Sampling Low Air Pollution Concentrations at a Neighborhood Scale in a Desert U.S. Metropolis with Volatile Weather Patterns

Nathan Lothrop, Nicolas Lopez-Galvez, Robert A. Canales, Mary Kay O’Rourke, Stefano Guerra and Paloma Beamer
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Nathan Lothrop: Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Nicolas Lopez-Galvez: Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Robert A. Canales: Program in Applied Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Mary Kay O’Rourke: Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Stefano Guerra: Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Paloma Beamer: School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 6, 1-13

Abstract: Background: Neighborhood-scale air pollution sampling methods have been used in a range of settings but not in low air pollution airsheds with extreme weather events such as volatile precipitation patterns and extreme summer heat and aridity—all of which will become increasingly common with climate change. The desert U.S. metropolis of Tucson, AZ, has historically low air pollution and a climate marked by volatile weather, presenting a unique opportunity. Methods: We adapted neighborhood-scale air pollution sampling methods to measure ambient NO 2 , NO x , and PM 2.5 and PM 10 in Tucson, AZ. Results: The air pollution concentrations in this location were well below regulatory guidelines and those of other locations using the same methods. While NO 2 and NO x were reliably measured, PM 2.5 measurements were moderately correlated with those from a collocated reference monitor (r = 0.41, p = 0.13), potentially because of a combination of differences in inlet heights, oversampling of acutely high PM 2.5 events, and/or pump operation beyond temperature specifications. Conclusion: As the climate changes, sampling methods should be reevaluated for accuracy and precision, especially those that do not operate continuously. This is even more critical for low-pollution airsheds, as studies on low air pollution concentrations will help determine how such ambient exposures relate to health outcomes.

Keywords: air pollution monitoring; oxides of nitrogen; particulate matter; climate change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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