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A COMPARISON OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES TO SELECTED AIR POLLUTANTS BETWEEN TWO APPARENT SOCIO-ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE POPULATIONS IN THE RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK METROPOLITAN AREA
Citation:
Williams, R W., A W. Rea, J C. Suggs, K W. Leovic, A F. Vette, C Croghan, L S. Sheldon, C. Rodes, J. Thornburg, A. Ejire, AND W. Sanders Jr. A COMPARISON OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES TO SELECTED AIR POLLUTANTS BETWEEN TWO APPARENT SOCIO-ECONOMICALLY DIVERSE POPULATIONS IN THE RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK METROPOLITAN AREA. Presented at 2002 NC Environmental Justice Summit, Durham, NC, October 18-19, 2002.
Impact/Purpose:
The primary study objectives are:
1.To quantify personal exposures and indoor air concentrations for PM/gases for potentially sensitive individuals (cross sectional, inter- and intrapersonal).
2.To describe (magnitude and variability) the relationships between personal exposure, and indoor, outdoor and ambient air concentrations for PM/gases for different sensitive cohorts. These cohorts represent subjects of opportunity and relationships established will not be used to extrapolate to the general population.
3.To examine the inter- and intrapersonal variability in the relationship between personal exposures, and indoor, outdoor, and ambient air concentrations for PM/gases for sensitive individuals.
4.To identify and model the factors that contribute to the inter- and intrapersonal variability in the relationships between personal exposures and indoor, outdoor, and ambient air concentrations for PM/gases.
5.To determine the contribution of ambient concentrations to indoor air/personal exposures for PM/gases.
6.To examine the effects of air shed (location, season), population demographics, and residential setting (apartment vs stand-alone homes) on the relationship between personal exposure and indoor, outdoor, and ambient air concentrations for PM/gases.
Description:
Human exposures to certain size fractions of ambient air Particulate Matter (PM) have been related to apparent associations in increased mortality and morbidity in the U.S. population. This risk association would appear to be relevant to the general population and even more pronounced for those at highest risk (e.g., the elderly, cardiovascular and pulmonary impaired). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently completed a one-year investigation of personal, residential and ambient particulate matter (PM) mass concentrations in two potentially susceptible subpopulations living within the Research Triangle Park Metropolitan Area. One purpose of this study was to define the degree to which individuals are exposed to PM and the variability of this exposure. A total of 35 individuals participated. The first group consisted of 8 individuals having implanted cardiac defibrillators living in and near Chapel Hill, NC. The second group consisted of 27 African-Americans with controlled hypertension and living in a HUD-defined low/moderate socio-economic-status neighborhood in southeast Raleigh, NC. All of the study participants were at least 50 years of age, non-smokers, and lived independently in their own residence. Study volunteers participated in the study a total of 28 days over the course of one year (7 days each season). Results will be presented that defines the level of PM exposure between each group and the role of human activities (lifestyle) as one factor in influencing an individual's total personal PM exposure.
This work has been funded wholly by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under contract #68-D-99-012 to the Research Triangle Institute and assistance agreement #CR-828186-01-0 to Shaw University. It has been subjected to Agency review and approved for publication.