BIKE: Ozone Action and our bike commuter lungs

[Lane S. Wimberley]

While filters cannot obstruct the simple flow of such small particles,
they might be impregnated with materials that can react with them,
thereby reducing or eliminating the flow of harmful particles.

Check out...

    http://www.icanbreathe.com/

...for info on such a mask.  If one can believe their claims, this
might be a good mask.  I'd like to see some independent analysis
results before investing in anything, though.

Also, I found this nifty site with real-time air quality info ...

    http://www.epa.gov/airnow/

-Lane

Mike Dahmus writes:
> Seems unlikely that a mask would help with ozone - I could see it 
> helping with particulates (which were quite high today too, by the way). 
> Ozone is a molecule consisting of three atoms of oxygen - you're not 
> going to stop that with any mask that would let through enough O2 for 
> you to breathe!
> 
> I, personally, would rather our area be officially non-compliant with 
> ozone (1ppb over the limit) rather than being 1ppb under the limit 
> (which is where we effectively are now) - because being non-compliant 
> means that TXDOT finally has some chains put on them to at least 
> consider the air-quality impact of highway construction.
> 
> Lane S. Wimberley wrote:
> 
> >I don't have your answer, Elizabeth, but I'm glad you asked.  I hope
> >someone can chime in with helpful info.  I've been wondering this
> >myself lately, as the ozone action days pile up (although not as bad
> >as previous years, it seems).  I ride every day, and maybe it's just
> >my imagination, but it seems harder to breath on ozone action days.
> >The air today certainly looked awfully nasty.  I've read before that
> >excessive ozone exposure can cause some pretty bad things, including
> >permanent lung damage.  
> >
> >Makes me mad as hell when, on these days, I see idiots blowing leaves
> >and idling their cars to keep the air conditioner going.  Hey, I'm
> >trying to BREATH over here!
> >
> >Sheesh.
> >
> >-Lane
> >
> >PS Where did you get the mask?  How much?
> >
> >elizabeth gray writes:
> >  
> >
> >>How much damage do you figure we do to our own health by riding on Ozone 
> >>days?  Has anyone used masks to filter the air?
> >>
> >>I tried the N95 mask (1870 NIOSH compliant) made by 3M�clamps around the 
> >>nose and lower edge covers chin to create a minimum seal-- and I could 
> >>breathe better than I thought�but of course it does require more effort to 
> >>breathe than no mask.
> >>
> >>Any thoughts?
> >>
> >>Elizabeth
> >>8 miles each way W Austin to 183/MLK
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>Get on or off this list here:  http://BicycleAustin.info/list
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >  
> >
> 




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Lane Wimberley             8303 N. MoPac, Suite A-300  Austin, TX 78759
Wayport, Inc.                512.519.6195 (voice)    512.519.6200 (fax)