How to estimate number of people under air pollution using ArcGIS?

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through estimating the number of people affected by air pollution using ArcGIS. By following these steps, you will learn how to collect and prepare data, analyze toxic release inventories (TRIs), and calculate population exposure to air pollution sources. This process is crucial for public health assessments and urban planning.

Step 1: Data Collection and Preparation

1. Download Required Data

   • Obtain the necessary datasets from the following sources:
     • Population grid: WorldPop
     • Truck volume: ArcGIS Hub
     • Toxic release inventories (TRIs): EPA TRI Program
   • Download the data used in the video from this GitHub repository.

2. Prepare Your Workspace

   • Unzip the downloaded files and open ArcGIS.
   • Import the population grid, truck volume, and TRI data into your ArcGIS project.

Step 2: Create Buffers for TRIs and Truck Volume

1. Generate Buffers

   • Use the buffer tool in ArcGIS to create buffers around the TRI points and truck volume data.
   • Set an appropriate buffer distance based on the expected impact area of these pollution sources (e.g., 1 mile or 5 km).

2. Analyze Buffer Overlap

   • Assess the overlap of the buffers with the population grid.
   • This analysis will help identify the population living within the pollution impact zones.

Step 3: Assess Exposure to TRIs and Truck Volume

1. Calculate Exposure Levels

   • Use the intersect tool to combine the population grid with the buffers created in Step 2.
   • This will yield a new layer that shows the population counts within each buffer area.

2. Quantify Population Exposure

   • Sum the population counts from the intersected layer to estimate the total number of individuals exposed to TRIs and truck volume.

Step 4: Determine Total Population Under Air Pollution

1. Compile Results

   • Aggregate the data from the exposure analysis to get a comprehensive view of the affected population.
   • Create visualizations (e.g., maps or charts) to represent the data effectively.

2. Report Findings

   • Document your findings, highlighting key statistics about population exposure to air pollution.
   • Consider writing a brief report or presentation to communicate your results to stakeholders.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to estimate the number of people under air pollution using ArcGIS. By collecting and preparing data, creating buffers, assessing exposure, and determining total affected populations, you can effectively analyze the impact of air pollution. For further exploration, consider delving into more advanced GIS analysis techniques or exploring additional datasets related to environmental health.