2015_07_15 Initial testing (pollution expected areas)

Today was the first field testing with an actual mesh enclosure and LCD. Setup was more portable and wires were less showing. Several people asked me questions about the device. More than any other testing. I noticed that old men are really interested in the device. They were all surprised to hear that I was a high school student. One of them asked me if I am an MIT student and another man asked me if I had a business card. I was happy to learn that people are interested in what I am doing. It was a bit scary when a police officer asked me what I was doing, but he was just curious after all.

I went to several places where there were expected to be air pollution. I also tested chemicals that have a strong scent. It also rained during testing today so that was different from other days.

Compared to a regular road, the car repair garage had significantly lower Hydrogen level (Normal: 241, Garage: 121). It also had lower ozone level (186, 153) and lower hazardous gas (3.2, 2.9). It had higher alcohol (146, 160) and higher Carbon Monoxide level (162, 187). I expected higher hazardous gas percentage for a repair shop. Considering the difference was small and that the repair shop was near the road, the hazardous gas sensor seems to work fine.

Construction site had the second lowest ozone level (107). Alcohol level and Carbon Monoxide level were similar to car repair garage (Alcohol: 166, Carbon Monoxide: 186).

Waste disposal area had the lowest ozone level (105). Alcohol and Carbon Monoxide level were almost the same as repair garage and construction site (165). Waste disposal area had the highest hazardous gas level out of all the locations (3.7).

Lush had all kinds of soap that smelled like heaven. However, alcohol level was significantly higher than other places (187.5). Carbon Monoxide level was significantly high as well (207.9). Since soap is an alkaline solution that contains fatty acids and glycerol, it might have high alcohol level and Carbon Monoxide level.

I took a measurement when I was passing people who were drinking. As expected, the alcohol level marked the highest (285). Carbon Monoxide level was equally as high (284).

Frigidaire vent was really hot (27.3 oC) compared to other locations at that time. I could feel the hot gas coming out of the vent when I was near it. Hydrogen level marked the lowest (105.7).

It rained during field testing. Rain dropped temperature and amount of light as expected. Rain als dropped ozone (sunny road: 186, rainy road: 141). It had slight increase in alcohol and Carbon Monoxide level.

I tested tide, nail polish, and nail polish remover as a highly toxic chemicals. Nail polish remover had the highest Hydrogen (177), ozone (181), alcohol (312), Carbon Dioxide (699), and Hazardous gas level (3.5). Those are all the gas sensors. Remover’s gas levels were not slightly but rather significantly higher than all the other chemicals. That indicates that nail polish remover is the most toxic and strong chemical out of the three. Tide had the lowest gas levels so that would allow me to conclude that tide is milder than the other chemicals.

Alcohol and Carbon Monoxide sensor seems to overlap their measurements. I am not exactly sure what ozone is measuring. The hazardous Gas sensor might not be working because the values are much lower than the 2015_07_07 measurements. Today it remained around 3, but 07_07 measurement had around 140.