EPA Releases Science Assessment on Health Effects of Nitrogen Oxides

Tag : Nitrogen Dioxide

EPA has released the final "Integrated Science Assessment forOxides of Nitrogen-Health Criteria." This is EPA's latestevaluation of the scientific literature on the potential adversehuman health effects resulting from exposures to oxides ofnitrogen, particularly nitrogen dioxide or NO2. There aresignificant new health data, particularly epidemiological studies,since the last scientific review document released in 1993.
Oxides of nitrogen is one of the six criteria pollutants for whichEPA is required to issue air quality criteria under the Clean AirAct (CAA). EPA set a national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS)for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), an indicator for gaseous nitrogenoxides, at an annual average of 0.053 parts per million (ppm).
The CAA also requires EPA to periodically update the scientificbasis for these standards by preparing an Integrated ScienceAssessment. The assessment released today will be critical in thereview of the NAAQS for NO2. The document went through independent,external peer review by the Clean Air Scientific AdvisoryCommittee, and opportunities were also provided for public reviewand comment.
Final Integrated Science Assessment for Oxides of Nitrogen-HealthCriteria: http://www.epa.gov/ncea under "Recent Additions."
Source: U.S. EPA
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