Years
2022-Present
Location
Chowan River-Albemarle Sound estuary basin, NC, USA
Funding Sources
Community Collaborative Research Grant; North Carolina Sea Grant, William R. Kenan Jr. Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science (KIETS), Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI)
This project, led by PhD student Haley Plaas and Colleen Karl of the Chowan Edenton Environmental Group, will begin in July 2022. The study aims to generate air quality data via community-based PurpleAir air quality sensors installed on private / public properties with the help of community scientists in towns across northeastern NC.
Goals of the Project
1
Provide Public Access to Air Quality Data
Generate and provide long-term access to air quality data in the Chowan-Albemarle region of eastern NC, an area not currently represented in federal / local monitoring programs. Data can be used for research, legislation, or public-viewing.
2
Engage Systemically-Excluded Communities
Asthma rates are consistently higher in eastern, rural NC compared to other parts of the state, especially amongst BIPOC communities (Dieu et al., 2018). We are working with local BIPOC community leaders and organizations to ensure BIPOC voices are heard and involved in the data generated.
3
Investigate Harmful Algae and Air Quality
Prior research by Plaas et al., found an association between cyanobacterial blooms and reduced air quality in the Chowan-Albemarle region. The wide-scale air quality data generated in this study will be compared with water data to analyze associations statistically.
Dieu, H., Kearney, G. D., Bian, H., Jones, K., & Mohan, A. (2018). Asthma-Related Emergency Department Visits in North Carolina, 2010-2014. North Carolina Medical Journal, 79(2), 81–87. https://doi.org/10.18043/ncm.79.2.81
What is a PurpleAir Sensor?
Check back later for more information pertinent to the air sensors we install in Summer 2022.
For more information on PurpleAir sensors and to see a live map of readings in the Edenton region, please visit:
https://map.purpleair.com/1/mAQI/a10/p604800/cC0?select=145838#7.61/35.81/-76.689