Fine particle sources and cardiorespiratory morbidity: an application of chemical mass balance and factor analytical source-apportionment methods.

Background: Interest in the health effects of particulate matter (PM) has focused on identifying sources of PM, including biomass burning, power plants, and gasoline and diesel emissions that may be associated with adverse health risks. Few epidemiologic studies, however, have included source-apportionment estimates in their examinations of PM health effects. We analyzed a time-series of chemically speciated PM measurements in Atlanta, Georgia, and conducted an epidemiologic analysis using data from three distinct source-apportionment methods.

An integrated framework for multipollutant air quality management and its application in Georgia.

Air protection agencies in the United States increasingly confront non-attainment of air quality standards for multiple pollutants sharing interrelated emission origins. Traditional approaches to attainment planning face important limitations that are magnified in the multipollutant context. Recognizing those limitations, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division has adopted an integrated framework to address ozone, fine particulate matter, and regional haze in the state.

Effects of instrument precision and spatial variability on the assessment of the temporal variation of ambient air pollution in Atlanta, Georgia.

Data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality System, the Southeastern Aerosol Research and Characterization database, and the Assessment of Spatial Aerosol Composition in Atlanta database for 1999 through 2002 have been used to characterize error associated with instrument precision and spatial variability on the assessment of the temporal variation of ambient air pollution in Atlanta, GA.

Optimization-based source apportionment of PM2.5 incorporating gas-to-particle ratios.

A modified approach to PM2.5 source apportionment is developed, using source indicative SO2/PM2.5, CO/PM2.