TagAir Quality Monitors(109)

A 2023 Washington State legislative funding request of $412,000 seeks to establish two ultrafine particle air quality monitors near Sea-Tac Airport and the I-5/I-90 interchange in Seattle, operated by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. The project aims to measure tiny airborne particles — particularly those produced by aircraft and vehicle traffic — that are not currently tracked routinely in Washington State. The University of Washington would analyze the collected data to identify pollution sources and establish health-impact baselines, with monitoring expected to begin in spring 2024.

A University of Washington thesis by Mariah Dittmore investigates whether short-term exposure to ultrafine particles from aircraft engines causes measurable cardiorespiratory harm at concentrations found in surrounding communities, and whether personal protective equipment can reduce that harm. The research builds on a 2018 Los Angeles study that linked walking near aircraft pollution to elevated blood inflammation markers, while noting that roadway traffic posed its own distinct respiratory risks. The findings are relevant to policy discussions around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the health of workers and residents exposed to aircraft emissions.

This document contains airfield mapping and flight-track data related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), showing Port of Seattle lease boundaries, zone match lines, and recorded aircraft flight paths in the surrounding region. It includes a radar playback capture from August 14, 2019, depicting a FedEx 397 missed approach and an Alaska 807 departure with a non-standard turn at approximately 2,130 feet MSL. The materials appear to be part of an airport noise or operations review archive documenting aircraft movement patterns around Sea-Tac.

Researchers conducted a year-long mobile air quality monitoring campaign across the greater Seattle area, measuring traffic-related pollutants including ultrafine particles, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter, and carbon dioxide at 309 locations. The study developed predictive models of annual average pollution levels to support health research on how traffic emissions affect Seattle residents, particularly the elderly. The findings showed strong spatial variation in pollution levels linked to traffic and land use patterns across the region.

This report chapter examines measurements of ultrafine particles (UFPs) — very tiny airborne particles smaller than 0.1 micrometers — and their potential health effects, including risks to neurological, respiratory, and cardiovascular health. UFPs make up roughly 90% of all airborne particles and are primarily produced by fuel combustion sources such as diesel engines, gasoline engines, and jet engines. People living near heavily trafficked roads, airports, refineries, and railyards may face elevated exposure to these particles.

The University of Washington's Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences is developing two mobile air quality monitoring platforms to identify pollutant mixtures in Washington communities affected by sources such as non-roadway transportation, industrial emissions, and burn events. The $925,000 project will equip hybrid SUV vehicles with instruments measuring ultrafine particles, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other pollutants, enabling flexible and simultaneous monitoring at multiple locations. The project will also produce standardized sampling protocols and community engagement strategies to support long-term air quality trend analysis.