Using GIS to study the health impact of air emissions

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is a fast-developing technology with an ever-increasing number of applications. Air dispersion modeling is a we ll-established discipline that can produce results in a spatial context. Th e marriage of these two applications is optimal because it leverages the pr edictive capacity of modeling with the data management, analysis, and displ ay capabilities of GIS. In the public health arena, exposure estimation techniques are invaluable. The utilization of air emission data, such as U.S. EPA Toxic Release Invent ory (TRI) data, and air dispersion modeling with GIS enable public health p rofessionals to identify and define the potentially exposed population, est imate the health risk burden of that population, and determine correlations between point-based health outcome results with estimated health risk.