Bergen Carloss and Mariah DrownWhitefish High School

Mr. Spangler

ARTSY AIR QUALITY

Question:

Does the presence of a ceramic kiln affect the quality of the air?

Hypothesis:

When the ceramic kiln is turned on, the PM

2.5 levels will rise above the standard .035

mg/m3 level and have a negative impact on

air quality.

-Mariah’s mom, who runs Stumptown Art Studio-The importance of art in student’s lives and the new addition of the pottery room in Whitefish High School-The fact that using the ceramic kiln provides a unique and relevant way to test air quality.

OUR INTEREST WAS SPARKED BY…

◼What is PM 2.5?

▪ “Particular Matter” at 2.5 pm in diameter or smaller. It is 1/60 the diameter of a human hair

◼What Causes PM 2.5 and Where Does It Come From?▪ PM 2.5 comes from a variety of sources. For example, PM 2.5 forms

from car exhaust, tobacco smoke, power plant waste, burning wood, coal, or candles.

▪ On a molecular scale, PM 2.5 comes from organic compounds, sulfates and nitrates, and trace elements.

◼What is the EPA limit for PM 2.5?▪“The maximum EPA limit for PM 2.5 is 30-35 micrograms per cubic meter. The average is 13-14 mg/m3

◼Health concerns related to PM 2.5?▪PM 2.5 is related to heart disease and asthma ▪Irritates lungs and respiratory tract

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

We spend 85% of our time indoors

◼Potential Dangers from Ceramic Kiln Fumes▪Crystalline Silica, in the form of powdered quartz, can cause Silicosis, which is a lung disease that can be fatal.▪Kaolinitic Clay▪Chlorine Gas (produced by salt glaze firing)▪Iron Oxide▪Asbestos

▪All of these materials have the potential to cause varying forms of lung cancer and pulmonary disorders.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

❏ Todd H. Dresser, Environmental Engineer, Burlington, MA❏ March 10, 2015❏ Five ceramic kilns in local high schools

❏ Kiln emissions were allowed to escape the kiln room due to a lack of proper venting❏ Carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds,

metallic vapors❏ Problems were addressed by installing bottom

mounted exhaust fans on kilns

Another Point of View...

"EPA Region 7 Education Resources Kiln Air Quality." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 22 May 2015.

In January 30, 2015 , we brought our radon meter to the Stumptown Art Studio in Whitefish, MT 145

Central Ave. It was placed on a shelf above the kiln on the wall in the center of the room (see

picture)and turned on for 3 days and 19 minutes, so our experiment ended on February 2, 2015. During

that time, the kiln was turned on at around 4:30 PM on January 31 and opened in the afternoon of

February 2. The DustTrak was never moved.

We noticed a sharp spike in our data on Monday afternoon, but otherwise the air quality in the art studio

was good. Our materials included a standard DustTrak meter and a ceramic kiln in the art studio.

◼ Our independent variable was the time.

◼ Our dependent variable was the air quality, which depended on the movement in the room and

whether or not the kiln was turned on.

◼ The controlled variables are fixed and there are usually many more than one. These included

the placement of the radon meter, the consistency of our timing, and the consistent placement of

the kiln.

Methods

Pictures

Pictures

Results

Series 1: Our Data Series 2: Constant .035mg/m2

Test Start: 3:56 PM 1/30

Test End: 4:15 PM 2/02

Average mg/m3: .014

mg/m3

Max mg/m3: .119 mg/m3

Min mg/m3: .008 mg/m3

Results Continued...

At around 1:15PM on February 2, we noticed a dramatic increase in the PM 2.5 levels at the Art Studio. These numbers turned out to be way above the EPA limit, and we think that at that time the kiln we opened and the fumes were released. Because there are many toxins that are produced from a ceramic kiln, this would explain the spike.

◼ Our hypothesis was not supported, because when the kiln was turned on, it did not have a negative effect on the air quality. However, when the kiln was opened, PM 2.5 levels reached well beyond the EPA limits

◼ The air quality is poor when the kiln is opened, which may cause health problems and have potential risks to people near the kiln.

◼ Our purpose was to document the air quality resulting from a ceramic kiln being turned on and off, but we received unexpected results from the opening of the kiln.

◼ Errors may have included the placement of the DustTrak or movement of people in the surrounding area that affected particle levels and threw off our results.

Discussion

◼How would the results have been different if we used the high school kiln and pottery room? Would the chemicals vary? Venting systems?

Discussion Question

❏ Our purpose was to document the air quality resulting from a ceramic kiln being turned on and off, and the kiln did not have a drastically negative effect on air quality, inconsistent with our hypothesis. The only major spike occurred when the kiln was opened. These results can be applied to other ceramic kiln tests and to the usage of the ceramic kiln in our building.

❏ One spike was evident on Monday afternoon, February 2nd, which could have been due to a mass movement in the room or the actual opening of the kiln.

Conclusions

❏ Try more tests in the Stumptown Art Studio and other kilns as well, like in the high school or another studio.

❏ Record the moments when the kiln was turned on and off, as well as when the kiln was opened. We could also compare different kilns and learn more about the gases that come from them.

Improvements

Works Cited

1. "Air Purifiers for the Art Studio." Air Purifiers for the Art Studio. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2015.

2. "EPA Region 7 Education Resources Kiln Air Quality." EPA. Environmental Protection

Agency, n.d. Web. 22 May 2015. 3."Particle Pollution (PM10) and (PM2.5)." Particle Pollution (PM10) and (PM2.5). N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2015.

4."Ceramic Toxicology." Ceramic Toxicology. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.

References

Thank you to Melanie Drown, Stumptown Art Studio, and Mr. Spangler for making our project possible.

Acknowledgements