Dataset Information

How to Get the Best from Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors: Guidelines and Practical Recommendations.

ABSTRACT: Low-cost sensors based on the optical particle counter (OPC) are increasingly being used to collect particulate matter (PM) data at high space and time resolution. In spite of their huge explorative potential, practical guidelines and recommendations for their use are still limited. In this work, we outline a few best practices for the optimal use of PM low-cost sensors based on the results of an intensive field campaign performed in Bologna (44°30' N, 11°21' E; Italy) under different weather conditions. Briefly, the performances of a series of sensors were evaluated against a calibrated mainstream OPC with a heated inlet, using a robust approach based on a suite of statistical indexes capable of evaluating both correlations and biases in respect to the reference sensor. Our results show that the sensor performance is sensibly affected by both time resolution and weather with biases maximized at high time resolution and high relative humidity. Optimization of PM data obtained is therefore achievable by lowering time resolution and applying suitable correction factors for hygroscopic growth based on the inherent particle size distribution.

SUBMITTER: Brattich E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7309006 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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How to Get the Best from Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors: Guidelines and Practical Recommendations.

Brattich Erika E Bracci Alessandro A Zappi Alessandro A Morozzi Pietro P Di Sabatino Silvana S Porcù Federico F Di Nicola Francesca F Tositti Laura L

Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) 20200529 11

Low-cost sensors based on the optical particle counter (OPC) are increasingly being used to collect particulate matter (PM) data at high space and time resolution. In spite of their huge explorative potential, practical guidelines and recommendations for their use are still limited. In this work, we outline a few best practices for the optimal use of PM low-cost sensors based on the results of an intensive field campaign performed in Bologna (44°30' N, 11°21' E; Italy) under different weather co ...[more]

PMID: 32485914

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Project description:Low-cost sensors (LCS) are increasingly being used to measure fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in cities around the world. One of the most commonly deployed LCS is the PurpleAir with ~ 15,000 sensors deployed in the United States, alone. PurpleAir measurements are widely used by the public to evaluate PM2.5 levels in their neighborhoods. PurpleAir measurements are also increasingly being integrated into models by researchers to develop large-scale estimates of PM2.5. However, the change in sensor performance over time has not been well studied. It is important to understand the lifespan of these sensors to determine when they should be serviced or replaced, and when measurements from these devices should or should not be used for various applications. This paper fills this gap by leveraging the fact that: (1) Each PurpleAir sensor is comprised of two identical sensors and the divergence between their measurements can be observed, and (2) There are numerous PurpleAir sensors within 50 meters of regulatory monitors allowing for the comparison of measurements between these instruments. We propose empirically derived degradation outcomes for the PurpleAir sensors and evaluate how these outcomes change over time. On average, we find that the number of 'flagged' measurements, where the two sensors within each PurpleAir sensor disagree, increases with time to ~ 4% after 4 years of operation. Approximately 2 percent of all PurpleAir sensors were permanently degraded. The largest fraction of permanently degraded PurpleAir sensors appeared to be in the hot and humid climate zone, suggesting that sensors in these locations may need to be replaced more frequently. We also find that the bias of PurpleAir sensors, or the difference between corrected PM2.5 levels and the corresponding reference measurements, changed over time by -0.12 μg/m3(95% CI: -0.13 μg/m3, -0.10 μg/m3) per year. The average bias increases dramatically after 3.5 years. Further, climate zone is a significant modifier of the association between degradation outcomes and time.

Dataset Information

How to Get the Best from Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors: Guidelines and Practical Recommendations.

Publications

How to Get the Best from Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors: Guidelines and Practical Recommendations.

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