Air quality and citizen science

Objectives

In 2013, Scotland’s environment web funded a research programme that looked at how citizen science techniques can be used to monitor urban air quality and drive behavioural change. Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) worked with Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), University of Aberdeen and The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) to design an air quality programme that would engage the public through citizen science. The objectives of the study were to:

• Identify how a citizen science approach could improve our understanding of urban air quality.
• explore possible methodologies and tools that could be used for an outdoor air quality citizen science approach and scope out a set of project options.
• design a series of citizen science projects specific to urban air quality.
• build a partnership that will deliver the initial project, and promote future programmes of work within the area.

Reports from urban air quality citizen science research project

Project overview report (PDF)

May 2014

The overall aim of the research was to expand on the capabilities in the area of citizen science, building on the existing projects and networks including Scotland’s environment web, and Scotland Counts while linking across to air quality.

The overview report summarises the key findings. You can find more details in the reports that cover each of the three phases of the project.

Read the full report (PDF)

Phase 1: Review of methods and projects

July 2013

Clean air is a basic requirement of life, yet across many urban areas air pollution can adversely impact on the health and the well-being of a large number of people.

Advances in air pollution sensor technology and widespread use of mobile electronic equipment are leading to an increase in our ability to gather relevant environmental and positional data. This creates the possibility of developing true mobile air quality sensors, thus potentially enhancing the spatial monitoring of air quality and making the link between data provision and observed environmental trends.

This report has mapped out the technologies and approaches currently available for air quality monitoring and provides an overview on how they could be applied in citizen science content.

Read Urban air quality citizen science – Phase 1 (PDF)

Phase 2: Suggested programme of research projects

March 2014

This report provides a short description of the main elements associated with a suggested series of citizen science projects in urban air quality. The programme is based on a review of current work in this area and discussions with the air quality citizen science advisory group.

Overviews of the proposed pilot projects are set out in the report, including summaries of further work areas in citizen science urban air quality.

Read Urban air quality citizen science – Phase 2 (PDF)

Phase 3: Findings of the pilot studies

April 2014

This report summarises the pilot citizen science projects conducted in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Prestonpans, evaluating the practical use of citizen science studies within the constraints of existing low-cost technologies.

Two different approaches were selected for the pilot projects. One tested the use of stationary low-cost air quality monitoring within a secondary school, including it's use within regular teaching activities. The second used a mobile setup (with small backpacks including the air quality monitor as well as a GPS for geo-referencing) for cyclists who were approached through the bike charities SPOKES and through Transport Scotland.

The main effort was not on providing air quality measurements, but on testing the approaches, methods, devices and engagement with citizen scientists.

Read Urban air quality citizen science – Phase 3 (PDF)

Air quality citizen science forum

As a result of the Urban Air Quality Citizen Science project, the Air Quality Citizen Science Forum was established. The group met in February 2015 to present on current research projects and discuss lessons learnt. Workshop-type breakout sessions focussed on how to engage more people in air quality citizen science. The workshop report presents the findings from the discussions on the day.

The meeting was attended by representatives from:

At the meeting, presentations were given on the following topics:

• Using ‘Scotland’s environment’ website to promote action on air quality in Scotland – Paul Griffiths, SEPA
• Lessons from community-based monitoring in North America – Kerry Riddell, The Conservation Volunteers
• Have you heard about iSPEX? - Janet Khan, SEPA
• Supporting Scottish schools: The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) network – Matt Keyse, OPAL
• Monitoring in Glasgow: A particular matter of synchronisation – Emilia Hanna, Friends of the Earth Scotland
• CEH Citizen Science – from practical guides to applied personal exposure monitoring – Stefan Reis, NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
• CITI-SENSE and HEALS – citizen involvement in air quality assessment – Hilary Cowie, IOM
• Air quality teaching package for schools – Ben Jackson, SEPA

To find out more about this group and forthcoming meetings, please contact us.