Metals Tracking

What's actually
in your air.

Most monitors stop at PM2.5. Canary identifies individual heavy metals and compounds — each benchmarked against EPA safe limits in real time.

By the numbers

12 metals.
One dashboard.

Canary sensors use multi-wavelength optical spectroscopy to identify and quantify specific metallic compounds in your household air. Every reading is expressed as a percentage of the EPA's established safe exposure threshold — so you always know exactly where you stand.

12
Metals tracked
EPA
Safety benchmarks
60s
Update interval
99%
Detection accuracy
Metal
% of Safe Limit
Weekly Trend
Exposure Bar
Status
Aluminum
Al · Group 13
82%
↑ 12%
Elevated
Sodium
Na · Group 1
68%
↑ 3%
Normal
Calcium
Ca · Group 2
57%
↓ 2%
Normal
Chromium
Cr · Group 6
44%
↓ 5%
Normal
Copper
Cu · Group 11
31%
↓ 1%
Normal
Zinc
Zn · Group 12
27%
↑ 2%
Normal
Iron
Fe · Group 8
18%
↑ 1%
Normal
Nickel
Ni · Group 10
12%
↓ 3%
Normal
Lead
Pb · Group 14
8%
↓ 1%
Normal
Arsenic
As · Group 15
5%
↓ 1%
Normal
Cadmium
Cd · Group 12
3%
— stable
Normal
Mercury
Hg · Group 12
1%
— stable
Normal
Why It Matters

Invisible exposure,
real consequences.

Aluminum
Cumulative cognitive load
Chronic low-level aluminum inhalation is associated with neurological effects. Kitchens and garages are the most common household sources — cookware, building materials, vehicle exhaust.
Lead & Cadmium
Persistent bioaccumulation
Both metals accumulate in bone and soft tissue over time. Older homes, renovations, and certain paints are common sources. There is no known safe level of lead exposure.
Mercury
Neurological sensitivity
Even trace mercury vapor — from broken fluorescent bulbs or certain thermometers — can cause neurological effects with repeated exposure, particularly in children and pregnant women.
Chromium
Respiratory risk at high levels
Hexavalent chromium is a known carcinogen. Household sources include stainless steel welding, wood preservatives, and certain paints. Canary distinguishes elevated Cr readings immediately.
Arsenic
Long-term cancer risk
Arsenic can enter household air through treated wood, insulation, and certain pesticides. Long-term inhalation is linked to lung and skin cancer — early detection is critical.
Nickel
Allergenic and carcinogenic
Nickel compounds in air are classified as human carcinogens. Common sources include diesel exhaust, tobacco smoke, and certain manufacturing processes near residential areas.
How We Benchmark

Every reading is
EPA-anchored.

Canary expresses all exposure data as a percentage of the EPA's established reference concentration (RfC) or maximum allowable concentration for each metal. 100% means you've reached the threshold — not that you're safe above it.

We display the percentage so you can understand your relative position, not just a raw number that requires chemistry knowledge to interpret.

EPA Safe Limits · Selected Metals
Exposure scale (% of safe limit)
Al · 82%
0%25%50%75%100%
AluminumRfC: 0.005 mg/m³
LeadNAAQS: 0.15 µg/m³
MercuryRfC: 0.0003 mg/m³
ArsenicIUR: 0.0043 µg/m³
CadmiumRfC: 0.00001 mg/m³