Monitoring For Fine Particulate Matter

Particulate matter (PM)-dust, dirt, smoke, soot, and liquid droplets-comes from a variety of sources and is a mixture of many pollutants made up of several different chemical species. Recent evidence about health effects and the fundamental physical and chemical differences between fine and coarse PM prompted the EPA to set new standards. Monitoring to determine whether an area has met these standards requires a comprehensive approach that combines analytical techniques to assess mass and chemical composition with an integrated network of ambient and source PM monitors.

Air pollution originating from rapid industrialization, urbanization, population growth and economic development has disturbed the urban ecosystems of ecologically sensitive regions like the Indo-Burma hot spot, and they are under severe air pollution stress with limited resources to collect data on what is happening. Air pollutants comprised of both particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants may cause adverse health effects in human, affect plant life and impact the global environment by changing the atmosphere of the earth. It is now well established that urban PM may also contain magnetic particles along with other air pollutants. Biomonitoring of PM through magnetic properties, known as biomagnetic monitoring, measures the magnetic parameters of dust loaded plant leaves, giving a new opportunity to monitor. Compared to existing conventional technologies, biomagnetic monitoring is an eco-friendly technique perfect in urban areas. Biomagnetic Monitoring of Particulate Matter reviews the issues with PM and the potential of these methods to on tropical vegetation on a variety of flora which represent the biodiversity of the Indo-Burma Hot Spot. Bio-magnetic Monitoring of Particulate Matter gives a comprehensive overview of the issue of particulate pollution and monitoring Cases of magnetic biomonitoring across different environments are included to demonstrate this emerging technique as a way to measure particulate pollution Coverage includes a comparison to other techniques as well as why it works well ecological diverse developing areas which are data scarce, like the Indo-Burma Hot Spot A review of the detrimental health impacts of Particulate Matter reinforces the importance for this type of data to be available universally

The main objective of these updated global guidelines is to offer health-based air quality guideline levels, expressed as long-term or short-term concentrations for six key air pollutants: PM2.5, PM10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. In addition, the guidelines provide interim targets to guide reduction efforts of these pollutants, as well as good practice statements for the management of certain types of PM (i.e., black carbon/elemental carbon, ultrafine particles, particles originating from sand and duststorms). These guidelines are not legally binding standards; however, they provide WHO Member States with an evidence-informed tool, which they can use to inform legislation and policy. Ultimately, the goal of these guidelines is to help reduce levels of air pollutants in order to decrease the enormous health burden resulting from the exposure to air pollution worldwide.

Research has shown that inhaling fine particles is a greater health risk than breathing larger particles. Title is "very timely...needed NOW," according to one reviewer Covers a "controversial" but important topic, for which there is a lack of literature and hence guidance for those professionals affected by it Covers legislative background and gives insight into regulatory and technical matters such as measurement and control of fine particle emissions Combines the practical, theoretical, and regulatory areas of fine particulate monitoring, with "reference to the regulated community" Written by a recognized authority with over 30 years of pollution control experience

Fine Particulate Pollution deals with the state of knowledge and the status of technology relating to pollution caused by fine particulates. The topics span all scientific and technical disciplines associated with atmospheric fine particulate pollution, including the definition of fine particulates, health effects, measurement, and sources, along with transport and transformation, control technology, regulations, economics, and research. This book is divided into six sections and begins with an overview of the chemical and physical characteristics of fine particles such as particle size, shape, morphology, chemical composition, resistivity, and electric charge. Subsequent sections examine the health and environmental effects of particulate pollutants; emission sources and control of fine particulate air pollution; chemical and physical reactions, transport, and fate of fine particulate pollutants; and sampling, monitoring, and measurement of fine particulate pollutants. The final section looks at regulations for fine particles in countries such as Austria, Germany, France, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States. This monograph will be of interest to environmentalists as well as environmental policymakers and government officials concerned with air pollution control.