Effect of an Aerosol Dryer on Ambient PM Measurements with SDS011 Low Cost Sensors during a Two-year Period in Duisburg, Germany

Abstract The performance of low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors (NovaFitness SDS011) in connection with a self-developed aerosol dryer has been investigated in ambient air measurements over a two-year period by comparing the reported mass concentration of particulate matter (PMx) with the resul...

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Main Authors: Martin Nothhelfer, Oliver Sperber, Ana Maria Todea, Britta Schunke, Olga Romazanowa, Stefan Schumacher, Dieter Bathen, Christof Asbach
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2023-08-01
Series:Aerosol and Air Quality Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.230080
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author Martin Nothhelfer
Oliver Sperber
Ana Maria Todea
Britta Schunke
Olga Romazanowa
Stefan Schumacher
Dieter Bathen
Christof Asbach
author_facet Martin Nothhelfer
Oliver Sperber
Ana Maria Todea
Britta Schunke
Olga Romazanowa
Stefan Schumacher
Dieter Bathen
Christof Asbach
author_sort Martin Nothhelfer
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The performance of low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors (NovaFitness SDS011) in connection with a self-developed aerosol dryer has been investigated in ambient air measurements over a two-year period by comparing the reported mass concentration of particulate matter (PMx) with the results of a PM10 reference filter sampler and two Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalances (TEOM), one for PM10 and one for PM2.5. Special emphasis was put on the effect of relative air humidity on sensor readings. In total, four sensors were used per year in two pairs. For one pair, the aerosol was dried with a newly developed low-cost aerosol dryer, whereas the other pair measured the untreated aerosol. The results show that the 24 h average concentration reported by the sensor could be by a factor of up to 38 too high compared to the gravimetric measurement, if the aerosol was not dried, whereas the mismatch with a maximum factor of 5.4 was significantly lower when using the dryer. For the PM10 concentration correction factors were determined from the ratios of the measured 24 h values of the sensors and the gravimetric reference. Corrected 24 h mean PM10 concentrations with dryer agreed mostly within a factor of 2 with the gravimetric reference data from the filter sampler, whereas results from measurements without dryer agreed only within a factor of 5. The results further show that the sensors underestimate the mass concentrations in case of low relative humidity (< 45%). Similar results are seen for the PM2.5 data as well. Therefore, the use of a constant correction factor was checked. It is shown that an average correction factor of around 2.5 for the PM10 and around 2.6 for the PM2.5 readings could be a reasonable approach for all SDS011 sensors equipped with the newly developed aerosol dryer.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1680-8584
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language English
publishDate 2023-08-01
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series Aerosol and Air Quality Research
spelling doaj-art-019235c5a5da48e3975c9101c711a3932025-02-09T12:22:59ZengSpringerAerosol and Air Quality Research1680-85842071-14092023-08-01231011710.4209/aaqr.230080Effect of an Aerosol Dryer on Ambient PM Measurements with SDS011 Low Cost Sensors during a Two-year Period in Duisburg, GermanyMartin Nothhelfer0Oliver Sperber1Ana Maria Todea2Britta Schunke3Olga Romazanowa4Stefan Schumacher5Dieter Bathen6Christof Asbach7Institut für Umwelt & Energie, Technik & Analytik e. V. (IUTA)Institut für Umwelt & Energie, Technik & Analytik e. V. (IUTA)Institut für Umwelt & Energie, Technik & Analytik e. V. (IUTA)Institut für Umwelt & Energie, Technik & Analytik e. V. (IUTA)Institut für Umwelt & Energie, Technik & Analytik e. V. (IUTA)Institut für Umwelt & Energie, Technik & Analytik e. V. (IUTA)Institut für Umwelt & Energie, Technik & Analytik e. V. (IUTA)Institut für Umwelt & Energie, Technik & Analytik e. V. (IUTA)Abstract The performance of low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors (NovaFitness SDS011) in connection with a self-developed aerosol dryer has been investigated in ambient air measurements over a two-year period by comparing the reported mass concentration of particulate matter (PMx) with the results of a PM10 reference filter sampler and two Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalances (TEOM), one for PM10 and one for PM2.5. Special emphasis was put on the effect of relative air humidity on sensor readings. In total, four sensors were used per year in two pairs. For one pair, the aerosol was dried with a newly developed low-cost aerosol dryer, whereas the other pair measured the untreated aerosol. The results show that the 24 h average concentration reported by the sensor could be by a factor of up to 38 too high compared to the gravimetric measurement, if the aerosol was not dried, whereas the mismatch with a maximum factor of 5.4 was significantly lower when using the dryer. For the PM10 concentration correction factors were determined from the ratios of the measured 24 h values of the sensors and the gravimetric reference. Corrected 24 h mean PM10 concentrations with dryer agreed mostly within a factor of 2 with the gravimetric reference data from the filter sampler, whereas results from measurements without dryer agreed only within a factor of 5. The results further show that the sensors underestimate the mass concentrations in case of low relative humidity (< 45%). Similar results are seen for the PM2.5 data as well. Therefore, the use of a constant correction factor was checked. It is shown that an average correction factor of around 2.5 for the PM10 and around 2.6 for the PM2.5 readings could be a reasonable approach for all SDS011 sensors equipped with the newly developed aerosol dryer.https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.230080Aerosol dryerLow cost PM sensorRelative humidityHygroscopic growthPMx
spellingShingle Martin Nothhelfer
Oliver Sperber
Ana Maria Todea
Britta Schunke
Olga Romazanowa
Stefan Schumacher
Dieter Bathen
Christof Asbach
Effect of an Aerosol Dryer on Ambient PM Measurements with SDS011 Low Cost Sensors during a Two-year Period in Duisburg, Germany
Aerosol and Air Quality Research
Aerosol dryer
Low cost PM sensor
Relative humidity
Hygroscopic growth
PMx
title Effect of an Aerosol Dryer on Ambient PM Measurements with SDS011 Low Cost Sensors during a Two-year Period in Duisburg, Germany
title_full Effect of an Aerosol Dryer on Ambient PM Measurements with SDS011 Low Cost Sensors during a Two-year Period in Duisburg, Germany
title_fullStr Effect of an Aerosol Dryer on Ambient PM Measurements with SDS011 Low Cost Sensors during a Two-year Period in Duisburg, Germany
title_full_unstemmed Effect of an Aerosol Dryer on Ambient PM Measurements with SDS011 Low Cost Sensors during a Two-year Period in Duisburg, Germany
title_short Effect of an Aerosol Dryer on Ambient PM Measurements with SDS011 Low Cost Sensors during a Two-year Period in Duisburg, Germany
title_sort effect of an aerosol dryer on ambient pm measurements with sds011 low cost sensors during a two year period in duisburg germany
topic Aerosol dryer
Low cost PM sensor
Relative humidity
Hygroscopic growth
PMx
url https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.230080
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