Characterization of air manganese exposure estimates for residents in two Ohio towns

This study was conducted to derive receptor-specific outdoor exposure concentrations of total suspended particulate (TSP) and respirable (dae ≤ 10 µm) air manganese (air-Mn) for East Liverpool and Marietta (Ohio) in the absence of facility emissions data, but where long-term air measurements were available. Our "site-surface area emissions method" used U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) AERMOD (AMS/EPA Regulatory Model) dispersion model and air measurement data to estimate concentrations for residential receptor sites in the two communities. Modeled concentrations were used to create ratios between receptor points and calibrated using measured data from local air monitoring stations. Estimated outdoor air-Mn concentrations were derived for individual study subjects in both towns. The mean estimated long-term air-Mn exposure levels for total suspended particulate were 0.35 microg/m³ (geometric mean [GM]) and 0.88 microg/m³ (arithmetic mean [AM]) in East Liverpool (range: 0.014-6.32 microg/m³) and 0.17 microg/m³ (GM) and 0.21 microg/m³ (AM) in Marietta (range: 0.03-1.61 microg/m³). Modeled results compared well with averaged ambient air measurements from local air monitoring stations. Exposure to respirable Mn particulate matter (PM10; PM <10 microm) was higher in Marietta residents.