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PERFORMANCE AUDITING OF A HUMAN AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE SYSTEM FOR COARSE PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5-10)
Citation:
RAY, B. PERFORMANCE AUDITING OF A HUMAN AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE SYSTEM FOR COARSE PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5-10). Presented at Air Quality Measurement and Methods and Technology Symposium, San Francisco, CA, April 30, 2007 - May 02, 3007.
Description:
Databases derived from human health effects research play a vital role in setting environmental standards. An underlying assumption in using these databases for standard setting purposes is that they are of adequate quality. The performance auditing program described in this manuscript provides novel methods for determining data quality for one form of human health effects research, human exposure to coarse particulate matter (PM2.5-10). PM2.5-10 is defined as particulate matter (PM) in the ambient air having aerodynamic diameters greater than or equal to a nominal 2.5 ¿m and less than or equal to a nominal 10 um. This paper presents the development and implementation of a performance auditing program for a particulate matter concentrator exposure system used by EPA researchers to expose human volunteers to PM2.5-10 air pollution. Audit procedures for determining the accuracy of critical operating parameters of the system are described. The results of audits of the system¿s ability to measure temperature, humidity, and PM2.5-10 concentration and distribution within the exposure chamber are listed. The utility of the performance auditing program in assisting health effects researchers to determine the adequacy of databases obtained from the PM2.5-10 concentrator exposure system in meeting their research requirements is discussed.
Disclaimer: This is an abstract of a proposed presentation and does not necessarily reflect U.S. EPA policy.