Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter III. Early Research Progress (2001) / Chapter Skim
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4. Overall Findings and Recommendations
4. Overall Findings and Recommendations
Pages 130-148
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From page 130... ...
KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING SCIENTIFIC VALUE, DECISIONMAKING VALUE, AND TIMING AND FEASIBILITY OF PARTICULATE-MA1lER RESEARCH In Chapter 3, the committee presented specific evaluations ofthe progress made in addressing each of ~ O research topics. This section takes a disciplinary approach, looking across research topics to characterize important knowledge gaps.
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From page 131... ...
The current studies will enable the scientists, poliymakers, and other interested parties to understand better the factors that affect the relationship between personal exposure and outdoor concentrations of particles. In its first report, the committee recommended the development of longitudinal studies in which groups of 10-40 persons would be evaluated at successive times to examine the relationship between their personal exposures to particles, as indexed by mass, and the corresponding outdoor concentrations.
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From page 132... ...
Characterization of the emission rates of reactive gases that can form new particles on reaction in the atmosphere was also emphasized, including the need to maintain emission data on ammonia, the oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, and volatile organic compounds. There is greet scientificvalue in the research under wayto develop new source-test methods and to demonstrate their capabilities to quantifier particle size and chemical composition and ammonia and semivolatile organic compound emission rates.
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From page 133... ...
In addition, improved models would provide critical exposure data that could be used in health studies to examine relationships between exposure and health effects. Source-oriented models require improved understanding of tile chemical and physical processes that determine the size distribution and chemical composition of ambient particles.
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Considering the previous lack of any data on dosimetry in people who have respiratory abnormalities or in animal models of these conditions, the data now being developed are needed and have scientific value. An understanding ofthe differences between the deposited doses received by normal people and those with respiratory abnormalities couici have a direct role in estimating safe anti hazardous PM exposures of susceptible persons, such as those with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
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From page 135... ...
The scientific value of this research topic remains high. Clearly, understanding the role of PM physiochemical properties in eliciting health effects will assist in determining the mechanisms underlying toxicity.
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From page 136... ...
A complete understanding of risks in susceptible subpopulations will require research that cuts across several of the committee's topics, including exposure, dosimet~y, toxicity mechanisms, and epidemiology. Analysis and Measurement The committee's first report outlined several methodological issues that needed further study.
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The committee also recommended that planning and implementation seek to ensure the maximal knowledge return forthe substantial public investment in airquality measurement systems while providing critical data on compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)
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In July 199S, EPA and the North American Research Strategy for Tropospheric Ozone (NARSTO) organized a multidisciplinary workshop to review the program; identity key health, exposure, and atmospheric research questions; and lay out key common elements that should be addressed by the measurement program (Albritton and Greenbaum 19981.
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From page 139... ...
There have since been a variety of relatively informal efforts to bring together different parties to facilitate collaboration, including meetings of the PM research-center directors and meetings of the supersite directors. In acldition, personnel from the supersites in the northeastern United States initiated efforts to bring together representatives of all the regional supersites, PM research centers, and EPA and state monitoring officials to discuss collaborative efforts linking supersites an(l
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From page 140... ...
Beyond the larger management challenge, there is concern that the speciation network is not being developed with suff~cient integration into the PM research program so that it can serve as a cornerstone of future efforts to conduct source apportionment and health research aimed at determining the relative toxicity of components of the PM mixture. There is also concern that the network is not being developed with systems in place to ensure its long-term sustainability.
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OVERARCHING ISSUES RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF PARTICULATE-MA11ER RESEARCH PROGRAM This section discusses overarching issues stemming from the committee's application of the three evaluation criteria for assessing the implementation ofthe PM research program: multidisciplinary interaction, integration and planning, and the accessibility of information. Disincentives and Incentives for Multidisciplinary Interaction Among Particulate-Matter Researchers Institutional and cultural obstacles often discourage attempts to perform research across disciplines, agencies, and institutions (including public, private, and nongovernmental organizations)
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. The committee is aware that the Air Quality Research Subcommittee of CENR has undertaken such budgetary coordination for PM research.
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Although it is too early to assess the effectiveness of current management efforts fully, several aspects of the current management structure pose potential challenges to successful implementation of the research program. First, within EPA, although ORD has put in place a formal management structure that should help to ensure program success and there have been initial efforts to integrate health, exposure, anti atmospheric research interests into the PM air-quality measurement system, OAR should strive to develop a strong management system for .
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From page 144... ...
, and to develop fullythe source-emission inventories necessary to conduct future source apportionment accurately. Next, the committee called in its second report for a federal effort to develop a coordinated interagency strategy, including a single process and budget to set priorities for research, specific methods to coordinate research, and strategies and mechanisms for leveraging handing in the federal, state, nonprofit, and private sectors.
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From page 145... ...
Earlier discussions in this report concerning research topics 3 and 4 have indicated that efforts will be needed to develop and evaluate source-measurement techniques and air quality models. Such efforts will reduce scientific uncertainties associated with standards implementation, including application of air-quality models, controls for mitigating exposures, regional variations in air quality, and long-term changes in emission characteristics due to technological advances and changes in economic activities.
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From page 146... ...
Scientists in government, the private sector, and universities and the broader public can use the research inventory, and it represents a useful basis for identifying and planning future research. Throughout the research program, progress has been made in enhancing accessibility to publicly funded data for scientists and others, as evidenced bythe provisions ofthe supersite program and other elements ofthe air-qualitymeasurement program for central archiving and public data access.
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WHAT IS SUCCESS? As the committee continues its evaluation of PM research progress over the next ~ years, it will seek information to determine the extent to which the research program provides the following: .
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Among the key elements of the PM research example that might prove useful in other arenas are the development of a multidisciplinary research portfolio designed to address key public-policy questions, the laying out of a multiyear commitment to implementing the portfolio, the establishment of management mechanisms to ensure interagency and publicprivate coordination, the construction and continued use of a research-inventory database, and the continuing oversight and evaluation of the program by an outside, multidisciplinary committee. Of course, the evaluation of the success of the PM example will require others, outside this committee, to make fresh judgments as to which elements succeeded anti which did not.
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