EFFECT OF OUTDOOR AIRBORNE PARTICULATE MATTER ON DAILY DEATH COUNTS

To investigate the possible relationship between airborne particulate matter and mortality, we developed regression models of daily mortalit y counts using meteorological covariates and measures of outdoor PM(10 ). Our analyses included data from Cook County, Illinois, and Salt Lak e County, Utah. We found no evidence that particulate matter less than or equal to 10 mu m (PM(10)) contributes to excess mortality in Salt Lake County, Utah. In Cook County, Illinois, we found evidence of a po sitive PM(10) effect in spring and autumn, bur not in winter and summe r. We conclude that the reported effects of particulates on mortality are unconfirmed.