EIT Urban Mobility RIS Hub Slovenia
from 01/01/2020 until 31/12/2023
Within the framework of the EIT Urban Mobility project RIS Hub Slovenia, coordinated by the Building Research Institute of Slovenia, a research study was carried out in Ljubljana and Maribor, focusing on air pollution with particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometres (PM2.5).
Volunteer cyclists collected data on PM2.5 concentrations at different spatial and temporal scales with the help of low-cost mobile sensors mounted on the handlebars of bicycles. Such participatory dynamic pollutant monitoring campaigns allow for a better temporal and spatial distribution of data compared to stationary monitoring stations and the identification of local pollution hotspots. The data can improve our understanding of the effects of exposure to atmospheric pollutants, helping to design more effective regulatory frameworks and spatial plans to reduce air pollution in urban areas.
Aim
Urban air
pollution is a significant public health and environmental issue in the European
Union, closely linked to daily human activities. Despite efforts to improve air
quality, many cities continue to experience severe pollution episodes. Fine
particulate matter (PM2.5, particles smaller than 2.5 μm) is
particularly harmful, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases
and reducing life expectancy even at low concentrations. Traditional monitoring
relies on stationary stations, which offer standardised but spatially limited
data. Recently, low-cost sensors (LCS) have been increasingly used to track air
quality in relation to citizens’ daily activities.
A citizen science project involving 30 cyclists was
conducted in Ljubljana and Maribor, Slovenia, from September 2022 to October
2023. Participants completed 384 routes while measuring PM2.5 using LCS
Sensirion SPS30. PM2.5 levels ranged from 5 to 32 μg/m³, rising
during colder periods due to thermal inversions and weak wind circulation,
which hinders vertical air mixing and pollutant dispersion. Concentrations were
the lowest in the afternoon and highest at night, when pollutants are trapped near
the surface due to low height of planetary boundary layer. Air pollution
hotspots were identified in high-traffic zones, near construction sites and in
the vicinity of transport hubs. In addition, exposure analysis revealed that
cyclists faced higher risks in comparison to car-users, highlighting the need
for more effective urban planning and evidence-based policies that engage
citizens to improve urban air quality.
How to participate
The project is no longer active.
Needed equipment
Low cost sensor
(LCS) CanAirIO (dimensions: 57 × 24 × 101 mm; weight: 95 g) is an open-source,
open-design and open-access mobile device equipped with a real-time optical
counter (OPC) Sensirion SPS30 that continuously monitors PM2.5
concentrations. The sensor can be mounted on bicycles and connect via Bluetooth
to the operator’s smartphone. A built-in fan draws air into the chamber, where particles
pass through the laser beam and cause light scattering. The scattered light is
then detected by a photodiode and converted to a mass concentration, expressed
in μg/m3. In addition to PM2.5 concentrations, LCS SPS30
provides information about the ambient temperature (in °C) and relative
humidity (in %).
About funding
Funding bodies: European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)
Funding program: EIT Urban Mobility
Coordinator
