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Question about pollution monitoring locations

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  1. Moose
    Member

    I thought I had seen this mentioned in another thread, but couldn't find it so apologies for the new post...

    From the recent EEN article...

    "Friends of the Earth also published figures showing areas which had seen a significant increase in pollution since last year. In Currie, NO2 levels rose from 8.05 to 14.65."

    As I understand it, the pollution monitoring station from whence these figures came, is tucked in behind the Currie High School in a location which is just about as far from any main roads as it it possible to get in Currie. The prevailing wind would have to carry about 1 km of housing and fields and then blow round the gym halls to deliver any NO2.

    So it makes me wonder about the actual readings atground zero on the A70.

    Does anyone know if the location of the monitoring station is particularly relevant to my fears. I would assume that the readings would be lower here, and this might well be for valid scientific reasons, dubious political reasons. Or the data might even be adjusted to account for the location?

    Can anyone shed any light?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  2. Frenchy
    Member

    You're right about the location. There's a map here: http://www.scottishairquality.scot/latest/

    I'm pretty sure they place the stations in a variety of locations (some right next to main roads, others in suburban and rural areas etc.) to get a representative data set.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  3. crowriver
    Member

    "So it makes me wonder about the actual readings at ground zero on the A70."

    Blooming dreadful, life-threatening levels perhaps? The only slight reassurance for pedestrians, cyclists etc. is that the folk breathing in most of it are drivers. Their air con intakes are sucking the exhaust fumes from the vehicle in front directly into their cars.....of course that's bad news for drivers but hey - guess who's causing the pollution in the first place?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  4. ARobComp
    Member

    I believe there was a thing at some point last year where commuters were given portable units to wear in rucksacks. Magnatom from Glasgow had one I think.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  5. neddie
    Member

    There is a pollution monitor measuring PM10s and PM2.5s here:

    http://blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk/jgps-travel-committee/pollution-monitor/

    It's indoors at the moment, but (scarily) that doesn't seem to affect the measurements.

    The peaks and troughs seem to go with the weather more than anything else. Large spikes are often seen at night, when the wind & temperature drops and pollution is drawn to the ground by temperature inversion.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  6. Frenchy
    Member

    @neddie - any idea why readings were so low from 4pm to 8pm yesterday?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  7. crowriver
    Member

    "Large spikes are often seen at night"

    Bloody wood burning stoves!

    "any idea why readings were so low from 4pm to 8pm yesterday?"

    Wood burning middle classes had not yet returned in their urban SUVs to fire up their Agas/Rayburns/etc.?

    Posted 4 years ago #

  8. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @neddie

    Indoor air quality is often worse than outdoors. Less wind, and modern furnishings out-gas for quite a while after manufacture. Worst of all is inside cars in a jam of course.

    That 16h00 to 20h00 things looks like an artifact to me.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  9. neddie
    Member

    modern furnishings out-gas for quite a while after manufacture

    I'm sure they out-gas various chemicals, but I don't think particulates would be out-gassed, unless during the assembly process...

    Posted 4 years ago #

  10. crowriver
    Member

    "modern furnishings out-gas for quite a while after manufacture"

    Indeed, chipboard and particle board emit formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and other VOCs for some years. Mot to mention any paint or lacquer finishes. Kitchen units, tables, chairs, and soft furnishings* too: not only the chipboard formers but the upholstery foam.

    * - I cut up an old leather armchair recently and while expecting foam, was astonished to see how much chipboard was used in its construction.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  11. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Not unless you set them on fire, no.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  12. neddie
    Member

    I'm afraid I can't fully explain the peaks and troughs in the pollution monitor. It often seems to flick rapidly between a low baseline of under 5ug/m3 to a higher level of between 20 and 40ug/m3.

    I have tried to ask the neighbours, "Did you fire up your woodburning stove at X pm on a Friday?", but with very limited success in correlation...

    If anyone has any theories or explanations, I'm all ears...

    PS. I don't have a woodburner.

    Posted 4 years ago #

  13. crowriver
    Member

    "Not unless you set them on fire, no."

    "we’ve known since the 1980s that composite wood products can be a significant source of elevated exposure for building occupants, and there have been many efforts to reduce emissions from these products."

    https://www.buildinggreen.com/primer/particleboard-deadly-formaldehyde-emissions-explained

    Posted 4 years ago #

  14. crowriver
    Member

    Also, pollution from use of scented candles, cleaning products, detergents, nail polish, plastics...

    https://freshome.com/10-most-common-vocs/

    Posted 4 years ago #

  15. minus six
    Member

    whats the verdict on temple grade black sandalwood incense

    should i be concerned

    Posted 4 years ago #

  16. crowriver
    Member

    Uh-oh...

    ---

    Incense smoke was found to be mutagenic, meaning that it contains chemical properties that could potentially change genetic material such as DNA, and therefore cause mutations. It was also more cytotoxic and genotoxic than the cigarette used in the study. This means that incense smoke is potentially more toxic to a cell, and especially to its genetic contents. Mutagenics, genotoxins and cytotoxins have all been linked to the development of cancers.

    Smoke from the sampled incense was found to consist almost exclusively (99 percent) of ultrafine and fine particles, and is therefore likely to have adverse health effects. Taken together, the four incense smoke samples contained 64 compounds. While some of these are irritants or are only slightly harmful (hypotoxic), ingredients in two of the samples are known to be highly toxic.

    ---

    https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150825083844.htm

    Posted 4 years ago #

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