Human exposure assessment to air pollutants: application of a new portable air monitoring instrument

Air pollution has been gaining increasing global attention. The public is concerned about urban pollution levels including both in- and outdoor air quality. A handheld Air Quality Inspection Box (Airquix) was developed in order to monitor air pollutants in real-time, and determine individual exposure to different pollutants in different environments. The Airquix is equipped with air quality sensors: electrical chemical NO₂, O₃, NO sensors, NDIR CO₂ sensor, OPC-N3 PM sensor; environment sensor (T, RH, P), GPS sensor and a raspberry pi for data logging, processing and display. To achieve a relatively high accuracy, e.g. +/- 5ppb at 5 seconds time resolution for the NO₂ concentration, the pre- and post- calibration for the Airquix were performed by comparison with high-end air monitoring instruments. In this study, several Airquixes were distributed to different persons to assess individual exposure. The daily activities were distinguished by different commutes, in- and outdoor behaviors, the personal habits and potential episodes. The resulting data set can be used for the assessment of health impacts.