Air quality measurements—From rubber bands to tapping the rainbow

Abstract

It is axiomatic that good measurements are integral to good public policy for environmental protection. The generalized term for "measurements" includes sampling and quantitation, data integrity, documentation, network design, sponsorship, operations, archiving, and accessing for applications. Each of these components has evolved and advanced over the last 200 years as knowledge of atmospheric chemistry and physics has matured. Air quality was first detected by what people could see and smell in contaminated air. Gaseous pollutants were found to react with certain materials or chemicals, changing the color of dissolved reagents such that their light absorption at selected wavelengths could be related to both the pollutant chemistry and its concentration. Airborne particles have challenged the development of a variety of sensory devices and laboratory assays for characterization of their enormous range of physical and chemical properties. Advanced electronics made possible the sampling, concentration, and detection of gases and particles, both in situ and in laboratory analysis of collected samples. Accurate and precise measurements by these methods have made possible advanced air quality management practices that led to decreasing concentrations over time. New technologies are leading to smaller and cheaper measurement systems that can further expand and enhance current air pollution monitoring networks. Implications: Ambient air quality measurement systems have a large influence on air quality management by determining compliance, tracking trends, elucidating pollutant transport and transformation, and relating concentrations to adverse effects. These systems consist of more than just instrumentation, and involve extensive support efforts for siting, maintenance, calibration, auditing, data validation, data management and access, and data interpretation. These requirements have largely been attained for criteria pollutants regulated by National Ambient Air Quality Standards, but they are rarely attained for nonroutine measurements and research studies.

Atmospheric Aerosols: Some Highlights and Highlighters, 1950 to 2018

“…If theory is the Yin of atmospheric aerosol science, the Yang is the portfolio of measurements methods developed and ambient data collected since the turn of the twentieth century (McMurry 2002;Hidy et al 2017;Kleinman et al 2017). In the post-World War II years, aerosol measurement technologies have advanced rapidly in parallel with other micro-technology and remote sensing.…”

Gasotransmitters in the tumor microenvironment: Impacts on cancer chemotherapy (Review)

“…In the late 1200s, a poisonous gas produced by the incomplete combustion of wood similar to CO was described by the Spanish alchemist Arnold of Villanova ( 66 ). Between 1772 and 1799, an English chemist, Joseph Priestley, recognized and characterized CO ( 53 ).…”

Trends in on-road transportation, energy, and emissions

“…Emission contributions on and near roadways exceed those measured at typical compliance stations. Advances in monitoring technologies (Hidy et al 2017;Kleinman et al 2017) may permit these measurements to estimate exposures for people who spend time in these microenvironments. EPA's (2012; 2017) nearroadway monitoring requirements provide a means to "truth-test" exposure models.…”