Analysis of instrumentation performance for distributed real-time air quality monitoring

This paper presents a critical analysis of the architectures and performance of instrumentation for real-time particulate matter monitoring. State-of-the-art instrumentation is reviewed in terms of detection technology and system specifications. Laser scattering is proposed as the best technique to replace standard ones for enabling portable single-particle analysis and granulometry, being the size spectrum, rather than the total concentration, mostly relevant for the toxicological health effects of particulate. Two opposite and complementary applications are illustrated: single-point waste incinerator emission measurement and heterogeneous distributed networks for dust monitoring in ambient. For the latter and most demanding context (μg/m³ sensitivity), the experimental results comparing a portable laser analyzer with a standard gravimetric reference are presented. In conclusion, new relevant frontiers of detection including nanoparticles and miniaturized portable systems are discussed in detail, merging the academic and the industrial perspective regarding the transition of a new sensing technology from the laboratory to the field.