ABSTRACT
Several studies conducted in U.S. cities report an association between acute exposures to particulate matter(PM), usually measured as PM10, and mortality. Evidence of high concentrations of PM10 in Eastern Europe and in large metropolitan areas outside of the United States, such as Mexico City and Bangkok, underscores the need to determine whether these same associations occur outside of the United States. In addition, conducting studies of mortality and air pollution in regions that have distinctly different seasonal patterns than those of the United States provides an effective opportunity to assess
the potentially confounding aspects of seasonality.