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Filtering the Future

CSEF · 2026 Product Science (Junior Division)

Evelyn Cho

Overview

More than 70,000 people die each year from smoke inhalation due to wildfires in the US. My project tested seven household materials (washcloth, dry t-shirt, wet t-shirt, coffee filter, napkin, and high-filtration mask) and compared how well they filter smoke. I hypothesized that the wet t-shirt would filter out the most chemicals and reduce particulate matter. I constructed two boxes with holes for the materials to filter smoke and placed a fan and air quality monitors inside one box. I lit a candle in the other box and blew it out to create smoke. I measured PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10, and carbon dioxide to assess filtration. The high-filtration mask was most effective, while the washcloth was least effective. A high-filtration mask is the best option to prevent smoke inhalation.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2026 Product Science (Junior Division) · Entry J-19-15

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