AAAR 32nd Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4, 2013
Oregon Convention Center
Portland, Oregon, USA
Abstract View
Personal Exposure Results for the M-Pod, a Portable Low-Cost Air Quality Monitor
MICHAEL HANNIGAN, Ricardo Piedrahita, Nicholas Masson, John Ortega, Yifei Jiang, Xiang Yun, Kun Li, Qin Lv, Robert Dick, Li Shang, University of Colorado at Boulder
Abstract Number: 376 Working Group: Portable and Inexpensive Sensor Technology for Air Quality Monitoring
Abstract Portable low-cost air quality monitors (M-Pods) were deployed in a two-week user study in Boulder and Denver, Colorado. Personal exposure assessment and instrument validation results are presented. M-Pods use metal oxide semiconductor sensors for measurement of NO2, CO, O3, and total VOCs, while CO2 is measured using an NDIR sensor. 10 M-Pods were carried by 6 users, with 4 users carrying 2 M-Pods each. Pre and post calibrations were performed by co-locating the instruments with reference monitors operated by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE). Inter-M-Pod variability was assessed, and data quality was checked by placing reference monitors for O3, CO2, and CO, in a location that was frequented by the users. The check-ins with reference instruments were used to analyze sensor drift and inter-M-Pod agreement over time. The M-Pod sensors exhibited low inter-sensor variability and little drift over the study period in most cases. Personal exposure data is presented for CO2, NO2, CO, O3, and total VOCs. Concentrations were generally quite low, but exhibited significant spatial variability. User experiences are recounted, and thoughts on sensor quantification and feasibility of wide adoption are shared.