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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Temporal patterns of Ambient air pollutants in the central area of Norfolk, Virginia

Sariyamon Tiraphat, MS and Anna Jeng, PhD. College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA 23529, 757 683 3000, stira001@odu.edu

Limited information exists on the temporal pattern of ambient air pollutants in Virginia. Results from the study can lead to systematic research on air pollution management at a regional level. OBJECTIVE: Examine pattern of ambient air pollutants in the target area. METHOD: Air quality information from 2001-2004 for CO, NO, NO2, and SO2 was obtained from the DEQ air monitoring station in Norfolk, Virginia. We calculated the average concentrations of air pollutants by month, day, and hour. Also, we plotted the graphs to find their patterns. RESULTS: The months with the highest amount pollutants were November and January with the average concentrations of pollutants average 0.6, 0.008, 0.0028 and 0.02 mg/cm3 of CO, SO2, NO and NO2, respectively; the months with the lowest concentration were July, August, and September with average readings of Co, SO2, NO and NO2 at 0.107, 0.003, 0.002, and 0.013 mg/cm3, respectively. The day with the lowest concentration of the pollutants was Sunday, whereas Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Wednesday were found to have the highest concentrations of air pollutants studied. The concentration trend increases and reaches its highest value in the early morning hours (04: 00 AM - 07:00 AM), and subsequently decreases and reaches its lowest value at 11:00 AM -4:00 PM. Then, the concentrations increase again and reach a high level at early nighttime. CONCLUSION: The concentrations of air pollutants are vary by time. The results may be used by the state or other entities to make public policy decisions regarding air pollution management.

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