Modeling Source-Receptor Relationships and Health Impacts of Air Pollution in the United States

The objective of this study is to examine the source-receptor relationships and health impacts of air pollution resulting from emissions from individual states in the continental United States. Air pollution is a widespread problem of spatially and temporally varying magnitude. Over 115 million U.S. individuals are exposed to air pollution levels in excess of one or more health-based ambient standards in 1996 (EPA, 1996). Policy decisions can benefit from a quantification of source-receptor relationships and resulting health and environmental damages. The damage or environmental assessment processes, however, often suffer from a lack of scientific knowledge and tools.