Air Quality Monitoring and Air Quality Monitoring and School Absenteeism in School Absenteeism in

the Columbus- Palomas, the Columbus- Palomas, Mexico RegionMexico Region

Larry Olsen, Dr.P.H., CHES, Principal InvestigatorLarry Olsen, Dr.P.H., CHES, Principal Investigator

Mohammed Y. Hussain, PhD, Program ManagerMohammed Y. Hussain, PhD, Program Manager

Thomas Ruiz, MS, Co-Principal InvestigatorThomas Ruiz, MS, Co-Principal Investigator

Sonya Andron, MPH, Co-Principal InvestigatorSonya Andron, MPH, Co-Principal Investigator

Daniel Galindo, MS, Field CoordinatorDaniel Galindo, MS, Field Coordinator

Hugo Vilchis, MD, MPHHugo Vilchis, MD, MPH

New MexicoState University

New Mexico Office of New Mexico Office of Border HealthBorder Health

Environmental Health ProgramEnvironmental Health Program– Focus on NM border areaFocus on NM border area– Six border countiesSix border counties– Various studies including:Various studies including:

Water qualityWater qualityLead deposition in soilLead deposition in soilEnvironmental health assessmentsEnvironmental health assessmentsOutreach / education in coloniasOutreach / education in coloniasBiomonitoring of metals in residentsBiomonitoring of metals in residents

Border Epidemiology and Border Epidemiology and Environmental Health Center (BEC)Environmental Health Center (BEC)

Based at New Mexico State Based at New Mexico State University (NMSU) in Las CrucesUniversity (NMSU) in Las Cruces

Binational component of the Office of Binational component of the Office of Border Health.Border Health.

New MexicoState University

Air Quality IssuesAir Quality Issues

Industrial emissionsIndustrial emissions Vehicular exhaustVehicular exhaust Open burning of trashOpen burning of trash Wood burning stovesWood burning stoves Unpaved roadsUnpaved roads Cold air inversionsCold air inversions Particulate MatterParticulate Matter

PM DetailsPM Details

Name

Fine Particles

Coarse Particles

Size < 2.5 microns in diameter

2.5-10 microns in diameter

Source

Industrial (power plants) & residential (wood burning) combustion

Vehicle exhaust

Wind-blown dust Dust from unpaved

roads Materials handling Crushing & grinding

operations

Target Organ: LungsTarget Organ: Lungs

PM10 is among the PM10 is among the most harmful of all most harmful of all air pollutants. air pollutants. When inhaled these When inhaled these particles evade the particles evade the respiratory respiratory system's natural system's natural defenses and lodge defenses and lodge deep in the lungs.deep in the lungs.

Serious Health Effects from Serious Health Effects from PM10PM10

Who is at risk in New Mexico?Who is at risk in New Mexico?

ParticulateMatterMonitoringSites inSouthernDoña AnaCounty

ResearchResearch

Funded by the Southwest Consortium Funded by the Southwest Consortium for Environmental Research Policy for Environmental Research Policy (SCERP)(SCERP)– $58,000 grant awarded$58,000 grant awarded– Based on community EH prioritiesBased on community EH priorities

Columbus and PalomasColumbus and Palomas Record every 6 days for 12 monthsRecord every 6 days for 12 months Air quality awareness and educationAir quality awareness and education Two PM10 air monitorsTwo PM10 air monitors

Concentration of PM 10 at two sites

Columbus, New MexicoColumbus, New MexicoPuerto Palomas, ChihuahuaPuerto Palomas, Chihuahua

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Concentration of PM10 (ug/m 3̂) at Columbus and Palomas over time

EPA

Palomas

Columbus

Concentration of PM 10 at two sites

Columbus, New MexicoColumbus, New MexicoPuerto Palomas, ChihuahuaPuerto Palomas, Chihuahua

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

09

-01

-05

09

-07

-05

09

-13

-05

09

-19

-05

09

-25

-05

10

-01

-05

10

-07

-05

10

-13

-05

10

-26

-05

10

-31

-05

11

-06

-05

11

-12

-05

11

-24

-05

11

-30

-05

12

-06

-05

12

-12

-05

12

-18

-05

01

-05

-06

1-1

1-0

60

1-1

7-0

60

1-2

3-0

60

1-2

9-0

60

2-0

4-0

60

2-1

0-0

60

2-1

6-0

60

2-2

2-0

60

2-2

8-0

63

- 6-0

60

3-1

2-0

60

3-1

8-0

60

3-2

4-0

60

3-3

1-0

60

4-0

5-0

60

4-1

2-0

60

4-1

8-0

60

4-2

3-0

60

5-0

6-0

60

4-2

9-0

60

5-1

1-0

60

5-1

7-0

60

5-2

3-0

60

5-2

8-0

60

6-0

4-0

60

6-1

3-0

60

6-1

6-0

60

6-2

7-0

60

7-0

4-0

60

7-1

1-0

60

7-1

6-0

60

7-2

2-0

60

7-2

8-0

60

8-0

4-0

60

8-0

8-0

60

8-1

5-0

60

8-2

1-0

6

Concentration of PM10 (ugm^3) at Palomas, Mexico-USA Mexican Border School over time

pm10_1pm10_2

epa

Concentration of PM 10 at two sites Columbus, New Mexico Columbus, New MexicoPuerto Palomas, ChihuahuaPuerto Palomas, Chihuahua

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

Concentration of PM10 (ug/m 3̂) at Columbus and Palomas over time

EPA

Palomas

Columbus

Concentration of PM 2.5 at Columbus (INS Inspection Station), New Columbus (INS Inspection Station), New

MexicoMexico

Columbus Inspection Station: PM 2.5 vs EPA Standard(65 ug/m^3)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

11/2

3/20

0511

/24/

2005

11/2

5/20

0511

/26/

2005

11/2

7/20

0511

/28/

2005

11/2

9/20

0511

/30/

2005

12/1

/200

512

/2/2

005

12/3

/200

512

/4/2

005

12/5

/200

512

/6/2

005

12/7

/200

512

/8/2

005

12/9

/200

512

/10/

2005

12/1

1/20

0512

/12/

2005

12/1

3/20

0512

/14/

2005

12/1

5/20

0512

/16/

2005

12/1

7/20

0512

/18/

2005

12/1

9/20

0512

/20/

2005

12/2

1/20

0512

/22/

2005

12/2

3/20

0512

/24/

2005

12/2

5/20

0512

/26/

2005

12/2

7/20

0512

/28/

2005

12/2

9/20

0512

/30/

2005

12/3

1/20

05

November & December 2005

Conc

entra

tion

(ug/

m^3

)

Mass

EPA_STD

Concentration of PM 2.5 at Columbus (INS Inspection Station), New Columbus (INS Inspection Station), New

MexicoMexico

Columbus, NM (USA): PM 2.5 Mass vs. EPA Standard(65 ug/m^3)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

January 2006

Con

cent

ratio

n (u

g/m

^3)

Mass

EPA_STD

Relevance of this WorkRelevance of this Work

Increase in monitoring to complete Increase in monitoring to complete picture of the border areapicture of the border area

Modeling of weather related Modeling of weather related phenomenon such as high wind daysphenomenon such as high wind days

University researchUniversity research Public informationPublic information Health studiesHealth studies

Contact InformationContact InformationLarry K. Olsen, Dr.P.H., CHESLarry K. Olsen, Dr.P.H., CHES

(505) 646-2064, (505) 646-2064, lolsen@nmsu.edulolsen@nmsu.edu

Thomas Ruiz, M.SThomas Ruiz, M.SEnvironmental EpidemiologistEnvironmental Epidemiologist

(505) 528-5152(505) 528-5152thomas.ruiz@state.nm.usthomas.ruiz@state.nm.us