PurpleAir Blog | Making Air Quality Accessible For All

India’s growth in recent decades has resulted in an exponential increase in the number of vehicles and industrial factories emitting pollutants into the atmosphere. As a result, the air quality has been worsening, with big cities seeing some of the highest levels of air pollution in the world. Particulate Matter (PM) concentrations have increased over the past decade and have since become a grave health concern for millions in the country.

By looking at some case studies around the world, we can get a better idea of this relationship and whether we need to take caution around our exposure to airborne pollutants, such as Particulate Matter (PM2.5, PM10).

The past two decades of industrial expansion in China have resulted in an exponential increase in air pollution, decreasing the nation’s air quality. Learn how these recent spikes have resulted in health concerns that have subsequently decreased the average life expectancy for residents.

Airwyn is a free app that allows you to monitor your PurpleAir sensor and supports AQI conversion formulas from US EPA, LRAPA, and AQandU. It will also send you alerts whenever the air quality improves or worsens. If you do not own a PurpleAir sensor, don't worry! Airwyn can also track and receive alerts from a close-by PurpleAir or AirNow sensor.

While studies show that air quality in the US is significantly better than it was 50 years ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) is updating its standards of what acceptable air quality is.

With the WHO’s new safety guidelines of no more than 5 µg/m³ of particulate pollution, it seems that the vast majority of Americans (~97%) are at risk of unsafe levels of air pollution.

A quick search on the internet will reveal many different opinions and studies pointing in opposite directions. While controversial, it is good to be informed and read from trusted sources. Here you will find a summary of some studies and their opinion.

Pollution can enter your home in many ways and for various reasons. Wildfire smoke is one of the most recurrent reasons in areas where wildfires are frequent. To prevent you and your family from breathing polluted air, creating a “clean room” is a common practice.

The study states that the increased stress on children’s bodies caused by air pollution can contribute to a host of health problems, such as a higher risk of lung function development, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses[2]. One of the main culprits contributing to these risks is the concentration of Particulate Matter (PM) in our ambient environment.

The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago released an update to the Air Quality Life Index earlier in 2022, bringing us new insights into the air quality around the world.

Recognizing the benefits and challenges of having low-cost sensors widely available, South Coast AQMD is helping to assess the wide range of performance from these sensors through their AQ-SPEC program. Accurate sensors "significantly augment and improve current ambient air monitoring capabilities that now predominantly rely on more sophisticated and expensive fixed-site federal-reference monitoring devices and methods."

The NOAA reports that wildfires have burned over 3.9 million acres from January to June 2022, the second-highest amount on record. July continues the trend, from the blaze across Yosemite National Park in California to others hitting the USA. We review some of the headlines from July that have had the most significant impact on the environment and local air quality.

Since air is fluid, it can flow in and out of our homes, sometimes bringing pollutants with it. Thanks to the PurpleAir indoor and outdoor sensors, you can quickly compare air quality around you to make the best decision for your home or office.