Evaluating the Health Risk from Secondary Sulfates in Eastern North American Regional Ambient Air Particulate Matter

Epidemiological studies of particulate matter (PM) using central area monitors have associated total PM mass, as well as certain individual components of PM, including sulfate, with adverse human health effects. However, some recent studies that used concentrated ambient particles (CAPs) or analyzed the effects of air pollution from different sources or geographic areas suggest that while some particles may be harmful, other particulate species including secondary sulfates may have negligible health effects. Toxicology studies to date also suggest that secondary sulfates pose little health risk. While studies using central-area monitors implicitly assume that all residents of the area are exposed to the same levels of pollution, newer studies find substantial health effects for those in close proximity to major roads. These latter studies recognize that although population exposure to widespread pollutants, such as total PM mass and sulfates, may be relatively uniform over a wide area, exposure to pollutants from local sources is not. While there is an emerging literature associating several adverse health effects with proximity to local pollution sources, the current database provides limited information that allows identification of specific particulate species that may cause little to no harm. In this article, we suggest that ambient secondary sulfates, and eastern North American regional air masses generally, appear to have little adverse impact on public health. This suggestion is based on evidence gleaned from eight avenues of investigation: (1) recent non-central-area monitor studies, including exposure gradient or proximity studies; (2) CAPs studies; (3) studies that examine effects related to different geographic areas or sources; (4) toxicology studies; (5) the limited number of studies that analyze existing central-area monitor data to explicitly examine the health impacts of sulfate and acidity versus PM mass; (6) "modern" area monitor studies with additional capabilities to distinguish among sources of pollution; (7) partial reinterpretation of two pivotal cohort studies; and (8) studies separating effects of secondary sulfates from those of primary metal sulfates. However, uncertainties remain regarding the role that secondary sulfates may play in ambient PM chemistry pathways leading to potentially harmful products, such as the possible effects of secondary organic aerosols that may be the product of acid catalysis of sulfur dioxide. Thus, more targeted study is needed, and some research suggestions are made in this regard.