Influence of Apparent Wind on Particulate Matter Monitoring through Low-Cost Sensors

Recently, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of particulate matter (PM) monitoring due to its negative impact on public health and the urban environment. The proliferation of fixed and mobile monitoring stations based on low-cost sensors is continuing, as they provide a cost-effective solution capable of increasing the spatial resolution of measurements. However, when installed in vehicles as well as in public transportation systems, these devices are subject to the influence of apparent wind, which affects the incoming airflow and, consequently, the suspended particles in the air. In order to evaluate this phenomenon, this study investigates and quantifies the effect of apparent wind on the PM measurements of three different models of low-cost PM sensors in a laboratory setting. Sensors showed different sensitivity to the influence of wind, dependent on their positioning and different exposure to airflow.