Technical Reports and Journal Articles on Air Sensor Technology
EPA regularly publishes technical reports that provide summaries of research and other findings related to air sensor technologies. Researchers also publish results of their studies in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
A list of highlighted reports and journal articles are provided below. Visit the EPA’s Science Inventory, a searchable online database, for other publications and presentations.
Technical Reports
2018
Peer Review and Supporting Literature Review of Air Sensor Technology Performance Targets
Summarizes an evaluation of peer-reviewed literature and other sources related to air sensors to identify performance attributes and metrics needed to obtain data for specific applications or purposes.
Spatial and Temporal Trends of Air Pollutants in the South Coast Basin Using Low Cost Sensors
Describes the deployment and laboratory evaluation of a custom-built low-cost sensor device that measures fine particulate matter, ozone, temperature, and relative humidity.
2017
Performance Evaluation of the United Nations Environment Programme Air Quality Monitoring Unit
Summarizes a 30-day field evaluation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) sensor pod to establish basic performance characteristics.
2016
Citizen Science Air Monitoring in the Ironbound Community
Summarizes a pilot project that involved EPA collaboration with the Ironbound community action group in Newark, New Jersey to conduct a citizen science air monitoring project.
Journal Articles (Peer-reviewed and Non peer-reviewed)
2019
Provides an overview of the state of air monitoring technology in low- and middle- income countries and how air sensors might be integrated.
Provides a suggested terminology to describe different data processing levels applied to low cost-sensor data.
Summarizes a network deployment of low-cost particulate matter sensors in Memphis, TN.
Observed data quality concerns involving air sensors, Atmospheric Environment: X, 2019
Provides examples of data quality issues associated with particulate matter sensors and total volatile organic carbon sensors.
Provides an overview of the Rubbertown project in Louisville, KY and use of emerging next generation emissions measurements to understand fugitive emissions of volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants.
Provides an overview of the KC-TRAQS project in Kansas City, KS and initial results from low-cost sensor measurements focusing on fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon.
Summarizes the 2018 Air Sensors Workshop on ‘Deliberating Performance Targets for Air Quality Sensors.’
2018
Air sensors 2018: Deliberating performance targets, EM Magazine, 2018
Provides highlights from EPA’s Air Sensor 2018 Deliberating Performance Targets Workshop.
Provides a broad overview of the current state of air sensor technologies for exposure assessment.
Describes the deployment of a custom-built low-cost sensor system for PM2.5 and NO2 as part of citizen science project in Puerto Rico.
Summarizes results from the deployment of low-cost particle sensors in two different environments – Atlanta, Georgia (US) and Hydradab, India.
Summarizes a 7-month field evaluation of a low-cost sensor in Denver, Colorado.
Describes two citizen science environmental health assessments along with advice and lessons learns on public communication for citizen science projects.
Summarizes emerging issues related to using data adjustment algorithms on air sensor measurements.
Provides a commentary on how social science can be used to understand perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and other human factors that may drive the use of air sensors and the data sensors generate.
2017
Low-Cost Air Quality Monitoring Tools: From Research to Practice (A Workshop Summary), Sensors, 2017
Summarizes a 2017 workshop with practitioners who work with low-cost sensors to collect air quality measurement.]
Review of challenges, successes, and emerging tools as discussed by the Air Sensors Health Group (ASHG), a collaboration of numerous Federal agencies.
Summarizes a study using small scale sensors and samplers for air pollution emission characterization.
Low-cost sensor POD design considerations, EM Magazine, 2017
Summarizes design considerations for custom-built sensor pods.
Summarizes a collaboration with EPA and the Ironbound Community Corporation to monitor air pollution using custom-built low-cost sensor pods.
Characterizing air quality in a rapidly changing world, EM Magazine, 2017
Discusses projects that collect large volumes of air quality data around the U.S. and how that data collection fits into air quality management and characterization.
2016
Describes a month-long evaluation of a low-cost sensor for ozone and NO2 in Houston, TX and Denver, CO and use of the sensor in a citizen science application].
Summarizes a low-cost sensor, long-term deployment study in Atlanta (Georgia).
Provides a joint EPA and State perspective on using air sensors for environmental applications.