Researchers in Baltimore trying to learn more about pollution inside the home

BALTIMORE - Socializing after Sunday service doesn't typically involve conversations about air quality.

But parishioners at St. James Episcopal Church in Baltimore are getting sensors to track air quality and temperature inside their homes. 

"According to the EPA, indoor air quality is sometimes two to five times more toxic than outdoor air," said Terri Adams, a professor at Howard University.

Adams and her team at Howard University say these monitors will measure indoor pollutants.  

"Carbon dioxide particulate matter that's floating in the air, can be dirt, dust mites, formaldehyde," Howard University professor Saurav Aryal said.

Those particles can come from synthetic building materials, household products, poor ventilation, even cooking.

It can cause health effects from headaches and irritation to respiratory diseases, even cancer.

Study participant Richard Hackett says poor air quality outdoors this summer from the Canadian wildfires left him feeling sick.  

"I feel discomfort in my chest," Hackett said. "I feel discomfort in my head and my eyes."

Professor Adams says urban centers and underserved communities can be especially impacted by pollution and extreme heat.    

"I would say that we have two major goals," Adams said. "One is to make people more aware and also so we can collect data to inform policy-makers where resources need to go."  

Indoors could include providing air conditioners and air filters, while outdoors could include planting more trees to clean and cool the environment.

"If we wait too long it will be too late," Hackett said.

Hackett created his own greenspace in front of his home to do his part.

He hopes more people take action to improve the air.