A low-cost solution for the monitoring of air pollution parameters through bicycles

Abstract

The monitoring of air quality parameters is a fundamental requirement for smart cities development and it is of primary importance for the quality of human life. In fact, the knowledge of air quality parameters along the days and in different areas of the city is essential to monitor its behavior and to take some preventive measurements to limit the concentration. Especially in big cities, it is very hard to have widespread updated data about pollutants and air quality parameters since normally only few air quality monitoring stations are available. In Piedmont (Italy), the reference public body for this kind of information is the ARPA (Regional Agency for the Protection of the Environment) which is responsible for the collection and the disclosure of environmental data. However, the number of monitoring stations along the city is limited and they have fixed positions. A solution through mobile sensors would be preferable to have a more comprehensive description of the phenomenon. In this paper, the authors describe the implementation of a new solution based on a mobile system to house environmental air quality and imaging sensors (since also the knowledge of the shape of the environment is a fundamental aspect). In particular, a bicycle is adopted and the paper describes all the analyses involved in the choice of the more appropriate sensors and their evaluation and behavior in a real environment. Finally, the collection and management of the acquired data is analyzed through the implementation of a dedicated GIS (Geographical Information System).