Indoor air pollution (IAP) is a serious threat to human health, causing millions of deaths each year. A plethora of pollutants can result in IAP; therefore, it is very important to identify their main sources and concentrations and to devise strategies for the control and enhancement of indoor air quality (IAQ). Herein, we provide a critical review and evaluation of the major sources of major pollutant emissions, their health effects, and issues related to IAP-based illnesses, including sick building syndrome (SBS) and building-related illness (BRI). In addition, the strategies and approaches for control and reduction of pollutant concentrations are pointed out, and the recent trends in efforts to resolve and improve IAQ, with their respective advantages and potentials, are summarized. It is predicted that the development of novel materials for sensors, IAQ-monitoring systems, and smart homes is a promising strategy for control and enhancement of IAQ in the future.

Indoor Air Pollution, Related Human Diseases, and Recent Trends in the Control and Improvement of Indoor Air Quality.

Optical gas sensors play an increasingly important role in many applications. Sensing techniques based on mid-infrared absorption spectroscopy offer excellent stability, selectivity and sensitivity, for numerous possibilities expected for sensors integrated into mobile and wearable devices. Here we review recent progress towards the miniaturization and integration of optical gas sensors, with a focus on low-cost and low-power consumption devices.

https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/9/2076/pdf

Towards Integrated Mid-Infrared Gas Sensors.

https://research.aalto.fi/files/34828507/1_s2.0_S016041201930981X_main_1.pdf

Human exposure to ozone in school and office indoor environments

Formaldehyde sources, formaldehyde concentrations and air exchange rates in European housings

Indoor air quality has been a matter of concern for the international scientific community. Public health experts, environmental governances, and industry experts are working to improve the overall health, comfort, and well-being of building occupants. Repeated exposure to pollutants in indoor environments is reported as one of the potential causes of several chronic health problems such as lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory infections. Moreover, smart cities projects are promoting the use of real-time monitoring systems to detect unfavorable scenarios for enhanced living environments. The main objective of this work is to present a systematic review of the current state of the art on indoor air quality monitoring systems based on the Internet of Things. The document highlights design aspects for monitoring systems, including sensor types, microcontrollers, architecture, and connectivity along with implementation issues of the studies published in the previous five years (2015–2020). The main contribution of this paper is to present the synthesis of existing research, knowledge gaps, associated challenges, and future recommendations. The results show that 70%, 65%, and 27.5% of studies focused on monitoring thermal comfort parameters, CO2, and PM levels, respectively. Additionally, there are 37.5% and 35% of systems based on Arduino and Raspberry Pi controllers. Only 22.5% of studies followed the calibration approach before system implementation, and 72.5% of systems claim energy efficiency.

/pdf/indoor-air-quality-monitoring-systems-based-on-internet-of-18jzdrf4ax.pdf

Indoor Air Quality Monitoring Systems Based on Internet of Things: A Systematic Review.

Global climate change, demographic change and advancing mechanization of everyday life will go along with new ways of living. Temperature extremes, an ageing society and higher demands on a comfortable life will lead to the implementation of sensor based networks in order to create acceptable and improved living conditions. Originally, the idea of the smart home served primarily the efficient use of energy and the optimization of ventilation technology connected with new ways of constructing buildings (low-energy and passive houses, respectively). Today the term 'smart home' is also linked with the networking of home automation systems, home appliances and communications and entertainment electronics. Living in a smart home often makes also significant demands on the occupants who are required to drastically change some of their living habits. This review summarizes current findings on the effect of measured environmental parameters on indoor air quality, individual thermal comfort and living behavior in smart homes with focus on central Europe. A critical evaluation of available sensor technologies, their application in homes and data security aspects as well as limits and possibilities of current technologies to control particles and gaseous pollutants indoors is included. The review also considers the acceptance of smart technologies by occupants in terms of living habits, perceived indoor air quality and data security.

Lea C. Salthammer

Papers

Smart homes and the control of indoor air quality