The perspective of the National Research Council's Committee on Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter.

This article summarizes the activities of the National Research Council Committee on Research Priorities for Airborne Particulate Matter, formed in 1997 in response to a request by Congress to establish a committee that would identify research needs, set a research agenda, and monitor research progress on airborne particulate matter. The article describes the committee's achievements and research progress in relation to key scientific questions relevant to establishing National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS).