When Air Quality gets hot Kate Doorn, Derek Kastella, Matt Brewer Whitefish High School Mr. Spangler

Introduction — As of the last census 40-60% of Montana, uses wood stoves as their main source of heating, we wanted to know how they were affecting the air quality and if gas stoves should be used as an alternative option.

Hypothesis — The level of PM 2.5 will be higher than the gas stove option. Making the gas stove a superior option in terms of particulate matter.

Materials Our data was collected by a DustTrak while testing a gas stove and a wood stove. Gas Stove Wood Stove

Methods — We sampled the indoor air quality of a wood stove and a gas stove starting at 5:50 p.m. on March 12, 2015 and ending at 6:25 a.m. on March 15, We started collecting data after the fire had been started and the gas stove had been turned on. Each DustTrak was placed three feet from each source of emission as shown in the pictures.

Pictures

Methods The woodstove was located on the main floor of Kate’s house and the gas stove was located in the basement. On March 14, 2015 at 6:50 p.m. we added wood to the fire and the largest spike in emission occurred. After the DustTrak’s had run for 2.5 days we put out the stoves and concluded our test.

Methods- Variables — The independent variable would be the course of time that we ran the test for, the dependent would be the test results. Our controlled variables were the amount of time the test ran, limiting the activities done in the house during the course of the test, the distance from the DustTrak to the stove, and the weather was the same for both tests as we ran them over the same time period.

Results

Results- Continued

Wood Stove — Max: mg/m^3 — Min: mg/m^3 — Average: mg/m^3 Gas Stove — Max: mg/m^3 — Min: mg/m^3 — Average: mg/m^3

Discussion — Our hypothesis was supported in saying that the wood stove releases more PM 2.5 making air quality lower as opposed to the gas stove which releases minimal particals.

Discussion Both the wood and gas stove had a minimum of mg/m^3, but the wood stoves maximum was mg/m^3 which is almost three times the EPA limit. While the gas stoves maximum was mg/m^3 which is well below the limit.

Discussion We also noticed a spike when the wood was added to the fire. On cold days when wood is constantly being added the particle level can go up and be very dangerous to asthmatics.

Conclusion —– The results of our testing showed that the gas stove was far superior in terms of emissions of PM 2.5 and would be much healthier for your body if you were to have prolonged use of your stove. -- One option would be to ban all biomass stoves --Another option would be make biomass stoves more efficient --Our hypothesis was supported because the biomass stove released more particles. We also noticed a spike when the wood was added to the fire. On cold days when wood is constantly being added the particle level can go up and be very dangerous to asthmatics.

Improvements —To improve and extend our research we could: ●Run the test over a longer period of time ●Have no other activities in the house ●Add wood at set intervals

References —Copes, Ray. "Wood Smoke, Forest Fires, and PM2.5 in British Columbia." BC Medical Journal. N.p., Apr Web. 26 May —Palmer, Cristopher P. "Residential Indoor PM 2.5 in Wood Stove Homes: Follow-up of the Libby Changeout Program." Research Gate. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May — —"Indoor Particulate Matter in Rural, Wood Stove Heated Homes." Science Direct. Elsevier B.V., Web. 26 May —

Acknowledgements Thank you- ●Jeff Doorn for building our fire ●The Doorn family for running the tests at their house ●and Mr. Spangler for being a great teacher