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Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
@jeffgilchrist
Feb 3, 2024 • 39 tweets • 11 min read • Read on X
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Warning: Ultrasonic Humidifiers with Tap Water Generate lots of PM2.5 Pollution

Since we are in winter and humidity levels are much lower this time of year, I wanted to provide this warning after a recent experience of a colleague of mine.🧵1/ Graph of PM2.5 levels showing 3 large spikes between 150-200 ug/m3, three days in a row at night.
It is amazing what you can discover about your environment when you actually monitor it. My colleague recently purchased a particulate matter (PM) monitor for his home & after multiple days of nothing he saw massive spikes in PM2.5 levels every night for three nights in a row. 2/
The PM2.5 levels exceeded 150 ug/m3 the first night and over 200 ug/m3 the next two nights. While no level of PM2.5 is safe, the WHO warns of exposure to levels above 5 ug/m3 annually and 15 ug/m3 in a 24 hour period ( ). 3/ who.int/news-room/fact…
Graph of PM2.5 levels showing 3 large spikes between 150-200 ug/m3 from an ultrasonic humidifier that was using tap water instead of distilled water, three days in a row at night.
He was able to track down the source to an ultrasonic humidifier that had been filled with tap water to make humidity levels more comfortable in a bedroom. 4/
The PM monitor was actually in a different part of the house and he measured 3x higher levels in the room where the ultrasonic humidifier was operating. 5/
What happened? “Ultrasonic humidifiers generate humidity by breaking water into small droplets using a piezoelectric transducer, a device that vibrates very fast at the ultrasonic frequency." ( ). 6/ualberta.ca/science/news/2…
“These small water droplets are then sent into the air by a fan. That is the mist that we can see coming out of the humidifier." 7/
"Once released in the air, water evaporates quickly into the surrounding air, but the minerals and salts dissolved in tap water are left behind in the air as suspended PM.” 8/
The PM was not confined to the bedroom but spread all throughout his house where it was being breathed in by all family members. 9/
A study confirmed that using distilled water purchased from local grocery stores in ultrasonic humidifiers generated no PM pollution ( ). 10/onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.111…
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It is important to note that PM generation happens with ultrasonic humidifiers but you can use tap water with evaporative, wick-based humidifiers which does not break up the water molecules in the same way. 11/
Thankfully he had a PM monitor and noticed there was something wrong so he was able to identify and correct the issue. 12/
Why bother using distilled water, what would be the impact if he just kept using the much cheaper tap water and breathing in high levels of PM every night? 13/
Berkeley calculated that exposure for every 22 ug/m3 of PM2.5 for 24 hours is equivalent to smoking 1 cigarette so if they kept using tap water for their humidifier it would be like smoking about 9 cigarettes every night for them ( ). 14/
I used a Model E PM monitor to measure how much outside PM pollution I was letting inside the house by opening a window and also how much frying an egg generates ( ). 15/co2.click
Cooking can also cause high levels of PM so please ensure good ventilation by turning on your range hood fan or opening a windows if possible and HEPA filtration/CR boxes help too ( ). 16/
You can read more about the importance of indoor air quality here ( ). 17/
Much of the PM we breathe in, even while indoors, comes from outdoor origin so it is also important to monitor outdoor PM air quality ( ). 18/
Many people have asked if carbon water filters help. People would need to measure & confirm their filter but most only remove some minerals/metal but not all so could potentially reduce PM levels but wouldn't eliminate ( ). 19/mytapscore.com/en-ca/blogs/ti…
Are the contents of water dangerous? Besides minerals there are metals commonly found in drinking water such as arsenic, copper, lead, iron, nickel, cadmium ( ) and ( ). 20/lakecountyil.gov/DocumentCenter…
mytapscore.com/en-ca/blogs/ti…
Since PM2.5 particles of any type are so small, "PM2.5 can pass through the lung–gas–blood barrier and the 'gut–microbial–brain' axis to cause systemic oxidative stress and inflammation, or directly enter brain tissue via the olfactory nerve" ( ). 21/ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
This could impact your body differently than just drinking the water with the same content that is normally safe to drink. 22/
“These particles are so small that they can evade our filtration system in the upper airway and penetrate deep into our respiratory tract,” explained Lau. “Upon doing so, they also send chemical species associated with them into our bodies." ( ) 23/ualberta.ca/science/news/2…
People are also asking which PM monitors I use? I have been using air quality monitors by @IndianaTux, a Canadian company. The Model E, G, and X offer PM sensors in them. 24/co2.click
Their Model E and G are indoor monitors that measure PM and their X is an outdoor monitor for PM. The feature I like the best is that they can take measurements every minute and upload the data via WiFi so you can see what is going on in your space over time. 25/ Graph showing indoor particulate matter (PM) levels on the 2nd floor of a house as outdoor wildfire smoke PM levels increased and how indoor levels went down when switching the HVAC system to recirculate air through the HVAC filter and not bring in new outdoor air.
If you are interested in learning more, this thread shows some examples of how their Model X and E work and what their online portal looks like ( … ). Model G uses the same PM sensor as Model E-Lite but uses a non-colour display and is cheaper. 26/
As for more affordable options, I cannot vouch for how accurate they are or how well they work since I have never used them but IKEA sells couple of lower cost options ranging from $13 to $50 which do not have the data saved online ( ). 27/ikea.com/ca/en/cat/air-…
The $50 IKEA Vindstyrka Indoor Air Quality Monitor has been reviewed here ( ). 28/breathesafeair.com/ikea-vindstyrk…
The $13 IKEA Vindriktning Air Quality Monitor has been reviewed here ( ). 29/breathesafeair.com/ikea-vindriktn…
Some people have asked if boiling water will "purify" the water to remove minerals. Boiling water may kill bacteria but it will not remove the mineral content and may make it even more concentrated afterwards ( ). 30/mytapscore.com/en-ca/blogs/ti…
Does the PM from tap water in ultrasonic humidifiers impact people differently than outdoor PM pollution? This study takes a looks at what happens in the lungs of mice using different types of water ( ). 31/
@SaltyPeach51 Their Model E and G are indoor monitors that measure PM and their X is an outdoor monitor for PM. The feature I like the best is that they can take measurements every minute and upload the data via WiFi so you can see what is going on in the space over time. Graph showing indoor particulate matter (PM) levels on the 2nd floor of a house as outdoor wildfire smoke PM levels increased and how indoor levels went down when switching the HVAC system to recirculate air through the HVAC filter and not bring in new outdoor air.
@SaltyPeach51 If you are interested in learning more, this thread shows some examples of how their Model X and E work and what their online portal looks like ( ). Model G uses the same PM sensor as Model E-Lite but uses a non-colour display and is cheaper.
@SaltyPeach51 I cannot vouch for how accurate they are or how well they work since I have never used them but IKEA sells couple of lower cost options ranging from $13 to $50 which do not have the data saved online ( ).ikea.com/ca/en/cat/air-…
@SaltyPeach51 The $50 IKEA Vindstyrka Indoor Air Quality Monitor Review ( ).breathesafeair.com/ikea-vindstyrk…
@SaltyPeach51 The $13 IKEA Vindriktning Air Quality Monitor Review ( ).breathesafeair.com/ikea-vindriktn…
@spittykitty543 Since the particles are so small, "PM2.5 can pass through the lung–gas–blood barrier and the 'gut–microbial–brain' axis to cause systemic oxidative stress and inflammation, or directly enter brain tissue via the olfactory nerve" ( ). 2/ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
@spittykitty543 “These particles are so small that they can evade our filtration system in the upper airway and penetrate deep into our respiratory tract,” explained Lau. “Upon doing so, they also send chemical species associated with them into our bodies." ( ) 3/ualberta.ca/science/news/2…

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More from @jeffgilchrist

Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
Jun 1
*** Ontario Virus Update | June 1 ***

Hospitalizations due to COVID have decreased from 38 to 21 in the last update. Influenza hospitalizations decreased from 51 to 44 and RSV decreased from 20 to 18 so moving in the right direction but still not finished for the season yet. 1/ This stacked bar chart displays weekly new hospitalizations in Ontario specifically attributed to COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV. The data tracks the fluctuating volume of patients over time, highlighting seasonal surges and the relative contribution of each respiratory virus to the overall healthcare burden.
Looking at age groups, those age 75+ had the highest rates of hospitalization due to COVID but decreased since last update. Tied for second place are the 0-4 and 65-74 age groups. 2/ This 100% stacked area chart illustrates the weekly proportion of COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population in Ontario across different age groups. The graph visualizes how the relative distribution of hospitalizations shifts over time among demographics ranging from infants to seniors aged 75 and older.
COVID case rates decreased across most age groups this past update except for age <1 which had a significant increase and almost matching the same levels as age 80+. The 1-4 and 60-79 age groups currently have the same rates. 3/ This multi-line graph tracks the weekly rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in Ontario, categorized by various age groups from infants to seniors aged 80 and older. The data trends highlight the fluctuations in infection rates across different demographics over the year.
Read 10 tweets
Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
May 30
Filtering the air may help prevent your own infection from becoming more severe

If everyone in a household becomes infected with the same virus, does it help to isolate from each other and can you be a danger to yourself? Read on to find out...🧵1/

#AirQuality #IAQ #Ventilation This grouped bar chart, titled "COVID Positive Abnormal Chest CT by Air Quality Setting", displays the percentage of abnormal chest CT scans among COVID-positive patients across three different tiers of air quality control. The graph compares overall and asymptomatic cases, illustrating a clear downward trend in the percentage of abnormal scans as air filtration and ventilation efficiency improve from household levels to high-efficiency aerosol control.
An interesting hypothesis-generating study was published recently that asked if an infected person's condition can become even worse by re-inhaling their own virus particles ( ). 2/sciencedirect.com/science/articl…
Is a transition from a milder upper respiratory tract infection (runny nose, sore throat) to a more severe lower respiratory tract infection like pneumonia is significantly driven by the physical mechanism of inhaling virus containing aerosols deep into the lungs? 3/
Read 26 tweets
Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
May 24
*** Ontario Virus Update | May 24 ***

Hospitalizations due to COVID have increased from 34 to 38 in the last update. Influenza hospitalizations decreased from 57 to 51 and RSV decreased from 33 to 20. 🧵1/

#Ontario #Virus #COVID #RSV #Influenza #Hospital This stacked bar chart displays weekly new hospitalizations in Ontario specifically attributed to COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV. The data tracks the fluctuating volume of patients over time, highlighting seasonal surges and the relative contribution of each respiratory virus to the overall healthcare burden.
Looking at age groups, those age 75+ had the highest rates of hospitalization due to COVID but decreased since last update. Second place is age 65-74 which increased, and third place is age 0-4 which also increased. 2/ This 100% stacked area chart illustrates the weekly proportion of COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population in Ontario across different age groups. The graph visualizes how the relative distribution of hospitalizations shifts over time among demographics ranging from infants to seniors aged 75 and older.
COVID case rates were fairly stable across age groups this past update except for age 80+ which had a significant decrease but still maintain the highest rates. The 0-4 and 60-79 age groups currently have similar rates. 3/ This multi-line graph tracks the weekly rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in Ontario, categorized by various age groups from infants to seniors aged 80 and older. The data trends highlight the fluctuations in infection rates across different demographics over the year.
Read 10 tweets
Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
May 10
*** Ontario Variant Update | May 10 ***

In Ontario, the NB.1.8.1.* "Nimbus" variant family shot to 74.7% of sequenced genomes from COVID tests while the XFG.* "Stratus" family dropped to 15.8% and the BA.3.2 "Cicada" family decreased below 10% again.🧵1/
#Ontario #COVID #Variant This multi-line chart tracks the lineage frequency of various COVID-19 variant families in Ontario over time, based on sequenced genome samples. The graph illustrates the changing prevalence of specific variant families, showing how different lineages compete and evolve as the dominant strains within the province.
Ontario released another month of sequencing data by age and we continue to see high ratios of Cicada in children with another 51 BA.3.2.2.* sequences out of 617 new sequences ( ). 2/publichealthontario.ca/-/media/docume…
With 126 Cicada sequences from 1,828 total, we see children still have the highest proportion which decreases after age 5-11 as age increases with significant drops from age 60+. 3/ This bar chart illustrates the percentage of the BA.3.2.* Cicada COVID-19 variant lineage among different age groups in Ontario over a designated time period. The graph visualizes the relative prevalence of the lineage across demographics, highlighting how the variant is distributed from young children to seniors aged 80 and older.
Read 11 tweets
Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
Apr 28
*** Ontario Variant Update | Apr 28 ***

There was some competition for variant dominance during the month of March but the NB.1.8.1.* "Nimbus" family currently holds first place with 49.5% while the XFG.* "Stratus" family sits at 38.1% of sequenced genomes from COVID tests. 🧵1/ This multi-line chart tracks the lineage frequency of various COVID-19 variant families in Ontario over time, based on sequenced genome samples. The graph illustrates the changing prevalence of specific variant families, showing how different lineages compete and evolve as the dominant strains within the province.
The BA.3.2 "Cicada" family has been slowing climbing and now above 10%. 2/
Looking at specific variants, RC.5 Nimbus currently holds first place at 13.4%, SH.1 Nimbus is a close second at 13.3%, RC.6 Nimbus is making a comeback at 11.3%, XFG.1.1.2 Stratus is at 8.2%, RT.2 Cicada at 7.2%, PQ.2.1 Nimbus at 5.2%, and RE.1.2 Cicada at 2.1%. 3/ This multi-line chart tracks the lineage frequency of emerging COVID-19 subvariants in Ontario over time, based on genomic sequencing data. The graph visualizes the shifting percentage of total cases represented by each specific lineage, highlighting the growth and competition of various viral strains.
Read 10 tweets
Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
Apr 13
*** Ontario Virus & Variant Update | Apr 13 ***

Hospitalizations due to COVID have gone down from 153 to 123 in the last update. Influenza hospitalizations decreased from 59 to 47 and RSV decreased from 110 to 85. 🧵1/

#Ontario #Virus #Variant #COVID #RSV #Influenza #Hospital Graph of New hospitalizations in Ontario due to COVID, Influenza or RSV.
Looking at age groups, those age 75+ had the highest rates of hospitalization due to COVID but decreased since last update. Second place is age 0-4 and their levels are currently increasing while age 65-74 has the third highest rate and also decreased since last update. 2/ Graph of New hospitalization rate in Ontario due to COVID by age group (100% Stacked).
The youngest age group 0-4 currently have a hospitalization rate due to COVID that are 17x higher than age 5-17, 17x higher than age 18-49, and 2.8x higher than adults 50-64. 3/
Read 25 tweets

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