Evaluating Human Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter Part I: Measurements

Exposure to airborne fine particulate matter has been a pressing issue since the early 1990s when several studies reported health effects at unexpectedly low ambient levels. Since this time, several reviews have addressed various aspects of this topic. This article is the first of a two-part review of reviews. The intention of these articles is to provide a consolidated overview about fine particulate matter exposure assessment. This article, Part I, begins with a general introduction to particulate matter which includes general properties of particulate matter, how it is classified and how it is associated with health effects. Fundamental concepts related to exposure are also summarized. The remainder of the article focuses on measurement-based methods for assessing exposure to fine particulate matter. A subsequent article, Part II, addresses modeling approaches used for particulate matter exposure assessment. Current and recommended future directions for assessing exposure to fine particulate matter are also summarized in each of these two articles.