Mass fraction spatiotemporal geostatistics and its application to map atmospheric polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons after 9/11

This work proposes a space/time estimation method for atmospheric PM2.5 components by modelling the mass fraction at a selection of space/time locations where the component is measured and applying the model to the extensive PM2.5 monitoring network. The method we developed utilizes the nonlinear Bayesian maximum entropy framework to perform the geostatistical estimation. We implemented this approach using data from nine carcinogenic, particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) measured from archived PM2.5 samples collected at four locations around the World Trade Center (WTC) from September 22, 2001 to March 27, 2002. The mass fraction model developed at these four sites was used to estimate PAH concentrations at additional PM2.5 monitors. Even with limited PAH data, a spatial validation showed the application of the mass fraction model reduced the mean squared error (MSE) by 7-22%, while in the temporal validation there was an exponential improvement in MSE positively associated with the number of days of PAH data removed. Our results include space/time maps of atmospheric PAH concentrations in the New York area after 9/11.