Monitoring for Fine Particulate Matter

Particulate matter (PM)-dust, dirt, smoke, soot, and liquid droplets-comes from a variety of sources and is a mixture of many pollutants made up of several different chemical species. Recent evidence about health effects and the fundamental physical and chemical differences between fine and coarse PM prompted the EPA to set new standards. Monitoring to determine whether an area has met these standards requires a comprehensive approach that combines analytical techniques to assess mass and chemical composition with an integrated network of ambient and source PM monitors.