The researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D) are developing a ‘low cost’ sensor that can be used for monitoring the level of pollutants in Delhi’s air at the sub-local level i.e. at the “mohalla” or “ward” level.
It must be mentioned that the pollution level differs even at local level due to various factors like presence of buildings in area, green cover, local polluting units, and density of traffic in area, ongoing construction activities and several other factors.
“Due to its estimated low cost and rather simple mechanism, numerous such sensors can be installed all across the national Capital to monitor the level of pollution at the local level,” said Dr. Bodh Raj Mehta, Dean, Research and Development, IIT-D.
However these sensors are required to be calibrated with the already operating sensors at the nearest pollution monitoring stations in order to get the accurate results.
Dean said that such sensors that would be located all across the Delhi would transmit their information through ‘wireless’ technology to the centralised monitoring station that would be located in IIT-D.
According to researchers this would not only help in monitoring the level of pollution at micro-level but will also help in preparing a comprehensive pollution map of the city.
The sensor is a composite sensor made up of semi-conductor oxide and Nano-Graphene and requires room temperature for its functioning unlike the traditional sensors used by the pollution monitoring stations.
The sensor would detect level of Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and CO in air while another sensor based on light scattering material would determine concentration of Particulate Matter in air (of size upto 2.5 micron).
According to the researchers the sensor would cost less than 5 per cent of the cost of the traditional sensors that are commonly used for measuring the level of air pollution by the monitoring stations.