Integrating Low-cost Air Quality Monitoring Sensors with Solar Power System and Emissions Assessment of 2022 Fire Events in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT)

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.