Spatio-Temporal Patterns and Variation of Common PM Metals

• Activity Number: 351
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 6, 2013 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistics and the Environment
• Author(s): Boubakari Ibrahimou*+ and Yiliang Zhu
• Companies: Western Kentucky University & University of South Florida and University of South Florida
• Keywords: Particulate matter ; Metals ; Variation

Abstract

Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) in the ambient air is associated with various health effects. There is increasing evidence that the chemical components such as heavy metals of PM play a central role leading to adverse health effects. Thus, there have been intensified efforts in studying the metal composition and it emission origin in ambient PM as well as its association with health outcomes. In this paper we use non parametric smoothing methods to study the spatio-temporal patterns and variation of common PM metals, and illustrate our modeling using data from multiple stations of the EPA's National Air Quality Monitoring Network in three metropolitan statistical areas (MSA). Our goal is to use the spatial variation to estimate chronic and acute residential exposure to these ambient metals, and also use the temporal variation to identify emission sources that are responsible for high ambient concentrations of certain metals while controlling for temperature and barometric pressure. Metals such as aluminum, calcium, iron, chromium, lead, magnesium and zinc show a clear trend or seasonal variations across the three MSAs.