Archishman Dey
8th Grade, Solon Middle School
Solon, OH
How Do Various PM₂̣ ₅ Pollutants Affect Indoor Air Pollution?
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Project Background
People might assume that the air inside their houses is clean, but tiny particles 2.5 microns or less across (called PM₂̣ ₅), are often still present. Archishman was concerned to learn that PM₂̣ ₅ can decrease productivity and accounted for 3.2 million deaths in 2021. “I was most curious about the daily burning of incense sticks at my grandparents’ home, where you could visibly see smog in the air,” Archishman says. His grandparents have asthma, and he was concerned for their health. Archishman decided to quantify the PM₂̣ ₅ levels of different pollutants in indoor air.
Tactics and Results
Archishman got a monitor for PM₂̣ ₅, and designated one room as a control area. He measured the PM₂̣ ₅ levels at baseline, between 1.52 and 2.06 micrograms per square meter. Then Archishman lit up or turned on different pollutants, keeping each about two feet away from the monitor. He tested an air fryer, a candle, a humidifier, an incense stick and the natural gas used in things like gas stoves. Archishman found that the incense stick was the highest level, emitting an average of 76.27 micrograms per square meter. The air fryer came in second with 14.29 micrograms of PM₂̣ ₅ per square meter. Even a humidifier produces about 5.5 micrograms per square meter. “I aimed to provide simple data that could enable families to recognize invisible air quality dangers and adopt healthier practices with the aim of improving their indoor environment,” he says.
Beyond the Project
Archishman likes competitions like the Science Olympiad and MathCounts, where he represented Ohio at the national competition. “Cracking the code to a problem after tireless thought is what I find most enjoyable,” he says. He would like to be an environmental engineer. “The mathematics and science behind everything around us is truly fascinating. I want to learn about these systems and solve the world’s most pressing problems such as waste management, pollution and ensure a healthier planet for the future generations.”
