Environmental air quality testing and personal protective equipment become essential for everyone during a record-breaking wildfire season

Raging wildfires in Canada have caused large clouds of smoke to cover the east coast of the United States, resulting in dangerous air quality levels along with numerous health and safety concerns.

Air quality testing is especially important during times like these because it determines the potentially harmful particulates in the air which can cause respiratory illnesses, sensitivities, and other allergy symptoms.  Ensuring air is safe and when precautions like masks are required to make it safe enough to commute, work, and live in is an essential responsibility of governing bodies.

2023 wildfires across Canada and the US prompt action

Today, New York City’s air quality is officially the worst in the world, hitting over 400 on the air quality index scale, according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company. With air quality this low, the best course of action is to stay indoors and ensure windows and doors are kept shut to minimize the amount of smoke, ash, and particulate entering your home environment. However, for many the ideal of staying indoors during poor air quality is not feasible. If this is the case, you should check the air quality in your surrounding areas before leaving your home. By utilizing a real-time air quality index map, you can gauge the potential health consequences that may pose a risk to you during your daily activities, and what protective measures you may need to take. Even if you’re staying indoors, there are precautions you can take to improve the air quality inside your home. For example, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, portable air cleaners (air purifiers) equipped with HEPA filters have the potential to significantly decrease indoor particle concentrations by up to 85 percent.

Currently, cities along the east coast of the US are announcing air quality alerts and warnings. It is crucial for those  with preexisting conditions to take extra precautions.

Wearing a mask, like the N95 masks utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic, offers excellent self-protection. N95 masks are efficient in filtering out airborne particles larger than 0.3 microns. This makes them highly effective in safeguarding your respiratory system against wildfire smoke that contains 2.5-micron particles. Once the smoke is gone and the air quality improves, it is beneficial to open doors and windows to bring in fresh air. Also, any air filters used during that time should be replaced with clean new ones. 

Wildfires have become an increasingly prevalent problem globally in recent years. Knowing how to best protect yourself during wildfire season and keep your air as high quality as possible is essential to the maintenance of good overall health.

Contract laboratories can fulfill your air quality and PPE testing needs

Contract Laboratory has received and facilitated multiple requests for air quality testing:

• Air quality analysis laboratory needed for NIOSH testing for nicotine.
• Industrial Hygiene Laboratory Air Quality measurement for plants in Asia.
• Environmental Particle Pollution PM2.5 laboratory for air quality testing.
• Australia Microbiology Laboratory for Compressed air quality testing for microbes: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae. Samples were taken using a Parker CAMTU unit and captured on an Agar plate.
• Europe environmental laboratory for outdoor air quality testing to measure all (the toxic and non-toxic) congeners of PCDD and PCDFs in a lichen matrix (similar to plants and fungi). Number of samples: around 40.
• NY construction laboratory is needed for air quality testing, mechanical systems testing, plumbing testing, life safety systems testing, building interconnect testing, and structural connections testing.
• Maryland environmental laboratory for air quality testing on indoor swimming pools.
• India Microbiology Laboratory needed for microbial filtration efficacy testing of H1N1 Influenza Virus in Air Purification System for Home & Hospital use to test efficiency in killing Influenza Virus, bacteria, etc. with Air Quality Test.

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