Particles, your health & your lungs

Why care about air pollution? Sonoma County air is clean compared to other areas, but SF air blows here Sonoma County air is clean compared to other areas, but SF air blows here Sonoma County is in an air basin that connects with the SF area Sonoma County is in an air basin that connects with the SF area What is an air basin? What is an air basin?

Watershed - an area where water flows downhill and collects Air basin - a region where air collects

Particles and your lungs Particulates are solids or liquid droplets suspended in the air Particulates are solids or liquid droplets suspended in the air With every breath you could inhale more than 10 million fine particles With every breath you could inhale more than 10 million fine particles Particles kill more Americans each year than traffic accidents Particles kill more Americans each year than traffic accidents

Particulate Pollution Chicago Aug 16, 2000` PM 2.5 < 10 ug/m 3 Chicago, August 26, 2000 PM 2.5 = 35 ug/m 3 Glacier National Park PM ug/m3 Glacier National Park PM ug/m3 Source: and Introduction to Visibility, Malm

Particle Sources & Formation Primary Particles (directly emitted) Secondary Particles (from precursor gases) Other (sea salt) Other (sea salt) Soil Dust Soil Dust Carbon (Soot) Carbon (Soot) Metals NO x Ammonia VOCs Organic Carbon Organic Carbon SO 2 Ammonium Sulfate Ammonium Sulfate Ammonium Nitrate Ammonium Nitrate Composition of PM tells us about the sources and formation processes Gas Particle

Particles Come in Different Sizes Blood cells are 6-8 microns across

Large Particles “Coarse” - between 2.5 and 10 microns Settle out of the air after a few hours Dust from roads, tires, field and construction Trapped by mucus in nose, throat or bronchial tubes before they get to lungs or enter bloodstream Trapped by mucus in nose, throat or bronchial tubes before they get to lungs or enter bloodstream

Small Particles

Solid or liquid 50% from diesel emissions 50% formed in atmosphere from combustion emissions Remain in the air for many days “Fine” - between 2.5 and 0.1 microns “Ultrafine” – less than 0.1 micron

Fine Particles & Health Fine & ultrafine particles can pass deep into lungs Fine & ultrafine particles can pass deep into lungs Ultrafines can travel through bloodstream and enter cells Ultrafines can travel through bloodstream and enter cells Known health problems Known health problems –Lung irritation & alveolar scarring –Increased risk of heart disease –Shorter life expectancy

Life Expectancy vs. PM 2.5

Why are particle levels high? Almost all due to mobile sources Almost all due to mobile sources 50% formed from emissions of combustion gases 50% formed from emissions of combustion gases 50% emissions from diesel engines 50% emissions from diesel engines –Trains, ships, trucks –OLD vehicles

What's being done? Sulfur content in diesel fuel reduced from 500 ppm to 15 ppm Sulfur content in diesel fuel reduced from 500 ppm to 15 ppm Particle filters required for old diesel vehicles Particle filters required for old diesel vehicles Stricter particle emission standards for new diesel engines Stricter particle emission standards for new diesel engines California - School bus retrofit program California - School bus retrofit program