About the Research
The Clean Air for Carolina Kids Team is characterizing air pollution and potential environmental disparities related to PM2.5, ozone, and precursor contaminents. We are looking to support childcare facilities, build air pollution literacy and future monitoring capability, and inform policymaking to reduce PM2.5 and ozone exposure in underserved communities.
This study will build enhanced capacity for ambient air quality monitoring and empower childcare facilities, staff, families, and local decision makers to take steps to mitigate harmful exposures
We will monitor PM2.5, ozone, and their precursors (NOx, NO2, and SO2) seasonally at up to 15 childcare facilities for 8 consecutive seasons. This project will collect real-time, continuous PM2.5 measurement data and time-weighted averages of NOx, NO2, SO2, and ozone concentrations to understand spatial and temporal distribution of air pollution experienced by young children in the study area.
PM2.5, NOx, NO2, SO2, and ozone have been linked to numerous adverse health impacts, including cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and negative impacts on lung development. These pollutants can cause or exacerbate many conditions that reduce children’s quality of life, such as asthma and allergies; impact neurodevelopment and cognitive ability; and increase health risks later in life, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Race, place, and income also play significant roles in determining air quality-associated health risks. Indeed, children of color in lower income communities are the most vulnerable populations and the most likely to suffer adverse health outcomes from exposures to PM2.5 and ozone.
We use simple air quality sensors with real time cloud accessible data supported by our expert team to monitor and address air quality risks for children.
Monitoring: Gaseous NO2, NOx, SO2, and O3 will be collected using Ogawa passive samplers. The data will be collected for 14 days seasonally (i.e., summer, fall, winter, and spring). Four sampling events per year will be conducted over 2 years, starting in the summer of 2023. PM2.5, along with outdoor temperature and humidity, will be measured using solar-powered PurpleAir PA-II-SD sensors. These sensors will operate and collect data continuously for the study’s duration and will then be donated to the enrolled childcare facilities at the end of the project.
Outcomes: Our study team will monitor air quality monitoring equipment at participating child care centers for a 2-year period. PM2.5 will be monitored at 15 enrolled facilities and O3 and their precursor gas NO2 will be monitored at 5 enrolled facilities. The air quality monitors will be donated to the child care centers at the conclusion of the 2-year monitoring period.
The real-time, continuous PM2.5, O3, and NO2 measurement data will be used to understand spatial and temporal distribution of air pollution experienced by young children in the study area.
Want to learn more about our research and study design? Contact our team!
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Our Study Area
Our study area is centered on the area surrounding Raleigh-Durham, NC—one of the fastest growing areas in the United States and consistently rated as a top location to raise families. With increased net migration into the area, we anticipate levels of traffic and other sources of air pollution to similarly increase. PM2.5 can be emitted directly or formed during combustion of fossil fuels, power plant emissions, and industrial processes. Similarly, ozone is a secondary pollutant formed from reactions in the atmosphere.
Although we consider all children as belonging to a particularly vulnerable population due to their age-related susceptibility and exposure factors specific to childhood, we also recognize the deeply rooted disparities that exist among children due to structural racism and poverty. We know from previous research that community-level attributes—including poverty, racial and ethnic composition, educational attainment, and the proportion of people under age 18—all contribute to greater neighborhood disadvantage and environmental health disparities. Indeed, people living in lower income communities and/or majority non-white communities experience higher levels of air pollution. Many present-day environmental health disparities can be traced back to redlining and other discriminatory practices.
Our own study area has a history of environmental disparities based on race and location. Non-white children and lower income children also have higher prevalence of asthma and allergies,which can be exacerbated by poor air quality. Therefore, we have structured our proposed research to investigate how racial and economic inequities can affect air quality conditions experienced by children in NC caregiving environments. We anticipate our proposed research will have applications across the broader childcare community and for working families who need safe places for their children to learn and play while at work.
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Our Impact
Our team is dedicated to providing actionable findings that help North Carolina children learn, grow, and thrive at home and away from home. This program will support families, child care providers, early educators, and decision-makers to protect the health and wellbeing of young children.
Our research will have broad applications across the larger child care community and for working families who need safe places for their children to learn and play while at work. In North Carolina, more than 250,000 children are enrolled at over 4,400 licensed child care facilities.
Families, childcare facilities, community stakeholders, and policymakers all seek practical information on how to help children thrive in their communities and protect children’s health and well-being. Our findings will serve as the basis for community outreach aimed at providing that information in an accessible manner. Our outreach activities aim to foster environmental health literacy in the community through education and training, activities—including webinars, a public website, and print and digital materials.
Our established community partnerships with state government organizations also facilitate the use of our findings in advocacy activities and decision-making and increases the potential reach of our findings throughout the state. Additionally, by donating the PurpleAir sensors and training childcare facility staff to use the sensors, we aim to build future capacity for local, real-time air quality monitoring at locations frequented by vulnerable children and empower childcare facilities, families, and community members to understand and react to the spatial and temporal variability of air pollutants in real time to best protect their children.
Our project website will be updated throughout the course of this study—please check back regularly for news, study findings, recommendations for various stakeholders, and links to resources.
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Our Funding
This grant is funded through EPA’s Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program. A complete description of the grant funding the Clean Air for Carolina Kids program can be found here: https://govtribe.com/file/government-file/03bb2897345edd6c3680c643797c7987
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Our Institutions
This study is a partnership between RTI International (a nonprofit research institute) and NC Central University (a historically Black college).