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Monitoring for Particulate Matter Exposure Risks in California Schools and Businesses

IAQ Testing Services

Category	Press Release
Publish Date	1/15/2024
Author	Paul Cochrane
Title	Monitoring for Particulate Matter Exposure Risks in California Schools and Businesses
Introduction	LA Testing provides laboratory services, sampling supplies and real-time monitoring instruments to identify particulate matter and other airborne contaminants to protect students, workers and building occupants.
Huntington Beach, CA, January 15, 2024 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced over $13 million for California environmental projects, including indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring. The agency reported the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will receive $1 million of those funds to create a robust indoor air sensor network across Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) sites. One component of IAQ that will be monitored in the schools according to media reports is particulate matter (PM). PM is the name for a wide range of particles that are small enough to be carried by the air and be inhaled. It can be a solid or liquid, or even a mixture of both. These tiny particles range from 0.005 µm to 100 µm in diameter and can pose a significant threat to people’s health because they can travel deep into the lung. In fact, according to the EPA, some studies suggest that long-term PM 2.5 exposures may be linked to cancer and to harmful developmental and reproductive effects. “Fine particulate matter can be found in both outdoor and indoor air at schools, homes and businesses across the California,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager at LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “PM from the outdoors can make its way into a structure and indoor environments also have their own sources. It can come from furnaces, unvented space heaters, cooking stoves, woodstoves, environmental tobacco smoke and indoor mold growth to name just a few sources. The type, concentration and amount of time a person is exposed to it are all factors as to whether they may experience adverse effects.” Dedicated to identifying exposure risks to PM and other airborne pollutants are the environmental scientists at LA Testing. With multiple California laboratories, LA Testing offers air monitoring instruments, air testing analysis and all of the sampling supplies needed. They have even sponsored an educational video about particulate matter and indoor air quality that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/_7n6l6oQUqQ To learn more about indoor or outdoor air quality testing services and monitoring instruments, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. About LA Testing LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for environmental and indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, bacteria, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: AIHA LAP LLC., AIHA ELLAP, AIHA EMLAP and AIHA IHLAP, CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro and San Diego.