Methane: This greenhouse gas is extremely dangerous yet quite difficult to detect
Neighborhood researchers in the US are looking for traces of methane using industry-grade monitors. They are seeking to find the quality of air in a particular area using sensors that detect the presence of a number of different gases.
These monitors also recognise the extent of methane, turning this potential greenhouse gas into concrete numbers on a screen. Those numbers can be concerning. The neighbourhood researchers have found more than a dozen methane leaks, even inside homes.
Methane and other gases, especially nitrogen oxide from gas stoves, are linked to higher risks of asthma. But besides being a hazard to human health, it is also a strong greenhouse gas – although it has a much shorter lifespan compared to carbon dioxide.
Methane emissions come from fossil fuels, agriculture and many other sources. It is pretty difficult to detect. It can be detected using handheld gas sensors. It can also be visualised using infrared cameras as the gas absorbs infrared light.
