T&B Systems has unique capabilities in the audit and review of air pollution health effect studies. These studies typically have an air quality monitoring component coupled with a health monitoring component. Health data typically include lung function testing, blood and sputum sampling, and health and activity questionnaires. Monitoring frequently involves personal sampling using equipment not commonly used for traditional air quality monitoring programs.

T&B Systems personnel are experienced in auditing all components and phases of these air pollution health effects studies. In addition to auditing the air monitoring equipment, we have audited a number of organic and inorganic laboratories, health measurement teams, and data management efforts. T&B Systems currently provides external quality assurance review to a number of studies and clients, including:

Southern California Children's Health Study (USC)
T&B Systems provides external quality assurance review for the ARB-funded Epidemiologic Investigation to Identify Chronic Health Effects of Ambient Air Pollutants in California Study (Children's Health Study) performed by the University of Southern California (USC). The Children's Health Study is investigating the long-term effect that air pollution has on the health of children. The study includes an extensive 12-site speciated PM2.5 and continuous PM10 data set. T&B Systems personnel are responsible for managing the QA effort and performing external QA review of all aspects of the study. This included external systems audits of spirometry measurements, morbidity surveillance surveys, health and physical activity questionnaires, ambient air monitoring, exposure modeling, laboratory analysis of samples, and data processing and management of all collected data. They are also responsible for reviewing the SOPs used for the project and maintaining the project's QA Plan, assisting participants in correcting problems and verifying that corrections occurred.

Southern California Particle Center and Supersite (UCLA, USC)
T&B Systems provides external quality assurance oversite for the Southern California Particle Center and Supersite (SCPCS). The overall objective SCPCS is to bring together outstanding scientists from the leading universities in Southern California, including USC and UCLA, to identify and conduct high priority research to better understand the effects of particulate matter (PM) and ensure protection of public health. As the external auditor, T&B Systems personnel are responsible for a number of QA functions, including review of the Center's quality management plan, review of participants' quality management project plans (QMPP) and standard operating procedures (SOP), system audits of data collection efforts, data processing/management efforts, and conducting system and performance audits of the Particle Instrumentation Unit (PIU), the "Supersite" element of the Center. Over fifteen individual particulate and health related studies are being reviewed under this contract.

Fresno Asthmatic Children's Environment Study (UC Berkeley)
T&B Systems provides external quality assurance review for the ARB-funded Fresno Asthmatic Children's Environment Study (FACES) performed by the University of California, Berkeley (UCB). FACES is investigating the effect that air pollution has on asthmatic children. The study includes an extensive air quality monitoring including two mobile vans, indoor and outdoor exposure monitoring at subjects residences, and routine monitoring of health data, including lung function. T&B Systems personnel are responsible for managing the QA effort and performing external QA review of all aspects of the study. This included external systems audits of spirometry measurements, health questionnaires, ambient air monitoring, laboratory analysis of samples, and data processing and management of all collected data. They are also responsible for reviewing all SOPs used for the project and maintaining the project's QA Plan.

the Health Effects Institute - External Quality Assurance Audits
T&B Systems personnel conducted independent quality assurance audits of three health studies being funded by the Health Effects Institute. The studies are looking at the relationship between air pollution and human health. Two of the studies were performed by the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. The first study evaluated the relationship between stationary air quality monitoring stations and personal air quality exposure by having subjects carry personal monitors with them over a two-week period during summer and winter months. Parameters monitored include O3, NO2, SO2, PM2.5, EC/OC, and elements. Audits of this project included a review of monitoring procedures, data processing, data management, and laboratory operations. The second study is looked at the relationship between cardiac events recorded by implanted cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) and air pollution concentrations, and included audits of data management procedures, concentrating on the abstraction of ICD data from hospital records. T&B Systems personnel also conducted audits of a third study conducted in the Netherlands investigating the relationship between personal, household, and regional particulate samplers


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