Measuring air quality for a healthy environment

How do we measure urban air quality?

The first step is to monitor urban air quality and identify key sources of pollution. The main sources within cities are usually traffic, industry, and households. Or are there other main sources – for Rotterdam, for example – contributing to air pollution?

Combining different air quality measurements

At TNO, we map out the sources in different ways:

• Through targeted (mobile) measurement campaigns: Through modelling, we can calculate back which sources are reflected in our measurements. We do this in cities, industrial areas, rural areas, around airports, and in port areas.
• Through a large-scale sensor network: Sensors offer an increasingly interesting alternative to measure particulate matter, ultrafine particulate matter, and gases in detail per site.
  For example, we’re working with a large consortium on the Southeast Brabant Regional Monitoring Network. Besides their urban deployment, we have extensive experience deploying sensors in the industrial domain.
• Through citizen measurements: TNO is investigating how citizen measurement data of particulate matter can be used effectively. The high density of measurements is a significant advantage here. We’re working on an accessible, integrated approach for and together with residents to connect society and policymakers.

Where and when are we exposed to poor air quality?

By combining the data from all the different measurements, we gain a better picture of the sources contributing to poor air quality. We map out the source, as well as the effect on our health.

This can in turn lead to new measures to improve our health. These developments touch on our research into the 'Exposome'.

We already conduct data aggregation in two ways:

Measures for healthier air

Several types of air pollutants endanger our health. These sources often also emit nitrogen and greenhouse gases. But when it comes to our health, especially particulate matter appears to be a major contributor to unhealthy air.

Around 80% of health damage from air pollution in the Netherlands is due to particulate matter. Based on our particulate matter research, we’ve developed a vision fora different approach to particulate matter for cleaner air. An approach that will result in 50% health gains as early as 2030.

Let’s work together

A health-oriented approach to air quality can only be achieved through close collaboration between public authorities, citizens, and industry. This is how we’ll move towards a healthy future together. Would you like to contribute to the discussion about the possibilities and new applications? Feel free to contact TNO.