Air Analysis: Field Portable Instruments for the Measurement of Airborne Hazards

Citation

Price H (2018) Air Analysis: Field Portable Instruments for the Measurement of Airborne Hazards. In: Worsfold P, Townshend A, Poole C & Miro M (eds.) Reference Module in Chemistry, Molecular Sciences and Chemical Engineering. Amsterdam: Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-409547-2.12680-0

Abstract
Air pollution has serious negative impacts for human health, climate, and the environment. We are entering a new age of air pollution measurement, with recent technological advances meaning traditional fixed air monitoring stations are being supplemented by portable low-cost sensors. These sensors have multiple purposes including to enhance monitoring networks, to undertake personal exposure monitoring and for source compliance monitoring. Consequently, making air quality measurements is now not restricted only to scientists and researchers, but these instruments also play an important role in citizen science applications. This article describes the main techniques for measuring the concentration of gases and particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere using low-cost portable devices. The article concludes with a discussion of the main challenges related to these sensors and future applications.

Keywords
Air pollution; Air quality; Electrochemical sensors; Exposure; Light absorption; Light scattering; Low-cost sensor; Metal-oxide-semiconductor sensors; Monitoring networks; Particulate matter (PM); Personal exposure

People

Dr Heather Price

Senior Lecturer, Biological and Environmental Sciences