The air in this space is being monitored for viral loads, harmful pathogens, irritating particulate matter, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), as well as CO2, temperature, and humidity levels, which all impact overall health and wellness.
Explore real-time air quality information around the world.
Understanding what is in the air we breathe is important given the ever-increasing amounts of harmful viral loads and irritating particulate matter that is being found within our environments. Air in a Monitored Air Zone is constantly evaluated for the presence of pathogens and viral loads including COVID, SARS, Pertussis, and Influenza. In addition, the air is also monitored for irritating particulate matter such as soot, smoke, dust, and pollen, which all act as carriers of pathogens. Volatile Organic Compounds, (VOC’s), CO2, temperature, and humidity are all monitored in real-time to provide a comprehensive overview of air quality in this space.
You may notice public dashboards on TVs or QR Codes that provide access to real-time information on the air quality in this space. Here is an overview of the most important air quality metrics and how they might impact your health and well being.
The Air Quality Index was developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a means of measuring how polluted the air is. Think of AQI as a yardstick that runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and therefore the greater the health concern. For example, an AQI value of 50 or below represents excellent air quality, while an AQI value over 300 represents hazardous air quality. This index considers all major pollutants, pathogens and risks in the air that directly affect overall health and wellness.
Air within a Monitored Air Zone is being measured for the smallest Particulate Matter (PM) that range in size from 0.1 – 2.5 microns in diameter. This size range of particles includes dangerous viral molecules like COVID-19, Influenza, SARS, Pertussis, and other bacteria that cause airborne transmission of disease.
Larger Particulate Matter in the size range from 2.6-10 microns are also tracked. This size range of PM includes particulates like dust, soot, and pollen that act as carriers to viruses and bacteria that may exist in the air. They tend to aggravate respiratory conditions and allergic reactions. The larger the concentration of these particles in the air, the greater the risk of airborne pathogens lingering for longer periods and spreading to occupants.
TVOCs are organic and inorganic chemicals that have high vapor pressure at ordinary room temperature. They are the naturally existing vapors and smells from cleaning solutions, new furniture, food odors, coffee odors, etc. The smaller PM, including viruses and biological pathogens, attach to TVOCs in order to live longer and to travel through the air more easily. TVOCs are measured in parts per billion (ppb) which refers to the number of particles that are VOCs out of every billion air particles. The lower the TVOCs in the air, the lower the volume of pathogen carriers, and therefore the lower the spread of pathogens in that air space.
These variables within an environment have the ability to either make it easier or more difficult for pathogens to linger and travel in the air. Germs and bacteria are more likely to fester in your air at certain humidity, temperature, and CO2 levels. TVOCs also stay in the air longer based on the concentration of CO2 and at unique combinations of humidity and temperatures in the room. The Air Quality Index measures all these variables to ensure that the temperature, humidity, and CO2 are at levels that prevent airborne risk of harmful pathogens that directly affect overall health and wellness.
We understand now more than ever, that breathing air that is as clean and pure as possible is important. For your air safety we monitor the air for harmful pathogens and other irritating particulate matter. In addition we monitor for Viral Organic Compounds (VOCs), which act as the carriers to pathogens, CO2, temperature and humidity levels.
