A Lower-Cost, Community-Based Platform for Monitoring Ambient Concentrations of Hazardous Air Pollutants

Exposure to hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) is associated with an elevated cancer risk, immune system damage, respiratory and reproductive effects, and other adverse health outcomes. Regulatory HAP monitoring is costly, spatially limited, and vulnerable to power outages and extreme weather, which often coincide with periods when monitoring is most needed. This work describes the development of a lower-cost, battery-powered, and community-based sampling platform for HAPs. The sampler supports reliable measurements by recording key quality assurance/control parameters including time, location, battery power, sample flow rate, temperature, humidity, and pressure. We partnered with and trained community volunteers to deploy the platform for ambient formaldehyde sampling following the EPA Method TO-11A in Houston, Texas. Over 6 weeks, 28 fully validated samples were collected, with formaldehyde concentrations ranging from 1.27 to 7.30 ppb, consistent with concentrations reported by nearby regulatory monitors. Noncancer effects are unlikely at the concentrations and sampling durations observed, although contributions to cancer risk are non-negligible. With minor technological improvements and refined training and communication protocols, this platform shows promise for generating reliable, community-gathered HAP data with greater spatial coverage and lower cost than established monitoring approaches, particularly in communities underserved by existing regulatory networks.