How scientific monitoring network operaties in one of the most polluted cities in the world

In the year 2018 twenty four Airvoice Monitors became the basis for the Monitoring Network deployed in one of the most polluted cities in the world.

The key objective was to follow pollution dynamics and keep the population relevantly informed. The scientists have published several research articles conducted with the help of the equipment and identified a number of trends in fine particulate matters concentration.

Objective

The city, situated between hills and river, has very dense real estate development, which greatly impacts the wind distribution, and the key supplier of heat are coal-fired power stations. All the factors inevitably influence the air quality in the area and it’s quite common for the city to have the so-called «black sky effect» and it may last up to 19 consecutive days.

Air Quality Issue has always been one of the top concerns for city authorities and the air quality monitoring is being handled by several entities. None of them have a sufficient number of posts and the mapping does not provide a real situation with air pollution in the area.

The scientists decided to develop and deploy their own scientific monitoring network using compact Airvoice Monitors which will further form the basis for modern techniques and air quality improvement in the city area.

The key criteria to the network: high density, low OPEX and CAPEX, tested and proved to operate under severe weather conditions (in winter periods the region may face frosts up to — 50 C), fully comply with all standards and regulations.

Solution

High density network based on a number of monitors equipped with Airvoice Dust analyzers measuring PM2,5 and PM10, and weather sensors for temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure.

Calibration

2 of 24 monitors are located in the nearest proximity to professional hydrometeorological equipment making possible continuous calibration in accordance with benchmark data. This provides high data accuracy and legitimacy on all governamental and scientific levels.

Mapping

The monitors have been deployed in the areas never controlled before like river islands, city suburbs and close to key industrial units.

Results

High Equipment Density and Data Accuracy help to find solutions to a number of ecological concerns:

investigate pollution trends during anticyclones
provide dimensional and timing analysis for smoke plumes distribution during forest fires
study PM2,5 concentration spots with reference to city surface environmental conditions and non-freezing river proximity
trace pollution dispersion dynamics with reference to city districts
analyze reference with space and ground air pollution measurements

Moreover Airvoice Monitors first-ever managed to identify PM 2.5 concentration during heavy frosts

The data helped to identify pollution sources and its distribution tendencies. For example in during winter 2019 there were spot jumps in pollution exceeding the norms by 5 times. Data analysis has shown that the key pollution source was stove heating in city suburbs.

Another case study helped to analyze smoke distribution from forest fires referring the data from Airvoice monitors to space monitoring and show in practice how the space monitoring may complement the ground one.