Particulate matter pollution consists of very small liquid and solid particles floating in the air. Of greatest concern to public health are the particles small enough to be inhaled into the deepest parts of the lung. These particles are less than 10 microns in diameter (about 1/7th the thickness of a human hair) and are known as PM10. This includes fine particulate matter known as PM 2.5.
PM10 is a major component of air pollution that threatens both our health and our environment.
Where Does PM10 Come From?
In the western United States, there are sources of PM10 in both urban and rural areas. Major sources include:Motor vehicles
Wood burning stoves and fireplaces
Dust from construction, landfills, and agriculture
Wildfires and brush/waste burning
Industrial sources
Windblown dust from open lands
PM10 is a mixture of materials that can include smoke, soot, dust, salts, acids, and metals. Particulate matter also forms when gases emitted from motor vehicles and industry undergoes chemical reactions in the atmosphere.
How Does PM10 Affect Our Health?
PM10 is among the most harmful of all air pollutants. When inhaled, these particles evade the respiratory system's natural defenses and lodge deep in the lungs.
Health problems begin as the body reacts to these foreign particles. PM10 can increase the number and severity of asthma attacks, cause or aggravate bronchitis and other lung diseases, and reduce the body's ability to fight infections.
Although particulate matter can cause health problems for everyone, certain people are especially vulnerable to PM10 adverse health effects. These "sensitive populations" include children, the elderly, exercising adults, and those suffering from asthma or bronchitis.
Of greatest concern are recent studies that link PM10 exposure to the premature death of people who already have heart and lung disease, especially the elderly.
Does PM10 Affect Our View?
PM10 is often responsible for much of the haze that we think of as smog. This is a problem in our cities, rural areas, and pristine areas-such as national parks and forests.
What is Being Done to Reduce PM10 Pollution?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has set air quality standards for PM10, Based on health research, these identify acceptable levels of PM10. Currently, these standards are violated in many parts of the western United States.
Air quality agencies in several states have developed, or are now developing, air quality plans to bring PM10 concentrations down to healthful levels. These plans include a variety of programs to reduce emissions, including:Dust control for roads, construction, and landfills
Landscaping, barriers, and fencing to reduce windblown dust
Programs to reduce emissions from wood stoves and fireplaces
Cleaner-burning gasoline and diesel fuel
Emission control devices for motor vehicles
Controls for industrial facilities
What Can You Do?
Here are a few things individuals, businesses, and other organizations can do immediately to reduce the threat of PM10:Reduce travel on days with poor air quality.
Avoid vigorous physical activity on days that have poor air quality.
Avoid using your wood stove and fireplace on days that have poor air quality.
Avoid using leaf blowers and other dust-producing equipment.
Drive slowly on unpaved roads and other dirt surfaces.
Get involved with air quality improvement programs in your community.
The word "monsoon" is derived from the Arabic word "mausim" which means season. So, what exactly is a monsoon? In this case we are talking about the North American Monsoon, also known as the Arizona Monsoon, the Southwest United States Monsoon, or the Mexican Monsoon.
It is a major shift in the prevailing winds from Northwesterly in the winter to southeasterly in the summer, typically mid-June through mid-August. This wind change is a result of two factors; the movement northward from winter to summer of the large upper level subtropical high pressure system, known as the Bermuda High , and the intense heating of the Mohave Desert creating rising air and surface low pressure, called a thermal low.
These two features both combine to create a strong southeasterly flow over Arizona. The southerly low level winds help to bring in moisture from Mexico (originally from Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean). When all this moisture meets the higher terrain of Arizona, it lifts and forms thunderstorms. As most of us know, these thunderstorms contain, at times, heavy rainfall, hail, and strong gusty winds. This is then transported southeastwardly and eventually arrives here in our beautiful Eastern Sierra.
Dennis Mattinson
Forecaster for the SierraWave
Uranium breaks down to radium, which in turn decays into radon gas. Radon is an inert gas, which means that it does not react or combine with the elements in the ground. Because of this, radon gas can move up through the soil into the atmosphere, where it is easily diluted. However, when it enters a building constructed on top of this soil, it can build up and become a health concern.
People cannot see, taste or smell radon. There is no way that one can sense the presence of radon. Despite this, it can have a detrimental effect on people by increasing their likelihood of developing lung cancer.
Unless these buildings are set up on piers without any skirting placed around them, interior vacuums can cause radon to enter these type of homes as well.
For additional information contact: Dennis Mattinson, Air Quality Specialist (AQS), 760-878-3203