#7 Beware of the (pollution) spike!

Tom: Oh no! Let’s close the windows and doors and boost the air purifier! John: Hey Tom, what’s happening?
Tom: Oh no! Let’s close the windows and doors and boost the air purifier!
John: Hey Tom, what’s happening?
Tom: Oh no! Let’s close the windows and doors and boost the air purifier! John: Hey Tom, what’s happening?
Tom: You see here, your air quality monitor is showing a VOC spike (Volatile Organic Compounds)!!! 
John: Calm down Tom, it is just a spike when you are cleaning the bench with alcohol. It just lasted for 5 minutes.
Tom: You see here, your air quality monitor is showing a VOC spike (Volatile Organic Compounds)!!! John: Calm down Tom, it is just a spike when you are cleaning the bench with alcohol. It just lasted for 5 minutes.
Tom: It is 5 MINUTES! And it is above the RED threshold. Here it says RED means bad to health!!!
John: Relax... relax... Correct, RED means unhealthy. But similar to losing weight, it is fine when you have a cheat meal to relax a bit. What matters is the overall calorie intake! When air pollutants last for a few minutes a day, it is fine.
Tom: It is 5 MINUTES! And it is above the RED threshold. Here it says RED means bad to health!!! John: Relax… relax… Correct, RED means unhealthy. But similar to losing weight, it is fine when you have a cheat meal to relax a bit. What matters is the overall calorie intake! When air pollutants last for a few minutes a day, it is fine.
Tom: Does that mean those lasting for long but may be in YELLOW or ORANGE needs attention?
John: Bingo, this is the Exposure concept. Spikes and occasional events look scary. But what poses health issues to us is the exposure in the long run!
Tom: Does that mean those lasting for long but may be in YELLOW or ORANGE needs attention? John: Bingo, this is the Exposure concept. Spikes and occasional events look scary. But what poses health issues to us is the exposure in the long run!