PM2.5 is a particulate air pollutant that poses a major health concern to humans. They are tiny pollutants measuring 2.5 microns and below. PM2.5 can enter deep into the lungs and the blood stream. Prolonged exposure to PM2.5 can cause health effects like respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Learn more about PM2.5, the best way to protect yourself from PM2.5 and other trends here.
I started thinking about finding the best air purifier for my home because I was living in Beijing when the “airpocalypse” struck. I had a cough I couldn’t shake for weeks, so I started doing research into air purifiers. Unlike another answer here, I wasn’t concerned about allergens …
When I started building DIY air purifiers in Beijing to protect my lungs from this… …I wanted to test the air in my home, but particle counters were really expensive. Most cost around $1,000 or $2,000 dollars. But then there was the Dylos, which I bought …
I’m in Beijing right now, and I’m going to exercise today. So what can I do when the world outside my window looks like this? Would exercise in this air pollution do more harm than good? Is it better to not exercise at all? 1. The point where exercise becomes …
Living on the 20th floor of a high rise building isolates people from the world. Cars, trucks, shaokao vendors—they’re all farther away. So does that mean PM2.5 is lower on the higher floors of buildings? The Test Tristan from the Smart Air team tested this by taking laser particle …
Beijing and Delhi often hit the news as two of the most polluted cities in the world, with PM2.5 levels often soaring to tens of times the WHO annual limit (10µg/m3). Smart Air plotted the PM2.5 data from the US Embassy in Delhi and the US Embassy in Beijing to …
I just analyzed Chengdu’s PM2.5 pollution data for the first half of 2018, and there’s a surprise. Chengdu barely edged out Beijing! Someone get those pandas a mask. The difference is small—1 microgram. But it’s notable because Beijing is famous for its pollution, whereas Chengdu is not. …
When we think about harms of air pollution, we often think about the health impacts on infants and the elderly. But does air pollution affect the health of young, healthy people? And if so, can air purifiers help reduce the health impacts of air pollution? Do purifiers have real health …
After best January on record, China’s air pollution worsens An analysis by Smart Air of data from pollution stations found that, after Beijing’s best year on record, Beijing PM2.5 levels are now worse than 2017. Data from 11 other major cities showed similar trends. Beijing Compared to …
Air pollution includes a bunch of microscopic particles, but have you ever wondered what those particles are exactly? In a study published in Nature, scientists tested the air in Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, and Guangzhou to find out exactly what PM2.5 is made of. By tracing the composition of the particles, they could gain …
After several months of progress cutting PM2.5, Beijing saw a sharp reversal this March, according to the latest data. In years past, Beijing’s particulate pollution normally peaks in January and decreases each month closer to summer. However, this year has seen the exact opposite trend, with PM2.5 increasing 265% from …
