Office of Research & Development | April 2022
United States
Environmental
Protection Agency
AEPA
Participatory Science
Data Management Case Studies
Puget Sound Air Quality Sensor Map
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24-hr particle pollution ~ Agency Monitor O Good (0-50 AQI)
_ ,,0 O Moderate (51-100 AQI)
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How To Use This Map
Click on a circle or star to see pollution for that site-
Then click on the Impact tab for activity suggestions.
O Unhealthy for sensitive groups (101-150 AQI) To see current pollution levels click on Instant in the top right
O Unhealthy (151 -200 AQI) Want to learn more?
O Very Unhealthy (201 - 300 AQI)
*Environmerital Protection Agency [Contract No.
GS-35F-410DA] to Information International Associates, INC.
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Puget Sound Air Quality Sensor Map
Improving Data Management for Participatory Science
The Sensor Map exemplifies using passive participatory science (PS) data from the Purple Air Network
and tackles data integration, QC issues, and calibration. Adding processed sensor data to reference data
increases the number of locations with air quality information and enables displaying data in real-time.
The project's quality control methods have also been employed by other air monitoring networks.
Project Overview & Goals
In 2017, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency
(PSCAA) began developing the Puget
Sound Air Quality Sensor Map Project to
address integration challenges of low-cost
air quality sensors. The tool combines air
quality data collected by the public's
sensors and regulatory monitors into a
single on-line interface. The Sensor Map
provides information for individuals and
organizations to use in public health
decision making.
Role of Project Participants
Project participants who opt to allow public
data collection from their PurpleAir Sensors
contribute to the Sensor Map. The role of
the participants is mostly passive once their
air sensors are set up. However, the public
has also provided feedback on features of
the Sensor Map, such as the air quality
scale and the visual presentation of data.
Data Use
Data distribution and use
occur primarily through
the Sensor Map interface.
The Sensor Map has two
modes - health view,
which provides 24-hour
estimates, and instant
view, which provides up-
to-the-minute data. The
Sensor Map supports
individual and agency
decision-making, especially
events.
Issue:
Air pollution
Location:
Puget Sound, WA
Tools:
Purple air sensors
and a sensor map
Contact:
Graeme Carvlin
during wildfire
Issues and Lessons Learned
Major issues involve limited staffing and
technical difficulties when integrating or
processing the data from their external
sources. Also, the Sensor Map team
learned first-hand about the need for
flexibility to scale during times of heavy
usage.
Data Management
Participatory science (PS) data for the 4-
county Puget Sound, Washington area is
pulled from a third-party data collection
platform, ThingSpeak, to feed the Sensor
Map tool via a SQL database. The project
does not collect its own PS data but focuses
on data validation and quality control. Its
methods calibrate the public sensor to the
nearest regulatory monitor and compare it
to nearby sensors for quality control and
integrate data from regulatory monitors and
public sensors.
Outcomes and Success Factors
The inclusion of PurpleAir sensor data
allows for better characterization of air
quality in the 4-county Puget Sound area.
The Sensor Map project has been
successful due to its identification of a
useful problem, creation of a solution that is
easy for users to understand and interact
with, and its willingness to respond to
feedback from users and partners.
vvEPA
April 2022 | 1
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Opportunities
• The Sensor Map project and other
similar projects would benefit from
EPA support of technical resource
sharing, a sensor quality control and
calibration database, and grant
initiatives.
vvEPA
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