2025-10-29 バーミンガム大学
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2025/low-cost-pollution-monitoring-is-global-south-game-changer-study
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969725018972
大気汚染の低コスト発生源配分（LoCoSA） – 最新技術に関する文献レビュー Low-Cost Source Apportionment (LoCoSA) of air pollution – literature review of the state of the art
Dimitrios Bousiotis Lejla Ademi Shaqiri, Dylan S. Sanghera, Danielle Tinker, Francis D. Pope
Science of The Total Environment Available online: 22 August 2025
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180257
Graphicsal abstract
Highlights
- Effective air pollution control relies on robust source apportionment (SA) methods.
- Low-cost sensors (LCS) enable wider, more flexible air quality data collection.
- Low-Cost Source Apportionment (LoCoSA) identifies pollution sources using LCS.
- Key LoCoSA challenges include sensor accuracy, calibration, and regulations.
- LoCoSA can democratise air quality management and empower local action.
Abstract
Air pollution is the leading environmental risk to public health demanding urgent action. While air quality monitoring provides crucial insights into pollution levels, source apportionment (SA) is essential for identifying pollution sources and informing targeted solutions. However, SA remains underutilized, primarily due to the high costs of data collection. The emergence of low-cost sensors (LCS) has revolutionized air quality monitoring, particularly in resource-limited geographies and applications. LCS present an opportunity to transform SA through Low-Cost Source Apportionment (LoCoSA), potentially unlocking access to SA methodologies and enhancing air pollution management worldwide.
In this review, we analyse global LoCoSA studies in indoor and outdoor locations, highlighting innovative approaches, key findings, and lessons learned. This helps to popularise the use of these flexible low cost methodologies for air quality assessment. In total, 41 LoCoSA studies were identified, which used a wide range of LCS and SA methodologies. Many combinations of sensor hardware and software were utilized to achieve LoCoSA. Despite its potential, LoCoSA faces several challenges, including the lower accuracy of sensors compared to reference-grade instruments, their sensitivity to atmospheric conditions, and limitations in calibration. However, LCS technology also opens up new opportunities for flexible and scalable SA applications, enabling studies at a frequency and spatial coverage that were previously impractical or cost-prohibitive. We examine the scientific, policy and legislative aspects required for LoCoSA to gain credibility. To date, the lack of clear regulatory frameworks has led to inconsistent methodologies. This review identifies key actions to enhance LoCoSA applications, to strengthen confidence in their reliability, and actions to engage air quality stakeholders to enable wider adoption of LoCoSA within air pollution management. Given the significant impact of air pollution on public health and the environment, LoCoSA has the potential to help democratise air quality management and drive meaningful reductions in air pollution globally.
