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Air Pollution Measurements for Education - University / Academia / Research
2B Technologies is the founding and principal sponsor of the Global Ozone Project or "GO3 Project." This project was formed in 2009 with the aim of engaging middle school and high school students in real-world measurements of air pollutants important in air quality and climate. The GO3 Project is administered by the GO3 Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which raises funds for sponsorship of schools from individuals, small businesses, large corporations, and government agencies. 2B Technologies donates time, including a full-time Outreach Coordinator, a part-time Director of Educational Outreach, use of facilities, and financial support to the GO3 Foundation.
In AQTreks, students use our Personal Air Monitor (PAM) to measure air pollutants along mobile "Treks" of their design. The PAM wirelessly connects to mobile phones, and Treks are displayed in real-time on the AQTreks smartphone application. Each Trek is automatically uploaded via WiFi or 3G to the AQTreks website for online analysis, discussion, and comparison with other schools. 2B Technologies has created an AQTreks curriculum available to teachers.
AQTreks began in classrooms in Fall of 2017. In its initial year, AQTreks will reach over 6,600 students across the US.
Please email info@aqtreks.com if you are interested in participating in AQTreks. Include your:
- First and last name
- Organization or school name
- Mailing address, city, and state
Unfortunately, we cannot support AQTreks in any countries besides the United States at this time.
Although ozone in the stratosphere protects us from harmful UV rays from the sun, ozone at ground level causes serious health effects such as asthma and damages crops and ecosystems. Ground-level ozone is formed in the atmosphere in the interaction of sunlight with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emitted by automobiles and industrial processes. Because of its toxicity, ozone is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency as one of six Criteria Air Pollutants.
Black carbon or "soot" is the second leading cause of global warming and is estimated to be responsible for ~20% of the global warming and ~40% of glacier melting that has occurred to date. Because black carbon remains in the atmosphere for only about two weeks on average, control of black carbon emissions has been identified as the most cost effective way for slowing climate change in the near future. Black carbon also has serious health effects, including asthma and lung cancer.
Carbon dioxide, the product of combustion of all biomass and fossil fuels, is the most important greenhouse gas. Average carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have increased from 280 ppm to more than 400 ppm over the past century and are expected to double within a few decades. There is now a consensus among atmospheric and climate scientists that these increased levels of carbon dioxide have already begun to result in climate change with increases in surface temperatures and extensive glacier melting.
In this exciting project, students around the world used personal monitors to measure the primary pollutant black carbon and the secondary pollutant ozone along "treks" they designed and carried out. Based on the provided curriculum, students formed and tested their own hypotheses about where these two pollutants are expected to have high and low concentrations. The treks were displayed on Google Earth in a blog format where students discussed their results with other students, teachers, and scientists around the world.
