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Air Quality Research: Linkages between Sources and Outcomes
NERL Human Health Research Areas
-Standard Setting and Air Quality Management Decisions-Linkages between Sources and Outcomes
Currently, the NAAQS are driven by health impacts associated with PM mass, rather than size or composition-specific metrics. Emission controls generally target the total output of major emitters without deference to PM composition or other attributes that may be more directly related to potential health impacts. Scientists believe that more targeted and cost effective regulations and mitigation strategies will be possible with a better understanding of the linkages between sources of air pollutants and health outcomes. Further, better understanding of these linkages should improve our ability to predict source, exposure and outcome from knowledge of ambient condition. By pursuing research in two thematic areas, NERL will help elucidate key features of the source - health outcome linkages. These areas are: (1) Identifying specific source-to-health linkages, with initial emphasis on "near roadway" impacts and (2) Assessing the health and environmental improvements due to past regulatory actions.