Wireless Sensors Network Monitoring of Saharan Dust Events in Bari, Italy

Abstract

A sensors network based on 8 stationary nodes distributed in Bari (Southern Italy) hasbeen deployed for urban air quality monitoring during advection events of Saharan dust in theperiod 2015⁻2017. The low-cost sensor-systems have been installed in specific sites (buildings,offices, schools, streets, airport) to assess the PM10 concentration at high spatial and temporalresolution in order to supplement the expensive official air monitoring stations for citizen sciencepurposes. Continuous measurements were performed by a cost-effective optical particle counter(PM10), including temperature and relative humidity sensors. They are operated to assess theperformance during a long-term campaign (July 2015⁻December 2017) of 30 months for smart citiesapplications. The sensor data quality has been evaluated by comparison to the reference data of the9 Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS), managed by local environmental agency (ARPA-Puglia)in the Bari city.

Keywords

• air quality sensors
• low-cost PM sensors
• sensor-systems
• wireless sensors network