Air pollution exposure assessment at schools and playgrounds in Williamsburg Brooklyn NYC, with a view to developing a set of policy solutions.

Community science offers unique opportunities for non-professional involvement of volunteers in the scientific process, not just during the data acquisition, but also in other phases, like problem definition, quality assurance, data analysis and interpretation, and the dissemination of results. Moreover, community science can be a powerful tool for public engagement and empowerment during policy formulation. This paper aims to present a pilot study on personal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) and raises awareness of the hazards of air pollution.

Intraurban Variation of Fine Particle Elemental Concentrations in New York City.

Few past studies have collected and analyzed within-city variation of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) elements. We developed land-use regression (LUR) models to characterize spatial variation of 15 PM2.

Saturation sampling for spatial variation in multiple air pollutants across an inversion-prone metropolitan area of complex terrain.

Background: Characterizing intra-urban variation in air quality is important for epidemiological investigation of health outcomes and disparities. To date, however, few studies have been designed to capture spatial variation during select hours of the day, or to examine the roles of meteorology and complex terrain in shaping intra-urban exposure gradients.

Methods: We designed a spatial saturation monitoring study to target local air pollution sources, and to understand the role of topography and temperature inversions on fine-scale pollution variation by systematically allocating sampling locations across gradients in key local emissions sources (vehicle traffic, industrial facilities) and topography (elevation) in the Pittsburgh area.

Spatial variation in environmental noise and air pollution in New York City.

Exposure to environmental noise from traffic is common in urban areas and has been linked to increased risks of adverse health effects including cardiovascular disease. Because traffic sources also produce air pollutants that increase the risk of cardiovascular morbidity, associations between traffic exposures and health outcomes may involve confounding and/or synergisms between air pollution and noise. While prior studies have characterized intraurban spatial variation in air pollution in New York City (NYC), limited data exists on the levels and spatial variation in noise levels.

Intra-urban spatial variability in wintertime street-level concentrations of multiple combustion-related air pollutants: the New York City Community Air Survey (NYCCAS).

Although intra-urban air pollution differs by season, few monitoring networks provide adequate geographic density and year-round coverage to fully characterize seasonal patterns. Here, we report winter intra-urban monitoring and land-use regression (LUR) results from the New York City Community Air Survey (NYCCAS). Two-week integrated samples of fine particles (PM(2.

Monitoring intraurban spatial patterns of multiple combustion air pollutants in New York City: design and implementation.

Routine air monitoring provides data to assess urban scale temporal variation in pollution concentrations in relation to regulatory standards, but is not well suited to characterizing intraurban spatial variation in pollutant concentrations from local sources. To address these limitations and inform local control strategies, New York City developed a program to track spatial patterns of multiple air pollutants in each season of the year. Monitor locations include 150 distributed street-level sites chosen to represent a range of traffic, land-use and other characteristics.

Spatial variability in levels of benzene, formaldehyde, and total benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes in New York City: a land-use regression study.

Background: Hazardous air pollutant exposures are common in urban areas contributing to increased risk of cancer and other adverse health outcomes. While recent analyses indicate that New York City residents experience significantly higher cancer risks attributable to hazardous air pollutant exposures than the United States as a whole, limited data exist to assess intra-urban variability in air toxics exposures.

Methods: To assess intra-urban spatial variability in exposures to common hazardous air pollutants, street-level air sampling for volatile organic compounds and aldehydes was conducted at 70 sites throughout New York City during the spring of 2011.

Noise, air pollutants and traffic: continuous measurement and correlation at a high-traffic location in New York City.

Background: Epidemiological studies have linked both noise and air pollution to common adverse health outcomes such as increased blood pressure and myocardial infarction. In urban settings, noise and air pollution share important sources, notably traffic, and several recent studies have shown spatial correlations between noise and air pollution. The temporal association between these exposures, however, has yet to be thoroughly investigated despite the importance of time series studies in air pollution epidemiology and the potential that correlations between these exposures could at least partly confound statistical associations identified in these studies.

Potential health impact of switching from car to public transportation when commuting to work.

We assessed humidity-corrected particulate matter (PM(2.5)) exposure and physical activity (using global positioning system monitors and diaries) among 18 people who commuted by car to Queens College, New York, New York, for 5 days, and then switched to commuting for the next 5 days via public transportation. The PM(2.

Air pollution and activity during transportation by car, subway, and walking.

Background: Little evidence exists about the health risks and benefits associated with using public buses and subways rather than cars. The objective of the current study was to assess the magnitude and variance of personal exposure to particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller (PM(2.

Modeling the atmospheric transport and deposition of PCDD/F to the Great Lakes.

Atmospheric deposition is a significant loading pathway for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (dioxin) to the Great Lakes. An innovative approach using NOAA's HYSPLIT atmospheric fate and transport model was developed to estimate the 1996 dioxin contribution to each lake from each of 5,700 point sources and 42,600 area sources in a U.S.