EPA/600/R-15/125
Citizen Science
Operating Procedure
Office of Research and Development
National Exposure Research Laboratory
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CITIZEN SCIENCE
PerkinElmer Elm
Contents
PerkinElmer Elm 1
Pollutants Measured and Their Sources 1
Particulate Matter (PM) 1
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) 1
Nitrogen Dioxide (NC-2) 1
What You Will Need 2
Important Considerations 2
Preparing the Device 3
Purchasing a Data Plan and Installing the SIM Card 3
Installing the Software 4
Connecting the Elm 6
Routine Data Collection 7
Collecting Data 7
Retrieving Data 8
Processing Data 9
For Additional Help 12
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CITIZEN SCIENCE
PerkinElmer Elm
PerkinElmer Elm
The PerkinElmer Elm (formerly the AirBase CanarIT) is a multi-sensor
air quality monitoring device that measures particulate matter (PM),
total volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen dioxide (NCb), and
several other atmospheric components. PM, VOCs, and NC>2 are
among the pollutants identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency as having harmful effects on both human health and the environment. The Elm takes
continuous measurements that are transmitted to the PerkinElmer website for cloud-based
storage and processing. This procedure will guide you through the steps needed to collect
quality data using the Elm for your monitoring project.
Pollutants Measured and Their Sources
Particulate Matter (PM)
PM consists of particles of various sizes and is present in soot, smoke, dirt, and dust. These
particles are often generated and released into the air from sources such as power plants,
industrial processes, automobiles, and fires. PM can adversely affect breathing and contribute
to respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. The smallest particles pose the greatest health
risk. PM also contributes to atmospheric haze that reduces visibility.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
VOCs are emitted as gases from many common household and office products including paints,
varnishes, floor wax, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, degreasing agents, pesticides, building
materials, home furnishings, copiers and printers, permanent markers, glues, and adhesives.
Fuels are also made up of organic chemicals, emitted as gases when they burn. All of these
products can release organic compounds during use and sometimes during storage. VOCs can
have both short- and long-term adverse health effects.
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)
NO2 is a highly reactive gas that can irritate the lungs and cause bronchitis, pneumonia, and
other respiratory problems. As NO2 forms quickly from automobile emissions, significantly
increased concentrations of NO2 are often found near major roadways. Power plants and other
industrial processes also emit NO2.
For more information on these air pollutants, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
Web site at http://www.epa.qov/airquality/urbanair/.
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PerkinElmer Elm
CITIZEN SCIENCE
Preparing the Device
You must configure your Elm prior to use, which first
requires purchasing a data plan and acquiring a SIM
card. You must also download the Elm software to a
computer.
Purchasing a Data Plan and
Installing the SIM Card
Before collecting data with the Elm, you must first
obtain a GSM SIM card and purchase a cellular
phone data plan. To purchase the data plan, you
will need to know the International Mobile Station
Equipment Identity (IMEI) number for the unit. This
number is printed on a chip inside the unit, as
shown in Figure 2. You also need to know the
Integrated Circuit Card Identifier (ICCID) number
from the SIM card (Figure 3). After obtaining a SIM
card and data plan, you will need to install the SIM
card in the Elm.
Procedure: Install SIM Card
1. Open the SIM card slot door.
2. Insert the SIM card into the slot (Figure 4).
3. Close the SIM card door (Figure 5).
4. Lock the SIM card door as indicated by the arrows on the slot door (Figure 6).
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PerkinElmer Elm
CITIZEN SCIENCE
3. Open the AirBaseDriverslnstallation.
zip file created during the download,
and double click 'setup.exe' to launch
the installation wizard (Figure 9).
4. Click 'Next' on the installation wizard
welcome screen (Figure 10), click
'Install' (Figure 11), and then click
'Finish' (Figure 12) to complete
installation.
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CITIZEN SCIENCE
PerkinElmer Elm
3. Enter "broadband" (case-sensitive) into the APN field. You do not need to configure
the Provider in the drop-down menu, and the User and Password fields should be left
blank.
4. Click the 'Save' button and wait for the message
"Saved to flash", and then click 'OK' (Figure 15).
5. Click the 'Disconnect' button to end the Elm software
session.
6. Unplug the Elm from the power and the USB port.
Routine Data Collection
Collecting Data
Once configured and connected to the power supply, the Elm transmits data to the PerkinElmer
website cloud database every 20 seconds. The sensor continues recording and saving data
even if the wireless connection is lost. If the connection is lost, simply disconnect and reconnect
the power supply. Any backlog of data is automatically transmitted to the cloud database when
the connection is restored. Use the following procedure to begin collecting data.
Procedure: Initiate Data Collection
1. Use a cell phone to make sure the sampling site has service from the data plan provider
(e.g., AT&T, Verizon) and to check the signal strength.
2. Plug the 12 V DC adapter included with the unit into the Elm and connect to 110 VAC
power.
3. Make sure the indicator lights
blink in the following pattern:
Three lights—red, yellow, and
green—on the left side of the
unit (Figure 16) indicate
whether the device is
functioning properly. During
normal operation, the green
light blinks for approximately 15
seconds, with one blink followed
by a pause (no blinks), and then
the yellow and green lights
Figure 16
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CITIZEN SCIENCE
PerkinElmer Elm
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Figure 19
Processing Data
To process your data, you will need to download it from the Elm Web site and then load it into
spreadsheet software. Data are downloaded in comma-separated values (*.csv) format to a
specified destination on your computer. The *.csv format is simply a text file that uses commas
to separate each measured value or recorded information such as date, time, total VOCs, NC>2,
and so on. Most spreadsheet software can easily read these text files. The following procedure
will guide you through downloading and formatting your data for processing. Microsoft Excel
2013 is used to illustrate this procedure, but the process is similar in versions of Excel dating
back to 2003.
Procedure: Process Data
1. Enter the Web site address http://elm.perkinelmer.com/myairbase/sensors/xls/xxxx in
your Web browser, where "xxxx" is the unit number for your Elm (see Figure 17).
2. Enter the Start and End dates of the data you wish to download, as shown in Figure 20.
3. Leave the drop-down menu as Row data.
4. Press the 'Click here to Download' button to begin the download process.
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CITIZEN SCIENCE
PerkinElmer Elm
All columns of data that might be generated by the Elm during data collection and displayed in
the Excel file are listed below along with any applicable units of measure. Many of these data
columns might not be pertinent for the purposes of your data collection. Other columns that
appear in the file can be used by the manufacturer for advanced troubleshooting.
Time (local)
Sensor ID
Ozone Sensor (ppb)
Carbon Monoxide Sensor (ppb)
Total VOC Sensor (ppb)
Dust Sensor (ug/m3)
NO2 Sensor (ppb)
Humidity (% RH)
Barometric Pressure
SO2 Sensor (ppb)
NucRadfnot used)
CelRad (not used)
Temperature (°C)
Total VOC and CO2 Sensor (ppb)
Noise (db)
Unix Time (Greenwich Mean Timetimestamp)
WSPD_mph (wind speed in miles per hour)
WDIR_Deg(wind direction in degrees from north)
PM2_5_micrg_m3 (a separate particulate sensor designed for PM2 5 in ug/m3)
NO_ppb (ppb)
BP_HG (barometric pressure in millimeters of mercury)
Latitude (degrees)
Longitude (degrees)
Altitude (meters above sea level)
AititudeFromGround (meters above ground level)
Odor(European odor units)
Ammonia (ppb)
C02(ppm>
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&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
PRESORTED STANDARD
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
EPA
PERMIT NO. G-35
Office of Research and Development (8101R)
Washington, DC 20460
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
Recycled/Recyclable Printed on paper that contains a minimum of
50% postconsumer fiber content processed chlorine free
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