Abstract

Temporal-Spatial Modeling of Particulate Matter Exposure Using GIS
Track: Health and Human Services
Author(s): Todd Schuble, Terry Vanden Hoek, James Rhee

Using a GIS process model, the authors calculated spatial and temporal changes in air particulate (PM2.5) amounts in Chicago over a 24 month period. Daily particulate amounts over increasing ranges of time (1-14 days) were aggregated on a fine geographic scale with data from the Illinois EPA. Using ArcGIS tools and Python batch scripting, the process interpolated particulate matter data gaps to produce daily readings for the entire city and calculated contiguous daily exposure rates. This method estimated the average exposure to different types of particulate matter by time and location. Even though particulate matter levels across the city met EPA standards, there were some locations exposed to numerous contiguous days of higher than average particulate matter counts. These locations vary by time of year and location in the city. This GIS approach could help determine if certain particulate matter exposures correlate with cardio-respiratory disease outbreak times and locations.

Todd Schuble
University of Chicago
1155 E. 60th St.
Room 049
Chicago , Illinois 60637
United States
Phone: 773-702-4225
E-mail: tschuble@uchicago.edu

Terry Vanden Hoek
University of Chicago
5801 S. Maryland Ave.
MC 5068
Chicago , Illinois 60637
United States
Phone: 773-702-9500
E-mail: thoek@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu

James Rhee
University of Chicago
5841 S Maryland Ave
MC 5068
Chicago , Illinois 60637
United States
Phone: 773-702-5935
E-mail: jrhee@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu