In this chapter, the state of the art of air pollution exposure assessment is discussed with emphasis on gaps in our knowledge and the implications of those gaps for future research. In addition, available evidence indicates that personal exposure to many pollutants is not adequately characterized because the time people spend in different locations and their activities vary dramatically with age, gender, occupation, and socioeconomic status (National Research Council 1981 World Health Organization 1982, 1983 Yocum 1982 Spengler and Sexton 1983 Spengler and Soczek 1985). But, such measurements are subject to biases because most people spend much more of their time indoors than out, and air pollutant concentrations are often much higher inside buildings than outside (National Research Council 1981 Spengler and Sexton 1983). Indeed, compliance with existing National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), intended to protect public health with an adequate margin of safety, depends exclusively on outdoor measurements of pollutants. Except in occupational settings, such estimates are usually based on measurements of pollutant concentrations in outside (ambient) air, recorded with outdoor fixed-site monitors. Accurate estimates of human exposure to inhaled air pollutants are necessary for a realistic appraisal of the risks these pollutants pose and for the design and implementation of strategies to control and limit those risks.
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