PH 632: Air Quality
San Diego State University
Graduate School of Public Health
Division of Environmental Health
Spring 2013
(Schedule Number: 22217 Units: 3)
INSTRUCTOR:
Zohir Chowdhury, Ph.D. (zohir.chowdhury@sdsu.edu)
Phone: 619-594-8085
Office: Room 106 Hardy Memorial Tower
OFFICE HOURS:
Tuesday/Thursday
11:00-11:30 AM
Tuesday/Thursday
1:00- 1:45 PM
or schedule appointment by email or send email with topic PH632
LOCATION:
DATE AND TIME:
146 Hapner Hall
Wednesdays, 1:00-3:40 PM
CATALOG DESCRIPTION:
Properties of airborne gases, vapors, and particulate matter. Effects of air pollution on community.
Mobile and stationary sources of air pollution. Meteorology and dispersion of air pollutants. Ambient air
quality standards.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
The quality of the air we breathe is of vital importance and has an obvious impact on human health.
Air quality is vastly different depending on whether it is indoor or outdoor air, in developed or developing
world. This course will introduce students to concepts of criteria air pollutants and their health effects,
sources and control of pollution with a focus on Global and California air pollution issues. Atmospheric
chemistry and physics, properties of airborne gases, vapors, and particulate matter, as well as, ambient air
quality standards (State, National, and International) will be covered in this course.
This course will take a hands-on approach to air sampling and data analysis by providing
opportunities for students to learn how to use air sampling equipment and data analysis with excel. To
further understand real life air pollution problems, an air pollution sampling study in San Diego will be
required applying sampling techniques learned during class activities.
PRE-REQUISITES:
None. All Environmental Health graduate students can register for this class.
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COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Learning Objectives
In-class and Out-of-Class Activities
Research
Project
1. Plan, design and conduct air pollution sampling study
and apply the following theoretical concepts in the final
report and class presentation:
 Interpret results with an understanding of
instrumentation limitations and
meteorological conditions (temperature/RH)
 Compare results to CARB and USEPA
regulatory guidelines and standards
2. Analyze air pollution data with excel and compute
pollutant concentrations
3. Identify the direct and indirect human, ecological, and
safety effects of major criteria air pollutants
4. Recognize types and properties of gaseous (ex: SOX,
NOX and Ozone) and particulate pollutants (ex: Coarse,
Fine, Ultrafine) in the ambient air and their interactions
in the atmosphere.
5. Define federal and state regulatory guidelines and
authorities that control air pollution health issues.
Homework
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
6. Describe approaches for assessing, preventing, and
controlling air pollutant emissions from stationary and
mobile sources of air pollution.
Y
7. Understand the role of physical and meteorological
factors on dispersion and transportation of air pollutants.
Y
8. Communicate air pollution results to an audience
through the class final presentation.
Y
9. Review peer reviewed journal papers about air pollution
instrumentation and write a report of your class project
Exam
Y
Y
Y
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TEXTBOOK
Required: (available at SDSU Bookstore or KB Books)
Introduction to Air Pollution Science, A public health perspective
Robert F. Phalen and Robert N. Phalen
ISBN-13:978-0-7637-8044-9
Copyright: 2013 Jones and Bartlett
BLACKBOARD
Nearly all instructional materials except for the textbook for this course will be available on
Blackboard (http://blackboard.sdsu.edu). Students who need help with the use of Blackboard should contact
the Student Computing Center or go to the Love Library for assistance.
Lecture notes will be available after 11 PM the night before class starts. Please print them out and
bring them to class for taking additional notes as the class version will probably be further revised.
Blackboard will also be used for posting student performance and grades. It is your responsibility to
check the posted grades for accuracy and communicate discrepancies, if any, to the instructor.
CLASS PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE
The course requires participation in class activities and discussions. Attendance will be taken during
class. If you cannot attend class, email the instructor BEFORE class. Each student is allowed to have one
excused absence for personal non-medical reasons (family emergency, childcare problems, job interviews,
conference participation, etc.). For additional excused absences, students must bring a doctor’s written
request.
Attendance will be graded as 0 = did not attend class, 0.5 = excused absence, 1 = present for each day
of class. Participation will be evaluated by using a scale of 0 to 5, where 0 = negligible participation, 5 =
insightful and thought-provoking participation.
RESEARCH PROJECT
Students are required to work in small groups of 2 people to design and implement an air sampling
research project. The instructor will assist students in planning and implementing a reasonable, small-scale
study that will answer a research question of the students’ interest arising from the class discussion or class
topics. A list of possible topics will be discussed in class during the first month of class. Instructions on how
to successfully complete the project will be provided in a separate package. The research project demands
quality work with sound technical writing and proper referencing techniques. For literature searches you may
use the following databases:
 PubMed (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed)
 Web of Science (http://isiwebofknowledge.com/), and
 EMBASE (http://www.embase.com/)
Check the syllabus for project due dates and Blackboard for supporting materials for the research project.
On the last day of class, students are required to present their research as a lecture of 20 minutes
maximum duration (15 minutes +5 minutes for questions) and to be prepared to answer questions from the
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class. The objective is to inform an audience of knowledgeable scientists whose specialty lie outside the area
of your research, i.e. your fellow students. A good 15-minute group presentation should have 12-15 total
slides, with no more than eight figures/tables, unless they are very simple.
EXAMS
There will be two exams. There is no final examination during Finals’ week in this class. The exams
will be a combination of short questions, graphic interpretation, and quantitative problem solving. Bring a
basic calculator to class during the exam. No make up exam will be given except for medical justification.
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS
There will be homework assignments consisting of a few short questions, calculations, literature
searches. You will be introduced to air pollution instrumentation data as well as CARB data to analyze for
your homework. The assignment must be handed in “hardcopy format” prior to the start of class and emailed
to the instructor. You should type the assignment. The homework set will be posted on Blackboard. The
homework assignment MUST be turned in BEFORE the start of the class.
GRADING
2 Exams
Research Project (35%):
20 % X 2 = 40%
Research Plan (2 pages)
Preliminary Data Analysis (2 tables and 2 figures)
Class Presentation
Final Report
Homework Assignments
Attendance & Participation
40%
5%
10%
15%
15%
10%
5%
The following is the grade cut-off points that will be used in this class. Grades may be curved based on
expected class results.
94 to 100
A
90 to 93
A86 to 89
B+
83 to 85
B
80 to 82
B76 to 79
C+
73 to 75
C
70 to 72
C60 to 69
D
59 and below F
Students who do not complete any of the weekly assignments on time and do not show up for exams/quizzes
will receive an F.
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION
Students who need accommodation for their disabilities should contact me privately to discuss
specific accommodations for which they have received authorization. If you have a disability, but have not
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contacted Student Disability Services at 619-594-6473 (Calpulli Center, Suite 3101), please do so before
making an appointment to see me.
WITHDRAWAL AND INCOMPLETE GRADE POLICY


The student is entirely responsible for their own actions concerning withdrawing from the course.
A student’s failure to attend class, and complete the assignments and exams that are given, will
likely result in a final grade of “F.” For proper withdrawal procedure, refer to the catalog. Contact
Health and Special Services (IC2001, 942-2154) for the procedures required to withdraw for
medical reasons.
Students wishing to receive an incomplete grade must obtain permission from the instructor. On a
case by case basis, the instructor will grant extension ranging from a few weeks to a few months
to as much as 6 months. The student must submit a timeline with deadlines of completion of
remaining tasks with dates. The student must complete all work before the end of the following
semester. Failure to do so will result in the student receiving the grade they would have earned at
the completion of the course.
PLAGIARISM/ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
See COD catalog, Course-Related Academic Integrity, Board Policy 5050 and Board Procedure 5715.
Academic dishonesty is prohibited. Disciplinary action will be pursued in all instances in which it is
determined that academic dishonesty has occurred.
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Tentative Class Schedule (Subject to Change During the Semester)
Class#
Date
Tentative Topics
1
01/23
Course overview
Global context of air pollution
Global air pollution
Developed & developing country air pollution
National context of air pollution
Major air pollutants and their distribution in US
State and regional context of air pollution
Air pollution in California and San Diego
Assignment/Assessment
Learning
Outcomes
#3, #4, #5
Syllabus and class policies
Requirement for Class Project: Air Sampling
2
3
01/30
02/06
The atmosphere
Chemical composition
Particulate Matter
Classes and sources
Primary & Secondary
Natural & Anthropogenic
Aerodynamic diameter
Size distribution
Coarse
Fine
Ultrafine
Visibility
Mass Computation
Requirement for Class Project: Air Sampling
Meet in Hardy Tower Lab: 214
Sampling and analysis of air contaminants:
an overview and hands on session
Air quality monitoring and guidelines
Introduction to gravimetric analysis: Minivol
Lightscattering instrument: DustTrak DRX
QA/QC and calibration
#2 (mass
computation)
#3
#1
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Class# Date
Tentative Topics
4
Outdoor air pollution
Nature of air contaminants
Sources of air pollution: mobile, stationary, fugitive
Criteria air pollutants: PM, O3, NOx, SOx, CO, Pb
O3 chemistry
“bad” ozone: Ground-level Ozone
“good” ozone: Stratospheric Ozone
NO and NO2 Chemistry
SO2 Chemistry
Health effects of air pollution
Criteria air pollutions
Welfare effects of air pollution
Dry deposition & Wet deposition
Acid rain
Ozone chemistry (continued)
PM Chemistry
o NH4+ Chemistry
o SO4-2 Chemistry
o NaCl Chemistry
02/13
5
02/20
6
02/27
7
03/06
Bring your laptop to class
Data Analysis and plotting in Excel
Examples of quality figures and tables
Analyzing air pollution data
Communicating Air Pollution results
****Exam #1****after break
Finish and Review PM
Assignment/Assessment
Learning
Outcomes
#3, #4
Research Plan Due
#4
#1, #2, #9
*****Exam #1*****
Homework #1 Due
#1, #2
Bring your laptop to class
Time permitting, review instrumentation & data importing into Excel
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Class#
Date
Tentative Topics
Assignment/Assessment
8
03/13
Air pollution and policy guidelines in California and around the globe
WHO
Learning
Outcomes
#5, #7
WHO AQ Guidelines
9
03/20
10
03/27
US EPA
NAAQS
CARB
APCD
Clean Air Act and its amendments
Airshed
Atmospheric Transport
Wind and Turbulence
Stability
Inversion
Mixing Height
Atmospheric transport (Continued)
Meteorology
Catch up with materials
#7
Bring your laptop to class
Analyzing air pollution data (continued)
Focus on Statistics
Homework#2 Due
#2
SPRING BREAK (April 1-5)
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04/10 Air Quality and Emissions Assessment
Air quality monitoring in the US and in Asia
Chemical composition of PM
Source apportionment
Air quality modeling
CMB Modeling
#6
8
12
04/17 Control of Mobile Emissions
Motor vehicle engines
Automotive fuels
Low emissions and zero emissions vehicles
Control of Stationary Emissions
Control practices
Control of gas-phase and PM-phase pollutants
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04/24 Indoor air pollution: Developed Countries
Sources of air pollution
Tobacco/ETS
“Sick Building Syndrome”
Radon
Indoor air pollution: Developing Countries
Solid fuel and cookstoves
05/01 Research Project Q&A
Revise and reinforce learning objectives
Computation of pollutant concentration
PM chemistry and Ozone chemistry
Pollutant transport
Atmospheric stability and inversion
Pollution control strategies
****Exam #2****after break
05/08 Group Project Presentations
14
15
05/15
Major Findings Due
#2 (major
findings),
#6
#3
ALL
**Comprehensive Exam #2**
Presentations
#1, #2, #8
Final Report Due by email
#1, #2, #9
FINAL EXAMATION WEEK (May 9-16): May 15th ***No Finals***
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HANDS-ON INSTRUMENTATION
Three percent extra credit grade can be obtained by enrolling in one unit of PH798. This one unit will check on displaying individual
expertise on air pollution instrumentation and operation. In order to receive this credit, you must be able to successfully operate the following
THREE instruments:
1) Gravimetric Device operation (Minivol) with knowledge of filter handling and weighing.
2) DustTrak DRX operation and calibration
3) P-TRAK or Q-TRAK operation and calibration
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