Work

Ozone pollution monitoring using a full-time hyperspectral tomography system for multiple air pollutants

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: All-day monitoring of ozone and its precursors is crucial for understanding the chemical processes driving ozone pollution and improving urban air quality. Previously, the absence of cost-effective instruments with high temporal resolution, wide coverage, and fine spatial detail made comprehensive simultaneous observations of ozone and its precursors impossible, limiting our ability to study complex atmospheric chemical changes at night. Our study addresses this challenge by combining computed tomography and Differential optical absorption spectroscopy algorithms to achieve high-spatial-resolution, multi-constituent detection throughout the day. We tested multiple Light emitting diodes with varying wavelengths to enhance cost-effectiveness and incorporated high-precision tracking technology to enable accurate signal return from a drone-carried reflector array. Here, we show an affordable instrument that provides rapid response, precise spatial details, and extensive coverage for all-day detection of ozone and key precursors like formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide, offering valuable insights into ozone pollution dynamics and aiding pollution source identification. The study demonstrates a cost-effective hyperspectral tomography system for continuous monitoring of ozone and its precursors, using drones and light-emitting diodes. It provides high-resolution, all-day data, aiding in understanding pollution dynamics and identifying pollution sources.

Source: Nature Communications

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-66944-w