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Air Quality Gas Sensor analysis
Sensing Ozone, NO2, SO2 and CO

Share: aqicn.org/sensor/gas/
This page contains list of Gas sensors "suitable" for ambient and outdoor Air Quality sensing, and currently under tesing by the World Air Quality Index project Earth Sensing labs. (For a complete list of all the Air Quality Sensors test on the World Air Quality Index project, check our sensor overview page)

The most common Gas Air pollutants are Ozone (O3), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), and Carbon Monoxyde (CO), but it is also common to measure Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S), Methane (CH4), Benzene (C6H6)...


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Ozone

Ground ozone is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight. Breathing ozone can trigger a variety of health problems, especially for those with lung diseases such as asthma. Ground level ozone can also have harmful effects on sensitive vegetation and ecosystems.

Ambient Ozone sensing is done in the range 0 ~ 500ppb (for reference 54ppb corresponds to an AQI of 50 - at 8 hours exposure, and 500 ppb corresponds to an AQI of 500 at 1 hour exposure, using the US EPA standard).

The most common and official way to measure ground level Ozone is by UV absorption photometry (WMO ref), The "low-cost" Ozone sensors, on the contrary, are based on electro-chemical analysis, and are therefore much less accurate than photometers.

  • Winsen MQ 131
    • Manufacturer: Zhengzhou Winsen Electronics Technology Co., Ltd.
    Cost: 60RMB.
    Spec: Spec sheet, product page
    Detection range: 10 ppb ~ 1ppm (for the low concentration version)
    Detection accuracy: unknown.
    The MQ 131 is a electro-chemcial Ozone sensor able to detect on the range from 10 ppb to 1 ppm.
  • A3OZ EnviroceL®
    • Manufacturer: City Tech
    Cost: ? (>1000RMB)
    Spec: Spec sheet, product page
    Detection range: 0-10ppm
    Detection accuracy: 20ppb.
    The A3OZ sensor is one of a range for monitoring gases at levels found in the environment. It is designed to give accurate readings of O3 or NO2 in ambient air.
  • Sensortech Mics 2614
    • Manufacturer: sgxsensortech.com
    Cost: 120RMB.
    Spec: Spec sheet, product page
    Detection range: 10 ppb ~ 1ppm
    Detection accuracy: unknown.
    The Mics 2614 is a SMD O3 sensor able to detect on the range from 10 ppb to 1 ppm.
    It is unfortunately discontinued since early 2016 due to supply problems with the special wafers used in manufacturing.
  • Spec 3SP-O3-20
    • Manufacturer: spec-sensors.com
    Cost: 60RMB.
    Spec: Spec sheet, product page
    Detection range: 20 ~ 20 ppm
    Detection accuracy: unknown.
    The Spec Sensors 3SP-O3-20 is detecting O3 in the range 0 - 20 ppm, with uknwown accuracy... - which makes it not suitable to ambient Ozone sensing.

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Nitrogen Dioxide

NO2 primarily gets in the air from the burning of fuel. It forms from emissions from cars, trucks and buses, power plants, and off-road equipment - so it is most relevant for road-side sensing.

Ambient NO2 sensing is done in the range 0 ~ 2000ppb (for reference 54ppb corresponds to an AQI of 50, and 2000 ppb corresponds to an AQI of 500, using the US EPA standard).

The are at least 3 common and official methods for measuring NO2: (Derfra ref) The first two are based on infra-red absorbtion resp. em-radition, and the 3rd one, but also most recent, is based on the Chemiluminescence principle. The "low-cost" Ozone sensors, on the contrary, are based on electro-chemical analysis, and are therefore much less accurate than any of the 3 above methods.

  • Sensortech Mics 2714
    • Manufacturer: sgxsensortech.com
    Cost: 150RMB.
    Spec: Spec sheet, product page
    Detection range: 50 ppb ~ 5ppm
    Detection accuracy: unknown.
    The Mics 2714 is a SMD Nitrogen dioxide sensor able to detect on the range from 50 ppb to 5 ppm. Note there there is another variant, the Miscs 4514, able to detect higher NO2 ranges, but the 2714 is the most suitable for Ambient NO2 sensing.
    Unfortunatelt, the Mics 2714 is not able to detect NO2 below 50ppb (ie an AQI of 50), so that is not so usefull for places with low NO2 concentration (which is quite often the case).
  • Alpha Sense NO2 B43F
    • Manufacturer: alphasense.com
    Cost: 1000RMB.
    Spec: Spec sheet, product page
    Detection range: 0 ppb ~ 2ppb
    Detection accuracy: unkown.
    The Alpha Sense NO2 B43F is a special low-concentration version of the NO2 familly range, detecting NO2 in the range 0 - 2 ppm, which makes it suitable for ambient sensing.
  • Sensortech SGX EC4 20 NO2
    • Manufacturer: sgxsensortech.com
    Cost:
    Spec: Spec sheet, product page
    Detection range: 0 ppb ~ 2ppm
    Detection accuracy: unkown.
    The Sensortech ZE03 is detecting NO2 in the range 0 - 20 ppm, with uknwown accuracy... - which makes it not suitable to ambient NO2 sensing.
  • Winsen ZE03
    • Manufacturer: winsen-sensor.com
    Cost:
    Spec: Spec sheet, product page
    Detection range: 0 ppb ~ 2ppm
    Detection accuracy: unkown.
    The Winsen ZE03 is detecting NO2 in the range 0 - 20 ppm, with uknwown accuracy... - which makes it not suitable to ambient NO2 sensing.
  • Honeywell 4NO2-20
    • Manufacturer: honeywell.com
    Cost: 450RMB.
    Spec: Spec sheet, product page
    Detection range: 0 ppb ~ 2ppm
    Detection accuracy: 100ppb.
    The Honeywell is fomerly knonw as Solidsense 4NO2-20. The 4NO2-20 (like the 7NO2-20) is able to detect NO2 in the range 0 to 20 ppm, with a resoliution of 100ppb - which makes it not suitable to ambient NO2 sensing.
  • DD Scientific GS+4NO2
    • Manufacturer: ddscientific.com
    Cost: 460RMB.
    Spec sheet, product page
    Detection range: 0 ppb ~ 30ppm
    Detection accuracy: 200ppb.
    The DD GS+4NO2 is detecting NO2 in the range 0 - 30 ppm, with accuracy of ±200 ppb - this is too sensitive for ambient NO2 sensing.

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Sulphur Dioxyde

to be updated...

Carbon Monoxyde

to be updated...


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For the list of all air quality sensors, check the Sensor Overview page

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About the Air Quality and Pollution Measurement:

About the Air Quality Levels

AQIAir Pollution LevelHealth ImplicationsCautionary Statement (for PM2.5)
0 - 50 Good Air quality is considered satisfactory, and air pollution poses little or no risk None
51 -100 Moderate Air quality is acceptable; however, for some pollutants there may be a moderate health concern for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
101-150 Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups Members of sensitive groups may experience health effects. The general public is not likely to be affected. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion.
151-200 Unhealthy Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion
201-300 Very Unhealthy Health warnings of emergency conditions. The entire population is more likely to be affected. Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, should avoid all outdoor exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion.
300+ Hazardous Health alert: everyone may experience more serious health effects Everyone should avoid all outdoor exertion

To know more about Air Quality and Pollution, check the wikipedia Air Quality topic or the airnow guide to Air Quality and Your Health.

For very useful health advices of Beijing Doctor Richard Saint Cyr MD, check www.myhealthbeijing.com blog.


Usage Notice: All the Air Quality data are unvalidated at the time of publication, and due to quality assurance these data may be amended, without notice, at any time. The World Air Quality Index project has exercised all reasonable skill and care in compiling the contents of this information and under no circumstances will the World Air Quality Index project team or its agents be liable in contract, tort or otherwise for any loss, injury or damage arising directly or indirectly from the supply of this data.



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