New research shows improving air quality isn’t a simple fix in Fairbanks
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Winter air quality has been an issue in the Fairbanks area for decades. Toward the end of 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the air quality has improved but there is still work to be done to meet federal standards for particulate matter.
One action taken to improve air quality is the use of low-sulfur heating fuel, but new research from the University of Alaska Fairbanks shows it’s not that simple.
While low sulfur fuel reduces the amount of sulfates in the air, the researchers found the PH of the air is increased, which encourages the formation of other fine particles from a different chemical.
“It makes the picture of air quality in Fairbanks more complicated,” James Campbell, a doctoral student at UAF, said. “It makes it more difficult than just reducing one thing, because there are potentially other things are going to be formed when you do that.”
Campbell says the goal is to improve air quality in Fairbanks. He’s currently trying to determine the source of formaldehyde in the air which is a component of the chemicals being formed.
Listen to the full conversation on In Depth Alaska.
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