Lessons learned and analysis from a year-long deployment of a network of low-cost particulate matters sensors

Distributed networks of "low-cost" air quality sensors are now a reality. Technological advances in low-cost particulate matter (PM) and gaseous sensors have provided citizen scientists, communities, academia, and governments the opportunity to measure air pollution at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has been deploying networks of low-cost sensors for various air monitoring applications. These monitoring applications include engaging and educating local communities on their local air quality issues and concerns, identifying air pollution "hot spots," fence-line monitoring, and increasing spatial-temporal resolution of current air quality measurements.

During this presentation, we will discuss the analysis of a complete year of measurements from a distributed network of Purple Air PA-II PM sensors deployed in southern California at stationary outdoor locations. The project methodology for sensor evaluation, selection, citizen science deployment, and collocation testing (pre- and post-deployment) will be presented along with lessons learned in community air monitoring. The challenges related to data management and analysis will be discussed with results showing the spatial and temporal variability of PM at the neighborhood scale.