Laboratory recommends residents change air filters
in cars and homes when Canadian wildfire smoke subsides
Syracuse, New York (June 8, 2023) – Air canister and pump particulate tests indicate the current air conditions in the Syracuse, New York-area exceed National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM2.5 according to Lab Director Russ Pellegrino of SanAir Technologies’ Centek division.
Centek undertook ambient air testing at the behest of WSYR NewsChannel 9 in Syracuse. The Laboratory performed volatile organic compound (VOC) testing using canister technology, as well as testing via pump attached to a filter to determine the PM2.5 fine particulate levels.
“Our VOC test of the ambient air indicated the presence of higher-then-normal levels of limonene, which is a gas emitted when pine burns, and is not surprising,” said Pellegrino. “Our PM2.5 test for fine particulates involves using a pump and filter. When we weighed the filter to determine how much microscopic soot and ash, the result of 540 micrograms per cubic meter was in line with readings reported by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.”
“Fine particulates in the air, such as those currently present in conjunction with the Canadian wildfire smoke, tend to travel deeper into the lungs and are harder to expel,” said Pellegrino.
It is worth noting that the EPA updated its National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM in January of 2023. “Currently, EPA has primary and secondary standards for PM2.5 (annual average standards with levels of 12.0 µg/m3 and 15.0 µg/m3, respectively; 24-hour standards with 98th percentile forms and levels of 35 µg/m3) and PM10 (24-hour standards with one-expected exceedance forms and levels of 150 µg/m3).” For more information, please see https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution/national-ambient-air-quality-standards-naaqs-pm.
Pellegrino advises residents to change their air filters in automobiles and home filtration systems when the smoke and ash from the wildfires in eastern Canada subside.
About Centek
Founded in 2003 in Syracuse, New York, Centek provides laboratory analysis for Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), Soil Vapor Intrusion, Industrial Hygiene (IH) – PV2120 and Renewable Energy – Methane to Markets, among others. Centek is NELAP accredited (NYSDOH, 11830; NJDEP, NY018; VELAP, 460228) and AIHA-LAP, LLC (LAP-182993) meeting ISO/IEC17025:2017. Centek holds environmental air laboratory certifications in New York, Texas, New Jersey, Florida and across the United States.
About SanAir
Based in Richmond, Virginia, SanAir’s specialties have grown to include analytical and consulting services to detect and identify asbestos, lead and metals, environmental microbiology, bacteria, Legionella and other environmental hazards. SanAir’s clientele includes industrial hygienists, engineers, governments, and restoration and remediation contractors. SanAir’s holdings also including Sativa Testing Laboratories, the first fully ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited under AIHA-LAP, LLC (LAP-273461), DEA registered industrial hemp and medical marijuana testing laboratory in Virginia. SanAir is a proud recipient of the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 Top Places to Work designation. For more information, please visit www.sanair.com.
For more information about air testing and Centek/SanAir’s PM2.5 capabilities, contact Russ Pellegrino rpellegrino@sanair.com or call (315) 431-9730
