Q: I know rainfall is measured at the Atlanta airport. I would like to know where they measure the pollen count.
—Betty LeCroy, Woodstock
A: The pollen count for Atlanta is measured by Atlanta Allergy and Asthma, at its Kennestone facility in Marietta. The pollen is counted using a device about the size of a small toaster, called a Rotorod.
“It has a little glass rod in there, coated, and the pollen sticks to it when it is spinning,” said Dr. Stanley Fineman, allergist at Atlanta Allergy and Asthma in Cobb County.
Certified technicians measure the pollen count once daily, switching out the rods.
“This is a device that basically can collect a sample of the air and pollen over a 24-hour period,” said Fineman. “Then we look at that slide under the microscope and count the number of pollen grains and, using a special formula, are able to calculate the number of pollen grains per cubic meter over a 24-hour period — and that’s what the pollen count is.”
Q: What is the status of Westinghouse’s nuclear plants in China? If they are still under construction, how will Westinghouse’s bankruptcy filing affect them?
—Wilbur C. Bragg, Acworth
A: Westinghouse has said that it plans for its first China reactor to become operational in 2017, according to media reports and reports by the Nuclear Energy Institute. The China project, which had four AP1000 reactors under construction, is closer to completion than its U.S. nuclear units.
“I don’t know the specifics of Westinghouse’s arrangement on that plant, but I suspect similar to Vogtle and Summer, the parties will be exploring ways to keep the development moving forward,” Dennis M. Pidherny, managing director of public finance for Fitch Ratings, which rates the public power utilities involved in Westinghouse’s Vogtle (Ga.) and Summer (S.C.) nuclear expansion projects, told Q&A on the News via email.
Fast Copy News Service wrote this column; Katie Tiller contributed. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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