AAAR 34th Annual Conference
October 12 - October 16, 2015
Hyatt Regency
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Abstract View
Assessing the Accuracy and Reliability of Low-Cost Counters for Determining Loadings of Fine Particulate Matter
DAVID HAGAN, Eben Cross, Jesse Kroll, MIT
Abstract Number: 415 Working Group: Instrumentation and Methods
Abstract The past few years have seen the emergence of many low-cost commercial devices for measuring particulate matter (PM) for the monitoring of both indoor and outdoor air quality. Although these devices are beginning to see widespread use, very little is known about the accuracy and reliability of their data. In particular, the extent to which such monitors can be used to estimate particle mass concentration, the quantity on which most health-based assessments and PM regulations are based, is unclear. Low-cost PM sensors typically are based on particle counting by light scattering, presenting certain challenges when trying to calculate mass loadings of accumulation mode aerosols (0.1 – 1 mm). Here we describe a systematic laboratory assessment and calibration of several low-cost PM sensors (Alphasense OPC-N2, Dylos DC1100, Shinyei PPD60PV, Shinyei PPD42NJ, Sharp GP2Y1023, Sharp GPY1012), in which outputs are compared to measurements from higher-grade PM monitors (a scanning mobility particle sizer and DustTrak aerosol monitor). The overall accuracy and reliability of each sensor is reported for a variety of aerosol types, aerosol shapes, particle compositions (density and refractive index), and size distributions in order to better understand the extent to which each sensor can estimate mass concentrations based on measured aerosol number concentration and other pertinent parameters.