Air pollution is - at most times - an invisible enemy. And these are the ones most difficult to fight. That is why in really important to spread consciousness among the societies that are exposed to its influence. Air quality sensors help to control it.
When the smog appears in the city, at first, it resembles the mist; however, it quickly turns out that it is way thicker and spreads an unpleasant smell (sometimes it remains odorless). To appear, a set of conditions have to occur simultaneously - the humidity, lack of wind, and, obviously, high pollution levels. However, even if it does not appear, it doesn't mean that the air is clean - some days may seem beautiful at first glance, but in fact, they don't guarantee favorable conditions in terms of air quality, but rather the opposite.
That's why spreading the information and educating society is crucial to the prevention of health implications that air pollution can bring. It is particularly important in countries like Poland or Bulgaria, which note the highest level of air pollution each year - especially the carcinogenic benzopyrene. In most cases, the air pollution does not spread out regularly but concentrates on the biggest agglomerations. As a result, access to the information for the inhabitants of the cities has been prioritized in recent years.
The importance of air pollution maps supported by air quality sensors
However, the air sensors appear in more and more places around Europe, which gives access to the updated air pollution levels for a larger amount of people. The appearance of air pollution interactive and frequently updated maps - such as Airly.org - allows us to follow the levels locally and worldwide. The data is so important because it enables the citizens to take measures on a personal level by using an antismog mask, avoiding performing exterior sports (during the intense physical activity, we breathe in more air and more pollution), or even not leaving the house.
Air quality sensor - how does it work?
The presence of the sensors in the city may not be necessarily noticeable at first sight; however, it influences the city life significantly since more and more of its inhabitants start to monitor the air pollution every year. The air quality sensor is a relatively small piece of equipment that can be placed anywhere, regardless of the conditions - it is resistant to weather factors such as rain, snow, or high and low temperatures. What's more, it also detects it and registers it together with the data tied to the air pollution levels.
What can the air quality sensor detect? It provides information on the levels of gases and particulate matter in the air, detecting nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, carbon oxides as well as atmospheric aerosols of various sizes.
The equipment, which in Poland is distributed by Airly, sends the data through the GSM network, being integrated with the interactive map. The results are available on the website and in the app. In various points of the biggest agglomerations, there are also screens that demonstrate constantly updated information on the pollution level. This way, also the non-users of the apps and digital solutions have access to the data.
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