Journal article
Saturation sampling for spatial variation in multiple air pollutants across an inversion-prone metropolitan area of complex terraing
Environmental health, v 13
16 Apr 2014
PMID: 24735818
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
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. Street-level integrated samples of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and ozone (O-3) were collected during morning rush and probable inversion hours (6-11 AM), during summer and winter. We hypothesized that pollution concentrations would be: 1) higher under inversion conditions, 2) exacerbated in lower-elevation areas, and 3) vary by season.
Results: During July - August 2011 and January - March 2012, we observed wide spatial and seasonal variability in pollution concentrations, exceeding the range measured at regulatory monitors. We identified elevated concentrations of multiple pollutants at lower-elevation sites, and a positive association between inversion frequency and NO2 concentration. We examined temporal adjustment methods for deriving seasonal concentration estimates, and found that the appropriate reference temporal trend differs between pollutants.
Conclusions: Our time-stratified spatial saturation approach found some evidence for modification of inversion-concentration relationships by topography, and provided useful insights for refining and interpreting GIS-based pollution source indicators for Land Use Regression modeling.
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Details
- Title
- Saturation sampling for spatial variation in multiple air pollutants across an inversion-prone metropolitan area of complex terraing
- Creators
- Jessie L. C. Shmool - University of PittsburghDrew R. Michanowicz - University of PittsburghLeah Cambal - University of PittsburghBrett Tunno - University of PittsburghJeffery Howell - University of PittsburghSara Gillooly - University of PittsburghCourtney Roper - University of PittsburghSheila Tripathy - University of PittsburghLauren G. Chubb - University of PittsburghHolger M. Eisl - Product Innovation and Engineering (United States) (United States, Saint James) - LLCJohn E. Gorczynski - Product Innovation and Engineering (United States) (United States, Saint James) - LLCFernando E. Holguin - University of PittsburghKyra Naumoff Shields - University of PittsburghJane E. Clougherty - University of Pittsburgh
- Publication Details
- Environmental health, v 13
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Number of pages
- 16
- Grant note
- internal University of Pittsburgh Department of Environmental & Occupational Health funds
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Dana and David Dornsife School of Public Health; Drexel University; Environmental and Occupational Health
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000335408400001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84988714321
- Other Identifier
- 991020100211204721
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- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health