Particulate Matter

This legislation allocates approximately $2 million in funds through IRA 60105 (c) Grant Program specifically for the deployment, integration, and operation of air quality sensors in communities identified as low-income or disadvantaged, highlighting a commitment to environmental justice and the mitigation of pollution's unequal health impacts.

Recently, the Greater London Authority and Imperial College London released the 2021–2022 Breathe London Network Air Quality Monitoring Report, highlighting key statistics on nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations and showcasing the impressive performance of these air quality sensors in comparison to reference monitors.

The summer season can impact air quality due to its high temperatures and weather patterns, which can not only increase the concentration of harmful air pollutants such as ground-level ozone but also degrade air quality and threaten human health through air stagnation, heat waves, drought, and an increased risk of wildfire.

Poor air quality has been linked to a variety of detrimental economic impacts, especially related to healthcare expenditures, lost workdays, ecosystem damage, and decreased tourism. However, research also shows that the economic gain associated with improving the air outweigh these costs by a factor of 30, presenting clear support of air pollution mitigation action.

Mining and industrial operations are major sources of air pollution, making it highly important to monitor air quality to protect employees and surrounding communities from exposure.

While air quality can often be poor in urban areas, various innovative approaches have been developed to improve air quality in conjunction with air quality monitoring networks.

While air pollution has well-recognized effects on the lungs and cardiovascular system, it also significantly impacts the brain, adversely affecting cognitive and mental health.

Many air pollutants — beyond just CO2 — also have an impact on climate change and atmospheric warming, opening the door for further climate change mitigation opportunities.

Low-cost sensors can be used in a wide range of different air quality monitoring projects, either alone or in conjunction with reference-grade air quality monitors.

As we delve into air pollution's myriad of negative health effects, we explore the way that poor air quality impacts the human body from head to toe.