Pupils helping gather air pollution data

Niwa air quality scientist Gustavo Olivares, of Auckland, helps Alexandra Primary School pupils (from left) Mackai Hancock (11), Tui Simpson (10) and Victor Bond (11) assemble home heating smoke level sensors, which he designed. They are watched by fellow
Niwa air quality scientist Gustavo Olivares, of Auckland, helps Alexandra Primary School pupils (from left) Mackai Hancock (11), Tui Simpson (10) and Victor Bond (11) assemble home heating smoke level sensors, which he designed. They are watched by fellow Niwa scientist Ian Longley, of Auckland, yesterday. Photo: Yvonne O'Hara
Some Alexandra Primary School year 5 and 6 pupils received hands-on research experience when they worked with Niwa scientists to build sensors to monitor home heating smoke levels in their houses yesterday.

The Auckland-based scientists were at the school as part of a data collection and monitoring project to identify patterns in air pollution as a result of wood being burned for home heating in the Alexandra basin.

Air quality scientist Dr Ian Longley said the sensors would record smoke levels inside the children's homes and the data would help determine where the smoke came from, whether from outdoors or generated by the home's wood burner.

''We usually find that varies hugely from home to home,'' Dr Longley said.

''The more homes we can sample, the more we can understand what is normal and abnormal.''

The children will also use an app to record whether they can see or smell smoke and if they have breathing difficulties as a result.

The sensors would remain in the homes for a week at a time, and the data collected would later be analysed and the results reported back to the children.

The sensors are a version of the Outdoor Dust Information Node (Odin) sensors that monitor air pollution levels.

The scientists will also install about 100 Odins outdoors across Alexandra, which will transmit data to create a more detailed picture of the area's air quality, pollution patterns and impact on residents.

The data will be used to find solutions to Alexandra's air pollution issues.

The Otago Regional Council monitors the air quality in eight towns, including Alexandra, Clyde and Cromwell, as part of the national environmental standards for air quality.

Alexandra exceeded the standards on 43 days, Clyde on 23 days and Cromwell on 42 days last year.

-By Yvonne O'Hara

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