Spatial-Temporal Analysis of PM2.5 and NO2 Concentrations Collected Using Low-Cost Sensors in Peñuelas, Puerto Rico

Reece, Stephen; Williams, Ron; Colón, Maribel; Southgate, David; Huertas, Evelyn; O’Shea, Marie; Iglesias, Ariel; Sheridan, Patricia

doi:10.3390/s18124314

Spatial-Temporal Analysis of PM_2.5 and NO₂ Concentrations Collected Using Low-Cost Sensors in Peñuelas, Puerto Rico

Journal Article · Fri Dec 07 00:00:00 EST 2018 · Sensors

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/s18124314· OSTI ID:1628556

Reece, Stephen ^[1]; Williams, Ron ^[2]; Colón, Maribel ^[2]; Southgate, David ^[3]; Huertas, Evelyn ^[4]; O’Shea, Marie ^[5]; Iglesias, Ariel ^[5]; Sheridan, Patricia ^[6]

Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); DOE/OSTI
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development
DISUR, Inc., Ponce (Puerto Rico)
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Guaynabo (Puerto Rico). Region 2, Caribbean Environmental Protection Division
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), New York, NY (United States). Region 2
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Edison, NJ (United States). Region 2

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is involved in the discovery, evaluation, and application of low-cost air quality (AQ) sensors to support citizen scientists by directly engaging with them in the pursuit of community-based interests. The emergence of low-cost (<$2500) sensors have allowed a wide range of stakeholders to better understand local AQ conditions. Here we present results from the deployment of the EPA developed Citizen Science Air Monitor (CSAM) used to conduct approximately five months (October 2016–February 2017) of intensive AQ monitoring in an area of Puerto Rico (Tallaboa-Encarnación, Peñuelas) with little historical data on pollutant spatial variability. The CSAMs were constructed by combining low-cost particulate matter size fraction 2.5 micron (PM_2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) sensors and distributed across eight locations with four collocated weather stations to measure local meteorological parameters. During this deployment 1 h average concentrations of PM_2.5 and NO₂ ranged between 0.3 to 33.6 µg/m³and 1.3 to 50.6 ppb, respectively. Peak concentrations were observed for both PM_2.5 and NO₂ when conditions were dominated by coastal-originated winds. These results advanced the community’s understanding of pollutant concentrations and trends while improving our understanding of the limitations and necessary procedures to properly interpret measurements produced by low-cost sensors.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: US EPA; USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1628556

Journal Information:: Sensors, Journal Name: Sensors Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 18; ISSN SENSC9; ISSN 1424-8220

Publisher:: MDPI AGCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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