Abstract:
Air pollution poses a significant global challenge, particularly impacting health and
economic well-being. It has been identified as the 5th leading cause of human mortality
(Health Effects Institute, 2019), with developing countries bearing a disproportionate
burden. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that approximately 99
percent of the global population was exposed to unhealthy air conditions, with low and
moderate-income regions being particularly affected (WHO, 2022). In regions like South
Asia, deficient resources and inadequate health infrastructure exacerbate the impact of air
pollution. Particulate matter, notably PM2.5, emerges as a critical pollutant, capable of
causing respiratory distress, neurological damage, and carcinogenic effects upon inhalation
(Orach et al., 2021). Currently, the monitoring infrastructure is insufficient to cover all
vulnerable areas in densely populated countries. Conventional monitoring instruments are
expensive, require significant maintenance, and need substantial human resources to meet
the sampling demands in these regions. (Chu et al., 2020). This study investigates the
technical and financial feasibility of developing a single solar-integrated, low-cost sensor
unit. The proposed sensor unit incorporates batteries, charge controllers, and solar panels
to ensure autonomy and sustainability. This research delves into the analysis of bushfire
activity within the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) during the summer of 2022, which
also affected the NUST H-12 campus. Utilizing satellite imaging, the study examines the
temporal and spatial characteristics of the fires. Furthermore, pollutant categorization,
including PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, methane, black carbon, and total
suspended particles, is conducted using a biomass combustion model.
