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Suggested Citation:"Terms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2004. Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: IV. Continuing Research Progress. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10957.
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Terms and Abbreviations


AER:

air exchange rate

Aerosol:

a suspension of solid and/or liquid particles in a gas

Attenuation factor:

fraction of ambient particles to which humans are exposed


Black carbon:

a general term often used interchangeably with “elemental carbon” or “soot.”


CAA:

Clean Air Act

CAPs:

concentrated ambient particles

CARB:

California Air Resources Board

CASAC:

Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

CEM:

continuous emission monitor

CFR:

Code of Federal Regulations

CO:

carbon monoxide

COPD:

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Criteria document:

an encyclopedic document prepared by EPA with assistance from the larger scientific community that describes the characteristics and potential human-health and public-welfare effects of criteria pollutants

Criteria pollutants:

The Clean Air Act requires EPA to set National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for certain pollutants known to be hazardous to human health and the public welfare (for example, damage to forests and degradation of atmospheric visibility). In addition, these pollutants should be ones whose presence in ambient air results from numerous or diverse mobile or stationary sources. EPA has identified and set standards to protect human health and welfare for six pollutants: ozone, carbon monoxide, particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), sulfur dioxide, lead, and nitrogen oxide. The

Suggested Citation:"Terms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2004. Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: IV. Continuing Research Progress. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10957.
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term criteria pollutants derives from the requirement that EPA must describe the characteristics and potential health and welfare effects of these pollutants. It is on the basis of such criteria that NAAQS are set or revised.


EC:

elemental carbon

EPA:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPRI:

Electric Power Research Institute


FRM:

federal reference method

FTP:

federal test procedure


GAM:

generalized additive model

GLM:

generalized linear model

GIS:

geographic information system


HEI:

Health Effects Institute

HRV:

heart rate variability


IMPROVE:

Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments


MAPP:

Multiple Air Pollutant Program

Microenvironment:

A three-dimensional space with a volume in which contaminant concentration is spatially uniform during some specific interval


NAAQS:

National Ambient Air Quality Standards

NMHC:

nonmethane hydrocarbon

NH3:

ammonia

NMMAPS:

National Morbidity, Mortality, and Air Pollution Study

NO2:

nitrogen dioxide

NOx:

oxides of nitrogen (NO and NO2)

NRC:

National Research Council


O3:

oxygen

OC:

organic carbon


PM:

particulate matter

PM0.1:

particles less than 0.1 μm in aerodynamic diameter, called ultrafines

PM2.5:

particles less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter, called fine particles

PM10:

particles less than 10 µm in aerodynamic diameter

PM10-2.5:

particles between 2.5 µm and 10 µm in aerodynamic diameter, called coarse particles

PM10+:

particles greater than 10 µm in aerodynamic diameter (particles not assumed to be respirable)


ROFA:

residual oil fly ash


SAB:

EPA’s Science Advisory Board

Suggested Citation:"Terms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2004. Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: IV. Continuing Research Progress. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10957.
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SO2:

sulfur dioxide

Staff paper:

Prepared by EPA, the staff paper translates the scientific advances that are described in the criteria document into potential policy options, including possible revisions to the four elements of the NAAQS: pollutant indicator, averaging time, statistical form, and the level.

STAR:

Science to Achieve Results

STN:

speciation trends network


Time-series study:

epidemiological studies that evaluate associations between changes in health effects and changes in exposure indicators (for example, ambient PM concentrations) preceding or simultaneous with the observed outcome

TSP:

total suspended particles


VOC:

volatile organic compound

Suggested Citation:"Terms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2004. Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: IV. Continuing Research Progress. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10957.
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Suggested Citation:"Terms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2004. Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: IV. Continuing Research Progress. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10957.
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Suggested Citation:"Terms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2004. Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: IV. Continuing Research Progress. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10957.
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Suggested Citation:"Terms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2004. Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: IV. Continuing Research Progress. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10957.
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Suggested Citation:"Terms and Abbreviations." National Research Council. 2004. Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter: IV. Continuing Research Progress. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/10957.
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Page 190
Next: Appendix A: Biographical Information on the Committee on Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter »
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In 1997, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established regulatory standards to address health risks posed by inhaling tiny particles from smoke, vehicle exhaust, and other sources. At the same time, Congress and the EPA began a multimillion dollar research effort to better understand the sources of these airborne particles, the levels of exposure to people, and the ways that these particles cause disease.

To provide independent guidance to the EPA, Congress asked the National Research Council to study the relevant issues. The result was a series of four reports on the particulate-matter research program. The first two books offered a conceptual framework for a national research program, identified the 10 most critical research needs, and described the recommended timing and estimated costs of such research. The third volume began the task of assessing initial progress made in implementing the research program. This, the fourth and final volume, gauged research progress made over a 5-year period on each of the 10 research topics. The National Research Council concludes that particulate matter research has led to a better understanding of the health effects caused by tiny airborne particles. However, the EPA, in concert with other agencies, should continue research to reduce further uncertainties and inform long-term decisions.

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