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Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
@jeffgilchrist
Feb 3, 2024 • 39 tweets • 11 min read • Read on X
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…
@threadreaderapp please unroll
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
Feb 10
#Ottawa, #Ontario, #Canada Virus Update:

You can see in the graph, COVID makes up the majority of new hospitalizations due to #Flu, #RSV or #COVID throughout the year, and even stays ahead during winter respiratory virus season. 🧵1/ A line graph displaying the percentage of patients hospitalized due to COVID-19, Influenza, or RSV over time, from September 1, 2023, to January 26, 2025. The x-axis represents weeks within this period, and the y-axis shows percentages from 0% to 100%. The graph has three colored lines: blue for COVID-19, purple for Influenza, and teal for RSV. The graph shows fluctuations in the percentage of hospitalizations due to each cause over time, with COVID-19 consistently having the highest percentage, followed by Influenza and RSV.
New hospitalizations are increasing again. This last update was the first time Flu hospitalizations (42) were significantly higher than COVID (34) in the same week with RSV at 14 people. 2/ The bar chart shows the number of new hospitalizations per week in Ottawa from August 27, 2023, to January 26, 2025. The y-axis represents the number of patients, ranging from 0 to 100. The x-axis represents the weeks. The bars are color-coded: blue for COVID-19, purple for Influenza, and teal for RSV. The chart shows fluctuations in hospitalizations over time, with notable peaks around December 2023 and January 2025.
In Ottawa, test positivity for Flu A (bright green) has really increased, COVID is still in second place, but seasonal human coronavirus is almost the same level, followed by Entero/Rhinovirus, and then RSV for the top 5. 3/ A stacked area chart displaying the percentage of positive tests for various viruses over time, from October 1, 2022, to January 26, 2025. The x-axis represents weeks within this period, while the y-axis represents the percentage, cumulatively stacked to 100%. The chart features the following viruses, each depicted in a distinct color: COVID-19 (red), Entero/Rhinovirus (yellow), Seasonal human coronavirus (purple), RSV (green), Parainfluenza (all types) (blue), Influenza B (dark purple), Influenza A (light green), Human metapneumovirus (pink), and Adenovirus (dark blue). The data shows fluc...
Read 6 tweets
Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
Jan 20
Similar to #Canada, babies in the #UK are at higher risk for #hospitalization and #ICU admission from #COVID. Their data looks deeper at infants < 6 months old which have higher ER attendance, hospital admission and severe hospitalisation rates than the oldest adults 90+! 🧵1/
That data from the UK was taken from this pre-print study ( ). 2/medrxiv.org/content/10.110…
In Canada, babies < 1 years old had the highest ICU admission rates of all age groups from Aug. 27, 2023 to Aug. 24, 2024. Read on to see more details including Flu and RSV too ( ). 3/
Read 7 tweets
Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
Jan 19
The @elastomaskpro () is a NIOSH approved reusable N95 elastomeric respirator. It is made of silicone so a higher chance it will fit and seal well and is super breathable at the same time. Read on to find out more about my experience with it. 🧵1/ elastomaskpro.comA blue respirator mask, called ElastoMaskPro, rests on top of a blue and white box. The mask has a smooth, curved design with two circular filters on each side. The mask's straps are neatly arranged.
A light blue ElastoMaskPro N95 reusable respirator mask with a soft, flexible facepiece rests on top of its packaging box. The mask features a large opening in the center, showcasing white pleated filters. Two elastic straps are attached to the mask for securing it to the face.
Full disclosure: ElastoMaskPro sent me a unit to evaluate. There were no strings attached, they just asked that I provided feedback after I tried it. This thread is the first time they are seeing my feedback, they did not review anything before it being posted here. 2/
The ElastoMaskPro is very cost effective at the current sale price of $29.99 which includes two N95 filtering pucks. You can continue using the filters until they either get too dirty or there is increased breathing resistance. 3/ ElastoMaskPro Filter Puck. Filter Pucks are constructed using an adhesive-free process that incorporates a large volume of long-lasting, highly durable mechanical filtration media.
Read 43 tweets
Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
Jan 6
#Ottawa, #Ontario, #Canada Virus Update:

Ottawa updated its #respiratory #virus data again after a break for the holidays, respiratory related ED visits are up especially in kids 0-3, then 4-11 and age 80+. 🧵1/ A line graph showing the number of respiratory-related emergency department (ED) visits per 100,000 population by week, from September 1, 2023, to November 1, 2024, across different age groups. Six lines represent the age groups: Age 0-3 (purple), Age 4-11 (blue), Age 12-17 (green), Age 18-54 (yellow), Age 55-79 (red), and Age 80+ (orange). The Age 0-3 group shows the highest number of visits, peaking around 1000 visits per 100,000 population, while other age groups generally have rates below 250 visits per 100,000 population. The graph exhibits seasonal fluctuations, with peaks in the wint...
Quite a mixture of different viruses testing positive in the lab right now so people can pick up a variety of bugs in the air. 2/ A stacked area chart displaying the percentage of positive tests for various viruses over time, from October 1, 2022, to December 22, 2024. The x-axis represents weeks within this period, while the y-axis represents the percentage, cumulatively stacked to 100%. The chart features the following viruses, each depicted in a distinct color: COVID-19 (red), Entero/Rhinovirus (yellow), Seasonal human coronavirus (blue), RSV (green), Parainfluenza (purple), Influenza B (light blue), Influenza A (light green), Human metapneumovirus (pink), and Adenovirus (dark blue). COVID-19 maintains a high posit...
New hospitalizations also jumped a lot in the last two reporting weeks, not just due to #RSV but a big spike in #COVID as well.

Follow the latest updates here ( ). 3/ covid.gilchrist.ca/Ottawa.htmlThe bar chart shows the number of new hospitalizations per week in Ottawa from August 27, 2023, to December 22, 2024. The y-axis represents the number of patients, ranging from 0 to 100. The x-axis represents the weeks. The bars are color-coded: blue for COVID-19, purple for Influenza, and teal for RSV. The chart shows fluctuations in hospitalizations, with peaks around late 2023 and early 2024, and another peak towards the end of 2024.
A line graph displaying the percentage of patients hospitalized due to COVID-19, Influenza, or RSV over time, from September 1, 2023, to December 22, 2024. The x-axis represents weeks within this period, and the y-axis shows percentages from 0% to 100%. The graph has three colored lines: blue for COVID-19, purple for Influenza, and teal for RSV. COVID-19 consistently shows the highest percentage of hospitalizations, with fluctuations throughout the period.
Read 4 tweets
Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
Dec 24, 2024
#Variant update for #Ontario, #Canada (to Dec 10, 2024)

The KP.3.1.1 #DeFLuQE variant has finally been surpassed with XEC now in top place above 20% while the other 5 (MC.* and XEC.* descendants) remain < 7%. Graph tools by @Mike_Honey_ 🧵1/ A line graph showing the lineage frequency of the top 7 COVID-19 genomes in Ontario, Canada, up to December 10, 2024. The graph includes data from 4,928 sequenced genomes. The x-axis represents dates from October 27 to December 08, while the y-axis represents lineage frequency percentages from 0% to 35%. Different colored lines represent different genome lineages: KP.3.1.1 (blue), MC.1 (green), MC.13 (purple), MC.16 (pink), MC.24 (orange), XEC (brown), and XEC.8 (yellow). Below the main graph, there is a bar chart showing the number of samples (n) collected each day, ranging from 0 to 200 s...
XEC is a combination of KP.3.3 and KS.1.1 that recombined together. MC.1 is a direct descendant of KP.3.1.1 with one spike mutation at T571I. To learn more about how variant naming works, you can read this article I wrote with @paulseaman31 ( ). 2/docs.google.com/document/d/1q0…
This Sankey graph shows the proportion of variants from PCR test genomic sequencing in Ontario since October 27, 2024. You can follow the lineage backwards to see where a variant is a descendant from. 3/ The Sankey diagram visually displays the evolution and distribution of sequenced genomes in Ontario, Canada, up to December 10, 2024. The diagram uses colored bars and curved lines to show the flow and relationships between different genome variants over time. Each variant is labeled, such as "XEC," "BA.2," "BA.2.86," "JN.1," "KP.3," and various sub-variants. These bars and lines illustrate the transitions and derivations from one variant to another. The total number of sequenced genomes depicted is 4,928. This visualization helps to underst...
Read 16 tweets
Jeff Gilchrist Profile picture
Dec 22, 2024
Population rate vs raw numbers

This is a good example of why it is useful to understand the importance of population *rate* and not just look at raw numbers. The first graph shows raw numbers and the second graph population rate. 🧵1/ #ED #Respiratory #Virus #Population #Ottawa Chart of Respiratory Related ED Visits by Week and Age (Ottawa, ON, Canada) with raw numbers
Chart of Respiratory Related ED Visits by Week and Age (Ottawa, ON, Canada) with population rate per 100K
Ottawa Public Health makes only the raw data available for All causes and respiratory-related emergency department visits to Ottawa hospitals by age group and week ( ). 2/open.ottawa.ca/datasets/ottaw…
If I take the data and plot all the ages together, you can at least see all of the age groups at the same time but it is just the raw numbers. 3/
Read 12 tweets

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