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Iowa Air Monitors Record Number Mulitple Exceedances of Health Standards |
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Air Quality Bureau reported its monitors recorded exceedances of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for pollutants 19 times from Jan. 1 through July 31, 2007. NAAQS are set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for seven pollutants considered harmful to public health and the environment.
The most common culprit was fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Exceedances of EPA’s PM2.5 standard were monitored in Muscatine seven times; Clinton three times; Davenport three times, and in Council Bluffs, Sioux City and Iowa City each one time. For the pollutant levels recorded, EPA indicates that individuals with respiratory or heart disease as well as the elderly and children are the groups most at risk, with increasing likelihood of respiratory symptoms in sensitive
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Air Quality Bureau reported
its monitors recorded exceedances of National Ambient Air Quality
Standards (NAAQS) for pollutants 19 times from Jan. 1 through July 31,
2007. NAAQS are set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for
seven pollutants considered harmful to public health and the
environment.
The most common culprit was fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Exceedances of EPA’s PM2.5 standard were monitored in Muscatine seven
times; Clinton three times; Davenport three times, and in Council
Bluffs, Sioux City and Iowa City each one time. For the pollutant
levels recorded, EPA indicates that individuals with respiratory or
heart disease as well as the elderly and children are the groups most
at risk, with increasing likelihood of respiratory symptoms in
sensitive individuals, aggravation of heart or lung disease and
premature mortality in persons with cardiopulmonary disease and the
elderly.
High levels of fine particles usually occur under meteorological
conditions where air is stagnant over a multi-state region, trapping
direct fine particle emissions from combustion sources. More fine
particles are added when common airborne pollutants react with sunlight.
The ozone standard was exceeded one time each in Waverly (north of
Waterloo) and Pisgah (north of Council Bluffs). The standard for coarse
particulate matter or PM10 (particulate matter less than 10 microns in
diameter) was exceeded once in Mason City.
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