Application of a Risk Assessment Based Approach to Designing Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Networks for Evaluating Non-Cancer Health Impacts

An ambient air quality monitoring network has been establishedusing risk assessment techniques to evaluate adverse health effects from exposures to airborne contaminants. The risk assessment method was compared to traditional methods of establishing air quality monitoring networks: identifying maximumconcentration impacts or maximum total population. Results suggest that the health risk method best predicted the locationof adverse, non-carcinogenic respiratory illnesses during the evaluation period. Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient, rs, values obtained using the risk assessment method werestatistically greater than the values obtained using theconcentration and population methods. The concentration methodwas the least accurate predictor of adverse effects.