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Quality Assurance and Control of Air Sensors: EPA Efforts to Advance Information Sharing, Education, and Tools to Improve Air Sensor Data Quality
Citation:
Clements, A., K. Barkjohn, E. Good, AND C. Mocka. Quality Assurance and Control of Air Sensors: EPA Efforts to Advance Information Sharing, Education, and Tools to Improve Air Sensor Data Quality. EM: AIR AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION'S MAGAZINE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGERS. Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA, , 0, (2025).
Impact/Purpose:
Sensor use has been steadily increasing but a common understanding of quality assurance best practices is needed to ensure sensor data is of high quality and useful for the intended purpose and more. In July 2023, USEPA hosted an international workshop bringing together experts to discuss air sensor quality assurance strategies and best practices. This paper gives a high level summary of workshop, directs readers to resources and training materials, and highlights new EPA data tools which feature quality assurance checks. The article will be included in the June issue of the Air and Waste Management Association's EM magazine and is targeted toward air quality managers.
Description:
Air sensors continue to be used worldwide and are often cheaper and easier to use than conventional monitors operated by air quality professionals. This allows for more air quality measurements both spatially and at higher time resolution. Additionally, a greater variety of stakeholders can engage in air monitoring projects designed to inform individual, community, or government level actions to reduce air pollution levels and exposure and can contribute to improving human health and the environment. Since air sensors typically use more simplistic measurement approaches, they often lack robust quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures such as flowrate and calibration checks and post collection data review. If proper QA/QC is not used, air sensors may provide inaccurate data and any actions taken based on that data may unnecessarily waste resources and lead to inaccurate conclusions that may not benefit human health. To exchange in-depth technical information about QA/QC of air sensors and to help the user community better understand established and emerging considerations for collecting fit-for-purpose air sensor data, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted the Air Sensors Quality Assurance Workshop in July 2023. EPA has also provided education and tools to support QA/QC of air sensors.
