Building on the University of Washington’s Mobile ObserVations of Ultrafine Particles (MOV-UP) study, this project will establish a long-term air quality monitoring station south of Sea-Tac Airport (SEA) to better understand ultrafine particle (UFP) pollution from aircraft and other regional sources. The project is supported through Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA), in partnership with the City of Des Moines, as a Local Community Project (LCP) sponsored in Legislative District 33 and administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce.
The monitoring station will measure UFP, particulate matter, black carbon (BC), and gaseous pollutants and will support evaluation of long-term air quality trends, the contribution of aircraft and other pollution sources, and changes associated with airport operations and mitigation efforts, including the transition to sustainable aviation fuels. Data will also be compared with other monitoring sites in King County to help distinguish local airport-related impacts from broader regional air pollution. An Advisory Board will help ensure that the project addresses community priorities, and project findings will be shared with residents along with practical information from other University of Washington (UW) studies on strategies, including indoor air filtration, that can help reduce exposure to air pollution.
Why monitor ultrafine particles?
Ultrafine particles are smaller than 100 nanometers and may affect human health. Aircraft emissions have a distinct particle-size signature, allowing researchers to better understand aircraft-related pollution by measuring ultrafine particle concentrations and particle-size distributions.
What the station measures
The Des Moines AQMS continuously measures ultrafine particle concentrations and particle-size distributions, fine particulate matter, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. Together, these measurements help researchers track local air quality and understand how it changes with weather and airport operations.