
de#e!op an e,uation to con#ert ppm to mg%m
0
or #isa #ersa.
atm )
'(atm)

T(=)
<?0

mo!
1
<<.@
weight mo!ecu!ar ppm

m
mg
0

=
Thus, as you raise the temperature of a gas mi"ture, the #o!ume of the mi"ture increases.
Since the po!!utant mass is constant, the concentration in units of mg%m
0
must decrease. 8s you
raise the pressure of a gas mi"ture, the #o!ume of the mi"ture decreases. Since the po!!utant mass
is constant, the concentration in units of mg%m
0
must increase. (:emember the mass of the
po!!utant is independent of pressure).
Example:
Question: Suppose the a#erage concentration of su!fur dio"ide (S2<) is measured to be
@// g%m
0
at <. C and ) atm. $oes this e"ceed the Federa! 8ir Bua!ity Standard of /.)@ ppm
(gi#en for ) atm and <. C)6
Solution: The mo!ecu!ar weight of S2< is (0<./4 amu) > <()4.// amu) * 4@.) g%mo!.

= =

= <7;
= <?0

mo!
1
<<.@
mo!
g
4@.) C

m
mg
/.@
g )/
mg

m
g
@//
ppm
0 0 0

Cppm * /.). ppm

Therefore, the Federa! 8ir Bua!ity Standard has been e"ceeded.
3ote:
g
mg
)/
mo!
m
)/ @ . <<
mo!
g
po!!utant, of wight mo!ecu!ar

ppm
mi"ture air m )/
po!!utant m )
ppm
m
mg
0
0
0 -
0 4
0
0