Chapter 3.4: Particulate Matter Pollution (PM)
Particulate matter (PM) consists of a mixture of solid and liquid particles suspended in the air. The mixture may include acids, organic chemicals, metals and dust particles. PM is regarded as a significant air pollutant, affecting the respiratory and circulatory systems of humans who breathe in the tiny particles. PM also represents a substantial challenge to regulators because of its many, often hard to control, sources.
Before you start this case study, visit the web sites listed here to review the basics on particulate matter pollution.
Background Materials:
For background on PM (types, sources, effects), visit https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution
Textbook References and Links:
Exercise 1: CAMNET web site: http://www.hazecam.net/
Exercise 2: US EPA’s Air Emissions Sources website for particulate matter: http://www3.epa.gov/cgi-bin/broker?_service=data&_debug=0&_program=dataprog.national_1.sas&polchoice=PM#pmloc
Exercise 4: US EPA primary annual standard for PM 2.5: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s_pm_index.html
US EPA’s pamphlet on particle pollution and your health can be accessed at this web site:
http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=particle_health.index
Exercise 6: Four articles connecting PM pollution to human health effects:
Kunzli et al: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2817007/pdf/pone.0009096.pdf
Miller et al.: http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa054409
Perera et al.: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2637989/pdf/pone.0004488.pdf
Mills et al.: http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa066314
Downloadable data and files:
Exercise 6: Four articles connecting PM pollution to human health effects:
Exercise 9: PM25National.txt
