Low-cost sensors as an alternative for long-term air quality monitoring.

Low-cost air quality sensors are increasingly being used in many applications; however, many of their performance characteristics have not been adequately investigated. This study was conducted over a period of 13 months using low-cost air quality monitors, each comprising two low-cost sensors, which were subjected to a wide range of pollution sources and concentrations, relative humidity and temperature at four locations in Australia and China. The aim of the study was to establish the performance characteristics of the two low-cost sensors (a Plantower PMS1003 for PM and an Alphasense CO-B4 for carbon monoxide, CO) and the KOALA monitor as a whole under various conditions.