Boston, Northeastern University Team Up on Mobile Air Pollution Tracking Lab

A new initiative in Boston aims to improve residents' health by providing detailed data on air quality and pollution.

The city has partnered with Northeastern University to deploy a mobile air pollution lab that provides detailed, block-by-block data. This project focuses on mapping air pollution and traffic emissions from the Massachusetts Turnpike in the Allston-Brighton neighborhood.

The mobile lab measures regulated “criteria pollutants” as defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Pollution levels are displayed on maps using color codes to help residents identify pollution hot spots and plan outdoor activities accordingly based on pollution levels.

Boston has allocated $1.1 million through Community Clean Air Grants to six nonprofits, including the Allston-Brighton Health Collaborative. This collaborative will install about 30 sensors inside and outside homes to monitor air quality and evaluate the effectiveness of air purifiers.

While all initiatives funded by the grants have different areas of focus, they share the common goal of supporting Boston and its residents in maintaining their health.

“Nationally, Boston has really good air for a city to live in. That being said, there are these new challenges like wildfires, like hot days,” said Alice Brown, director of environmental quality for the city of Boston, in a statement shared with NewsCenter 5 Boston.

According to a Northeastern Global News story, the high-resolution data being gathered by the van, which began its work on Wednesday, Oct. 1, is an essential component of the pollution measurement assessment for Boston.

“The data could tell us not just how high the pollutant level is but also where it comes from and through what kind of chemical mechanisms and dynamic processes,” said Shang Liu, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Northeastern.