Comparing Airborne Particulate Matter Intake Dose Assessment Models Using Low-Cost Portable Sensor Data

Abstract

Low-cost sensors can be used to improve the temporal and spatial resolution of an individual’s particulate matter (PM) intake dose assessment. In this work, personal activity monitors were used to measure heart rate (proxy for minute ventilation), and low-cost PM sensors were used to measure concentrations of PM. Intake dose was assessed as a product of PM concentration and minute ventilation, using four models with increasing complexity. The two models that use heart rate as a variable had the most consistent results and showed a good response to variations in PM concentrations and heart rate. On the other hand, the two models using generalized population data of minute ventilation expectably yielded more coarse information on the intake dose. Aggregated weekly intake doses did not vary significantly between the models (6–22%). Propagation of uncertainty was assessed for each model, however, differences in their underlying assumptions made them incomparable. The most complex minute ventilation model, with heart rate as a variable, has shown slightly lower uncertainty than the model using fewer variables. Similarly, among the non-heart rate models, the one using real-time activity data has less uncertainty. Minute ventilation models contribute the most to the overall intake dose model uncertainty, followed closely by the low-cost personal activity monitors. The lack of a common methodology to assess the intake dose and quantifying related uncertainties is evident and should be a subject of further research.

Data Fusion and Visualization of a Multi-Sensor Personal Exposure Campaign

“…The PPM showed good agreement of absolute values with a reference research-grade device, a GRIMM Model 11-A, increasingly so with larger time averaging intervals [38].…”

“…The Personal Particulate Matter (PPM) sensing device was designed and compiled for the purposes of the sampling campaign of the ICARUS project [38]. Apart from providing PM concentration data in three class sizes (<1 µm (PM1), <2.5 µm (PM2.5), and <10 µm (PM10)), it also provided ambient temperature and relative humidity data, and GPS/location coordinates (including speed and altitude).…”

Harmonization and Visualization of Data from a Transnational Multi-Sensor Personal Exposure Campaign

“…The PPM sensing device(IoTech Telecommunications, Thessaloniki, Greece) was designed for the purposes of the sampling campaign of the ICARUS project [ 39 ]. It collected PM concentration data in three class sizes (<1 µm (PM 1 ), <2.5 µm (PM 2.5 ), and <10 µm (PM 10 )) and ambient temperature as well as relative humidity data, in addition to GPS/location coordinates (including speed and altitude).…”

“…The PPM data showed good agreement with absolute values measured from a reference research-grade device, a GRIMM Model 11-A, and increasingly did so with larger time-averaging intervals [ 39 ].…”

User-Centred Design of a Final Results Report for Participants in Multi-Sensor Personal Air Pollution Exposure Monitoring Campaigns

“…Also, uncertainties and the use of relative vs absolute values were discussed. In Ljubljana, validation studies showed that absolute values from the IAQ sensor should not be used, while absolute values from the particulate matter monitor could [54].…”