Using Low-cost Sensors and Systems for Air Pollution Monitoring

Abstract

It is well known that air pollution causes cardiovascular diseases, asthma, lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. In order to mitigate the impacts of air pollution on human health, the governments of many countries in the world try to improve air pollution monitoring. Conventional air quality monitoring systems are based on a limited number of fixed monitoring stations with stationary monitors. Such monitoring instruments are large, heavy and expensive for maintenance. Monitoring of air pollutants in the cities with high spatial and time resolution is still technically demanding and expensive task. One of the possible solutions of this task is using the monitoring systems with low-cost solid-state gas and PM sensors that are able to operate in real-time. Such low-cost sensors require proper evaluation and calibration prior to their implementation. In this paper, practical experiences in the implementation of low-cost sensors and systems for PM monitoring will be presented with the aim of better understanding of their applicability in the air quality monitoring systems.