Computed Tomography and Low-cost Sensor Networks to Reconstruct Spatial Pollutant Distributions

Aerosol size distribution/concentration and its spatial variation is indispensable information for occupational exposure characterization studies. The feasibility of using an optical sensing system combined with computed tomography technique (OS-CT) to simultaneously determine the aerosol size distribution and concentration at different locations in a two-dimensional plane has been demonstrated previously through a series of numerical simulation studies. We are extending this work in chamber studies to demonstrate this feasibility in a laboratory setting before applying the OS-CT technique in field studies. The use of low-cost sensor networks deployed intelligently is another parallel track to estimating spatial distributions. Such techniques can potentially revolutionize the practice of exposure assessment, especially in work settings, where personalized exposure monitoring and personalized risk management can become feasible.