The COVID-19 pandemic put the importance of indoor air quality in stark relief. The air in schools was of particular concern, and that concern spurred collaboration between researchers and school staff to find interventions to improve air quality to safeguard the health of students and staff. Data from indoor air monitors revealed that filter-based portable air cleaners were effective at removing airborne particulates. Ongoing research and monitoring will determine whether this effort is making a beneficial health impact and will be used to decide how to manage indoor air quality going forward. C&EN Uncovered, a project from C&EN’s podcast, Stereo Chemistry, offers a deeper look at subjects from recent stories. Check out the full story about air quality monitoring in schools at cenm.ag/airqualityinschools.

Cover photo: Undergraduate student Ricardo Reyes collects air quality measurements from the back of a classroom in Colorado.

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A transcript of this episode will be available soon at cen.acs.org.

Credits

Executive producer: David Anderson

C&EN Uncovered host: Craig Bettenhausen

Reporter: Fionna Samuels

Audio editor: Ted Woods

Copyeditor: Brian Vickers

Episode artwork: Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado Boulder

Music: “Hot Chocolate,” by Aves

Contact Stereo Chemistry: Contact us on social media at @cenmag or email cenfeedback@acs.org.