UC Riverside

Air quality is measured by various factors: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (particulate matter such as PM2.5 and PM10), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. PM2.5 and PM10 refer to a particulate matter with a diameter equal to or less than 2.5 micrometers or 10 micrometers, respectively. Exposure to PM2.5’s extremely fine particles allows for them to travel through the respiratory tract and reach the lungs, which can then be absorbed into the bloodstream via the alveolar sacs. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to increased respiratory and cardiovascular hospital emissions. These factors play a large role in air quality, however defining a new category of biological pollutants that have health impacts on the community will be key in moving towards creating healthier communities. The Salton Sea is the largest inland lake in terms of area located in California. This 376 square mile wide sea is located at the border of Riverside and Imperial counties. The cities surrounding the Salton Sea are plagued with unusually high asthma rates, ranging from 20-22%, significantly higher than the California state average of 14.5% (Farzan et al., 2019). Recognizing the urgent need for better air quality monitoring in these areas, it is essential to explore innovative methods to identify and address the environmental factors contributing to these health issues. Air quality monitors are typically outfitted with sensors that are designed to detect specific pollutants, using either scanners to measure particulate matter density or satellite imaging to measure energy reflected or emitted by the earth. Currently, there is no measure of natural biological aerosol pollutants, such as endotoxin, in current air quality monitoring protocols. Proposing a new way of monitoring, based on mouse exposure studies with aerosolized dust particles, will enable air quality monitoring that provides identification of inflammatory stimuli that contribute to the incidence of diseases like asthma.