Grantee Research Project Results
2018 Progress Report: Shared Air/Shared Action (SA2): Community Empowerment through Low-costAir Pollution Monitoring
EPA Grant Number: R836182Title: Shared Air/Shared Action (SA2): Community Empowerment through Low-costAir Pollution Monitoring
Investigators: Griswold, Wendy , Erickson, Larry E. , Urbaszewski, Brian , Johnson, Cheryl , Menke, Donna , Merritt, Gail , Wasserman, Kim , Renas, Margaret , Salazar, Peggy , Maghirang, Ronaldo , Erdal, Serap
Current Investigators: Griswold, Wendy , Erickson, Larry E. , Maghirang, Ronaldo , Erdal, Serap , Johnson, Cheryl , Merritt, Gail , Renas, Margaret , Salazar, Peggy , Wasserman, Kim , Urbaszewski, Brian
Institution: Kansas State University , University of Memphis , Alliance for a Greener South Loop , Southeast Environmental Task Force , Little Village Environmental Justice Organization , People for Community Recovery , Respiratory Health Association , University of Illinois at Chicago , Delta Institute
Current Institution: Kansas State University , University of Illinois at Chicago , University of Memphis , Alliance for a Greener South Loop , Delta Institute , Little Village Environmental Justice Organization , People for Community Recovery , Respiratory Health Association , Southeast Environmental Task Force
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: May 1, 2016 through April 30, 2019 (Extended to April 30, 2020)
Project Period Covered by this Report: May 1, 2018 through April 30,2019
Project Amount: $750,000
RFA: Air Pollution Monitoring for Communities (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Environmental Justice , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air
Objective:
1) Investigate that community-led research results in improved understanding of the pollution concentrations and the development of sustainable community-specific strategies to effectively monitor pollutants, analyze and communicate results, 2) Investigate cross-community coalition building, 3) Investigate the ability of the coalition to leverage resources to create future coordinated action plans to reduce exposure and mitigate health risks, and 4) Evaluate and document the collaborative community-based research process utilized.
Progress Summary:
The project period encompassed Phase 3 of the project, which was focused on analysis, specifically the analysis of air monitoring data, producing a guidebook for community air monitoring, completion of co-location study, and sharing information on the project as part of a chemical engineering graduate seminar offered by K-State.
Data Analysis - The Partner Coalition Board (PCB) contracted with STI to produce four reports (one for each community partner) which was comprised of the data collected by each community. Stationary monitors for PM2.5 detected between 1-8 days in which air quality was unhealthy for sensitive groups, with each community having at least one day with this designation. Handheld monitors (Air Beam) for PM2.5 detected 8 areas with elevated concentrations, with two communities capturing relatively high concentrations. Some areas with elevated concentrations were in areas with high percentages of children or elderly residents.
Guidebook - The PCB compiled the lessons learned from the SA/SA project into a guidebook for communities interested in managing their own air quality monitoring projects. The guidebook development and writing was led by Delta Institute, who worked with community and technical partners to capture a synthesis of the knowledge created during the project. If funding allows, the guidebook will be translated into Spanish.
Co-location Study - in-depth data analysis from a fall 2017 co-location study is ongoing. Preliminary results indicate that PM and gaseous pollutant low-cost sensors selected were reliable. PM low-cost sensors had low intra-sampler variability. Gaseous pollutant sensors had low-to-moderate intra-sampler variability. The low-cost sensor data moderately correlated with USEPA's FRM/FEM data (an exception is for PurpleAir vs. FRM measuring PM10 or PM2.5, which had low correlations). Ozone data were relatively highly correlated with the USEPA FRM data under low ozone environment.
CHE 750 Air Quality Seminar - K-State offered an intersession course focused on community air monitoring using low-cost sensors. The course focused on community air monitoring efforts in Chicago, Kansas City, and Memphis. The program included discussions of both technical and community issues with respect to air monitoring. The program is archived at https://k-state.instructure.com/courses/75223 and available for public viewing.
Future Activities:
Activity for the final year of the project includes community partners sharing air monitoring results with their communities, finalizing the community guidebook, continued data analysis, monitoring partner efforts at independent monitoring programs, preparation of manuscripts and conference presentations.
Journal Articles on this Report : 2 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other project views: | All 30 publications | 3 publications in selected types | All 3 journal articles |
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Type | Citation | ||
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Erickson LE. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality: two global challenges. Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy 2017;36(4):982-988. |
R836182 (2016) R836182 (2017) R836182 (2018) R836182 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
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Erickson LE, Griswold W, Maghirang RG, Urbaszewski BP. Air quality, health and community action. Journal of Environmental Protection 2017;8(10):1057-1074. |
R836182 (2017) R836182 (2018) R836182 (Final) |
Exit Exit Exit |
Supplemental Keywords:
adult education, air, capacity building, environmental justice, exposure, health effects, Midwest, monitoring, surveys, transformative learningRelevant Websites:
Shared Air/Shared Action (SA2): Community Empowerment through Low-Cost Air Pollution Monitoring Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe 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.