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. 1989 Feb;79:43–51. doi: 10.1289/ehp.897943

Exposures to acidic aerosols.

J D Spengler 1, G J Keeler 1, P Koutrakis 1, P B Ryan 1, M Raizenne 1, C A Franklin 1
PMCID: PMC1567572  PMID: 2707210

Abstract

Ambient monitoring of acid aerosols in four U.S. cities and in a rural region of southern Ontario clearly show distinct periods of strong acidity. Measurements made in Kingston, TN, and Steubenville, OH, resulted in 24-hr H+ ion concentrations exceeding 100 nmole/m3 more than 10 times during summer months. Periods of elevated acidic aerosols occur less frequently in winter months. The H+ determined during episodic conditions in southern Ontario indicates that respiratory tract deposition can exceed the effects level reported in clinical studies. Observed 12-hr H+ concentrations exceeded 550 nmole/m3 (approximately 27 micrograms/m3 H2SO4). The maximum estimated 1-hr concentration exceeded 1500 nmole/m3 for H+ ions. At these concentrations, an active child might receive more than 2000 nmole of H+ ion in 12 hr and in excess of 900 nmole during the hour when H2SO4 exceeded 50 micrograms/m3.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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