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Atmosphere
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Development and Application of Low-Cost Environmental Sensors for the Evaluation...
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Development and Application of Low-Cost Environmental Sensors for the Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality and Related Emission Sources

A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Atmospheric Techniques, Instruments, and Modeling".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (2 February 2024) | Viewed by 14680

Special Issue Editor

Dr. László Bencs

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest, Hungary
Interests: atmospheric aerosol; chemical composition; source apportionment; ship emissions; atmospheric nitrogen deposition; inorganic nutrients; air quality sensors

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to announce to the members of the scientific community the planned launch of a new Special Issue of Atmosphere, connected to the emerging research field of low-cost sensors (LCSs). Nowadays, these devices have been receiving growing interest and usage, due to their easy field deployment and application, for instance in the monitoring of the air quality at sites located further from official environmental stations. The data acquired by LCSs can provide more details on the spatial distribution and temporal variation of anthropogenic air pollutants, such as gases and suspended particulate matter. They can be a research tool, for instance, in the assessment of human health effects and in emission source apportionment. Beyond these, the data acquired from LCSs can be applied as input parameters in air pollution dispersion models, which can improve the accuracy of approximations for local air quality and related concentration/deposition maps. LCS-based measurement systems require the careful evaluation of the analytical performance, for instance, compared with that of a calibrated reference monitoring apparatus. Consequently, the topic of instrumental limitations is also of particular importance in research and practical applications.

For the planned Special Issue, Atmosphere invites contributions in the form of research papers, communications and reviews reporting mostly, but not exclusively, on the advancement/development of designs and performance, along with indoor/outdoor applications, in the exciting field of low-cost air quality sensors. Researchers are also encouraged to send in manuscripts devoted to air pollution dispersion modelling, assisted by the utilization of LCSs.

Dr. László Bencs
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • atmospheric pollutants
  • low-cost environmental sensors
  • advanced sensor design
  • real-time air quality monitoring
  • emission sources
  • pollutant mapping
  • indoor and outdoor air
  • mobile sensors

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2750 KiB  
Article
Evaluation and Correction of PurpleAir Temperature and Relative Humidity Measurements
by Evan Couzo, Alejandro Valencia and Phoebe Gittis
Atmosphere 2024, 15(4), 415; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15040415 - 27 Mar 2024
Viewed by 603
Abstract
The PurpleAir PA-II sensor provides low-cost in situ measurements of meteorological variables including temperature and relative humidity (RH), as well as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in real time. The sensors have been used in several studies investigating intracity differences in temperature [...] Read more.
The PurpleAir PA-II sensor provides low-cost in situ measurements of meteorological variables including temperature and relative humidity (RH), as well as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in real time. The sensors have been used in several studies investigating intracity differences in temperature and PM2.5. While the adoption and use of low-cost sensors has many benefits, care must be taken to ensure proper calibration and testing. This is true not only for PM2.5 measurements but also for temperature and RH given the synergistic health impacts from extreme heat and air pollution exposure. Here, we compare continuous temperature and RH measurements from a PA-II sensor to measurements from a Campbell Scientific 107 temperature probe and Vaisala HMP45C RH probe. All three instruments were co-located from December 2021 to June 2023 in Asheville, North Carolina. We found that the PA-II has an overall high temperature bias of 2.6 °C and root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.8 °C. Applying a linear regression correction reduces RMSE to 1.0 °C, while applying the constant 4.4 °C correction suggested by PurpleAir reduces RMSE to only 2.2 °C. Our PA-II RH measurements have a low bias of −17.4% and uncorrected RMSE of 18.5%. A linear regression correction improves the RH RMSE to 4.5%. Applying the constant 4% RH correction suggested by PurpleAir reduces RMSE to only 14.8%. We present new correction factors that differ from those suggested by PurpleAir, which overcorrect the high temperature bias and undercorrect the low RH bias. We also show that our correction factors improve estimates of dewpoint temperature (RMSE of 0.6 °C and 0.9 °C) compared to the corrections suggested by PurpleAir. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Low-Cost Environmental Sensors for the Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality and Related Emission Sources)
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22 pages, 6910 KiB  
Article
Using a Low-Cost Sensor to Estimate Fine Particulate Matter: A Case Study in Samutprakarn, Thailand
by Supichaya Roddee, Supachai Changphuek, Supet Jirakajohnkool, Panatda Tochaiyaphum, Worradorn Phairuang, Thaneeya Chetiyanukornkul and Yaowatat Boongla
Atmosphere 2024, 15(3), 336; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15030336 - 08 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1055
Abstract
This study evaluates low-cost sensors (LCSs) for measuring coarse and fine particulate matter (PM) to clarify and measure air pollution. LCSs monitored PM10, PM2.5 (fine particulates), and PM1.0 concentrations at four sites in Samutprakarn, Thailand from December 2021 to [...] Read more.
This study evaluates low-cost sensors (LCSs) for measuring coarse and fine particulate matter (PM) to clarify and measure air pollution. LCSs monitored PM10, PM2.5 (fine particulates), and PM1.0 concentrations at four sites in Samutprakarn, Thailand from December 2021 to April 2022. Average daily PM10, PM2.5, and PM1.0 concentrations at the monitoring locations were 53–79, 34–45, and 31–43 μg/m3, respectively. In December 2021, the monitoring station had a daily PM2.5 value above 100 μg/m3, indicating haze occurrences. However, the monitoring site’s daily PM10 and PM1.0 concentrations did not surpass Thailand’s ambient air quality threshold. We also measured and calibrated comparative particulate matter concentrations from LCSs and a tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) monitor (Pollution Control Department (PCD) standard analytical method). PM2.5 concentrations from the LCSs were lower than TEOM, but the difference was not statistically significant. The PM2.5 monitoring station provided near-real-time air quality data for health risk reduction, especially when PM levels were high. Based on this study, authorities and local agencies may consider improving air quality regulation in Samutprakan, focusing on suburban PM2.5 air pollution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Low-Cost Environmental Sensors for the Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality and Related Emission Sources)
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19 pages, 4542 KiB  
Article
A Smoke Chamber Study on Some Low-Cost Sensors for Monitoring Size-Segregated Aerosol and Microclimatic Parameters
by László Bencs and Attila Nagy
Atmosphere 2024, 15(3), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15030304 - 28 Feb 2024
Viewed by 685
Abstract
Low-cost sensors (LCSs) of Geekcreit PM1/PM2.5/PM10 (based on a PMS5003 sampler) and BOHU BH-1 models A3 and B3 (based on a Pando G7 sampler) were compared for different aerosol size ranges using a research-grade instrument (Grimm 1.109) under [...] Read more.
Low-cost sensors (LCSs) of Geekcreit PM1/PM2.5/PM10 (based on a PMS5003 sampler) and BOHU BH-1 models A3 and B3 (based on a Pando G7 sampler) were compared for different aerosol size ranges using a research-grade instrument (Grimm 1.109) under controlled laboratory conditions. An aerosol generator was utilized to produce various sizes of monodispersed particulate matter (PM), which was introduced into a laboratory smoke chamber under resistance heating/cooling and/or varying RH conditions. In addition, the accuracy of the air temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) sensors of the LCSs were assessed against calibrated, laboratory-grade instruments. The study LCSs showed generally accurate readings for PM2.5, irrespectively of the slow T and/or RH changes, which provided apt conditions for accurate calibration slopes (S) and low intercepts/bias (b) of the linear fits. On the other hand, PM1 and PM10 readings slightly deviated from those observed with the reference monitor, likely due to the lower detection efficacy of the LCSs towards fine and coarse PM. Varying RH influenced the S and b values, showing its impact on the detection efficacy of LCSs. Under low/medium RH, homoscedastic calibration curves of PMx were found, whereas rather heteroscedastic calibration plots were observed at high RH. For T calibration, low RH in the smoke chamber provided more reproducible conditions in terms of lower measurement bias for LCSs as recorded against a calibrated, reference-grade thermometer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Low-Cost Environmental Sensors for the Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality and Related Emission Sources)
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22 pages, 3899 KiB  
Article
Relevance and Reliability of Outdoor SO2 Monitoring in Low-Income Countries Using Low-Cost Sensors
by Rosa Amalia González Rivero, Olivier Schalm, Arianna Alvarez Cruz, Erik Hernández Rodríguez, Mayra C. Morales Pérez, Daniellys Alejo Sánchez, Alain Martinez Laguardia, Werner Jacobs and Luis Hernández Santana
Atmosphere 2023, 14(6), 912; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14060912 - 23 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1498
Abstract
In the Western world, the SO2 concentration in ambient air dropped to low levels, but some emission sources (e.g., merchant ships) and some regions (e.g., low-income countries) still emit substantial amounts of SO2. At those locations, SO2 monitoring is [...] Read more.
In the Western world, the SO2 concentration in ambient air dropped to low levels, but some emission sources (e.g., merchant ships) and some regions (e.g., low-income countries) still emit substantial amounts of SO2. At those locations, SO2 monitoring is critical. However, low-income countries do not have much access to expensive reference instruments. Low-cost gas sensors might be an alternative, but it is unclear how reliable such measurements are. To evaluate the performance of the low-cost alternative, the same SO2 gas sensor has been subjected to three different calibration methods: (1) low-cost calibration performed in the tropical climate of Cuba; (2) high-end calibration performed in Belgium; (3) a field calibration at an air quality measuring station in Belgium. The first two methods showed similar trends, suggesting that the gas sensor can be calibrated with a low-cost method. The field calibration was hampered by the low SO2 concentrations. For the monitoring campaign in Cienfuegos, Cuba, the low-cost SO2 sensor calibrated by the low-cost method appeared to be sufficiently reliable. The reliability of the sensor increases with the increase in SO2 concentration, so it can be used in Cuba instead of Belgium. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Low-Cost Environmental Sensors for the Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality and Related Emission Sources)
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13 pages, 2697 KiB  
Article
Sniffing Drones: A Promising Solution for Measuring Railroad Emissions in Urban Environments
by Felipe Baglioli and Ricardo H. M. Godoi
Atmosphere 2023, 14(5), 865; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14050865 - 12 May 2023
Viewed by 1259
Abstract
Locomotive emissions from railroads can particularly impact air pollution, making it crucial to understand their impacts on human health and the environment and develop strategies to reduce them. The potential of drone technology equipped with a “sniffing” system for detecting air pollution emissions [...] Read more.
Locomotive emissions from railroads can particularly impact air pollution, making it crucial to understand their impacts on human health and the environment and develop strategies to reduce them. The potential of drone technology equipped with a “sniffing” system for detecting air pollution emissions is promising and can be a valuable tool for assessing dynamic emissions. This research utilized sensor-equipped drones to measure gaseous emissions from cargo and passenger trains on a railway in Curitiba, Brazil. Reference equipment evaluated the accuracy of NO2, SO2, and O3 concentrations. The results showed that before the passage of trains, the average SO2 concentration was 20 µg/m³, with a maximum concentration of 110 µg/m³ detected during transit. The average increase in NO2 concentrations was from 30 µg/m³ to 120 µg/m³, and the average increase in O3 concentrations was from 80 µg/m³ to 135 µg/m³. The vertical profiles were evaluated before and after the passage of locomotives, indicating an accumulation of pollutants above the railroad. These findings demonstrate the potential of sniffing drones to measure railroad emissions in urban environments. They also highlight the need to regulate emissions from diesel-powered locomotives to minimize atmospheric pollution and its negative impact on public health in emerging and developing countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Low-Cost Environmental Sensors for the Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality and Related Emission Sources)
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17 pages, 5578 KiB  
Article
Design Considerations for a Distributed Low-Cost Air Quality Sensing System for Urban Environments in Low-Resource Settings
by Engineer Bainomugisha, Joel Ssematimba and Deo Okure
Atmosphere 2023, 14(2), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14020354 - 10 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2726
Abstract
With rapid urbanization, hazardous environmental exposures such as air, noise, plastic, soil and water pollution have emerged as a major threat to urban health. Recent studies show that 9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe contaminated air contributing to over 7 million premature [...] Read more.
With rapid urbanization, hazardous environmental exposures such as air, noise, plastic, soil and water pollution have emerged as a major threat to urban health. Recent studies show that 9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe contaminated air contributing to over 7 million premature deaths annually. Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based environmental sensing and modelling systems have potential for contributing low-cost and effective solutions by providing timely data and insights to inform mitigation and management actions. While low and middleincome countries are among those most affected by environmental health risks, the appropriateness and deployment of IoT and AI systems in low-resource settings is least understood. Motivated by this knowledge gap, this paper presents a design space for a custom environmental sensing and management system designed and developed to fill the data gaps in low-resource urban settings with a particular focus on African cities. The paper presents the AirQo system, which is the first instance of the design space requirements. The AirQo system includes: (1) autonomous AirQo sensors designed and customised to be deployed in resource constrained environments (2) a distributed sensor network that includes over 120 static and mobile nodes for air quality sensing (3) AirQo network manager tool for tracking and management of installation and maintenance of nodes, (4) AirQo platform that provides calibration, data access and analytics tools to support usage among policy makers and citizens. Case studies from African cities that are using the data and insights for education, awareness and policy are presented. The paper provides a template for designing and deploying a technology-driven solution for cities in low resource settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Low-Cost Environmental Sensors for the Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality and Related Emission Sources)
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22 pages, 2475 KiB  
Article
A Low-Cost Calibration Method for Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Carbon Dioxide Sensors Used in Air Quality Monitoring Systems
by Rosa Amalia González Rivero, Luis Ernesto Morera Hernández, Olivier Schalm, Erik Hernández Rodríguez, Daniellys Alejo Sánchez, Mayra C. Morales Pérez, Vladimir Nuñez Caraballo, Werner Jacobs and Alain Martinez Laguardia
Atmosphere 2023, 14(2), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos14020191 - 17 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5612
Abstract
Low-cost sensors provide an affordable alternative to monitor environmental parameters with acceptable performance. There is a substantial amount of literature where low-cost sensors are compared with high-end reference measurements. However, not all organizations have access to such reference infrastructure. We propose low-cost calibration [...] Read more.
Low-cost sensors provide an affordable alternative to monitor environmental parameters with acceptable performance. There is a substantial amount of literature where low-cost sensors are compared with high-end reference measurements. However, not all organizations have access to such reference infrastructure. We propose low-cost calibration methods for temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 to allow them to collect their own reliable data. These methods are based on simple techniques and procedures that allow temperature calibration to be achieved in the range of 0 to 50 °C, relative humidity from 0 to 90%, and CO2 between 0 and 1100 ppm. The materials used to create the calibration setups can be purchased online, at hardware stores, and in pharmacies. The reliability of the calibration methods was evaluated using several indicators, such as the airtightness of the calibration box, similarity with the factory calibration, similarity with the reference, similarity between different sensors, replicability of the calibration method, and the similarity with a golden standard. In addition, the results of the low-cost calibration methods were compared with the more advanced calibration methods. A short measurement campaign in the city of Santa Clara, Cuba, demonstrated that such calibrations transform in-house developed monitoring systems into valid low-cost scientific instruments for decision-making. This work creates opportunities for institutions and researchers hosted in low- and mid-income countries to build and validate their own equipment to reliably solve local problems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Low-Cost Environmental Sensors for the Evaluation of Ambient Air Quality and Related Emission Sources)
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