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Air Quality Management
EPA Goal 1: Taking Action on Climate Change and Improving Air Quality
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Introduction
For its Air Quality Management research program, the National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) develops strategies to meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particulate matter and ground-level ozone. NRMRL’s research provides scientific information on air emissions of particulate matter and the precursors to particulate matter and ozone. The research includes:
- Developing better source measurement techniques
- Collecting data on emissions from stationary, fugitive, and area sources under various operating conditions
- Producing emissions models
NRMRL’s research is used by EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, and the National Exposure Research Laboratory. It’s also used by the states to develop the emissions inventories required for State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and in the emissions module of the Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. This model is widely used by states to project future particulate matter and ozone concentrations for their SIPs. The CMAQ model, as well as other multi-pollutant models, enhance local and community efforts to manage both NAAQS and air toxic pollutants. But more detailed emissions data are needed.
To help project future concentrations, the Air Quality Management research program identifies the specific source categories that contribute to measured ambient particulate matter and ozone concentrations. Chemical profiles and physical characterizations of source emissions are key inputs for source apportionment models. Information about the costs and potential reductions in emissions that can be attained with specific technologies is used for developing and implementing emission reduction strategies.
In the context of adverse health effects, NRMRL’s research focuses on gaining a better understanding of the physical and chemical properties of particulate matter. Currently, the research emphasizes how differences in particle physical properties and chemical composition relate to adverse health effects. Both acute and subchronic studies, using a variety of animal models, are performed to examine the effects on susceptible subpopulations.
Environmental Issue or Problem
Air pollution is a complex mixture of hundreds of primary emission products and secondary transformed pollutants. Yet from a health perspective, noncancer effects are seemingly dominated by just a few pollutants, such as particulate matter, ozone, carbon dioxide, and aldehydes.
Likewise, cancer effects involve specific classes of polycyclic organic compounds and select metals and organic vapors. NRMRL’s research results are used by health researchers as they learn about the characteristics of emissions from sources that are likely to contribute the compounds of concern.
Long-Term Goal and Annual Performance Goals Addressed
Clean Air Multi-Year Plan (MYP) 2008-2012 (PDF) (52 pp, 293 KB, About PDF)
Contact
Carlos Nunez
Assistant Laboratory Director, Air | Human Health