Back in 2018 we partnered with various organizations in the Boston area, including the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, the East Boston Social Centers, AIRInc and Blue Cross Blue Shield, to help improve air quality for residents living close to Logan International Airport in East Boston.
Air and noise pollution have been a major concern in East Boston for some time now, due to the close proximity of the airport. Much of the work we have been involved in is focused on raising awareness about the dangers of outdoor pollution, and how it infiltrates the indoor environment.
Our first Boston study is published!
We are currently involved in a number of projects in the East Boston area, so it’s exciting to share the results of this first trial. A team from the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering investigated how using an Austin Air Purifier could help to improve indoor air quality and subsequently lower a person’s blood pressure.
Study Outline
For the purposes of the study, 77 people, with no underlying health concerns, were split into 2 groups. Over a number of weeks both groups were exposed to varying levels of pollution indoors. One group spent time in a room with an Austin Air HealthMate™ running, and one group spent time in a room with no air filtration.
Participants were exposed to 3 levels of air pollution throughout the duration of the study. When no air purifier was used, exposure was categorized as ‘High’. When our units were run on low setting, exposure was categorized as “Medium’. And when our units were run on the highest setting, exposure was categorized as ‘Low’.
Running an Austin improves air quality by 10-fold!
The team noted a real difference in air quality when using our units. The rooms running an Austin had a 10-fold decrease in pollution levels, compared to rooms with no air filtration.
The researchers then went on to measure the participants blood pressure when exposed to the various pollution levels. They found noticeable improvements when air quality was good, which led them to conclude that …
‘use of Certified HEPA Material filtration may be an effective intervention for reducing cardiovascular risk from exposure to TRAP.’ (Traffic Related Air Pollution)
Certified HEPA Material air filtration could reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes
In recent years there have been a number of studies linking poor air quality to an increase in heart attacks and strokes. The team from Olin believe Certified HEPA Material Air Purifiers, like the Austin Air HealthMate™, could help to lower a person’s blood pressure in the long term and therefore reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes for people living in inner city areas.
Why choose Austin?
According to Dr. Scott P. Hersey, Director of SCOPE and Assistant Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Olin, Austin Air Purifiers were just one of many air purifiers considered for the trial. There were a number of factors that influenced Scott and his team’s decision to select Austin Air. Our units are easy to use, durable, have a long filter life and his team’s tests indicate that they’re extremely effective at removing both VOCs and ultrafine particles.
If you would like more info on the Austin Air HealthMate™ used in this trial, visit our website today.
