Low-cost smart sensors for PM monitoring in ambient air: analysis and comparisons

Air pollution remains a major global concern, causing around 400,000 premature deaths annually in the EU. Particulate matter (PM), especially PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅, is one of the most harmful pollutants due to its association with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases; it is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the IARC. In Europe, PM concentrations are officially measured via gravimetric analysis (EN 12341:2023), which ensures high accuracy but lacks real-time data and requires significant resources. This study evaluates the performance of two low-cost sensors (SEN55 and SDS011) and one optical reader (MPC1), compared to the reference method over a 30-day campaign in multiple environmental conditions. Results are analyzed using R², bias, and RMSE to assess inter-sensor variability and agreement with standard methods, aiming to support the integration of low-cost technologies in air quality monitoring networks.