AIR QUALITY MONITORING
Man Inhales Air About Fifteen Times (15*) Every Minute. The Air Passes Through The Respiratory System And Diffuses Into The Blood From Where It Is Transported To The Organs. An Emission Into The Environment First Pollutes The Air, Which When Inhaled Causes Disease In Man. Hence Air Quality Monitoring Is Of Public Health Importance. AQM Could Be Indoor Or Outdoor (Ambient). The Broad Objectives Of AQM Include: I. To Establish The Air Pollution Of An Area And Hence The Exposure Of The Population, Vegetation (Area-Related Sampling). ii. To Establish The Impact Of Air Polluting Substances On Human Health (Person-Related Sampling). The Person-Related Sampling Is Carried Out By Attaching Portable Measuring Desires On The Individual (Example Is Personal Barges In Benzene Monitoring). There Are Legislations That Aim To Protect The Environment And Ensure Compliance With Air Quality Standards. Measurement Principles And Substances Air Quality Measurement Can Be Either By: (a) Continuous Method In Which Automatic Machines Are Used To Carry Out Both Sampling And Analysis. (b) Discontinuous Methods In Which Sampling At Site And Analysis In The Laboratory Are Two Separate Steps The Continuously Operating Air Measurement Devices Are Used To Measure Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Carbon Monoxide, Ozone, Gaseous Organic Compounds, Etc. The Discontinuously Operating Air Quality Measurement Devices Are Used To Measure Air Borne Asbestos Fiber Concentration, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Metals (Especially Heavy Metals Like Lead) And Anions (Sulphates, Nitrates And Chloride).
