Wireless indoor environmental quality (IEQ) monitoring in classrooms and laboratories (VOC's, CO, CO2, and T)

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PRESS RELEASE FROM ACS PRESSROOM

New Device for Monitoring Classroom Air

Accepted for presentation at 244th ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA

Document ID: 10481

Program Area: ENVR: Division of Environmental Chemistry

Symposium Title: (ENVR008p) General Posters

INSTITUTIONS

1. PID Analyzers, LLC, Sandwich, Massachusetts, US, 02563, United States

2. Suffolk University, Physics Department, Boston, MA, 02041, United States

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AUTHORS

1. Jack N Driscoll¹ , Dr., PID Analyzers, LLC, 2 Washington Circle, #4, Sandwich, Massachusetts, US, 02563, United States , 6176802016, pidguy@aol.com

2. Jennifer L Maclachlan¹ , PID Analyzers, LLC, 2 Washington Circle, #4, Sandwich, Massachusetts, US, 02563, United States , 6176994307, United States, pidgirl@gmail.com

3. Pol Perov² , Dr.

Title: Wireless indoor environmental quality (IEQ) monitoring in classrooms and laboratories (VOC's, CO, CO₂, and T)   

Abstract Body: Poor air quality in school classrooms is a serious problem now since school classrooms can have occupancy levels as high as 40 sq. ft per persons compared to average office occupancy of 140 sq. ft. per person. Other considerations include the number of portable classrooms being used on a semi-permanent basis. Many of the urban schools are old, situated near industrial sites and have poor HVAC equipment. With class rooms that have individually controlled HVAC, improving the air quality could be accomplished by simply monitoring CO2 and using that to control the HVAC system. Of course, most schools do not have that capability.

We have developed an indoor environmental quality (IEQ) sensor package that has the capability to monitor CO2 in the crowded class rooms (high levels of CO2 cause drowsiness), temperature, VOC's from a variety of sources, and a fourth sensor that can be selected. The CO2 sensor is an low power IR sensor with a range of 0-2,500 ppm and the VOC's will be measured with an electrochemical sensor with ppb capability. The third sensor is air temperature. The fourth sensor can be chosen from a variety (30 different) of electrochemical sensors. The Bluetooth wireless datalogger module has four analog inputs that are supplied from the sensor amplifier.

The sensor package power is only a few milliwatts so a battery operated system with the capability to run for 450 hours provides nearly three weeks of data which would be sufficient to evaluate a class room and make decisions about the corrective actions to be taken. The datalogger in the system has Bluetooth wireless capability that can send a signal 200-300 ft. so a PC with a wireless receiver (in the area) can be used to collect the data on a weekly basis without disaturbing the classroom. A variety of classrooms will be evaluated with the sensor package including labs, portable class rooms and lecture halls to evaluate the IEQ.

The IEQ package is compact and is easily moved to different locations since no external power is required. This study could lead to improved air quality in classrooms. If achieved, a positive benefit would be that this can lead to a higher test scores as shown in a number of studies.

Indoor Air Pollutant Monitoring in Classrooms & Laboratories (VOC’s, CO, CO2, & ventilation Rates)

Methodology:	Integrated Sensor Systems
Application:	Environmental
Primary Focus:	Application
Title:	Indoor Air Pollutant Monitoring in Classrooms & Laboratories (VOC’s, CO, CO2, and ventilation Rates)
Keywords:	Analysis Detector Electrochemistry Environmental/Air

Assignment Status:	Assigned CO-662	Session Title:	New Developments in Analytical Instrumentation and Software
Session Date	03/11/2012	Starting Time:	( Slot # 25 )

15 students present in the room and 4 adults

Poor air quality in school classrooms is a serious problem now since school classrooms can have occupancy levels as high as 40 sq. ft per persons compared to average office occupancy of 140 sq. ft. per person. Other considerations include the number of portable classrooms being used on a semi-permanent basis.  Many of the urban schools are old, situated near industrial sites and have poor HVAC equipment. With class rooms that have individually controlled HVAC, improving the air quality could be accomplished by simply monitoring CO2 and using that to control the HVAC system. Of course, most schools do not have that capability.

PID Analyzers, LLC Model 114

We have developed an IAQ sensor package that has the capability to monitor CO2 in the crowded class rooms (high levels of CO2 cause drowsiness),  air  velocity in ducts to detect problematic HVAC problems, VOC’s from a variety of sources, and a fourth sensor  that can be selected. The CO2 sensor is an IR sensor with a range of 0-1,500 ppm and the VOC sensor is a photoionization detector with ppb capability. The third sensor is a air velocity sensor. The fourth sensor can be chosen from a variety (30) of electrochemical sensors.

18 students present in the room and 2 adults

A battery operated system with the capability to run for 80-90 hours could provide two weeks of data which would be sufficient to evaluate class room and make decisions  about   the corrective actions to be taken.  A variety of classrooms will be evaluated with the sensor package including labs, portable class rooms, lecture halls.  A positive benefit to improving IAQ in classrooms is that  a number of studies have shown that this can lead to higher test scores.
Authors: Jack Driscoll and Jennifer Maclachlan, PID Analyzers, LLC

Fast GC Analysis with PID & FUV Detectors for Industrial Hygiene Monitoring at Low ppb Levels

Fast GC Analysis with PID and FUV Detectors for Industrial Hygiene Monitoring at Low ppb Levels by John N. Driscoll, D. Walsh of PID Analyzers and Phil Smith of USDOL OSHA, has been accepted for podium presentation during the 2011 American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Expo (AIHce), May 14-May 19 in Portland, OR. 

Topic:Air Sampling Instrument Performance   

Presentation #:PO 111-1  

This  podium presentation is scheduled in the session titled Field Detection, Sampling and Analysis: Real Time Detection Systems, scheduled for Tuesday May 17, 2011 10:30 AM - 10-50 AM.

Featured product #AIHCE booth #718

Abstract:
Objective: Fast Analysis of Gases and Solvents- Industrial Hygienists are typically pushed to provide rapid solutions involving a variety of complex mixtures that threaten workers health.
Methods: Portable Gas chromatography with a photoionization detector (PID),one of the most sensitive detectors for organic compounds, and a Far UV detector (nearly universal detector with ppb detection capability). The detection limits for benzene with these two detectors on a conventional capillary column (0. 32 mm id X 15M wax with an 0.5 μ film) were 0.5 ppb for the PID and 30 ppb for the FUV.

Results-Our approach involves using a 25m x 0.32 mm packed with Haysep P (for analysis of solvents) that is restively heated and can be programmed at a high rate. It can also be cooled faster since it has a very small thermal mass. A sample of 50 ppb of benzene was run on the PID & FUV. Note that the peak heights (counts) were improved by 5-9 times for these two detectors. The analysis times were similar because of the stronger retention of benzene on the porous polymer column. The advantage here is that the porous polymer column can be used for gases or solvents whereas the capillary column is designed only for solvents.
Conclusions- The precision (coefficient of variation) at 50 ppb was +/- 5% for the PID and +/- 15% for the FUV. No significant difference in precision was observed between the two types of columns. The main advantage was that the fast GC (with porous polymer column) could analyze a much wider range of compounds than the capillary column.

JOIN US AT A RECEPTION AT #AIHCE:

in honor of AIHA Real-Time Detection Systems Committee Member, Jack Driscoll on Sunday May 15, 2011 from 6pm-7pm at the Hilton Portland & Exec Towers, 23rd Floor. Please register by emailing me or using the registration link here.