Citizen science monitoring of air pollution: Challenges and experiences from the six iSCAPE living labs

Pilla, Francesco; Schaaf, Katinka; Markham, Lee

doi:10.1016/b978-0-444-64335-3.00006-2

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Concerning participatory processes, the positives include educating citizens to use digital tools that allow them a more direct insight into the data (e.g. the use of home sensors detecting air pollution prompted public support for stronger governance response to tackling pollution in cities, see Pilla et al, 2021).…”

Section: The Link/digital Tech Pillarmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collaborative research for transitioning to Climate-Neutral Cities – contouring a prospective framework for integrated planning

Istrate,

Popartan,

Auerbach

et al. 2023

Planning Theory

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Transitioning to climate-neutral cities is difficult in practice, depending on complex urban activities and involving a vast range of stakeholders. Cities need ongoing support for assessing and implementing climate-neutral solutions. Following multi-country, collaborative academic workshops on this topic, we debate the use of new technologies and integrated planning approaches. We contour a preliminary framework underpinned by five key dimensions (urban nature; urban mobility; built form; energy; and circularity), triangulated with three research pillars: 1) citizen engagement, 2) city governance decision-making, supported by 3) digital technology. This essay proposes digital technologies as a bridge between bottom-up and top-down directions, challenges silo-thinking, and informs a cross-disciplinary, integrated climate-neutral planning process (in Europe).

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Section: The Link/digital Tech Pillarmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collaborative research for transitioning to Climate-Neutral Cities – contouring a prospective framework for integrated planning

Istrate,

Popartan,

Auerbach

et al. 2023

Planning Theory

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In what concerns air quality monitoring, combining the use of low-cost sensors with a citizen science approach enlarges the scope of monitoring campaigns and, at the same time, enhances public awareness, engagement, and scientific literacy regarding this important issue. In this scope, the following examples of recent CS projects were found in the literature: iSCAPE: active between 2016 and 2019, this project used low-cost sensors aiming to improve the smart control of air pollution in European cities [ 23 ]; hackAIR: this project took place from 2016 to 2018 and aimed to enable citizens to use do-it-yourself sensors to measure the quality of the air they breathe. An open platform was launched to map air quality across Europe [ 24 ]; CanAirIO and UNLOQUER: two citizen science initiatives that took place in Colombia to monitor air urban pollution levels using low-cost sensors for PM [ 25 ]; Lu et al [ 26 ] used low-cost sensors in a CS initiative aiming to monitor PM levels in outdoor air in Southern California; Soc-IoT: an open-source and citizen-centric IoT framework combining real-time environmental sensors with a visualization application designed for indoor and outdoor environmental monitoring [ 27 ]; SOCIO-BEE: currently active, this project uses wearable modules for city-scale air pollution monitoring campaigns [ 28 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…iSCAPE: active between 2016 and 2019, this project used low-cost sensors aiming to improve the smart control of air pollution in European cities [ 23 ];…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SchoolAIR: A Citizen Science IoT Framework Using Low-Cost Sensing for Indoor Air Quality Management

Barros,

Sobral,

Moreira

et al. 2023

Sensors

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Indoor air quality (IAQ) problems in school environments are very common and have significant impacts on students’ performance, development and health. Indoor air conditions depend on the adopted ventilation practices, which in Mediterranean countries are essentially based on natural ventilation controlled through manual window opening. Citizen science projects directed to school communities are effective strategies to promote awareness and knowledge acquirement on IAQ and adequate ventilation management. Our multidisciplinary research team has developed a framework—SchoolAIR—based on low-cost sensors and a scalable IoT system architecture to support the improvement of IAQ in schools. The SchoolAIR framework is based on do-it-yourself sensors that continuously monitor air temperature, relative humidity, concentrations of carbon dioxide and particulate matter in school environments. The framework was tested in the classrooms of University Fernando Pessoa, and its deployment and proof of concept took place in a high school in the north of Portugal. The results obtained reveal that CO2 concentrations frequently exceed reference values during classes, and that higher concentrations of particulate matter in the outdoor air affect IAQ. These results highlight the importance of real-time monitoring of IAQ and outdoor air pollution levels to support decision-making in ventilation management and assure adequate IAQ. The proposed approach encourages the transfer of scientific knowledge from universities to society in a dynamic and active process of social responsibility based on a citizen science approach, promoting scientific literacy of the younger generation and enhancing healthier, resilient and sustainable indoor environments.

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“…However, like any emerging technology, some limitations of low-cost sensors still need to be overcome. It has been recommended that the accuracy and quality of the data should be addressed when using low-cost sensors in citizen science projects [ 2 , 3 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calibration of SO2 and NO2 Electrochemical Sensors via a Training and Testing Method in an Industrial Coastal Environment

Ahumada

Tagle²,

Vásquez

et al. 2022

Sensors

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Low-cost sensors can provide inaccurate data as temperature and humidity affect sensor accuracy. Therefore, calibration and data correction are essential to obtain reliable measurements. This article presents a training and testing method used to calibrate a sensor module assembled from SO2 and NO2 electrochemical sensors (Alphasense B4 and B43F) alongside air temperature (T) and humidity (RH) sensors. Field training and testing were conducted in the industrialized coastal area of Quintero Bay, Chile. The raw responses of the electrochemical (mV) and T-RH sensors were subjected to multiple linear regression (MLR) using three data segments, based on either voltage (SO2 sensor) or temperature (NO2). The resulting MLR equations were used to estimate the reference concentration. In the field test, calibration improved the performance of the sensors after adding T and RH in a linear model. The most robust models for NO2 were associated with data collected at T < 10 °C (R2 = 0.85), while SO2 robust models (R2 = 0.97) were associated with data segments containing higher voltages. Overall, this training and testing method reduced the bias due to T and HR in the evaluated sensors and could be replicated in similar environments to correct raw data from low-cost electrochemical sensors. A calibration method based on training and sensor testing after relocation is presented. The results show that the SO2 sensor performed better when modeled for different segments of voltage data, and the NO2 sensor model performed better when calibrated for different temperature data segments.

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Citizen science monitoring of air pollution: Challenges and experiences from the six iSCAPE living labs

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Collaborative research for transitioning to Climate-Neutral Cities – contouring a prospective framework for integrated planning

Collaborative research for transitioning to Climate-Neutral Cities – contouring a prospective framework for integrated planning

SchoolAIR: A Citizen Science IoT Framework Using Low-Cost Sensing for Indoor Air Quality Management

Calibration of SO2 and NO2 Electrochemical Sensors via a Training and Testing Method in an Industrial Coastal Environment

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