Presented by: Rachelle Duvall, US EPA

Summary: The increased availability and use of air sensors have encouraged innovation in air quality monitoring approaches. The development of air sensors continues to expand and evolve at a rapid pace. However, it is common knowledge that the data quality from air sensor devices is highly variable, making it difficult for consumers to choose a sensor appropriate for an application of interest because of inconsistent performance characterization and reporting. In the U.S., performance standards and certification processes exist for instruments used for regulatory air monitoring under the Federal Reference and Equivalent Method (FRM/FEM) Program, but it is recognized that air sensors will not meet those stringent requirements. To help support consumers and developers, the U.S. EPA has developed two reports outlining testing protocols, metrics, and target values to evaluate the performance of ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air sensors for use in non-regulatory supplemental and informational monitoring applications. The goal of this work is to provide a consistent approach for evaluating sensor performance while also helping provide confidence in the data quality, encouraging improvements and development in the marketplace, and helping users select appropriate sensors for the desired application. This presentation will provide an overview on the U.S. EPA’s efforts in developing guidance for evaluating performance of ozone and PM2.5 air sensors. 

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