Designing a Portable Particulate Matter Monitor

Air pollution affects billions worldwide, yet policymakers often have difficulty obtaining precise local air pollution measurements. Local air pollutant concentrations can vary dramatically depending on the possible presence of sources (factories, busy roads, residential wood burning). Though fixed-site air pollution monitoring is available, this method does not give a reliable measure of how PM_2.5 (particulate matter under 2.5 micrometers) concentrations vary with respect to space. We developed a portable method to measure local air pollution with the AQ Go sensor while commuting by foot, bicycle, or car. Previous research established the method to average the data along a single route by any given interval. We used RETIGO, EPA’s Real-Time Geospatial Data Viewer, to display the spatial variability of PM_2.5 concentrations. This project focused on reducing the temporal variability of local air pollution data by developing the method to average across multiple files obtained at different dates and times. Preliminary data analysis showed that low-cost air monitors are prone to high relative humidity and revealed potential “hotspots” for local air pollution. This approach can be an easy way to measure local air pollution when validated by more experiments. This project can have important implications for how local air pollution can be measured and managed, which can significantly impact public health and environmental equity on a larger scale.