Spatial Variation of PM<sub>2.5</sub> Indoors and Outdoors: Results from 261 Regulatory Monitors Compared to 14,000 Low-Cost Monitors in Three Western States over 4.7 Years
Spatial variation of indoor and outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> within three states for a five-year period is studied using regulatory and low-cost PurpleAir monitors. Most of these data were collected in an earlier study (Wallace et al., 2022 <i>Indoor Air</i> 32:13105) investigati...
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/9/4387 |
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| author | Lance Wallace Tongke Zhao |
| author_facet | Lance Wallace Tongke Zhao |
| author_sort | Lance Wallace |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Spatial variation of indoor and outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> within three states for a five-year period is studied using regulatory and low-cost PurpleAir monitors. Most of these data were collected in an earlier study (Wallace et al., 2022 <i>Indoor Air</i> 32:13105) investigating the relative contribution of indoor-generated and outdoor-infiltrated particles to indoor exposures. About 260 regulatory monitors and ~10,000 outdoor and ~4000 indoor PurpleAir monitors are included. Daily mean PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations, correlations, and coefficients of divergence (COD) are calculated for pairs of monitors at distances ranging from 0 (collocated) to 200 km. We use a transparent and reproducible open algorithm that avoids the use of the proprietary algorithms provided by the manufacturer of the sensors in PurpleAir PA-I and PA-II monitors. The algorithm is available on the PurpleAir API website under the name “PM<sub>2.5</sub>_alt”. This algorithm is validated using several hundred pairs of regulatory and PurpleAir monitors separated by up to 0.5 km. The PM<sub>2.5</sub> spatial variation outdoors is homogeneous with high correlations to at least 10 km, as shown by the COD index under 0.2. There is also a steady improvement in outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations with increasing distance from the regulatory monitors. The spatial variation of indoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> is not homogeneous even at distances < 100 m. There is good agreement between PurpleAir outdoor monitors located <100 m apart and collocated Federal Equivalent Methods (FEM). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:07:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b978c48d623c4473ad2d428a1f5e0f28 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:07:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-b978c48d623c4473ad2d428a1f5e0f282023-11-17T23:43:42ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202023-04-01239438710.3390/s23094387Spatial Variation of PM<sub>2.5</sub> Indoors and Outdoors: Results from 261 Regulatory Monitors Compared to 14,000 Low-Cost Monitors in Three Western States over 4.7 YearsLance Wallace0Tongke Zhao1Independent Researcher, 428 Woodley Way, Santa Rosa, CA 95409, USAIndependent Researcher, Milpitas, CA 95035, USASpatial variation of indoor and outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> within three states for a five-year period is studied using regulatory and low-cost PurpleAir monitors. Most of these data were collected in an earlier study (Wallace et al., 2022 <i>Indoor Air</i> 32:13105) investigating the relative contribution of indoor-generated and outdoor-infiltrated particles to indoor exposures. About 260 regulatory monitors and ~10,000 outdoor and ~4000 indoor PurpleAir monitors are included. Daily mean PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations, correlations, and coefficients of divergence (COD) are calculated for pairs of monitors at distances ranging from 0 (collocated) to 200 km. We use a transparent and reproducible open algorithm that avoids the use of the proprietary algorithms provided by the manufacturer of the sensors in PurpleAir PA-I and PA-II monitors. The algorithm is available on the PurpleAir API website under the name “PM<sub>2.5</sub>_alt”. This algorithm is validated using several hundred pairs of regulatory and PurpleAir monitors separated by up to 0.5 km. The PM<sub>2.5</sub> spatial variation outdoors is homogeneous with high correlations to at least 10 km, as shown by the COD index under 0.2. There is also a steady improvement in outdoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations with increasing distance from the regulatory monitors. The spatial variation of indoor PM<sub>2.5</sub> is not homogeneous even at distances < 100 m. There is good agreement between PurpleAir outdoor monitors located <100 m apart and collocated Federal Equivalent Methods (FEM).https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/9/4387spatial variationPM<sub>2.5</sub>PurpleAirPM<sub>2.5</sub>_altcoefficient of divergenceFEM |
| spellingShingle | Lance Wallace Tongke Zhao Spatial Variation of PM<sub>2.5</sub> Indoors and Outdoors: Results from 261 Regulatory Monitors Compared to 14,000 Low-Cost Monitors in Three Western States over 4.7 Years Sensors spatial variation PM<sub>2.5</sub> PurpleAir PM<sub>2.5</sub>_alt coefficient of divergence FEM |
| title | Spatial Variation of PM<sub>2.5</sub> Indoors and Outdoors: Results from 261 Regulatory Monitors Compared to 14,000 Low-Cost Monitors in Three Western States over 4.7 Years |
| title_full | Spatial Variation of PM<sub>2.5</sub> Indoors and Outdoors: Results from 261 Regulatory Monitors Compared to 14,000 Low-Cost Monitors in Three Western States over 4.7 Years |
| title_fullStr | Spatial Variation of PM<sub>2.5</sub> Indoors and Outdoors: Results from 261 Regulatory Monitors Compared to 14,000 Low-Cost Monitors in Three Western States over 4.7 Years |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial Variation of PM<sub>2.5</sub> Indoors and Outdoors: Results from 261 Regulatory Monitors Compared to 14,000 Low-Cost Monitors in Three Western States over 4.7 Years |
| title_short | Spatial Variation of PM<sub>2.5</sub> Indoors and Outdoors: Results from 261 Regulatory Monitors Compared to 14,000 Low-Cost Monitors in Three Western States over 4.7 Years |
| title_sort | spatial variation of pm sub 2 5 sub indoors and outdoors results from 261 regulatory monitors compared to 14 000 low cost monitors in three western states over 4 7 years |
| topic | spatial variation PM<sub>2.5</sub> PurpleAir PM<sub>2.5</sub>_alt coefficient of divergence FEM |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/23/9/4387 |
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