Grantee Research Project Results
2017 Progress Report: Engage, Educate, and Empower California Communities on the Use and Applications of Low-cost Air Monitoring Sensors
EPA Grant Number: R836184Title: Engage, Educate, and Empower California Communities on the Use and Applications of Low-cost Air Monitoring Sensors
Investigators: Polidori, Andrea , Fine, Philip M. , Hafner, Hilary , Low, Jason , Zhu, Yifang
Current Investigators: Polidori, Andrea , Zhu, Yifang , Fine, Philip M. , Tisopulos, Laki , Dye, Timothy S , Hafner, Hilary
Institution: South Coast Air Quality Management District , University of California - Los Angeles , Sonoma Technology, Inc.
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, 2017 through April 30,2018
Project Amount: $749,820
RFA: Air Pollution Monitoring for Communities (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Particulate Matter , Environmental Justice , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air
Objective:
The overall objective of the proposed research is to provide California communities with the knowledge necessary to appropriately select, use, and maintain "low-cost" sensors and to correctly interpret sensor data. This will be accomplished by pursuing the following four specific aims: (1) develop new methodologies to educate and engage communities on the use and applications of "low-cost" sensors; (2) conduct testing to characterize the performance of commercially available "low-cost" sensors and to identify candidates for field deployment; (3) deploy the selected sensors in California communities and interpret the collected data; and (4) communicate the lessons learned to the public through a series of outreach activities.
Progress Summary:
Aim 1. SCAQMD worked with STI (co-Principal Investigator) to develop a draft guidebook for the educational toolkit with a focus on content that encompasses the three major stages of community air monitoring: planning, deployment, and community action. SCAQMD worked with UCLA (co-Principal Investigator), Special Service for Groups (Asian Pacific Forward Movement, Comite Civico del Valle Inc.), other community groups and air pollution control districts that are members of the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA) to recruit communities in Environmental Justice areas and near specific sources of air pollution in California.
Aim 2. The SCAQMD Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation Center (AQ-SPEC, www.aqmd.gov/aq-spec) conducted a thorough performance characterization of currently commercially available "low-cost" sensors using both field and laboratory testing, and identified particulate matter (PM) and Ozone "low-cost" air monitoring sensor candidates for field deployment. The activities related to this aim have been completed.
Aim 3. Sensor deployment first began in southern California communities during the fall of 2017. Since then, the SCAQMD received multiple requests from local community groups to participate in this project and decided to expand its efforts to include a total of nine community groups in the southern California region alone. Another two communities in central California were also included in the project for a total of 11 communities. A total of more than 290 low-cost PM sensors have been distributed on a 1-to-1 (host-sensor) basis to community members in those communities and more than 60% of those sensors have already been installed and report fine and coarse particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5</sub> and PM<sub>10</sub>) concentration levels (see Figure 1 below).
Figure.
Sensor deployment in 11 California communities between October 2017
and April 2018.
Future Activities:
Aim 1. Recruitment of additional communities in
southern California and two new communities in northern California is
expected to be completed during the beginning of the next reporting
cycle. SCAQMD will work with BAAQMD and STI to deploy sensors in the
two communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.SCAQMD will work with
STI,UCLA, SSG, CCV and CAPCOAto determine how to incorporate
sensor-specific information, in the guidebook, the training videos and
other educational material. STI will receive and incorporate feedback
on the guidebook from SCAQMD, UCLA, Community Groups and CAPCOA. The
updated guidebook will then be used and evaluated during the community
workshops and the content, structure, and design will be adapted and
refined. UCLA plans to pilot test the project documentation for
clarity and impact. Community members will be trained on how to
operate low-cost sensors and will provide feedback on the use and
usefulness of these devices. They will also conduct outreach
activities to engage other members of their communities.
Aim 3
. Sensor deployments in all participating communities is
expected to be completed by the end of August 2018, and subsequently
SCAQMD in collaboration with all partners will commence the process of
a thorough validation and interpretation of the collected low-cost
sensor data.
Journal Articles on this Report : 2 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
| Other project views: | All 32 publications | 9 publications in selected types | All 9 journal articles |
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Hagler GSW, Williams R, Papapostolou V and Polidori A. Air quality sensors and data adjustment algorithms: when is it no longer a measurement? Environmental Science & Technology 2018;52(10):5530-5531. |
R836184 (2017) R836184 (2018) |
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Papapostolou V, Zhang H, Feenstra BJ, Polidori A. Development of an environmental chamber for evaluating the performance of low-cost air quality sensors under controlled conditions. Atmospheric Environment 2017;171:82-90. |
R836184 (2017) R836184 (2018) |
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Supplemental Keywords:
Community recruitment, community engagement, community education, community empowerment, sensor testing, sensor selection, sensor deployment, particulate matter, PM2.5, PM10, ozone, data interpretation, public outreachRelevant Websites:
Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation Center (AQ-SPEC)
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe 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.