Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PASSEPARTOUT (Photonic Accurate and Portable Sensor Systems Exploiting Photo-Acoustic and Photo-Thermal Based Spectroscopy for Real-Time Outdoor Air Pollution Monitoring)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-01-01 al 2022-03-31
The ambient pollutant detectors currently used as reference measurements are impractical for widespread or mobile deployment, while miniature, low-cost electrochemical sensors generally are still not stable or sensitive enough for monitoring ambient pollutants reliably. The PASSEPARTOUT project will advance the development and deployment of miniature, hyperspectral optical based sensors, utilising Quartz Enhanced Photo-Acoustic Spectroscopy (QEPAS) and Photo-Thermal Interferometry (PTI) to detect a wide range of ambient pollutants. The PASSEPARTOUT optical sensors operate in the mid-infrared (MIR) or near-infrared (NIR) spectral range and allow calibration-free methodologies (since the quantification is based on the well-known optical constants of the target analytes) and will be compatible with the rigorous certification process.
PASSEPARTOUT will realise the first 3D mobile optical gas analyser network capable of operating in an urban area. Innovative and high-performance technologies for high accuracy and flexible environmental air quality monitoring will be built into robust drone-mounted, low-cost vehicle-mounted and stationary sensors. The network will provide real-time information about the concentration of polluting gases (such as NOx, SO2, NH3, CH4, CO and CO2) and black carbon particulates within urban areas, and around landfills and seaports, with extremely high precision and excellent spatial resolution.
An external Steering Committee has also been assembled, consisting of senior figures from industry and academia who will provide an independent viewpoint and guidance, to ensure the relevance and attractiveness of PASSEPARTOUT for end users. The first meeting was held in July 2021.