Public Lab Wiki documentation



Air Quality

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Outdoor air pollution, in the most extreme cases, can be immediately identified even without any special training. It casts a haze over cities, collects on streets and buildings, and provides dramatic fodder for the news. But while high drama is often a prerequisite for news about air quality to be reported, the real story is the health impacts that occur even when the air isn't thick enough to see.

Introduction

According to the EPA, Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations. Most pollutants affecting indoor air quality come from sources inside buildings, although some originate outdoors. Typical pollutants of concern include combustion products such as carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and environmental tobacco smoke; substances of natural origin such as radon; biological agents such as molds; pesticides; lead; asbestos; ozone (from some air cleaners); and various volatile organic compounds from a variety of products and materials.

This is even more striking when the health effects attributed to outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) rank among the risk factors with the highest health impacts in the world, annually accounting for over 3.2 million premature deaths. In October 2013, the World Health Organization announced they are considering particulate matter, a major component of indoor and outdoor air pollution, as a Group 1 carcinogen along with tobacco smoke and asbestos.

Subtopics

Title Updated Version Views Likes
Air-polluting gases and monitoring methods almost 3 years ago by fongvania 5 693 1
Air Quality Data about 3 years ago by bhamster 8 252 1
Silica Monitoring about 3 years ago by bhamster 15 6,432 3
Air Sensors about 3 years ago by bhamster 13 1,298 1
Air sample lab testing over 3 years ago by bhamster 3 1,293 2
Introduction to Particulate Matter over 4 years ago by stevie 91 5,862 6
Odor Logging over 4 years ago by bhamster 33 1,725 3
Optical Monitoring of Particulate Matter almost 5 years ago by stevie 24 6,421 4
Hydrogen Sulfide over 5 years ago by warren 38 1,636 2
Filters almost 6 years ago by warren 11 695 2
PM Tools about 6 years ago by warren 3 269 0
Particle Sensing over 6 years ago by warren 25 3,517 5
Dust Sampling about 7 years ago by warren 4 505 1


Questions

Title Author Updated Likes Comments
Looking for recommendations of how to obtain air quality samples around a fracked gas compressor station @SBucic over 2 years ago 3
Does this plume count as a violation under Method 9 Opacity? (photos) @eustatic almost 3 years ago 3
What are some good trouble shooting tips for installing/maintaining a PurpleAir? @stevie almost 3 years ago 4
Does keeping a bucket sample cold extend the time you have to get it to a lab for testing? @stevie almost 3 years ago 1
What is the most accurate low-cost VOC monitoring method? @tylerknight almost 3 years ago 3
How to find/request an air emissions permit for a facility in Quebec? @Fleer almost 3 years ago 1
How long do you need to co-locate an air quality tool to get what you need to calibrate or "ground truth" another tool? @stevie about 3 years ago 5
Is there an easy way (app?) to find my elevation above sea level? @stevie about 3 years ago 3
What are health and environmental concerns for sewage smell in a home? @stevie about 3 years ago 3
What are ways to alert residents to air quality concerns without using cell phones or wifi? @bhamster about 3 years ago 2
What are some of the first things you do with air quality monitoring data to better understand it? @bhamster about 3 years ago 7
What are ways to monitor for ethylene oxide? @stevie over 3 years ago 1
What are air quality indicators you should watch for around a landfill that indicate you should take a grab sample? @stevie over 3 years ago 3
Is there a correlation between humidity and particulates in the air? @sarasage over 3 years ago 3
How to connect an anemometer to an air particulate monitor? @crispinpierce over 3 years ago 0
How subsurface gasses migrate and what allows them to dissipate? Landfill gasses @denissebn_06 over 3 years ago 4
HOW do i find testing for air quality in my home - specifically for silica? @MaryBandy almost 4 years ago 2
What are some affordable methods of air quality monitoring in New Orleans? @purl almost 4 years ago 4
Chevron is up for a permit renewal again (under title 5 of the Clean Air Act), we have a 4800 page report on the company, how can we get through it and pull out the valuable info? @stevie almost 4 years ago 20
What are your experiences using low-cost VOC sensors outdoors? And other questions about accuracy. @bhamster about 4 years ago 4
Can a successful heavy metal analysis using moss samples be designed for community partners? @stevie about 4 years ago 2
For the Bucket Monitor, how many tedlar bags do you need per-sampling? @mimiss over 4 years ago 2
What causes shimmering air above flares? @kgradow1 over 4 years ago 4
Where is non-compliance reported for fencline monitoring? @A_SCH over 4 years ago 1


Activities

Purpose Category Status Author Time Difficulty Replications
Activity: Learning to Spot Lichens and Mosses observe - @fongvania 1h easy 0 replications: Try it »
Solar Powered Air Quality Sensor - - @nicholas - - 0 replications: Try it »
How to Build a Bucket Air Monitor - - @kgradow1 - - 1 replications: Try it »
Inexpensive HEPA Filter Fan project to reduce air pollution - - @Melissa - - 0 replications: Try it »
Smells that Kill: How to Identify Odours - - @kgradow1 - - 0 replications: Try it »
Comparing air quality databases: a fun activity - - @bhamster - - 0 replications: Try it »
Bucket Monitor Build: VVAMP - - @sarasage - - 0 replications: Try it »
How to host a community meeting - - @kgradow1 - - 0 replications: Try it »
Compare environmental test results to health standards - - @kgradow1 - - 0 replications: Try it »
Visualize data from a Simple Air Sensor using onboard serial hardware - - @bhamster - - 0 replications: Try it »
How to read an Environmental Impact Statement - - @kgradow1 - - 0 replications: Try it »
How to read a Permit Application - - @kgradow1 - - 0 replications: Try it »
How to read Environmental Test Results - - @kgradow1 - - 0 replications: Try it »
How do we get relevant PM data to residents in under 10 minutes? - - @eustatic - - 0 replications: Try it »

Activities should include a materials list, costs and a step-by-step guide to construction with photos. Learn what makes a good activity here.

Particle Sensor Projects

Public Lab has initiated a Particle Sensing Project focused primarily on Silica. This project overlaps with and includes the DustDuino and is coordinated on the Air-Quality Google Group.

A variety of particle sensors have been posted on the site:

Title Updated Version Views Likes
DustDuino about 4 years ago by bhamster 27 7,475 7
Simple Air Sensor about 4 years ago by a1ahna 47 4,151 7
PurpleAir almost 5 years ago by joyofsoy 16 10,275 2
MiniVol TAS Particulate Matter Monitor over 5 years ago by Bronwen 45 3,901 1
MACA over 6 years ago by nanocastro 4 850 5
pDR-1500 over 7 years ago by mathew 6 1,380 2


Air quality projects

Title Updated Version Views Likes
VVAMP about 3 years ago by denissebn_06 34 4,915 6
The Sand Sentinel Program almost 4 years ago by stevie 24 3,839 2
Bucket Monitor about 4 years ago by kgradow1 2 530 0
Orangetown Aluf about 5 years ago by stevie 5 573 1
Air Quality Class almost 6 years ago by warren 60 722 3
Air Column Monitor almost 12 years ago by liz 10 4,553 1
Roomba indoor air quality mapping over 13 years ago by warren 1 1,403 2


Resources

U.S. EPA Standards and Test Methods

National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS)

Section 109 of the Clean Air Act directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) requisite to protect public health with an adequate margin of safety (primary standard) and for the protection of public welfare (secondary standard). Section 109(d)(1) of the CAA requires EPA to complete a thorough review of the NAAQS at 5-year intervals and promulgate new standards when appropriate.

Complete details of the standards, measurement principles, and data interpreation, can be found in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 50

Summary of the NAAQS Criteria Pollutants

EPANAAQS.gif

EPA Test Methods

EPA approved instruments are designated as either a Federal Reference Method (FRM) or Federal Equivalent Methods (FEM). The complete list of approved instruments for NAAQS evaluating is provided on the EPA Ambient Monitoring Technology Information Center (AMTIC) web site

Real Time Data

EPA and its State and Tribal partners publish near real-time air quality data (typically hourly updates) as well air quality forecasts on the AirNow web site.

The AirNow site also contains, links to Visibility Cameras, which are yet another way to evaluate air pollution.

Examples of clear and hazy days from Boston HazeCam:

boston.jpg

Historical Data

Historical air quality test results are freely available through EPA AirData

EPA & Citizen Science Next Generation of Monitors

EPA has also been involved with Next Generation Air Measuring and is currently offering its Citizen Science Toolbox Resources online:

  • Air Sensor Guidebook;
  • Air Sensor Technology: State of the Science Presentation;
  • Mobile Sensors and Applications for Air Pollutants; and
  • Sensor Evaluation Report.

Other Resources for Air Quality Standards

The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and its National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also offer a wealth of guidance. In particular, the NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods is a collection of procedures for sampling and analysis of contaminants including workplace air.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), based in Atlanta, Georgia, is a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Their Toxicological Profiles, is particularly useful for when a pollutant can be identified by compound or element.

Wikis

All wiki pages relating to air quality:

Title Updated Version Views Likes
Air-polluting gases and monitoring methods almost 3 years ago by fongvania 5 693 1
Urban Environment and Social Inclusion Index about 3 years ago by julia_e_masters 1 144 0
VVAMP about 3 years ago by denissebn_06 34 4,915 6
Air sample lab testing over 3 years ago by bhamster 3 1,293 2
Air Sampling over 3 years ago by liz 26 8,174 3
Bucket Monitor over 3 years ago by a1ahna 94 1,872 4
The Sand Sentinel Program almost 4 years ago by stevie 24 3,839 2
Air Quality about 4 years ago by bhamster 34 8,188 8
Choosing a method for Particulate Matter Monitoring about 4 years ago by bhamster 22 551 0
DustDuino about 4 years ago by bhamster 27 7,475 7
Simple Air Sensor about 4 years ago by a1ahna 47 4,151 7
Odor Logging over 4 years ago by bhamster 33 1,725 3
PurpleAir almost 5 years ago by joyofsoy 16 10,275 2
Optical Monitoring of Particulate Matter almost 5 years ago by stevie 24 6,421 4
Orangetown Aluf about 5 years ago by stevie 5 573 1
CAFO about 5 years ago by stevie 3 590 0
Hydrogen Sulfide over 5 years ago by warren 38 1,636 2
Observable air quality violations related to frac sand mining over 5 years ago by stevie 2 303 0
Roomba Indoor Air Quality Monitoring over 5 years ago by warren 49 1,827 8
Air Quality Class almost 6 years ago by warren 60 722 3
Filters almost 6 years ago by warren 11 695 2
DIY Indoor Air Remediation Kit about 6 years ago by liz 52 4,001 9
PM Tools about 6 years ago by warren 3 269 0
Particle Sensing over 6 years ago by warren 25 3,517 5