Dust Control – Soil Stabilization – Erosion Control

Posts Tagged ‘particulate matter’

The fugitive dust that is around us is not on the run from the law, but in some cases should be. It is true that this type of dust has been around since the dawn of time caused by wind sweeping across the barren landscape.

This type of dust is scientifically described as particular matter. This is airborne debris that can adversely affect the health of people and the environment. The most common particulate matter is smaller than 10 micron in diameter and is called PM10. The second most common is PM2.5. This is debris that is smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter.

As man has evolved, so has his impact on the surrounding environment. The process of the fine particles that are being introduced into the atmosphere is becoming more numerous as time goes on. This was first noticed in the days of the wagon trains when it was beneficial to be up front due to the dust cloud that was created.

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If they can define it, they can measure it, and then they will Tax it.

Several studies considered the relation between long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) and total mortality, as well as mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Our aim was to provide a comprehensive review of European epidemiological studies on the issue.

Methods: We searched the Medline database for epidemiological studies on air pollution and health outcomes published between January 2002 and December 2007.
We also examined the reference lists of individual papers and reviews. Two independent reviewers classified the studies according to type of air pollutant, duration of exposure and health outcome considered.

Among European investigations that examined long-term PM exposure we found 4 cohort studies (considering total and cardiopulmonary mortality), 1 case-control study (considering mortality from myocardial infarction), and 4 ecologic studies (2 studies considering total and cardiopulmonary mortality and 2 studies focused on cardiovascular mortality).

Results: Measurement indicators of PM exposure used in European studies, including PM10, PM2.5, total suspended particulate and black smoke, were heterogeneous. This notwithstanding, in all analytic studies total mortality was directly associated with long-term exposure to PM.

The excesses in mortality were mainly due to cardiovascular and respiratory causes. Three out of 4 ecologic studies found significant direct associations between PM indexes and mortality.

Conclusions: European studies on long-term exposure to PM indicate a direct association with mortality, particularly from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

Author: Claudio PelucchiEva NegriSilvano GallusPaolo BoffettaIrene TramacereCarlo La Vecchia
Credits/Source: BMC Public Health 2009, 9:453

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency says air quality last year improved.

An annual report shows that air quality trends for pollutants for which air quality standards have been developed – along with some heavy metals, nitrates, sulfates, volatile organic and toxic compounds – are continuing to show downward or stable trends that are well below the established standards.

Air quality during 2008 was either good or moderate more than 96 percent of the time throughout Illinois.

There were 14 days air quality in some part of Illinois was considered "Unhealthy" for sensitive groups, this compares to 24 "Unhealthy" for sensitive groups days in 2007.

The improved numbers come even though a more stringent federal standard for measuring acceptable air quality was used for the 2008 report.

Percentage changes from 1999 through 2008 show decreases of 14 percent for particulate matter (PM10), 20 percent particulate matter (PM2.5), 15 percent for sulfur dioxide, 13 percent for nitrogen dioxide, 47 percent for carbon monoxide, 18 percent for lead and 12 percent for ozone.