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PROVO — Summer in Utah isn't complete without fireworks almost every weekend between two patriotic holidays and dozens of city festivals. And, while most are dazzled by the colors in the air, some BYU professors are concerned about the air pollution created by the explosive shows.
For two years, BYU geology professor Greg Carling and students monitored air samples with filters to collect various sizes of particulate matter, including PM2.5, or fine particles that are easily inhaled. Particulate matter is made up of microscopic pieces of dust, trace metals, smoke, liquid droplets and other pollutants, the university said in a press release.
The group measured the concentration of trace metals in particulate matter over time and found fireworks along the Wasatch Front are a major contributor to air pollution in Utah. The winter inversion and mineral dust are two other major contributors to particulate matter levels in the air.
"We know we're breathing in these particles that are unhealthy during firework events, dust storms, or winter inversions," Carling said. "But what's actually in the particulate matter? No one really knew before this study."
Carling's findings show metal pollution and particulate matter levels peak during January and July, aligning with winter inversions and summer fireworks. The study shows fireworks that produce smoke or colored light significantly contribute to air pollution.
The data shows fireworks emit high levels of barium and copper — while arsenic, cadmium, lead and thallium are prevalent in inversion smog.
Prolonged exposure to those substances can lead to health problems including asthma and cardiovascular disease. In Utah, there are strict drinking water standards, but similar air quality standards for these metals don't exist, the university's press release said.
"We know a bit about the acute problems that elements such as lead cause," Carling said. "But then there are the chronic problems we don't know about, and that probably should make people think, 'Oh, so what's actually harmful and how do we figure out what's harmful?'"
Carling said any concentration of particulate matter is hazardous to humans and the environment. He said metals are good at moving from the atmosphere into the soil, into water and food.
"They're persistent, meaning that they don't really go away — they just keep cycling through the system," he said.
Carling is hoping the study will increase awareness of the research needed on the health effects of metal pollution and lead to better policies regarding types and quantities of fireworks allowed. He suggests people take advantage of city firework displays and avoid personal pyrotechnics.
"It's great when research leads toward legislation that can help improve things," Carling said. "Sometimes it's just a paper that gets published and a few scientists read it. But other times, it gets picked up and used to create real solutions."
A study from the University of Utah in 2021 found that air pollution, especially smoke from wildfires or fireworks, has the ability to creep into indoor spaces and produce poor air quality inside buildings. It even has the ability to produce air quality levels that are unhealthy for sensitive groups during the worst inversion days.
