PROVO — Between two patriotic holidays and dozens of city festivals, summer in Utah isn't complete without fireworks nearly every weekend. 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 his students monitored air samples with filters to collect particles of various sizes, including PM2.5, or fine particulate matter, which is easily inhaled. Particulate matter consists of microscopic dust particles, trace metals, smoke, liquid droplets and other pollutants, the university said in a news release.

The group measured the concentration of trace metals in particulate matter over time and found that fireworks along the Wasatch Front are a major contributor to air pollution in Utah. The winter inversion and mineral dust are two other major factors in particulate matter levels in the air.

“We know that we breathe in these particles that are unhealthy during fireworks, dust storms or winter inversions,” said Carling. “But what is actually in the particles? Nobody knew that for sure before this study.”

Carling's findings show that metal pollution and particulate matter levels peak in January and July, coinciding with winter inversions and summer fireworks displays. The study shows that fireworks that produce smoke or colored light contribute significantly to air pollution.

The data showed that fireworks emit large amounts of barium and copper, while inversion smog mainly contains arsenic, cadmium, lead and thallium.

Prolonged exposure to these substances can lead to health problems such as asthma and cardiovascular disease. Utah has strict drinking water standards, but there are no similar air quality standards for these metals, the university's press release said.

“We know a little bit about the acute problems that elements like lead cause,” Carling said. “But then there are the chronic problems that we don't know about, and that should probably make people think, 'Oh, so what is actually harmful and how do we find out what is harmful?'”

Carling said any concentration of fine dust was dangerous to humans and the environment. He said metals could easily leach from the atmosphere into soil, water and food.

“They are persistent, meaning they don't really go away, they just keep going through the system,” he said.

Carling hopes the study will raise awareness of the need for research into the health effects of metal pollution and lead to better policies on the types and amounts of fireworks allowed. He suggests people take advantage of city fireworks displays rather than private pyrotechnics.

“It's great when research leads to laws that can help improve things,” Carling said. “Sometimes it's just a paper that gets published and read by a few scientists. But sometimes it gets picked up and used to create real solutions.”

A 2021 study from the University of Utah found that air pollution, particularly smoke from wildfires or fireworks, can penetrate indoors and affect indoor air quality. On the worst inversion days, it can even lead to air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups.