10th International Aerosol Conference September 2 - September 7, 2018 America's Center Convention Complex St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Assessing Ambient Levels and Personal Exposures in Baltimore: The SEARCH Project
MISTI ZAMORA, Kirsten Koehler, Fulizi Xiong, Drew Gentner, Branko Kerkez, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Abstract Number: 933 Working Group: Low-Cost and Portable Sensors
Abstract The main objective of The SEARCH (Solutions for Energy, AiR, Climate, and Health) Center is to investigate emerging energy transitions in the U.S. and resulting air pollution and health outcomes through state-of-the-science modelling and measurements to characterize factors contributing to emissions, air quality, and health. To accomplish this, we are developing novel online multipollutant monitors (both stationary and portable models) to measure air pollutants and greenhouse gases at a high spatiotemporal resolution. We are particularly focusing on leveraging emerging low-cost technologies. In close collaboration with Yale University, we have developed and deployed three units in downtown Baltimore, Maryland in fall 2017. Currently, the monitors are able to measure particulate matter (e.g., PM2.5), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), temperature, and relative humidity, with ongoing modifications to expand to include measurements of NO and CO2. Using the cellphone 3g data network, we are able to view the data in real time. We will eventually deploy 50 of these monitors at 100 locations over a three-year period.
Preliminary field and laboratory results suggest that the novel monitors are able to reliably measure ambient air pollutants, and the precision between monitors is high. The correlation coefficient of the PM sensors to the EPA reference instrument was 0.95 for measurements collected over several days in downtown Baltimore. Extensive laboratory testing of the PM sensors revealed that the sensors are able to consistently measure a wide range of aerosol sources (e.g., Incense, Oleic Acid, NaCl, Talcum Powder, Ambient Indoor Air, and Cooking Emissions). Further tests have demonstrated that the monitors are able to produce meaningful data in high and low moisture environments and in cold temperatures (<0 oC).