The low-technology monitoring of atmospheric metal pollution in central Scotland.

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • No. 53,p. 253-64
Abstract
In epidemiological studies covering relationships of disease patterns and patterns of atmospheric pollution, conventional filtering equipment is normally used for monitoring the pollution. For various reasons, however, this type of approach often results in levels of pollution being obtained for only a few sites within an extensive fieldwork area. Hence, alternative monitoring techniques, which allow a high density of sampling sites in an area, have been of interest to an increasing number of investigators. The monitors used, known as low-technology monitors, fall into two main categories; indigenous; and transplants. In our own surveys of atmospheric metal pollutants in industrial communities in Scotland, the indigenous sample materials have included: Hypnum cupressiforme, Lecanora conizaeoides, Agropyron repens and surface soils. In our transplant surveys a variety of different low-technology samplers have been deployed, the most frequently used being: spherical and flat moss bags, Hypogymnia physodes, 'Tak' (synthetic fabric), and total deposition collectors. The data obtained from the various surveys have been plotted on a variety of types of computer map to minimize any systematic bias resulting from the use of a single technique. The pollution patterns found in one particular town were partly unexpected, in view of the dominant wind direction in the locality concerned. Hence it was decided to carry out a wind tunnel experiment to investigate the situation further. The wind tunnel experiment produced results which were consistent with the patterns of pollution derived from the metal surveys, and revealed that the meteorological dispersal of the pollution was unexpectedly influenced by local topography. Because pulmonary pathology was the main focus of the complementary epidemiological study, an investigation of the size, shape and roughness of the metal particles was considered relevant. This investigation involved the examination of samplers and their particles by means of the electron microscope. To complete the study of the methodology of low-technology samplers in this town, their uptake is also being compared to that of filtering equipment (high-technology samplers). The information gained from the present survey at this early stage has indicated that several of the low-technology monitors could have considerable value in the provision of continuous, but low-cost, surveillance of the air quality of wide areas of industrial communities.

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