New Fine Particle Monitor Helps Citizens with Respiratory & Cardio Sensitivities

Release Date: Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

Ana Arias, Public Relations Coordinator
Natural Resources Department

970-221-6264

Thanks to a recent installation of an air quality monitor in Fort Collins, citizens now have access to real-time data on fine particulate matter concentrations. Prior to this installation, citizens only had access to fine particle concentrations three to six months after the fact. The Fort Collins monitor was installed at the direction of City Council from the 2008-2009 budget.

Daily pollution level forecasts will enable citizens with respiratory and cardio sensitivities, seniors and families with young children to take proactive steps to manage their health. Healthy individuals with active lifestyles will also benefit by being able to plan their activities according to daily pollution level forecasts.

Particulate pollution is a combination of microscopic solids and liquid droplets suspended in the air. Particulate matter is found in smoke, haze, and airborne dust. It can include diesel smoke and other combustion products, soil, organic chemicals, acids, metals, pollen fragments and mold spores. Fine particles measuring 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less are of particular concern because they can lodge deep in the lungs and enter the bloodstream. Prolonged exposure to such particles can affect lungs and heart.

Many studies link asthma with fine particles. In 2007 nearly 45% of Fort Collins citizens report that air pollution affects their health negatively by triggering allergies and/or respiratory problems.

If you would like to see current hourly data from the Fort Collins particulate monitor, you can do so on the Web at http://www.airnow.gov. If you’re interested in receiving notification of tomorrow’s air quality forecast, you can sign up for http://www.enviroflash.info. This public notification service would send you an email or text message about air quality forecasts at health levels you select.

By subscribing to EnviroFlash, you can make choices to reduce exposure and emissions. The service reports data based on the Air Quality Index (AQI). AQI is a color-coded tool (green to maroon) for reporting daily air quality that summarizes how clean or polluted the air is and the associated health effects that may be of concern to you.

For example, green days are healthy days with good air quality; yellow days are moderately healthy days with acceptable air quality. Fort Collins has never exceeded days above the yellow (moderate) category for fine particles in the 2.5 micrometer range. Other major pollutants measured by the AQI besides fine particles are ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

For more information on particulate matter, visit fcgov.com/airquality. Then click on “Particulate Matter” on the right-hand menu.

Installation and operation of the fine particle monitor have been the result of a partnership with state and local health departments.