Application of Low-Cost Particle Sensors for Monitoring of IAQ in Buildings

In this study, the low-cost particle sensors were exposed to the indoor air and the results were compared with the advanced particulate counting technology, an optical particle counter (OPC), a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and an aerodynamic particle sizer (APS). Since the sensors work with light scattering, it was found that their outputs were affected with the ambient lights levels causing uncertainties in the measured results. Our research also indicates that the sensors are sensitive to 1μm size particles or greater, and their outputs are very sensitive to air circulation which make it difficult to compare with different technologies.