Grantee Research Project Results

2018 Progress Report: The Hawaii Island Volcanic Smog Sensor Network (HI-Vog): Tracking airquality and community engagement near a major emissions hotspot

EPA Grant Number: R836183
Title: The Hawaii Island Volcanic Smog Sensor Network (HI-Vog): Tracking airquality and community engagement near a major emissions hotspot
Investigators: Kroll, Jesse H. , Heald, Colette L.
Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology , The Kohala Center
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: May 1, 2016 through April 30, 2019 (Extended to April 30, 2022)
Project Period Covered by this Report: May 1, 2018 through April 30,2019
Project Amount: $750,000
RFA: Air Pollution Monitoring for Communities (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Endocrine Disruptors , Environmental Engineering , Environmental Justice , Watersheds

Objective:

Air quality on the Island of Hawai'i ("the Big Island") can be exceedingly poor due to high emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) from Kīlauea Volcano. The resulting "volcanic smog" ("vog"), a mixture of SO₂ and fine particulate matter (PM), can have negative impacts on human health as well as agriculture, and consequently is a major concern of local communities. Because of the high variability of the volcanic plume, community members' exposures to vog could not be easily estimated. The region thus served as a unique test case for the use and assessment of distributed air quality (AQ) networks based on portable low-cost sensors. This project entails the development and deployment of a state-of-the-art community-based AQ sensor network across Hawai‘i Island, for the measurement of SO₂ and particulate matter (PM) levels with high spatial and temporal resolution. The network aims to provide improved measurements of air quality and vog exposures across the island, as well as to assess the utility of AQ sensor networks as educational resources and as tools for atmospheric chemistry research.

Progress Summary:

In May 2018, Kīlauea Volcano entered a new eruptive phase, with the Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) eruption emitting SO₂ at levels that were ~10 times higher than they had been previously. In response we designed and built 30 new sensor nodes to measure SO₂ and PM, calibrated them by co-location with regulatory-grade monitors, and deployed around the island within 3 weeks of the beginning of the eruption.. This enabled the collection of spatially- and temporally-resolved one-minute data for both pollutants through the remainder of the eruption. Eruptive activity ceased in early August 2018, leading to extremely clean AQ conditions throughout the island. Efforts since then have been on analysis of the AQ data collected during the eruption, with the specific focus on estimating population exposure with high granularity, and measuring the rate by which SO₂ oxidizes to H₂SO₄ (forming PM). In addition, we worked closely with schools across the island, working with teachers on incorporating sensor/AQ data into their curricula and introducing students to air pollution, vog chemistry, and sensor data In early May 2018 (near the end of Y2) the project took an unexpected turn, as Kīlauea Volcano entered a new eruptive phase, with the Lower East Rift Zone eruption in the eastern corner of the island. This dramatically changed the air quality on the island, since SO₂ emissions were ~10x higher than they had been previously. Because AQ was not well-measured on the island, we were contacted by the state department of health (DOH) to aid in local AQ measurement, so we sent them our existing sensors (built in Y1 of the project). We also quickly designed and built 30 new sensor nodes to measure SO₂ and PM, and calibrated them by co-location, using the techniques we developed in Y1-2 of the project. Sensor nodes were then deployed around the island within 3 weeks of the beginning of the eruption.. This enabled the collection spatially- and temporally-resolved one-minute data on both pollutants through the entire eruption. Eruptive activity ceased in early August 2018, leading to extremely clean AQ conditions throughout the island. Efforts since then have been on analysis of the AQ data collected during the eruption, with the specifically focus on estimating population exposure and interconversion of pollutants.

Future Activities:

Work in Y4 will center on the further analysis of the AQ data collected during and after the LERZ eruption, including a comparison with satellite measurements. We will also build, deploy, and collect data from a new network of low-cost meteorology sensors, in order to complement the AQ network and to serve as an additional education resource. Finally, we will continue to work with teachers and students in local schools, focusing on the use of data from the AQ and meteorology sensor networks.

Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views
Other project views:	All 11 publications	3 publications in selected types	All 3 journal articles

Publications
Type	Citation	Project	Document Sources
Journal Article	Hagan DH, Isaacman-VanWertz G, Franklin JP, Wallace LMM, Kocar BD, Heald CL, Kroll JH. Calibration and assessment of electrochemical air quality sensors by co-location with regulatory-grade instruments. Atmospheric Measurement Technniques 2018;11(1):315-328.	R836183 (2017) R836183 (2018) R836183 (2019) R836183 (2020) R836183 (Final)	Full-text: EGU-Full Text PDF Exit Abstract: EGU-Abstract HTML Exit

Supplemental Keywords:

Volcanic emissions, air pollution, vog, sulfur dioxide, sulfate, particulate matter, low-cost sensors, sensor networks, community engagement, science curriculum

Relevant Websites:

Hawai‘i Island Vog Network Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.