A 2001 EPA air quality study measured toxic airborne pollutants across six Seattle-area neighborhoods, including a site near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport that was notably impacted by emissions from nearby freeways and congested streets. Researchers collected air samples over the course of a year to track levels of harmful compounds including volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), carbonyls, and metals. The findings were intended to help assess community health risks and guide the development of a long-term national air toxics monitoring network.Open full document
Notes
This paper reports on the EPA’s 2001 Pilot Cities Monitoring Program in Seattle, Washington, where airborne toxic compounds including VOCs, carbonyls, and metals were measured at six residential neighborhood monitoring sites over the course of a year. The study evaluates ambient concentration levels for 15 of EPA’s ‘core’ urban air toxics and describes spatial and temporal patterns of several VOC and carbonyl species. Results are intended to support health assessments and model validation.