Development of Internet of Things (IoT) for air pollution monitoring of Nagpur metropolis

In the era of smart computing, edge computing, and machine intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT) is paving a greater role in establishing hyperconnective, cost-effective infrastructure for monitoring the environment. With the increase in the level of urbanization, increasing air pollution in cities is an alarming situation. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously monitor the pollution and carry out spatial analysis of the changes in air pollution on a real-time basis. To monitor and manage air pollutants, it is essential to put in place monitoring stations to plan controlling measures. Although commercial pollution monitoring stations are present, they are limited in number, expensive, and fixed in specific strategic locations. A pollution monitoring system that can be replicated easily, automatically collects and analyzes data, and is cost-effective is essential. This study has involved the development and experimentation of a network of smart IoT sensors in Nagpur metropolis. The developed smart air pollution monitoring system combines IoT technology with real-time pollution monitoring. The developed smart air pollution monitoring system measures and monitors temperature, humidity and pollutant concentration of Carbon Monoxide, Ozone, Carbon Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide and PM2.5 and Nitrous oxides simultaneously through one compact device. This paper discusses the architecture and design of the IoT system for air pollution monitoring, with a case study of its establishment in Nagpur metropolis. The study envisages to support Sustainable Development Goals – SDG11 which aims to reduce the environmental impact of cities by improving air quality.