Second in a four-part series requested by Congress, this book describes the plans of the committee to monitor the progress of the research on particulate matter conducted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other federal and state government agencies. It also reviews the committee's portfolio of recommended research.

One important research area - studies of the effects of long-term exposure to particulate matter and other major air pollutants - however, does not appear to be underway or planned.

The Committee's first report and its impact. Evaluating research implementation and Progress. Updating the research portfolio: research topic 1 - outdoor measures versus actual human exposures
research topic 2 - Exposures of susceptible subpopulations to toxic. particulate-matter components
research topic 3 (revised) - characterization of emission sources
research topic 4 (revised) - air-quality-model development and testing
research topic 5 - assessment of hazardous particulate-matter components
research topic 6 - dosimetry
deposition and fate of particles in the respiratory tract
research topic 7 - combined effects of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants
research topic 8 - susceptible subpopulations
research topic 9 - mechanisms of injury
research topic 10 - analysis and measurement. The updated research portfolio. Appendices: biographical information on the Committee on Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter
the Committee's statement of task.