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Impact of meteorology, traffic characteristics, and distance from roadway on roadside concentrations of ultrafine particulate matter
Citation:
HAGLER, G., E. D. THOMA, R. W. BALDAUF, THOMAS LONG, AND R. SNOW. Impact of meteorology, traffic characteristics, and distance from roadway on roadside concentrations of ultrafine particulate matter. Presented at A&WMA Conference, Portland, OR, June 15, 2008.
Impact/Purpose:
symposium paper
Description:
Traffic-laden roadways are major contributors to poor air quality in developed areas, elevating pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) and ozone. Among the numerous air pollutants emitted by vehicles, ultrafine particles (UFPs, diameter <100 nm) are of interest as a potential health threat. UFPs typically dominate the particle size distribution in terms of number. Recent research as associated UFP levels with adverse respiratory and cardiovascular health effects. At a near-road location, UFPs have been observed to have a stronger response to traffic in comparison to larger particle sizes. Other studies have observed a strong spatial gradient associated with UFPs. This presentation discusses the UFP measurements conducted during two near-road monitoring campaigns in North Carolina. One study takes a time series approach. The second and more recent study focuses on spatially mapping UFPs during periods of heavy traffic.