A novel portable, GPS-enabled, low-cost air-pollution sensor to facilitate citizen science research and geospatial assessments of personal exposure

Keywords: air pollution; low-cost sensor; spatiotemporal variability of air quality; citizen science; community-engaged research; personal exposure; geospatial technologies; geographic information systems; environmental health; environmental justice
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Friday
Session Start / End Time: 2/25/2022 02:00 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/25/2022 03:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 30

Abstract

The rapid evolution of air sensor technologies has offered enormous opportunities for community-engaged research by enabling citizens to monitor the air quality at any location and time. However, many low-cost portable sensors do not provide sufficient accuracy or tend to be designed only for technically capable individuals by requiring pairing with smartphone applications or other devices to view/store air quality data. In addition, the lack of built-in GPS in commercially available devices makes it difficult to collect georeferenced air pollution data along individuals' travel paths without an external GPS tracking device. This study proposes a standalone, portable air-monitor––GeoAir––which can ensure reliable data collection for the geospatial analysis of personal exposure and successful citizen engagement. The preliminary laboratory test results indicate that the particulate matter (PM) sensor shows strong performance when compared to a reference instrument. This study also demonstrates that GeoAir is an effective tool for engaging underrepresented groups in environmental health/justice research by providing a preliminary result of a citizen-engaged research project using GeoAir––which has been conducted in partnership with the Association of Mexicans in North Carolina. The geo-visualization of the air pollution data helps increase citizen awareness of local air quality in various daily activity spaces (e.g., homes, workplaces, recreational places, and in-vehicles) and offers actionable information on how to reduce air pollution and daily exposure. GeoAir can be used by all citizens regardless of their technical proficiency due to its ease of use and is widely applicable in many fields, including environmental justice and health disparity research.