A new analysis of air quality data from Smart Air helps explain why winter brings PM2.5 pollution to more than 10 times the World Health Organization’s annual limit. Smart Air analyzed US Embassy data for fine particles (PM2.5) data for New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad. We took the data from the past […]
Category: Air Pollution
Recent Air Pollution Articles:
Is an Air Purifier Needed for Every Room of a House?
Several people have asked me if they can use a purifier in the living room to clean their entire apartment. The benefit is that it’s easier to use just one purifier. Plus, noise isn’t an issue if the purifier is in the other room. But does it actually clean the air in the entire apartment? […]
What is UV Light and How Does it Kill Viruses?
UV light, or ‘ultraviolet light’, is a form of non-visible electromagnetic light. The main source of UV is the sun. There are three types of UV light: UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. They’re differentiated by the wavelength of the light, with UV-A light has the largest wavelength, ranging from 315-400nm. UV-C light has the shortest wavelength, […]
China’s Air Quality Improved 9% in 2020, is COVID-19 the Reason?
On paper, China’s “war” on air pollution is still underway. But with COVID-19 disrupting the first half of 2020, has air quality really improved? Smart Air analyzed PM2.5 data for 11 of China’s major cities to get to the bottom of it. The data showed average PM2.5 reduced 9% compared to the first half of […]
Do N95 Mask Deprive Us of Oxygen
Scientists have actually made people wear N95 masks and measured their blood oxygen. So we have a solid answer to this question, and it’s not what this question assumes. This question itself doesn’t ask IF wearing masks decreases oxygen, but HOW MUCH. It assumes there’s an effect. Elsewhere on Quora, someone asked if wearing a […]
What’s the Difference Between N95 and P2 Masks?
The difference between N95 and P2 masks is so small that most users will not notice anything amiss. The P2 rating is the standard in Australia and New Zealand similar to the US N95 mask rating. Difference Between N95 and P2 Masks: Charted Out N95 and P2 masks look almost identical, and they filter […]
The Three Coolest, Most Breathable Surgical Masks for the Summer
Recently, the Coronavirus has begun to sweep Beijing again. Among so many surgical masks, how should we choose which brand surgical mask to wear, not only against with virus but also away from sweating. Our Smart Air tested 10 surgical masks that were purchased from different pharmacies and come up a summary with analysis. I […]
COVID-19 Lockdown Slashes PM2.5 in India’s 6 Biggest Cities
Recent news reported that the coronavirus lockdown is causing dramatic reduction in air pollution across India due to coronavirus lockdown. This is good news for lungs across the subcontinent, since Indian cities often make news as some of the most polluted in the world. Some cities average PM2.5 ten times the WHO annual limit. Lockdown […]
Half of Chinese N95 Masks Fail Quality Checks
Tests of masks marketed as N95 from 21 manufacturers show that half of Chinese N95 masks fail quality tests–with some masks filtering no better than a cotton cloth. These tests come at a time that many countries around the world are scrambling for masks and other PPE. Factories Spring Up to Meet Mask Demand […]
Testing China KN95 & N95 Masks – Supplemental Data
This article accompanies our article on the reliability of KN95 masks being produced in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. It covers our testing method and provides the original data. China N95 Masks – Test Method During our mask tests, we followed as closely as possible the testing method used to certify N95 and KN95 masks. […]
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