Development of a compact all-in-one chemical sensing module for in situ detection of fine dust components based on spark-induced plasma spectroscopy

Air pollution related to fine dust is increasing globally with rapid industrialization and modernization. With the rising environmental and health concerns with respect to air quality, it is imperative to develop an advanced system for detecting harmful components from airborne particles. Based on spark-induced plasma spectroscopy (SIPS), a novel instrument was designed for measurements of fine dust atomic components in situ. All the functional parts related to plasma generation, measurement, and data visualization of time-resolved electric signals were integrated into a compact single module with embedded software. Quantitative measurements were conducted to investigate and verify the performance of the all-in-one module for key components of fine dust, namely, Fe, Mg, Si, Ca, Al, and K. Along with the enhanced limit of detection by ~ 1.4 times the previous setup, the quantitative monitoring of fine dust in the atmospheric environment is illustrated via the compact SIPS module.

Automated summary

Air pollution related to fine dust is increasing globally with rapid industrialization and modernization. Therefore, it is essential to develop an advanced system for detecting harmful components in the air. In this study, a novel instrument based on SIPS technology was designed for in-situ measurement of atomic components in fine dust. By integrating various functional parts into a compact single module with embedded software, quantitative measurements of key components were successfully conducted. The compact SIPS module demonstrated enhanced detection capabilities and can be used for quantitative monitoring of fine dust in the atmospheric environment.