Inhalation of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) can cause diseases including silicosis and cancer. Levels of RCS close to an emission source are measured but little is known about the wider ambient exposure from industry emissions or natural sources. The aim of this work is to report the RCS concentrations obtained from a variety of ambient environments using a new mobile respirable (PM4) sampler. A mobile battery powered high flow rate (52 L min(-1)) sampler was developed and evaluated for particulate aerosol sampling employing foams to select the respirable particle size fraction. Sampling was conducted in the United Kingdom at site boundaries surrounding seven urban construction and demolition and five sand quarry sites. These are compared with data from twelve urban aerosol samples and from repeat measurements from a base line study at a single rural site. The 50% particle size penetration (d(50)) through the foam was 4.3 mu m. Over 85% of predict bias values were with +/- 10% of the respirable convention, which is based on a log normal curve. Results for RCS from all construction and quarry activities are generally low with a 95 th percentile of 11 mu g m(-3). Eighty percent of results were less than the health benchmark value of 3 mu g m(-3) used in some states in America for ambient concentrations. The power cutting of brick and the largest demolition activities gave the highest construction levels. Measured urban background RCS levels were typically below 0.3 mu g m(-3) and the median RCS level, at a rural background location, was 0.02 mu g m(-3). These reported ambient RCS concentrations may provide useful baseline values to assess the wider impact of fugitive, RCS containing, dust emissions into the wider environment.

Soya is an important bulk agricultural product often transported by sea as chipped beans and/or the bean husks after pelletisation. There are proven allergens in both forms. Bulk handling of soya imports can generate air pollution containing dust, allergens, and pyrogens, posing health risks to dockside workers and surrounding populations. Using an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standardised rotating drum dustiness test in seven imported soya bulks, we compared the generated levels of dust and two major soya allergens in three particle sizes related to respiratory health. Extractable levels of allergen and endotoxin from the bulks showed 30–60 fold differences, with levels of one allergen (hydrophobic seed protein) and endotoxin higher in husk. The generated levels of dust and allergens in the three particle sizes also showed very wide variations between bulks, with aerolysed levels of allergen influenced by both the inherent dustiness and the extractable allergen in each bulk. Percentage allergen aerolysed from pelletized husk—often assumed to be of low dustiness—after transportation was not lower than that from chipped beans. Thus, not all soya bulks pose the same inhalation health risk and reinforces the importance of controlling dust generation from handling all soya bulk to as low as reasonably practicable.

The use of low-cost air quality sensors has proliferated among non-profits and citizen scientists, due to their portability, affordability, and ease of use. Researchers are examining the sensors for their potential use in a wide range of applications, including the examination of the spatial and temporal variability of particulate matter (PM). However, few studies have quantified the performance (e.g., accuracy, precision, and reliability) of the sensors under real-world conditions. This study examined the performance of two models of PM sensors, the AirBeam and the Alphasense Optical Particle Counter (OPC-N2), over a 12-week period in the Cuyama Valley of California, where PM concentrations are impacted by wind-blown dust events and regional transport. The sensor measurements were compared with observations from two well-characterized instruments: the GRIMM 11-R optical particle counter, and the Met One beta attenuation monitor (BAM). Both sensor models demonstrated a high degree of collocated precision (R2 = 0.8–0.99), and a moderate degree of correlation against the reference instruments (R2 = 0.6–0.76). Sensor measurements were influenced by the meteorological environment and the aerosol size distribution. Quantifying the performance of sensors in real-world conditions is a requisite step to ensuring that sensors will be used in ways commensurate with their data quality.

As part of two separate studies aimed to characterize ambient pollutant concentrations at schools in urban areas, we compare black carbon and particle count measurements at Adcock Elementary in Las Vegas, NV (April-June 2013), and Hunter High School in the West Valley City area of greater Salt Lake City, UT (February 2012). Both schools are in urban environments, but Adcock Elementary is next to the U.S. 95 freeway. Black carbon (BC) concentrations were 13% higher at Adcock compared to Hunter, while particle count concentrations were 60% higher. When wind speeds were low-less than 2 m/sec-both BC and particle count concentrations were significantly higher at Adcock, while concentrations at Hunter did not have as strong a variation with wind speed. When wind speeds were less than 2 m/sec, emissions from the adjacent freeway greatly affected concentrations at Adcock, regardless of wind direction. At both sites, BC and particle count concentrations peaked in the morning during commute hours. At Adcock, particle count also peaked during midday or early afternoon, when BC was low and conditions were conducive to new particle formation. While this midday peak occurred at Adcock on roughly 45% of the measured days, it occurred on only about 25% of the days at Hunter, since conditions for particle formation (higher solar radiation, lower wind speeds, lower relative humidity) were more conducive at Adcock. Thus, children attending these schools are likely to be exposed to pollution peaks during school drop-off in the morning, when BC and particle count concentrations peak, and often again during lunchtime recess when particle count peaks again.IMPLICATIONS:Particle count concentrations at two schools were shown to typically be independent of BC or other pollutants. At a school in close proximity to a major freeway, particle count concentrations were high during the midday and when wind speeds were low, regardless of wind direction, showing a large area of effect from roadway emissions even when the school was not downwind of the roadway. At the second school, which sits in an urban neighborhood away from freeways, high particle counts occurred even though solar radiation was low during wintertime conditions, meaning that exposure to high particle counts can occur throughout the year.

Bakers have a continuing high incidence of occupational allergic asthma. In factory bakeries they are exposed not only to flour dust containing allergens, but also improvers whose ingredients enhance the strength and workability of the dough and its speed of rising. Improvers are flour-based but can contain added soya, fungal or bacterial enzymes that are also allergenic, as well as vegetable oil, calcium sulphate/silicate and organic esters. This study investigated the dustiness of the components used in factory bakeries and whether altering improver ingredients could reduce dust and allergen exposure. A standardised rotating drum test was employed on the individual components, as well as a representative improver and three practicable improver modifications by decreasing calcium sulphate, calcium silicate or increasing oil content. Levels of dust, the allergens wheat flour amylase inhibitor (WAAI) and soya trypsin inhibitor (STI) were measured in the generated inhalable, thoracic and respirable sized fractions. A “scooping and pouring” workplace simulation was also performed. Initial tests showed that dustiness of several wheat flours was relatively low, and even lower for soya flour, but increased in combination with some other improver components. All three improver modifications generally reduced levels of dust, STI and WAAI, but increasing oil content significantly decreased dust and STI in comparison to the standard improver and those improvers with reduced calcium silicate or sulphate. The simulation demonstrated that increased oil content reduced inhalable levels of gravimetric dust, STI and WAAI. Changing improver formulation, such as increasing oil content of flour by a small amount, may represent a simple, practical method of reducing bakery workers’ exposure to dust and allergens where improvers are used. It may be a useful adjunct to engineering control, changes to work practices and appropriate training in reducing the risk to bakers’ respiratory health.

We characterized residential biomass burning contributions to fine particle concentrations via multiple methods at Fyfe Elementary School in Las Vegas, Nevada, during January 2008: with levoglucosan on quartz fiber filters; with water soluble potassium (K+) measured using a particle-into-liquid system with ion chromatography (PILS-IC); and with the fragment C2H4O2+ from an Aerodyne High Resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-AMS). A Magee Scientific Aethalometer was also used to determine aerosol absorption at the UV (370 nm) and black carbon (BC, 880 nm) channels, where UV-BC difference is indicative of biomass burning (BB). Levoglucosan and AMS C2H4O2+ measurements were strongly correlated (r2 = 0.92); K+ correlated well with C2H4O2+ (r2 = 0.86) during the evening but not during other times. While K+ may be an indicator of BB, it is not necessarily a unique tracer, as non-BB sources appear to contribute significantly to K+ and can change from day to day. Low correlation was seen between UV-BC difference and other indicators, possibly because of an overwhelming influence of freeway emissions on BC concentrations. Given the sampling location—next to a twelve-lane freeway—urban-scale biomass burning was found to be a surprisingly large source of aerosol: overnight BB organic aerosol contributed between 26% and 33% of the organic aerosol mass.

Near-roadway ambient black carbon (BC) and carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations were measured at two schools adjacent to a freeway and at an urban background school 2 km from the freeway to determine the change in concentrations attributable to vehicle emissions after the three-lane expansion of U.S. Highway 95 (US 95) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Between summer 2007 and summer 2008, average weekday small-vehicle volume increased by 40% ± 2% (standard error). Average weekday large-vehicle volume decreased by 17% ± 5%, due to a downturn in the economy and an associated decline in goods movement. Average vehicle speed increased from 58 to 69 mph, a 16% ± 1% increase. The authors compared BC and CO concentrations in summer 2007 with those in summer 2008 to understand what effect the expansion of the freeway may have had on ambient concentrations: BC and CO were measured 17 m north of the freeway sound wall, CO was measured 20 m south of the sound wall, and BC was measured at an urban background site 2 km south of the freeway. Between summer 2007 and summer 2008, median BC decreased at the near-road site by 40% ± 2% and also decreased at the urban background site by 24% ± 4%, suggesting that much of the change was due to decreases in emissions throughout Las Vegas, rather than only on US 95. CO concentrations decreased by 14% ± 2% and 10% ± 3% at the two near-road sites. The decrease in BC concentrations after the expansion is likely due to the decrease in medium- and heavy-duty-vehicle traffic resulting from the economic recession. The decrease in CO concentrations may be a result of improved traffic flow, despite the increase in light-duty-vehicle traffic. Implications Monitoring of BC and CO at near-road locations in Las Vegas demonstrated the impacts of changes in traffic volume and vehicle speed on near-road concentrations. However, urban-scale declines in concentrations were larger than near-road changes due to the impacts of the economic recession that occurred contemporaneously with the freeway expansion.

Members of an international standards working group for silica measurement (ISO/TC146/SC2/WG7 Silica) collaborated to assess the differences between sample preparation approaches for the analysis of respirable crystalline silica (RCS) by X-ray diffraction (XRD). They also assessed the relative collection efficiencies of 13 respirable samplers. The evaluation involved nine laboratories from eight countries. Samplers were exposed to airborne concentrations of ultrafine and medium Arizona road dust (ARD) in a calm air chamber. Each participating laboratory analysed samples following their own method and the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) retained a third of the samples for verification. All methods and analytical approaches applied in this study obtained comparable results (most were within 12 %). An exception was a method used with the CIP10 R sampler, which reported lower values. Correcting for the crystallinity of the calibration quartz dust using a verified value tested against a certified reference material has one of the largest impacts on the comparability of results. When following good analytical practice, the main factors affecting the comparability of results for RCS are significant differences in sampler efficiencies. In particular, the conductive sampler from SKC obtained a higher concentration of respirable dust (1.3-1.4x) when compared with the average air concentration. The Dorr Oliver, SKC aluminium, CIP10 R, and IOM head (with polyurethane foam separator) samplers all reported lower respirable dust air concentrations than average with the ultrafine ARD. Their lower collection efficiency compared with other samplers is explainable from published sampler information. The Dorr Oliver sampler also had a tendency to collect a lower proportion of RCS in the respirable dust than others. The working group propose that more stringent particle size selection and mass collection criteria are used to improve consistency and crossutilisation of exposure data between countries.

机动车排放是全球城市空气污染的一大来源。而无论在发达国家还是在发展中国家，随着城市化进程不断加快，机动车数量还在持续增加。路边空气污染浓度的实际状况如何？路边污染暴露的健康影响有哪些？如何解决路边空气污染问题以减少人体健康风险？交通带来的空气污染和路边暴露越来越受到人们关注。

Prolonged exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) causes silicosis and is also considered a cause of cancer. To meet emerging needs for precise measurements of RCS, from shorter sampling periods (<4h) and lower air concentrations, collaborative work was done to assess the differences between personal respirable samplers at higher flow rates. The performance of FSP10, GK2.69, and CIP 10 R samplers were compared with that of the Safety In Mines Personal Dust Sampler (SIMPEDS) sampler as a reference, which is commonly used in the UK for the measurement of RCS. In addition, the performance of the FSP10 and GK 2.69 samplers were compared; at the nominal flow rates recommended by the manufacturers of 10 and 4.2 l · min−1 and with flow rates proposed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of 11.2 and 4.4 l · min−1. Samplers were exposed to aerosols of ultrafine and medium grades of Arizona road dust (ARD) generated in a calm air chamber. All analyses for RCS in this study were performed at the Health and Safety Laboratory. The difference in flow rates for the GK2.69 is small and does not result in a substantial difference in collection efficiency for the dusts tested, while the performance of the FSP10 at 11.2 l · min−1 was more comparable with samples from the SIMPEDS. Conversely, the GK2.69 collected proportionately more crystalline silica in the respirable dust than other samplers, which then produced RCS results most comparable with the SIMPEDS. The CIP 10 R collected less ultrafine ARD than other samplers, as might be expected based on earlier performance evaluations. The higher flow rate for the FSP10 should be an added advantage for task-specific sampling or when measuring air concentrations less than current occupational exposure limits.

Understanding the organic matter/organic carbon (OM/OC) ratio in ambient particulate matter (PM) is critical to achieve mass closure in routine PM measurements, to assess the sources of and the degree of chemical processing organic aerosol particles have undergone, and to relate ambient pollutant concentrations to health effects. Of particular interest is how the OM/OC ratio varies in the urban environment, where strong spatial and temporal gradients in source emissions are common. We provide results of near-roadway high-time-resolution PM1 OM concentration and OM/OC ratio observations during January 2008 at Fyfe Elementary School in Las Vegas, NV, 18 m from the U.S. 95 freeway soundwall, measured with an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-AMS). The average OM/OC ratio was 1.54 (± 0.20 standard deviation), typical of environments with a low amount of secondary aerosol formation. The 2-min average OM/OC ratios varied between 1.17 and 2.67, and daily average OM/OC ratios varied between 1.44 and 1.73. The ratios were highest during periods of low OM concentrations and generally low during periods of high OM concentrations. OM/OC ratios were low (1.52 ± 0.14, on average) during the morning rush hour (average OM = 2.4 µg/m3), when vehicular emissions dominate this near-road measurement site. The ratios were slightly lower (1.46 ± 0.10) in the evening (average OM = 6.3 µg/m3), when a combination of vehicular and fresh residential biomass burning emissions was typically present during times with temperature inversions. The hourly averaged OM/OC ratio peaked at 1.66 at midday. OM concentrations were similar, regardless of whether the monitoring site was downwind or upwind of the adjacent freeway throughout the day, though they were higher during stagnant conditions (wind speed < 0.5 m/sec). The OM/OC ratio generally varied more with time of day than with wind direction and speed. Implications: Day-to-day variability in the fine particle OM/OC ratio is quite large, suggesting that using a fixed OM/OC value in PM mass closure calculations, even one that changes seasonally, may be insufficient to achieve accurate mass closure on individual days. Health studies that rely on OC measurements may under- or overestimate exposure to OM, and converting OC to OM with a fixed OM/OC ratio represents a significant source of uncertainty; thus, air quality managers may not have sufficient information about the importance of OM contributions to PM2.5 to make optimal regulatory decisions. Supplemental Materials: Supplemental materials are available for this paper. Go to the publisher's online edition of the Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association.

UNLABELLED:Concern for the exposure of children attending schools located near busy roadways to toxic, traffic-related air pollutants has raised questions regarding the environmental benefits of advanced heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) filtration systems for near-road pollution. Levels of black carbon and gaseous pollutants were measured at three indoor classroom sites and at seven outdoor monitoring sites at Las Vegas schools. Initial HVAC filtration systems effected a 31-66% reduction in black carbon particle concentrations inside three schools compared with ambient air concentrations. After improved filtration systems were installed, black carbon particle concentrations were reduced by 74-97% inside three classrooms relative to ambient air concentrations. Average black carbon particle concentrations inside the schools with improved filtration systems were lower than typical ambient Las Vegas concentrations by 49-96%. Gaseous pollutants were higher indoors than outdoors. The higher indoor concentrations most likely originated at least partially from indoor sources, which were not targeted as part of this intervention.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS:Recent literature has demonstrated adverse health effects in subjects exposed to ambient air near major roadways. Current smart growth planning and infill development often require that buildings such as schools are built near major roadways. Improving the filtration systems of a school's HVAC system was shown to decrease children's exposure to near-roadway diesel particulate matter. However, reducing exposure to the gas-phase air toxics, which primarily originated from indoor sources, may require multiple filter passes on recirculated air.

Emission inventories are now routinely used for planning purposes and as input to comprehensive photochemical air quality models. Photochemical model performance and the development of effective air pollution control strategies is predicated on the accuracy of an underlying emission inventory. The purpose of this study is to compile all existing air pollution emission inventory information for the El Paso / Ciudad Juarez / Southern Dona Ana region; generate a gridded, speciated emission inventory; and evaluate the accuracy and representativeness of the inventory. Existing point, area, and mobile source emissions data were obtained from local government agencies. Emissions were spatially and temporally allocated to a gridded domain using region-specific demographic and land cover information. The inventory was processed using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended Urban Airshed Model Emissions Preprocessor System 2.0 (UAM-EPS 2.0) which generates emissions files that can be directly used as input to the Urban Airshed Model. An evaluation of the emission inventory was then performed by comparing inventory non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC)/NOx and CO/NOx ratios to ambient ratios using air quality data collected during the 1996 Paso del Norte Ozone Study. Detailed NMHC species comparisons were also made in order to investigate the relative composition of individual hydrocarbon species in the emission inventory and in the ambient

Emission inventories are routinely used for planning purposes and as input to comprehensive photochemical air quality models. Photochemical model performance and the development of an effective control strategy are predicated on the accuracy of an underlying emission inventory. The purpose of this study was to compile an ozone precursor emission inventory for the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez/Southern Dona Ana region; generate a spatially and temporally resolved, speciated emission inventory; and evaluate the accuracy and representativeness of the inventory. Existing point, area, and mobile source emissions data were obtained from local government agencies. Emissions were spatially and temporally allocated to a gridded domain using region-specific demographic and land cover information. The inventory was processed using the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended Urban Airshed Model Emissions Preprocessor System 2.0 (UAM-EPS 2.0) which generates emissions files that can be directly used as input to the Urban Airshed Model. An evaluation of the emission inventory was then performed by comparing inventory non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC)/NO{sub x} and CO/NO{sub x} ratios to ambient ratios using air quality data collected during the 1996 Paso del Norte Ozone Study. Detailed NMHC species comparisons were also made in order to investigate the relative composition of individual hydrocarbon species inmore » the emission inventory and in the ambient data. This initial emission inventory is expected to undergo substantial revisions during the upcoming photochemical modeling phase of the effort to better understand and improve the air quality of the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez/Southern Dona Ana region.« less

Ambient non-refractory PM1 aerosol particles were measured with an Aerodyne High Resolution Time-of-Flight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-AMS) at an elementary school 18 m from the US 95 freeway soundwall in Las Vegas, Nevada, during January 2008. Additional collocated continuous measurements of black carbon (BC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and meteorological data were collected. The US~Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) positive matrix factorization (PMF) data analysis tool was used to apportion organic matter (OM) as measured by HR-AMS, and rotational tools in EPA PMF were used to better characterize the solution space and pull resolved factors toward known source profiles. Three- to six-factor solutions were resolved. The four-factor solution was the most interpretable, with the typical AMS PMF factors of hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA), low-volatility oxygenated organic aerosol (LV-OOA), biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA), and semi-volatile oxygenated organic aerosol (SV-OOA). When the measurement site was downwind of the freeway, HOA composed about half the OM, with SV-OOA and LV-OOA accounting for the rest. Attempts to pull the PMF factor profiles toward source profiles were successful but did not qualitatively change the results, indicating that these factors are very stable. Oblique edges were present in G-space plots, suggesting that the obtained rotation may not be the most plausible one. Since solutions found by pulling the profiles or using Fpeak retained these oblique edges, there appears to be little rotational freedom in the base solution. On average, HOA made up 26% of the OM, while LV-OOA was highest in the afternoon and accounted for 26% of the OM. BBOA occurred in the evening hours, was predominantly from the residential area to the north, and on average constituted 12% of the OM; SV-OOA accounted for the remaining third of the OM. Use of the pulling techniques available in EPA PMF and ME-2 suggested that the four-factor solution was very stable.