Citizen/Community Monitoring (Personal Air Quality Monitors) (Next-Generation Air Monitors)

1. Citizen/Community Monitoring(Personal Air Quality Monitors)(Next-Generation Air Monitors) Gordon Pierce WESTAR Fall Business Meeting Denver, CO November 6, 2013

2. Problem • Small, low-cost air monitors are becoming common and easy to obtain • Anyone can monitor and post data to a website • Quality of the data are unknown • Hard for agencies to deal with after data are out • EPA has held a series of “Air Sensors” workshops at RTP focused on next-generation air monitoring • Most recent was in March 2013

3. Overview • Low cost = less than $2000, many less than $1000 • Small, easy to transport • Some put out high quality data • Data easy to upload • Many samplers do not currently have adequate validation • Communications are lacking • O3, CO, CO2, NO2, PM and VOC are the most common applications being developed

4. What is being done? • EPA has held a series of “Air Sensors” workshops at RTP focused on next-generation air monitoring • Most recent was in March 2013 • Goal is to get information to vendors on: • What types of monitoring is needed? • What are typical ambient levels of pollutants? • What types of sensors are available? • What validation/calibration is needed? • What documentation is needed? • Want to put the responsibility on manufacturers for their product

5. Data Quality Requirements EPA

6. Characteristics of Gas and PM Sensors White, Univ. of Calif. Berkeley

7. Future • Next-generation samplers are here and their use will expand • Will likely become a key component of health care • EPA needs to get out in front • Better communication with manufacturers, communities, regulators • Clearinghouse is needed with toolbox • Better health-risk data are needed • Possibly restart the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) program

8. EPA Draft Roadmap • Intended to summarize major findings from literature reviews, workshops, and discussions with experts about Next Generation of Air Monitoring (NGAM), particularly sensor technologies. • Developed to share EPAs early thinking about how best to support the successful development and use of new monitoring technologies • Identifies key issues in need of EPA leadership and an ambitious set of priority objectives for EPA and other partners to address

9. Example: EPA Village Green Project • Solar-powered air-monitoring system designed and incorporated into a park bench • EPA began testing the system in the summer of 2013 • Measures O3, particulates, meteorology • Air pollution and weather data are automatically sent to the Village Green Project website • http://villagegreen.epa.gov

10. Example: AirCasting • Platform for recording, mapping, and sharing health and environmental data using your smartphone • Connects to the AirCasting Android app over Bluetooth • CO and NO2 sensors • Plans and self-build for $200 • www.habitatmap.org

11. Example: Air Quality Egg • Egg-shaped base station receives the wirelessly transmitted data from the sensor box outside • Relays that data to the Internet via a wired Ethernet connection • CO and NO2 sensors • Purchase for $185 • www.airqualityegg.com

12. Example: M-Pod • Developed by University of Colorado • O3, NO2, CO, CO2, VOC, temperature, RH • Data uploaded to mobile device and web • Costs $300

13. Example: Dylos • Laser Particle Counter with 2 size ranges • Store up to 30 days of air quality history • Costs $200 - $300 (depending on options) • www.dylosproducts.com

14. Example: CitiSense • Data wirelessly transmitted to the user’s smartphone • Displayed on the smartphone via a custom app • Display also utilizes the EPA’s color code scale • O3, CO, NO2

15. Questions?