New Year 2010 PM 2.5 Concentrations

Samplers were set up to run for 24 hours, from noon of December 31 to noon of the New Year, in Manila Observatory (Quezon City), Barangka (Marikina City), Nangka (Marikina City), Oro Vista Royale (Antipolo City), and BF Almanza (Las Piñas City) for New Year 2009. The measured PM 2.5 values in Manila Observatory, Barangka and Nangka increased to more than twice of the previous year’s levels (3.0, 2.6 and 2.1 times greater than last year’s levels). The greatest PM 2.5 values were measured this year in Barangka (463 m g/m 3), Manila Observatory (407 ug/m3) and Nangka (384 ug/m3). The lowest PM 2.5 concentration was measured in Las Piñas (55 ug/m3). PM 2.5 concentrations in all the sites were in exceedance of the updated 24-hour USEPA guideline value for PM 2.5: 35 ug/m3. Prior to 2006, the 24-hour USEPA guideline value for PM 2.5 was 65 ug/m3.