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Evaluation of small sensor technology for criteria air pollutants at ground-based sites and a citizen science network
Citation:
Duvall, R., R. Long, M. Beaver, EricS Hall, J. Szykman, AND S. Kaushik. Evaluation of small sensor technology for criteria air pollutants at ground-based sites and a citizen science network. National Ambient Air Monitoring Conference, Atlanta, GA, August 11 - 14, 2014.
Impact/Purpose:
The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.
Description:
A number of small sensor technologies for the measurement of NOz, O: and other criteriapollutants have recently emerged. There is a growing interest in understanding the capability ofsensor technology in accurately measuring ambient concentrations of gas-phase criteriapollutants. Small sensors that measure NOz and the sum of NOz and Os were deployed inHouston, TX during the month of September 2Al3 during NASA's DISCOVER-AQ Study at aground-based site and acitizen science based network involving seven local schools(combination of elementary, middle, and high schools). A multipollutant sensor that measuresNOz, NO, Or, SOz, and CO was also deployed from May-June 2014 at the AIRS site in RTP,NC. The sensors were collocated with Federal Reference and Equivalent Methods (FRM/FEM).Comparisons between the sensor measurements and FRM/FEM measurements will be presented.Preliminary results show that the sensors performed well compared to FRM/FEM data.Additional field testing of sensor technologies during DISCOVER-AQ will also be discussed.Disclaimer: Although this work was reviewed by EPA and approved for publication, it may notnecessarily reflect official Agency policy.