Grantee Research Project Results
2022 Progress Report: Filtration for Respiratory Exposure to wildfire Smoke from Swamp Cooler Air (FRESSCA)
EPA Grant Number: R840242Title: Filtration for Respiratory Exposure to wildfire Smoke from Swamp Cooler Air (FRESSCA)
Investigators: Solomon, Gina M , Miller, Shelly , Balmes, John R. , Stephens, Brent , Heidarinejad, Mohammad , English, Paul , Wagner, Jeff , Martinez, Nayamin , Garzon-Galvis, Catalina
Institution: Public Health Institute , Illinois Institute of Technology , California Department of Public Health , University of California - San Francisco , University of Colorado Boulder , Central California Environmental Justice Network
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: September 1, 2021 through August 31, 2024
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2021 through August 31,2022
Project Amount: $994,407
RFA: Interventions and Communication Strategies to Reduce Health Risks of Wildland Fire Smoke Exposures (2021) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Wildfires , Air Quality and Air Toxics
Objective:
This project seeks to reduce wildfire smoke exposures and health risks among agricultural workers and other low-income families by designing and field testing an affordable and effective filtration system for rooftop evaporative (“swamp”) coolers.
Progress Summary:
We identified common types of evaporative coolers (ECs) used in the project study areas; held 4 in-person community meetings; convened a community advisory group and a design advisory group; purchased two of the most common ECs for testing in the lab; designed and tested a promising and affordable filtration solution for these ECs; field tested the EC filters for 3 months against air cleaners and box fan-filters in homes in communities in California’s Central Valley; continuously monitored air quality inside and outside the pilot test homes; tested effects of the filters on pressure, EC flow rates, and electric power-draw; and pilot tested our questionnaires to ensure feasibility in year 2.
Future Activities:
We are analyzing data collected over the past few months of field testing to determine the relative effectiveness of the various air quality solutions. We will be testing another EC in the lab, representing a challenging shape configuration that is common in the community. We will revise our protocol, standard operating procedures, and questionnaires to incorporate learnings from our pilot field testing, and we will begin recruitment of 50 participant homes for field testing of EC filters and other air quality solutions during the summer of 2023.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 3 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Air, indoor air, residential, particulates, PM2.5, PM10, innovative technology, engineering, monitoring, exposure, Environmental Justice, Latino, community-based, farmworker, agriculture, California, CA, Region 9Relevant Websites:
Tracking California FRESSCA 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.