Johns Hopkins studies air pollution in Valley

The air pollution in Maricopa County apparently is bad enough to draw the attention of a prestigious medical school.

Experts at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore already know the Valley suffers through too-high levels of airborne dust, soot and other tiny particles. But there is no explanation yet for the county suffering less than, say, California's Central Valley.

"What we're trying to do is understand why particulate matter air pollution in some locations seems to have more health effects than in other locations," said Patrick Breysse of the university's Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Particulate matter pollution affects the lungs, exacerbating existing medical conditions such as asthma or heart conditions. Sources include fires, road dust, electricity generation and industrial processes.

The study is being funded through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Since last fall, researchers have been measuring particulate matter pollution across the nation, in places such as Seattle and Sacramento, Calif. Several more cities are planned for 2009 and the entire project will be completed in 2010.

The study at the air monitoring site in west Phoenix, one of 24 run by the county, began on June 2 and is expected to last six to eight weeks.

"Maricopa County is happy to be one of many hosts in such an important investigation," said Joy Rich, acting director for the Maricopa County Air Quality Department. "This research is greatly needed as particulate pollution adversely affects us all."

Key to the study is matching regions that are similar except for how their populaces are affected by pollution. The match for the Phoenix site is located in Folsom, Calif., home of the state prison immortalized by Johnny Cash. It has high amounts of particulate matter pollutants.

Then, the researchers will collect pollutants for further investigation. One region's particulate matter might be simply dirt while its matched region's pollutants are laced with metals, sulfates or nitrates.

In other words, all pollution is not created equal.

"We've known that, in general, for a long time," Breysse said. "Now we're trying to be more systematic about trying to figure out where it is different and why is it different, and what that might mean for human health."