PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia State University is conducting research to reveal the impact that heat and air quality has on local communities.
VSU is involved in a research project using Purple Air monitors to research the health risks and impact associated with temperature and air quality.
According to the university, biology and Assistant Professor Dr. Matthew Whalen and his students put forth efforts to learn more about the temperature and the quality of the air that people in the surrounding communities breathe in every day.
Dr. Whalen had become intrigued by a project his colleagues participated in called the Collaborative Heat Watch Research Project, which collected data from urban heat islands across Virginia. This led to Dr. Whalen’s interest in how critical issues connected to urban heat islands and air quality could be highlighted.
“I just became hooked on this data telling me more about the city in which I live and, hopefully, being able to communicate that information out there to the public,” Whalen said. “Petersburg has been ranked at the very bottom of all municipalities across the Commonwealth in terms of life expectancy multiple times in recent years. Several factors could contribute to that, but I think we need to make people aware of the environment and how that affects our health.”
The Purple Air monitors used in the project track the temperature and humidity every 10 minutes while measuring real-time particle matter concentrations (PM2.5) to collect data on hyper-local air quality.
Dr. Whalen shared that he doesn’t want the data to paint a negative picture, but instead, he would like to spread awareness.
“I really just want people to be able to access this data, so if it’s really hot downtown, they know to avoid that area. Or if there was a fire and the air quality is really bad, they are aware of that and can take precautions,” he said.
According to the university, Dr. Whalen aims to move forward with continuing to involve students in the project, as well as collaborate with the City of Petersburg to identify challenges and find potential solutions.
