Aman Gebreselassie (gebrea1@unlv.nevada.edu ) and Lung-Wen Antony Chen, Ph.D.
UNLV School of Public Health, Las Vegas, Nevada
INTRODUCTION
Air is all around us, and we breathe in various air pollutants on any given day. Particulate matter (PM) pollution is the 13th leading cause of mortality worldwide. PM refers to inhalable particles comprised of dust, dirt, smoke, and soot found in the air that can be too small to be seen with the naked eye, but nonetheless pose a risk of health issues ranging from asthma to heart problems and increased respiratory symptoms. Asphalt plants are important industry, and however they emit many pollutants, including PM2.5 and PM10 (PM with aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 and 10 µm, respectively) to the air during the production process, which can be dangerous to human health. Wells Cargo is an asphalt plant in Las Vegas located at the immediate north of Spring Valley High School (SVHS) and surrounded by several residential communities. SVHS students and residents near the plant have been observing dust fumes and are often forced to stay indoors. As a result air quality in the area is of concern to the community health. The objectives of this study are to: 1) examine short- and long-term community exposure to PM near Well Cargo and 2) assess how Wells Cargo contributes to the PM pollutants so that necessary actions can be taken to reduce health risks.
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