The Aerosol Research and Inhalation Epidemiology Study (ARIES): PM25Mass and Aerosol Component Concentrations and Sampler Intercomparisons

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Abstract
The Aerosol Research and Inhalation Epidemiology Study (ARIES) was designed to provide high-quality measurements of PM, its components, and co-varying pollutants for an air pollution epidemiology study in Atlanta, GA. Air pollution epidemiology studies have typically relied on available data on particle mass often collected using filter-based methods. Filter-based PM sampling is susceptible to both positive and negative errors in the measurement of aerosol mass and particle-phase component concentrations in the undisturbed atmosphere. These biases are introduced by collection of gas-phase aerosol components on the filter media or by volatilization of particle phase components from collected particles. As part of the ARIES, we collected daily 24-hr PM mass and speciation samples and continuous PM data at a mixed residential-light industrial site in Atlanta. These data facilitate analysis of the effects of a wide variety of factors on sampler performance. We assess the relative importance of PM components and consider associations and potential mechanistic linkages of PM mass concentrations with several PM components. For the 12 months of validated data collected to date (August 1, 1998-July 31, 1999), the monthly average Federal Reference Method (FRM) PM mass always exceeded the proposed annual average standard (12-month average = 20.3 ± 9.5 ug/m). The particulate SO fraction (as (NH)SO) was largest in the summer and exceeded 50% of the FRM mass. The contribution of (NH)SO to FRM PM mass dropped to less than 30% in winter. Particu-late NO collected on a denuded nylon filter averaged 1.1 ± 0.9 ug/m. Particle-phase organic compounds (as organic carbon × 1.4) measured on a denuded quartz filter sampler averaged 6.4 ± 3.1 ug/m (32% of FRM PM mass) with less seasonal variability than SO.

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