Grantee Research Project Results
AirQAST Portable Automated Air Quality Monitoring
EPA Contract Number: 68HERD19C0019Title: AirQAST Portable Automated Air Quality Monitoring
Investigators: Valentin, Francisco I
Small Business: Creare LLC
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: May 1, 2019 through October 31, 2019
Project Amount: $99,955
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2019) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Air Quality , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR): Phase 1 (2019)
Description:
Assessment of wildland fire smoke exposure is a genuine concern to fire managers, public health officials, air quality regulator, and the public. Exposure to vegetation fire smoke products poses acute and chronic health hazards to first line responders, firefighters, and to communities located downwind of their source. Current instrumentation capable of providing reliable air quality data is expensive and impractical for direct field operation.
In this project, Creare proposes to develop a wearable, low-weight, high accuracy, air-quality measurement tool. Our device integrates multiple sensors to monitor all major fire pollutants. Sampled data is instantly broadcast to mobile devices, empowering fire managers with the capability to monitor real-time exposure levels for individual firefighters. During phase I, we will fabricate a prototype that includes modular electronics and user-friendly software; we will demonstrate its capability in a prescribed burn carries out by our collaborations. During Phase II, we will develop a wearable prototype and acquire firefighter data in prescribes burns at key locations throughout the US.
Progress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.