Laboratory and field evaluation of three low-cost particulate matter sensors

Low-cost off-the-shelf particulate matter (PM) sensors have the potentiality to be used for evaluating the air quality in outdoor settings. Monitoring of air quality in surface coal mines is an example of such applications. In coal mines, long-term exposure to inhalation of coal dust is harmful and can lead to coal workers' pneumoconiosis, which is a potentially disabling lung disease. Therefore, continual monitoring of air quality in coal mines is a must and vital and can potentially assist in preventing such diseases. Although, using and deploying of the existing low-cost and lightweight sensors can help to improve monitoring resolution in a much cost-effective manner, there are some concerns regarding the reliability of the collected data from these sensors. Therefore, low-cost PM sensors are required to initially be compared with the standard reference instruments and then be calibrated. In this study, three different types of low-cost, light-scattering-based widely available PM sensors (Shinyei PPD42NS, Sharp GP2Y1010AU0F and Laser SEN0177) are evaluated, compared, and calibrated with the reference instruments in a controlled environment as well as in a field experiment (surface coal mine).