QA - NPAP¶
NPAP = National Performance Audit Program
40 CFR Part 58 Appendix A section 2.4 describes requirements for the National Performance Evaluation Programs including a description of the National Performance Audit Program. The NPAP assessment is an independent audit of the PQAO’s gaseous monitors, performed by USEPA. In a few cases, the authority to perform the NPAP audits has been delegated to a “self-implementing” agency (a State Agency). In this case, the State will be allowed to enter annual performance evaluations representing NPAP audits. Otherwise, the PQAO cannot be the NPAP auditing agency.
20% of the PQAO’s monitors must be audited each year, resulting in complete network coverage every 5 years. Mobile auditing labs or equipment travel to the monitor sites and perform the assessment.
The audit is performed by challenging the gaseous monitors with known, independent standards. These standards are either introduced at the inlet of the sampling probe (referred to as through the probe), or directly into the monitor (referred to as back of analyzer) when it is difficult to introduce the standard at the inlet of the probe due to logistical concerns. Depending on how the standard is introduced to the monitor, the audit is referred to as either an NPAP - TTP, or NPAP - BOA
The standards used for the assessment are commercially supplied standards that comply with NIST standards, and are used when conducting audits for the following monitors:
O3 (using an ozone generator)
NO2
3 channels used for NO2; 2 are physical for measuring NOx and NO, the 3rd is a difference of the others.
CO
SO2
Multiblend Audits which include CO/NO/SO2 and O3 generator
Audits are conducted at various concentration levels. These levels are achieved by diluting the multiblend cylinder gases to the desired concentration levels. The diluted gas is analyzed with a certified USEPA CO analyzer to check that the correct CO concentration is achieved. The other gas concentrations are then assumed to be proportionally correct. The S/L/T monitors are then audited using the diluted standard gas at three or more concentration levels.
Format¶
Seq. |
Name |
Description |
Formatting Rules |
Required |
Key |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Quality Assurance transaction identifier. |
Must = QA |
Always |
||
2 |
Indicator for Insert, Update, or Delete action. |
Must = I, U, or D |
Always |
||
3 |
Indicates the specific QA assessment associated with the transaction. |
Must = NPAP |
Always |
Y |
|
4 |
Agency Code of organization performing assessment. |
Must exist in AGENCIES reference table. |
Optional; defaults to user agency |
||
5 |
The FIPS state code of the monitor, or “TT” to indicate that the next field on the transaction is a Tribal code. |
Must exist in STATES Reference Table or be ‘TT’ for Tribal Site |
Always |
Y |
|
6 |
The FIPS County Code of the site. If the previous field on the transaction contains “TT”, then the Tribal Code of the site. |
Must exist in COUNTIES (for state) or TRIBAL_AREAS Reference table |
Always |
Y |
|
7 |
Four digit number to uniquely identify site in county and/or tribe. |
Must exist in SITES table with {State Code, county Code} or Tribal Code |
Always |
Y |
|
8 |
The AQS parameter code assigned to the monitor in AQS. |
Must exist in PARAMETERS reference table. |
Always |
Y |
|
9 |
Parameter Occurrence Code: One or two digit number identifying a specific monitor for a parameter at the site. |
Must exist in MONITOR table for non-Insert actions. |
Always |
Y |
|
10 |
Date that the assessment was performed |
YYYYMMDD. |
Always |
Y |
|
11 |
A unique number associated with an assessment performed at a site on a given day. Value should be “1” unless additional same assessments are performed. |
Integer. |
Always |
Y |
|
12 |
Indicates where the PEP monitor is operated by the Audit Agency or by the Monitoring Agency. |
Must = TTP or BOA |
Insert |
||
13 |
The sampling methodology of the monitor being assessed. |
Must exist in SAMPLING METHODOLOGIES reference table. |
Insert |
||
14 |
For parameters other than Ozone, this is the method code of the CO monitor used to determine check gas dilution. |
Must exist in SAMPLING METHODOLOGIES reference table. |
Insert unless ozone |
||
15 |
Units associated with the assessment concentrations (Monitor Concentration and Check Standard Concentration). |
Must exist in UNITS reference table, and unit code must be for Concentration units type. |
Unless Delete |
||
16 |
The concentration value provided by the monitor being assessed at level 1. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
17 |
The value of the known gas standard concentration in Audit Level 1. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
18 |
The concentration value provided by the monitor being assessed at level 2. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
19 |
The value of the known gas standard concentration in Audit Level 2. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
20 |
The concentration value provided by the monitor being assessed at level 3. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
21 |
The value of the known gas standard concentration in Audit Level 3. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
22 |
The concentration value provided by the monitor being assessed at level 4. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
23 |
The value of the known gas standard concentration in Audit Level 4. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
24 |
The concentration value provided by the monitor being assessed at level 5. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
25 |
The value of the known gas standard concentration in Audit Level 5. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
26 |
The concentration value provided by the monitor being assessed at level 6. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
27 |
The value of the known gas standard concentration in Audit Level 6. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
28 |
The concentration value provided by the monitor being assessed at level 7. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
29 |
The value of the known gas standard concentration in Audit Level 7. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
30 |
The concentration value provided by the monitor being assessed at level 8. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
31 |
The value of the known gas standard concentration in Audit Level 8. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
32 |
The concentration value provided by the monitor being assessed at level 9. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
33 |
The value of the known gas standard concentration in Audit Level 9. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
34 |
The concentration value provided by the monitor being assessed at level 10. |
Decimal. |
Insert |
||
35 |
The value of the known gas standard concentration in Audit Level 10. |
Decimal. |
Insert |