Latest news with #DanWestervelt
CNET
7 days ago
- Health
- CNET
Expert Advice: How to Protect Yourself From Wildfire Smoke
In Arizona, the Dragon Bravo and newly sparked White Sage wildfires have surged across the Grand Canyon's rugged North Rim, consuming over 5,700 acres so far, burning the iconic Grand Canyon Lodge and forcing emergency evacuations. Meanwhile, far to the north in Canada, more than 200 wildfires have scorched millions of acres across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia, prompting evacuation orders for many Canadian communities and even six Republican members of Congress to write a letter to Canada to complain about wildfire smoke. With wildfires devastating both ends of the continent, you may be wondering about smoke. Large wildfires can spread smoke hundreds of miles, affecting the atmosphere for millions of people and triggering air quality warnings. You can visit to instantly check your local air quality and to see what the worst regions in North America are in real time. The site estimates that air quality problems cause more than 7 million deaths each year, emphasizing just how dangerous this air can be. To find out what you can do to protect yourself, we spoke to two experts on the matter, Dan Westervelt and Richard Peltier. Westervelt studies air pollution at the Columbia University Climate School's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and he's served as air pollution advisor to the US State Department. Peltier is a professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Here's what we learned. How dangerous is poor air quality? Smoke rises from distant homes and hills. Getty Images Poor air quality can be hazardous for everyone, but especially people with the following: respiratory issues such as asthma, individuals with lung and heart disease, the elderly and pregnant people. Wood smoke exposure from trees or homes burning is particularly associated with inducing asthma attacks and aggravating heart disease. That makes people more susceptible to respiratory infections and leads to an increase in deaths. "Some people might think that wood smoke should be harmless because it comes from a natural resource, in trees, but this couldn't be further from the truth," Peltier said. "We know that wood smoke contains many toxic chemicals, some of which are known carcinogens, and there is clear evidence in the scientific research world that links wood smoke exposure to really important adverse health outcomes." 5 expert-backed ways to protect yourself from smoke Air purifiers are some of the best tools for fighting indoor particles. John Carlsen/CNET Here are some high-impact steps to take to protect yourself when facing air pollution from wildfires and beyond, according to Westervelt and Peltier. 1. Keep windows and doors closed Remove any way for smoke to creep into the house, where it can linger. Close doors and windows, and check the insulation around their frames to make sure no air is seeping in. 2. Use air filtration and upgrade filters Use any air purifiers you have. If you have an air conditioner, switch its filter to a new one to help clean the air. Peltier also suggested asking your HVAC technician to upgrade your unit's filters to higher MERV ratings at your next system servicing. MERV is an industry standard that describes how well the filters can remove particulates — the best filters have higher MERV ratings, usually 13 and up. Not all HVAC systems will tolerate higher MERV filters, so it's important to get expert advice first. "It's important to note that most window air conditioning units are not terribly useful to filter out these particles," Peltier said. "The filter materials they use have a very low MERV rate and don't do much." SwitchBot's air quality monitor is the cheapest way we've found to watch air quality in your home. SwitchBot 3. Don't use appliances that take in outside air Some appliances, like air conditioners or venting systems, are set to bring in outdoor air as they work. Either turn these appliances off or set them to recirculating modes so they aren't accessing smoky outside air. When the smoke clears, start moving outdoor air inside to freshen things up. 4. Avoid using gas-powered appliances — or vacuums Don't use anything that can worsen the air quality in your home. One of the most common examples are gas-powered appliances, like ovens. I was amazed at how much my air quality plummeted when I used my gas oven in a closed home, and the same can be true of other natural gas or propane appliances. Also, avoid vacuuming for now. Vacuums stir a lot of dust into the air, worsening air quality and making it hard for filters to do their job. Vacuum once the smoke has cleared. 5. Limit time outdoors and wear a mask Limiting outdoor time is crucial when air quality is poor, but if you must leave your home, Westervelt suggests wearing a face mask and avoiding strenuous activity that induces heavy breathing, like jogging or running. Both Peltier and Westervelt also recommend that each person in your household wear an N95 or KN95 mask, though a well-fitting surgical mask can also help block the majority of particulate matter. Air purifiers can help — if you get the right one Levoit's air purifier shows a constant reading of nearby air quality. Though air purifiers became more mainstream during the COVID-19 era, experts are divided on how effective they are. Manufacturers in the US aren't allowed to market air purifiers as health products, though CNET's hands-on testing has shown some to effectively filter particulate matter from the air, especially if they use a HEPA filter. "For indoor air quality, many air purifiers work well, especially the ones that use high-efficiency particulate filters," Westervelt said. We have a guide on choosing an air purifier specifically to deal with wildfire smoke like what we're seeing right now across North America. CNET's personal favorite is the affordable but effective Levoit Air Purifier ($100), which includes HEPA filtering and a constant monitoring of particles in the air so you can check air quality at a glance. An air purifier can make a real difference, especially if anyone in your family has allergies. Screenshot by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper/CNET Westervelt recommends avoiding air purifiers that generate ozone, which will be identified as electrostatic and ionizing air purifiers. The US Environmental Protection Agency also warns about the risk of ozone-generating purifiers, since ozone molecules can lead to harmful health consequences such as damage to the lungs. Peltier said air purifiers can be an effective method for cleaning air, but there are two important aspects to remember: They must be the right size for the space you're trying to keep clean, and these spaces have to remain closed to the outdoors. He recommends using them only in the places where you spend most of your time and shifting the machine from room to room. For example, moving it to your bedroom at night or into the living room during the day. Which air purifier should you get? Which air purifier should you get? Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 7:00 Loaded : 1.41% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 7:00 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Which air purifier should you get? Stay informed and be prepared Stay alert and updated to prepare for smoke dangers. Bloomberg Creative via Getty Images Westervelt also mentioned that air quality forecasts can give you an accurate read on the air quality index for a given region. He recommends as a real-time source for finding air quality data for your city, state or ZIP code. Peltier said to hope for the best but be prepared for the worst, considering the health risks associated with ongoing smoke exposure. "We take about 20,000 breaths per day, and this happens whether the air is polluted or clean," Peltier said. "When we take a breath, we inhale air, but also the contents suspended in that air, including pollutants, and we draw this into the deepest parts of our lungs. This delivers a wide range of different chemicals into our bodies that cause many adverse health effects." For more tips to stay safe, read about how air purifiers can protect you from poor air quality and what to keep in mind when shopping for the best air purifier. You should also make sure your air purifier is in the right place and is clean to ensure it's working properly.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
QuantAQ Launches MODULAIR-UFP: Ultrafine Particle Monitoring for Outdoor Applications
The outdoor-ready ultrafine particle monitor offers real-time data, meteorological insights, and long-term deployment capability CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- QuantAQ, a leader in air quality sensing, today announced the launch of the MODULAIR-UFP, a new sensor built to measure ultrafine particles (UFPs) in outdoor environments, enabling researchers, regulators, and communities to access new data for air quality monitoring. Designed to operate outside the lab and in long-term installations, the MODULAIR-UFP measures total particle number concentrations from 0 to 100,000 particles per cubic centimeter (p/cm³) with little to no maintenance for extended periods of time. 'Until now, ultrafine particle monitoring has been highly constrained and difficult for long-term outdoor uses,' said David Hagan, CEO and Co-founder of QuantAQ. 'The MODULAIR-UFP brings these critical measurements into the field with precision, reliability, and ease.' Each MODULAIR-UFP is equipped with a Gill® Weather Station, adding detailed meteorological measurements—including wind speed, wind direction, temperature, and humidity—to help contextualize pollution sources. This pairing provides a new level of resolution for understanding local air quality dynamics, particularly in complex urban and industrial environments. 'With its compactness and portability, the MODULAIR-UFP opens up exciting new research possibilities,' said Dr. Dan Westervelt, Associate Research Professor at Columbia Climate School's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and QuantAQ customer. 'We are particularly looking forward to understanding emissions of ultrafine particles near a major New York City highway as a function of vehicle type, fuel quality, driving conditions, and vehicle age.' Unlike other UFP solutions on the market, the MODULAIR-UFP uses a water-based, pulsed condensation particle counter (CPC). The sensor is compact, easy to install, and designed for low power consumption. To minimize downtime, the device proactively alerts users when the internal water reservoir is low, allowing maintenance teams to refill while minimizing interruptions to data collection. The MODULAIR-UFP also connects to the QuantAQ Cloud™ platform, enabling remote, real-time access to high-resolution data across single or multiple sites. Whether for researchers studying near-roadway exposure, city agencies tracking pollution hotspots, or community groups advocating for cleaner air, the MODULAIR-UFP empowers users to monitor UFP levels with flexibility and control. To learn more, visit About QuantAQSpun out of MIT in 2019, QuantAQ fuses data science, machine learning, atmospheric chemistry, physics, and IoT technology using a multi-disciplinary approach into a single platform to deliver accurate and reliable air quality measurements. The company has launched two market-leading air quality monitors, now used in more than thirty countries across all seven continents. QuantAQ continues to innovate by developing new products to make it easier than ever for customers to measure pollutants when and where they need to. Learn more at Media Contact:pr@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
