1
|
Wang G, Hou Y, Xin Q, Ren F, Yang F, Su S, Li W. Evaluation of atmospheric particulate matter pollution characteristics in Shanghai based on biomagnetic monitoring technology. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 940:173689. [PMID: 38825203 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) pollution is one of the world's most serious environmental challenges, and it poses a significant threat to environmental quality and human health. Biomagnetic monitoring of PM has great potential to improve spatial resolution and provide alternative indicators for large area measurements, with respect and complementary to standard air quality monitoring stations. In this study, 160 samples of evergreen plant leaves were collected from park green spaces within five different functional areas of Shanghai. Magnetic properties were investigated to understand the extent and nature of particulate pollution and the possible sources, and to assess the suitability of various plant leaves for urban particulate pollution monitoring. The results showed that magnetic particles of the plant leaf-adherent PM were predominantly composed of pseudo-single domain (PSD) and multi-domain (MD) ferrimagnetic particles. Magnolia grandiflora, as a large evergreen arbor with robust PM retention capabilities, proved to be a more suitable candidate for monitoring urban particulate pollution compared to Osmanthus fragrans, a small evergreen arbor, and Aucuba japonica Thunb. var. variegata and Photinia serratifolia, evergreen shrubs. Meanwhile, there were significant differences in the spatial distribution of the magnetic particle content and heavy metal enrichment of the samples, mainly showing regional variations of industrial area > traffic area > commercial area > residential area > clean area. Additionally, the combination with the results of scanning electron microscopy, shows that industrial production (metal smelting, coal burning), transport and other activities are the main sources of particulate pollution. Plant leaves can be used as an effective tool for urban particulate pollution monitoring and assessment of atmospheric particulate pollution characteristics, and the technique provided useful information on particle size, mineralogy and possible sources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guan Wang
- Department of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Yumei Hou
- Department of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Qian Xin
- Department of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Feifan Ren
- Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Engineering of Ministry of Education, Department of Geotechnical Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China; State Key Laboratory of Disaster Reduction in Civil Engineering, College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China.
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Shiguang Su
- Department of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Wenxin Li
- Department of Environment and Architecture, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kang J, Choi K. Calibration Methods for Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors Considering Seasonal Variability. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:3023. [PMID: 38793878 PMCID: PMC11124908 DOI: 10.3390/s24103023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Many countries use low-cost sensors for high-resolution monitoring of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) to manage public health. To enhance the accuracy of low-cost sensors, studies have been conducted to calibrate them considering environmental variables. Previous studies have considered various variables to calibrate seasonal variations in the PM concentration but have limitations in properly accounting for seasonal variability. This study considered the meridian altitude to account for seasonal variations in the PM concentration. In the PM10 calibration, we considered the calibrated PM2.5 as a subset of PM10. To validate the proposed methodology, we used the feedforward neural network, support vector machine, generalized additive model, and stepwise linear regression algorithms to analyze the results for different combinations of input variables. The inclusion of the meridian altitude enhanced the accuracy and explanatory power of the calibration model. For PM2.5, the combination of relative humidity, temperature, and meridian altitude yielded the best performance, with an average R2 of 0.93 and root mean square error of 5.6 µg/m3. For PM10, the average mean absolute percentage error decreased from 27.41% to 18.55% when considering the meridian altitude and further decreased to 15.35% when calibrated PM2.5 was added.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kanghyeok Choi
- Department of Geoinformatic Engineering, Inha University, 100 Inha-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea;
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sablan O, Ford B, Gargulinski E, Hammer MS, Henery G, Kondragunta S, Martin RV, Rosen Z, Slater K, van Donkelaar A, Zhang H, Soja AJ, Magzamen S, Pierce JR, Fischer EV. Quantifying Prescribed-Fire Smoke Exposure Using Low-Cost Sensors and Satellites: Springtime Burning in Eastern Kansas. GEOHEALTH 2024; 8:e2023GH000982. [PMID: 38560558 PMCID: PMC10975953 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Prescribed fires (fires intentionally set for mitigation purposes) produce pollutants, which have negative effects on human and animal health. One of the pollutants produced from fires is fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The Flint Hills (FH) region of Kansas experiences extensive prescribed burning each spring (March-May). Smoke from prescribed fires is often understudied due to a lack of monitoring in the rural regions where prescribed burning occurs, as well as the short duration and small size of the fires. Our goal was to attribute PM2.5 concentrations to the prescribed burning in the FH. To determine PM2.5 increases from local burning, we used low-cost PM2.5 sensors (PurpleAir) and satellite observations. The FH were also affected by smoke transported from fires in other regions during 2022. We separated the transported smoke from smoke from fires in eastern Kansas. Based on data from the PurpleAir sensors, we found the 24-hr median PM2.5 to increase by 3.0-5.3 μg m-3 (based on different estimates) on days impacted by smoke from fires in the eastern Kansas region compared to days unimpacted by smoke. The FH region was the most impacted by smoke PM2.5 compared to other regions of Kansas, as observed in satellite products and in situ measurements. Additionally, our study found that hourly PM2.5 estimates from a satellite-derived product aligned with our ground-based measurements. Satellite-derived products are useful in rural areas like the FH, where monitors are scarce, providing important PM2.5 estimates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Sablan
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Bonne Ford
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Emily Gargulinski
- National Institute of AerospaceHamptonVAUSA
- NASA Langley Research CenterHamptonVAUSA
| | - Melanie S. Hammer
- Department of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Giovanna Henery
- Department of Journalism and Media CommunicationColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | | | - Randall V. Martin
- Department of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Zoey Rosen
- Department of Journalism and Media CommunicationColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Kellin Slater
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health SciencesColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Aaron van Donkelaar
- Department of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Hai Zhang
- I.M. Systems Group at NOAACollege ParkMDUSA
| | | | - Sheryl Magzamen
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health SciencesColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Jeffrey R. Pierce
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Emily V. Fischer
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Fanti G, Borghi F, Campagnolo D, Rovelli S, Carminati A, Zellino C, Cattaneo A, Cauda E, Spinazzè A, Cavallo DM. An In-Field Assessment of the P.ALP Device in Four Different Real Working Conditions: A Performance Evaluation in Particulate Matter Monitoring. TOXICS 2024; 12:233. [PMID: 38668456 PMCID: PMC11054920 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12040233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the performance, in terms of precision and accuracy, of a prototype (called "P.ALP"-Ph.D. Air Quality Low-cost Project) developed for monitoring PM2.5 concentration levels. Four prototypes were co-located with reference instrumentation in four different microenvironments simulating real-world and working conditions, namely (i) office, (ii) home, (iii) outdoor, and (iv) occupational environments. The devices were evaluated for a total of 20 monitoring days (approximately 168 h) under a wide range of PM2.5 concentrations. The performances of the prototypes (based on the light-scattering working principle) were tested through different statistical methods. After the data acquisition and data cleaning processes, a linear regression analysis was performed to assess the precision (by comparing all possible pairs of devices) and the accuracy (by comparing the prototypes against the reference instrumentation) of the P.ALP. Moreover, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) criteria were applied to assess the possible usage of this instrumentation, and to evaluate the eventual error trends of the P.ALP in the data storage process, Bland-Altman plots were also adopted. The outcomes of this study underlined that the P.ALP performed differently depending on the microenvironment in which it was tested and, consequently, on the PM2.5 concentrations. The device can monitor PM2.5 variations with acceptable results, but the performance cannot be considered satisfactory at extremely low and remarkably high PM2.5 concentrations. Thanks to modular components and open-source software, the tested device has the potential to be customized and adapted to better fit specific study design needs, but it must be implemented with ad hoc calibration factors depending on the application before being used in field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Fanti
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy; (D.C.); (S.R.); (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (A.S.); (D.M.C.)
| | - Francesca Borghi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy;
| | - Davide Campagnolo
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy; (D.C.); (S.R.); (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (A.S.); (D.M.C.)
| | - Sabrina Rovelli
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy; (D.C.); (S.R.); (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (A.S.); (D.M.C.)
| | - Alessio Carminati
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy; (D.C.); (S.R.); (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (A.S.); (D.M.C.)
| | - Carolina Zellino
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy; (D.C.); (S.R.); (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (A.S.); (D.M.C.)
| | - Andrea Cattaneo
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy; (D.C.); (S.R.); (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (A.S.); (D.M.C.)
| | - Emanuele Cauda
- Center for Direct Reading and Sensor Technologies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA;
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pittsburgh, PA 15236, USA
| | - Andrea Spinazzè
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy; (D.C.); (S.R.); (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (A.S.); (D.M.C.)
| | - Domenico Maria Cavallo
- Department of Science and High Technology, University of Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy; (D.C.); (S.R.); (A.C.); (C.Z.); (A.C.); (A.S.); (D.M.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kim S, Kim K, Li H. Comparison of PM 10 emission flux of two fugitive area sources based on the real-time flux monitoring results. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 911:168666. [PMID: 37992821 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Due to a high concentration of particulate matter (PM10), the Korean Peninsula experienced its first poor air quality event of the year between November 19 and November 26, 2021. This study analyzes the reasons behind the occurrence of high-concentration PM10, using the real-time PM10 fugitive emission fluxes and meteorological data measured at two landfills for fly ash of coal-fired power plants located on the west coast. The real-time fugitive emission fluxes of PM10 were estimated at two different locations by a flux-gradient technique based on the eddy covariance method. The measurement results show a weak correlation between PM10 and various meteorological factors in the two places when PM10 levels are low. However, high PM10 concentrations were found to be strongly associated with the relative humidity of site A and the friction velocity of site B, respectively. High emission fluxes were observed at both sites under elevated temperature, high humidity, low wind speed, low frictional velocity, and atmospheric instability. The variation in weather patterns witnessed during periods of high PM10 concentrations in the two locations indicates that the causes of PM10 accumulation are different. The study demonstrates that the gradient-flux method's real-time measurement of fugitive emissions can explain the origin of high PM10 levels and provide essential data to efficiently regulate PM10.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- SunTae Kim
- Department of Civil Engineering, Daejeon University, 62 Daehak-Ro, Dong-Gu, Daejeon 34520, Republic of Korea
| | - Konho Kim
- Department of Civil Engineering, Daejeon University, 62 Daehak-Ro, Dong-Gu, Daejeon 34520, Republic of Korea
| | - Hui Li
- Envors Co., Ltd., 11 Biraeseo-ro, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon 34417, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bekbulat B, Agrawal P, Allen RW, Baum M, Boldbaatar B, Clark LP, Galsuren J, Hystad P, L’Orange C, Vakacherla S, Volckens J, Marshall JD. Application of an Ultra-Low-Cost Passive Sampler for Light-Absorbing Carbon in Mongolia. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:8977. [PMID: 37960676 PMCID: PMC10647794 DOI: 10.3390/s23218977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost, long-term measures of air pollution concentrations are often needed for epidemiological studies and policy analyses of household air pollution. The Washington passive sampler (WPS), an ultra-low-cost method for measuring the long-term average levels of light-absorbing carbon (LAC) air pollution, uses digital images to measure the changes in the reflectance of a passively exposed paper filter. A prior publication on WPS reported high precision and reproducibility. Here, we deployed three methods to each of 10 households in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia: one PurpleAir for PM2.5; two ultrasonic personal aerosol samplers (UPAS) with quartz filters for the thermal-optical analysis of elemental carbon (EC); and two WPS for LAC. We compared multiple rounds of 4-week-average measurements. The analyses calibrating the LAC to the elemental carbon measurement suggest that 1 µg of EC/m3 corresponds to 62 PI/month (R2 = 0.83). The EC-LAC calibration curve indicates an accuracy (root-mean-square error) of 3.1 µg of EC/m3, or ~21% of the average elemental carbon concentration. The RMSE values observed here for the WPS are comparable to the reported accuracy levels for other methods, including reference methods. Based on the precision and accuracy results shown here, as well as the increased simplicity of deployment, the WPS may merit further consideration for studying air quality in homes that use solid fuels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bujin Bekbulat
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (B.B.); (L.P.C.)
| | - Pratyush Agrawal
- Center for Study of Science, Technology & Policy, Bengaluru 560095, Karnataka, India; (P.A.); (S.V.)
| | - Ryan W. Allen
- Department of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada;
| | | | - Buyantushig Boldbaatar
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia; (B.B.); (J.G.)
| | - Lara P. Clark
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (B.B.); (L.P.C.)
| | - Jargalsaikhan Galsuren
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia; (B.B.); (J.G.)
| | - Perry Hystad
- Department of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
| | - Christian L’Orange
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (C.L.); (J.V.)
| | - Sreekanth Vakacherla
- Center for Study of Science, Technology & Policy, Bengaluru 560095, Karnataka, India; (P.A.); (S.V.)
| | - John Volckens
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (C.L.); (J.V.)
| | - Julian D. Marshall
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; (B.B.); (L.P.C.)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bulot FMJ, Russell HS, Rezaei M, Johnson MS, Ossont SJ, Morris AKR, Basford PJ, Easton NHC, Mitchell HL, Foster GL, Loxham M, Cox SJ. Laboratory Comparison of Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors to Measure Transient Events of Pollution-Part B-Particle Number Concentrations. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:7657. [PMID: 37688113 PMCID: PMC10490673 DOI: 10.3390/s23177657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost Particulate Matter (PM) sensors offer an excellent opportunity to improve our knowledge about this type of pollution. Their size and cost, which support multi-node network deployment, along with their temporal resolution, enable them to report fine spatio-temporal resolution for a given area. These sensors have known issues across performance metrics. Generally, the literature focuses on the PM mass concentration reported by these sensors, but some models of sensors also report Particle Number Concentrations (PNCs) segregated into different PM size ranges. In this study, eight units each of Alphasense OPC-R1, Plantower PMS5003 and Sensirion SPS30 have been exposed, under controlled conditions, to short-lived peaks of PM generated using two different combustion sources of PM, exposing the sensors' to different particle size distributions to quantify and better understand the low-cost sensors performance across a range of relevant environmental ranges. The PNCs reported by the sensors were analysed to characterise sensor-reported particle size distribution, to determine whether sensor-reported PNCs can follow the transient variations of PM observed by the reference instruments and to determine the relative impact of different variables on the performances of the sensors. This study shows that the Alphasense OPC-R1 reported at least five size ranges independently from each other, that the Sensirion SPS30 reported two size ranges independently from each other and that all the size ranges reported by the Plantower PMS5003 were not independent of each other. It demonstrates that all sensors tested here could track the fine temporal variation of PNCs, that the Alphasense OPC-R1 could closely follow the variations of size distribution between the two sources of PM, and it shows that particle size distribution and composition are more impactful on sensor measurements than relative humidity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florentin Michel Jacques Bulot
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; (P.J.B.); (H.L.M.); (S.J.C.)
- Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 7QF, UK; (N.H.C.E.); (M.L.)
| | - Hugo Savill Russell
- Danish Big Data Centre for Environment and Health (BERTHA), Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark;
- AirScape UK, London W1U 6TQ, UK;
- Department of Environmental Science, Atmospheric Measurement, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Mohsen Rezaei
- Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | - Matthew Stanley Johnson
- AirScape UK, London W1U 6TQ, UK;
- Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark;
| | | | | | - Philip James Basford
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; (P.J.B.); (H.L.M.); (S.J.C.)
| | - Natasha Hazel Celeste Easton
- Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 7QF, UK; (N.H.C.E.); (M.L.)
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK;
| | - Hazel Louise Mitchell
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; (P.J.B.); (H.L.M.); (S.J.C.)
| | - Gavin Lee Foster
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK;
| | - Matthew Loxham
- Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 7QF, UK; (N.H.C.E.); (M.L.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
- National Institute for Health Research, Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
- Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Simon James Cox
- Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK; (P.J.B.); (H.L.M.); (S.J.C.)
- Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 7QF, UK; (N.H.C.E.); (M.L.)
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Keyes T, Domingo R, Dynowski S, Graves R, Klein M, Leonard M, Pilgrim J, Sanchirico A, Trinkaus K. Low-cost PM 2.5 sensors can help identify driving factors of poor air quality and benefit communities. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19876. [PMID: 37809584 PMCID: PMC10559280 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Air quality is critical for public health. Residents rely chiefly on government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States to establish standards for the measurement of harmful contaminants including ozone, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), and fine particulate matter at or below 2.5 μm. According to the California Air Resources Board [1], "short-term PM2.5 exposure (up to 24-h duration) has been associated with premature mortality, increased hospital admissions for heart or lung causes, acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma attacks, emergency room visits, respiratory symptoms, and restricted activity days". While public agency resources may provide guidance, it is often inadequate relative to the widespread need for effective local measurement and management of air quality risks. To that end, this paper explores the use of low-cost PM2.5 sensors for measuring air quality through micro-scale (local) analytical comparisons with reference grade monitors and identification of potential causal factors of elevated sensor readings. We find that a) there is high correlation between the PM2.5 measurements of low-cost sensors and reference grade monitors, assessed through calibration models, b) low-cost sensors are more prevalent and provide more frequent measurements, and c) low-cost sensor data enables exploratory and explanatory analytics to identify potential causes of elevated PM2.5 readings. This understanding should encourage community scientists to place more low-cost sensors in their neighborhoods, which can empower communities to demand policy changes that are necessary to reduce particle pollution, and provide a basis for subsequent research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tim Keyes
- Evergreen Business Analytics, LLC, USA
- Sacred Heart University, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Won WS, Noh J, Oh R, Lee W, Lee JW, Su PC, Yoon YJ. Enhancing the reliability of particulate matter sensing by multivariate Tobit model using weather and air quality data. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13150. [PMID: 37573439 PMCID: PMC10423292 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40468-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors have been widely used following recent sensor-technology advancements; however, inherent limitations of low-cost monitors (LCMs), which operate based on light scattering without an air-conditioning function, still restrict their applicability. We propose a regional calibration of LCMs using a multivariate Tobit model with historical weather and air quality data to improve the accuracy of ambient air monitoring, which is highly dependent on meteorological conditions, local climate, and regional PM properties. Weather observations and PM2.5 (fine inhalable particles with diameters ≤ 2.5 μm) concentrations from two regions in Korea, Incheon and Jeju, and one in Singapore were used as training data to build a visibility-based calibration model. To validate the model, field measurements were conducted by an LCM in Jeju and Singapore, where R2 and the error after applying the model in Jeju improved (from 0.85 to 0.88) and reduced by 44% (from 8.4 to 4.7 μg m-3), respectively. The results demonstrated that regional calibration involving air temperature, relative humidity, and other local climate parameters can efficiently correct the bias of the sensor. Our findings suggest that the proposed post-processing using the Tobit model with regional weather and air quality data enhances the applicability of LCMs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Sik Won
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- Department of Aerospace Industrial and Systems Engineering, Hanseo University, Taean, Chungcheongnam-do, 32158, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinhong Noh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Rosy Oh
- Department of Mathematics, Korea Military Academy, Seoul, 01805, Republic of Korea
| | - Woojoo Lee
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Won Lee
- Observer Foundation, Seoul, 04050, Republic of Korea
| | - Pei-Chen Su
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Yong-Jin Yoon
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Alfonso Albarracín KY, Altamar Consuegra A, Aguilar-Arias J. Particulate matter 10 µm (PM 10), 2.5 µm (PM 2.5) datasets gathered by direct measurement, low-cost sensor and by public air quality stations in Fontibón, Bogotá D.C., Colombia. Data Brief 2023; 49:109323. [PMID: 37456118 PMCID: PMC10344790 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2023.109323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Concentration of particulate matter directly affects air quality and human health. Three sources of information were used in this work to generate datasets on this matter at the Fontibón county in Bogota D.C., Colombia. The first source was a Davis AirLinkⓇ low-cost sensor air quality readings for PM2.5, PM10 and meteorological variables. The sensor was installed in the referred area, collecting air quality readings for PM2.5, PM10, as well as temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wet bulb, and heat index as meteorological variables during the months of May to August 2022. The second source was collecting by direct measurement the PM10 particles using a TischⓇ Hi- Vol equipment, evaluated the concentration of particulate matter PM10 in the same place for 27 days. Finally, raw data was provided by the Bogotá's Environmental District Bureau (SDA), validating in this work the data readings for the years 2021 and 2022 from the two meteorological stations located in the same county, named "Fontibón" and "Móvil Fontibón", including Air quality data for PM2.5, PM10, Carbon Monoxide (CO), Ozone, Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) and the meteorological variables wind speed, wind direction, temperature, precipitation, relative humidity (RH) and Barometric pressure. A Machine Learning model was made to perform the mining and completeness of the missing data with an iterative imputation and with a regression model, and the Pearson, Spearman and Kendall correlation coefficients were calculated, using Python language.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jaime Aguilar-Arias
- Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sede Bogotá D.C. 111321, Colombia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Kosmopoulos G, Salamalikis V, Wilbert S, Zarzalejo LF, Hanrieder N, Karatzas S, Kazantzidis A. Investigating the Sensitivity of Low-Cost Sensors in Measuring Particle Number Concentrations across Diverse Atmospheric Conditions in Greece and Spain. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:6541. [PMID: 37514835 PMCID: PMC10383866 DOI: 10.3390/s23146541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost sensors (LCSs) for particulate matter (PM) concentrations have attracted the interest of researchers, supplementing their efforts to quantify PM in higher spatiotemporal resolution. The precision of PM mass concentration measurements from PMS 5003 sensors has been widely documented, though limited information is available regarding their size selectivity and number concentration measurement accuracy. In this work, PMS 5003 sensors, along with a Federal Referral Methods (FRM) sampler (Grimm spectrometer), were deployed across three sites with different atmospheric profiles, an urban (Germanou) and a background (UPat) site in Patras (Greece), and a semi-arid site in Almería (Spain, PSA). The LCSs particle number concentration measurements were investigated for different size bins. Findings for particles with diameter between 0.3 and 10 μm suggest that particle size significantly affected the LCSs' response. The LCSs could accurately detect number concentrations for particles smaller than 1 μm in the urban (R2 = 0.9) and background sites (R2 = 0.92), while a modest correlation was found with the reference instrument in the semi-arid area (R2 = 0.69). However, their performance was rather poor (R2 < 0.31) for coarser aerosol fractions at all sites. Moreover, during periods when coarse particles were dominant, i.e., dust events, PMS 5003 sensors were unable to report accurate number distributions (R2 values < 0.47) and systematically underestimated particle number concentrations. The results indicate that several questions arise concerning the sensors' capabilities to estimate PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations, since their size distribution did not agree with the reference instruments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Kosmopoulos
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Department of Physics, University of Patras, GR 26500 Patras, Greece
| | | | - Stefan Wilbert
- Institute of Solar Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Paseo de Almería 73, 04001 Almería, Spain
| | - Luis F Zarzalejo
- Renewable Energy Division, CIEMAT Energy Department, Avenida Complutense, 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalie Hanrieder
- Institute of Solar Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR), Paseo de Almería 73, 04001 Almería, Spain
| | - Stylianos Karatzas
- Civil Engineering Department, University of Patras, GR 26500 Patras, Greece
| | - Andreas Kazantzidis
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Department of Physics, University of Patras, GR 26500 Patras, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Wallace L, Zhao T. Spatial Variation of PM 2.5 Indoors and Outdoors: Results from 261 Regulatory Monitors Compared to 14,000 Low-Cost Monitors in Three Western States over 4.7 Years. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:s23094387. [PMID: 37177591 PMCID: PMC10181715 DOI: 10.3390/s23094387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Spatial variation of indoor and outdoor PM2.5 within three states for a five-year period is studied using regulatory and low-cost PurpleAir monitors. Most of these data were collected in an earlier study (Wallace et al., 2022 Indoor Air 32:13105) investigating the relative contribution of indoor-generated and outdoor-infiltrated particles to indoor exposures. About 260 regulatory monitors and ~10,000 outdoor and ~4000 indoor PurpleAir monitors are included. Daily mean PM2.5 concentrations, correlations, and coefficients of divergence (COD) are calculated for pairs of monitors at distances ranging from 0 (collocated) to 200 km. We use a transparent and reproducible open algorithm that avoids the use of the proprietary algorithms provided by the manufacturer of the sensors in PurpleAir PA-I and PA-II monitors. The algorithm is available on the PurpleAir API website under the name "PM2.5_alt". This algorithm is validated using several hundred pairs of regulatory and PurpleAir monitors separated by up to 0.5 km. The PM2.5 spatial variation outdoors is homogeneous with high correlations to at least 10 km, as shown by the COD index under 0.2. There is also a steady improvement in outdoor PM2.5 concentrations with increasing distance from the regulatory monitors. The spatial variation of indoor PM2.5 is not homogeneous even at distances < 100 m. There is good agreement between PurpleAir outdoor monitors located <100 m apart and collocated Federal Equivalent Methods (FEM).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lance Wallace
- Independent Researcher, 428 Woodley Way, Santa Rosa, CA 95409, USA
| | - Tongke Zhao
- Independent Researcher, Milpitas, CA 95035, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ruiter S, Bard D, Ben Jeddi H, Saunders J, Snawder J, Warren N, Gorce JP, Cauda E, Kuijpers E, Pronk A. Exposure Monitoring Strategies for Applying Low-Cost PM Sensors to Assess Flour Dust in Industrial Bakeries. Ann Work Expo Health 2023; 67:379-391. [PMID: 36617226 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxac088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors provide new methods for monitoring occupational exposure to hazardous substances, such as flour dust. These devices have many possible benefits, but much remains unknown about their performance for different exposure monitoring strategies in the workplace. We explored the performance of PM sensors for four different monitoring strategies (time-weighted average and high time resolution, each quantitative and semi-quantitative) for assessing occupational exposure using low-cost PM sensors in a field study in the industrial bakery sector. Measurements were collected using four types of sensor (PATS+, Isensit, Airbeam2, and Munisense) and two reference devices (respirable gravimetric samplers and an established time-resolved device) at two large-scale bakeries, spread over 11 participants and 6 measurement days. Average PM2.5 concentrations of the low-cost sensors were compared with gravimetric respirable concentrations for 8-h shift periods and 1-min PM2.5 concentrations of the low-cost sensors were compared with time-resolved PM2.5 data from the reference device (quantitative monitoring strategy). Low-cost sensors were also ranked in terms of exposure for 8-h shifts and for 15-min periods with a shift (semi-quantitative monitoring strategy). Environmental factors and methodological variables, which can affect sensor performance, were investigated. Semi-quantitative monitoring strategies only showed more accurate results compared with quantitative strategies when these were based on shift-average exposures. The main factors that influenced sensor performance were the type of placement (positioning the devices stationary versus personal) and the company or workstation where measurements were collected. Together, these findings provide an overview of common strengths and drawbacks of low-cost sensors and different ways these can be applied in the workplace. This can be used as a starting point for further investigations and the development of guidance documents and data analysis methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sander Ruiter
- Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Healthy Living and Work, RAPID 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Delphine Bard
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE), HSE Science and Research Centre, Harpur Hill, Buxton SK17 9JN, UK
| | - Hasnae Ben Jeddi
- Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Healthy Living and Work, RAPID 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - John Saunders
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE), HSE Science and Research Centre, Harpur Hill, Buxton SK17 9JN, UK
| | - John Snawder
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 1090 Tusculum Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA
| | - Nick Warren
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE), HSE Science and Research Centre, Harpur Hill, Buxton SK17 9JN, UK
| | - Jean-Philippe Gorce
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE), HSE Science and Research Centre, Harpur Hill, Buxton SK17 9JN, UK
| | - Emanuele Cauda
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 1090 Tusculum Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45226, USA
| | - Eelco Kuijpers
- Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Healthy Living and Work, RAPID 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anjoeka Pronk
- Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Healthy Living and Work, RAPID 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Molina Rueda E, Carter E, L’Orange C, Quinn C, Volckens J. Size-Resolved Field Performance of Low-Cost Sensors for Particulate Matter Air Pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS 2023; 10:247-253. [PMID: 36938150 PMCID: PMC10018765 DOI: 10.1021/acs.estlett.3c00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) air pollution is a major health hazard. The health effects of PM are closely linked to particle size, which governs its deposition in (and penetration through) the respiratory tract. In recent years, low-cost sensors that report particle concentrations for multiple-sized fractions (PM1.0, PM2.5, PM10) have proliferated in everyday use and scientific research. However, knowledge of how well these sensors perform across the full range of reported particle size fractions is limited. Unfortunately, erroneous particle size data can lead to spurious conclusions about exposure, misguided interventions, and ineffectual policy decisions. We assessed the linearity, bias, and precision of three low-cost sensor models, as a function of PM size fraction, in an urban setting. Contrary to manufacturers' claims, sensors are only accurate for the smallest size fraction (PM1). The PM1.0-2.5 and PM2.5-10 size fractions had large bias, noise, and uncertainty. These results demonstrate that low-cost aerosol sensors (1) cannot discriminate particle size accurately and (2) only report linear and precise measures of aerosol concentration in the accumulation mode size range (i.e., between 0.1 and 1 μm). We recommend that crowdsourced air quality monitoring networks stop reporting coarse (PM2.5-10) mode and PM10 mass concentrations from these sensors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Molina Rueda
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Ellison Carter
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Christian L’Orange
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Casey Quinn
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - John Volckens
- Department
of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Wallace L, Ott W. Long-Term Indoor-Outdoor PM 2.5 Measurements Using PurpleAir Sensors: An Improved Method of Calculating Indoor-Generated and Outdoor-Infiltrated Contributions to Potential Indoor Exposure. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:1160. [PMID: 36772199 PMCID: PMC9920798 DOI: 10.3390/s23031160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost monitors make it possible now for the first time to collect long-term (months to years) measurements of potential indoor exposure to fine particles. Indoor exposure is due to two sources: particles infiltrating from outdoors and those generated by indoor activities. Calculating the relative contribution of each source requires identifying an infiltration factor. We develop a method of identifying periods when the infiltration factor is not constant and searching for periods when it is relatively constant. From an initial regression of indoor on outdoor particle concentrations, a Forbidden Zone can be defined with an upper boundary below which no observations should appear. If many observations appear in the Forbidden Zone, they falsify the assumption of a single constant infiltration factor. This is a useful quality assurance feature, since investigators may then search for subsets of the data in which few observations appear in the Forbidden Zone. The usefulness of this approach is illustrated using examples drawn from the PurpleAir network of optical particle monitors. An improved algorithm is applied with reduced bias, improved precision, and a lower limit of detection than either of the two proprietary algorithms offered by the manufacturer of the sensors used in PurpleAir monitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lance Wallace
- Independent Researcher, 428 Woodley Way, Santa Rosa, CA 95409, USA
| | - Wayne Ott
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, 1008 Cardiff Lane, Redwood City, CA 94061, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zamora ML, Buehler C, Datta A, Gentner DR, Koehler K. Identifying optimal co-location calibration periods for low-cost sensors. ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES 2023; 16:169-179. [PMID: 37323467 PMCID: PMC10270383 DOI: 10.5194/amt-16-169-2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost sensors are often co-located with reference instruments to assess their performance and establish calibration equations, but limited discussion has focused on whether the duration of this calibration period can be optimized. We placed a multipollutant monitor that contained sensors that measure particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and nitric oxide (NO) at a reference field site for one year. We developed calibration equations using randomly selected co-location subsets spanning 1 to 180 consecutive days out of the 1-year period and compared the potential root mean square errors (RMSE) and Pearson correlation coefficients (r). The co-located calibration period required to obtain consistent results varied by sensor type, and several factors increased the co-location duration required for accurate calibration, including the response of a sensor to environmental factors, such as temperature or relative humidity (RH), or cross-sensitivities to other pollutants. Using measurements from Baltimore, MD, where a broad range of environmental conditions may be observed over a given year, we found diminishing improvements in the median RMSE for calibration periods longer than about six weeks for all the sensors. The best performing calibration periods were the ones that contained a range of environmental conditions similar to those encountered during the evaluation period (i.e., all other days of the year not used in the calibration). With optimal, varying conditions it was possible to obtain an accurate calibration in as little as one week for all sensors, suggesting that co-location can be minimized if the period is strategically selected and monitored so that the calibration period is representative of the desired measurement setting.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Misti Levy Zamora
- University of Connecticut Health Center, Department of Public Health Sciences UConn School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT, USA 06032-1941
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Environmental Health and Engineering 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, USA 21205-2103
- SEARCH (Solutions for Energy, Air, Climate and Health) Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA 06520
| | - Colby Buehler
- SEARCH (Solutions for Energy, Air, Climate and Health) Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA 06520
- Yale University, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, PO Box 208286, New Haven, CT, USA 06520
| | - Abhirup Datta
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, USA 21205-2103
| | - Drew R. Gentner
- SEARCH (Solutions for Energy, Air, Climate and Health) Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA 06520
- Yale University, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, PO Box 208286, New Haven, CT, USA 06520
| | - Kirsten Koehler
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Environmental Health and Engineering 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, USA 21205-2103
- SEARCH (Solutions for Energy, Air, Climate and Health) Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA 06520
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Peck A, Handy RG, Sleeth DK, Schaefer C, Zhang Y, Pahler LF, Ramsay J, Collingwood SC. Aerosol Measurement Degradation in Low-Cost Particle Sensors Using Laboratory Calibration and Field Validation. TOXICS 2023; 11:56. [PMID: 36668782 PMCID: PMC9862639 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11010056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Increasing concern over air pollution has led to the development of low-cost sensors suitable for wide-scale deployment and use by citizen scientists. This project investigated the AirU low-cost particle sensor using two methods: (1) a comparison of pre- and post-deployment calibration equations for 24 devices following use in a field study, and (2) an in-home comparison between 3 AirUs and a reference instrument, the GRIMM 1.109. While differences (and therefore some sensor degradation) were found in the pre- and post-calibration equation comparison, absolute value changes were small and unlikely to affect the quality of results. Comparison tests found that while the AirU did tend to underestimate minimum and overestimate maximum concentrations of particulate matter, ~88% of results fell within ±1 μg/m3 of the GRIMM. While these tests confirm that low-cost sensors such as the AirU do experience some sensor degradation over multiple months of use, they remain a valuable tool for exposure assessment studies. Further work is needed to examine AirU performance in different environments for a comprehensive survey of capability, as well as to determine the source of sensor degradation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela Peck
- Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Rodney G. Handy
- Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Darrah K. Sleeth
- Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Camie Schaefer
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Leon F. Pahler
- Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Joemy Ramsay
- Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Barkjohn KK, Holder AL, Frederick SG, Clements AL. Correction and Accuracy of PurpleAir PM 2.5 Measurements for Extreme Wildfire Smoke. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:s22249669. [PMID: 36560038 PMCID: PMC9784900 DOI: 10.3390/s22249669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
PurpleAir particulate matter (PM) sensors are increasingly used in the United States and other countries for real-time air quality information, particularly during wildfire smoke episodes. Uncorrected PurpleAir data can be biased and may exhibit a nonlinear response at extreme smoke concentrations (>300 µg/m3). This bias and nonlinearity result in a disagreement with the traditional ambient monitoring network, leading to the public’s confusion during smoke episodes. These sensors must be evaluated during smoke-impacted times and then corrected for bias, to ensure that accurate data are reported. The nearby public PurpleAir sensor and monitor pairs were identified during the summer of 2020 and were used to supplement the data from collocated pairs to develop an extended U.S.-wide correction for high concentrations. We evaluated several correction schemes to identify an optimal correction, using the previously developed U.S.-wide correction, up to 300 µg/m3, transitioning to a quadradic fit above 400 µg/m3. The correction reduces the bias at each air quality index (AQI) breakpoint; most ambient collocations that were studied met the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) performance targets (twelve of the thirteen ambient sensors met the EPA’s targets) and some smoke-impacted sites (5 out of 15 met the EPA’s performance targets in terms of the 1-h averages). This correction can also be used to improve the comparability of PurpleAir sensor data with regulatory-grade monitors when they are collectively analyzed or shown together on public information websites; the methods developed in this paper can also be used to correct future air-sensor types. The PurpleAir network is already filling in spatial and temporal gaps in the regulatory monitoring network and providing valuable air-quality information during smoke episodes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karoline K. Barkjohn
- US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC 27711, USA
| | - Amara L. Holder
- US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC 27711, USA
| | - Samuel G. Frederick
- Former ORAU Student Services Contractor, US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC 27711, USA
- Currently Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Andrea L. Clements
- US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC 27711, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Prakash J, Choudhary S, Raliya R, Chadha T, Fang J, Biswas P. PM sensors as an indicator of overall air quality: Pre-COVID and COVID periods. ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION RESEARCH 2022; 13:101594. [PMID: 36407654 PMCID: PMC9643431 DOI: 10.1016/j.apr.2022.101594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, there has been a substantial proliferation in the use of low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors and facilitating as an indicator of overall air quality. However, during COVID-19 epidemics, air pollution sources have been deteriorated significantly, and given offer to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on air quality in the world's most polluted city: Delhi, India. To address low-cost PM sensors, this study aimed to a) conduct a long-term field inter-comparison of twenty-two (22) low-cost PM sensors with reference instruments over 10-month period (evaluation period) spanning months from May 2019 to February 2020; b) trend of PM mass and number count; and c) probable local and regional sources in Delhi during Pre-CVOID (P-COVID) periods. The comparison of low-cost PM sensors with reference instruments results found with R2 ranging between 0.74 and 0.95 for all sites and confirm that PM sensors can be a useful tool for PM monitoring network in Delhi. Relative reductions in PM2.5 and particle number count (PNC) due to COVID-outbreaks showed in the range between (2-5%) and (4-13%), respectively, as compared to the P-COVID periods. The cluster analysis reveals air masses originated ∼52% from local, while ∼48% from regional sources in P-COVID and PM levels are encountered 47% and 66-70% from local and regional sources, respectively. Overall results suggest that low-cost PM sensors can be used as an unprecedented aid in air quality applications, and improving non-attainment cities in India, and that policy makers can attempt to revise guidelines for clean air.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jai Prakash
- Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Department of Atmospheric Science, School of Earth Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, 305 817, Rajasthan, India
| | - Shruti Choudhary
- Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Department of Chemical Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, FL 33146, USA
| | - Ramesh Raliya
- Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | | | - Jiaxi Fang
- Applied Particle Technology, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Pratim Biswas
- Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA
- Department of Chemical Environmental and Materials Engineering, University of Miami, FL 33146, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Capozzi V, Raia L, Cretella V, De Vivo C, Cucciniello R. The Impact of Meteorological Conditions and Agricultural Waste Burning on PM Levels: A Case Study of Avellino (Southern Italy). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12246. [PMID: 36231548 PMCID: PMC9566629 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In this work, the effect of the meteorological conditions and the agricultural waste burning on PM air pollution levels has been investigated in the city of Avellino, located in the Sabato Valley (southern Italy). Avellino has been described among the most polluted towns in Italy in terms of particulate matter (PM) during the last 10 years. The main aim of this study was to analyze the air quality data collected in Avellino and its surroundings during September 2021. In this period, the air quality in the Sabato Valley has been adversely affected by agricultural practices, which represent a significant source of PM. The impact of agricultural waste burning on PM levels in Avellino has been determined through an integrated monitoring network, consisting of two fixed urban reference stations and by several low-cost sensors distributed in the Sabato Valley. In the considered period, the two reference stations recorded several exceedances of the daily average PM10 legislative limit value (50 µg m-3) in addition to high concentrations of PM2.5. Moreover, we provide a detailed description of the event that took place on 25 September 2021, when the combined effect of massive agricultural practices and very stable atmospheric conditions produced a severe pollution episode. Results show PM exceedances in Avellino concurrent with high PM values in the areas bordering the city due to agricultural waste burning and adverse meteorological conditions, which inhibit PM dispersion in the atmosphere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Capozzi
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Naples “Parthenope”, Centro Direzionale di Napoli—Isola C4, 80143 Naples, Italy
| | - Letizia Raia
- Department of Chemistry and Biology “Adolfo Zambelli”, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Viviana Cretella
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Naples “Parthenope”, Centro Direzionale di Napoli—Isola C4, 80143 Naples, Italy
| | - Carmela De Vivo
- Department of Science and Technology, University of Naples “Parthenope”, Centro Direzionale di Napoli—Isola C4, 80143 Naples, Italy
| | - Raffaele Cucciniello
- Department of Chemistry and Biology “Adolfo Zambelli”, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Wallace LA, Zhao T, Klepeis NE. Indoor contribution to PM 2 .5 exposure using all PurpleAir sites in Washington, Oregon, and California. INDOOR AIR 2022; 32:e13105. [PMID: 36168225 DOI: 10.1111/ina.13105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost monitors have made it possible for the first time to measure indoor PM2.5 concentrations over extended periods of time (months to years). Coupled with concurrent outdoor measurements, these indoor measurements can be divided into particles entering the building from outdoors and particles generated from indoor activities. Indoor-generated particles are not normally considered in epidemiological studies, but they can have health effects (e.g., passive smoking and high-temperature cooking). We employed The Random Component Superposition (RCS) regression model to estimate infiltration factors for up to 790 000 matched indoor and outdoor sites. The median infiltration factors for subgroups in the 3-state region ranged between 0.22 and 0.24, with an interquartile range (IQR) of 0.13-0.40. These infiltration factors allowed calculation of both the indoor-generated and outdoor-infiltrated PM2.5 . Indoor-generated particles contributed, on average, 46%-52% of total indoor PM2.5 concentrations. However, the site-specific fractional contribution of these indoor sources to total indoor PM2.5 ranged from near-zero to nearly 100%. The influence of indoor-generated particles on potential exposures varied widely relative to outdoor concentrations. The greatest influence of indoor-generated particles occurred at low-to-moderate daily mean outdoor PM2.5 levels around 6 μg/m3 and was negligible at outdoor concentrations >20 μg/m3 . Epidemiological studies incorporating only estimated exposures due to the particles of ambient origin may benefit from the newly available knowledge of long-term indoor-generated particle concentrations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Tongke Zhao
- Independent Researcher, Milpitas, California, USA
| | - Neil E Klepeis
- Education, Training and Resarch, Inc. (ETR), San Diego State University (SDSU), San Diego, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Comparative Study on the Use of Some Low-Cost Optical Particulate Sensors for Rapid Assessment of Local Air Quality Changes. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13081218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Official air quality (AQ) stations are sporadically located in cities to monitor the anthropogenic pollutant levels. Consequently, their data cannot be used for further locations to estimate hidden changes in AQ and local emissions. Low-cost sensors (LCSs) of particulate matter (PM) in a network can help in solving this problem. However, the applicability of LCSs in terms of analytical performance requires careful evaluation. In this study, two types of pocket-size LCSs were tested at urban, suburban and background sites in Budapest, Hungary, to monitor PM1, PM2.5, PM10, and microclimatic parameters at high resolutions (1 s to 5 min). These devices utilize the method of laser irradiation and multi-angle light scattering on air-suspended particulates. A research-grade AQ monitor was applied as a reference. The LCSs showed acceptable accuracy for PM species in indoor/outdoor air even without calibration. Low PM readings (<10 μg/m3) were generally handicapped by higher bias, even between sensors of the same type. The relative humidity (RH) slightly affected the PM readings of LCSs at RHs higher than 85%, necessitating field calibration. The air quality index was calculated to classify the extent of air pollution and to make predictions for human health effects. The LCSs were useful for detecting peaks stemming from emissions of motor vehicular traffic and residential cooking/heating activities.
Collapse
|
23
|
Schuller A, Walker ES, Goodrich JM, Lundgren M, Montrose L. Indoor Air Quality Considerations for Laboratory Animals in Wildfire-Impacted Regions-A Pilot Study. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10070387. [PMID: 35878291 PMCID: PMC9315628 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10070387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Wildfire events are increasing across the globe. The smoke generated as a result of this changing fire landscape is potentially more toxic than air pollution from other ambient sources, according to recent studies. This is especially concerning for populations of humans or animals that live downwind of areas that burn frequently, given that ambient exposure to wildfire smoke cannot be easily eliminated. We hypothesized that a significant indoor air pollution risk existed for laboratory animal facilities located proximal to fire-prone areas. Here, we measured real time continuous outdoor and indoor air quality for 28 days at a laboratory animal facility located in the Rocky Mountain region. We demonstrated that during a wildfire event, the indoor air quality of this animal facility is influenced by ambient smoke events. The daily average indoor fine particulate matter value in an animal room exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency's ambient annual standard 14% of the time and exceeded the World Health Organization's ambient annual guideline 71% of the time. We further show that specialized cage filtration systems are capable of mitigating air pollution penetrance and could improve an animal's microenvironment. The potential effects for laboratory animal physiology that occur in response to the exposure levels and durations measured in this study remain to be determined; yet, even acute wildfire exposure events have been previously correlated with significant differences in gene regulatory and metabolic processes in vivo. We believe these findings warrant consideration for indoor laboratory animal facility air quality monitoring and development of smoke exposure prevention and response protocols, especially among facilities located downwind of fire-prone landscapes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Schuller
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Program, Boise State University, 1910 W University Drive, Boise, ID 83725, USA;
| | - Ethan S. Walker
- Center for Population Health Research, University of Montana, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812, USA;
| | - Jaclyn M. Goodrich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
| | - Matthew Lundgren
- Office of Research Compliance, Boise State University, 1910 W University Drive, Boise, ID 83725, USA;
| | - Luke Montrose
- Department of Public Health and Population Science, Boise State University, 1910 W University Drive, Boise, ID 83725, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(208)-426-3979
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Sannigrahi S, Pilla F, Maiti A, Bar S, Bhatt S, Kaparwan A, Zhang Q, Keesstra S, Cerda A. Examining the status of forest fire emission in 2020 and its connection to COVID-19 incidents in West Coast regions of the United States. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 210:112818. [PMID: 35104482 PMCID: PMC8800502 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Forest fires impact on soil, water, and biota resources. The current forest fires in the West Coast of the United States (US) profoundly impacted the atmosphere and air quality across the ecosystems and have caused severe environmental and public health burdens. Forest fire led emissions could significantly exacerbate the air pollution level and, therefore, would play a critical role if the same occurs together with any epidemic and pandemic health crisis. Limited research is done so far to examine its impact in connection to the current pandemic. As of October 21, nearly 8.2 million acres of forest area were burned, with more than 25 casualties reported so far. In-situ air pollution data were utilized to examine the effects of the 2020 forest fire on atmosphere and coronavirus (COVID-19) casualties. The spatial-temporal concentrations of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) were collected from August 1 to October 30 for 2020 (the fire year) and 2019 (the reference year). Both spatial (Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression) and non-spatial (Negative Binomial Regression) analyses were performed to assess the adverse effects of fire emission on human health. The in-situ data-led measurements showed that the maximum increases in PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 concentrations (μg/m3) were clustered in the West Coastal fire-prone states during August 1 - October 30, 2020. The average concentration (μg/m3) of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and NO2 was increased in all the fire states severely affected by forest fires. The average PM2.5 concentrations (μg/m3) over the period were recorded as 7.9, 6.3, 5.5, and 5.2 for California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington in 2019, increasing up to 24.9, 13.4, 25.0, and 17.0 in 2020. Both spatial and non-spatial regression models exhibited a statistically significant association between fire emission and COVID-19 incidents. Such association has been demonstrated robust and stable by a total of 30 models developed for analyzing the spatial non-stationary and local association. More in-depth research is needed to better understand the complex relationship between forest fire emission and human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Srikanta Sannigrahi
- School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin Richview, Clonskeagh, Dublin, D14 E099, Ireland.
| | - Francesco Pilla
- School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin Richview, Clonskeagh, Dublin, D14 E099, Ireland
| | - Arabinda Maiti
- Department of Geography, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, India
| | - Somnath Bar
- Department of Geoinformatics, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, India
| | - Sandeep Bhatt
- Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India
| | - Ankit Kaparwan
- Department of Statistics, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar, India
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Geography, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Saskia Keesstra
- Team Soil, Water and Land Use, Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands; Civil, Surveying and Environmental Engineering and Centre for Water Security and Environmental Sustainability, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, 2308, Australia
| | - Artemi Cerda
- Soil Erosion and Degradation Research Group, Department of Geography, Valencia University, Blasco Ibàñez, 28, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wallace L, Zhao T, Klepeis NE. Calibration of PurpleAir PA-I and PA-II Monitors Using Daily Mean PM2.5 Concentrations Measured in California, Washington, and Oregon from 2017 to 2021. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22134741. [PMID: 35808235 PMCID: PMC9269269 DOI: 10.3390/s22134741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Large quantities of real-time particle data are becoming available from low-cost particle monitors. However, it is crucial to determine the quality of these measurements. The largest network of monitors in the United States is maintained by the PurpleAir company, which offers two monitors: PA-I and PA-II. PA-I monitors have a single sensor (PMS1003) and PA-II monitors employ two independent PMS5003 sensors. We determine a new calibration factor for the PA-I monitor and revise a previously published calibration algorithm for PA-II monitors (ALT-CF3). From the PurpleAir API site, we downloaded 83 million hourly average PM2.5 values in the PurpleAir database from Washington, Oregon, and California between 1 January 2017 and 8 September 2021. Daily outdoor PM2.5 means from 194 PA-II monitors were compared to daily means from 47 nearby Federal regulatory sites using gravimetric Federal Reference Methods (FRM). We find a revised calibration factor of 3.4 for the PA-II monitors. For the PA-I monitors, we determined a new calibration factor (also 3.4) by comparing 26 outdoor PA-I sites to 117 nearby outdoor PA-II sites. These results show that PurpleAir PM2.5 measurements can agree well with regulatory monitors when an optimum calibration factor is found.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lance Wallace
- Independent Researcher, Santa Rosa, CA 95049, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Tongke Zhao
- Independent Researcher, Milpitas, CA 95035, USA;
| | - Neil E. Klepeis
- Department of American Indian Studies, San Diego State University (SDSU), San Diego, CA 92182, USA;
- Education, Training, and Research, Inc. (ETR), Scotts Valley, CA 95066, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Li X, Baumgartner J, Barrington-Leigh C, Harper S, Robinson B, Shen G, Sternbach T, Tao S, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Carter E. Socioeconomic and Demographic Associations with Wintertime Air Pollution Exposures at Household, Community, and District Scales in Rural Beijing, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:8308-8318. [PMID: 35675631 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Chinese government implemented a national household energy transition program that replaced residential coal heating stoves with electricity-powered heat pumps for space heating in northern China. As part of a baseline assessment of the program, this study investigated variability in personal air pollution exposures within villages and between villages and evaluated exposure patterns by sociodemographic factors. We randomly recruited 446 participants in 50 villages in four districts in rural Beijing and measured 24 h personal exposures to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC). The geometric mean personal exposure to PM2.5 and BC was 72 and 2.5 μg/m3, respectively. The variability in PM2.5 and BC exposures was greater within villages than between villages. Study participants who used traditional stoves as their dominant source of space heating were exposed to the highest levels of PM2.5 and BC. Wealthier households tended to burn more coal for space heating, whereas less wealthy households used more biomass. PM2.5 and BC exposures were almost uniformly distributed by socioeconomic status. Future work that combines these results with PM2.5 chemical composition analysis will shed light on whether air pollution source contributors (e.g., industrial, traffic, and household solid fuel burning) follow similar distributions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, United States
| | - Jill Baumgartner
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Christopher Barrington-Leigh
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
- Bieler School of Environment, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2A7, Canada
| | - Sam Harper
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Brian Robinson
- Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B9, Canada
| | - Guofeng Shen
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Talia Sternbach
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
- Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Shu Tao
- Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, Sino-French Institute for Earth System Science, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiang Zhang
- Department of Geography, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B9, Canada
| | - Yuanxun Zhang
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China
| | - Ellison Carter
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, United States
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Montrose L, Walker ES, Toevs S, Noonan CW. Outdoor and indoor fine particulate matter at skilled nursing facilities in the western United States during wildfire and non-wildfire seasons. INDOOR AIR 2022; 32:e13060. [PMID: 35762245 PMCID: PMC9835102 DOI: 10.1111/ina.13060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Wildfire activity is increasing in parts of the world where extreme drought and warming temperatures contribute to fireprone conditions, including the western United States. The elderly are among the most vulnerable, and those in long-term care with preexisting conditions have added risk for adverse health outcomes from wildfire smoke exposure. In this study, we report continuous co-located indoor and outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5 ) measurements at four skilled nursing facilities in the western United States. Throughout the year 2020, over 8000 h of data were collected, which amounted to approximately 300 days of indoor and outdoor sampling at each facility. The highest indoor 24 h average PM2.5 recorded at each facility was 43.6 µg/m3 , 103.2 µg/m3 , 35.4 µg/m3 , and 202.5 µg/m3 , and these peaks occurred during the wildfire season. The indoor-to-outdoor PM2.5 ratio and calculated infiltration efficiencies indicated high variation in the impact of wildfire events on Indoor Air Quality between the four facilities. Notably, infiltration efficiency ranged from 0.22 to 0.76 across the four facilities. We propose that this variability is evidence that PM2.5 infiltration may be impacted by modifiable building characteristics and human behavioral factors, and this should be addressed in future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke Montrose
- Department of Public Health and Population Science, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA
| | - Ethan S. Walker
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Sarah Toevs
- Department of Public Health and Population Science, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA
| | - Curtis W. Noonan
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Zamora ML, Buehler C, Lei H, Datta A, Xiong F, Gentner DR, Koehler K. Evaluating the Performance of Using Low-Cost Sensors to Calibrate for Cross-Sensitivities in a Multipollutant Network. ACS ES&T ENGINEERING 2022; 2:780-793. [PMID: 35937506 PMCID: PMC9355096 DOI: 10.1021/acsestengg.1c00367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As part of our low-cost sensor network, we colocated multipollutant monitors containing sensors for particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and nitrogen monoxide at a reference field site in Baltimore, MD, for 1 year. The first 6 months were used for training multiple regression models, and the second 6 months were used to evaluate the models. The models produced accurate hourly concentrations for all sensors except ozone, which likely requires nonlinear methods to capture peak summer concentrations. The models for all five pollutants produced high Pearson correlation coefficients (r > 0.85), and the hourly averaged calibrated sensor and reference concentrations from the evaluation period were within 3-12%. Each sensor required a distinct set of predictors to achieve the lowest possible root-mean-square error (RMSE). All five sensors responded to environmental factors, and three sensors exhibited cross-sensitives to another air pollutant. We compared the RMSE from models (NO2, O3, and NO) that used colocated regulatory instruments and colocated sensors as predictors to address the cross-sensitivities to another gas, and the corresponding model RMSEs for the three gas models were all within 0.5 ppb. This indicates that low-cost sensor networks can yield useable data if the monitoring package is designed to comeasure key predictors. This is key for the utilization of low-cost sensors by diverse audiences since this does not require continual access to regulatory grade instruments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Misti Levy Zamora
- Department of Public Health Sciences UConn School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06032-1941, United States; Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2103, United States; SEARCH (Solutions for Energy, Air, Climate and Health) Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Colby Buehler
- SEARCH (Solutions for Energy, Air, Climate and Health) Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States; Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Hao Lei
- Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2103, United States
| | - Abhirup Datta
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2103, United States
| | - Fulizi Xiong
- SEARCH (Solutions for Energy, Air, Climate and Health) Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States; Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Drew R Gentner
- SEARCH (Solutions for Energy, Air, Climate and Health) Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States; Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Kirsten Koehler
- Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2103, United States; SEARCH (Solutions for Energy, Air, Climate and Health) Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Kang Y, Aye L, Ngo TD, Zhou J. Performance evaluation of low-cost air quality sensors: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 818:151769. [PMID: 34801495 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The monitoring of air quality compliance requires the use of Federal Reference Methods (FRM)/Federal Equivalent Methods (FEM); nevertheless, the validity and reliability of low-cost sensors deserve attention due to their affordability and accessibility. This review examines the methodologies of previous studies to characterise the performance of low-cost air quality sensors and to identify the influential factors in sensor evaluation experiments. The data on four statistical measures (Correlation of Determination, r2; Root Mean Square Error, RMSE; Mean Normalised Bias, MNB; and Coefficient of Variation, CV) and details about five methodological factors in experimental design (environmental setting, reference instrument, regression model, pollutant attribute, and sensor original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specification) were extracted from a total of 112 primary articles for a detailed analysis. The results of the analysis suggested that low-cost air quality sensors exhibited improved r2 and RMSE in the experiments with stable environmental settings, in the comparison against non-designated reference instruments, or in the analysis where advanced regression models were used to adjust the sensor readings. However, the pollutant attribute and sensor OEM specification had inconclusive effects on r2 and RMSE due to contradictory results and lack of sufficient data. MNB and CV, two measures that US EPA recommends to determine the suitable application tier of air quality sensors, varied significantly among published experiments due to the discrepancy in experimental design. The outcomes of this work could provide direction to researchers regarding sensor evaluation experiments and guide practitioners to effectively select and deploy low-cost sensors for air quality monitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ye Kang
- Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Lu Aye
- Department of Infrastructure Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Tuan Duc Ngo
- Department of Infrastructure Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Jin Zhou
- Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Mullen C, Flores A, Grineski S, Collins T. Exploring the distributional environmental justice implications of an air quality monitoring network in Los Angeles County. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 206:112612. [PMID: 34953883 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Non-governmental air quality monitoring networks include low-cost, networked air pollution sensors hosted at homes and schools that display real-time pollutant concentration estimates on publicly accessible websites. Such networks can empower people to take health-protective actions, but their unplanned organization may produce an uneven spatial distribution of sensors. Barriers to acquiring sensors may disenfranchise particular social groups. To test this directly, we quantitatively examine if there are social inequalities in the distribution of sensors in a non-governmental air quality monitoring network (PurpleAir) in Los Angeles County, California. We paired sociodemographic data from the American Community Survey and estimates of PM2.5 concentrations from the USEPA's Downscaler model at the census tract level (n = 2203) with a sensors per capita (SPC) variable, which is based on population proximity to PurpleAir sensors (n = 696) in Los Angeles County. Findings from multivariable generalized estimating equations (GEEs) controlling for clustering by housing age and value reveal patterns of environmental injustice in the distribution of PurpleAir sensors across Los Angeles County census tracts. Tracts with higher percentages of Hispanic/Latino/a and Black residents and lower median household income had decreased SPC. There was a curvilinear (concave) relationship between the percentage of renter-occupants and SPC. Sensors were concentrated in tracts with greater percentages of adults and seniors (vs. children), higher occupied housing density, and higher PM2.5 pollution. Results reveal social inequalities in the self-organizing PurpleAir network, suggesting another layer of environmental injustice such that residents of low-income and minority neighborhoods have reduced access to information about local air pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Casey Mullen
- Department of Sociology, University of Utah, 380 S 1530 E, Rm. 301, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, United States.
| | - Aaron Flores
- Department of Geography, University of Utah, 260 Central Campus Dr., Rm. 4625, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, United States
| | - Sara Grineski
- Department of Sociology, University of Utah, 380 S 1530 E, Rm. 301, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, United States
| | - Timothy Collins
- Department of Geography, University of Utah, 260 Central Campus Dr., Rm. 4625, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, United States
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Significance of Meteorological Feature Selection and Seasonal Variation on Performance and Calibration of a Low-Cost Particle Sensor. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13040587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Poor air quality is a major environmental concern worldwide, but people living in low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected. Measurement of PM2.5 is essential for establishing regulatory standards and developing policy frameworks. Low-cost sensors (LCS) can construct a high spatiotemporal resolution PM2.5 network, but the calibration dependencies and subject to biases of LCS due to variable meteorological parameters limit their deployment for air-quality measurements. This study used data collected from June 2019 to April 2021 from a PurpleAir Monitor and Met One Instruments’ Model BAM 1020 as a reference instrument at Alberta, Canada. The objective of this study is to identify the relevant meteorological parameters for each season that significantly affect the performance of LCS. The meteorological features considered are relative humidity (RH), temperature (T), wind speed (WS) and wind direction (WD). This study applied Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN), Random Forest (RF) and Gradient Boosting (GB) models with varying features in a stepwise manner across all the seasons, and only the best results are presented in this study. Improvement in the performance of calibration models is observed by incorporating different features for different seasons. The best performance is achieved when RF is applied but with different features for different seasons. The significant meteorological features are PM2.5_LCS in Summer, PM2.5_LCS, RH and T in Autumn, PM2.5_LCS, T and WS in Winter and PM2.5_LCS, RH, T and WS in Spring. The improvement in R2 for each season (values in parentheses) is Summer (0.66–0.94), Autumn (0.73–0.96), Winter (0.70–0.95) and Spring (0.70–0.94). This study signifies selecting the right combination of models and features to attain the best results for LCS calibration.
Collapse
|
32
|
Wallace L. Intercomparison of PurpleAir Sensor Performance over Three Years Indoors and Outdoors at a Home: Bias, Precision, and Limit of Detection Using an Improved Algorithm for Calculating PM2.5. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22072755. [PMID: 35408369 PMCID: PMC9002513 DOI: 10.3390/s22072755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Low-cost particle sensors are now used worldwide to monitor outdoor air quality. However, they have only been in wide use for a few years. Are they reliable? Does their performance deteriorate over time? Are the algorithms for calculating PM2.5 concentrations provided by the sensor manufacturers accurate? We investigate these questions using continuous measurements of four PurpleAir monitors (8 sensors) under normal conditions inside and outside a home for 1.5–3 years. A recently developed algorithm (called ALT-CF3) is compared to the two existing algorithms (CF1 and CF_ATM) provided by the Plantower manufacturer of the PMS 5003 sensors used in PurpleAir PA-II monitors. Results. The Plantower CF1 algorithm lost 25–50% of all indoor data due in part to the practice of assigning zero to all concentrations below a threshold. None of these data were lost using the ALT-CF3 algorithm. Approximately 92% of all data showed precision better than 20% using the ALT-CF3 algorithm, but only approximately 45–75% of data achieved that level using the Plantower CF1 algorithm. The limits of detection (LODs) using the ALT-CF3 algorithm were mostly under 1 µg/m3, compared to approximately 3–10 µg/m3 using the Plantower CF1 algorithm. The percentage of observations exceeding the LOD was 53–92% for the ALT-CF3 algorithm, but only 16–44% for the Plantower CF1 algorithm. At the low indoor PM2.5 concentrations found in many homes, the Plantower algorithms appear poorly suited.
Collapse
|
33
|
Insights about the Sources of PM2.5 in an Urban Area from Measurements of a Low-Cost Sensor Network. ATMOSPHERE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos13030440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PM2.5 measurements using a network of lost-cost sensors were conducted during 2017–2019 in the greater area of Patras, Greece. The average PM2.5 concentration in all sites during the study period was 9.4 μg m−3, varying from 6.2 μg m−3 in the background areas to 12.8 μg m−3 at the city center. The site with the peak PM2.5 levels was not located in an area with high traffic density but rather in a square with pedestrian-only zones and a high restaurant density. The highest PM2.5 concentrations were observed during the colder period (November–March) due to high emissions from residential wood burning for heating purposes. The measurements of the sensors were used to estimate the importance of regional and local PM2.5 sources. During the warm period, regional transport dominated, contributing approximately 80–85% of the PM2.5 in the city center; however, during the colder period, the local sources were responsible for approximately half the PM2.5. The network operated reliably during this multiyear study. Such measurements provide, at a very low cost, valuable insights not only about the temporal and spatial variability of PM2.5 in a city but also about its sources, including the role of regional transport.
Collapse
|
34
|
Báthory C, Dobó Z, Garami A, Palotás Á, Tóth P. Low-cost monitoring of atmospheric PM-development and testing. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 304:114158. [PMID: 34922187 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ambient particulate matter (PM) pollution is a significant problem in many urban and rural regions and has severe human health implications. Real-time, spatially dense monitoring using a network of low-cost sensors (LCS) was previously proposed as a way to alleviate the problem of PM. In this study, the performance of an LCS (Plantower PMS7003), a candidate for use in such a network, was investigated. The sensor was calibrated in a controlled climate chamber against a standard reference aerosol monitor. Reproducibility and calibration were evaluated in laboratory tests. Long-term, in-field performance was studied via deploying an LCS assembly at an environmental monitoring station. Results indicated excellent unit-to-unit consistency; however, each sensor needed to be calibrated individually as their characteristics varied slightly. Based on the results of a 15-month field test, quantitative and indicative LCS performance appeared promising: overall indicative accuracy was approximately 73-75% with comparable precision and recall. It is advised that the LCS are cleaned after 6-8 months of operation. Overall, the LCS appeared suitable for low-cost monitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Csongor Báthory
- University of Miskolc, Department of Combustion Technology and Thermal Energy, Miskolc-Egyetemvaros, H-3515, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Dobó
- University of Miskolc, Department of Combustion Technology and Thermal Energy, Miskolc-Egyetemvaros, H-3515, Hungary
| | - Attila Garami
- University of Miskolc, Department of Combustion Technology and Thermal Energy, Miskolc-Egyetemvaros, H-3515, Hungary
| | - Árpád Palotás
- University of Miskolc, Department of Combustion Technology and Thermal Energy, Miskolc-Egyetemvaros, H-3515, Hungary
| | - Pál Tóth
- University of Miskolc, Department of Combustion Technology and Thermal Energy, Miskolc-Egyetemvaros, H-3515, Hungary.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Kobziar LN, Vuono D, Moore R, Christner BC, Dean T, Betancourt D, Watts AC, Aurell J, Gullett B. Wildland fire smoke alters the composition, diversity, and potential atmospheric function of microbial life in the aerobiome. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:8. [PMID: 37938277 PMCID: PMC9723787 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00089-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
The atmosphere contains a diverse reservoir of microbes but the sources and factors contributing to microbial aerosol variability are not well constrained. To advance understanding of microbial emissions in wildfire smoke, we used unmanned aircraft systems to analyze the aerosols above high-intensity forest fires in the western United States. Our results show that samples of the smoke contained ~four-fold higher concentrations of cells (1.02 ± 0.26 × 105 m-3) compared to background air, with 78% of microbes in smoke inferred to be viable. Fivefold higher taxon richness and ~threefold enrichment of ice nucleating particle concentrations in smoke implies that wildfires are an important source of diverse bacteria and fungi as well as meteorologically relevant aerosols. We estimate that such fires emit 3.71 × 1014 microbial cells ha-1 under typical wildfire conditions in western US forests and demonstrate that wildland biomass combustion has a large-scale influence on the local atmospheric microbial assemblages. Given the long-range transport of wildfire smoke emissions, these results expand the concept of a wildfire's perimeter of biological impact and have implications to biogeography, gene flow, the dispersal of plant, animal, and human pathogens, and meteorology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leda N Kobziar
- Department of Natural Resources and Society, University of Idaho, Coeur d'Alene, ID, 83814, USA.
| | - David Vuono
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, 80401, USA
| | - Rachel Moore
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
- Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Brent C Christner
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Timothy Dean
- U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Doris Betancourt
- U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| | - Adam C Watts
- Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, Seattle, WA, 98103, USA
| | - Johanna Aurell
- University of Dayton Research Institute, 300 College Park, Dayton, OH, 45469, USA
| | - Brian Gullett
- U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27711, USA
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Narayana MV, Jalihal D, Nagendra SMS. Establishing A Sustainable Low-Cost Air Quality Monitoring Setup: A Survey of the State-of-the-Art. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:394. [PMID: 35009933 PMCID: PMC8749853 DOI: 10.3390/s22010394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost sensors (LCS) are becoming popular for air quality monitoring (AQM). They promise high spatial and temporal resolutions at low-cost. In addition, citizen science applications such as personal exposure monitoring can be implemented effortlessly. However, the reliability of the data is questionable due to various error sources involved in the LCS measurement. Furthermore, sensor performance drift over time is another issue. Hence, the adoption of LCS by regulatory agencies is still evolving. Several studies have been conducted to improve the performance of low-cost sensors. This article summarizes the existing studies on the state-of-the-art of LCS for AQM. We conceptualize a step by step procedure to establish a sustainable AQM setup with LCS that can produce reliable data. The selection of sensors, calibration and evaluation, hardware setup, evaluation metrics and inferences, and end user-specific applications are various stages in the LCS-based AQM setup we propose. We present a critical analysis at every step of the AQM setup to obtain reliable data from the low-cost measurement. Finally, we conclude this study with future scope to improve the availability of air quality data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Devendra Jalihal
- Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras 600036, India;
| | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Tryner J, Phillips M, Quinn C, Neymark G, Wilson A, Jathar SH, Carter E, Volckens J. Design and Testing of a Low-Cost Sensor and Sampling Platform for Indoor Air Quality. BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT 2021; 206:108398. [PMID: 34764540 PMCID: PMC8577402 DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Americans spend most of their time indoors at home, but comprehensive characterization of in-home air pollution is limited by the cost and size of reference-quality monitors. We assembled small "Home Health Boxes" (HHBs) to measure indoor PM2.5, PM10, CO2, CO, NO2, and O3 concentrations using filter samplers and low-cost sensors. Nine HHBs were collocated with reference monitors in the kitchen of an occupied home in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA for 168 h while wildfire smoke impacted local air quality. When HHB data were interpreted using gas sensor manufacturers' calibrations, HHBs and reference monitors (a) categorized the level of each gaseous pollutant similarly (as either low, elevated, or high relative to air quality standards) and (b) both indicated that gas cooking burners were the dominant source of CO and NO2 pollution; however, HHB and reference O3 data were not correlated. When HHB gas sensor data were interpreted using linear mixed calibration models derived via collocation with reference monitors, root-mean-square error decreased for CO2 (from 408 to 58 ppm), CO (645 to 572 ppb), NO2 (22 to 14 ppb), and O3 (21 to 7 ppb); additionally, correlation between HHB and reference O3 data improved (Pearson's r increased from 0.02 to 0.75). Mean 168-h PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations derived from nine filter samples were 19.4 μg m-3 (6.1% relative standard deviation [RSD]) and 40.1 μg m-3 (7.6% RSD). The 168-h PM2.5 concentration was overestimated by PMS5003 sensors (median sensor/filter ratio = 1.7) and underestimated slightly by SPS30 sensors (median sensor/filter ratio = 0.91).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Tryner
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, 1374 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States 80523
- Access Sensor Technologies, 2401 Research Blvd, Suite 107, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States 80526
| | - Mollie Phillips
- Access Sensor Technologies, 2401 Research Blvd, Suite 107, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States 80526
| | - Casey Quinn
- NSG Engineering Solutions, 227 Central St NE, Olympia, Washington 98506
| | - Gabe Neymark
- Access Sensor Technologies, 2401 Research Blvd, Suite 107, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States 80526
| | - Ander Wilson
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, 1801 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States 80523
| | - Shantanu H. Jathar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, 1374 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States 80523
| | - Ellison Carter
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, 1372 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States 80523
| | - John Volckens
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, 1374 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States 80523
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Huang CH, He J, Austin E, Seto E, Novosselov I. Assessing the value of complex refractive index and particle density for calibration of low-cost particle matter sensor for size-resolved particle count and PM2.5 measurements. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259745. [PMID: 34762676 PMCID: PMC8584671 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Low-cost optical scattering particulate matter (PM) sensors report total or size-specific particle counts and mass concentrations. The PM concentration and size are estimated by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) proprietary algorithms, which have inherent limitations since particle scattering depends on particles' properties such as size, shape, and complex index of refraction (CRI) as well as environmental parameters such as temperature and relative humidity (RH). As low-cost PM sensors are not able to resolve individual particles, there is a need to characterize and calibrate sensors' performance under a controlled environment. Here, we present improved calibration algorithms for Plantower PMS A003 sensor for mass indices and size-resolved number concentration. An aerosol chamber experimental protocol was used to evaluate sensor-to-sensor data reproducibility. The calibration was performed using four polydisperse test aerosols. The particle size distribution OEM calibration for PMS A003 sensor did not agree with the reference single particle sizer measurements. For the number concentration calibration, the linear model without adjusting for the aerosol properties and environmental conditions yields an absolute error (NMAE) of ~ 4.0% compared to the reference instrument. The calibration models adjusted for particle CRI and density account for non-linearity in the OEM's mass concentrations estimates with NMAE within 5.0%. The calibration algorithms developed in this study can be used in indoor air quality monitoring, occupational/industrial exposure assessments, or near-source monitoring scenarios where field calibration might be challenging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Hsuan Huang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jiayang He
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Elena Austin
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Edmund Seto
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Igor Novosselov
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Prakash J, Choudhary S, Raliya R, Chadha TS, Fang J, George MP, Biswas P. Deployment of networked low-cost sensors and comparison to real-time stationary monitors in New Delhi. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2021; 71:1347-1360. [PMID: 33591244 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2021.1890276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Air quality is a global challenge issue, and many regions of the world, such as India, are experiencing daunting challenges. An important aspect is to identify and then control the emissions from major contributing sources. To advance this aspect, this paper describes an air quality network that has been set up in the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT-Delhi) to identify major contributing source categories in real-time. The various components include an innovative cloud-based dashboard to compile the data in real-time from a series of PM instruments (Beta Attenuation Monitors (BAM)) and a low-cost sensor network (22 APT- MAXIMA sensors). Furthermore, at one of the locations (urban site), three real-time chemical speciation monitors are installed to provide elemental speciation (30 elements), elemental carbon (EC), and organic carbon (OC) data. PM2.5 concentrations at different sites (urban, industrial, and background) were compared to the BAM measurements over an 8-month period from May 2019 to February 2020; spanning the summer, monsoon, autumn, and winter seasons in Delhi. The APT sensor measurements were well correlated to the BAM measurements, with R2 values ranging between 0.84 and 0.95 for all sites. This validated that the APT-MAXIMA low-cost sensors can be a useful tool for distributed monitoring of PM2.5 levels. The mean PM2.5 concentrations showed a trend with winter (Dec, Jan, Feb: 205.2 ± 95.1 µg m-3) and autumn (Oct, Nov: 171.7 ± 128.3 µg m-3) highs and summer (May, Jun: 64.6 ± 57.2 µg m-3) and monsoon (Jul, Aug, Sep: 27.6 ± 16.7 µg m-3) lows. The bivariate polar plot reveals high PM2.5 levels originated from local/regional combustion sources located east and south-west of the urban site, especially when high PM2.5 episodes are encountered during the festival season and other smog episodes.Implications: Low-cost sensors are useful for distributed monitoring under both low and high pollution conditions. A cloud-based dashboard system provided real-time, remote access to the data and in the visualization of air quality in the entire region. The real-time data availability on the cloud enabled establishing hot-spot regions of air pollution, spatial variation of PM2.5, real-time source apportionment, and health risk estimates to benefit both policy makers, and the general public.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jai Prakash
- Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory, Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering (CASE), Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shruti Choudhary
- Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory, Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering (CASE), Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ramesh Raliya
- Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory, Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering (CASE), Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Tandeep S Chadha
- Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory, Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering (CASE), Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
- Applied Particle Technology, Inc, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jiaxi Fang
- Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory, Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering (CASE), Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
- Applied Particle Technology, Inc, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - M P George
- Delhi Pollution Control Committee, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Pratim Biswas
- Aerosol and Air Quality Research Laboratory, Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering (CASE), Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
- College of Engineering, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Reisen F, Cooper J, Powell JC, Roulston C, Wheeler AJ. Performance and Deployment of Low-Cost Particle Sensor Units to Monitor Biomass Burning Events and Their Application in an Educational Initiative. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21217206. [PMID: 34770510 PMCID: PMC8588471 DOI: 10.3390/s21217206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Biomass burning smoke is often a significant source of airborne fine particles in regional areas where air quality monitoring is scarce. Emerging sensor technology provides opportunities to monitor air quality on a much larger geographical scale with much finer spatial resolution. It can also engage communities in the conversation around local pollution sources. The SMoke Observation Gadget (SMOG), a unit with a Plantower dust sensor PMS3003, was designed as part of a school-based Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) project looking at smoke impacts in regional areas of Victoria, Australia. A smoke-specific calibration curve between the SMOG units and a standard regulatory instrument was developed using an hourly data set collected during a peat fire. The calibration curve was applied to the SMOG units during all field-based validation measurements at several locations and during different seasons. The results showed strong associations between individual SMOG units for PM2.5 concentrations (r2 = 0.93-0.99) and good accuracy (mean absolute error (MAE) < 2 μg m-3). Correlations of the SMOG units to reference instruments also demonstrated strong associations (r2 = 0.87-95) and good accuracy (MAE of 2.5-3.0 μg m-3). The PM2.5 concentrations tracked by the SMOG units had a similar response time as those measured by collocated reference instruments. Overall, the study has shown that the SMOG units provide relevant information about ambient PM2.5 concentrations in an airshed impacted predominantly by biomass burning, provided that an adequate adjustment factor is applied.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Reisen
- CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, Private Bag 1, Aspendale, VIC 3195, Australia; (J.C.); (J.C.P.); (C.R.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Jacinta Cooper
- CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, Private Bag 1, Aspendale, VIC 3195, Australia; (J.C.); (J.C.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Jennifer C. Powell
- CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, Private Bag 1, Aspendale, VIC 3195, Australia; (J.C.); (J.C.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Christopher Roulston
- CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, Private Bag 1, Aspendale, VIC 3195, Australia; (J.C.); (J.C.P.); (C.R.)
| | - Amanda J. Wheeler
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia;
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Lu Y. Beyond air pollution at home: Assessment of personal exposure to PM 2.5 using activity-based travel demand model and low-cost air sensor network data. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 201:111549. [PMID: 34153337 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Assessing personal exposure to air pollution is challenging due to the limited availability of human movement data and the complexity of modeling air pollution at high spatiotemporal resolution. Most health studies rely on residential estimates of outdoor air pollution instead which introduces exposure measurement error. Personal exposure for 100,784 individuals in Los Angeles County was estimated by integrating human movement data simulated from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) activity-based travel demand model with hourly PM2.5 predictions from my 500 m gridded model incorporating low-cost sensor monitoring data. Individual exposures were assigned considering PM2.5 levels at homes, workplaces, and other activity locations. These dynamic exposures were compared to the residence-based exposures, which do not consider human movement, to examine the degree of exposure estimation bias. The results suggest that exposures were underestimated by 13% (range 5-22%) on average when human movement was not considered, and much of the error was eliminated by accounting for work location. Exposure estimation bias increased for people who exhibited higher mobility levels, especially for workers with long commute distances. Overall, the personal exposures of workers were underestimated by 22% (5-61%) relative to their residence-based exposures. For workers who commute >20 miles, their exposure levels can be at most underestimated by 61%. Omitting mobility resulted in underestimating exposures for people who reside in areas with cleaner air but work in more polluted areas. Similarly, exposures were overestimated for people living in areas with poorer air quality and working in cleaner areas. These could lead to differential estimation biases across racial, ethnic and socioeconomic lines that typically correlate with where people live and work and lead to important exposure and health disparities. This study demonstrates that ignoring human movement and spatiotemporal variability of air pollution could lead to differential exposure misclassification potentially biasing health risk assessments. These improved dynamic approaches can help planners and policymakers identify disadvantaged populations for which exposures are typically misrepresented and might lead to targeted policy and planning implications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yougeng Lu
- Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Analysis, University of Southern California, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Jones ER, Laurent JGC, Young AS, MacNaughton P, Coull BA, Spengler JD, Allen JG. The Effects of Ventilation and Filtration on Indoor PM 2.5 in Office Buildings in Four Countries. BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT 2021; 200:107975. [PMID: 34366550 PMCID: PMC8336933 DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.107975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is an airborne pollutant associated with negative acute and chronic human health outcomes. Although the majority of PM2.5 research has focused on outdoor exposures, people spend the majority of their time indoors, where PM2.5 of outdoor origin can penetrate. In this work, we measured indoor PM2.5 continuously for one year in 37 urban commercial offices with mechanical or mixed-mode ventilation in China, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We found that indoor PM2.5 concentrations were generally higher when and where outdoor PM2.5 was elevated. In India and China, mean workday indoor PM2.5 levels exceeded the World Health Organization's 24-hour exposure guideline of 25 µg/m3 about 17% and 27% of the time, respectively. Our statistical models found evidence that the operation of mechanical ventilation systems could mitigate the intrusion of outdoor PM2.5: during standard work hours, a 10 µg/m3 increase in outdoor PM2.5 was associated with 19.9% increase in the expected concentration of indoor PM2.5 (p<0.0001), compared to a larger 23.4% increase during non-work hours (p<0.0001). Finally, our models found that using filters with ratings of MERV 13-14 or MERV 15+ was associated with a 30.9% (95% CI: -55.0%, +6.2%) or 39.4% (95% CI: -62.0%, -3.4%) reduction of indoor PM2.5, respectively, compared to filters with lower MERV 7-12 ratings. Our results demonstrate the potential efficacy of mechanical ventilation with efficient filtration as a public health strategy to protect workers from PM2.5 exposure, particularly where outdoor levels of PM2.5 are elevated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily R. Jones
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, 4 Floor West, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
- Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, 1350 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Corresponding author: ; 401 Park Drive, 4 Floor West, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | | | - Anna S. Young
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, 4 Floor West, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Piers MacNaughton
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, 4 Floor West, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Brent A. Coull
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, 4 Floor West, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - John D. Spengler
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, 4 Floor West, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Joseph G. Allen
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 401 Park Drive, 4 Floor West, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Assessment of Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensor Systems against Optical and Gravimetric Methods in a Field Co-Location in Norway. ATMOSPHERE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos12080961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The increased availability of commercially-available low-cost air quality sensors combined with increased interest in their use by citizen scientists, community groups, and professionals is resulting in rapid adoption, despite data quality concerns. We have characterized three out-the-box PM sensor systems under different environmental conditions, using field colocation against reference equipment. The sensor systems integrate Plantower 5003, Sensirion SPS30 and Alphasense OCP-N3 PM sensors. The first two use photometry as a measuring technique, while the third one is an optical particle counter. For the performance evaluation, we co-located 3 units of each manufacturer and compared the results against optical (FIDAS) and gravimetric (KFG) methods for a period of 7 weeks (28 August to 19 October 2020). During the period from 2nd and 5th October, unusually high PM concentrations were observed due to a long-range transport episode. The results show that the highest correlations between the sensor systems and the optical reference are observed for PM1, with coefficients of determination above 0.9, followed by PM2.5. All the sensor units struggle to correctly measure PM10, and the coefficients of determination vary between 0.45 and 0.64. This behavior is also corroborated when using the gravimetric method, where correlations are significantly higher for PM2.5 than for PM10, especially for the sensor systems based on photometry. During the long range transport event the performance of the photometric sensors was heavily affected, and PM10 was largely underestimated. The sensor systems evaluated in this study had good agreement with the reference instrumentation for PM1 and PM2.5; however, they struggled to correctly measure PM10. The sensors also showed a decrease in accuracy when the ambient size distribution was different from the one for which the manufacturer had calibrated the sensor, and during weather conditions with high relative humidity. When interpreting and communicating air quality data measured using low-cost sensor systems, it is important to consider such limitations in order not to risk misinterpretation of the resulting data.
Collapse
|
44
|
Huang R, Lal R, Qin M, Hu Y, Russell AG, Odman MT, Afrin S, Garcia-Menendez F, O'Neill SM. Application and evaluation of a low-cost PM sensor and data fusion with CMAQ simulations to quantify the impacts of prescribed burning on air quality in Southwestern Georgia, USA. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2021; 71:815-829. [PMID: 33914671 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2021.1924311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Prescribed burning (PB) is a prominent source of PM2.5 in the southeastern US and exposure to PB smoke is a health risk. As demand for burning increases and stricter controls are implemented for other anthropogenic sources, PB emissions tend to be responsible for an increasing fraction of PM2.5 concentrations. Here, to quantify the effect of PB on air quality, low-cost sensors are used to measure PM2.5 concentrations in Southwestern Georgia. The feasibility of using low-cost sensors as a supplemental measurement tool is evaluated by comparing them with reference instruments. A chemical transport model, CMAQ, is also used to simulate the contribution of PB to PM2.5 concentrations. Simulated PM2.5 concentrations are compared to observations from both low-cost sensors and reference monitors. Finally, a data fusion method is applied to generate hourly spatiotemporal exposure fields by fusing PM2.5 concentrations from the CMAQ model and all observations. The results show that the severe impact of PB on local air quality and public health may be missed due to the dearth of regulatory monitoring sites. In Southwestern Georgia PM2.5 concentrations are highly non-homogeneous and the spatial variation is not captured even with a 4-km horizontal resolution in model simulations. Low-cost PM sensors can improve the detection of PB impacts and provide useful spatial and temporal information for integration with air quality models. R2 of regression with observations increases from an average of 0.09 to 0.40 when data fusion is applied to model simulation withholding the observations at the evaluation site. Adding observations from low-cost sensors reduces the underestimation of nighttime PM2.5 concentrations and reproduces the peaks that are missed by the simulations. In the future, observations from a dense network of low-cost sensors could be fused with the model simulated PM2.5 fields to provide better estimates of hourly exposures to smoke from PB.Implications: Prescribed burning emissions are a major cause of elevated PM2.5 concentrations, posing a risk to human health. However, their impact cannot be quantified properly due to a dearth of regulatory monitoring sites in certain regions of the United States such as Southwestern Georgia. Low-cost PM sensors can be used as a supplemental measurement tool and provide useful spatial and temporal information for integration with air quality model simulations. In the future, data from a dense network of low-cost sensors could be fused with model simulated PM2.5 fields to provide improved estimates of hourly exposures to smoke from prescribed burning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ran Huang
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Raj Lal
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Momei Qin
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yongtao Hu
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Armistead G Russell
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - M Talat Odman
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sadia Afrin
- Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Fernando Garcia-Menendez
- Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Susan M O'Neill
- Pacific Northwest Research Station, US Forest Service, Seattle, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Barkjohn KK, Gantt B, Clements AL. Development and Application of a United States wide correction for PM 2.5 data collected with the PurpleAir sensor. ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES 2021; 4:10.5194/amt-14-4617-2021. [PMID: 34504625 PMCID: PMC8422884 DOI: 10.5194/amt-14-4617-2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
PurpleAir sensors, which measure particulate matter (PM), are widely used by individuals, community groups, and other organizations including state and local air monitoring agencies. PurpleAir sensors comprise a massive global network of more than 10,000 sensors. Previous performance evaluations have typically studied a limited number of PurpleAir sensors in small geographic areas or laboratory environments. While useful for determining sensor behavior and data normalization for these geographic areas, little work has been done to understand the broad applicability of these results outside these regions and conditions. Here, PurpleAir sensors operated by air quality monitoring agencies are evaluated in comparison to collocated ambient air quality regulatory instruments. In total, almost 12,000 24-hour averaged PM2.5 measurements from collocated PurpleAir sensors and Federal Reference Method (FRM) or Federal Equivalent Method (FEM) PM2.5 measurements were collected across diverse regions of the United States (U.S.), including 16 states. Consistent with previous evaluations, under typical ambient and smoke impacted conditions, the raw data from PurpleAir sensors overestimate PM2.5 concentrations by about 40% in most parts of the U.S. A simple linear regression reduces much of this bias across most U.S. regions, but adding a relative humidity term further reduces the bias and improves consistency in the biases between different regions. More complex multiplicative models did not substantially improve results when tested on an independent dataset. The final PurpleAir correction reduces the root mean square error (RMSE) of the raw data from 8 μg m-3 to 3 μg m-3 with an average FRM or FEM concentration of 9 μg m-3. This correction equation, along with proposed data cleaning criteria, has been applied to PurpleAir PM2.5 measurements across the U.S. in the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map (fire.airnow.gov) and has the potential to be successfully used in other air quality and public health applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karoline K. Barkjohn
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 109 T.W. Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | - Brett Gantt
- Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 109 T.W. Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| | - Andrea L. Clements
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 109 T.W. Alexander Drive Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
AirKit: A Citizen-Sensing Toolkit for Monitoring Air Quality. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21124044. [PMID: 34208309 PMCID: PMC8231179 DOI: 10.3390/s21124044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Increasing urbanisation and a better understanding of the negative health effects of air pollution have accelerated the use of Internet of Things (IoT)-based air quality sensors. Low-cost and low-power sensors are now readily available and commonly deployed by individuals and community groups. However, there are a wide range of such IoT devices in circulation that differently focus on problems of sensor validation, data reliability, or accessibility. In this paper, we present AirKit, which was developed as an integrated and open source “social IoT technology”. AirKit enables a comprehensive approach to citizen-sensing air quality through several integrated components: (1) the Dustbox 2.0, a particulate matter sensor; (2) Airsift, a data analysis platform; (3) a reliable and automatic remote firmware update system; (4) a “Data Stories” method and tool for communicating citizen data; and (5) an AirKit logbook that provides a guide for designing and running air quality projects, along with instructions for building and using AirKit components. Developed as a social technology toolkit to foster open processes of research co-creation and environmental action, Airkit has the potential to generate expanded engagements with IoT and air quality by improving the accuracy, legibility and use of sensors, data analysis and data communication.
Collapse
|
47
|
Methodology for Addressing Infectious Aerosol Persistence in Real-Time Using Sensor Network. SENSORS 2021; 21:s21113928. [PMID: 34200380 PMCID: PMC8201307 DOI: 10.3390/s21113928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Human exposure to infectious aerosols results in the transmission of diseases such as influenza, tuberculosis, and COVID-19. Most dental procedures generate a significant number of aerosolized particles, increasing transmission risk in dental settings. Since the generation of aerosols in dentistry is unavoidable, many clinics have started using intervention strategies such as area-filtration units and extraoral evacuation equipment, especially under the relatively recent constraints of the pandemic. However, the effectiveness of these devices in dental operatories has not been studied. Therefore, the ability of dental personnel to efficiently position and operate such instruments is also limited. To address these challenges, we utilized a real-time sensor network for assessment of aerosol dynamics during dental restoration and cleaning producers with and without intervention. The strategies tested during the procedures were (i) local area High-Efficiency Particle Air (HEPA) filters and (ii) Extra-Oral Suction Device (EOSD). The study was conducted at the University of Washington School of Dentistry using a network of 13 fixed sensors positioned within the operatory and one wearable sensor worn by the dental operator. The sensor network provides time and space-resolved particulate matter (PM) data. Three-dimensional (3D) visualization informed aerosol persistence in the operatory. It was found that area filters did not improve the overall aerosol concentration in dental offices in a significant way. A decrease in PM concentration by an average of 16% was observed when EOSD equipment was used during the procedures. The combination of real-time sensors and 3D visualization can provide dental personnel and facility managers with actionable feedback to effectively assess aerosol transmission in medical settings and develop evidence-based intervention strategies.
Collapse
|
48
|
Chadwick E, Le K, Pei Z, Sayahi T, Rapp C, Butterfield AE, Kelly KE. Technical note: Understanding the effect of COVID-19 on particle pollution using a low-cost sensor network. JOURNAL OF AEROSOL SCIENCE 2021; 155:105766. [PMID: 33897001 PMCID: PMC8054662 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaerosci.2021.105766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The 2020 coronavirus pandemic and the following quarantine measures have led to significant changes in daily life worldwide. Preliminary research indicates that air quality has improved in many urban areas as a result of these measures. This study takes a neighborhood-scale approach to quantifying this change in pollution. Using data from a network of citizen-hosted, low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors, called Air Quality & yoU (AQ&U), we obtained high-spatial resolution measurements compared to the relatively sparse state monitoring stations. We compared monthly average estimated PM2.5 concentrations from February 11 to May 11, 2019 at 71 unique locations in Salt Lake County, UT, USA with the same (71) sensors' measurements during the same timeframe in 2020. A paired t-test showed significant reductions (71.1% and 21.3%) in estimated monthly PM2.5 concentrations from 2019 to 2020 for the periods from March 11-April 10 and April 11-May 10, respectively. The March time period corresponded to the most stringent COVID-19 related restrictions in this region. Significant decreases in PM2.5 were also reported by state monitoring sites during March (p < 0.001 compared to the previous 5-year average). While we observed decreases in PM2.5 concentrations across the valley in 2020, it is important to note that the PM2.5 concentrations did not improve equally in all locations. We observed the greatest reductions at lower elevation, more urbanized areas, likely because of the already low levels of PM2.5 at the higher elevation, more residential areas, which were generally below 2 μg/m3 in both 2019 and 2020. Although many of measurements during March and April were near or below the estimated detection limit of the low-cost PM sensors and the federal equivalent measurements, every low-cost sensor (51) showed a reduction in PM2.5 concentration in March of 2020 compared to 2019. These results suggest that the air quality improvement seen after March 11, 2020 is due to quarantine measures reducing traffic and decreasing pollutant emissions in the region.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Chadwick
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - K Le
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Z Pei
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - T Sayahi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - C Rapp
- Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - A E Butterfield
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - K E Kelly
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Mousavi A, Yuan Y, Masri S, Barta G, Wu J. Impact of 4th of July Fireworks on Spatiotemporal PM 2.5 Concentrations in California Based on the PurpleAir Sensor Network: Implications for Policy and Environmental Justice. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:5735. [PMID: 34071796 PMCID: PMC8198140 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18115735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fireworks are often used in celebration, causing short term, extremely high particulate matter air pollution. In recent years, the rapid development and expansion of low-cost air quality sensors by companies such as PurpleAir has enabled an understanding of air pollution at a much higher spatiotemporal resolution compared to traditional monitoring networks. In this study, real-time PM2.5 measurements from 751 PurpleAir sensors operating from June to July in 2019 and 2020 were used to examine the impact of 4th of July fireworks on hourly and daily PM2.5 concentrations at the census tract and county levels in California. American Community Survey (ACS) and CalEnviroScreen 3.0 data were used to identify correlations between PM2.5 measurements and socioeconomic status (SES). A two-step method was implemented to assure the quality of raw PM2.5 sensor data and sensor calibration against co-located reference instruments. The results showed that over 67% and 81% of counties experienced immediate impacts related to fireworks in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Relative to 2019, the peak PM2.5 concentrations on July 4th and 5th 2020 were, on average, over 50% higher in California, likely due to the COVID-19-related increase in the use of household-level fireworks. This increase was most pronounced in southern counties, which tend to have less strict firework-related regulations and a greater use of illegal fireworks. Los Angeles County experienced the highest July 4th daily PM2.5 levels both in 2019 (29.9 µg·m-3) and 2020 (42.6 µg·m-3). Spatial hot spot analyses generally showed these southern counties (e.g., Los Angeles County) to be regional air pollution hotspots, whereas the opposite pattern was seen in the north (e.g., San Francisco). The results also showed PM2.5 peaks that were over two-times higher among communities with lower SES, higher minority group populations, and higher asthma rates. Our findings highlight the important role that policy and enforcement can play in reducing firework-related air pollution and protecting public health, as exemplified by southern California, where policy was more relaxed and air pollution was higher (especially in 2020 when the 4th of July coincided with the COVID-19-lockdown period), and in disadvantaged communities where disparities were greatest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amirhosein Mousavi
- Program in Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (A.M.); (Y.Y.); (S.M.)
| | - Yiting Yuan
- Program in Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (A.M.); (Y.Y.); (S.M.)
| | - Shahir Masri
- Program in Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (A.M.); (Y.Y.); (S.M.)
| | | | - Jun Wu
- Program in Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (A.M.); (Y.Y.); (S.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Krebs B, Burney J, Zivin JG, Neidell M. Using Crowd-Sourced Data to Assess the Temporal and Spatial Relationship between Indoor and Outdoor Particulate Matter. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:6107-6115. [PMID: 33878861 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c08469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Using hourly measures across a full year of crowd-sourced data from over 1000 indoor and outdoor pollution monitors in the state of California, we explore the temporal and spatial relationship between outdoor and indoor particulate matter (PM) concentrations for different particle sizes. The scale of this study offers new insight into both average penetration rates and drivers of heterogeneity in the outdoor-indoor relationship. We find that an increase in the daily outdoor PM concentration of 10% leads to an average increase of 4.2-6.1% in indoor concentrations. The penetration of outdoor particles to the indoor environment occurs rapidly and almost entirely within 5 h. We also provide evidence showing that penetration rates are associated with building age and climatic conditions in the vicinity of the monitor. Since people spend a substantial amount of each day indoors, our findings fill a critical knowledge gap and have significant implications for government policies to improve public health through reductions in exposure to ambient air pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Krebs
- Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Lucerne, Frohburgstrasse 3, Postfach 4466, CH-6002 Luzern, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Burney
- School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Joshua Graff Zivin
- School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Matthew Neidell
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, United States
| |
Collapse
|