Air quality monitoring

An air quality monitoring system essentially measures ambient air on

concentrations at a number of fixed locations, for example across a city or within a
region. In principle, the function of a monitoring station is to compare the
measured values against a standard or a guideline and to take action if the
measured values exceed the standard or guideline. (Unfortunately, in the absence
of a regulated management system, too frequently no action is taken even if
guidelines are exceeded.)
Continuous monitors are instruments capable of measuring pollutant
concentrations (for example, SO2, NO2, CO, PM) continuously and more or less
instantaneously (in reality, over very short periods of time). The instantaneous
values are not in themselves useful for assessing air quality. Thus these values may
be averaged over time periods of 10 or 15 minutes, one hour, 3 hours, 8 hours, 24
hours or longer periods.
The time-averaged values (time weighted averages) may be compared with air
quality standards or guidelines, or may be used to estimate the potential health
impacts of the air pollutant concentrations.
Instruments capable of measuring air pollutant concentrations continuously are
comparatively expensive, and have to be housed in a protected and controlled
environment, usually at a fixed site or in a mobile station or caravan.
Thus a city with a monitoring system would have a limited number of monitoring
sites, each measuring a limited number of pollutants. The choice of locations for
monitoring sites should consider: proximity to major pollution sources or
suspected areas of high concentration, are as with high population density and an
area remote from local pollution sources to assess background pollution levels..