VIRTUAL CENTRE FOR DISTRIBUTED ATMOSPHERIC SENSING FOR REDUCTION OF POLLUTION PRESSURES

Project Information

VIDIS

Grant agreement ID: 952433

DOI

10.3030/952433

Project closed

EC signature date 2 July 2020

Start date 1 November 2020

End date 30 April 2024

Funded under

• Twinning of research institutions

Total cost

€ 946 250,00

EU contribution

€ 899 125,00

Coordinated by

INSTITUT ZA NUKLEARNE NAUKE VINCA INSTITUT OD NACIONALNOG ZNACAJA ZA REPUBLIKU SRBIJU, UNIVERZITET U BEGRADU
Serbia

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - VIDIS (VIRTUAL CENTRE FOR DISTRIBUTED ATMOSPHERIC SENSING FOR REDUCTION OF POLLUTION PRESSURES)

Reporting period: 2022-02-01 to 2024-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Since the adoption of the first EU legislation on ambient air, the process knowledge in atmospheric sciences has increased, the remote and in-situ observing technologies have undergone major developments, and new potent ICT infrastructures have emerged. Low cost sensing technologies have enabled a paradigm shift in air quality monitoring, triggering new research needs and opportunities that are necessary to underpin the new capabilities.

The EU-funded VIDIS project is paving the way for more accurate exposure assessment with accessible, and comprehensive air quality monitoring thanks to low-cost sensing technologies. Together, members of the project consortium have been striving to make crucial air pollution data more relevant, informative, and firmly rooted in top-tier scientific practices.

The VIDIS project is embarked on a mission to redefine our approach to air quality monitoring by leveraging low-cost sensor systems. Their cost-effectiveness in investment costs enables a more widespread deployment, thereby allowing for better tracking and understanding of air pollution patterns. Such deployment however requires new workflows and support tools.

With these technologies, we can make the data more accessible and meaningful for various stakeholders, from municipalities to citizens and young activists. The project’s approach involves rigorous calibration techniques, comprehensive reporting of results, and opening new research opportunities once the sensor networks are in place

By developing novel calibration techniques, the project is tackling challenges related to the cost of deploying large sensor networks while ensuring the reliability of results, avoiding downtime and providing higher consistency.

Once the low-cost sensor network is in place, its accuracy and spatial coverage can also be increased via different types of supporting monitoring tools such as off-line and on-line research grade static and mobile instruments. The latter was used in VIDIS to deepen scientific understanding of urban particulate matter pollution.

We have conducted a large mobile monitoring campaign targeting the most toxic main pollutant – particulate matter – covering 25 fractions from 10 nm to 10 mm, in which ~0.5 million of geolocated datapoints were collected in the Novi Sad urban area during heating and non-heating season. These are very important air quality parameters but they are not routinely monitored

Started in November 2020, the VIDIS project not only aims to introduce innovative technologies but also strives to bridge the knowledge gaps in air quality monitoring. The project’s approach also facilitates further research into urban particulate matter pollution and delivers informative results to interested stakeholders.

We fostered a strategic partnership with international counterparts, NILU (Norway), ENEA (Italy) and QUT (Australia), known for their research on low-cost sensing. Each partner contributes their unique expertise to form a well-rounded team capable of handling multidisciplinary challenges. This approach enables us to successfully navigate various issues and disseminate knowledge through collaborative activities, international workshops, and conferences

The VIDIS project has notably initiated the development of the VIDIS Center – an internationally recognized hub for research and innovation on air quality monitoring. The future of the center is already secured through several new projects: WeBaSOOP, which explores the sources of atmospheric particles in the Balkans, and FunSNM, which studies the fundamental principles of sensor network metrology. Collaborations with organizations such as UNICEF Serbia and the Novi Sad municipality have also enhanced the societal relevance of VIDIS.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

• Implementation of join project (2022-2025) Coo: VINCA
HORIZON-WIDERA-2021-ACCESS-02
"Research Reinforcing in the Western BalkanS in Offline and Online Monitoring and Source Identification of Atmospheric Particles".WeBaSOOP,
Partners: NILU, CSIC, UNG, Deakin, IMMB PHI

• Implementation of EUROMET project
“Fundamental principles of sensor network metrology”-FunSNM (2023 –2026)

• Join project proposal preparation, Coo ViNCA
o KNIT, Horizon Europe Widera, CSA (2022, 2023), rejected
o INDICATE, Horizon Europe Widera Excellence Network, CSA (2024), rejected

• Organization of training course in scientific proposal development,
"Transferable skills training Scientific proposals development"

• Organisation of WeBIOPATR2021 and WeBIOPATR2023
Organisers : VINCA and NILU
Supported by: VIDIS and WeBaSOOP projects, Ministry of Science, Technological Development and innovations of RS

• Organisation of VIDIS summer school 2022 and 2023

Formulating and implementation of 3 new nationally funded research projects related to VIDIS project:

o Open call in 2021. and 2022. for research projects by Municipality of Novi Sad, City Administration for Environmental Protection
¨Spatial-temporal variations of RPM level in the urban zone of Novi Sad - Mobile monitoring, modelling and creating high resolutions maps¨¨2021–2022; ", “Mapping particulate matter air pollution in near-real time in Novi Sad using data from sensor networks”, 2022-2023
Coo VINCA

o UNICEF Serbia pilot initiative "Schools for Better Air Quality: Citizens-Based Monitoring, STEM Education, and Youth Activism in Serbia" funded under The Government of Norway
Vinca`s project in the framework of UNICEF initiative
"Development and Implementation of Calibration and QA/QC procedures for Low-cost Sensors Network under UNICEF`s Serbia pilot initiative “Schools for Better Air Quality", 2021-2023.

• MOOC platform setup and first lectures/courses uploaded (https://vidis-project.org/index.php/vidis-mooc-lectures/)
o MOOC lectures linked at VIDIS portal, four from QUT prof. Ristovski and two from ENEA (prof. de Vito

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Progress beyond the state of the art
- Innovative methods for air pollution assessment based on merging data sets of different temporal and spatial scale, originating from both low cost and research grade instrumentation for atmospheric aerosols characterization
Expected results
- Enhanced low cost sensor calibration techniques
- High resolution mobile monitoring and interpretation of results - case studies targeting VIDIS selected open datasets
- Data fusion of satellite data and low cost sensor data - case studies targeting VIDIS selected open datasets
- CFD enhanced control test atmosphere/aerosol chamber design for sensor characterization
- Full set of MOOC lectures elucidating atmospheric aerosol monitoring and modelling, machine learning enhanced calibration techniques, satellite and ground data fusion

Potential impact
- VIDIS will exploit knowledge gained through its activities, to demonstrate quality of the associated research and its application for improving the quality of air quality management, and to strengthen the citizen’s engagement around air quality. The exploitation activities will have the following elements:
• Project proposals/grant proposals (scientific, and with potential users)
• Lifelong learning support
• Support to various entities and organisations that would like to engage citizens/students/other groups in activities related to air pollution, exposure and reduction of health risks.
- The VIDIS open courses for wider scientific community and interested general public

VIDIS LOGO

VIDIS FIGURE

VIDIS STRUCTURE