CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en">  <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/science.html","20130729160001","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1375113601"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <meta charset="utf-8"/> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=8"/>  <title>PM Research | Particulate Matter | Air & Radiation | US EPA</title> <meta name="Description" content="This site provides information about Particulate Matter and its effects."/> <meta name="Keywords" content="Particles, Particulate Matter, Particle Pollution, Health effects, EPA, Air Quality Forecasts, Implementation"/>   <meta name="DC.Title" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Type" content=""/>  <meta name="DC.Date.modified" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Date" content=""/>  <meta name="DC.Subject.epabrm" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.epacat" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.epaect" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.epaemt" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.epahealth" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.epaindustry" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.epaopt" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.epappt" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.eparat" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.eparegulation" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.eparit" content=""/> <meta name="DC.Subject.epasubstance" content=""/> <meta name="DC.audience" content=""/> <meta name="DC.coverage" content=""/> <meta name="DC.date.created" content=""/> <meta name="DC.date.modified" content=""/> <meta name="DC.date.archivedate" content=""/> <meta name="DC.creator" content="US EPA, OAR, OAQPS"/> <meta name="DC.language" content="en"/> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0"/> <link rel="schema.DC" href="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"/> <link rel="meta" href="http://www.epa.gov/labels.rdf" type="application/rdf+xml" title="ICRA labels"/>  <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="EPA.gov News" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/RSSRecentNews"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="EPA.gov Headquarters Press Releases" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/RSSByLocation?open&location=Headquarters"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Greenversations, EPA's Blog" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://blog.epa.gov/blog/feed/"/>  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001cs_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/templates/webcms/css/epa.css"/>        </head> <body class="basic">  <p id="sitewidec"></p> <p class="skip">Jump to <a href="#main" title="Jump to main content">main content</a> or <a href="#areanav" title="Jump to area navigation.">area navigation</a>.</p> <div id="header"> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/" title="US EPA Home Page"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001im_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/templates/webcms/css/i/print-epa-logo.gif" alt="US Environmental Protection Agency logo"/></a></p> <form id="EPAsearch" method="get" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://nlquery.epa.gov/epasearch/epasearch"> <fieldset> <ol> <li id="azindex"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/epahome/quickfinder.htm" title="Alphabetical list of top EPA topics">A-Z Index</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/search.html">Advanced Search</a></li> <li> <fieldset id="search"> <legend>What are you looking for?</legend> <input name="querytext" id="searchbox" value=""/> <button id="searchbutton" type="submit" title="Search"></button> </fieldset> </li> </ol> <input type="hidden" name="fld" value="oaqps001"/> <input type="hidden" name="areaname" value="Particulate Matter"/> <input type="hidden" name="areacontacts" value="http://www.epa.gov/airquality/contact.html"/> <input type="hidden" name="areasearchurl" value=""/> <input type="hidden" name="result_template" value="epafiles_default.xsl"/> <input type="hidden" name="filter" value="sample4filt.hts"/> </fieldset> </form> <ul> <li id="learn"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/gateway/learn/" title="Learn the Issues">Learn the Issues</a></li> <li id="scitech"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/gateway/science/" title="Science and Technology">Science & Technology</a></li> <li id="laws"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/" title="Laws and Regulations">Laws & Regulations</a></li> <li id="about"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/" title="About EPA">About EPA</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="content"> <div id="area"> <p><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/contact.html">Contact Us</a></p> <p>Particulate Matter (PM)</p> </div> <div id="page"> <div id="main"> <ul id="breadcrumbs"> <li class="first"><b>You are here:</b> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/">EPA Home</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/air/">Air & Radiation</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/urbanair/">Six Common Pollutants</a></li>   <li><a href="index.html">Particulate Matter</a></li> <li>PM Research</li>  </ul>  <h1>  PM Research</h1>  <p>EPA conducts research to help set standards and determine what progress has been made in reducing particle pollution. PM Research is essential in conducting health studies, establishing effective monitoring programs and reporting daily forecasts.</p> <p><strong>Research<br/> </strong>EPA is continually working to better understand more about particle pollution: how particles are emitted into the air or how they form in the air from gaseous pollutants, how they are transported, how people are exposed to them, and the health effects people may experience as a result of particle pollution exposure. For more information, visit EPA’s <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airscience/air-particulatematter.htm">PM Research</a> website. </p> <p><strong>Monitoring<br/> </strong><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/supersites.html">PM Supersites</a> is an ambient monitoring research program intended to address the scientific uncertainties associated with fine particulate matter. Program goals focus on fine particulate characterization, methods testing, and support to health effects and exposure studies.</p> <p>EPA also serves as a clearinghouse for monitoring data for determining whether areas are meeting particulate matters standards. For technical information about the PM monitoring program, visit EPA’s <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/ttn/amtic/amticpm.html">Ambient Monitoring Technology Information Center</a>. </p> <p>  </p>   <p id="areafooter"></p> </div> <div id="areanav"> <h4 class="skip">Area Navigation</h4> <ul> <li class="separator"><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/urbanair/">Six Common Pollutants</a><hr/></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/index.html">PM Home</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/basic.html">Basic Information</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/health.html">Health</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/ttn/naaqs/standards/pm/s_pm_index.html">PM Standards</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/pmdesignations">PM Designations</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/implement.html">PM Implementation</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/actions.html">Regulatory Actions</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/greenbook/">Nonattainment Areas</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/science.html">PM Research</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/agriculture.html">Agriculture</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airtrends/pm.html">Air Quality Trends</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/broker?_service=data&_debug=0&_program=dataprog.national_1.sas&polchoice=PM">Air Emission Sources</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/burnwise">Residential Wood Smoke</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/links.html">Related Links</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/urbanair/sipstatus/">State Implementation Plan Status and Information</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="footer"> <ul id="goodies"> <li id="rss-news"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/newsroom/rssfeeds.htm">News Feeds</a></li> <li id="podcasts"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/epahome/podcasts.htm">Podcasts</a></li> <li id="mobile"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://m.epa.gov/">EPA Mobile</a></li> <li id="email-news"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/newsroom/email_signups.htm">News by Email</a></li> <li id="widgets"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/widgets/">Widgets</a></li> </ul> <ul id="globalfooter"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/">EPA Home</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/epahome/usenotice.htm">Privacy and Security Notice</a></li> <li class="last"><a href="/web/20130729160001/http://www.epa.gov/airquality/contact.html">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> <p id="seal">The Seal of the United States Environmental Protection Agency</p> </div> <p class="skip"><a href="#content" title="Jump to main content.">Jump to main content.</a></p> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001js_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/js/third-party/jquery.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20130729160001js_/http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/js/epa-core-v4.js"></script>    </body> </html>