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Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Particulate Matter a Community Concern. Coal development is thought to contribute to particulate matter pollution. Other sources include: road dust, construction sites, and the train Potential health and environmental impacts stemming from PM.
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Particulate Matter a Community Concern • Coal development is thought to contribute to particulate matter pollution Other sources include: road dust, construction sites, and the train Potential health and environmental impacts stemming from PM
Community Background • Seward is situated on Resurrection Bay • 125 highway miles south of Anchorage • Qutekcak Native Tribe • Alaska Natives living in these areas are Aleut or Alutiiq people
What is Particulate Matter? • Particle Matter: mixture of solid and liquid particles • Particles include: dust, dirt, soot or smoke • Some are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye • Others can only be detected using an electron microscope
Particulate Matter Sources Gray filter after sample collection • Industrial sources include: • Mining • Transportation of mined material • Abrasive blasting • Construction sites • Storage of bulk materials (sand/dirt/gravel/coal)
Particulate Matter Sources • Burning wood • Fugitive dust • Non-industrial source include: • Driving automobiles • Unpaved roads
Particulate Matter Health Effects • Particle pollution can get deep into the lungs • It can cause serious health problems including: • Increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing, or difficulty breathing • Decreased lung function • Aggravated asthma • Development of chronic bronchitis • Irregular heartbeat • Nonfatal heart attacks • Premature death in people with heart or lung disease
Seward PM10 Study The monitoring for concentrations of larger inhalable coarse particles (PM10)
Collaborative Effort • Participants Roles: • QNT operates the site • Alaska DEC provides technical support (calibrations, lab analysis, training, etc.) • City of Seward provides logistical support (locations for monitors) • ANTHC provides technical support and financial assistance
PM10 Monitoring Network • Four PM10 high volume samplers • Three sampling locations • One co-located site used to collect precision data • Follow EPA’s 1 in 6 PM10 sampling schedule • 24 hr sample run time • Proposed as a one year study • Filters analyzed by state laboratory in Juneau, AK
Where do we go from here…? Resurrection Bay Fishing Future data analysis may look at: • Concentrations (High or Low) • Pollution trends • Weather patterns • Sources/speciation
Where do we go from here…? (cont.) • Results of the study will indicate the next steps • If the concentration are high future mitigations may address: • Industrial sources • Unpaved roads • Bulk material piles • Construction sites • Wood burning advisories • Car emissions testing
Outreach Education Community forums Public presentations School outreach Newspaper/newsletter articles Tribal elder presentations
Questions? Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Division of Environmental Health and Engineering Environmental Health Support 1901Bragaw Street, Suite 200, Anchorage, AK 99508 1.907.729.3600 or 1.800.560.8637