Diseño de sensores de bajo costo para el monitoreo de parámetros asociados a la calidad del aire en Villavicencio

Abstract

The present research project aims to generate new tools for monitoring air quality to promote research on the impact of atmospheric pollutants on the health of the Villavicencio population. Additionally, it aims to promote implementing strategies to mitigate these issues. Furthermore, it seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of low-cost monitoring systems through descriptive statistical analysis comparing air quality monitoring stations in the city with these new low-cost devices. In order to reach our goal, the project initially recommended constructing low-cost devices by implementing programming algorithms enabling the creation of open-access models. These devices prove cost-effective when compared to those employed in validated systems. Following that, the project devised a methodology for gathering data at a strategically selected location for monitoring air quality within the city while adhering to the maximum permissible levels established in Resolution 2254 of 2017. Afterward, the project conducted statistical analyses to establish the correlation between data from the city's monitoring stations and the data produced by the low-cost systems developed in this research endeavor. These statistical analyses, conducted from August to September 2023, revealed the coefficient of determination (R²) values through simple and multiple linear regressions. The lowest R² value was 0.8415, observed in a comparison between two relative humidity sensors, while the highest R² value was 0.974, observed for PM2.5 sensors. Additionally, an inverse correlation was found between temperature and relative humidity, ranging from -0.95 to -0.98, indicating that an increase in one of these variables led to a nearly inversely proportional decrease in the other. In conclusion, we observed a slight correlation between PM2.5 and the percentage of relative humidity in the monitored data. This observation aligns with the information we gathered from the literature to develop this project.