Abstract
This research measured daily 24-hour PM10 concentrations at various locations in Salt Lake City, Utah, from November 1994 to May 1995. Between four and six indoor locations were sampled at each of three hospitals. Indoor data were compared with outdoor roof data from each respective hospital and with the city's central monitoring location. The study goals were to: (1) evaluate variation of PM10 concentrations at four different outdoor sampling locations across the Salt Lake Valley; (2) determine if a centrally located monitor can predict PM10 concentrations across the valley; (3) compare indoor/outdoor roof concentrations at three hospitals to determine if an outdoor roof sampler can be used to predict indoor concentrations; (4) evaluate variation in PM10 concentrations inside hospitals to see if a single indoor sampler can estimate exposure for an entire hospital; and (5) determine if a centrally located monitor can predict indoor concentrations in the three hospitals. Results from outdoor samplers indicate that variation occurred between the four sites. When the concentrations measured by the hospital roof samples are regressed against those of the central sampler, the slopes of each hospital were linear but statistically different. Because the three hospitals had similar y intercepts, at low outdoor PM10 concentrations the central monitor predicted hospital roof concentrations. As outdoor PM10 concentrations increased, the central monitor had higher concentrations and overestimated PM10 relative to the three hospital sites. Results from indoor samplers indicate large variation in PM10 concentrations both within and between hospitals. Data indicate that one indoor location does not adequately represent the variation in indoor PM10 concentrations at other locations in the same hospital, and that hospital roof PM10 concentrations account for a varying percentage of indoor PM10 concentrations. Finally, it appears that PM10 concentrations at different indoor hospital locations cannot be predicted by one central outdoor PM10 sampling location.