A Mobile GPRS-Sensors Array for Air Pollution Monitoring

Abstract

An online GPRS-Sensors Array for air pollution monitoring has been designed, implemented, and tested. The proposed system consists of a Mobile Data-Acquisition Unit (Mobile-DAQ) and a fixed Internet-Enabled Pollution Monitoring Server (Pollution-Server). The Mobile-DAQ unit integrates a single-chip microcontroller, air pollution sensors array, a General Packet Radio Service Modem (GPRS-Modem), and a Global Positioning System Module (GPS-Module). The Pollution-Server is a high-end personal computer application server with Internet connectivity. The Mobile-DAQ unit gathers air pollutants levels (CO, NO2, and SO2), and packs them in a frame with the GPS physical location, time, and date. The frame is subsequently uploaded to the GPRS-Modem and transmitted to the Pollution-Server via the public mobile network. A database server is attached to the Pollution-Server for storing the pollutants level for further usage by various clients such as environment protection agencies, vehicles registration authorities, and tourist and insurance companies. The Pollution-Server is interfaced to Google Maps to display real-time pollutants levels and locations in large metropolitan areas. The system was successfully tested in the city of Sharjah, UAE. The system reports real-time pollutants level and their location on a 24-h/7-day basis.