On Friday, August 20, the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate will begin the second phase of its study of airflow throughout the underground portion of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority subway system. The purpose of the study is to gather data on the behavior of airborne contaminants if they were to be released into the subway—part of the Department’s ongoing commitment to preparedness and the shared responsibility of protecting the nation’s critical infrastructure.
The study involves releasing non-toxic, inert, odorless gas and particle tracers into the subway system. Particle and gas concentrations will be sampled by researchers with electronic equipment staged in more than 20 stations and riding in subway cars covering the entirety of the underground portion of the MBTA subway system.
