## Choosing Sensors Often the first step is to look for a sensor for what you're hoping to measure. In the community posts below, we're collecting info on different kinds of air quality sensors, and their: * cost * sensitivity/accuracy * links and documentation Can you afford a sensor? Can it detect what you're looking for? Where can you learn more about it? ### Posts about choosing and evaluating an air sensor [notes:grid:air-sensor-eval] ### Expected ranges and useful detection limits for pollutants of interest This [table](https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/air_sensors_webinar_slides_06-29-16.pdf) from an EPA [Air Quality Monitoring and Community Science webinar](https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/air_sensors_webinar_slides_06-29-16.pdf) lists the six criteria air pollutants and a couple additional pollutants, with background levels you might see in the environment in the “Range to Expect” column and useful detection limits for sensors. **** ## Wikis about air sensors [wikis:air-sensors] ## Air sensor projects Public Lab pages and posts tagged `air-sensor-projects` will appear here [nodes:air-sensor-projects] ## Questions [questions:air-sensors] ## Further reading and resources + Environmental consultant Tim Dye’s “[4 questions to ask before buying an air quality sensor](http://tdenviro.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/4-questions-when-buying-air-sensors.pdf)” neatly summarizes what to consider when choosing an air sensor. + [Snuffle.org](http://www.snuffle.org/): lots of information on low-cost sensors for various air pollutants. + [Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation Center (AQ-SPEC)](http://www.aqmd.gov/aq-spec/evaluations): from the South Coast Air Quality Management District, this program tests and evaluates air sensors “in the field, under ambient conditions, and in the laboratory under controlled environmental conditions.” + [Air Sensor Toolbox](https://www.epa.gov/air-sensor-toolbox): from the US Environmental Protection Agency, this toolbox includes guidance on how to use air sensors and their data, plus information on sensor performance and evaluation results. ...
| Author | Comment | Last activity | Moderation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| warren | "The MiniVol is a few thousand dollars, i think used: https://publiclab.org/minivol but the samples cost a good bit to process (see page) And the T..." | Read more » | over 6 years ago | |||
| Ag8n | "Sorry, I didn't finish the instrument explanation. After determining the size of a particle,most instruments find out how many particles are great..." | Read more » | over 6 years ago | |||
| Ag8n | "Yeah, that is part of the question. The medical devices had direct access to the blood stream and lungs. So particle number and size was critical..." | Read more » | over 6 years ago | |||
| gretchengehrke | "Hi @Ag8n, with regards to the medical situation vs equipment, it sounds like the particle sizes they are measuring are relevant for (1) respiratory..." | Read more » | over 6 years ago | |||
| gretchengehrke | "Hi @Ag8n, Do you know what gmp facilities (good management practices, in case others are unfamiliar with the abbreviation) use for the 0.5 micron s..." | Read more » | over 6 years ago | |||
| stevie | "This post walks through collecting a sample, and some examples. They also reference this resource for collecting dust samples: http://www.funsci.co..." | Read more » | over 6 years ago | |||
| warren | "Interesting!!! " | Read more » | over 6 years ago | |||
| xose | "Just found this on my sunday net random navigation. Laser PM2.5 Air Quality Sensor For Arduino. £50GBP At the core there's this sensor SKU:SEN0177 " | Read more » | over 6 years ago | |||
| warren | "@DavidMack posted on sticky pads a while back on the #particle-sensing page: Essentially tape, sticky pads have the advantage of capturing a recor..." | Read more » | almost 7 years ago | |||
| warren | "There's now a way to collect data from a #dustduino or any #arduino using just an audio cable -- using #webjack ! Take a look at this post: https:..." | Read more » | almost 7 years ago | |||
| warren | "Moving some text from the #particle-sensing page by @DavidMack -- thanks, David! Trying to consolidate some scattered info on this across the site ..." | Read more » | almost 7 years ago | |||
| aldehyde | "Hey folk, What kind of Framework (for Participatory PM2.5) can use for creating monitoring cities? " | Read more » | almost 7 years ago | |||
| stevie | "One idea from @dswenson that came from the open call yesterday was to use materials like sticky yellow flytraps like these " | Read more » | almost 7 years ago | |||
| guolivar | "I tried to put a long answer here but it kept throwing errors so I wrote a note with my thoughts on this issue: https://publiclab.org/notes/guoliv..." | Read more » | almost 7 years ago | |||
| warren | "Wig Zamore also chimed in on the mailing list: Hi Jeff - My guess is that if Weather Underground and EPA and CARB have been involved the product i..." | Read more » | almost 7 years ago | |||
| BrandonFeenstra | "If you would like to learn more about Air Quality Sensors and their performance against regulatory instrumentation, I would recommend a visit to th..." | Read more » | almost 7 years ago | |||
| stevie | "When we were in WI @gretchengehrke, @mathew, and I were visiting some friends and we took a sample from a window at their house. The house window w..." | Read more » | almost 7 years ago | |||
| warren | "I agree that a non-wifi DustDuino variant would be so great -- much cheaper and simpler, for many uses where the WiFi isn't required. Both are grea..." | Read more » | over 9 years ago | |||
| mathew | "currently the dust counts for the dustduino are unverified and should not yet be relied on for quantitative measurements. also, the sensor is desig..." | Read more » | almost 10 years ago | |||
| JSummers | "Hi KP55, I think that the first thing you will need to know is how much data you need to acquire between data retrievals. That will determine how ..." | Read more » | almost 10 years ago |