Characterization of Representative Ambient Air Ultrafine and Nanoparticulate Matter in the El Paso-Juarez Metroplex: Morphology, Chemical Compositions, and Speciation
EPA Grant Number: U916096Title: Characterization of Representative Ambient Air Ultrafine and Nanoparticulate Matter in the El Paso-Juarez Metroplex: Morphology, Chemical Compositions, and Speciation
Investigators: Bang, John J.
Institution: University of Texas at El Paso
EPA Project Officer: Broadway, Virginia
Project Period: September 1, 2002 through August 31, 2003
Project Amount: $26,798
RFA: GRO Graduate Fellowships (2002)
Research Category: Fellowship - Environmental Engineering , Engineering and Environmental Chemistry , Academic Fellowships
Description:
Objective:The objective of this research project is to build a database for follow-up studies in the future by characterizing representative ambient air individual particulate matter (PM) in nanometer regime with respect to their chemical composition, morphology, and speciation. Approach:
The impact of ambient PM in the ultrafine or nanometer regime on human health has been shown to be far worse than that of PM10 or PM2.5 in recent studies. One way to resolve this issue is to find a way to either reduce the level of production or to block certain pathways involved in the production of the small particles. In either case, it is believed that identification of individual ambient air nanoparticulate matter of interest, along with their source characterization, would be one of the first steps to conduct to fully understand some crucial mechanisms of the PM generation in the air. Supplemental Keywords:
fellowship, ultrafine particulate matter, PM, nanoparticles, ambient air, air pollution, crystalline components, layered structures, carbonaceous nanotubes, respiratory health, thermophoretic precipitator