Grantee Research Project Results
Assessing the Transport of Wildfire-Generated Particulate Matter Into Homes and Developing Practical Interventions to Reduce Human Exposure (WildPM)
EPA Grant Number: R840237Title: Assessing the Transport of Wildfire-Generated Particulate Matter Into Homes and Developing Practical Interventions to Reduce Human Exposure (WildPM)
Investigators: Vance, Marina E
Institution: University of Colorado Boulder
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: September 1, 2021 through April 24, 2025
Project Amount: $549,000
RFA: Interventions and Communication Strategies to Reduce Health Risks of Wildland Fire Smoke Exposures (2021) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Early Career Awards , Endocrine Disruptors , Environmental Engineering , Watersheds , Wildfires
Objective:
The goal of the proposed research is to assess practical and effective approaches to reduce indoor exposure to particulate matter (PM) of outdoor wildland fire origin in single-family housing in the Western US. Objective 1: Evaluate the effectiveness of sustainable and practical interventions, including strategies in (a) air cleaning, (b) ventilation, and (c) building sealing, in reducing indoor concentrations of PM of outdoor wildfire origin in realistic scenarios in unoccupied single-family residences. Objective 2: Estimate wildfire PM infiltration and evaluate the effect of employing a filtration portable air cleaner (PAC) to remove wildfire PM in occupied single-family homes. Objective 3: Combine the results obtained in Objectives 1 and 2 with the NIST CONTAM model to infer the effectiveness of all approaches for different home types in the US West region.
Approach:
The proposed work encompasses three activities: In Activity 1, eight different interventions and strategies to reduce indoor wildfire PM will be evaluated a semi-controlled study in 16 unoccupied homes. In Activity 2, one PAC intervention will be deployed in 18 occupied homes, thus gaining insight into the real-world effectiveness of this intervention, and placing results of Activity 1 into a broader context. In Activity 3, we will apply results from the previous activities into an inferential model to determine expected indoor PM concentrations for an entire category of homes in the US West region.
Expected Results:
Outputs will include descriptions of the efficiency of practical interventions in reducing indoor concentrations of wildfire PM in realistic scenarios in single-family homes, the relationships between ambient and indoor concentrations of PM2.5, black and brown carbon, and particle size distributions and the effectiveness of employing a PAC to lower indoor concentrations during wildfires, and the results from modeling the application of interventions to mitigate wildfire PM indoors in a representative sample of single-family homes in the US. Because wildfires are expected to increase in intensity and severity, the results of this work will be disseminated in YouTube videos, infographics, and blog posts to educate citizens about options to reduce exposure and associated health risks. This work will lead to new fundamental and practical knowledge about wildfire PM transport into homes and mitigation approaches. Experimental assessment of interventions and inferential modeling of the results will inform researchers and the public about the effectiveness of practical mitigation approaches for reducing indoor exposure to wildfire generated PM.
Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 2 publications for this projectJournal Articles:
Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 1 journal articles for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
air conditioner, air pollution, CONTAM, filter, HEPA, particle penetration.Progress and Final Reports:
The 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.