Background
The quality of the air we breathe has been an ongoing concern for hundreds, even thousands, of years now and it will only continue to be talked about for years to come. This is an extremely important conversation to have as almost the entire world’s population (92%) does not experience pure air quality and it has been rather difficult to combat it (DuPont 2018). With my research, I am hoping to uncover whether the air we are breathing here in Bloomington is truly pure or if it should be of any concern to us. By conducting research on a common commuting area here on campus, as seen in the photo below, I will be able to illustrate how we are being directly affected during our daily routines if we are being affected at all. My research hypothesis is that ambient air quality within Dunn Woods will have less particulate matter then it does as I move into more heavily populated areas. By definition, ambient air quality is the quality of outdoor air and the concentration of pollutants within it (Adhav et al.). While researching our air, I hope to be able to unveil if our health is at risk and how the quality of our air is actively affecting us during our everyday lives. As air quality and pollution affects nearly every aspect of life whether it is our health, animals, and plants, it is important to know if any sliver of our lives is being negatively impacted in this way.
When recording air quality, there is an Air Quality Index (AQI) with a range between 0-300+ that shows us the level of air pollution at a given time. Normally, the AQI should read between 0-50, meaning that the pollution levels are satisfactory. 51-100 means the quality is moderate, so on and so forth. Any number above 300 means the air you are breathing is hazardous and can cause serious harm to a person’s health (WAQI Project). While air quality does vary from day to day, nearly the entire world experiences poor air to some degree. At the same time, the world’s air quality is not something that is being actively worked on. Despite poor air quality playing a part in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and various other health-related cases, people are still unaware of its presence and do not actively try to fix it (Mirabelli 2020).
Most people do not often realize that not all of the air we breathe is pure, especially in varying locations. With that being said, it is known that there are increased numbers of chemicals in our air in industrial areas and in cities where there are larger quantities of cars, buildings, and people. Industrial areas in particular have been the center of attention over many years in regard to air quality. Specifically, the Industrial Revolution sparked concerns about what the air quality is doing to the human body and the population’s health (Fowler). During this time period, the population was subject to an increased amount of various chemicals that they were breathing in. For example, sulfur dioxide was just one of the chemicals to increase in numbers and in high amounts, is harmful to those who inhale it. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), after being exposed to only 10 ppm of this chemical, it can cause one’s nose to run, choking, and irritation of the eyes or nose. On the other hand, in higher amounts, it is lethal to humans (NCBI 2021). Not only does sulfur dioxide result in even these short-term effects, but according to the Center for Science Education, exposure to any air pollution in general can result in short- and long-term symptoms (SCIED 2018).
Looking at a more generalized aspect, and as I mentioned before, air quality affects a person’s health and can result in many common health related issues. Various demographics are at risk, children, the elderly, and even minority or low-income communities are most at risk for adverse health consequences (EDF 2021). Not to mention, asthma and other respiratory diseases are often affected by the particles in the air. Along with asthma, particles have recently been found to be linked to diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and many more serious health concerns. It is thought that our air affects those with asthma, or those who are predisposed to it more significantly. According to Michael Guarnieri and John R. Balmes, it is thought that one’s airway epithelium and neuroreceptors are irritated and inflamed by some air pollutants (2015). On the other hand, gases found in the air have also been linked to increases mortalities and “preterm birth, reproductive health, and cognitive decline (Orru 2017)”.
In those with asthma or those who are at risk for it, ozone, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide from the air all effect these individuals. As sulfur dioxide was mentioned previously, it can cause asthmatic patients with “prominent bronchoconstriction” and can be extremely harmful (Guarnieri and Balmes 2014). It has been clear that the air we breathe may actually be harming us more than we think, with how many health-related issues arise from it. According to the same journal, there have been projections on how our climate is changing will continue to affect our health. The results of this show that mortalities related to air quality will peak during the years 2030 and 2050, which is not as long of a time as we may feel that it is (2017).
According to Orru, there are other reasons besides industrialization in which we are seeing a decline in pure air. One reason being, that we are experiencing climate change. The authors claim that while our climate has been changing over the years, with every year our Earth’s temperature increases by one degree Fahrenheit, we also experience a 1.2 ppb of ozone concentrations increase as well (Orru 2017). Over these last few years, we have seen a significant increase in size and numbers of natural disasters that have wreaked havoc within our environment. One prime example is the severe wildfires we have seen more recently that have burned some forests to a crisp. Climate change affects such natural disasters because of its ability to increase the length in which we experience the wildfire season and also the humidity. Experiencing such an increase in wildfires, and long-lasting ones, expel more chemicals into our air and damper the air’s quality. Climate change can also increase the presence of dust storms, which also can play a whole in reducing air quality (Orru 2017). While wildfires seem to be more common, their effects are harmful to those who are not even in proximity to them. Wildfires have the ability to send its smoke across the country, which results in chemicals and gases being spread far and wide. Although, these chemicals do affect those closer to said wildfires more prominently then perhaps here in Indiana, but the presence of gases are still present (Jaffe 2020). When these gases are present during or after such events, we experience a decrease in quality of air.
Air quality remains one of the greatest threats to Earth and to humans. The status of our air quality changes with every passing day. At the same time, it varies around the world and even within each state. Not only this, but even different counties throughout the state of Indiana experience varying air quality. There are many reasons that explain why air quality changes so frequently. For one, air pollution may be influenced with the help of busy roads or industries being present that let off chemicals into the air. Air quality also varies based on changes in weather events or an increased demand for energy (Riebeek 2009). The Air Quality Index scale is a vital tool when measuring air quality, as it shows in real-time what the air pollution levels are in your town, with a range of 0-300. When looking at the Air Quality Index, any number above 50 shows a decrease in the quality of air and higher number of pollutants.
Some of the main chemicals that are often recorded are: particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). PM2.5 and PM10 are the two most abundant air pollutants that cause us great harm, as they are tiny, inhaled particles that are 2.5 and 10 micrometers or less in diameter. These two pollutants also often have different sources for emission. Particulate matter 2.5 is typically derived from the use of gasoline, oil, and wood. On the other hand, Particulate matter 10 can form from dust in the air. Dust can be emitted via construction sites wildfires, or even pollen. It is also important to note that both kinds of particulate matter are not one kind of chemical or pollutant. They are a mixture of various chemicals, while also ranging in different sizes of particles (CA.gov).
In general, the sources of pollutants may vary in the way they are emitted into the air, the main two are either from natural sources or they are man-made. It is important to note that natural pollutants are equally as harmful as man-made pollutants. These can arise from events such as volcanic eruptions, fires, and other natural events. On the other hand, man-made pollutants are emitted from things such as industrial production and emissions from vehicles. These pollutants have been increasing as our Earth’s population has increased due to an influx in demand for some of these fuels (Bai, Lu et. al 2018). Specifically, particulate matter is composed of various chemicals that can be emitted into the air from construction sites, unpaved roads, or fires (EPA 2021).
Methods
As mentioned before, air quality and pollution changes with every passing day and there are countless amounts of harmful pollutants circulating in the air. With that being said, that is the main reason I have shaped my study the way that I have. Although, I did uncover a study with a similar design as mine. The study’s main objective was to compare ambient air quality near a highway to the neighborhood that sits behind it. Their goal was to see if living near an area with heavy traffic is harmful to those residents’ health and if they experience high levels of pollution because of it. Similar to my study, they formed theirs in the format of a gradient, to see how it changes as you move towards those residential areas from the highway. Although, one major difference between our studies is that they conducted their study over the course of one year and I conducted mine over the course of five days (Patton et al. 2015). It was hard to discover multiple similar studies to the one that I am doing, so my study is being influenced solely by the real-time Air Quality Index as well as the study done by Patton et al.
Although the Air Quality Index tracker and Patton et al.’s study takes many different pollutants into account, we will only be focusing on the two most abundant particulate matter pollutants: PM2.5 and PM10. Over the course of five consecutive days, I will be measuring the air pollution in my designated location and walking paths with the use of a Temtop air quality monitor. The area of focus for my research is Dunn Woods, located in the heart of Indiana University and as seen in the picture below. I chose this destination as it is one of the most ecologically diverse locations on this campus, with many busy walking paths and roads just on the outskirts of it. While the paths within Dunn Woods contain very minimal human activity occurring within them, the campus outside of it is typically immersed with human activity.
Due to the outskirts of Dunn Woods containing much of the human activity on campus, I was curious to see whether the air quality changes as you move into these busier areas. Not only to see if it changes in that aspect, but also to see how it changes throughout the week. The air pollution will be recorded with the use of an air quality monitor, which measures the particulate matter of PM2.5 and PM10. The beginning of each test will start in the center-most point of Dunn Woods and move out of the wooded area towards various locations. With each test, the air quality will be measured at the center which is depicted in the map where each of the colored paths meet. Once that point is recorded, I will then measure the air quality every twenty feet until I’ve reached the end of the path. This way, I will be able to determine whether air pollution changes as we move outside of the heavily wooded area into more populated areas.
I will be recording four paths that are in opposite directions of one another. One path will take me from the center of Dunn Woods to the Sample Gates and then onto Indiana Avenue. This area is often busy with students commuting, as well as many people driving through on Indiana Avenue. My second path will be walking out of Dunn Woods and onto Third Street, which is consistently one of the busiest streets on this campus. My third path will be to walk out of Dunn Woods and into Dunn Meadows, another busy walking area for students which is also ecologically diverse. I chose this as one of my paths to see how it compares to the heavily wooded area. Lastly, the fourth path will be to walk out of Dunn Woods into the middle of campus near the Chemistry Building and the Student Union. The map below depicts the paths in which I will be utilizing for the study.
As mentioned, the air quality will be recorded with the use of a Temtop air quality monitor that measures PM2.5 and PM10. I will record approximately 24 trials for each path and then at the end of the five days, I will take the average values for each pollutant and their respective paths. By looking at the levels of the pollutants in the air that we breathe here on campus, I will be able to further analyze whether or not we are being mindlessly predisposed to harmful health effects. Such health effects vary from short and long-term. Short-term effects may include temporary symptoms such as irritation to the skin and nose or mouth. Not to mention, people are also likely to experience headaches and dizziness. More severe short-term effects include bronchitis and pneumonia. On the other hand, people may also be exposed to long-term health consequences. These may range from respiratory diseases, cancer, and even heart disease (Rutledge, Kim et al. 2012). With my study, I am hoping to uncover that we are breathing in pure air with low levels of PM2.5 and that such health effects are not of concern.
Results
The results of this study did satisfy my hypothesis in the sense of, those of us here on Indiana University’s campus is breathing in pure air. Although, The gradient I anticipated seeing in my results did not pan out. Below we can see the averages from each of the paths over the course of the five-day test. While it was rather difficult getting a steady reading with the use of my Temtop device, I did the best with what I had. During each day and each reading, the measurements on the screen continued to fluctuate every few seconds. Once the numbers leveled out, that is when I recorded the value. Below we can see the averages for the air quality readings of PM2.5 and PM10.
By looking at the data I have collected and looking at the average of the five days, we can see that there was not a steady gradual increase in either particulate matter as we moved out of the wooded areas and into the more heavily populated areas. Rather, we can see that although it was rather rocky throughout, we mostly did end with higher values of both pollutants at the ending points. On average, the path to Indiana Avenue held the highest values of both particulate matters. With the path to Third Street having the second highest, then the middle of campus, and then the path to Dunn Meadow had the lowest amount of pollution. During the trek to Third Street each day, I sat at the end point for a few minutes each time just to observe the air quality for personal curiosities. Something interesting that I had noticed was that every time an Indiana University bus or large truck would drive past me, I noticed an immediate spike in both PM2.5 and PM10. Once this spike would occur and the bus or truck would continue to drift away from me, the number of pollutants would slowly decrease.
Discussion
So now the question is, are we facing any health-related consequences from the air we are breathing in? In short, no we are not (thankfully). When it came to particulate matter 2.5, the values ranged anywhere from 4.4 ug/m3 to 8.9 ug/m3. On the other hand, the values for particulate matter 10 ranged between 6.2 ug/m3 and 12.3 ug/m3. For reference, the normal daily range for PM2.5 should be 0.0-15.0 ug/m3 and PM10 should be 0.0-45.0 ug/m3 for healthy, clear air (WHO, 2021). Neither of the two pollutants rose near their limits and stayed on the lower end of the range. If these levels were to exceed their ranges, that is when we would start to be concerned about serious health consequences.
Despite our air quality not causing serious concern for our health, it does not mean that we should not be taking precautions to limit our exposure to pollution to preserve our health. The first step to taking any kind of precaution is to be aware of the current air quality status, such as by looking up the real-time trackers online. Another thing that can be beneficial is avoiding areas with high volumes of motor vehicles due to the vehicles’ exhaust increasing pollution levels. On college campuses, this can include bus stops or even just busier roads. For example, this can be areas like Third Street where there are a lot of motor vehicles and a lot of bus stops. Another tip is to also keep the area in which you are studying free of unwanted pollution. According to IQAir, a study was conducted in 2012 that showed any kind of changes in PM2.5 was associated with lower test scores (IQAir). They also recommend that you can even buy an air purifier to use in indoor study areas to ensure you are breathing in pure air. It is also important for everyone, not just college students, to stay up to date on your allergies and asthma if you experience that. Asthma is one of the health consequences that can be affected from exposure to air pollution and making sure you are aware of what may trigger it is important (IQAir).
One last recommendation that can be made is to really utilize the walking community that we live in and try not to use motor vehicles when possible. While vehicles are not the only source of pollution, it is still a large contributor to it. According to the World Health Organization, fossil fuel combustion is a major contributor to air pollution (WHO, 2021). Doing something as small as this could help make a change to this inevitable issue. All in all, it is important that we take preventative actions to ensure that our health is in order. Despite the fact that our air is technically healthy, exposure to any air pollution can still affect our health.
This study had many trials and errors take place throughout and some limitations did arise. Starting out, my original plan was to record the air pollutants every four feet throughout each of the paths, but then I had changed it to twenty feet due to time purposes and the number of trials that this would take. Another limitation I ran into was working the Temtop device. When I first received it, I noticed there was no detailed instruction manual in sight, nor could I locate one on the internet. With that being said, I was unsure whether it needed to be calibrated. Therefore, my method developed into holding the device in relatively the same position during every trial and I held it there for about 10 seconds before recording my measurement. I discovered that the location of the device, or constantly moving it, altered the readings. Therefore, I extended the device as high as I could without moving and this was the position that I landed with. I believe that with the proper knowledge on how to handle this device, I would have ultimately been able to achieve the best possible results for my study.
Conclusion
I spent the course of this semester diving into the topic of air quality, specific pollutants, and what it can do to our health. Not only was this kind of research done, but I also set out into nature to collect my own data. By immersing myself into the research and seeing it for myself, it truly did put what I had previously been learning into perspective. Not only was I able to support my research hypothesis after much trial and error, but I am also now able to relay this information to fellow Bloomington residents. In conclusion, the air that we are breathing here on campus does not pose any health threats. While exposure to air pollution in any form can be harmful to humans, there is no urgent need to be alarmed. Even with that being said, it is still important that we take precautions to ensure we stay healthy as well as do what we can to limit the pollution we may emit into the atmosphere.
Citations
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