DARWIN REGION COMMUNITY MOBILE AIR MONITORING
An independent community-based project to
safeguard the air that we breathe
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
The Darwin region faces some serious threats to our air quality as local industrial gas processing expands in our harbour.
The production of LNG releases dangerous air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These chemicals are toxic even at low levels and are linked a broad range of health impacts, including asthma, cancer, heart disease, pregnancy complications, infertility and even early death.
The first step to protecting our air quality is to provide clear independent data on pollutant levels, now and into the future.
The Community Healthy Air NT Project
CHANT (Community Healthy Air NT) is an independant citizen science project to monitor the air quality in the Darwin region now that the oil and gas industry seeks to expand their operations at Middle Arm, only 3 km from Palmerston homes and schools and 6 km from the Darwin city centre.
We are fund-raising to acquire a state-of-the-art mobile Ambient VOC BTEX air monitor. This instrument will track and accurately measure a range of dangerous air-borne chemicals in a variety of locations across Darwin and Palmerston.
We aim to collect continuous and real-time data which will be verified with expert collaborating scientists. If high levels of pollutants are detected, we will report our findings to the regulators for investigation.
Our monitor will be mounted on a trailer, giving us the ability to track and map pollution over time in key locations across the region.
SUPPORT OUR WORK
CHANT is a volunteer community science project that will require financial support, now and throughout the monitoring phase. The BTEX air monitor is a substantial acquisition and as such we welcome donations to underwrite this important instrument.
Any allocation of funds or property to other persons or organisations will be made in accordance with the established purposes of the organisation and not be influenced by the preference of the donor.
The organisation will not pass a donation of money or property to other organisations, bodies or persons as a condition of a donation.
Pollutants under scrutiny
BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene)
Total VOCs
Formaldehyde
Ammonia
Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
Nitrogen oxide (NO)
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
Ozone (O3)
Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S)
Protecting Our Air: Citizen Science at Work
