1. Air Quality Inquiry Week 1

2. In the News:

3. Air Pollution: Gases and particulate matter in the air that can cause harm to living organisms or the physical environment. Air Quality Inquiry

4. Primary air pollutants which pose health risks: Carbon monoxide Volatile organic compounds Particulate matter Sulfur dioxide Nitrogen oxides Air Quality Inquiry

5. Secondary air pollutants mix together and react with sunlight to form new compounds Example: Ozone Air Quality Inquiry

6. Criteria pollutants monitored by the U.S. EPA: Ozone Lead Sulfur dioxide Carbon monoxide Nitrogen dioxide Particulate Matter Air Quality Inquiry

7. Particulate Matter: Complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets Primary particles: emitted directly from a source Secondary particles: form from reactions in the atmosphere Air Quality Inquiry

8. Particulate Matter Particles 10µm in diameter or smaller are particularly harmful; can enter the lungs PM 10: Inhalable coarse particles near roadways, dusty industries PM 2.5: Fine particles (smoke and haze) Air Quality Inquiry

9. Monitored at more than 1,000 locations across the U.S. AQI: Air Quality Index

10. For the month of July 2012, Los Angeles, California reported an average daily Air Quality Index (AQI) of 158. For this same month, Chicago, Illinois reported an average daily AQI of 142. Which city appears to have the greater amount of air pollution? What do you think might be the cause of this difference? Think & Discuss

11. How is air quality linked to health? What effect do you think air quality has on quality of life in affected areas? Think & Discuss

12. Examples of health impacts of air pollution: Cardiovascular problems Cancer Slow growth Changes in fertility & pregnancy outcomes Obesity Diabetes Respiratory ailments Air Quality Inquiry

13. What do we mean by Health Disparities? Inequalities in health status connected to social or economic factors Negative health outcomes disproportionately affecting certain groups which have historically experienced discrimination or exclusion - From Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Air Quality Inquiry

14. How might Air Quality be related to Health Disparities? Locations of factories relative to low- income housing Traffic patterns & public transportation Sources of indoor air pollution in housing or workplaces Air Quality Inquiry

15. How should researchers investigate discrepancies in air quality across racial or socioeconomic lines? Think & Discuss

16. Health Disparities in the Twin Cities Link to MPR News story Data Map: Wilder Research Life Expectancy by county:

17. Link to Star Tribune story

18. Minneapolis: The Phillips Neighborhood High concentration of low income & minority children in MN Site of a foundry, asphalt plant, roofing hot tar storage & asphalt hot-mix storage facility A new wood-burning power plant proposed: would add PM, VOCs to already existing air pollution in the neighborhood.

19. Do you think the legislation regarding the Phillips Neighborhood in Minneapolis is justified? Think & Discuss Should current air quality be taken into account when choosing where to locate new sources of pollution? What was the response to the proposed power plant development?

20. In groups: Discuss your assigned issue as outlined in the article about East St. Louis. How do these issues contribute to poor air quality and related health problems? Where do you see disparities? Group 1: Asthma: suspected causes Group 2: Industry Group 3: Pollutants emitted in East St. Louis area Group 4: Housing Group 5: Poverty Group 6: Asthma: prevalence & disparities

21. Jigsaw Reading Activity

22. Instructions: As a group, compile a document with 5 – 10 take-home messages from your section of the reading. You’ll return to your group to share what you have learned.

23. Group 1: Early Toxicology and its Impact on Public Sentiment Toward Air Pollution Group 2: Sections on Particulate Matter Group 3: Toxicology Establishes Biological Plausibility for Epidemiologic Findings; Cardiovascular Effects; Potential Systemic Effects Revealed by Toxicological Research Group 4: Ozone Jigsaw Reading Activity

24. What are some known health effects of air pollution? What may be some yet unknown consequences of air pollution? How does air pollution affect different groups in disproportionate ways? Discussion: What have we learned?

25. Where do we know health disparities exist related to air pollution? In Minnesota? Other places in the United States? Other places in the world? Discussion: What have we learned?

26. Mining EPA AirData Big data set: delete unnecessary fields Complete today: The Phillips Neighborhood Example Brainstorm your own research questions Air Quality Inquiry: Getting Started

27. EPA AirData Website Air Quality Inquiry: Getting Started

28. Air Quality Inquiry Week 2

29. Air Quality: Review The Phillips Neighborhood Example: What are the air quality issues in this part of Minneapolis? Based on your research, has air quality changed over time?

30. Air Quality: Using EPA AirData Mining AirData for your own research Potentially useful data fields: Parameter Name Date Units of Measure & Arithmetic Mean Duration Description & Observation Count First Maximum Value AQI

31. Air Quality: Using EPA AirData Tips: Identify the data fields that will help you investigate your question Sort data, hide or delete unnecessary fields Consider which data set will give you the information you need: Annual or Daily?

32. Report: Individual Assignment Rubric posted on course website Cite any outside sources used Due Friday, May 2 Air Quality Homework