Photo Feature: Ambient Air Quality

Vol. 9, No. 11

Nov. 2017

Photo Feature: Ambient Air Quality

Iowa’s Ambient Air Quality program helps assure that the air is safe to breathe. Here’s an overview showing how the SHL team does so.

Teflon filters are stored in a magazine after collecting particulate matter of 10 microns, 2.5 microns or less from sites around the state.

Filters are placed on a tray in the laboratory to begin the process of measuring particulates in the air.

Air quality data from more than 100 monitors at 29 sites in 16 Iowa counties is available in the Ambient Air section of the Hygienic Laboratory’s website. Linn and Polk counties maintain separate air quality programs.

An Hourly Air Quality Index map shows ambient conditions in and around Iowa. This preliminary data is reviewed by SHL staff and posted to the website most days by 9 a.m.

A barcode on a Teflon filter is scanned as part of the weighing process to measure particulate matter at Ambient Air Quality sites across Iowa.

An air quality trailer is located on the grounds of SHL in Coralville for staff training and demonstrations of the specialized work.

Members of the SHL Ambient Air Quality team are (front row, from left) Kayla Schmalle, Evan Kerr (now with Environmental Microbiology), Gale Koch, Dan Ellickson, Louis Seaba, Allison Smalley, Leonard Marine and Amanda Hughes. Pictured in the back row (from left) are Paul Beney, John Provine, Andrew Carl, Bill Christensen, Carlos Rodriguez, Dave Tisl, Seth Zimmermann, Wes Byrd and Mark Hurt.