Chemistry of air particles collected near Australian industrial sites

Standards for particulate matter (PM) concentrations in air are primarily set to protect the public from adverse health effects by limiting their short and long term exposure. The impact of the PM depends both on its size and chemistry. While concentration levels of PM in Australia are defined by the National Environment Protection Measure (NEPM), the elemental chemical composition of particles, with the exception of lead (Pb), are not defined. This study revealed that the chemical composition of PM varies significantly between sites and the associated risk is considerably higher in the industrial areas than in the urban areas for the same particle concentration level.5 page(s