Why the Houston Area?
Houston in the fourth largest city in the United States, and it has recently been cited as having the worst air quality of any US city, surpassing Los Angeles in ozone concentrations. Background concentrations of Fine Particulate Matter in the Southeast Texas area average 10 to 12 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m3). Industrial and urban emissions within the area create “hot spots” where concentrations are significantly higher. A recent report from the City of Houston estimated that 2.5 million people may be exposed to annual average concentrations above 15mg/m3. Particulates in Southeast Texas come from a wide range of sources. The Houston area contains the largest concentration of petrochemical manufacturing plants in the United States, which offers excellent opportunities for tracking particulates from industrial sources. The area also has typical urban emission sources and a significant quantity of biogenic emissions. For these reasons, the Houston area offers an ideal field laborat
