Have you ever wondered about the air quality in your own living space? We often take the air we breathe for granted, assuming it’s clean and safe. But what if there was a way to measure the quality of the air around us? That’s exactly what I set out to do when I recently acquired a new air quality monitor. Over the past week, I did an experiment to monitor the levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in my room.

I do know that this method of data collection is not exactly accurate, there are a lot of variables I did not control. I did this only because I was curious about the CO2 levels, just to find its general trend.

CO2 concentrations have historically been below 300 ppmv but exceeded that threshold in 1912. Since then, levels have been steadily rising, reaching 420 ppmv in 2021. The annual growth rate has increased from less than 1 ppmv per year in 1959 to around 2.5 ppmv per year. (EPA, NOAA 2021)

Before we dive into the results, let’s talk about why monitoring CO2 levels is important. Carbon Dioxide is a gas that is naturally present in the atmosphere and is a byproduct of human breathing. However, high concentrations of CO2 indoors can lead to adverse health effects such as headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Monitoring CO2 levels can provide valuable insights into the air quality and ventilation in a particular space.

For my experiment, I placed the air quality monitor in a central location in my room, away from direct sunlight and potential sources of CO2 emissions, such as plants. I wanted to get a baseline measurement of the CO2 levels in my room before making any adjustments. The monitor provided real-time readings, and has a function to export the data for further analysis. From the data collected, the mean of the CO2 concentration before I made any changes was 671 ppm, the maximum was 1015 ppm.

During this week, I made the following changes to my room:
– My ventilation system was always on
– I removed all the plants from my room
– I opened the windows for 10 minutes every 4hours from 9am to 6pm.

The impact of these changes was noticeable. The CO2 levels in my room decreased significantly, and I really felt a difference in the air quality. I felt more alert and focused, I was able to concentrate much better, and I stopped feeling sleepy, it really was effective. The mean of CO2 concentration has decreased to 491ppm, the maximum was 710ppm.

This shows the importance of monitoring CO2 levels in indoor spaces and the impact it can have on our well-being. While this is not an accurate scientific study, it provided insights into the air quality in my room and how simple adjustments can make a difference.

CO2 as an Indicator of Airborne Infection Risk Transmission¹

During the COVID-19 pandemic, recommendations have been made to use indoor CO2 measurement as an indicator of the risk of airborne infection transmission. All else being equal, higher CO2 concentrations correspond to lower outdoor air ventilation rates and the potential for an increased risk of airborne transmission.

¹Recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC 2021] in the United States; Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations [REHVA 2021] in Europe; and Environmental Modelling Group and Scientific Pandemic Insights Group on Behaviours [EMG/SPI-B 2021] in the United Kingdom.