title: Loose-coupling an air dispersion model and a geographic information system (GIS) for studying air pollution and asthma in the Bronx, New York City.
abstract: This study developed new procedures to loosely integrate an air dispersion model, AERMOD, and a geographic information system (GIS) package, ArcGIS, to simulate air dispersion from stationary sources in the Bronx, New York City, for five pollutants: PM(10), PM(2.5), NO(x), CO, and SO(2). Plume buffers created from the model results were used as proxies of human exposure to the pollution from the sources and they modified the commonly used fixed-distance proximity buffers by considering the realities of air dispersion. The application of the plume buffers confirmed that the higher asthma hospitalization rates were associated with the higher potential exposure to local air pollution. The air dispersion modeling exhibited advantages over proximity analysis and geostatistical methods for environmental health research. The loose integration provides a relatively simple and feasible method for health scientists to take advantage of both air dispersion modeling and GIS by avoiding the need for intensive programming and substantial GIS expertise.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental, Geographic, and Geological Sciences, Lehman College, City University of New York, Bronx, USA. juliana.maantay@lehman.cuny.edu
authors.forename: Juliana A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Maantay
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Maroko
mesh_terms: D000392:Air Movements; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D040362:Geographic Information Systems; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide