Monitoring for Fine Particulate Matter

Particulate matter (PM) — dust, dirt, smoke, soot, and liquid droplets — comes from a variety of sources and is a mixture of many pollutants made up of several different chemical species. Recent evidence about health effects and the fundamental physical and chemical differences between fine and coarse PM prompted the EPA to set new standards. Monitoring to determine whether an area has met these standards requires a comprehensive approach that combines analytical techniques to assess mass and chemical composition with an integrated network of ambient and source PM monitors. However, chemical analysis of PM is costly and difficult, and existing technologies are not capable of continuous sampling and monitoring for chemical composition. Therefore, the next generation of PM monitors should be multifunctional instruments capable of continuous, real-time monitoring of both PM mass and chemical composition. In addition, they will need to address several barriers to their use, including cost, complicated calibration and verification systems, and cumbersome installation and maintenance procedures.