What is Particulate Matter ??

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What is Particulate Matter ??
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Particulate matter (PM) is

• A mixture of particles found in the air,
  including dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid
  droplets.
• Some particles are large or dark enough to be
  seen as soot or smoke.
• Others are so small that individually they can
  only be detected with an electron microscope.

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Particles with diameters between 2.5 and 10
micrometers are referred to as Coarse
Particles with diameter 2.5 micrometers and
smaller are referred to as Fine
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Sources of fine particles

• All types of combustion
• -Motor vehicle
• -Power plants
• -Wood burning, etc.
• -Some industrial processes

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Sources of coarse particles include crushing or
grinding operations and dust from paved or
unpaved roads
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Ambient Fine Particles

• Can stay in the atmosphere from days to weeks,
  
• and travel hundreds of miles.

• Particles can be transported long distances and
  
• impact large of numbers of people

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Health effects of fine particulatesWhy are they
bad?

• Too small to be filtered by the nose/mouth
• Can be inhaled deeply into the lungs where they
  can cross directly into blood stream like oxygen
• Asthma attacks (possible asthma onset)
• Heart attacks
• Strokes
• Premature death (crib death in children)
• Cancer

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The average American breathes 3,400 gallons of
air each day, making ambient air pollution a
major environmental problem.
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Chemical Composition of PM2.5

• Sulfates
• Nitrates
• Elemental carbon
• Organic carbon
• Trace elements such as metals
• Varying amounts of water.

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Sulfates Sulfur dioxide (SO2), mainly from
combustion of fossil fuel, is oxidized in the
atmosphere to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
particles. Ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4 is the
most common sulfate species in ambient aerosol
samples.
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Nitrogen oxides (NOx NO NO2) are formed during
combustion or any high temperature process
involving air

• Eventually can be converted in the atmosphere
  into both nitric acid (HNO3) particles and the
  particulate ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3).

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Elemental Carbon. Chain agglomerates of very
small elemental carbon (EC) particles are formed
during combustion, such as in open hearth
fireplaces, wood stoves and diesel engines.
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Organic Carbon. Several categories of organic
carbon (OC) compounds are also often found in
ambient air, as follows

• Primary-anthropogenic (man-made). Incomplete
  combustion also leads to hundreds of organic
  compounds being present in the atmosphere as
  particles, including polycyclic (Polynuclear)
  aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
• Secondary-anthropogenic. Some complex organic
  compounds react with ozone or other atmospheric
  constituents to form particles.

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• Primary biogenic. Viruses, some bacteria, and
  plant and/or animal cell fragments may compose a
  portion of the fine particulates in the
  atmosphere.
• Secondary biogenic. Terpenes, which are cyclic
  olefins released by plants, also react in the
  atmosphere to yield organic particulate matter.

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Trace Elements A variety of metals and
non-metals are volatilized during the combustion
of fossil fuels, smelting of ores, and
incineration of wastes and are emitted as fine
particles (or vapors which rapidly form fine
particles).
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PM2.5 Monitoring in Southwestern PA
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The Air Quality Index (AQI)

• A method of grading the health risks that air
  quality poses on specific days
• Days are ranked as good, moderate, unhealthy for
  sensitive groups, unhealthy, and very unhealthy
• Based on the forecasted level of PM2.5.

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Monitoring the Air Quality Index, which
forecasts the air quality for the day, is
important if you belong to a particularly at-risk
group such as

• The elderly
• Children
• People with pre-existing respiratory or
  cardiovascular conditions

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Clear Day in Pittsburgh
Air Quality Action Day
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DID YOU KNOW?

• The Pittsburgh area was recently ranked the 3rd
  worst air quality in the County, for fine
  particulates American Lung Association, 2010
  State of the Air Report

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Can I reduce my exposure to particulate matter?

• Avoid exposure where possible to sources of
  airborne particles such as tobacco smoke, wood
  smoke and vehicle exhaust.
• Avoid prolonged outdoor exertion near
  high-traffic areas especially if it is a higher
  pollution day.
• Stay informed about the daily air pollution
  levels and the associated health implications.
  You can sign up to receive an AQI forecast by
  email each day here.
  http//www.dep.state.pa.us/aq_apps/aqpartners/defa
  ult.asp
• Use high quality filters for heating and air
  conditioners. Change filters frequently. Consider
  using a room, car and/or house air cleaner. There
  are a variety of types so research your needs and
  follow proper maintenance recommendations.
  High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters
  are better for smaller particles.