APCG is actively testing and optimizing innovative air quality monitoring solutions, that use sensors and IoT technologies, aiming to provide reliable real-time information to citizens, to support air quality management authorities in decision making, and improve characterization of personal exposure to ambient pollution and its determining factors.
As one of the services provided by the YPATIA operational unit of NOA, APCG has installed a network of over 25 low-cost PM2.5 optical monitors (PurpleAir PA-II), at residential locations, in the Greater Athens Area. Moreover, in the framework of the National Research Infrastructure PANACEA (Panhellenic infrastructure for atmospheric composition and climate change), the expansion of this network on a national level is supported. APCG operates an online data visualization platform (https://air-quality.gr) that provides near real-time information from over 100 PM2.5 monitors in Greece.
“PM2.5 sensor monitoring network in the Greater Area of Athens, as visualized in the PANACEA online platform (https://air-quality.gr)”
APCG has also participated in the EMISSION national project (https://emission-web.meteo.noa.gr), establishing a network of monitoring sites in the Athens basin, where sensor clusters are utilized for measurements of multiple pollutants, gaseous and particulate. Medium- and low-cost sensor-based systems have been deployed in the EMISSION network. APCG operates six AQMesh medium-cost monitoring systems for concentrations of NOx, O3, CO, PM2.5, PM10, installed at representative locations, on a Regional Unit level in Attica. Moreover, in cooperation with the University of West Attica, within the EMISSION project, a custom-made low-cost system has been designed, based on electrochemical sensors for ΝΟ2 and Ο3 and optical sensors for PM2.5. More than 10 such low-cost systems have been installed at sites around the Athens basin. Data from medium- and low-cost devices are reported, on an hourly basis, in the EMISSION integrated online platform.
“EMISSION monitoring network for gaseous and particulate pollutants, in the Greater Area of Athens, using sensor-based systems”
Due to inherent uncertainties, in sensor-based measurements, inter-comparisons and calibrations for devices operated by APCG, are systematically conducted using collocated reference-grade instruments, at the Thissio Air Monitoring Site.
APCG also utilizes various portable instruments, which can be used for pedestrian, mobile and personal monitoring, in order to improve the characterization of the population’s personal exposure. Such instruments include multi-wavelength portable micro-aethalometers for black carbon measurement and source apportionment, optical counters for particle number and mass concentrations in multiple size ranges, passive samplers for gaseous pollutants etc.
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Medium-cost AQMesh monitoring system for gaseous pollutants (CO, NO2, O3) |
Low-cost custom-made monitoring system (developed in cooperation with the University of West Attica) for gaseous (NO2, O3) and particle pollutants (PM2.5) |
Low-cost optical monitor for PM2.5 concentrations |
