Airborne toxic elements and organic substances

Populations that live near industrial centers are at risk of exposure to airborne toxic substances. The Airborne Toxic Elements and Organic Substances (ATEOS) project was designed to simultaneously measure atmospheric levels of more than 50 toxic and carcinogenic chemicals within three urban population centers and one rural area. The study was conducted during the summers of 1981 and 1982 and the winters of 1982 and 1983. The extensive analyses already conducted on these data have included examinations of seasonal variations, pollution episodes, interurban differences, and source apportionment. This article discusses some of the general conclusions and suggests useful directions in designing studies of human exposure and possibly toxic air pollution epidemiology.