Low-cost Alphasense OPCs shine in US trials

A third-party evaluation of Alphasense’s low-cost particulate matter (PM) air quality sensors has demonstrated good correlation with reference instruments at a fraction of their cost.

Welcoming the results of the trial, Will Parrett, European Sales Manager at Alphasense, Alphasense, said: “With an ever-increasing number of low-cost sensors appearing on the market, it is becoming difficult for customers to pick the technologies they can trust. Third-party assessments such as this are therefore extremely helpful.

The publication of these results is well-timed, as there has been a greater focus on fine particulates in recent months as the health effects become widely understood. In September 2021, the World Health Organization slashed the yearly average PM guideline values to 5 µg/m3, and in March 2022 the UK government announced a consultation on new targets to be included in the Environment Act, including a reduction in the PM2.5 target to 10 µg/m3 by 2040.

The PM sensor evaluation involved three Alphasense OPC-R2 sensors, which were deployed at the South Coast AQMD stationary ambient monitoring site in Rubidoux, California, over three months from October to December 2021. The sensors were run alongside Federal Equivalent Method (FEM) instruments measuring the same parameters: particulates PM1, PM2.5 and PM10, relative humidity and temperature.